Archive | December, 2011

Keep It Clean

19 Dec

 

I do everything known to man to make sure I do everything to prevent breakouts!  One thing that you need to do on a regular basis is wash your make-up brushes and replace make-up sponges.  As part of my Sunday routine, I wash my make-up brushes and if I am short for time I make sure I wash at least the foundation and concealer brushes.  You don’t have to wash your brushes weekly like I do, but every other week is best.  It helps get old makeup and oil off the brushes as well as any bacteria that may have grown on the  brushes in between washes.  There is no need to buy an expensive make-up brush cleanser either, then you will just be introducing another product to your skin.  You should use your daily face wash to clean your brushes. If you use an expensive face wash, then buy a gentle cleanser from the drug store such as Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser.   After washing your brushes lay them flat on a towel to dry.  After a couple of hours I like to fluff them up to help maintain their shape.  I hope you start doing this regularly, it will help improve your make-up application and make your brushes last longer.

Dry Clean Only

18 Dec

 

I currently own six different types of  “dry” shampoo and I still think the best option is Johnson & Johnson Baby Powder with cornstarch ($4-$7 www.drugstore.com).  A lot of people disagree because they think that if you are a redhead or brunette, the white powder will leave a “grey haze” on your  hair…well, that is because they are applying it directly to the top of their hair.  I put a small amount in my palms and rub them together,  then tip my head upside down and begin to massage the powder in at the roots.  You do not need to cover the ends of  your hair, just focus on the roots and the areas of your hair that seem to be the most greasy. I apply the powder after I flat-iron my hair and then once the powder is in I brush and finish styling it.   I wash my hair every other day and usually don’t need any form of “dry” shampoo at all, but when I do this is the best option.   My hair smells clean and fresh all day.  The powder absorbs any oil that may occur during the day and this definitely holds you over until your next shampoo.  I also love the fact that you can buy baby powder at any drugstore or supermarket and it is not expensive at all.  I buy the large bottle so that I have it for a long  time and I don’t have to worry about running out.  If you have searching for a Dry Shampoo, give this a try, it may be the solution you were looking for.

“Hello, Mr. Ford….”

17 Dec

 

I have about a million lipsticks from a million different brands and let me tell you…no one is better than Tom Ford Private Blend Lipsticks ($48 www.tomford.com).  If you do not know who Tom Ford is then I don’t know if we can be friends…just kidding!  Tom Ford is an American Designer who is most famous for being the Creative Director for Gucci.  He turned the Gucci brand around and made it one of the “most wanted” fashion labels in the world.  In 2004, he parted ways with Gucci and has started his own mens and womenswear lines as well as launching Tom Ford Beauty.  So far I have only tried the lipstick and it is amazing!  I like this lipstick because it has a very creamy texture, it goes on smooth and the color lasts.  The special ingredients are soja seed extract, Brazilian murumuru butter, and chamomilla flower oil.  Another important thing when it comes to buying lipstick is the packaging.  I love his packaging because it is square and the lid is magnetic so it won’t fall off in your make-up bag or purse.  The other special thing I secretly love is that each lipstick has a ‘T’ and an ‘F’ stamped on the top, they fade over time with each application, but it is kind of  sexy to know that they once were there….so, if you are looking for a lipstick to give you soft, sophisticated lips, please give Tom Ford Private Blend Lipstick a try….remember, it is Mistletoe season….

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Less is More

16 Dec

 

 

I always hate it when people say “less is more”…why? I can’t really tell  you, but I do.  I love beauty products, but recently I was using sooo many different ones and I was loving so many different ones that I was using everything all at once!  You can only imagine what happened…my skin FREAKED OUT!  After consulting with my Beauty Guru’s I took their advice and went back to these simple steps:

  1. Washing with a gentle cleanser AM/PM (Using the Clarisonic at Night)
  2. Moisturizing both AM/PM with a moisturizer that does  not have any Acne fighting products or retinol etc…
  3. Exfoliating Once a week using a gentle face scrub

I have very sensitive skin and sometimes I get excited about products and want to use them all which in turn counter acts the whole point of them.  If you are having breakouts and you never had breakouts before, try simplifying your routine and/or eliminating products one at a time from your routine for at least 5 days to see what is the causing these breakouts.  Remember also to monitor your high hormonal times to make sure that they are not the culprit either.  Here is a list of good products that are gentle and way to get back to balancing your skin and/or starting a basic skin care regimen:

  1.   Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser ($7-$12 www.drugstore.com)
  2.  Kate Somerville Nourish Daily Moisturizer ($65-$120 www.katesomerville.com)
  3. ExfoliKate Gentle or Intensive Exfoliating Treatment ($65 www.katesomerville.com)

These items will get you back to the basics.  When you are shopping, make sure to look for words such as “gentle”, “hypoallergenic”, or “daily” these usually mean the product is for frequent use and won’t over dry or irritate your skin.  Then you can start re-introducing or introducing new serums, treatments, or masks gradually so that you can still have fun with your beauty products!  Trust me on this “less is more” when it comes to skin care, I had to learn the hard way.

