You can pour rose water (available in health food stores) into a mini spray bottle and use it throughout the day to refresh and soothe skin. It’s a nice pick me up product to use in spring and summer months.
*Always remember to do a patch test to avoid adverse reactions.
A huge thanks to those who gave me some feedback on subscription boxes! If anyone is thinking of subscribing to boxes, check out what these lovely bloggers had to say here.
Wishing everyone a marvelous weekend,
Stephanie
Did you know that potential acne triggers can include synthetic bed linen like polyester that trap bacteria and sweat? Make sure you are changing your sheets often and using cotton is best.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend!
Stephanie
Hi everyone! Can you believe another month has practically flown by?
With today being the last day of April, here are a few products I have been enjoying this month.
Dermalogica Sebum Clearing Masque
With the weather warming up, I’ve had a few breakouts here and there and this cooling clay masque always helps clear up pimples since it’s formulated with salicylic acid, while kaolin and bentonite mop up excess oil. I use this mainly on my T-zone or as an overnight spot treatment.
Renee Rouleau Triple Berry Smoothing Peel
A great exfoliating treatment that consists of enzymes and several fruit acids such as mandelic, lactic, salicylic, tartaric and malic for a sweet skin treat that will leave skin soft and glowing. Smells like and has the consistency of jam complete with berry seeds. One word of advice: Since the color of this mask is red, if you decide to walk around with other people in the house, let them know so they won’t freak out. 🙂
The Honest Co Lavender Mint Lip Balm
I received a trio of lip balms as part of a gift bag when I attended a film festival and I instantly fell in love with this one. I get my calming lavender scent fix-yes, I love aromatherapy and this type of lavender is my favorite- as well as moisturized lips that feel light.
Colour Pop Super Shock Cheek Blush in Trickery
Mousse like texture and long-lasting peach color that’s wallet friendly. Need I say more? Click here for a complete review.
Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution in Birkin Brown
My first Charlotte Tilbury purchase. From the gorgeous, sophisticated packaging to the product itself, I can see what all the hype is about. This matte lipstick feels creamy on application, delivers a chocolate cream opaque coverage in one swipe (but can be sheered out) and stays that way for a few hours. It’s similar to the new Maybelline Mattes but in my opinion stays a bit more hydrating than those. Exfoliating your lips prior to use is a must and layering a lip liner underneath helps the wear time. Below is a picture of me wearing Birkin Brown.
P.S. According to the Charlotte Tilbury website, there is one day left in the U.S. to purchase the Modern Matte lipstick so if you’re interested head on over there to check them out. 🙂
I still have a few new items I received that I haven’t tried out but this is it for this month.
What are your April faves?
Stephanie
Hello readers and happy Thursday! Starting today, Sephora kicks off it’s 15% sale for VIB members (yay!) and I thought it would be nice to create a guide for some higher end products that are worth every penny but when you can apply a discount, well, why not! 🙂
Makeup
Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (Illuminating)- Perfect for creating a healthy glow and excellent for aging skin. Also available in oil free version and regular tinted moisturizer.
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Blush- Amazing blush that is blends effortlessly, provides a subtle glow and is a go-to for my simple makeup routine.
YSL Glossy Stains- Love these stains as they don’t feel drying and are highly pigmented.
Fragrance
Givenchy Ange ou Demon Le Secret- This perfume has been a staple for years and is just very unique with notes of cranberry, green tea, white peony, sambac jasmine, blond woods and white musks.
Giorgio Armani Si- New to my collection, this fragrance delivers a sophisticated scent with notes of pear, freesia and amber wood.
Hair
Drybar Detox Dry Shampoo- A great travel item to toss in your purse and use on the go. Read my full review here.
Skincare
Kate Somerville Exfolikate Intensive Exfoliating Treatment- This green tinged product is one of my favorite exfoliators that leaves my skin soft plus I love the scent.
