TLC

I am finally back to blogger after a two week trip to China! The combination of heat, humidity, sweat, and 15-hour plane rides left me in need of some serious pamper time. 

After going for a well-needed eyebrow threading, I gave myself a manicure with Essie's status symbol and a pedicure with Orly's lemonade. I love the yellow on my toes, it makes my already tan feet look even tanner and is the perfect tribute to summer.

Nothing makes me feel more polished than freshly painted nails. 

My skin was feeling especially congested, but luckily I've discovered a few new products to help the situation.

The No7 Hot Cloth Cleanser is a really great cleanser. In combination with the muslin cloth that comes with it, this works to keep my skin smooth and clear. It is really gentle yet every time after I use it, my skin looks refreshed and glowing. You get a decent amount of product, but I seem to be going through it relatively quickly. I am dying to try the Liz Earle hot cloth cleanser after I am through with this one. 

The St. Ives scrub is an old product, but a new tub of it - the blemish and blackhead control version, which I'm not really sure is any different from the original, but it sure sounds good. After two weeks without any exfoliation, this felt heavenly on my skin. 

To give my body a good exfoliation, I used the Sephora sugar body scrub. This product is okay - it smells good and leaves the skin with a slick moisturized feeling, but its not amazing. It's my first time using a sugar scrub, so I'm not sure how it compares to others out there. 

The Origins skin diver body wash is a shower gel that claims to draw out pore-clogging debris and dissolve surface impurities that cause breakouts. Yes, it is marketed for men, but if you get bacne or breakouts on your body, this is a must-try! I am prone to getting breakouts on my back and they are a pain in the ass to get rid of, but this really works for me. It is $15, which is pricey for a body wash, but I don't know if I could live without this now!

Finally, I lathered myself up with my Origins Ginger Souffle body cream and put on my favorite mask, the purifying mint masque by CVS. I found the Queen Helene version at walgreens today for buy 1 get 1 free, so I now have an extended supply of this mask. 

I am almost out of the ginger souffle, but I probably will not repurchase another one. It's just a little too pricey for a body moisturizer. 

I never really feel at home after a vacation until I've gone through some sort of grooming routine like this. 

Now that I feel refreshed and energized, I am ready to tackle my next obstacle - a move to the big city. 

~Vida

Standout Skincare

My skincare routine is always changing. Although there are a few products I love that will always remain in my regimen, I also like to swap in new products with the hope of getting my skin in the best condition it can be in. 

My skin isn't what a lot of people would call terrible. I have my good and bad days, but most of the time my skin is generally okay. I do get an occasional spot or two, but the main issues I have with my skin are with the texture, oiliness in my t-zone, and blackheads. All along my t-zone I have these tiny little bumps; I have no idea what they are (I am thinking they are whiteheads), but they are impossible to get rid of or cover up. The products I have used to date have been enough to keep those pesky bumps in check, but I am still on the hunt for that miracle product (ideas?).
Playing around with skincare is fun because it is almost like a DIY science experiment - with time you figure out which products work with your skin. So here are a few products that I feel have really contributed to the current upkeep of my skin.

St Ives Apricot Scrub

If there's one thing I like rough, it's my facial scrub O.O. I know a lot of people might not agree, but my skin is not overly sensitive and I only use this about once a week. This apricot scrub does such an amazing job at getting all the dead skin cells off to reveal the new, healthy skin underneath. It makes my skin so smooth and it is also unbelievably helpful in reducing the number and visibility of my blackheads. The tub is huge and is so inexpensive - I don't think I will ever feel the need to try a different facial scrub.

CVS Purifying Mint Masque

This mint masque, which I think is the CVS version of the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque, works wonders. I use this about once a week after I use the apricot scrub, and it does exactly what it says on the tube. As I mentioned before I have an oily t-zone, so when I use this I can see the exact spots along my nose where the mask is drawing out the excess oils in my skin. Even though it is really good for oily skin, it doesn't dry out the rest of my skin; it actually makes it really smooth and fresh feeling. 

CVS Daily Acne Control spot treatment

Another CVS product, but in this case I don't really have a preference - any benzoyl peroxide treatment will do. I bought this because it was cheap, and didn't think much of it. One day I decided to use it on my blackheads, a form of acne, and it was the first time that my nose seemed to be cleared of blackheads. I use this stuff all the time now, it really works. 