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On The Spot!

15 Dec

 

I hate when I get blemishes just like everyone else in the world…and it took me forever to  find a product that worked really fast to get rid of these horrible things!  I have tested everything from drugstore products to high-end, high-priced Spot Treatments.  After years of testing I have finally found one that is AMAZING…Kate Somerville Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($39 www.katesomerville.com).  Anti Bac’s actual directed us is as an “all over” clearing lotion, but it is the perfect spot treatment!  It contains 5% Benzoyl Peroxide which will help clear up the acne and the additional ingredients help prevent water loss and maintain moisture in the skin.  The best part is that it absorbs nicely so you can wear it under makeup and it does not have any odor.  You can also apply it to the chest or back if you are having breakout issues in these areas as well.  Benzoyl Peroxide  can be drying to my skin and cause some redness so I use this product at night with a soothing moisturizer, Creme de La Mer Moisturizing Cream ($135-$250 www.cremedelamer.com).  Do not apply this lotion all over your face unless you truly suffer from Acne.  One blemish here and there is not Acne, that would be classified as a breakout.  If you apply Acne products all over your skin and you truly do not have Acne, you may actually be causing more breakouts because you are drying your skin out which is leading your skin to produce more oil.  I know, this can all get confusing, but just treat the spots and nothing else unless you truly have Acne, trust me I am guilty of over-treating, it is hard not to do.  The other great thing is that this product will last you a very LONG time.  You will use just a small amount on each spot and the bottle is a very nice size so you won’t be constantly replacing this product.  Please give this a try, I know you will be amazed at how fast your blemishes begin to disappear!!

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Sleeping Beauty

14 Dec

Some of the best beauty products are the ones that work while you are asleep.  I have fallen in love with the Fekkai Protein Rx PM Hair Strengthener($65 www.fekkai.com)!  It is a protein rich hair mask that you put on before you go to bed to help rebuild damaged hair.  I am the first to admit that I am addicted to my flat-iron and I also color my hair.  This mask not only smells divine (which is one of my top reasons for purchasing a hair product) but it makes your hair incredibly smooth and shiny!  I apply it to my hair and then put my hair in a soft braid.  This is not a typical hair mask, the cream absorbs into your hair so you don’t have to be bothered with wrapping your hair or worrying about getting any product on your bed linens.  In the morning you just rinse it out with your shampoo, for best results use 2-3 times a week.  I use the PM Strengthener in tandem with the other Protein Rx products from the Fekkai line.  The best part about the strengthener is that all the work is done while you are asleep!  It is beauty multi-tasking at its best!

Try It Before You Buy It

13 Dec

Before you make an investment on any department store beauty products, make sure you get a sample first!  All department stores will hand out samples from the brands they carry or make you a custom sample in a jar that looks like the image provided above.  Obviously they aren’t able to provide you samples of makeup such as lipgloss, lipstick, eye shadows, or powders, but if you are unhappy with a product…return it!  Once you receive the samples try them out for 3-5 days.  This will let your skin decide if the product works well with your skin type and it will also let you decide if you like the smell, color, texture and feel of the product on your skin.  I think the best thing to get samples of is liquid foundations!  Department stores do not have the best lighting so I like to get a couple of shades and try them on at home and look in natural light, then I  know if I have that “orange glow” or not.  If you get a department store or beauty counter that does not provide free samples, then do not shop with them.  Samples allow the customer to feel comfortable with the product and feel confident with a purchase.  Also, make sure the return policy on beauty products is respectable.  Beauty products should never be “final sale” items and you should  always have the option to bring it back and find a product that works for you!  Happy Shopping!

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Peel It Off!

