Skincare Week: Cleansers

I know....I disappear a lot. It's not on purpose! I'm not avoiding you, I swear.

Where have I been? Oh the usual...being smacked in the face by the arrival of autumn.  Really, how does it always get here so fast??  I've also been busy overhauling all my beauty. I'm talking all new skincare, all new makeup, all new...stuff!! Since my week long blog subjects seem to be on the popular side (and keep me more on track for you guys) I'm declaring this week...

SKINCARE WEEK!

Back in August, I made an adult-like decision to take better care of my skin and to also maybe get ahead of my dreaded Winter Skin Cycle. Which consists of 2 months of me combating all the eczema riddled dryness and patchy skin that my face becomes when the weather cools down, just to finally get it in order for the weather to change again.  Le sigh.

So through the power of the internet and studying The Skincare Bible, aka, Caroline Hiron's Blog for 2 weeks late at night when I should have been blogging (lo siento!), I have a whole knew skincare routine, backed with knowledge that has taken me from Bad Skin to Ok Skin in just weeks!!!!  This is beyond huge, people. Beyond.

I'm going to break all this info down by routine step. Starting today with CLEANSERS.

Before you go any further, in this blog post, in life itself, get yourself familiar with The Washcloth Face Washing Method that I've talked to you about HERE and HERE.

Learn this. Live this. If you change nothing else about your skincare in your lifetime, do this one thing. 

 ^^^^ THIS IS VITAL INFO^^^^

Things I learned from Caroline Hirons:

• You need to cleanse in the AM. To take away any dead skin, sweat, and to prep your face for makeup or SPF. 
• You MUST cleanse in the PM to remove makeup, dirt and other bad things from the day.
• You should have a different cleanser for these different reasons. Having only one cleanser is like having 1 pair of shoes, says Caroline.  Your AM cleanser should be something lighter, you aren't taking off SPF or makeup (or shouldn't be). Your PM cleanser should be something capable of taking off your makeup, SPF, etc. *Please note* if you can't afford 2 cleansers, then don't buy 2 cleansers. But do read on and make an informed decision about the 1 you do come home with.
• YOU MUST CLEANSE IN THE PM. - This was a hard one for me, but it's become actually really enjoyable and now I look forward to my nightly routine. Who am I??
• USE THE WASHCLOTH CLEANING METHOD.  Every. Time.  I've even been traveling with washcloths. I regret nothing. 
• Always apply cleanser to DRY skin.  It doesn't matter what the packaging 'says'. It 'says' a whole bunch....disregard. 
• Don't wash off with water....again...this is what the washcloth method is for.  
• Do NOT use cleansers that say 'foaming'.  'Foaming' agents strip your skin of everything it needs. Back in the day, soaps didn't lather and foam. They worked. But then people had to market things, so people added lathering and foaming agents to soap products to make for an 'experience'. Well that new 'experience' has lasted so long that now we think it's necessary. I assure you, it is not.  Save face. Skip the foaming. Pun intended. 
• Always Double Cleanse. If you don't have makeup or sunscreen on, like in the AM, you can do a single cleanse. SPF or makeup on....Double Cleanse. 

What I've Been Using:

A.M. Cleanser: Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser $20 for 6oz. 

I've been sticking to my Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser. This is easily one of my most favorite products of Bare Minerals. I love the fresh scent and the ease of this cleanser. You don't need much, but it works without being harsh, drying or foaming. 

This leaves my AM skin clean and refreshed and ready for any look I want to put on top.   

It's also so gentle that I can rub it into my eyes without worry of irritation at all, with or without contacts. It does a great job of eating through makeup and because I can put it over my eyes, it takes off my eye makeup without a separate remover!

That is...until Mac Feline came around. That stuff is no joke and though BM Cleanser means well, it is no match for it and I do have to use a remover to take off some after this cleaners.  

P.M. Cleanser: Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm $28.50 for 3.8 oz.

 

Caroline swears by a few trusted balm cleansers that she says is the best thing for nighttime cleansing. These balms are thick and oily and eat through makeup, dirt and oil. After much research into her favs and what was available here in the states, and in my budget, I decided to try out a cult classic.

I. Am. In. Love. 

From the very first try, I knew we were going to have a very long love affair. 

Caroline calls this the basics of all balm cleansers. It's the one every woman should have in their kit because it's a no nonsense get in, get out cleanser.  In fact, they should make a new word for cleanser for this because this is amazing.   

Lard-like.

The tub opens up to a milky white lard looking substance. It's not appealing. It's not enchanting or appetizing. It's not even scented. This is like the old no nonsense grandma of the cleanser world.  You scoop out a small amount with a finger and you see it comes up really easy. It's not like hard butter, but like really soft frosting. And the second it hits your face, it turns into oil. 

I know...that sounds gross. But trust me, it's not.  It's not a runny, thick or sticky. No, instead it's very slick, almost like butter, but smoother. The oil immediately pursues every trace of makeup on your face and eats through it in record time! Waterproof liners, mascaras...even Mac Feline....everything is GONE in about 2 seconds with this cleanser! 

There is no scent. There is no tingly feeling or minty after anything. But the slickness of the oil consistency this takes on makes it feel like you're giving yourself a facial massage every night! 

Then when you wipe it off with a hot washcloth, you're left with amazingly clean, yet still hydrated skin. This balm cleanser has actually made me get into a very strict nightly routine because i honestly enjoy using it so much.  And since I've started using this, I haven't touched a makeup remover. 

