Ah, skin care, meet spring!

So we are just rolling into spring!  I am so excited because it means a bit of rain, lots of flowers, and, of course, that summer is just around the corner.  To get into the spirit, and start prepping and prettifying my skin now, I thought I'd do a run down of my "must have" spring skin care products.

Since we're (hopefully) moving out of those cold, awful dry months that require heavier make up and (mostly) clothing that covers up 90% of our skin, it's time to talk about what we need to get our skin into tip-top shape for all the exposure to come.

In the warmer months, I've found, most people want to have less make up on their skin to avoid a)melting, drippy, runny foundation/eyeliner/mascara, and b) to let their skin "breathe," which, let's face it, is hard to do under a full face of war paint.  The key to having beautiful skin you're dying to show off is an idiot-proof, simple regimen.  The absolute basics you will need are:

-a cleanser that does not strip oil from your skin, but also does not increase oil production or leave your skin feeling just as oily as it was before you washed it.  For some of us, (myself included!) this may mean switching from a cream cleanser (like Clean and Clear Deep Action Clean Cleanser) to a gel formula (like Neutrogena Fresh Face Wash).  For acne prone skin, it is really important to pick a face wash that won't overly dry the skin around blemishes (to avoid peeling) but will help keep pores clear and break outs at bay.  

-a moisturizer with SPF that also addresses any major skin concerns you might have, like acne, fine lines and wrinkles, hyper pigmentation, etc.  I love the Murad Essential-C Day Moisture Broad Spectrum SPF 30, PA +++.  If you have true oily skin (not oily-combination), like I do, and you live somewhere that is really humid, this may not be the best option for you out there.  It's not a heavy moisturizer, but I've found that it can contribute to shiny-ness and oil slicks on the face on a particularly humid day.  The protection is great and with a primer, 98% of the time, it's great.  Vitamin C is a great anti-aging ingredient that helps brighten the skin, keeping it glowy and luminous.  Another great option is the Neutrogena Soothing Daily Moisturizer with SPF 15, which is fantastic for irritated, sunburned, or just generally sensitive skin.

-a "spot" treatment to layer under a moisturizer or to use at night to assist in dealing with those lovely skin demons.  This can be a mask you do at night, a spot treatment for blemishes, an AHA serum or retinol based cream for wrinkles and fine lines...(***) the list goes on and on.  Make sure it's something that your skin tolerates well, since the last thing you want is a breakout or rash from something that's supposed to be helping you!

-a light, but very moisturizing eye cream.  In the spring and summer, we don't want anything greasy or that has the potential to turn greasy around our eyes, otherwise it's "bye bye eye liner!", and that's all bad.  In the fall and winter months I tend to gravitate toward Clinique All About Eyes Rich, but in the summer-y months, I love the Origins GinZing Refreshing eye cream, which has brightening, luminous properties and is great for combatting dark circles under the eyes.

-one great mask/deep pore/pampering treatment.  It can be moisturizing, it can be to treat acne, it can be a chemical peel, whatever you feel you need every once in a while to get that truly glowing skin we all know and see far too infrequently to totally enjoy.  I personally love the Queen Helene Mint Julep mask or the Ole Henricksen Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask.  The Mint Julep is a clay based mask that pulls all that gunk out of your pores and leaves you feeling smooth, soft and totally bump free.  The Blue/Black Berry mask is a clear, jiggly, jelly like consistency that you slather on in a thick layer all over your face.  It's moisturizing but also does some light chemical exfoliation or resurfacing.  It has a strong lavender-herbal scent that can be quite intense, and the texture is just weird enough that it almost put me off using it.  Once I tried it, I was hooked, however.  

Last, but not least:
-a lip balm with some SPF.  Your lips need sun protection, too!  And there are so many options now, tinted, not tinted, all natural, high end, drug store, yaddah, yaddah.  I love the Sugar Fresh Lip Treatments... all of them.  The tinted ones have just enough color to be viable evening options, but are also totally appropriate for day.  My personal favorites are Sugar Plum and Petal.  They have a color for every look and two non-colored options to choose from.  If you're looking for a drug store option, check out Nivea's A Kiss Of.. line, or Burt's Bees, which has some incredible tinted options!