My Wishlist
Hourglass Ambient Lighting Palette
Nars Audacious Lipsticks- looking at shades Greta, Raquel and Anita
Laura Mercier Silk Creme Oil Free Photo Edition Foundation
Marc Jacobs Beauty Genius Gel Super-Charged Oil Free Foundation
I may tweak a few items here and there but this is what’s on my list so far!
Tell me, what are you planning to get or what’s on your wishlist?
Stephanie
Hi everyone! Thank you so much to all who sent me their well wishes! I appreciate it! I’m just waiting for the results now.
Today I have a review on a sample I received at Sephora from Fresh. Here’s my take on this product. 🙂
Described as a mask that works in sync with the skin’s natural nighttime recovery process to achieve a lifted, firmer look by the morning. The intensely moisturizing treatment has a corset-like effect on the skin, giving the appearance of a visibly more defined, contoured complexion.”
Pros
Hydrating
Absorbs quickly
Not heavily scented
Good antioxidants
Cons
Pricey
Peptides are towards the bottom of the list
May not provide drastic firming results as claimed
Added fragrance
At a Quick Glance
Acetyl Dipeptide-1 Cetyl Ester– peptide that can help strengthen skin (elastic fibers); sensitive skin soother and anti-aging ingredients.
Lychee– brightens, rejuvenates and protects skin caused by dehydration and UV damage.
Black Tea Ferment– provides anti aging effects and enhances skin smoothness.
Bottom Line: I think this product has a good range of anti-oxidants, including green tea, emollients and moisturizers and would be great for those who have normal, dry or combination skin that is looking for added moisture;my face felt nice and hydrated. Although it doesn’t feel heavy and absorbs quickly, I wouldn’t recommend this for oily/acne prone skin. It has peptides that can help strenghten the skin however I don’t feel it’s concentrated enough to make a drastic difference in respects to firming capabilities. For the price, personally I would instead invest in a product that is more concentrated with peptides or a professional treatment if you’re looking for better firming properties. However, if you want a hydrating mask with great antioxidants and have the money to spend, this would be a great product to try out.
Have you tried this product? What are your thoughts?
Stephanie
Happy Friday readers!
Over the weekend I had a consultation with someone who was concerned with dry and tight feeling skin. After asking her questions regarding lifestyle and product use, I learned that she was exfoliating daily with a cleanser that had tiny beads. While exfoliating is great, moderation, like anything else is key. Too much can cause sensitivity, inflammation and dry skin as the skin’s protective barrier becomes impaired. Limit use to 2-3x per week.
Quick updates:
My laptop got some kind of weird virus so that’s getting fixed over the weekend but I apologize if I am behind on comments and commenting on your posts;it’s a bit difficult to keep up with a phone/tablet.
Next week is my UCLA class and I’ll be busy trying to get everything in order but I have a few short posts lined up. Here’s to hoping nothing else goes wrong. 🙂
If any of you pray, please keep me in your prayers- I’d really appreciate it. I have been sick on and off for about two months now and I feel some of the medications I’ve taken have led to other problems. It is very frustrating when you get rid of one issue and something else pops up. I have two doctor’s appointments Monday so I hope I can start getting this resolved.
Have a lovely weekend,
Stephanie
Hello everyone! Hoping everyone had a great Easter weekend!
I’ve been asked about what I recommend for dark circles before and more recently Katie from Plus+Beauty also mentioned this concern (hi Katie!).
Q: What’s good for dark circles under the eyes?
A:
Dark circles can be caused by:
What to Use/Do
Product Recommendations
These are a few products I have tried and liked but if you have another eye cream that works, please share!
Have a lovely Tuesday!
Stephanie
Hello readers! I’m still feeling pretty drained from these allergies but I wanted to leave you with a review on a sample I received of the Glam Glow ThirstyCleanse Daily Hydrating Cleanser.
Described by GlamGlow as “a revolutionary Mud to Foam™ daily cleanser that combines the Power of Mud and the Performance of Foam for a NEW Daily Cleansing experience. THIRSTYCLEANSE™ transforms from a luxurious mud into a moisture-rich foaming lather to gently & effectively rinse away make-up, dirt & impurities while deeply moisturizing your skin. Designed For Men & Women of All Ages & All Skin Types. THIRSTYCLEANSE™ for a Super Hydrated Super Clean Complexion.”
