Posts Tagged ‘Boscia’

Bridal Skin Care Bootcamp: 2 Weeks Prior – Spoil Your Skin Like It’s Veruca Salt!

Hello beautiful brides-to-be!  If you followed my 6 Weeks Before the Big Day advice, you’ve already seen a dermatologist, begun oxygen facial treatments, and started a religious nightly skin care regimen. Now, with just two weeks to go before the wedding, it’s time to step up the skin care routine and SPOIL YOUR SKIN LIKE IT’S VERUCA SALT!!!

Morning

1. I will hunt you down and cut your veil if you’re not using at least a nickel size dollop of sunscreen every morning.  The sun instantly dehydrates your skin, enlarges pores, and emphasizes wrinkles.  So don’t  think “Oh, I’ll just get a little color for the wedding and pay the price later.” Bitch, you’re going to pay the price when your groom lifts up the veil to see a leather raisin. I don’t want to hear any excuses either.  I can assure you my skin is a bigger drama queen and I use COOLA – Face SPF 30 Mineral Sunscreen Unscented Matte Tint ($36) every morning after my moisturizer and my makeup goes on beautifully.  Hint: If you’re using a chemical sunscreen, make sure you apply it first thing after you wash your face.  If you’re using a mineral sunscreen like COOLA, it should be the last step in your skin care regimen since it’s a physical sunblock.

2. Put down and walk away from the Clarisonic. That’s right I said it.  The Clarisonic is to be used only at night when you have makeup and daily grime to remove. Unless your fiancé licks your face while you’re sleeping, you don’t need any aggressive cleansers in the morning. If you continue to use your Clarisonic twice a day, you may end up stripping your skin and causing irritation. Instead, opt for a gentle cleanser like Fresh Soy Face Cleanser ($38) which is super gentle and smells deliciously of cucumbers.

3.  Incorporate a brightening and/or energizing serum like Eminence Eight Greens Youth Serum ($42) which is a revitalizing serum for dehydrated and/or oily skin. Bonus: It’s specifically made for hormonal issues so if your two weeks fall within the dreaded PMS zone, this serum will help get your skin on track.

Evening

1. Nothing makes your skin look older than tight, dry skin. So after you cleanse, spoil your skin with a hydrating mask 2-3 times a week. Use a soothing, moisturizing mask like Caudalie Moisturizing Cream Mask ($40) which will help tight, dehydrated skin and quiet down any redness and irritation.

2. If you’re suffering from oily or congested skin, incorporate a mud treatment mask twice a week that will gently treat by absorbing impurities and controlling oil like Boscia Clarifying Detox Mask ($25). If your skin is suffering an identity crisis, meaning it’s both congested and dry, then apply the mask before your shower and remove once you get out of the shower. The steam will help the mask penetrate but won’t allow it to dry out your skin.

3. As I said in the last post, slather on the oil and the creams! My face is so greasy from products at night my husband kisses me good night on my neck to avoid being slimed. I wake up the next morning to plumped, hydrated skin. You, my fair bride, better be going to bed with a face full of product too or, you guessed it, I will hunt you down and cut your veil.

Make sure you check out my next post in my Bridal Skin Care Bootcamp Series, where I will be giving you the “Don’t you Dares!” for the week before the big day! 

Reader Screams, “Help Beauty Binge!” After An Attack of Oily Skin and T-Zone Breakouts

Dear Janna,

Please help me!! With the warmer weather I’m finding that I’m oily and gross during the day (vs. some dryness during the winter). I’m  also having T-zone breakouts and I wonder if there’s a moisturizer with a little zit-fighting ability that I should switch to vs. the Boscia now that the seasons have changed? Also, I typically use drugstore Neutrogena foundation/make-up (don’t yell!), but I think it’s time to invest in some good stuff, especially with my trouble skin AND the six weddings I have to attend between now and August (ugh). Is there a brand you absolutely love? (NARS? MAC?). I think I need a consult at a counter to find the products/shades that are right for me, but I’d love to know if there’s a company you trust more than others before I shell out some bucks  

Signed,

Gettin’ Greasy in LA

Dear Gettin’Greasy in LA,

Foundation: Girlfriend are you kidding me right now?? MAC or NARS??? With oily skin?? Do you WANT to flaunt Texas oil fields for the weddings?? Or perhaps you were hoping to look like a science project as a conversation starter. Breakout central!  I am prescribing  the Jane Iredale ‘Glow Time’ Full Coverage Mineral BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 25 ($48).  This BB Cream has a lot more coverage than a typical BB and it is actually designed to fight oil and blemishes so its working while it’s covering.  I got the recommendation from a friend who looks like she has amazing skin but claims to be plagued with oily skin, and she insists the Jane Iredale BB Cream changed her life. And she’s being totally serious. You just better promise me that the only thing the BB Cream is going to replace is your foundation.  You know that’s my pet peeve!

Revived from the Archives: The Horrors of Halloween (…I’m talking about my skin obviously)

Since Halloween is upon us, and I know better than anyone how much your skin can take a beating during these times of extreme makeup (I’m not proud to say that after my run-through of my Day of the Dead makeup Wednesday, I woke up yesterday to an angry, hiding-like-a-coward-under-the-surface pimple), I wanted to revive this post from Halloween past.  I made some updates to ensure I’m arming you with the best weapons to battle the terrifying oil fields that threaten your skin when you are most vulnerable…

The only thing scarier than Maria in this picture from last Halloween is imagining the damage the cheap makeup did to her skin. I was lucky enough to escape the grease paint (just saying those two words out loud clogs my pores) last year with my bad kitty costume. But this year, I am dressing up as a Lichtenstein Girl and Maria intends to cover my face and decollete with grease paint and other synthetic poisons.