I hope this post was helpful in getting you thinking about whipping your skin into tip-top shape for summer.  These are just my opinions and personal experiences, so if something I mentioned doesn't work for you, I'm sorry, all skin is different and unique, just like we are, and everyone has different needs.

Stay Pretty!

***It's so important to remember that certain ingredients in some skin care products actually make the skin more susceptible to sun damage, making you more likely to get burned and opening the door to fine lines, freckles etc.  The three really big ones (that I know of) are: benzoyl peroxide, retinol and alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids.  Benzoyl peroxide and AHAs/BHAs can be used to treat acne as well as fine lines and wrinkles.  Retinol is generally used to treat wrinkles and help "resurface" skin or promote skin cell turn over.  If you read the fine print on any of these products, there are advisories warning against too much sun exposure or the need for vigilant sunscreen application.  In other words, don't use these without a really good SPF if you're out in the sun all day.  They are all great to use at night, which actually gives the skin more un-interrupted time to absorb all the great-for-you ingredients and respond to the treatment.  Be aware that benzoyl peroxide is also known to have bleaching properties, so if you are using it at night, make sure you have a white pillow case or a white towel or something to go over your pillow case.  If you're using benzoyl peroxide to treat acne on your body (back, chest etc) make sure you are wearing light colored or old clothing that you don't mind potentially bleaching or staining.

         

Seriously Underrated/Underhyped/Unknown Products (Part 1)

What's up, my Pretties?  I've been gone for a while, but am coming back, with hopefully newer and better ideas, reviews and recommendations.  Let's get to it.

There are so many products that have hit the airwaves that get so. much. hype.  And for good reason: the Naked palettes by Urban Decay were brilliant, Make Up Forever HD Foundation is lovely, Miss Dior Cherie and Coco Mademoiselle both smell incredible, so these products should get talked about.  But what about those amazing, totally under the radar, have to be looking so hard you almost miss 'em products?  I've got quite a few that I've been hoarding the past few months, (years for a few), and I think it's time someone started talking about them, so I think I may turn this into a series, and talk about one or two products in more detail in a post, let's see how it works out.

1. The first product I'm going to mention is a relatively new one to me.  I discovered it by total chance this summer while purchasing other products at Sephora.  The cashier dropped a couple samples into my bag as she handed it to me.  I got home and actually almost threw away all the samples she threw in, but caught myself just in time.  While going through them, one in particular caught my eye: Sarah McNamara's Miracle Skin Transformer 5-in-1 Face Broad Spectrum SPF 20.  The five things it claims to do are: mattify, prime, protect, hydrate and enhance.  I decided on a whim to try one of these little buggers, because anything that claims to do that much has my attention.  I was blown away the first time I tried it.  You can get this at Sephora and I think Costco (definitely more cost-effective option).  Anyway, on to the product.  This has one major drawback-it is only available in six shades, one of which is translucent, (deposits no color on the skin).  So there is definitely a limited number of options.  I've also heard that it oxidizes in some of the darker shades but haven't experienced any weird oxidation myself.  Let me just say though, the effect that this gives skin is incredible.  You can use it as a primer under your make up, you can use it alone as a tinted moisturizer/primer, you can use it on top of your make up, it looks damn near flawless any way you swing it.

I am not wearing any other make up in this photo.  This was taken in natural light.

So, yeah, long story short: try this brand.  They make several formulas: there's one for acne, they have a body version, they have an eye formula, and they have an impressive line of skin care, to boot.  I haven't heard anyone talk about this brand, which makes me sad.

2. Alright, moving on.  The next underrated product is sort of an interesting one, because the brand is very well known, but not for the kind of product this one is.  Laura Mercier, let's just say it: her foundations, primers and tinted moisturizers are ah-mazing but I feel like that's the only type of product you hear about with her brand.  Not that that's a bad thing, but people, we are missing out!  I just picked up her new palette, which is limited edition for the holidays, the Artist's Palette for Eyes.  Such a gorgeous selection of warmer toned pinks, plums and browns.  It's like the Naked palette, but more concentrated.  It's got 12 shadows, 6 matte, 6 shimmer, and they all fall into the ivory to peachy pink, to plummy purples and warm brown families.  Such an awesome mix, and the number of looks you could pull off is just unreal.  

