skin updates

As some of you may have noticed (or not) I have taken a brief hiatus from posting as regularly as I would like to in order to focus on some other work. However, this does not mean I am ignoring the beauty around me — far from it! Many exciting things have been going on and it pains me to take so long to share them all! But I digress.

Last night I had the pleasure of dining with MM and noticed her skin was looking extra radiant. Radiant is not the word. I have known her for 18 years and she has never looked fresher!! Completely without makeup and looking stunning. Now comes the time for me to partially take credit for her flawless complexion. After reading the retinol blog, she was not totally convinced retinol was for her, but wanted to try it in a non-committal fashion. She purchased Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream, which has Vitamins B5 and E in addition to retinol. She has been using it 2-3 times a week with excellent results! At $13, you have no excuse not to try it.

8-hr cream

It seems like everywhere I look women are whipping a tube of Eight Hour Cream out of their purses. The weather in Paris has been just as cold as NY and Elizabeth Arden’s skin restoring blend of petroleum, beta-hydroxy, and vitamin E soothes chapped lips, hands, and dry spots. One friend told me she even uses it on her hair every once in a while, overnight, and when she rinses it out in the morning it is extra soft. You can’t really argue with a product whose formula hasn’t changed since 1930, right?

sos: save our skins

In the last couple of weeks, a few unfortunate things (spots) have surfaced. I won’t bore you with the gory details but my facial flesh has totally been acting out; it could be the weather, or the samples clogging our offices (fashion office/showroom/sample closet employees’ common complaint: fibers in the air clog pores), but whatever it is, it must be stopped. I have been scanning the airwaves for a peaceful resolution and it seems I may be on to something. Retin-A and retinol. More info on which is better, which is more appropriate for one’s skin, what the essential differences are, and whether you need to start using it now (like everyone has been telling me). I’ve got a derm, a chemist whose specialty is antioxidants, a skin professional, and a pharmacist all working on it. I have also started an initial trial of a nightly retinol cream. Excited to report back with details soon.

q+a

Q: My friend and I were talking the other day about make-up. She went to see a dermatologist recently after she developed a rash on her chin that wouldn’t go away with the normal face-washing regimen. Her dermatologist recommended she use only paraben-free make-up to keep it at bay. Do you have any tips who makes good paraben-free make-up? K.L, Boston, MA

A: This has been a question at the forefront of my mind recently after a rash (NO pun intended.. ok maybe a little) of office incidents that have left my coworkers and I troubled. My assistant had a problem last year with her eyes; specifically, that they were itchy and red with no apparent explanation. It turned out that one of the chemicals being used at her manicure salon was making her eyes irritated. Think that’s crazy? Another co-worker just discovered she had the same problem. There are chemicals and skin irritants all around us and our bodies can react mildly or violently in response.

Sephora has taken a dedicated approach to providing more natural and organic options for consumers. They have a specific definition for what “natural” and “organic” mean, which is outlined here. They even have a glossary so you can learn more about this side of cosmetics. Basically, product ranges containing 90% or more antioxidants, botanicals, essential oils, marine bioactives, vitamins, and minerals, and which exclude a minimum of 6 of the following 8 ingredients: GMOs (genetically modified organisms), parabens, petrochemicals, phthalates, sulfates, synthetic fragrances, synthetic dyes, and triclosan, can be defined as natural/organic. Some natural brands that I am familiar with which I enjoy are Korres (I use their Wild Rose 24-hr Moisturizer), and Caudalie, which are focused on skincare, and Tarte, which is primarily makeup. One of my friends swears by Bare Escentuals, which her mom gave her because she was always falling asleep in her makeup! It would be a good idea to go to Sephora with some products in mind and ask for some samples. If you explain your situation, I am sure a sales associate would be happy to help you try a few things out. If things backfire, they have a no-questions-asked return policy.

Since organic products can add up to a big purchase, it’s important to check out competitively-priced lines as well. I am a big believer in French drugstore brands, many of which are now available in stores like CVS stateside. La Roche-Posay is my favorite; I have used the Toleriane Dermo-Cleanser, the Rosaliac Gelee Makeup Remover, and the Anthelios sunscreen line. On the website there is a handy skin-type guide that recommends specific products. Another new cosmetics line out of Peabody, MA, Luxx Cosmetics, has great quality products in simple packaging with an online platform to minimize costs. More than half of their range is parabens-free and enriched with vitamins and minerals. I particularly like their eye shadows. If any readers have suggestions/experiences: share!

high-tech skincare

Some skin gadgets are just toys. On the other hand, we have this intriguing new product from Philips. It’s called Crystalize and it takes extreme closeup pictures of your face, then analyzes the results and recommends products for your skin type. Crystalize was developed with the advice of university dermatologists and is unbiased in its recommendations – Philips does not accept comission of any sort and recommends products across all price points.