I can't believe I never used this before. But now I will never be without. 

If you're looking for something with a little more flash and scent, Caroline recommends the Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. It's more than twice the price of the Clinique, but the tub is also much bigger, so it's up to you and your budget.  

The Body Shop also has a cleansing butter, which is on sale right now for UNDER $10! but Caroline did give a mention that this one might not be the best for people who tend to break out easily, so I skipped this and went straight for the Clinique which has resoundingly favorable reviews online, and for good reason. 

Honorable Mention:

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Purifying Creme Cleanser $21 for 5oz. 

I've got my hands on a trial supply of this and I've been really loving it. It's a very runny milky consistency that doesn't feel like it's doing much until you wipe it off. Then you realize just how refreshed your skin feels, yet also really soft. 

This actually feels like it's giving some moisture back into the skin.  

The smell wasn't my favorite when I got this. It reminds of  very old Indian cologne smell, which isn't my thing, but after a while of using this off and on, I've grown to like the smell of this.  However, this most certainly stings when it gets in your eyes. Which I always forget because my go to Bare Minerals doesn't give me that problem.  

Compared to the bare minerals purifying cleanser, Aveda is much more moisturizing, but Bare Minerals feels more clean and refreshed. I still use this on the mornings I'm feeling more dried out, but there isn't much left. I would definitely consider spending on my money on this for the winter months if i felt my skin needed a little more help. 

** Tune in tomorrow when I talk about toners. That's right, I said toners. And I'm not even joking! 

We're All Wrong

I've only recently come to know about Caroline Hirons, a down right beauty insider badass. She herself is a 3rd generation beauty 'insider' as she says. She's the professional that professionals go to and thanks to a little thing we call The Internets, she's got a blog all her own to help us amateurs get it right.

Once I found her blog, I scoured what I could, trying to retain as much info as I could discern. Though she lives in England, there's a lot that needs to be translated for my American eyes.  For example, 'flannel' means a washcloth. It took some googlizing for me to finally get on board with that one.

She's a sought after consultant now and the fortunate people of England get to attend her workshops and store clinics.  Oh what I would give to wait in that line....

Instead, I've taken on her first and most basic rule.  How to clean your face. Sure, this seems straight forward. I mean, who doesn't know how to wash their face?? Well, as it turns out, most of the world!

This is what Caroline says about cleansing. Taken directly from Beautymouth.com :  (keep in mind flannel=washcloth)

1. Cleanse your face every night. Without fail. Non-negotiable. You have enough time. 
2. Cleanse your face in the morning - a splash of water will not cut it. You can use a teeny amount of cleanser - but use it...
3. Apply your cleanser to DRY skin. Don't dampen the skin first. I don't care what it says on the pot. Add water afterwards to loosen if not using an oil-based cleanser. (When was the last time you went for a facial and the therapist wet your face before she cleansed?)
4. As a rule - stay clear of 'foaming' on the bottle (there is the odd exception, but they are few and far between) - to get foam you need to use a surfactant - and a surfactant turns your skin alkaline. Alkaline skin is like a petri dish for bacteria. The irony being that so many cleansers pushed on to acne/combination skins are foaming. Naughty, nasty companies should know better.
5. If you are wearing make-up with sunscreen in it or just good old sunscreen you need to double cleanse. If you aren't, one cleanse is sufficient.
6. Use a face flannel and water to remove. Unless you are ALLERGIC TO WATER (which I have heard from clients before - sigh) there is no need to cotton/tissue off. This is 2011 not a Doris Day film. Wash your face people. Imagine only ever using tissue or cotton on your bum. Exactly.
7. Use fresh running water from the tap - do not fill the bowl and splash off. Splash all that dirt back on to you face? That's just nasty. 
8. I have neither time nor patience for eye make-up remover pre-cleansing. Use a cleanser that removes eye makeup and apply the cleanser to the eyes first. You'll get most of the gunk off at the beginning and your second cleanse will clear the rest up.
9. Use hand-hot water and ring the flannel out - if its the right temperature for your fingertips it will be fine for your face.
10. Use a fresh flannel every day. Don't be cheap. Or gross. Primark. £2 for 4. Buy 2 packs and you're good for a week and a spare....You don't have to use muslins or a special cloth. Again. I don't care what they say. Trust me. I've done treatments with the lot and the thing we always went back to? Plain white facecloths. HOT plain white facecloths. Lovely.

She makes a lot of sense. What got me was, the facialist doesn't wet your face before cleaning....holy smokes, you're right!!  I also knew she was right when I got to the bit about not using the foamy stuff.  As a person who's suffered with awful skin most of her life, it wasn't until I stopped using the acne products that my acne cleared up.  Once I switched to Cetaphil, a totally unfoamy cleanser, my skin took an immediate turn for the better.  And once I switched all my acne products to just plain ol' big girl products, I had new skin. 

So I decided that I would give this a try. I've been doing this for over two weeks now and I've been having awesome results! I apply my Bare Minerals Purifying Facial Cleanser on dry skin. Which is brilliant because now I'm not watering down any of the great benefits I can get from this cleanser!  And although I've always shied away from wash clothes on face, thinking they'd be far too rough, they've been incredible with exfoliating just the right amount and leaving my skin more smooth and even making my skin tone better! 

I've even been able to do the double cleanse and it doesn't make my skin tight or dry or over exfoliated and irritated.  How did I not know about this before??

