Love the SKIN you're in!

Hello everyone!

I really need to get better at updating! I don't know who all reads this though, if you're a reader gimme a shout out :)

So no pictures today, although I do have some waiting, and I've gotten some lovely bright eye shadows that I've been playing with. I always love bright colors, but especially as spring is starting to show, and in summer, it's nice to have bright colors on your eyes!

I want to touch a bit on skin care. Mostly the basics, the best advice anyone has given me, and the best advice I can give you!

First, I want to say that you have to remember you're not just taking care of the skin on your face! It's a good habit to get into to caring for your skin all over! Mostly just keep it moisturized, try not to put too much wear and tear on it. If you're someone who's exposed to sun a lot, ALWAYS USE SUNSCREEN! I can't stress enough how important it is to protect yourself from UV rays!
If you're a girl (or guy) who loves to have a nice tan, there are so many places that provide great sunless tanning, and the products you can buy to do it yourself are getting better and more advanced all the time! If you're still wanting to lie down in a tanning bed or spread yourself out all day under the sun, just ask yourself, would you rather be tan now and risk getting skin cancer? Especially avoiding too much exposure to the sun keeps your skin youthful and you don't prematurely age yourself!

Skin Basics:

Moisturize!

Drink lots of water!

Find a skincare regimen that works for YOUR type of skin (there's all kinds of different types, or some skin issues that make it important for you to have skin care that addresses the issue, or at least doesn't irritate it!) The basic skin regimen is a CLEANSER, TONER and MOISTURIZER, in that order!

Exfoliate at least once a week. The skin on your face is way more sensitive than the skin on your body. You can buy a cleanser with an exfoliant in it, or you can use a scrub (gentle) which is what I do. I use a scrub by Clinique. Clinique is a great brand to use, not only do they have products formed for the different types of skin, their products are gentle and hypoallergenic. If you visit a Clinique counter they can do a skin typing for you, to find out what kind of skin you have, and then can recommend some products. I also like that they have a gentle cleanser/toner all in one product. If you're wanting a different brand, or something more cost effective, pop in to your local Shoppers Drug Mart. Their beauty consultants are trained in skin care and will be able to help you find a skin care line for your skin needs and in your price range. You can also go to Sephora as well, though they seem to be a bit pricier. If you don't want to commit to buying a product before you know if you like it, you should be able to always get a sample. Also you should always be able to return the product if you find it irritates your skin or isn't the right one for you.

Don't forget your lips! Always keep them moisturized. If you're not a lipstick or gloss girl, simply carry some lip balm with you. Doesn't have to be expensive, good ol Bonne Belle lipsmackers will do the trick, and I absolutely love their new 100% natural lipsmacker. There's 4 different scents/flavors and they use olive oil and beeswax, no parabens, gluten and they're dye free. Before I go to bed each night I slather my lips with one of these.

Speaking of going to bed.... ALWAYS remove any makeup. Even if you've been out 'till super late and all you want to do is pass out and go to sleep, keep a package of makeup remover cloths (MAC has good ones, as well as Garnier, Sephora has some as well) and simply remove your makeup quickly before you fall asleep. It's really important! You can't have makeup sitting on/in your pores all night, and your eyes can get irritated from un-removed eye makeup. I went to school with a girl who NEVER removed her eye makeup, except for obviously when she showered and got soap on her face) and she wound up going to the hospital for a 2 day stay due to a severe eye infection!

I suggest you start in your mid twenties using things like eye creams. Obviously you don't need the anti-aging creams just yet, but a simple eye cream will help keep the skin around your eyes moisturized and will keep wrinkles at bay. Especially if you wear a lot of eye makeup. The skin around your eyes is SUPER sensitive, so a tip I tell people is put your eye cream on your ring fingers, and apply it by gently tapping it onto the skin.

Lastly, your feet! If you wear shoes with no socks, and your shoes start to smell REALLY bad (usually you shouldn't have a lot of odor) that means you have fungus or bacteria somewhere on your feet. There's a special "feet" section in your drugstore where you can get things to help. Always clean your feet, never go to a place to get a pedicure that doesn't sterilize their materials, or use brand new ones for each person, and if you want to, after your shower or bath, slather on a foot moisturizer, followed by some cotton socks so the moisturizer is absorbed completely (plus then you can walk or put your feet under your covers etc.)


I think I've covered all the basics I have. If you have any specific skin care questions, send me a comment or an email!


PRODUCT I LOVE!: Too Faced (sold @ Sephora) has their own line of about 7 cosmetic brushes, they have a 5 brush kit for about $75. These brushes are amazing! The kit comes with the basic brushes you need. What I love so much about them and what makes them so special is they use a synthetic material they've dubbed "Teddy Bear Hair". Not only do they pick up product and distribute really well, but they're the SOFTEST brushes you will ever find. They are a bit pricey but I think it's worth the investment! Your eyes will thank you! Go check them out next time you're at Sephora!