Walgreens Alpha Hydroxy Face Cream

Alpha hydroxy acids are compounds that remove the top layers of dead skin cells and can also thicken the deeper layers of skin, promoting firmness. This might sting if you have sensitive skin, because it stings me a little when I put it on. It is a really runny cream so you only need a small amount to cover your entire face. When you have blackheads or other forms of acne, exfoliation is key and I like this because it is an exfoliant that works while I sleep and that I can use everyday. 

Dermalogica Skin Smoothing Cream

I bought this moisturizer because it seems like it would be really good for combination skin. It is really hydrating and doesn't clog pores. It really makes your skin look and feel smoother, which is why it works well as a foundation primer. You get a good amount of product in one tube, and I really like the practical packaging. If you do buy Dermalogica products, make sure to check on Amazon first because it is a lot cheaper than their actual website! 

I hope that was helpful, or at least interesting. Let me know what your favorite skin care products are!

Winter essentials

Winter is here, and for me that means a more complicated skin care regimen. Foundation doesn't sit right on flaky skin and lipstick on dry, cracked lips is not a look that I want to be sporting. 

I can't say I hate winter because it is such a festive season, but it's definitely not one of my favorites. The cold weather always catches me by surprise, as if I didn't know there are four seasons on this side of the globe. For some reason, this winter has been extra tough to get used to and it's got me wondering how I am going to manage when it starts getting really bad. 

I've made a list of stuff that I have really been relying on lately to get me through the cold weather =) 

1. Lips - Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment and eos lip balm

I've always been plagued by chapped lips and I have this really bad habit of biting my lips when they're flaky which irritates them even more. My lips are always cracked during the winter; it's gross and I hate it. A lot of the lip treatments I've tried work for the first half hour or so, but they don't really give any long term results. This Blistex ointment seriously works. It's a thick white cream that creates a film over your lips that doesn't just wear away, but is rather absorbed into your skin. Two days after I started using it, you can imagine my excitement when my lips were completely healed and stayed smooth. 

During the day, I like to keep my lips moisturized with the eos lip balm. No surprise here - this little ball of balm is effective, great smelling, and so cute and fun to use. I've got mine in summer fruit and it smells like peach rings. What freaks me out is that it also tastes sweet - I don't like it when my lip products also taste like food products. 

Both of these lip things work really as bases for lipsticks and I'm so glad I found them! 

2. Hands - L'occitane Hand Cream 

I mentioned this in a previous haul, and I have been loving it! This stays in my bag and I use it all day long. It smells like baby oil (which I love) and flowers. It's a thick cream that absorbs quickly, which I really like because I can't stand greasiness on my hands. Definitely need this to keep my hands from flaking up. 

3. Face - Korres Yogurt Mask

I love masks like the mint julep ones, but for the winter those can be too drying as they are meant to suck the oil out of your pores. I have been using this moisturizing mask by Korres, which I bought a while ago  but never really appreciated. It is so rich and hydrating, it leaves your skin baby soft. You can use it like a regular mask and wash it off in 20 min. or you can leave it on overnight for extra smooth skin =)

5. Body - Lush Bubble Bars

These are the best bath products ever. Well, there might be better out there, but they just don't appeal to me like Lush bubble bars do. The smell of Lush is truly one-of-a-kind, so I'm not even going to try to describe what they smell like - just think deliciousness in a bar. These are some that I still have leftover from a christmas gift box that I got last season. My favorites are creamy candy, pop in the bath, and the comforter. Actually, they're all my favorites. 

A nice bath is the best way to warm up when its cold outside, and they make your skin so soft and silky!

So these are the things that I've been using to to get me through the wintry weather. What do you love during the winter season?

A lovely skin cleansing duo

So you all know I'm obsessed with my Origins checks and balances cleanser. A few days ago I got down to the final bits of it, and instead of buying a different cleanser to indulge my inner product junkie, I went and repurchased my old one. 

Now I love this cleanser, but I probably would have been tempted to try out new products if it weren't for the Sephora face complexion brush I bought a few weeks ago. Let me tell you, it was as if these two products were made for each other, and I just could not resist getting a second one so I could keep using them together. 

The face brush itself is soft and easy to use. The cleanser I have already raved about. And together they are a team of face washing goodness. On its own the cleanser lathers beautifully, but when used with the brush it creates an even foamier product that leaves your skin squeaky clean. Though the bristles of the brush are soft, they still work well as exfoliators, leaving my skin so so smooth. 

