Skin Care Archives | Page 8 of 14

September Favorites 2015!

September 29, 2015

Happy Tuesday everyone! Hope everyone’s weekend was great.

October is practically here so here’s a quick post on items I have been enjoying this month.

Sephora Collection Pro Airbrush Concealer Brush

I have the older model of this brush but I’ve found myself using this practically everyday this past month. Not sure why I overlooked this brush for a while but I’m happy to have started using it again. This brush is bigger than most concealer brushes but I love it for that purpose. After applying concealer underneath my eyes, this quickly blends everything into place and it doesn’t tug the eye area.

Sonia Kashuk Core Tools Synthetic Buffing Brush 130

Another brush I have used frequently, as you can probably tell from the disappearing letters. I picked this up at Target and love using this to apply foundation/tinted moisturizer and it’s excellent for buffing out cream blushes or bronzers.

Origins VitaZing SPF15 Energy-boosting Moisturizer with Mangosteen Sheer Tint Release

A sample that came in this year’s Sephora Sun Safety Kit, this moisturizer goes on clear but within a few seconds turns into a tinted moisturizer. It’s a bit darker than my normal foundations but gives just enough of a tan glow that doesn’t come across as orange or fake. It gives an, “I’ve been on vacation,” glow without having to leave home and I use the Sonia Kashuk Buffing Brush with this one.

HydroPeptide Power Lift Advanced Ultra-Rich Moisturizer

I picked up a HydroPeptide set at the trade show and this moisturizer has been a pleasant surprise. The consistency with this one is very thick where I can flip it upside down and it takes a while to move. Normally, I run away from these types of moisturizers as they are too heavy for my combination skin and cause me to breakout. So far, this has worked wonderfully for my skin. I only use a pea-sized amount and it glides on my skin, making it feel hydrated and not tight. Surprisingly, it doesn’t feel heavy either. I use this at night and feel it will be perfect for the cooler weather coming up.

What were your favorite products this month?

Stephanie

Skin Tip: Ingredients to Avoid When Pregnant!

September 18, 2015

Happy Friday readers! Can’t believe it’s Friday again!

When you are pregnant, here are three major skincare ingredients to avoid: retinol, Isotretinoin and hydroquinone. If you’re ever in doubt of which ingredients to use, ask your healthcare professional.

Have a great weekend everyone and don’t forget to tune in tomorrow to The Peachy Queen Blog for great posts including a new and exclusive post where I will be talking about the red lipstick as concealer trend!

Stephanie

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation + Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser Review!

September 15, 2015

Hi everyone! How was your weekend?

I have quick reviews on two popular makeup and skincare to share today so let’s get to it. 🙂

Too Faced Born This Way Foundation

Described as “an oil-free foundation for natural-looking, full coverage and a beautiful, radiant finish.” It also boasts ingredients like coconut water, hyaluronic acid and alpine rose.

Pros

Feels light-weight on the skin

Easily applies to the skin

Was a good color match

Buildable coverage

Cons

Tends to separate on skin giving a peeling skin illusion

Emphasized my pores/imperfections

No noticeable hydration

Overall I loved this foundation when I first tried it on in store as the color was a perfect match and you couldn’t tell I was wearing makeup; it also felt very light on the face. Fast forward to half an hour later and my face was a patchy, oily mess. Whether I use primer or not, exfoliate the day before or use a setting spray, nothing helps the appearance. It makes my face look like it is peeling. Sadly, this didn’t work out for me but I do think it’s worth a try just to see how it works for you.

Sunday Riley Ceramic Slip Cleanser

Described as a “cleanser purifies the skin, tightens pores, and supports natural collagen and circulation with natural essential oils to tone and balance the skin. It detoxifies, minimizes pore size, and helps you achieve a flawless, ‘ceramic-smooth’complexion.”

Pros

Effectively removes oil

Cons

Pricey

Unpleasant scent

Too drying for my skin

Overall I can’t really find anything good to say about this cleanser except that it does effectively remove oil. My face felt extremely dry and sort of prune-like afterwards and I couldn’t stand the smell. This cleanser contains black pepper and that scent is very prominent here. It doesn’t foam but because it contains clay, this helps draw out sebum from the skin. Definitely not an everyday cleanser so in my opinion, skip this one and save your money.

Have you tried these and received different results? Comment below!

Stephanie

Simple Cleansing Micellar Water Review!

August 25, 2015

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? I have some quick news to share in case you missed it. The lovely Aimee from The Peachy Queen Blog has reserved a spot for me every Saturday on her blog so if you have any questions or concerns about anything beauty related, please feel free to leave a comment there or contact me here. If you love fashion, you’ll love her blog and boutique. That’s all the updates for now, so let’s get started with the review. 🙂

Micellar water is one skincare item that has been trending lately and being a skincare geek, I had to see what all the rave reviews were about. Yes, I know I’m a little late but I’ve been asked by a few people what my opinion on this is so I decided to pick up the Simple Cleansing Micellar Water at my local CVS.