11 Dec

I have been using this product for five years and I can’t say enough great things about it!  I have turned  more people on to this product than I can count!  The MD Skincare Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel is  a two-step face peel  that you can do every day and you will receive fantastic results.  I  recommend using the peel at night after you have cleansed your face with the Clarisonic, because then you can really feel the  peel sink into the skin.  Also, you don’t want to pile on makeup after doing something like this in my opinion…but do what works for you.  You take  one peel pad from the step one jar and gently seep it across the face.  I can’t emphasize gently enough!! You do not want to scrub or use excessive  pressure while using the peel pads!  You leave step one on for about two minutes and then follow with a peel pad from step two.  You do not cleanse the face  after step two!  Once step two has set on the face, you follow with your favorite serum and moisturizer.  It is very simple and easy to use!  The results you will receive from the face peel are that they will provide a smoother, brighter, clearer complexion and the long-lasting benefits are that they have anti-aging  benefits.    The product has Alpha Beta and  Hydroxy Acids as well as Retinol.  The pores on my skin reduced  in size and I don’t have enough fine  lines to honestly say they have improved, but it is all about PREVENTION!  I have a good  friend that went to work for this company directly and she is the number one advocate for these peels!  Her skin is amazing and  she has been using them for I believe almost 10 years!  The peels are gentle enough for everyday use and come in a variety of sizes to work with your budget.  They have the peels set up in the jars  from 10-60 Day Applications from $28-$128, there is the travel option where the peels are individually wrapped and the new option is the Extra Strength Daily Face Peel from 10-60 Day Applications for$35-$145.  If this is your first time using the peels I would not start with the Extra Strength right away, use the original  formula first and  work your way up, you don’t want to do too much too soon!  Please visit the Dr. Dennis Gross website  to view all the options on how to “Customize Your Peel” and take advantage of becoming a ‘Beauty VIP Member’ on his website www.dgskincare.com  I hope you all start using and enjoying the peel as much as I do!

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The Magic Wand…Every Girl Should Have One!

11 Dec

                               

First things first we must start with the basics…that means getting the surface clean!  I have been using the Clarisonic Skin Care Face & Body System (Clarisonic.com) for about a year now.  Let me tell you, this brush is AMAZING!!  I was skeptical at first that this was one of those products that was over priced and really wouldn’t do anything for me…I was wrong!  It is so easy to use…first you apply a small amount of your favorite cleanser to the brush, then you pick your favority speed setting and press start.  The brush will work for 20 seconds on your forehead, beep, then you move to your nose and chin for 20 seconds, beep, then move to the right cheek for 10 seconds, beep, then to the left cheek 10 seconds, and then it shuts off.  It is so simple and it only takes 60 seconds.  Everyone has the time to do it!  After using you will notice that the texture of your skin has improved, it helps clear blemished skin, helps improve the results of your other skin care products by 61% and it is also said to help with fine lines and wrinkles which is a war we are all fighting!  After using you will feel that your skin feels “cleaner” and that your products are penetrating the skin better.  There are three options you can choose from, the Clarisonic Mia ($119 Nordstrom.com) which is for the face only and comes with one speed and is a great travel companion! The Classic Clarisonic Skin Care System ($195 Nordstrom.com)  is for the face only but has 2 speeds.   I recommend getting the Clarisonic Face & Body System ($225 Nordstrom.com).  The body brush is wonderful!  You can put your favorite exfoliating scrub (Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Body $65 katesomerville.com) on it and it will make your legs and arms sooo smooth! The body brush apparently helps fight cellulite…that is what sold me!!  I use both the face and body brush in the shower since the Clarisonic is waterproof.  I do not use the body brush on my chest or decolletage (breast area), the skin there is very fine so I use the face brush on those areas which is what the handbook recommends.  It has an easy rechargeable dock that also acts as perfect storage.  You don’t have to use the Clarisonic face wash and body wash with the brush, you can use your favorite products.  The best part is that it comes in a wonderful assortment of colors!!  So, if you still need to send Santa your Christmas list…put the Clarisonic on it!

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The Truth about Beauty…

10 Dec

My name is Kate and I work in the corporate offices of a high-end department store.  I spend most of my lunch hours and pay checks in the beauty department or the designer shoe area of the store…please keep that a secret!  After trying hundreds of products and giving my family, friends, and fellow employees the “latest and greatest” beauty advice…I have FINALLY taken their advice and started a blog.  I have done all the hard work and spent all the money…all you have to do is take my opinion for what it’s worth and I hope you share your opinions and advice with the rest of us!  While reading you will find that I am blunt and completely honest.  You may agree or disagree with my “research” but I hope you enjoy your visit.  Thanks for reading and sharing your great beauty secrets with the rest of us!

XOXO
Kate

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