skincare – Page 11 – Girl Who Would be KING on Life, Style and INSPIRATION.

SkIN: The Truth about SERUMS

One step at a time…

You can use it alone but it’s best to apply before sunscreen for day and nightcream. Is it essential? I’ll let you decide. It’s one more step we may need to follow.

Serums may be the costliest product in many skin care lines but when properly applied, a 1-ounce container should last months. Serums contain more active ingredients than other products so you need just the tiniest amount – those few concentrated drops are super-efficient. Serums are made of very small molecules, so the skin absorbs them quickly and deeply. Thicker, heavier ingredients found in creams form a barrier on your skin that’s great for locking moisture in. The active ingredients in a serum penetrate your skin faster and more effectively.

Serums do not include ingredients such as petrolatum or mineral oil that keep water from evaporating. They also contain fewer lubricating and thickening agents, like nut or seed oils. Most serums are water-based, eliminating oils altogether.

Think of it as faster and lighter – many of the qualities we look for in a car, a laptop, and our bodies when we’re running a marathon. They’re also the prized attributes of skin care serums – light, fast-absorbing liquids used as an alternative or in addition to creams or lotions. This from Web.MD

Like so many things in the skincare department, there are too many brands to list here.

My top picks:

1) Mica Bella’s Skin Repair Serum is an ultra-moisturizing serum, formulated with a unique blend, including Hyaluronic Acid, Vitamins, Botanicals and Proline. The unique formula is designed to promote the natural elasticity of the skin, help reduce skin damage caused by the environment, and help minimize the visible signs of wrinkles – providing a healthy glow and younger looking skin. Price – $175.00 Available online at http://www.intrigueimports.com

2) MyChelle Dermaceuticals – an intensive humectant that replenishes skins moisture content, firms and claims to lift facial contours. Price – approx. $45.00. Available at most health food stores.

FUN

B well –B skinformed

Lately I’ve been posting a lot about skin care products & methods that work and/or appeal to me and hopefully people who follow this blog. I’m not religious but I religiously follow some kind of skincare regime. For what it’s worth you skincare junkies may want to check out this book which claims to be “more” than a book but make no mistake that “true beauty” comes from the inside first – think from the INSIDE OUT!

Dr. Nakhla is the author of the best-selling book The Skin Commandments: 10 Rules to Healthy, Beautiful Skin (Reedy Press), which has quickly become known as “the bible for the skin care industry.” More than a book, The Skin Commandments is a doctrine responsible for revolutionizing the way both women and men think about skin care. It is the essential guide and ultimate resource (other than my blog) for anyone seeking healthy and beautifully radiant skin.

Taken from his website:

Known in the media as “America’s Dermatologist™” and having been featured in numerous media outlets including CNN, PBS, MSNBC, E! Entertainment, SELF, Glamour, ELLE, National Public Radio, Better Homes And Gardens, Better Nutrition, Lucky Magazine and many more, Dr. Tony Nakhla is not only a health and beauty expert, he is THE expert and foremost authority when it comes to skin health and beauty.

Warning: Okay, here comes the infomercial…..

Ever wonder about the secret weapons used behind some of the most gorgeous faces in Hollywood? Feeling overwhelmed, misled or confused by the millions of cosmetic products, celebrity endorsed skin-care regimens, websites and infomercials telling you how best to achieve great skin? Look no further because Dr. Tony Nakhla, is here to divulge all the tips and tricks to getting perfect red-carpet worthy skin for life in ten-practical steps that are both easy and fun to understand and implement at any stage of life.

In The Skin Commandments, Dr. Nakhla reveals that the number-one key to outer beauty lies in addressing inner beauty and health first. This book teaches the reader how to view the skin as a window and barometer to the inner body’s overall health. According to Dr. Nakhla, once you understand that everything beneath the skin is what guides its outer appearance, it becomes much easier to adopt healthy behaviors and a holistic approach to your lifestyle in order to achieve gorgeous aesthetic results. When the body is functioning perfectly inside, it will glow with radiance on the outside.

The Skin Commandments demystifies principles of modern dermatological theory and outlines the best of skin care one “commandment” at a time. This book helps everyone from the A-list celebrity to the stay-at-home mom or dad achieve healthy, beautiful skin regardless of age.

In The Skin Commandments, readers will learn about a full spectrum of topics, from reducing signs of aging to preventing and detecting skin cancer to eating foods that benefit your skin. In language that is easy to understand, The Skin Commandments guides the reader through all the right steps to optimal skin care and a holistic lifestyle that promotes inner and outer beauty.