I also like that I can see all the gunk come off my face, in that gross voyeuristic pore strip way. And at the end I can use the washcloth to scrub off any lip stains from products from the day.  Bonus! 

What they don't teach you in school is that too much water can actually cause you to be more dry.  Ok, they actually do teach this in school but not in a way that we think we need to remember it. But since I haven't been keeping my face under the water in the shower and dousing my face with water in the sink at night, I've noticed how much more moisture my skin has on it's own. The constant water isn't stripping it of what it needs and I aaalmost can say I don't have dry skin! Almost. 

Thankfully, I have a fairly good size collection of washcloths, but today I picked up more for 47 cents each at Walmart. I mean...you can't beat that price. They did have a pack of 18 for $4, but those seemed overtly thin, so I splurged on the 47centers.

I don't think I will ever go back to any other way to wash my face. And now when I see those Neutrogena commercials with the face splashing, not only will I think about the ridiculous mess she's making, I'm also going to think about how she's ruining her face. Amateur. 


UPDATE: I've addressed a few questions in response to this post HERE. 

The Rest Of The Rush

So about that Rush Sale....

It was a damn good sale. Which is why what I showed you on Friday wasn't enough.  Oh no. Not enough.  

So I got these awesome kits!....

Left: Tutorials Foiled Eye Kit; Right: Tutorials Eye Lining Kit BOTH for $25!

  Currently for sale together for $40. 

That's right. I snagged both of these bad boys for only $25! 

What I love about the B.E. Tutorials is that each box opens up to a whole instructional deal, complete with pictures  I live for these types of things. Not because I follow them, but because I grew up with magazines as my own self proclaimed lifestyle textbooks. I guess you don't grown out of a good pictorial tutorial. 

The Foiled Eye Kit is all about getting that super shine, night on the town look. And it delivers! It also comes with a double sided brush. One full, flat side to deposit and blend color on your eye and the 'foiling' process, the other side a rounded small tip, perfect for soft lining. 

"Foiling" is kind of exactly what it sounds like.  It looks like high shine foil right on your eye lid! It's actually really cool and far more wearable than what I was expecting.  You get this to happen by using a wet brush to apply some glittery shadow. 

The Eye Lining Kit comes with 2 mineral liners and a Magnetic Multi-Liner Brush. Let me explain. This is a handle, that comes with 3 different brush heads that snap right on and stay in place with magnets. This. Is. Brilliant.  So in one convenient pouch (that comes with this kit but is not pictured) this is a Full-Edged Liner Brush, a Pointed Liner Brush AND a Soft Edge Liner Brush.  I mean really. It doesn't get better than this. 

   

1. Night Owl Eye Color done in "foil". A slightly purple bronze that that looks intense, but manages to be just really flattering. 

2. Night Owl Eye Color using a dry brush.  Yes, this is the same color that arrived in my Bare Basics Eye Color Kit. And it's just as beautiful here!

3. Disco Eye Color using a dry brush. 

4. Disco Eye Color done in "foil". This has a very fine rainbow iridescence to it, which is what makes it work so well with this foiling process. I don't think I would really do a full foil of Disco on myself only because it looks too white and frosty with my skin, but I do love it when it's used with a dry brush.  Looks like my matte days are numbered. 

5. Minx Liner done with a dry brush. You can't see it well in the photo but Minx has a lot of rainbowy glitter. I was scared to use it, fearing I would fall into the Trying Too Hard Category. But it's actually really nice on! I should have known. B.E. wouldn't have me out there looking a fool. 

6. Minx applied with a wet brush. Once it's done with a wet brush, it seems that most of the glitter disappears. you get a few flecks, but nothing major and I'm pretty excited about that because this is a great deep black! 

7. Sable Liner applied with a wet brush. I've been using this daily since it arrived. It's a soft warm grey color that is a nice change from my super black Mac Feline daily routine. 

8. Sable applied with a dry brush.  I went away for the weekend and used sable with the pointed end of my Foil Kit brush or the flat edge side of the double ended brush I got with my bare Basic + Beyond kit all weekend! I really only needed those two brushes and I was ready to be anywhere! 

These liners are really great for anyone who finds it hard to master the smokey eye. They're super blendable but you can still build up the color to something intense and dark, or keep it soft and light for day! 

I love how versatile they are! It's like 4 types of liners all in one!  

PRO TIPS for B.E. Loose Liners: 

• When I, or anyone, says 'use a wet brush', this does NOT mean to run it under a tap until it's soaking wet.  That is never going to help anything. Instead, this usually/always mean damp.
• Do NOT put a drop of water in the cap and then add the liner powder and try to make a paste. All you're going to do is waste the liner, and gunk up your brush with way too much product. Never add water this way. 
• My best way to dampen a brush is to put a few drops of water on the back of my hand. Then, touch just the tip of your brush to the tip of the water.  DON'T submerge your brush in a puddle on the back of your hand. Drag the brush on the dry area of your hand to get the excess water out.  You want the brush just damp enough that the powder sticks, but not wet enough to make anything watered down or runny.   
• Always start out drier than you need. It's much easier to add water than to take it away or wait for it to dry. 
• Be careful of fall out. The powder is very fine so you might night even realize it's there. But because the pigment is so intense in these, the tiniest fall out will result in super black smudges.  For this reason, I suggest doing your eyes before any concealing or foundation under the eye. Why do it twice?