My Brief Description
Coconut scented (reminiscent of a tanning lotion)
Tan colored
Initial creamy consistency upon application
Foams up when water is applied
My Take At First Glance
Before trying this, I was skeptical on how this mud to foam cleanser could be moisturizing. After all, it contains sodium cocoamphoacetate, which when I researched found it to be a surfactant that causes a product to foam; this product also incorporates kaolin clay which is best used on oily skin types, due to its oil absorbing properties. I had read good reviews though, so I put this information on the backburner and decided to try it.
My Experience
Initially when I tried this, I was surprised by how creamy the product was when I applied it. I had some glimmers of hope that this pleasantly scented cleanser might just be hydrating after all. After I rinsed it off, my skin felt nice but unfortunately, this was short lived. About 3 minutes later, my skin felt so dry and tight even after I applied my toner and moisturizer. I added another layer of moisturizer and it helped somewhat but by morning, my skin had soaked up all the moisturizer, leaving my skin feeling very dry. (For the record, I have a combination skin type which you can learn about by clicking here.) I was able to squeeze about four uses out of this sample. For my last use, I decided to try something out. I also received a sample of Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask which is a hydrating night treatment and decided to apply this and leave overnight after using the ThirstyCleanse. Well, my skin apparently soaked that up all too. 🙁
Final Thoughts
Normally, I give products about a month or so to come up with my final verdict but this is one exception. This product is best suited for someone who has very oily skin but even at that, I wouldn’t suggest this as a daily cleanser as I found it to be far too stripping. I would use this no more than 2 times per week if you’re oily. Dry, sensitive, normal and combination should skip this one entirely.
Was this article helpful? Let me know in the comments below!
Thanks for reading,
Stephanie
It’s Friday readers and that means my weekly skin tip! 🙂
Those of you that have been following my blog for a while now know that I am a huge advocate for antioxidants in skincare ingredients, especially vitamin C. However, if you happen to read the label and see that the antioxidants are listed towards the bottom of the list, chances are they were added to preserve the product and not intended to be active ingredients. Sometimes, this could be the reason why a certain product that claims to ‘fade spots’ or ‘help brighten your look’ isn’t as effective as you would like it to be. For a guide on how to decipher other names for antioxidants vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin E, click on each link.
Have a great weekend everyone and don’t forget to check out my giveaway by clicking here. 🙂
Stephanie
Hi everyone! How was your weekend? My week is off to a great start. I was able to attend a special event at the International Dermal Institute headed by Jane Wurwand who is the founder of Dermalogica. Such an amazing and inspirational woman! Her motivational speech was beyond fantastic and she has a lovely sense of humor and heart. Also, I found out I won the giveaway hosted by Maiko from SkinConciergeMaiko! Yay! Check out her blog for other awesome reviews and tips. 🙂
Alright, enough about that. Let’s get right to the topic of today’s post which is alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs.
What are Alpha Hydroxy Acids?
Technically speaking, alpha hydroxy acids “are a group of water-soluble carboxylic acids that work to release the desmosomes that hold skin cells together.” Hmmm. I fear I lost you guys. 🙂 In plain English, they are naturally occurring mild acids used as chemical exfoliants that help shed off dead skin cells. They are hydrophilic (attracted to water) and are pH dependent meaning they require a lower pH to be effective.
Why are they Beneficial?
AHAs are highly coveted and present in many anti-aging products/treatments for the following reasons:
*Note: Overly and aggressively exfoliating the skin can result in sensitive itchy red skin.
What are the Different Types of Alpha Hydroxy Acids?
*A special note on AHAs: Overly and aggressively exfoliating the skin, with or without AHAs can result in sensitive itchy red skin. Also, when using AHAs, you’re more sensitive to the sun and more prone to burning so sunscreen is crucial!
I hope you found this information helpful and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. 🙂
Have a good Tuesday,
Stephanie