Sounds promising!

Available on Amazon.com: http://www.amazon.com/The-Skin-Commandments-Healthy-Beautiful/dp/1935806068

About the author: http://tonynakhla.com

FUN

Beauty with Benefits – Exfoliating

Your morning routine can easily take a turn for the worst if just seconds after applying face cream, you notice dry, flaky skin appear. Naturally, anyone will go into defense mode and re-up the hydration, but those patchy spots could be a sign that you’ve skipped a critical cleansing step: Exfoliation.

http://ocskininstitute.com/

One of the best things you can do for your skin is to exfoliate it. Helping to ease congestion in spotty, blemished skin, it refines pores and can give dry skin back a bit of its lustre. But there’s more to exfoliating than whacking on some gritty stuff out of a tube every now and then. Here are a few things you may not know about how to get – and keep – skin looking its absolute best:

Oils have a mild exfoliative effect and this makes them brilliant for use as a moisturizer before bedtime. Over night, skin is renewed and you’ll wake up looking fresher. Plus, oils are really nourishing, comforting and perfect for dry complexions. Try getspoilednow.com

Face cloths can help to gently resurface skin too – but not lovely fluffy ones. Nope, a cheaper, thinner version is your best choice – try something like studio 35 beauty – premium exfoliating facial cleansing pads. One side is soft for wiping and the other side has a micro-bead exfoliating surface. Use with a creme or gel cleanser, and skin will be given that little extra bit of help.
Cotton Exfoliating Pads

How often should we be scrubbin’ with the exfoliating grains, gels or pastes? Two to three times a week, and no more. The old fashioned Biore pore strips are still one of the best ways for removing dirt & blackheads around the nose area. I try to use it once a week.

Rice and fruit are brilliant ingredients for exfoliant products – the acids in fruit gently resurface skin without too much scrubbing, and rice is less harsh than pumice or the gritty grains you often find in cheaper brands. Here’s an excellent choice:
MICABella

Mica Bella’s Vita-C Exfoliating Peeling Gel provides gentle exfoliation and vitamin C, all in one! They’ve taken advantage of a new technology to formulate the ”Vitamin C beads.” The Peeling Gel removes dead skin cells, leaving your skin silky smooth + with a healthy glow! Available online at: http://www.intrigueimports.com/product_info.php?cPath=3_16&products_id=132

Exfoliating skin does more than just clear congestion and blemishes – it can make you look younger too. How? Dead skin cells settle in lines and make them appear deeper. Clear the gunk out and it stands to reason you’ll look less lined.

Got any good tips yourselves? Share them in a comment!

http://beaut.ie/ – Ireland’s Leading Beauty Blog

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Beauty Product Review – PRIMER Time

Artists prime their canvas before painting to prevent the oils from seeping through – that is exactly what a primer does for your face. Makeup artists have been using primers for years on models and actors to help create a smooth surface before applying makeup.

I’ve been using a primer since before I even knew what a primer really was. Before all the hype and before every single makeup company decided to jump on the bandwagon and create their own. My very first one was 1) Clarins Lisse Minute – Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch Makeup Base – approx. 35.00.

I was game to try anything from the luxurious French skincare company since my mom used the line. I liked the oil free, silky smooth texture that glided on and seemed to hide pores and imperfections. Best of all it completely toned down shine in the T-zone which is what sold me on it in the first place. Makeup applied very easily over top. It became a skincare staple.

THEN the others came into play. I sampled a lot of them at different price points – many are capable but the ones below along with Clarins are my TOP “Hall of Fame” choices:

2) La Roche Posay Anthelios Daily Anti-Aging Primer with 50 SPF Sunscreen – approx. 39.99.

I loved it – felt like cashmere. The only problem is that if you already use their tinted mineral sunscreen for face with SPF 50 (which I do) they tend to cancel each other out. For winter I might re-consider when switching to a lower SPF day cream.

Description: For the 1st time, ANTHELIOS 50 combines broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection with Cell-OX Shield™ antioxidant technology in a primer that is clinically proven to instantly reduce fine lines, wrinkles, pore size, dark spots, and redness. Suitable for all skin types.

Anthelios 50 Daily Anti-Aging Primer with Sunscreen & a transformative light-weight texture has won the following Awards:

2012 Elle Beauty Genius Award
2012 Redbook MVP Beauty Award: Best Primer

3) Maybelline Instant Age Rewind Primer – approx. $10.00 at drug stores nationwide.

