So, you may or may not know that I have been obsessed with skincare/body care for a very long long time. I should preface that I have hormonally dry skin and I very rarely get break outs. When I do they are either due to that time of the month, dry skin stuck under my skin, or falling down on my facial cleansing routine (ie. only using makeup cleanser wipes to remove my makeup) so some of you may not find parts of this blog appealing to you, but don't worry there are still things like dealing with anti-aging that you may enjoy!! Anyways, when my hormone's get whacked out, my skin becomes a huge flakey mess. Since I am just figuring this out, for a long time I was on the quest for skincare that would aid in my crazy dry flakes and not only provide moisture but because I'm a weirdo, do all that anti-aging stuff. It's never too early ladies and gents!! Especially if you grew up in the age of tanning beds and hours of laying out during the summer (which I definitely did).
So my skincare quest has taken me everywhere, although most recently it's brought me back to some more natural options and one local company as well!
So don't get overwhelmed, I definitely use a lot of products, but mostly my skincare regime is simple? Does that even make sense? Welp if not, let's jump into my medicine cabinet and hopefully I can explain myself.
Facial Cleansers
For days when I don't have makeup to take off my face or crazy dry skin happening, I actually have started reaching for a wonderful LUSH face wash that they just made a part of their permanent collection, it's called Let the Good Times Roll. The website describes it as this "A luxuriously soft and sweetly-scented cleanser, Let The Good Times Roll is made with maize flour and corn meal to gently exfoliate, and a dash of cinnamon powder to cleanse and warm cold winter skin. Its rich, velvety texture leaves your skin perfectly balanced, glowing and smelling like sweet and salted caramel corn." It's actually pretty wonderful, it is a little hard to get used to though. The product comes almost like a paste and you break a piece off and add a little water to it to get it thin enough to rub all over your face. (which for those of you that travel, this is actually a wonderful product to take with you it doesn't get everywhere/doesn't explode and the lid screws really tight.
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| So good I want to eat my face! Let the Good Times Roll, $12.95 @ Lush |
But back to the important part, this face wash leaves your face incredibly moisturized, because there's no lather it doesn't strip your face of it's natural oils, and the corn oil actually deposits enough that you really don't need a moisturizer afterwards (unfortunately I'm neurotic and still do it). The corn meal that exfoliates your skin isn't harsh and won't tear up your already dry sensitive skin. AND BONUS this stuff smells like a sugar cookie, and continues smelling that way for quite sometime (not a bonus if you don't like scents).
When my face is really dry and clogged, I reach for the next facial cleanser, which is also a Lush product, Ultrabland. This facial cleanser is amazing! It removes even the craziest makeup like a dream and leaves your face seriously moisturized. The website says, and honestly it's true, they also say give it 30 days, in that time I noticed my clogged pores and hormonal "break outs" that none of the other facial cleansers I tried could unclog, were gone. Not only that but my dry patches were gone and my face was seriously less irritated which is what sold me on this one.
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| Ultrabland, Holy Grail Item!! $16.95 @ Lush |
There is one catch with this cleanser, you can't just splash water on your face to remove the cleanser. You either need a hot wash cloth OR a toner and cotton pads to take it off. So if you are one of those jump in the shower and wash your face person, this might not be fore you, but you should still consider it, as this is definitely my holy grail cleanser. I will be repurchasing it for probably ever, it's that good.
The final facial wash I use is just pretty much a straight oil it's by Kari Gran and officially called a Cleansing Oil (and made in South Lake Union Seattle!!!). I picked up the whole skincare regime when I first heard about it because I was definitely curious and this was way before I had tried the Ultrabland. The website says "The Cleansing Oil contains a blend of natural ingredients formulated to deep clean while balancing the skins natural oil production. It is designed for use once daily, during the evening cleanse. Massage onto dry skin (wonderful and relaxing!), and then steam off with a hot (not scalding) washcloth, whisking away impurities." You definitely want to use this at night, when you haven't had too much to drink and some time on your hands. They suggest you rub it in for a few minutes and then get your wash cloth really hot and cover your face with it until the wash cloth cools. Then you wipe your face, get the wash cloth steaming hot again and repeat 2 more times. Like I said, you need some time. But it definitely makes a difference!
I will say a couple things about this product, a. it doesn't work as well as Ultrabland, it's the same concept, and as I purchased a giant bottle of it, I like to switch between the two especially when I'm feeling like doing a more luxurious facial cleanse. b. it's kind of expensive $30 a bottle and c. it's a mess!! You definitely can't travel with this, even with the "stoppers" the oils leak everywhere. But, if you are going for locally-made, completely organic, then this is for you and it's gotten rave reviews all over the internet. You can try it out at pick up their starter kit for $35, which is a steal and I found that lasts awhile too!
