Quick Post: Current Beauty Obsessions

Happy November, everyone! Whoa, LA, was it really 90 degrees today? Lucky me for working in the valley--it was extra warm out there. If it weren't for the fact that it gets dark so quickly these days, I'd think we were still in summer mode. If only! :)

Anywhoiee, things have been... busy and outrageous. Save for still doing some stumbling as a newbie at work, life has been pretty good! I haven't had time to take some good outfit photos, but thought it'd still be fun to write a quick post on some products that I've been using (and LOVING) lately.

1. MAC Viva Glam Cyndi Lauper Lipstick: Anyone that knows me, knows that I have always been deathly afraid of wearing color on my lips. I once went to the Chanel counter, denied all efforts to try on a red, and walked away with $60 worth of "nude" lipcolors that were no different than... my lipcolor. MAC colors, especially, scared me. When the makeup artist whipped out a dark wine lipliner (MAC Lipliner in Currant), I was ready to run. Good thing I didn't! Who knew that this combo of Currant + Cyndi was going to become my favorite lip combo ever? Alone, the Cyndi lippie is a pretty coralish-red, but combined with the Currant, it's gorgeous. I love that I can play around with how dark or light I want it to be just by altering how much lipliner I use to fill my lips with. I recently wore the combo out on Halloween and the staying power is pretty great too (we were Mario and Wario). I don't even top it off with anything because it's got the right amount of glossiness. All the beauty bloggers' raves are completely warranted--you need this lipstick in your life!

2. Aquaphor Healing Ointment: Okay, this is not sexy at all, but what great lip is achievable without ultra soft and smooth lips? Despite attempts to gulp down jugs of water during the day, my lips are dry... and chapped. Again, not sexy. I've tried every lip balm ever created and still, no real winners (although I do love the spiffiness of the EOS balms). This ointment was originally purchased to combat another horrific chin rash caused by overuse of MB's drying lotion. It didn't help my rash, but I remembered PAG mentioned that she uses Aquaphor before putting on lipstick as well, so I figured I'd give it a shot. Ding ding, it worked like a miracle! I love that it's non-scented, absorbs well (use a tiny bit so you don't end up eating any excess), and makes my lip products glide on smooth as butter. Plus, $5 for a tube that's going to last me forever? Yes, please. Also, I promise you can wear it alone and it's kissable (the boys will not be able to distinguish what it is). I can't believe it took me so long to find this product!

3. Essie Nail Polish in Neo Whimsical: Janice already mentioned her new obsession with nail polish and I am definitely a fan, myself. A friend of mine has over 40 polishes in her collection, but my Essie stash only stands at 15. It's become a fast and cheap addiction, thanks to Ulta's buy 2, get 1 free + $5 off promos. My favorite of late has been Neo Whimsical because it's a milky pinkish-lavender that goes with everything! Although I alternate between Chinchilly for the fall, I actually like the refreshing lightness of this shade against my darker outfits. I brush on two coats and top with the ever-necessary Seche Vite Top Coat and am all set to go. Another favorite of mine from the Art of Spring Collection is Van D'Go.

4. Witch Hazel: For less than $5 for a TON of product, this is an absolute beauty steal. I've heard countless recommendations to use witch hazel as a toner, but never really got around to trying it out until now. I've been using it morning and night for the past two weeks and my skin is so soft and smooth. My sensitive skin loves that it's non-drying and basic. There is one con to mention, however. I really hate the smell and almost choked on it the first time I used it, but it's totally worth holding your breath for the few seconds it takes to wipe on. My Clarisonic gets my skin squeaky clean so there's no extra debris picked up by the witch hazel (proof that the Clarisonic DOES work, btw), but I think it's soothing to use before I put on my AHA at night. I don't think toners are a necessity, but this is a nice and cheap addition to my skincare routine.

5. Chloe Eau de Parfum: Last, but not least, is my new Chloe perfume. Everything about this perfume is perfection. In addition to the beautiful and classy packaging (perfect shade of nude pink ribbon), the scent is light and airy. I'm no perfume expert, but it's been hard for me to find one that I like enough to want to wear everyday and that actually lasts. An old accounting co-worker used to walk into the room wearing this and the scent would emanate from her. I couldn't buy it back when we were working on a project together and then decided I might as well wait for the Sephora sale to pick it up at a discount since it's rather pricey. It was completely worth the wait. I am in love. I don't wear it everyday since I think it's a little much for work, but I would if I could.

And those are my current top 5 favorite products! Please share your own current obsessions so that I can stock up on more favorites.

Road to Skin Recovery - Part I

After dealing with breakouts and bad skin for the better part of the past 10 years (lucky me, I get to have teen AND adult acne!), I’ve now gone through a skincare and diet overhaul for the past 3-4 months, and am enjoying better skin that I ever have. It's miraculous! Relative to what I used to see in the mirror last October, my skin has completely transformed, and so I wanted to share what I've been doing in hopes that maybe somebody else could benefit from this. There's a lot of information to take in, so I'll break this up into two posts. Keep in mind also that although what happened to me seems sudden, it was NOT a quick fix. It took months of trial and error, endless hours of research and discipline. The solution that's worked for me will be a long-term process, so if you're still struggling, keep being consistent and don't lose hope!

