Posts Tagged ‘Sensitive Skin’

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! 

Worth the Hype: Korres Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Mask

I feel like every magazine I’ve picked u  in the past month has touted the Korres Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Mask ($45) as a ‘moisturizing breakthrough’. Now I tend to be cynical (shocking!) when I read about a new product in every single women’s rag — I figure either the company must have thrown one hell of a decadent launch party or sent out Chanel bags as a launch gift. (Yes, it’s done. Not for a peon like me but the editors at the big magazines sometimes receive ridiculous gifts from the beauty brands and tend to give editorial to big advertisers which is why you should be cautious when taking their recommendations. And don’t you worry your pretty little heads — if I ever become big-time know that a Chanel bag isn’t going to make me like a lipstick more)

Since every editor seemed to be in love with this sleeping mask it was obviously my Beauty Binge duty to investigate the situation further.  I found that the user reviews on Sephora were even more complimentary than the magazines (and I assure you these users didn’t attend the launch party or receive gifts) — “I am OBSESSED with this product. I use it every night and it has literally changed my life.” and “I have oily yet dehydrated skin prone to breakouts and this sleeping leave-on mask hydrated, calmed and nourished my skin.”

SOLD.

Read the rest of this entry »

6 Weeks FAB Affair with Dual Repair AND Another Giveaway!

Now, you lovelies know how hard it is for a woman like myself with such an unhealthy addiction to beauty products to stick to a single product, no less a regimen for a certain period of time.  But, I promised my friends at First Aid Beauty I would commit to using the entire Dual Repair Collection for 6 consecutive weeks.  I cleared out a place on my vanity (so I wouldn’t be tempted to cheat) and set up the Dual Repair products like good little soldiers in order of application —  First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Power Serum  ($48), First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Eye Cream ($40),  and First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Face Cream  ($44).

Every morning and night I applied all three products and after the first few weeks (as I wrote about here) I noticed substantial results in the texture of my skin and its usual hyper-sensitivity.  As we all know my drama queen skin tends to take any tiny environmental or hormonal change and blow it up into a huge ugly tantrum that usually results in red patches and whiteheads. Lovely.  I’ll just say there have been a lot of both environmental and hormonal changes in the past 6 weeks that would usually put my skin into a tail spin, but instead it was like the Dual Repair Line shook my skin’s shoulders and gave it a pep talk, “Be strong! You don’t have to overreact to every little problem!”

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: Interview with Lilli Gordon, Founder of First Aid Beauty!

Tune into My Beauty Binge this week to hear Lilli Gordon, the founder of one of my most favorite skincare companies in the world, First Aid Beauty, tell us how she created this magical skincare line that stops my over-reactive, bitchy drama queen skin from having full on tantrums.  Lilli also shares her skincare tips as well as gives us her insights on anti-aging.

Download the podcast from iTunes or listen to it streaming on your computer here (it’s the 1st podcast) and it’s free! If you hit the “SUBSCRIBE” button in iTunes you will automatically get all my podcasts!

Products Featured in Podcast:

- First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Face Cream ($44)

- First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Power Serum ($48)

- First Aid Beauty Dual Repair Eye Cream  ($40)

- First Aid Beauty Anti-Redness Serum ($34)

- First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream ($28)

-First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask ($22)

-First Aid Beauty 5 in 1 Restore Cream ($36)

Staging Intervention for: AmorePacific Skincare (I’m Doing This Because I Care…)

Dear AmorePacific Skincare,

I hate to do this intervention with you publicly but there are so many others who are joined with me in voice and spirit on this topic that I feel it’s the only way to truly get your attention.  Let me start by saying that your products are beautiful. Your quest to utilize the finest Asian Botanicals and enlist the top scientists and researchers to develop your line has resulted in truly innovative products.  I mean come on, you hold over 140 global patents in green tea and skin related technology! Your AMOREPACIFIC ‘Time Response Skin Renewal’ Foundation SPF 18  ($90) beats out every Foundation, BB Cream, and Tinted Moisturizer I’ve ever tried.  It calms and soothes my bitchy drama queen skin and hides all the redness and imperfections that her temper tantrums leave behind.

Read the rest of this entry »

Podcast: DeMystifying the Spa Facial (Why I Love Them and the Secret to Getting Ideal Results)

I’m shocked by how few women indulge in spa facials. Tune into My Beauty Binge this week to find out why — as the biggest spa slut in the world — I always opt for a facial at the spa. I’ll help demystify the misconceptions about facials and guide you through how to select the perfect one for you, and what you should say to the aesthetician to ensure you get the ideal results once you’re there.   I’ll also share with you a couple of my most favorite decadent facials that will have you running to your nearest spa for a 90 minute facial. Binge on!

Download the podcast from iTunes or listen to it streaming on your computer here (it’s the 1st podcast) and it’s free! If you hit the “SUBSCRIBE” button in iTunes you will automatically get all my podcasts!