What is Micellar Water?

Micellar water is basically a type of surfactant formulated to be attracted to oil, allowing it to grab oil, dirt and debris while rinsing away clean. A surfactant is an acronym for surface active agent that “reduces surface tension between the skin and the product to increase product spreadability.” Surfactants can be found in facial cleansers, soaps, body washes and shampoos and are what allow oil and water to mix, or emulsify. Surfactant molecules have oil loving tails (lipophilic) and water loving heads (hydrophilic) that make it easy to trap oil, dirt and makeup and allow easy removal.

Below is an image taken from my notes in my UCLA Cosmetic Chemistry class that gives you a visual of what it looks like. (Please forgive my messy handwriting.)

What’s the Appeal?

Since micellar water has a higher water content, it can wiped away with a tissue or cotton pad with little to no residue left behind. It’s also why it’s popular for sensitive skin types as it does not require water to be rinsed off.

Pros

Economic price point, $7.99

No added fragrance

Includes niacinamide which soothes inflammation and panthenol which is used as an emollient/moisturizer.

Good light eye-makeup remover

Cons

May not be enough for oily skin types

Doesn’t remove heavy makeup easily

Can leave a little bit of residue feeling behind

Overall: I do really like this micellar water as a first cleanse when I am wearing minimal makeup. Unless I’m having a lazy skincare day (yes, I do have those days though they aren’t often), I find I need to follow up with my normal cleanser as it seems to leave a little bit of a residue feeling behind. This is excellent for removing light eye makeup and doesn’t irritate my eyes at all. If I’m wearing more makeup, I use an oil based cleanser instead as it breaks down makeup faster and easier versus the micellar water. My skin doesn’t feel stripped but it doesn’t feel very hydrated either-I still have to follow up with my moisturizer. I think this would be a good addition to your skincare routine but I would recommend that you follow up with the serums/moisturizers that work best for your skin type as I feel using only this product alone isn’t enough.

I know the first part is a like a mini chemistry lesson and a bit difficult to take in at first read but hopefully you were able to get a visual picture of how it works. 🙂

Have you tried micellar water or have any questions regarding it? Leave a comment below!

Stephanie

Summer Must Have: On the Go Beauty!

July 28, 2015

Hi everyone! How was your weekend? I had a great and relaxing weekend filled with yoga, massage, Pressed Juicery and Urth Caffe goodness. 🙂

I’m back today with products that are compact and simple to use. Travel and purse friendly, see what products are great to get when you’re on the go!

Hair and Body

Bumble and bumble Pret-a-Powder

Toss this in your purse to refresh your hair on the go. The powder quickly blends into the hair, absorbing any excess oil and is perfect if you have bangs that start to stick to your forehead after a few hours.

Davines SU Hair and Body Wash

Streamline your shower routine by using this gender neutral scented item that cleanses skin and hair but won’t leave it feeling stripped.

Spongelle

Included in June’s PopSugar Must Have, you can save time and space with this soap infused body buffer. Just wet the sponge and enjoy a rich lather that will leaves your skin (and bathroom) lightly scented.

Face

Dermalogica Precleanse Wipes

One of the best makeup remover wipes I have tired, these oil saturated towelettes break up makeup and sunscreen quickly without any harsh tugging or pulling.

Makeup

Fresh Sugar Berry Tinted Lip Treatment SPF 15

Easy to apply, this lip balm requires no mirror, protects lips for the sun and is on trend with this season’s berry lip!

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer (my shade: Light 2 Vanilla)

The doe foot brush and formula conceals imperfections with a few dabs underneath your eyes.

*Note: If you’re concealing blemishes, dab some first onto a clean finger and then apply to affected area to prevent cross contamination.

NYX Jumbo Eye Pencil (my shade: Iced Mocha)

Eyeshadow sticks are virtually the foolproof way to apply eyeshadow. Glide some over the eyelid for day and take it up a notch at night by applying it to the lower lash line along with black eyeliner.

Clinique Chubby Stick Sculpting Contour

Featured in my June Favorites, this product sculpts your face with ease, no brush required.

What are your favorite travel friendly items?

Stephanie

Skin Tip: How to Layer Skincare Products!

July 17, 2015

Happy Friday everyone!

Can you believe I had a post every single day this week? I’m trying to squeeze as much as I can given my Summer Must Have series is taking up the majority of this month. I do hope you’re enjoying that so far. 🙂

On to my skin tip.

When layering skincare products the rule of thumb is to apply water to cream. For example, after cleansing you would apply your toner, followed by serums and lastly, your moisturizer. In the daytime, your moisturizer would go underneath sunscreen.

Thank you so much for tuning in this week!

Stay hydrated, cool and protected this weekend,

Stephanie

Summer Must Have: Skincare!

July 7, 2015

Happy Tuesday readers! Hopefully everyone had a relaxing and fun weekend and to all U.S. readers, a safe fourth of July. 🙂

With summer here, I thought it would be a good idea to create a ‘Summer Must Have’ series in which I feature products I love and think would be great for summer. From skincare to hair tips and beauty essentials, it will be a well-rounded guide.