Toners
I only use one, now, because it's winter and I don't really need toners...I'm finishing up at this moment the Kari Gran Hydrating Tonic in the Lavender formulation. It doesn't have alcohol so again, it won't strip your skin, and it definitely smells nice. It's also a good hydrating mist for refreshing your face during the day should you need that. I also use this when I'm rushing to remove the Ultrabland. This is also slightly spendy ($35), but you only need one or two sprays and it doesn't sting my face like a lot of toner's do.
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| Hydrating Tonic in Lavender 100ml, $35 @ Kari Gran |
Moisturizer's
I'm going to break this out into a couple categories to make it a little bit easier. This is the big thing that I spend my money on because of having such dry skin so it may get a little pricey...hold on lol.
Facial Moisturizer
I use three different facial moisturizers for different reasons, just a precursor, I don't use lotions with SPF, because almost all of my makeup has SPF and I feel like it's an overkill.
Okay, so the first one I use on a daily basis is an Aveda product called Botanical Kinetic's Hydrating Lotion. You guys, this stuff lasts FOREVER, I picked mine up in February-ish and I still have 1/4 of the bottle left! You really only need one to two pumps to moisturize your entire face, and the bottle is pretty large. It leaves my skin insanely smooth and supple all day. It's light-weight, sinks into the skin easily, and doesn't clog or irritate pores. Love it! Definitely another holy grail product! (I may have also used this product on my body when I forgot body lotion and it does the same to the rest of your skin).
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| Botanical Kinetic Hydrating Lotion, $33 @ Aveda |
The second moisturizer I use is again, from the Kari Gran line. It's called the Essential Serum and you only need 1 pump for your entire face. It is an oil moisturizer, so it takes time to sink in. I really don't recommend putting this on your face in the morning unless you aren't going to wear makeup for the day. But it definitely is comparable to the Josie Maran Argan Oil that everyone has been raving about. The website says you can also use it as an eye cream and a mixing medium to make a tinted moisturizer with if you use mineral powder foundations. Honestly, I really like it as a night cream, but like the facial cleanser, it is a messy/leaky well, mess if you try to take it anywhere so that's frustrating.
And my final moisturizer besides all the sample's I use, is the NARS aqua gel hydrator which has now been renamed to the Aqua Gel Luminous Mask, I typically use this thick cream at night (of course) after I use a mud facial mask to put back all the moisture that I may have stripped out. It's definitely not recommended around the eyes, but I definitely see a difference. When I wake up my skin is plump and smooth, I really like it. Also, I swear I've had it forever! A little goes a long way!!
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| Aqua Gel Luminous Mask, $39 @ NARS |
Eye Creams
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(clockwise from upper left hand corner)
1. Total Replenishing Eye Cream, $55 @ NARS
2. Green Science Firming Eye Creme, $47 @ Aveda
3. Cle de Peau Beaute Intensive Eye Contour Cream, $250 @ Barney's New York |
I use a lot of eye creams, that's typically where I get the worst dry skin issues. YEY hormones! I'm also very pro-active about staving off fine lines and wrinkles and since I'm pretty tough on my skin, I really like to use all the step's necessary to take care of it as much as possible. I also find eye creams help hydrate the eyes and fill in whatever fine lines you may have for nicer makeup and concealer applications. So again, I use a couple different eye creams (the nice thing about buying makeup is eye creams typically come in every gift with purchase so it's not something you have to go splurge on unless you just love one in particular)
The eye cream I am in LOVE with right now that I use on the daily is the Cle de Peau Beaute Intensive Eye Contour Creme. Before you guys fall off your seats, it came as a deluxe sample in a Barney's gift bag I got. It's super thick so you don't need tons, and like every eye cream it makes tons of claims, but mostly I find it just really keeps my under eyes hydrated all day which is what I want it for. For brightening and plumping my eyes, I find NARS Total Replenishing Eye Cream is what I reach for. The formula is light but still feels hydrating and it has the "light reflecting" technology that NARS is known for, so it just makes putting concealer on it a dream. I don't like the packaging at all though, the squeezy tube sucks at getting product out of, so if you feel like that might deter you then, skip this. I'm definitely at the point where I'm going to cut it open to get at the rest of it. As with the Cle de Peau, a little goes a long way...you really don't need tons to do both eyes.