For the price this stuff is excellent! Reduces the appearance of lines, wrinkles, pores and imperfections, while enhancing skin’s radiance. A subtle pink tint adds a youthful glow. Apply all over face, after moisturizer and before foundation. Suitable for all skin tones and types.

4) On the higher end I love Micabeauty Cosmetics 100% Mineral Makeup Perfecting Primer.

This gel formula is beautiful but pricey. MicaBeauty’s light-weight Perfecting Makeup Primer with its gel like finish enhances skin texture and primes it for makeup application. The Perfecting Makeup Primer glides on easily creating a protective layer on your skin, allowing foundation to go on easily and last longer. Our velvety formula creates a perfect canvas for foundation and blush application, keeping makeup in place and looking fresh all day long. Price – $129.95. Take 20% off with mention of this blog. Link: http://www.intrigueimports.com/product_info.php?products_id=311

Do you use a Primer – if so, which one?

FUN

In the Beauty Cabinet – Chic Cheeks

Feeling Flush?

If you want to PERK UP your complexion in an instant then applying a swipe of blush will do the trick. With so many varieties on the market how do you decide which one works best? Powder, cream, liquid, shimmer, bouncy (yes there is one) or stick. The answer is there is no “one” that is “the best” – there are several so it comes down to personal preference and most woman have experimented with several sorts and brands. I’ve already done the homework.

Wearing blush should look subtle and simulate a natural glow. All of these shown here will do just that with the slightest application. Here are my picks:

If you prefer LIQUID:

by Terry Rose de Rose Fluid is a sheer liquid formula so a very tiny dab on the finger goes a long way. It smells beautiful like crushed rose petals because it IS made of crushed rose petals. The only problem is that it’s not available in Canada. In the U.S. you can buy it only at Barney’s (New York, L.A., Las Vegas or online at byterry.com)

If you like POWDER with soft, sheer color & a hint of highlights:

BB Shimmer Brick – This shimmering, brush-on powder in five shades creates a soft, rosy glow. Works well with neutral, pink and rose blush shades.
Apply by sweeping the Face Blender Brush through all five shades of Shimmer Brick Compact and dust lightly on cheekbones after blush (or use alone if you like it barely noticeable). Focus on applying shimmer on the top of cheekbones – where light naturally hits the face – for the most flattering look.

If you prefer a PEACHY Pink with golden shimmer then go for NARS “Orgasm” – a bestseller.

It will give you that….well you know…that LOOK!

If you prefer a CREAM that stays put:

NARS the Multiple Stick – a multi-tasker for cheeks, eyes and lips. It applies easily with just enough creaminess in the consistency for effortless blending. I personally find it a bit drying for lips and depending on the shade I would not wear it on the eyes either. Copacabana and Luxor are 2 shades which are best for highlighting areas such as the cheekbones and browbones. They have little/no visible colour, but have a gorgeous pearlescent shimmer.

I have Portofino but you can also get: Copacabana
Luxor
Maldives
Orgasm
South Beach
Malibu
St Barts
and the 3 limited edition Multiple Tints that came out last year: Beverly Hills, Turks & Caicos and Cadaques.

Bobbi Brown & Nars cosmetics are found at Sephora & other fine department stores. Available atHolt Renfrew in Canada.

If you prefer NATURAL minerals:

choose Micabella Mineral powder blush:

This rich, dusty rose pigment with a hint of shimmer is made of 100% natural mica that looks gorgeous & also highlights the cheeks. It offers natural full spectrum UVA and UVB sunscreen protection, free of the toxic chemicals, paraben preservatives, synthetic dyes and harmful fillers found in most commercial, non natural cosmetics.

Available online under Mica Beauty at intrigueimports.com

If you prefer a GEL formula and/or an inexpensive but effective drugstore brand:

Then choose Maybelline Dream Bouncy Blush with a revolutionary new texture that springs back when you touch it. • Lightweight like a powder, yet melts seamlessly into skin like a cream. • Natural sheer wash of color that is buildable for greater color intensity. A good value.

Okay I admit to having ALL of these shown here – for the reasons mentioned & for days when I want to try something different. You can trust me (I don’t know why you wouldn’t) on this – ALL are Fabulous!

p.s. I bought the Maybelline because I wanted to find out if it really bounced back – it does.

Is there anything else I should know about?