First up is skincare. Sun protection is key anytime of the year and while I’ll share my picks for sunscreens, find out what products are great when you have too much fun in the sun.

Josie Maran Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 47

If your skin is on the drier side, this sunscreen just may be what you’re looking for. It’s hydrating yet light and is a physical sunscreen with titanium dioxide and zinc oxide, making it a nice alternative to those whose skin don’t react well to chemical sunscreens. Argan and jojoba oils help keep skin hydrated while green tea and vitamin E provide antioxidant support. *Note: If you’re acne prone or sensitive to any kind of fragrance (synthetic or natural), this may not be the best option.

Neutrogena Clear Face Liquid-Lotion Sunscreen

Acne prone and oily skin types may love this sunscreen. Though it smells like a traditional sunscreen it does not have that thick, greasy texture. As the name implies, it feels like lotion (just a tad bit thicker) absorbs quickly and leaves the skin with a mattifying feel.

Renee Rouleau Bio Calm Repair Masque

This light, chamomile tea scented gel mask soothes skin and reduces sensitivity and inflammation with oat kernel extract bisabolol and chamomilla recutita flower oil. A versatile mask that can be used after sun exposure or skin treatments including chemical peels and lasers. Also perfect for rosacea flare ups that tend to be exacerbated by the summer heat. Just apply a thin layer to clean skin, leave on for about 10 minutes and rinse off. My favorite tip: store in the fridge for an extra cooling effect.

Dermalogica After Sun Repair

Another great product to use if you’re sunburned, this gel greatly reduces redness and calms skin irritation caused by UV exposure or waxing. This product is left on and is formulated with lavender, cucumber, chamomile, yucca and algae extract to restore moisture loss and aid skin recovery. Can be used on the face and body (avoid eye area) alone or underneath a basic moisturizer and can be reapplied as needed.

What are your favorite summer skincare items?

Stephanie

Skin Tip: Fatty Alcohols!

May 29, 2015

It’s Friday which means my weekly skin tip!

Stearyl alcohol and cetearyl alcohol are known as fatty alcohols that can function as humectants, drawing water to the skin, providing a soft and smooth appearance in the skin.

Thanks so much for reading and please tune in everyday next week starting Monday as I will have a special post up.

Have a good weekend,

Stephanie

The Acid Chronicles: Glycolic Acid!

May 28, 2015

Hello readers and happy Thursday!

Last week I posted on lactic acid and today I am continuing this short series with glycolic acid so read on to find out more on this AHA.

Who: Glycolic acid

What skin conditions can it help: Aging, fine lines, texture concerns, acne and hyperpigmentation

Where it comes from: Sugar cane or made synthetically

Why it’s important: It breaks down the bonds between cells that allow for easier exfoliation of the skin and is great for treating fine lines, smoothing skin texture and acne. It has the smallest molecular structure which makes it permeate faster and deeper but can cause more irritation and inflammation. *Not recommended for thin skin.

How it’s used: Glycolic acid can be found in skincare products (i.e. cleansers, toners, moisturizers, serums) and also in professional treatments like chemical peels. It also acts as a strong degreasing agent meaning it’s great for removing oil. *Like any other exfoliating agent, limit use to a few times per week, wear sunscreen and use caution when using ingredients containing retinol as this can irritate skin.

See you tomorrow,

Stephanie

The Acid Chronicles: Lactic Acid!

May 19, 2015

Happy Tuesday readers! Hoping your weekend was great!

Awhile ago, I posted on alpha hydroxy acids, otherwise known as AHAs and why they are important in skincare. (In case you missed it or need a refresher, click here) Lactic acid was one of the AHAs mentioned and here’s why this ingredient is great.

Who: Lactic acid

What skin conditions can it help: Aging and hyperpigmentation

Where it comes from: Derived from milk/sugar

Why it’s important: Lactic acid functions as a humectant, which attracts water and hydrates the skin. It breaks down the bonds between cells that allow for easier exfoliation of the skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles. It also reduces hyperpigmentation due to its ability to suppress the formation of tyrosinase ( the enzyme involved in melanin production). Because its molecular structure is bigger than glycolic acid, it’s an ideal ingredient to use for those who have sensitive skin because it permeates into the skin slowly, reducing the chances of irritation and inflammation.

How it’s used: Lactic acid can be found in skincare products (i.e. cleansers, toners, moisturizers, serums) and also in professional treatments like chemical peels. *Like any other exfoliating agent, limit use to a few times per week, wear sunscreen and use caution when using ingredients containing retinol as this can irritate skin.

If you follow my Instagram, you’ll recognize the picture below when I took the Cosmetic Chemistry course at UCLA. The vial on the right-hand side is what natural lactic acid looks like.

I recently joined Twitter (@stephieestie) so feel free to follow me on there too! I’m still learning how to use it, FYI, but I’m sure I’ll get it in no time. 🙂

Thanks for reading,

Stephanie

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