I think that adding a brush or some kind of exfoliating cleansing tool like a muslin cloth or a sponge makes a big difference to any skin care routine. I used to use The Body Shop's little facial buffer sponge, and I liked it, but this is way better because the handle makes it easy to hold, and the bristles are easy to clean. The gentle exfoliation is good for everyday use and I think gives a lot better results than those cleansers that have the "gentle exfoliating beads". It helps me maintain the softness of my skin throughout the week so I find myself using my St. Ives apricot invigorating scrub a lot less. 

I think the scrubbing action also helps get the cleanser deeper into your pores - I've noticed that my blackheads have been kept at bay, but I probably need to use it for longer to really see the difference. 

All in all it's like washing your skin like you would brush your teeth - kinda weird but I really like it!

What do you think about facial brushes? 

Review: Origins High Potency Night-A-Mins

I have been on an Origins kick lately and so I was really excited to try out the High Potency Night-A-Mins cream ($36, origins.com). The product claims to boost the skin's nocturnal nature to help repair the damage of the day and rebuild the skin. "Worn out cells are gently released to reveal brighter, more youthful texture and tone." After using this for the past 2 months, I do believe that I have stumbled upon another brilliant product by Origins. 

As with many Origins products, this cream is formulated with a wide assortment of natural oils - cinnamon leaf oil, orange peel oil, and orange flower oil among others. But, the key ingredients boasted by this product are the vitamins B-complex, C, E, and A. Vitamins in topical skin creams have been shown to have a powerful effect on the skin giving it that radiant healthy glow, which is why so many skin care items have been including them in their ingredient list. Vitamins C & E are powerful antioxidants that when combined can be highly protective against sun damage. This doesn't mean skip the sunblock, but it's nice to know that my night cream is working to build up my skin's defense. Vitamin A is important for keeping the moisture and glow in your skin - even if levels drop a little below normal you could start to see dry, flaky skin coming around. It also has great positive effects on wrinkles, acne, and even psoriasis. Vitamin B-complex forms the basis of your hair, skin and nail cells so it is very important and most people get enough of it through the foods they eat. Putting this on your skin, however, enhances the appearance of your skin even more, giving it a healthy, plump look. 

The overall effect? I think it works really well as a night cream. The consistency feels and looks thick on your fingers, but once it is rubbed into your skin it is quickly absorbed and feels weightless leaving your skin extremely soft and supple. It has made my skin look and feel a lot healthier, and it has kept my skin from drying out in this blistering cold weather.You only need a small amount of this for your entire face, and for the size of the jar I think it is well worth the money. I was kind of hoping that it would have some effect in getting rid of my acne scars because of the vitamins in the cream, but they do not appear to have gotten noticeable lighter. The smell is of oranges and citrus, which I love, and I am really very pleased with the product overall =). 

Skincare Love: Checks and Balances

For me, finding a good face wash can be difficult - many of the ones I've tried are either too abrasive and it feels like I've dipped my face in a mint paste, or they are too gentle for my liking. 

Origins Checks and Balances is the perfect in-between. It is super gentle, but also contains spearmint oil that leaves your skin feeling refreshed and unbelievably clean. This cleanser is most effective on combination/oily skin - it contains broad leaf kelp extract to alleviate excess oil production and wheat protein which contains amino acids and proteins that are easily absorbed into the skin, helping to increase the firmness of your skin, and lock in moisture in your dry areas. I love Origins products because of their all natural attitude towards skincare. Among the natural ingredients used in this cleanser are chamomile, lavender, and spearmint oil. These essential oils promote cell regeneration, helps with acne and irritation, and also act as decongestants. 

It is marketed as a "frothy face wash" and in my opinion this is a perfect description of how it works. This cleanser has the most beautiful lather I have ever experienced in a face wash; it makes face-washing a treat for my skin.

Overall I am very pleased with the results I get from this cleanser. It leaves the face feeling soft and well...balanced! One thing to note about it, however, is that while you rinse the cleanser away, it does give your face with that "too clean" feel where your hands seem to stick to your face. This doesn't bother me though, as it doesn't effect how my face feels afterwards. 

I love Origins Checks and Balances!

What's your favorite cleanser? What are some reliably safe skin care brands?