Gorgeous, right?

Okay, you see what I'm talking about here.  But let's talk about the real important thing: formulation.  These shadows are buttery smooth.  They are so unbelievably pigmented and so soft.  I haven't noticed any fallout- can we repeat that? None.  I'm particularly loving the third shadow in on the left hand side, African Violet.  It's this stunning lavender-plum-with gold flecks blended so seamlessly in it just glows.  The pigmentation on these is to die for.  This palette would look great on any eye color, but hazel/green/blue eyes are really going to glow with these.  I never hear anyone talk about Laura Mercier eye shadows, and I don't know why.  Maybe her single shadows aren't this caliber, I can honestly say I've never tried any until now, but I am so glad I picked this palette up.

I feel like this has been a lengthy, long winded post, so I'll end here, but I will definitely be back soon with a couple more seriously underhyped products.

Stay lovely, lovelies!

Collective Ulta Haul

I've been doing a little shopping in the last month and a half or so, having discovered that there is an Ulta right on my way back to school, and I'm really excited about my purchases.  I've had my eye on a Lorac palette since about January and have been stalking it online at Sephora ever since.  Today, while I was wandering Ulta, I found it!  The Lorac Unzipped palette might be better than the Naked and the Naked 2 palettes.  It has a really beautiful, rich combination of mattes and shimmers, and I realize this is not necessarily a "yes" for most people, but not a single one is black, dark blue, or silver.  They're all fairly warm toned bronzes, golds, taupes, and coppery browns.  I'm in love.  You can find it online at Ulta.com or on Sephora.com.  I highly recommend it if you love the neutral eye look and you're a fan of Lorac eye shadows.  I have been consistently impressed across the board with the Lorac eye shadows since I purchased the Little Black Palette.

I also picked up three of the newly released, new formula Urban Decay single eye shadows.  I purchased them in the cult classic Sin, YDK (from the Naked 2 palette, it's my fave!), and X, which I think might be a new eye shadow entirely.  Sin is of course the shimmery, pale, nudey pink that is an awesome high lighter or mellow all over lid color.  YDK is this totally perfect shimmery taupey-brown.  I've been obsessed with it since I got the Naked 2.  It makes the best day time smokey eye, ever.  X is a pale, peachy gold shimmer that I can just picture being perfect for an all over wash of color during the summer. Amazingness.  The shadows feel so soft and smooth and buttery, the new formula is fantastic.  The color pay off is out of this world.

I grabbed two NYX Jumbo eye pencils, one in Yogurt and one in Cashmere.  Yogurt is a pale creamy gold and Cashmere is a soft coppery color.  I can definitely see myself having fun with them and getting a lot of use out of them.

Aaannnd on to the nail polish.  This is almost embarrassing.  Notice I said 'almost'?  I love nail polish.  I have significantly bulked up my Butter London collection since my last haul.  I'm talking some serious additions.  I picked up Royal Navy, Yummy Mummy, Old Blighty, Saucy Jack, Trout Pout & Jaffa.  I also snagged Essie's Mesmerize, China Glaze's High Hopes, Mediterranean Charm, and OPI's Red Lights Ahead...Where? and What's With the Cattitude?.  All of these can be found online at Ulta.com.  China Glaze polishes can also be found at Sally Beauty Supply.

Gel Manicures vs. Traditional Ones

Okay, so gel manicures are the major rage right now, with at home kits and mini LEDs to set them, they're popping up everywhere. Now, I know, as a woman who works, that a manicure that can last more than two weeks without chipping, one that keeps going until it's grown out before it needs to be re-done (not unlike acrylics, but without the havoc they wreak on your nails), is too amazing to be questioned... but what happens when you should question it for health reasons?

I have more than a "normal" nail polish collection... okay, it is now bordering on obsession, addiction and needing intervention, so I have a pretty serious investment in going with a traditional manicure (and doing it yourself! Or at least bringing your own polish). All of that aside, gel manicures sound like the best thing since... sliced bread? Or those little toasters that cook a sunnyside up egg while they make your toast... However, I have discovered a couple serious flaws in the gel manicure camp.