Honestly, I was expecting to not really love the liners. They come just like the shadows, as loose powder. You can use them as is or apply with a wet brush. So I thought, ok, it'll work for a while but there's no way these liners are going to stay the way I put them on. Not with just water. B.E. proved me wrong!  These liners stay exactly where I put them from the beginning of the day right up to the end. I am so excited I love these, as do my contacts. 

Have you ever gotten a waxy liner on your contact lens? It's not cute nor comfortable. But with B.E., if anything should get into my eye, I don't even notice! Everything is so soft that it just blinks away and I'm not forced to dig out my contact and put it back in just to ruin whatever makeup I just did. 

And just like that, with a click of a mouse, my summer makeup wardrobe is complete! (for now)

The Bare Basics

If you've been following then you know I have a spot in my heart for the Bare Minerals line. Which is why I'm part of their free FAB program, Friends And Benefits.  Their program is pretty great. I get access to special sales, events, a birthday gift!, coupons, and I even get to choose a day of my choice to save 15%!  Your FAB account also keeps track of all of your purchases. So if you're on the go and want to pick up a refill and can't remember the color..they got you, boo! (I promise I won't say in public.) (unless it's called for.)

The other side of this great club is that I receive emails chock full of sales.  These can get pretty dangerous pretty fast.  And after a long hiatus of B.E. shopping, I caved on a Rush Sale that came to my inbox about 3 weeks ago.  I snagged a ton of stuff! And all of it I am in love with all of it!

Bare Minerals Eye Club Bare Basics & Bare Basics and Beyond For Eyes 

BOTH for $45

That's right. Two full kits  for $45. 

7 eye colors. 1 Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss. 1 Volumizing Mascara and 2 amazing brushes that are really 3 amazing brushes.  

I actually purchased this 2-for-1 set because I wanted the brushes. And I was not disappointed. The Eye Defining Brush ,on left, ($16) is perfect for the crease of my eye and also blending. And the Soft Focus Shadow & Liner Brush ($9.50) is a no brainer. A soft rounded tip fluffy brush that both deposits great color and is great for blending. And on the other end is a perfect flat angled liner brush. What else does a girl need?  Oh right...champagne. That didn't come with this kit. 

I'm even digging this mascara! A mascara from a kit that I like?? What moon is out??

From Left:
Shimmer Eye Color: A true shimmer. For adults. It's a warm based shimmer with a lot of iridescent glitter. But not so much that it's over powering. And it's a perfect color to mix with mattes to give them a pop!

Night Owl Eye Color: This is a gorgeous purpley bronze with just the right amount of shine! I am truly in love with this color. Even though I'm not a glittery, shimmery eye color girl, this is surely going to be one of my new favorites! It's the type of metallic color that would look great on  the fairest of skin to the darkest!

Plush Purple: Unlike the other two colors, this one is a matte finish in a plummy purple. I am in love with this color. I tend to wear a lot of purple and greens on my eyes because I just like the way they look and I also have brown eyes. This is just....lovely! But more than lovely...I understand now why they call this set Bare Basics. These are all colors every woman needs to have on hand!

This set no longer exists on the site and I can't find these colors on their either. What a pity. But they the Eye Club has a whole new Bare Basics set ready to go for $25, and I'm betting it's just as pretty, and essential.

Marvelous Moxie Lip Gloss in Maverick: (Available for $18) Just to be clear, I'm not a gloss girl. Probably because of a mental block from long ago back when I didn't know how to dress my full lips properly. I stayed away from things with shine because it made my lips look bigger and, at the time, I didn't want them center stage. Well I've grown into my lips and now I love my bright lipsticks! But I still prefer mattes.  

Having said that, this is not yo mama's gloss. This stuff is awesome! It's almost as opaque as a lipstick, so it delivers tons of color, but also the formula actually feels moisturizing! I had no idea I could get that from a gloss. It also doesn't have a heavy or sticky feel. I could totally get behind this product. If nothing else, because it smells like Thin Mint Cookies!! I swear. I would never lie about something so important as Girl Scout Cookies. 

PS: This color I am dying over! It's an amazing color on me, being just a shade darker and yet brighter than a nude, with warm tones to it. Oh Maverick...where have you been??

Wearable Brown Light Eye Color:(Available for $14) It's just that. It's a very wearable brown, but in a very matte finish. On myself, I would use this as a base, or to tone down a color (I can't believe I just said that), but little else. 

Paradise Eye Color:(Available for $9.50) A shimmery peach color that I'm becoming fast friends with. A quick sweep of this gives me just a hint of shine and wash of warmth to my skin for a quick summer eye. Building it up gives me a sparkly peach eye that I love blending with other colors already in my eye shadow wardrobe. My favorite being mixing this with Heatwave from the B.E. Wanderlust kit from last year that started this whole blogging business!

Banana Smoothie:(Available for $9.50) Who cares! It's called Banana Smoothie!! Enough said.  Ok, really, this is a fun light yellow with some sheen to it.  I use this as a highlighter color and it's been doing great things! Mixing it with Heatwave, like I mentioned creates a natural golden color. This new kid is fitting in just fine. 

Real Deal Eye Color:(Available for $14) These names on spot on because this is the real deal.  I know it looks a bit limey in the photo but I am obsessed with this color.  The minute I opened it up I knew we were besties. This also has a sheen to it and I can mix it with some Banana Smoothie to give me juuust a hint of golden khaki green color on my eye. Or I can build it up and go GREEN! And what an amazing green this is.  If I had to put a name on it, I would call it a grass green. It's very earthy and warm and oh so wearable. 