There's one other eye cream I reach for, but it's definitely when my skin is leaning more towards the normal side. It's the Aveda Green Science Firming Eye Creme. I like this eye cream, and you get a lot of product, but when my eyes are irritated it stings the skin around them upon application and can be annoying. It's the best price point wise though, and when my skin is closer to normal I love this cream. I use it all over my lids and it sinks in pretty quickly. (Plus this one is completely organic, so again if you are looking for something in that vein, then this is a good one to go for). I picked this up at the same time I picked up my Aveda products and it has like the moisturizer lasted FOREVER I still have a 1/4 of the jar to go.
Serums/Other Weird Stuff I Occasionally Put On My Face
There are a couple other things I will put on my face depending on how my skin is acting or looking that day/night. With dry skin, you can sometimes look really dull, there isn't that luminosity that normal skin has, so I sometimes add it back in. I either use the
NARS Optimal Brightening Serum or the
Estee Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator. These I put on after my moisturizers but before primers during the makeup process. They definitely give you a bit of light without looking like you slapped an actual highlighter all over your face.
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1. Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator 1oz., $62 @ Estee Lauder
2. Optimal Brightening Serum 1 oz., $72 @ NARS |
For the day after I feel like I was really rough on my skin (ie. drinking too much, falling asleep in my makeup...you know) I picked up a couple other serums these are both anti-aging and supposed to work on free radicals. They are the 3LAB Super "h" Serum and Radical Skincare "Youth Infusion Serum" but I typically don't bother with this stuff when I don't beat up my skin, but like I said, it's never too early to start doing anti-aging steps so eventually these will start making a permanent rotation in my nightly beauty regime.
When I feel like my face is super jacked up I will use a couple facial masks, the one that sits in my medicine cabinet and I use on the regular is the NARS Mud Mask and I don't believe they actually make this anymore. But, I rarely do masks so...it's lasted pretty well. For an extra little treat I will pick up a "fresh" mask from Lush, the one I've been loving is the Oatifix which is super soothing with oatmeal and banana and doesn't scrape up my face. But those, I typically don't get unless I'm going to do it with a friend, you get a lot of product and it has to be used in a month or something crazy like that, and I'm just not THAT high maintenance...yet...lol
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| Mud Mask, No longer available from NARS |
For dry lips, which I do get as well, I do a couple different things, one, I use an amazing lip balm Nivea's A Kiss of Moisture, which I have a million tubes running around my apartment and purses, I also keep one in my kit. I use a couple lip scrubs, but my favorite is the E.L.F. $3 lip scrub, it looks like a tube of lipstick and is easy to put on. Then you just grab a cotton pad and wipe it off. I am always into the Lush lip scrubs, because you can eat them, but the new one Popcorn is just so good. It doesn't taste like popcorn, it tastes like sugar cookies...like the Let The Good Times Roll...so good...ANYWAYS if you don't want to pick up a scrub, I will occasionally use my toothbrush to scrub off the dead skin...and to avoid it altogether, any extra eye cream I have on my fingers while I'm moisturizing my eyes I will rub on my lips to moisturize them.
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| Nivea A Kiss of Moisture Lip Care (at Target) |
Body Care!
Okay, I will keep this short and to the point, mainly I just try to use hydrating body washes. I don't have a particular brand, and I try to keep the scents minimal or very earthy, since the perfumes I use are powerful in their own rights, I tend to not want my body products to compete with it. One of my favorites is just the Johnson and Johnson Baby Body Wash, it's got no scent and is cheap for a huge bottle and GENTLE to boot!! Wooo!!
For body scrubs, I use Ocean Salt by Lush it uses vodka, sea salt and citrus to take off dead skin and doesn't rip up your skin like a lot of other scrubs do. Some people could also use this on their face, an ex of mine did it all the time and loved it. It's just a little too much for my sensitive face, I try not to use anything too scrubby on it, but perfect for the body and the scent is pretty yummy.
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| Ocean Salt Face & Body Scrub 4.2oz., $21.95 @ Lush |
For lotion, it really varies on my pocket book at the time, and how dry my skin is. You can really spend whatever you want on this, because the real trick is WHEN you put your lotion on. I put mine on as soon as I turn off the shower, I don't even towel dry before I slap it on. This totally locks in the moisturizer and has honestly been a lifesaver since I learned this trick a million years ago when I was obsessed with tanning. If you can air dry even better, typically I will slather lotion on myself and then either throw a robe on or...stand in the bathroom doing the rest of my body care until I dry. Granted, I know some of you don't live by yourselves, so waiting as long as possible to towel dry is best. Some lotions I'm loving right now though if you are curious are Dream Cream from Lush, Trader Joe's Virgin Coconut Oil (yup just the plain ol' stuff from the jar), and Vaseline's Shea Butter. I know, some of these have parabens...ie the Vaseline, but sometimes you are broke and you buy big bottles and have to use them up...so yea...
