Art and shiny things…
Guys, I finally launched a beauty/lifestyle/style blog!
Most recent article I just finished writing is: best facial cleansers for all skin types, featuring Fresh, Innisfree, and more! I’ve also discussed the benefits of and how to use rosehip oil recently, and will be reviewing a Soap & Glory highlighter tomorrow.
Check it out and follow me 🙂
And finally, Natalie Tran of Lonely Planet went to the world’s smallest country..Monaco
This has slowly, over time, become my favorite face moisturizer, beating out Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream, which I used for two years. My skin is dry but also acne-prone, and I’ve found myself craving an intensely light moisturizer that was still strong enough to make my skin feel protected and moisturized. I tried ten or so over time and fell in love with this one the instant I used it.
I really liked how this mask looks and feels – it has an incredibly smooth, light texture and it glides on your skin like cream, though it takes a few moments to adjust to just how dark it is, and because it’s so light you need to apply several layers to really cover up your skin.
It definitely helped with my skin’s appearance – pores were minimized and my skin looked appreciably better. HOWEVER, both times I used this, I broke out afterward almost immediately in all my trouble areas. As I have acne-prone skin, this may not happen to everyone, but I don’t advise it to those who struggle with acne.
Nothing sounds better than a pumpkin-based facial mask, right?
Er…perhaps.
Michael Todd’s Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask (find on the website here) has received tons of raves from beauty bloggers all over the web. Michael Todd is a well-respected, priceyyy, all-organic company that makes a wide range of skincare products. The 3.4 oz bottle (pictured) costs $34 and the product description says-
”That tingle is the pumpkin enzyme combining with glycolic acid to go to town on your skin’s flaws dissolving impurities like dead skin and clogged pores. Adds brightness and radiance to the skin and significantly improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles after a single use.”
Lately I’ve taken to ordering sample sizes of everything on Ebay before I commit to buying a full-size product, and thank the gods above I did for this. Because I had overlooked one tiny, tiny detail.
A good basic skincare routine is cleanse, exfoliate, and moisturize. A lot of beauty bloggers swear that toning is also a necessary step, but others claim the opposite, and personally I haven’t found it to make a huge difference in my skin’s condition thus far.
1. CLEANSE. Currently I trade off between Fresh’s Soy Face Cleanser and Burt’s Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser. The former is a dream, the gentlest cleanser I’ve ever come across but also effective, removing makeup, dirt, and oil effortlessly. It’s a light, clear cream that feels wonderful going on my skin, and perhaps my favorite part is that I can get it even in my eyes and it won’t sting – it’s that gentle. Hands-down my favorite cleanser for removing makeup, and one of my preferred ones overall.
I got a sample of this in my most recent Target beauty bag (I highly recommend following Target’s Facebook because they give out free beauty bags once a season – around 4 times a year – but they go quickly so the best way to get them is to get advance notification through the Facebook page). Pixi Beauty Primer No.1 Even Skin retails at an astounding $29.00 at Target/online.
The description says,”Truly luxurious skin illuminating face primer to correct uneven skintone, restore skin’s youthful glow and balance skin hydration. Packed with anti-aging Vitamin A and skin-protecting Vitamin E.”
Well – it certainly illuminates – a little too well. It gave my face a quite alarming glow, in fact, to the point that my skin looked almost oily. It went on easily and I was able to rub it into my skin, but it’s simply too bright – it gave my face an unnatural all-over pink flush, unlike any other primer I’ve ever tried. I have fair skin, but not extremely fair, so I can’t imagine what it would do to someone with pale skin. Having said that, it does give a glow, stayed on fairly well and didn’t dry out my skin, so if you have tanned or dark skin, I would recommend trying this – it may be exactly what you’re looking for. As for me, however, I’m going to stay far far away – and I recommend anyone with fair skin doing the same unless you want to look faintly intoxicated.
Verdict:Â Lose it.
Coffee and Irony 