This kit also is no longer available as is but the colors are still available separately. I highly recommend the green Real Deal color for everyone, especially the medium to dark skin ladies. And fair ladies, you need to get on Paradise before the summer ends. This color is aching to be poolside with a matching cocktail!

Oh...you thought I was done? wrong! There's more!! 

That's right, I got more during this Rush Sale. But I'm going to save that for next time. 

Gotta keep you guys wanting more, right?

Winter Skincare Chapter 3: Nightime Face Care

Shortly after Christmas I scored the Bare Escentuals Renew & Replenish Skincare Collection in store for only $40 on sale. All the Bare Escentuals products in this post are contents of this collection which came in a great clear plastic and gold makeup case.  This was a holiday collection, but B.E. always has new sets coming out so keep an eye out...especially in stores where you can snag a good deal like this one!

Exfoliating Treatment Cleanser. This stuff is really cool. It's an exfoliating powder. No really! (see pic. on right)
You mix it with a little water, or B.E. Purifying Cleanser, to create the perfect facial scrub. The powder is much finer than I was expecting,and after a few tries I got my ratio down and realized that even though it doesn't feel gritty and harsh on my skin, it was in fact exfoliating it really nicely!
My skin can be really sensitive at times so I only use this every few days, but so far I love how gentle it is but still manages to do it's job.





Active Cell Renewal Night Treatment.  The Olay Regenerating serum that I use in the daytime is more of a gel whereas this one is a thin liquid that you take out of the bottle with an eye dropper.  It's very thin and glides of the skin and a little covers quite a lot of area. It doesn't really have a scent but I can see why this is a night treatment only. It leaves the skin slightly sticky to the touch. Nothing you'd want to put makeup over. But once you get a lotion on top, your skin feels nice and smooth and soft.
I replaced the Olay serum with this for nighttime because I wake up with great skin after using this. I can see it fading my dark marks and my skin feels more hydrated the next day.

Purely Nourishing Moisturizer in Combination Skin.  I've used this lotion in the Normal to Dry through the summer and loved it. But this Combination Skin version isn't hydrating enough for me, so it will most likely go to my sister who doesn't suffer from such dry skin as I do.

Lastly, Pure Transformation Night Treatment in Clear. This powder treatment is something you put on as your very last step of the night.You buff into your skin just like the regular Bare Minerals Foundation.
The jar packaging contains a brush that is attached to the lid. You shake the jar, open and tap off the excess and then buff it into your skin. There is no tint to this version, but it does come in a few shades, light, medium and tan.
The brush is slightly stiff for my liking and I found that I got it on my skin much better with a clean Flawless Application Brush.
I haven't used this enough to completely love it because the times I've used this was with the Cell Renewal Treatment which I think is doing more work than this is. I'm going to try to use this more and see if I love it or if I notice any changes, but so far, I love the Cell Renewal Treatment more than this.

Olay Pro X Hydra Firming Cream $45 in drugstores, $27-37 at online retailers. After the Cell Renewal Treatment, I use this cream all over my face, neck and collarbone area. Considering the shape of my skin when I purchased this, I needed something in a jar that was so think that it simply couldn't go through a pump or squeeze bottle. I was expecting a thick opaque cream but once opened, it looked far more serum-y than I expected. 

The first night I put this on over the regenerating serum, I was underwhelmed. At first. I didn't feel hydrated in the way I was used to. No shiny skin. No slick forehead. No greasy hands. None of that! This was completely new to me. 

After about an hour, my skin was completely different. It was soft and unbelievably moisturized! It was like, some slow acting magic trick! My flaky forehead was smooth and and my cheeks were so soft I wanted to touch them constantly!

The jar it comes in isn't glass but does feel heavy, which is a negative for easy travel but not a deal breaker. The top clicks closed so you know the inside is safe from outside elements and that part I like. 

After changing up everything but my cleanser, my skin is no longer flaking or peeling and feels soft to the touch.  My dark spots are fading and I can see my skin getting smoother. I've washed my face at night more often since I got these products because it feels so nice to wake up to noticeably nicer skin, which is the point! 

It may seem like a lot of products for just one area of skin, but it's not just skin, it's my face. And somewhere down the road my face will thank me for going through all this trouble. At least, I hope so. I can't wait to be an old lady, but it would really suck if I started getting major wrinkles next year after doing all of this. I'm not even gonna lie. 

Winter Skincare Chapter 2: Daytime Face Care

Once Operation Skin Repair was under way, I quickly moved to Phase 2: Face Care.  For the better part of this year, I stuck to my Bare Escentuals SPF 20 Moisturizing Lotion for day time. I knew when I started that my winter skin would need more, but like I said yesterday, winter just snuck up on me! I turned up in November with terribly tight and flaky skin. Not a food look.

So research began and I finally decided I would try Olay products. The new Pro X line  had me intrigued, so with the help of a CVS sale, plus some coupons, I overhauled my face care with Olay products in the hopes of finally have good skin. 

Olay Regenerist Regenerating Serum Fragrance Free $17-$20

I was most nervous about this serum. I wasn't sure if this was going to be too harsh on my skin or be sticky and gross. My review research showed that people had the best results with the fragrance free formula, because the regular version is far too scented and turned people off. 

The serum is in a small pump top package which locks shut for traveling. Nice touch, Olay. It's a translucent white serum that feels very slick and thin on your fingers as well as your face. 2 Pumps cover my whole face and neck and it sinks in fast but leaves the face feeling smooth, like a makeup primer.  A lot of people use this has a makeup primer but that would require layering it again, on top of a moisturizer since this is not. Some people with oily skin could probably get away with this as their only moisturizer, but I'm a firm believer in lotioning up every chance you get. 

