My new skin regime...
is so amazing. Not that anyone cares, but here it is:
aveeno clear complexion daily cleansing pads (AMAZING even on its own)
Murad Clarifying Mask (about once a week)
Murad T-Zone Pore Refining Gel (Vitalic)- Haven’t decided how frequently I want to use this yet.
Murad Energizing pomegranate moisturizer, SPF 15 (Vitalic)- Daily/as needed.
Like, really, my skin is so great right now lol
How to prevent alligator skin in the winter time
Most of us get some form of alligator skin during the winter months. Cracked cuticles, scaly skin, itchy abdomen or back, peeling face. Here are a few basic things you can do to prevent or alleviate winter-time alligator skin.
1) Use a synthetic-fragrance free bodywash or soap. The same applies for lotions. The synthetic ingredients in the fragrance can irritate skin that has already flared up from the elements. General rule: read your labels! You should be able to recognize and pronounce the ingredients that are on your labels!
2) Look for moisturizers and lotions with healing ingredients such as chamomile, shea butter and hemp seed oil.
3) Take a lukewarm, quick shower. Showers that are too hot tend to strip away the oils that are essential to keeping skin moisturized.
4) Apply moisturizers immediately after stepping out of the shower to lock in moisture. If you have oily skin, reach for a lotion, which are generally lighter in consistency and won’t clog pores. If you have really dry skin, be sure to grab a thick, moisturizing cream and apply generously and religiously!
5) Wear natural, non-irritating fibers such as organic cotton.
6) Eat foods rich in Omega-3s as these help fortify the skin’s ability to create a moisture barrier.
Don’t be fooled by synthetic or toxic ingredients found in skincare products that parade as being good for your skin. These include (but are not limited to):
- Ceramides. These are often found in synthetic form that may mimic the natural substances in the outermost layer of skin that help keep moisture in.
- Dimethicone. A form of silicone wax that may cause irritation to eyes or skin when it comes in contact.
- Hyaluronic acid. This is tricky one. Touted as the Fountain of Youth, hyaluronic acid is naturally produced by the body and is not toxic in that form. It acts to moisturize skin, reduce wrinkles and lubricate joints. Over time, its production decreases and affects skin and joints. From what I can find, most hyaluronic acid found in skincare products is either synthetically produced using bacteria or from poultry. Given what we know about the dirty poultry industry these days - best to stay away from it.
- Lanolin, mineral oil, and petroleum jelly. These ingredients are known as emollients that smooth and lubricate your skin by trapping and sealing water in the outer layer of your skin (provided you apply right after a shower/bath). Don’t be fooled - lanolin is derived from sheep. Often, insecticides and pesticides are used to kill parasites in the sheep. Mineral oil and petroleum jelly are simply petro chemical ingredients. Why would you want to put gasoline all over your skin and allow it to be absorbed into your bloodstream?
I’ll end with my usual mantra: READ YOUR LABELS!!!
Tips for makeup that last ALL day :)
- Make sure your moisturizer and foundation are BOTH water based or BOTH oil based. (Depending on your skin type) If one is water based and the other is oil based your makeup WILL slide off. Remember water and oil DONT mix!!!
- After your moisturizer has absorbed into the skin apply a primer. Like MAC’s Mattefying Gel, Benifit’s Porefessional, Palladio Primer or Loreal Studio Secrets Primer.
- After your primer has absorbed into the skin apply your foundation anyway you want. A matte foundation is best for oily skin and a dewy foundation is best for dry skin. Matte: MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid/Revlon Colorstay. Dewy:Nars Sheer Glow/Neutragena Healthy Skin.
- Once you applied your foundation take a 2 ply tissue and part it in half. Press it on to the skin to take off the excess oil. DONT RUB!!!!
- Then set your foundation with powder. With a puff or a foundation brush PRESS the powder on to the skin. Again DONT RUB!
- You can also set it with a setting spray. Like Model in a Bottle or the line from Skindinavia which come in different formulations for dry/oily skin. If your skin looks dull/dry/cakey setting sprays can also be used to bring back moisture to the skin. MAC’s Fix plus is commonly mistaken for a setting spray but its not. Its used to freshen up the makeup.
- Try to apply the least amount of powder during the day to avoid it looking cakey. Instead go for blotting papers like the ones from ELF. Once again PRESS them on to the skin to take off excess oil, DONT rub!
Remember you don’t have to use every single one of these steps. Take into consideration your skin type and pick and choose what works for you and what dosn’t :)
Check out these videos by Goss: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DcDNrzWD4U
The windier it gets, the more important it will be to have a moisturizer ready to keep your skin hydrated and fresh!
As the temperature drops and the wind picks up, dry skin might start to become an issue. Just like with chapped lips, the cold weather sucks out the moisture and leaves your skin thirsty for some hydration. The wind doesn’t help either because it can really irritate some people’s skins. This is why I think moisturizer is really important as it gets colder, and if you don’t use a daily moisturizer you may want to consider it as winter approaches.
You can just slap it on in the morning before you go out and it will offer a barrier of protection between the cold and your skin.