One: if you don't go back to the nail salon to have them removed (and then put back on), they can destroy your nails, similar to the way acrylics did back in high school. Here's the thing: you have to soak your hands in pure acetone (not normal nail polish remover) to soften the cured gel enough to actually remove it from your nails. The acetone does soften the gel, but it also softens the nails. Then you have to use a metal cuticle pusher to scrape off the gel and if you're not careful (or over-zealous, like I was), you'll actually end up scraping/peeling off part of the nail itself. The whole thing leaves your nails weak, just like acrylics did. And, if you have any kind of ADD, you'll get bored of the manicure/color you got. By day 5, I was itching to paint my nails, I love me a nice French manicure, but not that much. Long story short: gels are no better than acrylics--they ruin your nails, you're stuck with one manicure for weeks, and you look ridiculous when you "need a fill" and spend $40 to get the whole manicure re-done. At least, that's my opinion.

Two: you can get skin cancer from gel manicures. Yes, skin cancer. Since the lights used to cure the polish are UV lights, you're almost tanning your hands... like putting your hands only in a tanning bed. Since your hands are one of the most forgotten/overlooked parts of your body, they're at a huge risk for skin cancer. Think about it. Driving in the car: what's exposed? Your arms and hands. I have a girlfriend who literally drives with a coat or sweater at all times because she has such fragile, pale skin. Personally, I burn, then freckle, then tan. Any tanning whatsoever is terrible for you, but the concentrated UV rays are the worst. Further, how many of us can actually that we put sunscreen on our hands every single day? I sure as hell can't. And I always put sunscreen everywhere else. Women with darker skin tones are even more at risk, since spotting skin discoloration on a mole is made even more difficult because the differentiation between mole and actual skin tone are similar. Derms say women with darker skin need to be extra vigilant in checking between fingers and under the finger nails for small spots of discoloration, moles with irregular edges, yaddah yaddah yaddah. If states are banning or regulating the use of tanning beds, why are we still putting ourselves at risk by getting gel manicures???

The perks of gel manicures are clear: shiny, chip free manicures that last [sometimes] upwards of three weeks, they're your real nails, no added length or crazy tips, what's not to love, ladies? But there are alternatives that are really just as good, but don't leave your nails open to be ravaged by acetone and scraping off the polish (and possibly some of the first layer of nail), and don't put us at risk of skin cancer.... and they won't run your bank account into negative balance territory. My favorite, by far, is the Sally Hansen Nail Strips. They literally last just about as long as gels, and similarly to gels, you really only need to re-do them when they start to grow out and your nails look like they need a fill. They can be removed with normal nail polish remover, not pure acetone, and don't strip the top layer of your nail off. Plus they're cheaper.

And then there's just good ol' plain doing your own nails at home. With all the nail art trends around, and all the nail art blogs running up and down your internet pathways, not to mention the amazing nail tutorials that can be found on Youtube. This is where my obscenely large nail polish collection (and the guilt whenever I get a manicure without bringing my own polish, or doing gel) comes into play. How to justify going to a salon to have your nails painted by someone else and paying anywhere from $10-$70+ a pop (gels, regular manis, pedis, etc) is beyond me. Not to mention, I'll never get through my collection and have to throw them all away. (Probably have to do that someday any way, but hey!) Plus, there's the budget factor. Add up all the mani/pedis you've gotten in the last year, including gels. Pretty hefty chunk of change. In comparison, buying the right tools and your own nail polish, and doing it all yourself doesn't seem so bad. Plus, you can change it whenever you want, all it costs is 30+ minutes a day.

It all just makes you think. And it's an age-old debate: are the lengths we go to for beauty too far fetched? Are they just plain dangerous? Think about it the next time you're getting your nails done... [or doing them yourself].

Glitter Polish

Like just about all of my friends, and a growing chunk of the female population, I have a thing for glitter nail polish. It's so much fun, and I love to use it as like an accent nail or do a jacked up french mani with glitter tips-the possibilities are endless. However, like ALL of my girlfriends, and again, a growing chunk of the female population, I find myself getting so darn frustrated when I'm trying to get the glitter polish OFF my nails, I'm always wary of using it again. And then a couple months go by and I find myself in the exact same position.