Background
My skin was manageable for the most part during college, but began to worsen after moving cross country and starting a new job with long hours and lack of sleep. Throw in a bunch of other stress factors (worsening economy, job insecurity, long distance relationship) and bam! Skin reaches the worst condition it’s ever been in, culminating in large, painful cystic breakouts (gross, I know). It seriously depressed me and killed my social life since I refused to go out seeing anyone. Determined, I tried everything and spent a lot of money on promised solutions – facials, masks, antibiotics, medical-strength ointments, but it only left me with a reddened face that tingled from too much chemicals. In other words, fail. Anyone who suffers adult acne knows what a terrible cycle it is; the worse your skin looks, the more desperate you become to try any and all solutions, but it only leads to more irritation and breakouts. I’m not saying the things I tried were completely ineffective, but they didn’t clear me up at and I continued to wallow.

Skincare
Since I’d tried expensive products with no success, I thought, “What’s there to lose? Why not go the other route and simplify my skincare routine with only a few elements?” When it comes to skincare, sometimes less is more, so I did some research and found acne.org, a community of skin sufferers (..hmm, that sounds more bleak than it really is) created by Dan Kern, a regular guy who has endured years of acne and finally found an answer that worked for him and countless others.

His mantra is streamlined and simple: 1) wash face with a gentle cleanser, 2) apply lots of benzoyl peroxide, and 3) moisturize. The key success factor in those steps rests in the application technique – GENTLY GENTLY GENTLY. Along with allowing time in between steps for skin to dry and absorb the products, being supremely gentle was the most important factor to keep in mind. Acne sufferers have sensitive skin, contrary to popular belief, and should leave skin as untouched as possible. So, the number one thing to remember is to decrease irritation. This remains true for all steps of any skincare routine.

Cleanser – the fewer the ingredients, the better. Avoid chemicals with long names. I really like Purpose, and plan to purchase another bottle when my current one runs out. It is ultra mild, foams nicely, and still gives me a clean sensation that doesn't strip it dry. Every other day, I also exfoliate with a baby brush to get rid of dead skin, and am now transitioning to my Clarisonic for even cleaner skin. Another alternative is to use Cetaphil, but make sure the cleanser doesn’t have active acne fighting ingredients in it (like salicylic acid or BP).

A quick note about makeup: I don't use a separate makeup remover, but will just wash my face twice with Purpose if I wore foundation or a lot of concealer that day. Also I feel that the physical exfoliation I do with either the babybrush or Clarisonic helps to remove any leftover remnants.

Benzoyl Peroxide - Dan’s regimen is centered around benzoyl peroxide, which oxidizes the skin so that bacteria isn’t allowed to grow. It kills existing pimples and also prevents new ones from popping up. Everyday, twice a day, for the past 3-4 months, I diligently applied a LOT of BP (go here to learn more about the regimen) and I’ve seen a decrease in the size and scale of all my breakouts. Neutrogena On-the-Spot is an over-the-counter option, but it’s pricey for the size you receive.

Moisturizer – Even oily skin needs moisturizer! Otherwise, skin becomes zapped dry from excessive acne products, and thus overproduces oil to compensate. Ironic, since that’s the last thing we oily folk need! I’ve been using Dan Kern’s moisturizer along with a few drops of jojoba oil (to fight the flakies), but will probably look for another brand when I finish my bottle.

Other products I’ve introduced into my system:
AHA – After 1.5 months (that’s how long it should take your skin to get accustomed to BP), I started incorporating AHA, a chemically exfoliating glycolic acid. Its purpose is to shed the outermost layers of skin, expedite the turnover of new cells, and eventually reduce dark scars and pigmentation. What it’s really improved dramatically for me is the texture of my skin. I used to have a lot of pitted scars on my cheeks, but AHA has smoothed them out so it’s flat to the touch, and also easier to apply makeup. AHA is also my product of the future – I would keep using this to fade out scars and red marks.

Jojoba Oil – Crucial during NY winters, jojoba oil provides more moisture than regular lotion. It prevents skin from flaking off and eases application of mineral or liquid foundation (but try not to use that much makeup while your skin is recovering!
Sunscreen – Using BP and AHA increases sensitivity of skin, so it’s important to protect it with a good sunscreen. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Sunscreen is a MUST! I like Anthelios by La Roche Posay. Make sure to choose one that's oil-free and limits excessive chemicals.