Other Body Care/Stuff I Slap On My Skin
Hand Creams
You guys, I'm terrible at putting hand cream on, but I AM TRYING!!! I have 3...of course, the magic number, the one I am currently trying to use up came in sample kit from L'Occitane it's the Creme Mains Dry Skin Hand Cream, it has 20% Shea Butter and doesn't smell the best, but it works pretty well, and I'm keeping it by my bedside to remind myself to use it. The other one is Nivea's Creme that I got for my birthday from my lovely friend Emma, it lives in my purse and smells like roses. The packaging is great for travel and I've also heard tale that you can use a little in your hair to give it that piecey look so yea hidden gem lol thank you Emma! The final one, which I just used up that I need to rebuy is ANOTHER Lush product, I just can't help myself, I love that store so much. It's called Lemony Flutter and not only does it smell delicious, it's great for dry cracked skin (I even put it on my feet) it's thicker and what I also really love about it is that it makes your tattoo's look better. Does that make sense? It makes them look darker and crisper and improves the texture. I wouldn't be telling you guys if I didn't see it happen before my eyes! LOVE IT.
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1. Nivea Creme (at Target)
2. Shea Butter Hand Cream 1oz., $12 @ L'Occitane |
Bath Schtuff
To treat myself I take baths, they are also great at relaxing my muscles and relieving some of the pain I have when I've over done it. So for a while I was taking 2 hour baths so I feel like I am a master at bath products. When I went to Lush a couple days ago I picked up one of their new bath bombs for Halloween, I'm in love with it, I almost wish there was a way I could convince them that it needs to be a permanent. It's called Lord of Misrule and has black pepper, patchouli, and vanilla in it. Typically your supposed to use one bomb per bath, but I think that's far far too much. I usually bust them apart and use like an 1/8 you still get all the benefits (maybe not the show of it...the Lush ones whir and change multiple colors and yadayadayada). The ones I typically pick up are more for moisturizing properties and aren't insanely scented. I don't like flowery stuff. So my bag usually holds twilight, golden slumber, avobath and butterball. Not to say that I don't pick up other ones, but those typically have chunks of shea or avocado or whatever else is soothing and moisture rich.
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| Lord Of Misrule Bath Bomb, $5.95 @ Lush |
I also use a lot of bath salts. If I'm broke I will just pick up a huge box of epsom salts and call it a day. During the holiday's Trader Joe's has a 3 pack of bath salts that are all made from Dead Sea Salt and smell ridiculously good for like $10 and when that comes around, I will buy like a bunch of those as well lol.
I will occasionally use bath oils or bath beads, but only occasionally, I have an issue with the mess they cause as I do with using body oils. If I have them at my disposal I will definitely throw some into my bath but typically I stay away.
So with winter coming up, I hope this helps some of you decide what step to take next in your skin/body care routine's.
Here is a quick list of do's and don't's when it comes to dealing with your dry skin:
Do - Drink Tons of Water!!! (Coffee and Soda's don't count!) I have noticed when I don't get enough water my skin becomes even more sallow and crepe paper like. I lose the plumpness and firmness, everything seems to sag.
Don't - Sleep in Your Makeup!! EVER! It clogs pores and can hold in all the nasty stuff your body gets rid of to help with cell turnover. Keep those makeup wipes by your bed if you are someone who can't be bothered!
Do - Switch to a thick emollient rich face wash, skip trying to have a squeaky clean feeling face! Instead opt for something that leaves it feeling hydrated, you won't have to spend as much time and energy putting the hydration back into your skin later with other products.
Don't - SKIP THE FACE SCRUBS!!! If you have dry skin using face scrubs will only irritate your face more especially ones like St. Ives's that use seed husks. Opt for a hydrating toner or a facial wash with minuscule scrubbing properties that break down if you really need a scrub.
Do - Moisturize your face while it's still wet! It will hold the moisture in a lot better and you will use less product.
AND THE BIGGEST DO -
If you are having crazy skin issues go get your hormone levels checked!!!! If you are out of balance it can cause break outs and/or dry and brittle skin and hair.
I hope you guys enjoyed this!! I finally am feeling better and have my laptop back so I will be back on the blogging train!!
XO
~D