I use this morning and night after washing my face with Bare Escentuals Purifying Facial Cleanser, under my moisturizer. In the 2 months I've been using this I've noticed that it is helping fade some dark marks and is also keeping my skin smooth and just generally looking better.  It doesn't dry out my face or give me any bad reactions. It's totally fragrance free and I'm glad it lives up to the reviews of being a helpful product in the prevention of aging. I can't say it will repair signs of aging, but it seems to be helping the overall softness and smoothness of my face. 

Olay Pro X Age Repair Lotion if Broad Spectrum SPF 30 $45

For my moisturizer I went with the new ProX line and chose a lotion with a good broad spectrum SPF. The higher the better for me!

The large fancy bottle has a pump so the lotion is sealed away from air and light, keeping the SPF and other ingredients stable and safe and always working their best.  

The lotion is smooth and silky for a product with so much SPF. Usually anything over SPF 15 becomes thick and requires tugging at your skin.. Not this stuff! It goes on like a nice thin cream and leaves no greasy, oily feeling or residue. No chalky white aftermath from the SPF  It just glides on and leaves me with slightly luminous, dewy skin. It makes my skin feel a little plump and smooth, which is perfect for going on under my makeup.

And although this lotion is rich, it goes on so effortlessly that I think it might just transition really nicely into summer. Which is when all that SPF is really going to come in handy!

So far I really like both of these products and what they're doing for my skin.  I don't have poreless, porcelain skin like that of a supermodel, but I don't think I ever will. I can't respond on the anti aging properties, but I believe that hydration is key to prevention and so far this feels like it's really going to do the job since I haven't felt dry or tight once since starting this, even in the cold wind and dry heat of a New England winter. 

   Now, I know most people will say that for this kind of money you could get something from a 'bigger' brand. But lets face it, Olay's been in the market for a very long time, so they must be doing something right! I think that Olay really got it right and because it's a drugstore brand, that means my favorite S word. I SALES!  That's not something you're going to find too often with the beauty counter brands.

Pro products down the street that I can use coupons on?? Sold! 

My Best Of 2012

Everyone loves a Best Of List. Especially an End of the Year Best Of. 

I present...

 My Best Of 2012 Products:

1. Face Care

    Bare Escentuals Purifying Facial Cleanser

2. Skin Care

    C. Booth Multi-Action Body Lotion in Coconut Fig

3. Hair Care

    Aphogee 2-Step Protein Treatment

4: Foundation

    Bare Escentuals Ready Foundation

5. Eyeliner

    Femme Couture Gel Liner

6. Eye shadow

    Smashbox Master Class Palette

7. Mascara

    Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion 

8. Blush

    Bare Escentuals Canyon Blush/Citrine Radiance All Over Face Color

9. Lips

   Tinted Balms by Tarte Lipsurgence, Revlon and Pixi 

10. Nails

      Bundle Monster Nail Stamping Kit

September in November

Back in September I picked up Bare Esentuals Ready Eyeshadow 8.0 palette in September Issue $40. At the time I was so pumped for the whole new line of Ready products from B.E. that I just wanted everything!   September Issue seemed like the perfect set for me. Some great neutrals and a pair of great 'color colors' in a small compact that is perfect for travel!

 The palette is in a really nice silver mirror finish and comes with a small pamphlet of tips and a few looks to create with the colors. It's handy, just not necessary, but I appreciate the thought.

 I especially like the back of the palette because it shows each color and the name clearly. If I were to store this and had a ton of palettes this would really help me find what I'm looking for fast. That's key. 

Once I got inside, the colors were there before me, almost too nice for me to dig into. But dig I did! 

I played around for a while with the colors and created a few looks on my eyes, which I never took real photos of. Until now, I've only used the loose shadows by B.E. but have been really pleased with how well they stay and blend. These seemed no different. They went on very easy and blended well to make new colors or just to blend in general. The tiny brush is double ended and felt nice and soft and would be really great for touch ups. I especially liked that one end was a pointed pencil brush to get into the corner of the eye or to do a lower lash line. You don't see that often in compacts.

I really had high hopes for this palette and wanted to love it so badly. The problem however, was that I just didn't. And the only reason I don't love it is because some of the colors just weren't bold enough for me.

• Glitterari is a really nice pink neutral with golf flecks. This I liked. 
• Pret-a-porter is a solid flashy gold! I love this gold but it's far too flashy on my tan skin to really wear in the day but it would be a really great color to blend into things.
• Ensemble I was very excited about and was hoping for it to be a nice deep eggplant on me, but once I got it on, it seemed rather muddled and didn't pick up the deep purples I was hoping for.
• Couture, which seemed like a rich golden chocolate color seemed to be neither here nor there on the color chart for me. Though it has nice golden tones to it, this did nothing for my skin tone and seemed to just wash me out a lot.
• Editor's Pick  is a lovely green teal that I was excited to try. That is, until I got it on me and realized that all the brightness that is in the compact didn't translate to skin at all. Rather than a bold teal, this went on me more like a frosty army green. In itself it's a really nice green that could be worn as a neutral, no problem. But I wanted the bold teal and was really disappointed in this color on my skin.
• Statement was another one that looked wonderfully bold in the palette. A bright orchid color that I was sure was going to be amazing with the dark chocolates in this set. But once I got it on, I laid very flat. The color seemed like a very matte shadow with flecks of metallic sparkle in it. Though it felt great on the skin, the color was just too washed out for me and even with layers, it was hard to build up the color to anything brighter than a pastel. 
• Silhouette and Tres Chic I don't have swatches for, but they are both very matte neutrals mostly for the brow bone and highlighting. 