Read the rest of this entry »

It’s Official. I’m Obsessed: Boots Botanics Organic Rosewater Toner

Why am I obsessed with a toner, you ask? The better question is why are you still using a toner that contains alcohol during the dead of winter when that dreaded heater is spitting out desert-like conditions?  Put down that drying toner and step away from the vanity… it’s time for a change.  Now a lot of people ask me, “Do I need toner?” Well… “Need” may be a strong word, but the right herbal or botanical toner can certainly help to cleanse and balance your skin as well as give you a midday hydration refresher.

Why am I obsessing over Boots Botanics Organic Rosewater Toner ($6.71)? Well for one thing we’re talking organic damask rosewater for under $10.  One whiff of this toner tells me I’m getting a bargain (it literally smells of freshly-picked roses). Ahhh…  But smell can only get a product so far in my world (unfortunately for my wallet smell usually gets far enough for me to buy the product) — if it doesn’t perform the product goes straight to the beauty graveyard, never to be heard from again.

There will be no such beauty graveyard visits for this toner.  I use it daily on a cotton pad both mornings and nights right after my cleanser  to swipe away any remaining makeup or debris, balance my skin, minimize redness, and close my pores.  I also poured some into a small travel spray bottle and use it throughout the day to hydrate and wake up my makeup. Yes, you heard me right.  Spraying this rosewater toner OVER your makeup actually sets your makeup and can add hydration when you most need it.  Voila! Oh, and by the way… I hate to state the obvious but if you’re not a fan of the smell of rose DON’T BUY THIS PRODUCT!

My Torrid Love Affair with First Aid Beauty Reaches a New Level of Love

We all know I have sensitive drama queen skin (mainly because I won’t shut up about it) which means most anti-agers are strictly off limits. You can imagine my elation when I heard one of my favorite brands, First Aid Beauty (FAB), is launching a line of anti-aging products specifically for sensitive skin called FAB Dual Repair.  My elation hit a ridiculous level (like chanting OHMYGOD OHMYGOD over and over again until my husband demanded to hear the news) when I found out they wanted me to be a FAB Dual Repair Blogger Ambassador, representing their brand and their new product line.    Now, you should know I’ve had the chance to work with brands prior to this but I was never interested because I wasn’t passionate about the brands (which means this was my first OHMYGOD OHMYGOD since I was made a finalist in the Allure Beauty Blogger Awards).  What got me about this opportunity was that I knew I would have zero problem raving about the FAB products since I’ve been doing it since the inception of my blog…

My review of First Aid Beauty’s 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30 was my second blog post in the history of this blog and the very first product review. This means that among my piles and drawers (and let’s face it closets) full of beauty products, I was more passionate about this face cream than any other product.  That’s love I tell ya.  I declared it “the soul mate for my sensitive skin” and that it was one of the very few beauty products I would never cheat on (though I’m cheating on it now with the FAB Dual Repair, but that doesn’t really count since I stayed in the family. Note: this rule does not apply with husbands, only skincare).

Read the rest of this entry »

3 Most Coveted Beauty Products Sent By Publicists

We all know I’m spoiled… I get tons of products sent to me by publicists for consideration.  I test them all — hating some, liking others, and coveting a select few. When I say “covet” we’re talking about products that will permanently become part of my personal regimen and be re-bought again and again. People always ask me, “What are your favorite products?” Here’s a good place to start:

1. Kate Somerville ‘Dermal Quench Liquid Lift’ Advanced Wrinkle Treatment  ($95): I’m a huge fan of in-spa oxygen facials and this treatment seems to mimic the instant smoothing effects of an oxygen facial and still manages to reduce redness and fine lines over-time.  I had two consistent dry patches on my cheeks that were softer after Day 1.  It’s also perfect for pre-event regimens since it has temporary wrinkle-relaxing PFC- carriers to relax facial muscles.  Read my original review here.

Read the rest of this entry »

Bliss Rubberizing Mask: Great As Long As You Don’t Lose the Measuring Cup

I was thrilled when I found out that Bliss was coming out with an “at home” version of their famous rubber mask, Bliss Fabulous Skin-Reviving Rubberizing Mask ($38), which I’ve enjoyed too many times as an expensive upgrade to their in-spa facials. (I find it’s tough for me to say no to upgrades and add-ons when I’ve been lulled into submission with a good neck and shoulder rub.  It’s like the aesthetician can smell blood in the water and knows precisely when to slap me with a $60 upgrade option)

What’s so great about this mask? It goes on cold (which instantly soothes irritated skin) and calms the anger and redness right out of my skin, leaving it glowing.  Its main ingredients (via Sephora):

Algin: Rubberizes the ingredients to allow key ingredients to be optimally absorbed by the skin. 

Seaweed: Draws out dirt and oil while exfoliating skin. Refines pores and reduces inflammation. Aids in natural hydration of your skin. 

Bilberry: Acts as an anti-inflammatory to soothe and nourish skin while reducing free radical damage that contributes to skin aging. Calms skin to reduce irritation and redness. 

Vitamin C: Brightens skin discolorations (hyper pigmentation), helps promote collagen building, and provides superior antioxidant action.
Read the rest of this entry »