Primer Trouble Shooting

Ever put on your foundation primer, particularly the type with dimethicone (a form of silicone which creates slippery-like texture – think Smashbox Photo Finish Primer), and it starts pilling or rolling?  Some reasons why this may be happening include…

• Dry/dehydrated skin.  Sometimes when skin is dry and flaky, the primer mixes with the dry skin and begins to roll around on the skin instead of adhere or absorb into the skin.  Try using a gentle exfoliant to slough off dead skin followed by a moisturizer.  Allow the moisturizer to absorb into the skin then apply a small amount of primer to the skin.
• Using too much primer.  Listen – a small amount goes a long way.  Try applying some of the primer to your fingertips and then apply to your face with a pressing motion.
• Silicone on top of silicone.  Sometimes when you are using a moisturizer with silicone in it and then put a silicone primer on top, it can roll.  Try using a moisturizer without silicone and then use a primer or just use the moisturizer with the silicone as that should not only hydrate the skin but also perfect and prepare the skin for foundation application.

Hope that helps.

Toodles :0)

Anastasia eyeshadow palette with skincare benefits

Known to many as the definitive brow expert and a beauty innovator, Anastasia of Anastasia Beverly Hills has been a leader in the industry for years.  She concerns herself not only with creation of the perfect brow but also the health of the skin.  This lead her to create Illumin8 with Youthful Synergy Complex Eye Shadow Palettes, gorgeous eyeshadows with skincare benefits.  These palettes have been formulated with ingredients such as the Youthful Synergy Complex which has been clincally proven to lift, hydrate and revitalize the skin as well as Balkan Botanical Infusion which soothes, softens and hydrates the skin.   Paraben, fragrance free and perfect for all age groups,  these 5 palettes contain several shades (used wet or dry) to create a multitude of fantastic looks that will take you from day to evening.  $40. anastasia.net

Hyperpigmentation Solutions

Hyperpigmentation is one of many skin issues that affect many people.  Like acne itself,  hyperpigmentation (the scarring left behind) distracts from one’s beauty, causing aggrevation, anguish and sometimes isolation because you dont want to be around anyone.  I can totally relate because I started getting acne when i was 10 years old.  Imagine going through middle school, high school, college and part of your 20′s with problematic skin.  This drove me to not only spend hours researching and experimenting with various products, but I also developed a passion for skincare. I tried so many spot lightning creams which didnt work for me.  Then I discovered Black Opal Dual Complex Fade Gel which contains 2% hydroquinone (and at the time, alpha hydroxy acid which sweeps away dead skin cells.  They have since changed the packaging and I didnt see the AHA listed in the ingredients.  That doesnt mean it isnt still in the product)   After cleasing the skin, use a toothpick or hair pin to dab on the spot.   The product absorbs into the skin.  Continue with your skincare routine.  I love this product because I began to see a difference in about two weeks. Can be found at your local beauty supply store $15.95

Other alternatives/options for you to try:
-Clinique Even Better Clinical.  This serum is a smart product meaning it seeks out the areas that are darker to lighten them and even out your skintone.  It is for all ethnicities.  Feedback from clients is that although this product takes longer to see results, it actually works.

-Dr Murad Age Spot & Pigment Lightening Gel.  Claims to fade unwanted discoloration and exfoliate damaged skin cells.

-DDF Fade Gel 4.  Contains hydroquinone as well as kojic and glycolic  and alpha hydroxy acid, which are powerful skin/dark mark lightners.

-Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid 3% Wash.  This oil free cleanser exfoliates the skin, addresses the signs of aging and evens out texture and tone.

Also, peels, microdermabrasion, and exfoliators can also help to even out skin tone/texture and help fade dark spots.  My personal favorite is the Philosophy Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash which I use 2 to 3 times a week to help cleanse, retexturize and refine my skin.

Toodles :0)

 

 

i know it’s been  some time since i’ve been here but i digress :0)

i had been searching for a new body lotion for quite some time that didnt cost an arm and a leg (HA!  no pun intended).  there are  some favorites that i love like korres body butter in yogurt and the body shop’s body butter in olive which are super scrumptious but i still felt like i wanted to find a more economical product that i could buy from my local cvs, walmart or target.  then one day i found it.  allow me to introduce…dun dun  dun…. Nivea Body Essentially Enriched daily lotion for very dry rough skin.  now i have tried other nivea products in the past which i wasnt exactly impressed with.  im not even sure what made decide to try this lotion this time but i must say this divine body lotion which is enriched with sea minerals, vitamin e and almond oil, leaves my skin silky smooth and soft with a beautiful glow.  im glad to be able to add this to my collection of beauty products and maybe you will too :0)

gimme a hand

so i’ve searched the world over to find a hand cream that actually works.  ok.  not the world over but it seems like it because i have definitely spent a lot of time, money, and energy looking for perfection in a tube or a jar -  something that will make my hands smooth, supple, and soft.  i mean who wants crusty hands? and you know the type – lotions and creams that claim to moisturize, restore or renew only to leave your hands worse than they were before you applied lotion.  at one point i even swore off lotions and committed to just putting vaseline on my hands only to leave hand prints all over the place.  well that all changed when i discovered Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream.  this anti-aging cream contains nourishing shea butter and moisturizing avacado in a beatifully scented, light creamy formulation.  i am very impressed because i wash my hands a lot and this cream does a fab-mazing job of keeping my hands and cuticles soft and hydrated without being greasy.  Caudalie Hand and Nail Cream $19.