The packaging is great. Perfect size and great brush included. The product itself is great, goes on smooth, blends well, feels great and lasts a full day (with primer), but the part I'm disappointed in, is the colors in this particular set. Looking back on it, that's something I should have realized before I picked it up. B.E. is not MAC or Make Up Forever. Though they do make some bold colors, their shadows are far more subtle and really focus more on lovely daytime looks and basic nighttime smokey eyes.  I knew all this going in, but like I said, I was so caught up in the Ready movement that I just thought I could will my way into some bold colors in a ready to go palette! 

I've since returned this set because I knew it just wasn't meant to be, but I still go back to the store and the website to check out their new B.E. Ready Eye Palettes and to see what new Limited Edition sets are out, especially now that the holidays are coming up.

I know it didn't work out this time with us, but I'm cyber stalking Bare Esentuals until I decide that I want to give us another chance. It wasn't you Bare Esentuals....it was me. 

I'm Finally Ready!

I think Bare Escentuals has changed my life no less than 5 times this year, and they've done it again with their new launch of Ready Foundation.

Bare Escentuals Ready Foundation $29 and Retractable Precision Face Brush $22

If you've somehow missed the Bare Minerals infomercials or the QVC spots, the regular commercials, online advertising or general mineral makeup take over of the last few years, Bare Escentuals was the first mineral makeup to hit the market with a foundation in a loose powder form. Although the foundation is amazing, and even though they added the click close top to the small pot of foundation, it's still not the easiest thing to pack into a clutch and can be a bit messy when opening the jar after a long flight or bumpy car ride. 

But Bare Escentuals fixed that problem with the new Ready line of foundations created in perfectly sized compacts with no loose powder! 

 Ready Foundation in Golden Tan

I went as soon as I could to my nearest BE Boutique and had the makeup artist there color match my skin tone since not all of the colors in the regular foundation are the same in this line. We found that Golden Tan was the perfect color replacement for my Medium Tan foundation. 

Retractable Precision Face Brush

Along with the new colors they have also gotten rid of the "swirl, tap, buff" and added a new Precision Brush to the line to work with the compact perfectly. Instead of the 'swirl' now you place the flat angle of the brush onto the foundation and gently...wiggle! It picks up the foundation very easily and you find that you don't need very much. With no need to tap and no need to buff, this goes on soo fast with gentle, sweeping strokes and covers just as well as the original foundation.  The brush feels amazingly soft and great on the skin and the angle of it really allows you to use it with precision, like around the eye or nose.  I picked up the retractable one because it closes up so nicely and is perfect for travel.

The original foundation comes in Original, which leaves more of a dewy complexion and a Matte finish,  but this Ready line is something right in between. 

For those who have never tried mineral makeup, this is a perfect starting point but also a great upgrade to those of us who have been in this arena for quite some time. With all the benefits, plus the addition of another 5 more SPF points bumping it up to SPF20, and none of the mess and a easy take with you compact, Bare Escentuals have revitalized the mineral makeup market for sure!

But I think I am going to miss the 'buffing' a little. 

Unpaid Advertising

I know I talk about Bare Escenutals quite a bit and I wish I could say it's because they pay me, but they don't. It just so happens that the products I use from them, I fall in love with quickly.  In addition to the Skin Renewing Trio I told you about yesterday, I also started using this:

Intensive Glow Pads Brightening Treatment $35

Yes, this are facial pads. No, these are not like the Clearasil pads of the 80's and 90's. Well, they are the same shape and size but the comparison ends there. These pads, are tiny round miracle workers conveniently packaged for the non-miracle working masses. 

I wavered about getting these for a while. Even after reading the rave reviews I thought....eeehhh....I don't think I need these.  False. I need these. 

The Routine: To be done at night only

Cleanse. Glow Pad. Moisturizer. 

Simple enough!

The pads have two textures. One side is smoother, for a daily application, and the other a more scrubby side (technical term).  The first night I used these I was amazed at how amazing it made my skin feel instantly. My skin felt soft and smooth and even looked more resilient, if that's possible.  The skin on my nose had began to feel slightly rough and bumpy over the last few months and I contemplated getting some pore strips to see if those would help and also because I've never used them. ( I know, I've clearly missed out on a portion of my adolescence). But the first time I used the glow pad, it cleared up the skin on my nose to an amazing smooth finish that I couldn't believe. In the first application!! 

The days of exfoliating with St. Ives Apricot Scrub and other things with actual scrubbing content in them are well behind me. I've tried them all, knowing that my dry skin needs the exfoliation, but always ended up with horrible results in the way of scratched and irritated skin.  The B.E. Glow Pads have opened up a whole new door to revitalized skin for me. No harsh chemicals. No harsh scrubbing. And wonderful results. 

Products I truly love I have no problem advertising for free. And these Glow Pads have definitely made that list!

PS:  GO VOLKSWAGEN! 

I'm Finally Faking Natural

After my recent purchase of the Bare Escentuals Wanderlust Desert Collection, my mind has been fixated on neutral tones and daytime smokey eye makeup.