Do women want to discuss their skin problems with online strangers?? Are you kidding me? Of course they do! Women jump at the chance to review and share on sites like MakeupAlley, and in forums where they communicate and share tips with total strangers. Philips is wise to bank on women using this product and then joining their social networking blog to talk about the results. For now, a Crystalize assessment costs $90 and is only available at one retailer in the world: Studio BeautyMix at Fred Segal. If anyone out there is a beta-tester, I would love to hear about it! Next time I am in California I will have to swing by and do some reconnaissance.

thanks Mattie

the plot thickens

My cry for help has been heard by a dear friend — let’s call her Stella — who happens to have maddeningly perfect skin. Stella is one of those girls who has long sacrificed having a tan in favor of porcelain skin year round and is just shocked when she sees me running around without a hat and sunglasses. Her devotion to her clear complexion has often been a heated topic of dinner conversation and she has been trying to get me to see her fancy dermatologist/aesthetician for a while. She reminded me of this after reading my last few posts, claiming that while it smells pretty, Lush has never done her any favors. While I am not about to give up my toner tabs or my Lady Godiva, it is clear I need something more potent.

Stella told me that she has been seeing Frankie Paige, an aesthetician who uses Dr. Kest’s Ayur-Medic line, for the last five years. Her regimen is the Anti-Bacterial Wash with Exfoliating Beads to improve her skin’s texture; the Clearifying Mask with cucumber to regulate surface oil production; and the Retinol Cream to fight signs of aging. She swears by this routine (when asked why some of the products are on sale her response was “I don’t know why… but I am buying some!”)

See the full assortment here. I am not quite ready to take the jump to see an expensive facialist and buy a range of products I have never tried. Has anyone else out there used Ayur-Medic? It’s staying on the shelf… for now.

detox day 7: a cry for help

After a ridiculously long weekend of Halloweening, the cutthroat (spectator) sport of marathoning, almost getting arrested, and dinner with parents, I am finishing up my Sunday night by watching my boyfriend boil pot after pot of water. Sadly, this water will not be used for soothing facial masks; our shower drain needs to be unclogged.

The last mask I did was on Friday night. I tried the Love Lettuce (an exfoliating mask for normal-to-oily skin made with lavender, seaweed, and almonds.. not lettuce). This was the first mask I have used from Lush that I didn’t leave on longer than 8 minutes. My skin was feeling uncomfortably tingly by the 7-min. mark so I washed it off. I don’t think this mask hurt or helped but I wasn’t loving it.

Things to ponder: The good news? Spot-free. But, the simple fact is that after 7 days my skin is looking fine and blemish-free but not living up to its radiant potential. My forehead and chin look especially uneven. Every year around this time my skin and hair look duller and duller until I cave in and get a facial/gloss. While I love the added shininess, I feel that most facials can be accomplished at home over time through a careful regimen of proper skincare and the right products. This year, no more quick fixes: it’s the proactive and economical thing to do. The first step is to take my own advice and get some sleep tonight.

face detox day 3

I’ll make this short and sweet because I need to start counting sheep. Used Malin + Goetz followed by Cosmetic Warrior mask (last day, yay!). Discovered that if I do not dry face after steam bath, the moisture makes applying the mask much more pleasurable and effective. I applied to damp skin in circular motions and this created a much more even mask. Skin feeling tight, spots reduced to two faint marks and no new ones. I smell victory. Boyfriend sat this round out.

Spot count: me, 2 (barely); boyfriend, 3

clean skin day 1

No better way to make myself feel better after a baby buddha chinese food extravaganza than to treat myself and my unwitting boyfriend to an at-home face mask. All summer long I used Lush’s Brazened Honey exfoliating mask, which worked like a charm once every two weeks to keep my skin looking like a freshly sprung daisy, but these days I need something more serious.

Sunday night: I set up two pots of boiling water (slightly cooled) and dropped in the toner tabs. Covered boyfriend’s head and mine with towels and did a steam session over the tabs for 2 min. Vitamin C for me and Tea Tree Oil for him ($1.50 each/7 for $9). The tabs are supposed to open our pores and prepare them for the mask. Both of us loved the smell, and the mini steam facial was so nice it made us want to get into a sauna.

Applied Cosmetic Warrior (fyi Lush face masks are only sold in stores because they are organic and must be refrigerated). Cosmetic Warrior was not the most pleasant scent I have encountered but the woman in the store was super enthusiastic about the blemish-removing powers of garlic and tea tree and the soothing grape and honey. I thought it smelled a little like tzatziki and was not thrilled but it felt good and my skin felt nice and plump after I washed it off. In the words of my boyfriend, “I don’t really care about the smell as long as I see results.”

Finished everything off with a Breath of Fresh Air and Imperialis moisturizer.

Spot count: me, 2; boyfriend, 4

Verdict: Still undecided. While we both effusively complimented each other on our glowing skin in the aftermath of the masks, payoff will take time. We shall see.

skin purification commences…

Summer has gone and taken my bright, spot-free complexion with it. It’s time to take corrective action before things get too out-of-hand. This week I am going to partake in a series of cleansing masks from Lush, my favorite for when I decide to get creative with at-home skincare.

Without going into the whole company history and mission, which is worth a click, there are two simple reasons why Lush is my go-to. 1. The products: In my experience, they work, they smell amazing, the packaging makes me happy, they are inexpensive, they are green, and they are fresh. The products are everything I would want to put on my skin or in my hair. 2.The people: Without fail, every single Lush I have ever visited (keep in mind I work in retail and have been to nearly every major mall in North America) is staffed with knowledgeable, friendly, not-overbearing, competent people to help me find what I am looking for. Even when I didn’t know I was looking for something I will end up happily buying it: I know a good salesperson when I see one and I could have trained these people myself.

Updates soon.