There are several tried and true methods to get glitter polish off: soak your nails in nail polish remover (although I prefer pure acetone for this, if it takes of acrylics, it'll take off glitter) and then gently scrape off the remaining glitter hunks, or use a stiff toothbrush to scrub them off; chipping the glitter off with your other nails and/or teeth (which isn't great for your nails); or you can simply wait until the manicure has run its course and is chipping off on its own and wait till it's almost all gone before you whip out your nail polish remover. Each of those options is extremely time consuming, and, let's face it, not fun.

In the last few weeks, trolling pinterest, I've seen a few pins of hands with tin foil wrapped around the nails, with the tag "how to remove glitter polish". This got me thinking: what if, instead of soaking your nails in a small bowl of polish remover, you soaked a cotton round in polish remover (I still love my pure acetone) and wrapped it around your nails? It WORKS. The other day I did my nails and had Butter London's Rosie Lee on my ring fingers, so I soaked two cotton rounds in pure acetone, wrapped them around my ring fingers and went about wiping off the nail polish from my other fingers. Less than five minutes later, I pulled off the cotton rounds, and swiped off, and sure enough, it came off just like regular polish. Amazing. The tin foil option I've seen lately, is useful if all your nails are coated in two or more coats of glitter polish. Just wrap 'em up, sit back, and about 5 minutes later, (depending on how many coats you applied) off they go!!! Great little trick.

Ulta Haul

So today I went to Ulta for the first time ever in my life and almost died. I was so excited when I walked into the store and I beelined straight for the Butter London display. Over the weekend I picked up the Butter London Nail Foundation base coat and the Hardware Quick topcoat, so I wanted to pick up some actual colors. I really was looking for Trout Pout, but they were sold out which was lame, so I compensated by buying three other polishes from Butter London and the matte top coat. I also picked up a few China Glaze polishes, including two from the Hunger Games collection, a Zoya polish (my first!) and a couple Essie colors. I also grabbed (and was so excited to see) the OPI Avoplex High Intensity Hand & Nail Cream and the Avoplex Cuticle Oil To Go, as well as an OPI polish. Finally I snagged two NYX lip glosses in Beige and Natural. So far, I'm pretty much in love.

NYX lip glosses in Natural (left) and Beige (right)

Zoya's Avery (true nude)

Essie's No Pre-Nup (a jelly baby pink)

Essie's Absolutely Shore (almost white baby blue)

OPI's Road House Blues (true navy blue)

China Glaze's Aquadelic (true "Tiffany Blue" aqua color, even better than For Audrey, from the Electropop collection)

China Glaze's Fast Track (a true nude with golden yellow shimmer/glitters, from the Hunger Games collection)

China Glaze's Agro (a metallic olive green, from the Hunger Games Collection)

Butter London's Snog (a hot pink)

Butter London's Slapper (a true turquoise)

Butter London's Rosie Lee (pink glitter)

I'm so excited to play around with these polishes, I literally can't wait to use them all. I also can't wait to go back to Ulta. New playground/danger zone for me!

How to get clear, healthy skin

I do a lot of blog posts about nail polishes, or products I'm loving, but I don't do many on how to get and maintain anything. I've been lucky enough to have been born with more than decent skin, although as an adult I've had more problems with my skin than I ever did in high school, and as such, I've spent most of my young adult life on the search for the perfect skin care regimen. I've found some really great, reliable skin care products, and I've found a routine that really works, so long as I stick with it.

The number one rule with skin care is that you have to stick with it, you cannot skip steps or "ease up". If you skip steps, your skin will notice and you will pay the price. After that golden rule, the number one rule is wash your face twice a day. Make up remover wipes don't count, and I find that they often leave a residue on your skin which, for some, can clog pores. If you really want to get on the road to clear skin, scrubbing your face twice a day is an absolute must. This goes for when you're home sick, too. I know it's awful, but try to wash your face, at least once a day, even if you're feeling awful. It will make a difference. If you have drier skin and you think that washing twice a day will dry you out too much, use a cream based face wash in the mornings and a gel or foaming face wash at night when you're taking off your make up. The bottom line is to always have a clean face.