As much as I love eye makeup, it's been quite a while since I've worn eye shadow in the daytime, let alone something that wasn't neon yellow or purple.

I began with some inspiration photos, like these from Keiko Lynn

             

 Keiko's post for makeup on the Left and post about Right.

And these Celebritry photos from Pinterest

                 

Now, it was time to try it out on myself.

                       

I kept it subtle, which was hard for me. 

Bare Escentuals eye shadow in Heatwave from the Wanderlus Desert Collection across the lid with 

Cover Girl black shadow from Eye Enhancers Drama Eyes, in the crease and outer corner.

Smudged Round the Clock eyeliner in Midnight into the top and bottom lashline and went over it with the B.E. eye shadow.

Finished with Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion mascara in Very Black

It's completely wearable for daytime and I'm actually liking this whole natural colors look more than I thought I would!

Wanderlust Desert Collection by Bare Escentuals

During an impromptu Play Date at the Bare Escentuals Boutique last week, I checked out the Wanderlust Desert Collection gift set , on sale for $35 from $49 and fell in love with this perfect ensemble.



The kit includes;

• Prime Time^TM Primer Shadow in Gold Nugget (radiant gold)

• Heatwave Eyecolor (glimmered blackberry brown) (size: small)

• Round the Clock Waterproof Eyeliner in Midnight (blackout)

• Canyon Blush/Citrine Radiance All-Over Face Color (velvet terracotta/warm golden beige)

• 100% Natural Lipgloss in Angel Food Cake (sheer peach shimmer)

• Flawless Definition Curl & Lengthen Mascara in Black

• Travel Bag

The Prime Time Primer is a gold primer and is VERY gold. But it feels really nice and stays put really well. This isn't anything I'll be using daily but it will be perfect for my upcoming Halloween costume makeup! (yes, Halloween references in July, you'll get used to it)



The Heatwave Eyecolor is a shimmery dark coffee brown. I normally don't go for earth tones in my makeup but this is a truly great color. It's even making me consider trying out more 'natural looking' eye makeup and going out in public in earth tones. gasp!  It's the perfect tone to accentuate the crease in an eye or to make a daytime smokey eye look.  You can even pair it with the colors in the All-Over Face Color pot to create a gorgeous summery eye. 


The Round The Clock eyeliner I was originally going to buy this alone, until the nice woman told me this liner is in a discounted kit that they are running right out.  Kit? Discounted??  You got me lady. You got me.  


The full line of these eye liners are named after hours of the day. 11am, Noon. 5pm etc etc. Brilliant! Midnight, that comes in this kit, is a true deep black color. It goes on amazingly. Smooth and effortless with the feel of a liquid but in a sturdy, easy pencil. It only smudges when I want it to and doesn't end up on my eyelid or around my eye throughout the day. I felt in love with this as soon as I tried it.


I tried it on my lower waterline yesterday for the first time and it stuck pretty well, for a while. But I've found that nothing stays on my lower waterline without fading and needing touch ups, even the smashbox, mac, and all the other brands.  But that's a personal problem and considering how long it did last, it would probably work really well for most women's waterlines. 


All-Over Face Color. One side is a lovely light terracotta color, the other a shimmery golden beige. In the little pot these colors look rather daunting and scary for a girl with tan skin. I was sure the colors were going to make me look washed out and sickly. Boy was I wrong. The Canyon Blush was THE perfect bronzey blush summer shade for me. It went on with a corally glow and the Citrine shimmery beige was the exact perfect color to give my skin a wonderful highlight without that frosty 80's disco thing happening on my face.


When we layered the Canyon Blush over my regular summertime bright pink blush by B.E. called Fruit Cocktail, I believe I gasped.  I have been searching for a great summertime coral blush for about 2 years now and I've come up empty every time. But this, this small little pot of magic from Bare Escentuals, just ended my long journey. It was a Mall Day Miracle!  


The Curl and Definition Mascara is actually quite great too. I felt like it curled my lashes some without the need of a lash curler. It's a great black color and I would recommend this mascara to many, but I won't lie, I'm partial to my CoverGirl Lash Blast Mascara and won't be giving that up anytime soon.


Natural  Lip Gloss. I haven't really used outright glosses in a while now. I'm just not in a Glossy Phase right now. But this color really complimented this whole kit so wonderfully. It had just the right amount of peach to it without being too overt or cartoony. I could see this being a really great compliment to layer on lipsticks or other glosses. It does have some flecks of 'shimmer' in it...which seemed more like full glitter to me. Great from afar, but a tad too 'Da Club' for me.  But I'll definitely keep this one around and use it from time to time. 


The Travel Bag is a really great addition to. It's a great size and I love the colors. Bright yellow on beige, completely up my alley! It's also totally laminated , inside and out, so you can wipe it down easy and never have to worry about spills or messes.


I admit that my Impromptu Play Date was caused by a total summer brain melt down when I accidentally left the house without putting on any  makeup. I was driving my visiting family,and new niece to the mall and somehow in the confusion of the morning left the house bare faced. After a small moment of panic when I realized what I had done I remembered there was  B.E. Boutique in the mall and high tailed it there soon as I parked the car. The result was me taking home this kit but it has been the best thing I've purchased since I found their foundation.  I know this is a limited run kit and I'm highly considering picking up another kit just to make sure I have a back up of the All-Over Face Color. Not to mention another eyeliner would be a great bonus since I know I will be purchasing that again.   You've done it again Bare Esceuntals. And this time without any infomercial!