Here are some moisturizers I’ve tried. There aren’t too many because once I found my current moisturizer (first to be mentioned) I stopped looking and I’ve stuck with this for a long time.
So my current moisturizer and all time favorite:
Clean & Clear advantage acne control moisturizer. (oil-free)
One of the things I really love about this product is that it’s actually geared towards more acne ridden or acne prone skin. It has .5% salicylic acid, which is known to be great for fighting those zits and break outs.
It’s also not greasy at all, and it doesn’t feel goopy or wet on the skin, once you’ve worked it in, it’s done. You don’t feel any of that after feeling or after texture, it just feels like your natural skin, but softer and smoother.
Another thing I like is how little product you actually have to use, I use about a pump and that will do my entire face on a daily basis. If I’ve just exfoliated or cleansed and my skin feels a bit more dry, I’ll use a pump and a half. But because you really don’t have to use much at all, these last so long! It contains 4 fl. oz of product for about $6-8 at your local drugstore or Wal-Mart. I use this in conjunction with the spot treatment and I used to use it with the cleanser in the three piece set it goes with. I’ve repurchased the spot treatment and I really like that, but the cleanser wasn’t anything spectacular.
But anyways, I really love this moisturizer.
On a scale of 1 to 10? 10. It’s hydrating, feels great on the skin, doesn’t leave a greasy residue or texture behind and there’s no weird fragrance. Plus it’s cheap and easy to find!
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion:
Oh gosh, I don’t even remember how exactly I came across this in the first place or where I got it. But I went through a whole bottle of this stuff pretty quickly.
It doesn’t feel super greasy on the skin but it does leave a bit of that after application oily texture, and a bit of shine until it dries. It was very hydrating and I found that using it on a daily basis was a little bit too much for my skin so it was more of an every other day sort of thing.
If you have dry skin, this is probably a good option for you if you don’t mind that after application greasy texture for a short while.
I think this had a slight fragrance to it, but I remember it as being slightly chemical-cosmeticy smell but with some sort of sweet scent mixed in. I didn’t ever find it unpleasant or strong though. I haven’t used this moisturizer in about 3 or 4 years, so I apologize that this particular review is a bit less specific, I just can’t remember quite as much about it.
On a scale of 1 to 10? 7.5, I liked how hydrating it was, even though it could be a bit strong for my skin. I didn’t like the greasy feeling or slight shine afterwards, even though it wasn’t too bad. And I want to say this was $14 when I owned it. Which isn’t exactly cheap for a moisturizer, especially considering the bottle I had was fairly small. So I don’t know, I’ll have to look into their prices now and get back to you if you’re interested.
So for this last one I actually had to google image which moisturizer it was because I couldn’t remember the name but its Neutrogena’s Healthy Skin Face Lotion:
Now I know this is going to sound weird because Neutrogena is supposed to be all about being great for your skin, and hypoallergenic with some products, but I had a horrible reaction to this moisturizer.
I had run out of my Clean & Clear and wanted to try something new because I heard good things about this moisturizer. After applying it I broke out into hives all over my body and they lasted for days. I have sensitive skin, and I already had known this, but I assumed Neutrogena was a good choice for me because of this.
I can’t really give a review on performance because I had barely used it. But I offer a word of caution if you have sensitive skin and are considering using this product; it may break you out in acne or in hives.
So I apologize for the limited amount of products being reviewed, I’m hoping to try one of Aveeno’s moisturizers soon! :)
I hope you found this helpful, and as always, questions and comments are welcome, as well as your own recommendations for moisturizers or other products :)
Good luck! :)
Winter is here...
canadianliving.comIt’s only the end of November and my skin is already so DRY!
So I am sharing this article that I found very helpful. It includes some tips on how to add a little extra moisture to your skin during winter months.
ENJOY :)
Another girl and lotion
Girl I’m all for keeping your skin hydrated, soft, and smooth but this putting in lotion in class everyday is ridiculous. Are you addicted to lotion? I get it one or two days in class is cool we all need lotion every now and then but seriously every single day what is this. Have you ever heard of putting it on at home? Before school? Oh and you don’t even use your own lotion you borrow someones lotion. All I’m trying to say is that you don’t need to be putting lotion on everyday at school in class right next to me at the exact same time everyday. Oh and the lotion you put on today doesn’t even smell good so that doesn’t make it a little better.
( insert I’m being serious gif )
Fall Skincare Favorites - Top Products for Dry, Sensitive Skin
My skin always flips out whenever I change climates. I had terrible skin for a good part of my overseas trip visiting family and studying in Taipei, and now my skin is super dry and flaky because of the weird weather in New York. If it’s not really red, it’s really dry. I’ve managed to get it under control with some products I’ve had around for awhile (never be reluctant to shop your own beauty closet). I’ve had to drastically change my skincare regimen over the past month to work around irritated, flaky skin that burns in protest whenever I put on my old favorites. These 9 products are what I’ve found to be incredibly helpful and calming and soothing to my poor skin.