Beyond washing your face like a crazy person, there are several other "rules" that should be followed. The first of these is exfoliation. Exfoliation is necessary whether you have oily skin or dry skin-a case can be made for both that each needs it more than the other, but every body reacts to exfoliators differently. For some, a traditional exfoliator, like a face scrub (Noxzema Clean Blemish Control Daily Scrub), can be too much, so an exfoliating toner or treatment with AHA's or LHA's (alpha hydroxy acids) may be preferred. The big thing about selecting an exfoliator is choosing one that works with your skin, not against it. If you have sensitive skin, and you want a traditional scrub, look for a scrub with very fine, uniform (in size) exfoliators. Stay far far away from scrubs with "natural" exfoliating beads (like St. Ives Apricot scrub) or scrubs with large exfoliating beads. The "natural" ones are ground up pieces of apricot pits or other rough substances and the edges can be very sharp, which can tear your pores and leave micro-cuts on your skin. When looking for an AHA type exfoliator, look for a gel or some toners have "exfoliating" properties. I prefer to use Ole Henricksen's invigorating night gel, which has AHA in it. I use this every night, so this is mild enough of an exfoliator to be used daily.

A lot of people say a toner is a necessity, and I'm not terribly sure that I'm one of them, although I have used toners in the past. People will tell you that a toner is necessary to balance out the pH of your skin, which I think is bullshit. I use Noxzema triple clean anti-blemish pads to act as a sort of toner/acne treatment. I use these typically only at night, as they can be quite strong with the astringent that's on them. I will say that these knock out oil and bacteria quite well. For the most part, I find that lots of toners leave a film on the skin that almost serves as a barrier, which doesn't let anything in as far as treatments go. There are a few really good ones out there though. The Neutrogena Black head removing astringent is great, and one of the only ones I really recommend as having long term and short term results. I don't think you need to use toner twice a day, as it can dry your skin out quite a bit. I prefer to use it only at night, as this is when your skin can really absorb all treatments and regenerate and heal.

Blemish treatment is something that is crucial for just about everyone I know, even people who only break out around "that time of the month" or when they're stressed. It's important to apply these to your face immediately after washing and using your toner and before you apply your moisturizer. I use a variety of different spot treatments, and it really depends on your skin what will work for you. Benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid are the two most common over the counter (and prescription) spot treatments, but many people find that they are allergic to one or the other. Personally, I have never had any reaction to either, and use them both in my routine. Benzoyl peroxide can cause increased sensitivity to sunlight and sun damage, so I only use it at night. I use a salicylic acid treatment in the morning and at night, over the benzoyl peroxide treatment. It's really important that you apply treatment to the blemishes only, using it all over your face can cause over drying to occur.

Moisturizer is one of those things that you need, but a lot of us use the wrong ones. First, let me just say that just because you have oily skin does not mean you should be scrimping on moisturizer. It's actually been proven that if you strip your skin of too much moisture, your body will start producing more oil to try to even out the balance. Producing more oil leads to even oilier skin. The key is to use the right kind of moisturizer so that you keep your skin balanced and don't add too much or take too much away. A safe bet is an oil free moisturizer with spf in it for day time, because you're covering all your bases. People with oily skin may not want to apply a moisturizer at night, which is okay, but I find that even the oiliest skins get dry sometimes, so it's a good idea to have a slightly thicker oil free cream for night time use, especially in the winter. I love Clinique Moisture Surge and Ole Henricksen vitamin plus for both of those occasions.

Your skin will only be as good as you treat it. If you don't start taking care of it early, you'll be left facing premature aging, sun damage and more. Sunscreen is an absolute must, and no, having spf in your moisturizer or foundation does not cut it. You must reapply sunscreen every 2-3 hours in order for it to make any kind of difference. If you don't want to mess up your make up, several companies have come out with translucent powder formulas, like Peter Thomas Roth. I carry mine around in my purse at all times so I always have some with me. If you make a concerted effort to take care of your skin-washing, treating, soothing-you will see a huge difference. With skin, nothing happens over night, you really have to stick with a routine or regimen for more than a month to see results. You really have to concentrate on building the skin care into your daily routine so that it becomes a habit. Listen to your skin-it will tell you when it's dry or too oily or needs a little extra tlc. And when you find what works, stick to it.