Exfoliation – This is a tricky step, since you have to balance scrubbing/exfoliation while still being sensitive to skin (harhar... but really, you must be super gentle in the first few weeks of the regimen). I bought a Red Cross brand baby brush (if it’s good for an infant, it’s good enough for me right??) and timidly brush a few strokes on my cheeks and forehead every other day. It helps flakes come off easier and avoid dry, scaly looking skin. Now that it’s been 3+ months with the routine, I’m experimenting again with my Clarisonic, which I bought awhile ago but stopped using when my skin worsened (didn't think the whirring and noise would be good for the breakouts). Since acne.org offers large-sized bottles at economical prices, I bought most of the above products from acne.org, which is great since they last long enough to see results! Hopefully the magic continues, but will keep you all posted.

More broadly speaking, skincare isn't just about the products you slather on your face. You need to pay attention to all aspects of anything that comes into contact with the sensitive areas of skin. For example, 1) changing your pillowcase every few days (not just weeks!) so oil doesn't accumulate on its surface and clog pores, 2) carefully washing out shampoo and conditioner so that it rinses clean away from your face, 3) any cosmetics to hide blemishes, 4) not touching your face during the day, including resting chin on hands, cupping sides of face with palms, etc. It sounds OCD, but it's worth it in the long run.

...part 2 about diet, supplements, exercise to continue..!

Sephora Therapy

Aah Sephora F&F! An occasion to get beautiful. Of COURSE I have to post about what I got (and would get if I had a money tree). Beauty has always been my first love; it's how I first became introduced to higher end brands - first starting with MAC and then spilling over to other companies - and from there, growing into an awareness (or got suckered into, depends how you look at it) for quality products and pretty packaging.

I tried to hold myself to a higher standard of consumerism and buy what I really needed - as of now, this is skincare, since my epidermis has been freaking out on me for the past couple months, leaving me scarred, literally and figuratively. I've had to deal with breakouts at the age of 23! I thought teen acne sucked, well that was expected and pretty normal. Adult acne is so much worse, because everyone else seems to have grown out of that phase and into clear, supple skin. Sigh. When will it be my turn?? For now, I've been putting everything that promises clear skin into my shopping cart, so we'll see how they go.

(Oh, and of course I didn't just buy skincare. Try as I might, I couldn't not have fun with this F&F; discount, since it only comes once a year! I rationalized things with 1. my skin needs it and 2. I wouldn't have bought it without 20% off. Most of the thigns I ended up with falls into this second basket)

Here we go!

Philosophy Purity Made Simple - gentle cleanser for my sensitive, easily irritated skin. Bought the 8oz to try. This got lots of rave reviews, and my Mario Badescu creamy cleanser is too filmy and doesn't leave me with a bare-skin feeling,

DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew - forever in search of a new moisturizer. Currently using Olay Complete, which is fine, but hey, I like trying new things. This one is a gel and only has 3 ingredients, which I appreciate, since most lotions are packed with bad irritants ending in some variation of -ol (read: alcohol). It's good so far, nothing bad about it.

Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment - love love love lip products. Lip and cheek stuff are my favorite makeup items (Michelle, I'm with you on that one!), and this is a much raved about cult favorite that I had to try. At $22.50, it wasn't a lip balm I was willing to pay full price for, but I'm loving it! Super smooth and moisturizing, smells lemony also. I keep one next to my bed and one in my purse. yup, that means I got two - ordered the Rose version after I got the regular one!

Living Proof Straight Making No Frizz Styling Cream for Medium to Thick Hair - this is probably my favorite product of the bunch. Created by MIT researchers as an alternative to silicone, this cream was designed to tame frizz and smooth hair to be ultra touchable.  LOVE how it makes my hair feel! Seriously, it makes it so soft to the touch, I just love running my hair through it. With other anti-frizz products, I'm afraid to touch my hair throughout the day since it adds to the oilyness and drags it down, but Living Proof doesn't make my hair greasy at all. Usually, I airdry so I haven't tested this out against heat, but I've read that performance only improves with irons and curlers.

Clarisonic Replacement Brush Head in Delicate - havn't been using my Clarisonic since I've been on this new oral antibiotic and Epiduo gel combo (told you I'm trying everything! Including this concoction my dermatologist prescribed... I'm not liking it though, it makes my skin burn and sting sometimes), but after I finish this month and am able to get back with my Clarisonic brush, hopefully this Delicate head will be gentle enough to still clean my skin.

Marc Jacobs Daisy - in my fantasy world, I have a zillion cute bottles of perfume sitting primly on a dresser, but in reality, I just don't use enough scent to warrant buying all the pretty bottles out there.  That's why perfume roller balls are the perfect solution for me, trial size versions that are portable so I can put it on whenever I remember! I chose Marc Jacobs Daisy. It's light (i.e. appropriate for the office), with a dry flowery scent that has me sniffing my wrists even after 10 hours at work.

Shiseido The Skincare Hydro Nourishing Softener - I use so much drying products in an attempt to zap out all the oil in my skin that sometimes, a little moisture is necessary. This toner is supposed to refresh dried out skin and give back moisture. Shiseido is an outstanding skincare company, so I'm looking forward to good results!

 Sephora F&F; ends November 2, 2009 so you still have some time to browse and decide on what to buy, but some items are already out of stock, so don't wait too long!