I had a heart-to-heart with her about this yesterday:

Me: So, I don’t suppose you have any sensitive skin Halloween makeup you can use on me?

<<Maria gives me a blank stare>>

Me: Yeah, um, I’m a bit worried about breaking out from that cheap drug store stuff

Maria: (after another lengthy stare) Janna, you just need to prepare yourself for a breakout.

<<HALLOWEEN HORROR = MY LOOK OF REPULSION>>

Maria: I’ve tried gentle, natural Halloween makeup in the past and it just doesn’t stay put, and it doesn’t have the same pigment as the cheap stuff.

I’m still reeling from our conversation. There has to be something I can do!!  First thing first, I ordered a Mineral Halloween makeup set from Elegant Minerals.  Maria has many doubts and won’t make any promises about using it, but she’s willing to give it a try. That’s worth the money for me. (2012 UPDATE: MARIA WAS BEYOND RIGHT.  THE ELEGANT MINERALS SET WAS A JOKE.  WE ENDED UP THROWING IT AWAY AFTER SEEING HOW IT BARELY SHOWED UP AFTER THE FIRST SWIPE)

“DAY OF” PREP: I will prep my skin by giving it a mild exfoliation with CosMedix Pure Enzymes Exfoliating Mask and then a nice moisturizing, nourishing mask like Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask .  I will then use a soothing, anti-irritation, anti-redness moisturizer like Skin Medica Redness Relief Calmplex and prepare my skin for battle with my new favorite primer Tarte Clean Slate Poreless 12-Hr Perfecting Primer.

POST-EVENT: The second I say my last goodbye Saturday night I am running to the bathroom to cleanse my skin. First I will take my makeup off with EVE LOM Cleanser and tons of  Cotton Clouds. Then, I will cleanse with Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and my Clarisonic Skincare Brush(which I never use anymore since my skin is so sensitive, but this is an emergency situation).  I will complete my regimen with a soothing spritz of Fresh Rose Marigold Tonic Water, and massage in my soothing, balancing Decleor ‘Aroma Night’ Neroli Essential Night Balm (which is like a spa service in itself).

NEXT MORNING: Fingers crossed, I will wake up without a single clogged pore.   If I wake up congested I will sit rocking in a corner for a few hours crying, then apply my Boscia Luminizing Black Mask.  If “congested” actually means “breakout,” I may end up having to book an emergency facial, pop a couple leftover miniature Snickers in my mouth while brainstorming my makeup-free costume for next year.

The Horrors of Halloween (…I’m talking about my skin obviously)

The only thing scarier than Maria in this picture from last Halloween is imagining the damage the cheap makeup did to her skin. I was lucky enough to escape the grease paint (just saying those two words out loud clogs my pores) last year with my bad kitty costume. But this year, I am dressing up as a Lichtenstein Girl and Maria intends to cover my face and decollete with grease paint and other synthetic poisons.

I had a heart-to-heart with her about this yesterday:

Me: So, I don’t suppose you have any sensitive skin Halloween makeup you can use on me?

<<Maria gives me a blank stare>>

Me: Yeah, um, I’m a bit worried about breaking out from that cheap drug store stuff

Maria: (after another lengthy stare) Janna, you just need to prepare yourself for a breakout.

<<HALLOWEEN HORROR = MY LOOK OF REPULSION>>

Maria: I’ve tried gentle, natural Halloween makeup in the past and it just doesn’t stay put, and it doesn’t have the same pigment as the cheap stuff.

I’m still reeling from our conversation. There has to be something I can do!!  First thing first, I ordered a Mineral Halloween makeup set from Elegant Minerals.  Maria has many doubts and won’t make any promises about using it, but she’s willing to give it a try. That’s worth the money for me.

“DAY OF” PREP: I will prep my skin by giving it a mild exfoliation with Sonya Dakar Enzyme Peeling Cream and then a nice moisturizing, nourishing mask like Fresh Black Tea Instant Perfecting Mask .  I will then use a soothing, anti-irritation, anti-redness moisturizer like Skinmedica Redness Relief CalmPlex and prepare my skin for battle with my favorite primer Bare Escentuals bareVitamins Prime Time.

POST-EVENT: The second I say my last goodbye Saturday night I am running to the bathroom to cleanse my skin. First I will take my makeup off with Shu Uemura High Performance Cleansing Oil and tons of Cotton Clouds . Then, I will cleanse with Fresh Soy Cleanser and my Clarisonic (which I never use anymore since my skin is so sensitive, but this is an emergency situation).  I will complete my regimen with a soothing spritz of Fresh Marigold Rose Water and massage in my soothing, healing Decleor Aroma Night Neroli Essential Balm (like a spa service in itself).

NEXT MORNING: Fingers crossed, I will wake up without a single clogged pore.   If I wake up congested I will sit rocking in a corner for a few hours crying, then apply my Boscia Luminizing Black Mask . If “congested” actually means “breakout,” I may end up having to book an emergency facial, pop a couple leftover miniature Snickers in my mouth while brainstorming my makeup-free costume for 2012.