Beauty Spam: SKIN CARE

Battling Breakouts

Mario Badescu products mentioned below

~Tick all that apply~ Hormones, uni stress, work stress, changes in weather, that oily acne prone teenage skin that you thought was just a phase, but the blessing has seemed to linger even after your pubescent years. If you're like me all these contribute to those dreadful pesky breakouts ~I hope not all of these apply to you~ Instead of agonizing in the current state of my skin and stress level I thought I'd use this opportunity to recommend a few products I like to add to my skin care routine to clear up my spots.

My Monster Zit

Cleanse

I don't have any miraculous products to recommend for this step, but I do have a tad bit of advice.

1) Don't use anything to drying

Now is not the time to strip your skin, it needs to be nourished! Using to many drying products will deplete your skin of all your oils in turn causing an increase in oil production as compensation. So, stick to cleansing oils, balms, milks ect.

2) Remove all your make up

None of this face wipe, cleansing water, speedy 10 sec face rinse nonsense. If you are breaking out keeping your face clean is priority No 1. I know the first thing I want to do after a long day is lay in bed ~resist the urge and go wash your face!~ take your time and really massage your face. Massaging your face will increase blood flow and drainage which will aid your skins healing process reduce puffiness. Oh and most importantly double cleanse!

Treat Hydrate Treat

For my first treatment step I used a multipurpose product ~a little cheat step~ I used Glam Glow's Dual Cleanse Mask. This acts as a treatment and cleaner which really clears the pores and sloughs off any dead skin. It is a teeny bit drying but I do use Mario Badescu's Facial Spray with Herbs, Aloe and Rose Water to re-hydrate my skin. The ingredients within this spray also make it a easy peasy toning step ~another quick cheat~ And lastly the real muscle a spot treatment. I recently picked up Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion which has been recommended by many guru's including Claire Marshall ~insert sounds of a church choir ahhhing~ most recently. While this didn't annihilate my monster zit ~one of those stubborn cystic ones that never surface~ I did see a significant difference overnight in the small surface blemishes on my forehead and chin. Overall I'm pretty impressed by Mario Badescu and would definitely recommend.

War Paint AKA Glam Glow Mask

My many spot covered with
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
and his Facial spray in hand

There you have it a few tips and recommendations for any of your acne qualms. To all of you fellow US uni students finals are around the corner if not already at your doorstep and I wish you all good luck. Feel free to vent, share, recommend your thoughts, products, advice ~anything really~ in the comments below!

XX

Allison

Nightly Skin Care Routine

Although I am tempted nightly to crawl into bed from exhaustion without touching my face, the guilt brought on by watching and scouring through Caroline Hirons' blog has converted me into a skincare junkie. It was my belief that makeup products are the answer to a flawless face -cringe I know- But it only makes sense that if you tend to your skin there won't be a need to apply a ridiculous number makeup layers to your delicate face. I do suffer from acne not too severe unless that time of the month rolls around and my skin is the epidemy of combination skin, oily t-zone, but still manage to get dry patches as well -Keep this in mind when trying out the product I recommend- So onto the products I have been using recently.

1. Clinque Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

After finishing Boots' No7 brand Beautiful Skin Melting Gel Cleanse,r which was a so so product to begin with, I was looking for a nice moisturizing balm that would remove all of my makeup. I stumbled across Clinque's cleansing balm several times in the past as it was recommended by a few people including the genius that is Lisa Eldridge. It was fairly inexpensive, about $30.00, compare to other beloved beauty balms so I though why not give it a go. I'm glad I did because I LOVE IT! As soon as you scoop a bit out it transforms into a lovely oil that feels luxurious on the skin. It has a light oily fragrance -If that makes any sense- but it must be natural since Clinque does not add any additional fragrances to their product -Yay!- I like to really massage the product into my skin, eyes, it doesn't sting at all, and down my neck. It emulsifies most of my make up albeit my NYC liquid eye liner which is practically bullet proof anyway. Before rinsing my face completely, I dampen my fingers and continue massaging. This also helps remove that stubborn eyeliner. Finally I rinse it of and gently pat my face dry with a towel.

2. Korres Greek Yoghurt 3 in 1 Cleansing, Toning, and Eye Make-up Removing Emulsion

This is an interesting one. I have to say using this on its own definitely will not due, but for a second cleanse I think it does the trick. The directions state to massage into face, neck and eyes and then either rinse off with water or remove any excess product with with a cotton pad. While I follow the first step I sort of created my own hybrid for removing the cleanser. Since the texture of this cleanser is almost that of a runny moisturizer without the benefits of completely sinking into the skin, I want to make sure to remove all the extra cleanser and remaining residue. So again I wet my fingers. more so than with the Clinque balm, and massage the cleanser into my skin. Then I skip the rinse and pat my face dry with the towel. This leaves my skin feeling clean yet moisturized and some of the product is still there to work as a toner.

3. Dr. Dennis Gross Clinical Concentrate Booster

I was looking for a serum that would help with my acne, acne spots, and pore size -they are MAMMOTH- when I found this on Sephora's website. I would say it is more of a treatment than a serum really. In my mind a serum is more moisturizing than is product. It is effective though! It absorbs very quickly into the skin and is dispensed from a convenient pipet. There is a very light herbaly fragrance nothing offensive though. Initially I could see my pores tighten and and a few spots fade after a few weeks of use the results aren't miraculous, but I believe it still helps my skin a bit. I'm still in search of a great serum though so leave your suggestions below!

4. The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil

Now tea tree oil is tea tree oil it doesn't have to be from the body shop this is just easily found at my Ulta. Tea Tree oil is a natural antibiotic so it is great for treating active blemishes. Depending on how spotty I am I will either use a Q-tip to apply this or add a few drops into the next product. I do see my spots heal after applying this. Beware it can dry out your skin though and if your opposed to strong herbal smells stay away.

5. The Body Shop's Tea Tree Blemish Fade Night Cream

Another product from the Body Shop's Tea Tree range. This is the most recent product I have been using so its still in its trial stages. So far I like it again it has that herbal smell -Fresh!- It isn't very moisturizing though, not that it claims to be. Although lotion is in the name it I think more of a treatment.

6. The Moisturizing Step

I've been trying a few samples here and there nothing I've been using religiously though. I'll get back to you when I find one worth mentioning!

There you have it my nightly skin care routine I will list products and extraordinary people along with their links below!

Extraordinary People

Caroline Hirons

www.carolinehirons.com

Lisa Eldridge

www.lisaeldridge.com

Products

Clinque Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm

http://www.sephora.com/take-the-day-off-cleansing-balm-P126301?skuId=886267

Korres Greek Yoghurt 3 in 1 Cleansing, Toning, and Eye Make-up Removing Emulsion