New Year's Resolutions 2014 Archives

Update to my 2014 New Year’s Resolution: Skin Care

Hello! It has been a few months since I updated my New Year’s resolution regarding skin care, so I thought it was time for a new post. In my last post, I talked about how my skin had gone from dry to oily and how crazy the change had been for me, so I had started looking for solutions. I have found quite a few solutions since then and I feel like I know exponentially more about skin and skin care than I used to and I’m so much more confident about where I spend my skin care dollars. I’m here to let you know what I’ve learned in the past 4 months. Going from knowing literally nothing about skin care, to knowing as much as I feel I know now.

I also want to say again that (obviously) I’m not an expert and that I think everybody’s skin is different and what works for me may not work for you and vice versa. And, as in my last post, I’ll just stop and remind you here about my post about Glam Glow, and also my first post where I initially talked about developing a regular skin care routine.

Moving along…

Last time I updated, I talked about what I did and which products I used; I think that format worked well, so I’m fixin’ to use it again!

Morning:

Cleanse: I use Liz Earle’s cleanser and natural muslin cloth, that I got absolutely addicted to after I sampled it through BirchBox. (BirchBox is a monthly subscription makeup sample service.) It is really pretty, and comes in a sort of Tiffany blue tube, and the muslin cloth is slightly exfoliating. I absolutely love the Eucalyptus smell of it, it reminds me of the spa. It also feels quite luxurious on the face. I really recommend it, and you can get a huge tube of it (the small sample size lasted me 30 uses or so) plus 2 large muslin cloths (the sample came with a small one) for $24.50.

I don’t exfoliate in the morning, as I consider the exfoliation I get from the muslin cloth to be sufficient, so I tone next. I usually use a mild toner, like The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner, as that seems to be working well for me.

Next I apply a serum, usually The Body Shop’s Pomergranite Firming Serum, because it seems mild to me, no heavy acids (AHAs, for example). I’m probably going to try to find a different “mild” serum, because I don’t love this one, but it’s good, and I would recommend it.

Finally, I apply a layer of sunscreen. If I’m wearing makeup that day, I still apply sunscreen, it’s the one thing I won’t leave home without, and I keep some in my purse- always. One cannot overstate the importance of photo-aging prevention. As for which sunscreen, I’m currently testing out a few but I like The Body Shop’s Aloe Soothing Sunscreen, and Philosophy’s Take A Deep Breath SPF 30.

Night:

My nighttime routine is a little different from my daytime routine. I start with a basic cleanser, I have quite a number of them that I’m experimenting with right now, but I usually reach for either The Body Shop’s Seaweed Deep Cleansing Facial Wash or Purity by Philosophy and apply that to my Clarisonic.

I do a more intense exfoliating treatment in the evening, and after using my Clarisonic, I use a basic exfoliating gel or cream. I have been using The Body Shop’s Tee Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash and Skin Clearing Lotion, but I am no longer enjoying it as I find the particles are too big to concentrate on exfoliating properly. The two I’m enjoying most right now are Aveeno’s Active Naturals’ Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub and Philosophy’s The Microdelivery Exfoliating Wash. I prefer the Philosophy one because it has smaller particles that seem to last longer, so I have more time to exfoliate, but they’re both good and I would definitely recommend the Aveeno one to someone looking for a good drugstore product. The only thing I don’t really like about the Aveeno one is that it has Sodium Laureth Sulfate in it, which is, in my view, more of a shampoo ingredient than a face wash ingredient.

Then, once I’m out of the shower (did I mention that I Clarisonic in the shower?), I usually throw a mask on. Sometimes I Glam Glow, but most days I’ve been using Origins’ Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. I really like the Origins mask because you can use it every day if you want I don’t think I’ll repurchase the white jar of Glam Glow again, but I do want to try the black jar next time, as I’ve heard it would be better for my skin type. On days that I don’t use masks, I use Biore pore strips to clear my pores, although it does say on the box not to use them more than once every three days. I also want to mention that the reason I do this after I shower is because it is when my pores are most open from the steam and how water, so my mask or pore strip will be most effective at that time.

Once my mask dries (or my Biore strip “paper maches”), and I remove it, I rinse off and dry my face. After that, I’m ready for toner. The evening is when I use a more intense toner. So, I usually apply my Clean & Clear Deep Cleaning Astringent, but once I run out of that, I’m switching to a Paula’s Choice one to see if I like it better. I’m happy I finally found a toner with a higher percentage of salicylic acid. I’ll let you know if I like it once I try it.

I usually wait about ten minutes after applying my toner to apply my serum and night cream. I don’t think I have to wait, it’s just something I like to do. My night serum is either the DDF sample I got (which I still have) or the same one I use in the morning.

My night cream is also in a state of flux. I know Philosophy’s Take A Deep Breath is not a night cream, but it’s so luxurious that I can’t resist using it sometimes. I also have some samples from Clinique and Origins I’m working through. I really haven’t made any significant development towards an evening cream, but I’m learning about what I like and what I don’t like. I enjoy a thick cream, but I don’t like ones that are strongly scented.

If y’all have any recommendations for a night cream I should try, let me know in the comments below. I’ll definitely update this post once I try out a few more things and develop a more concrete routine. This is really starting to become a hobby for me, as I feel I’ve learned a lot about proper skin care, even if I’m not 100% of the way there, it’s a long way from sunscreen and basic bar soap.

Thanks for reading!

New Year’s Resolution #1: Skin Care, follow-up

Hello everyone!

I just wanted to post and update about my New Year’s resolution regarding skin care. I’ve always had pretty decent skin, but since I moved, it’s gotten a little greasier, and I’m experiencing blackheads, enlarged pores & other unsightly, unpleasant side-effects. I’ve been trying a few different things over the past month or two, but the truth is I still don’t know what the heck I’m doing. I know almost nothing about skin care, and I really can’t afford to spend a ton of money to go visit a dermatologist. Also: I’m afraid that if I go she will laugh at me. Honestly, my skin problems aren’t that bad, my main problem is that my skin has changed. I used to have problems with dryness, now I have problems with oiliness & it’s all very shocking.

DISCLAIMER: I am not an expert. BUT this is what I’ve found so far in my search for knowledge. I’ll just stop and remind you here about my last post about Glam Glow, and also my first post where I initially talked about developing a regular skin care routine. The following are photos of the products I use most often.

Aveno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser, Purity & Total Matteness by Philosophy, Glam Glow & The Body Shop's Tee Tree Mask. — Aveno Clear Complexion Foaming Cleanser, Purity & Total Matteness by Philosophy, Glam Glow & The Body Shop’s Tee Tree Mask.

Tee Tree Skin Clearing Toner, DDF Amplifying Elixir, Tea Tree Pore Minimizer

Aveno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub, The Body Shop's Tee Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash, Neutrogena Oil-free Moisture with Sunscreen, Clinique Turnaround Overnight cream, Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion, The Body Shop's Aloe Soothing Moisture Lotion, Neutrogena Naturals Nourishing Moisturizer, Take a Deep Breath moisturizer by Philosophy. — Aveno Positively Radiant Skin Brightening Daily Scrub, The Body Shop’s Tee Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash and Skin Clearing Lotion, Neutrogena Oil-free Moisture with Sunscreen, Neutrogena Naturals moisturizer, Clinique Turnaround Overnight, The Body Shop’s Aloe Soothing Sunscreen, Philosophy’s Take a Deep Breath,

So, I’ve been watching a lot of YouTube beauty gurus lately, but some of the products they recommend are a little pricey, so I’ve been trying to use their advice, but to find products that are less expensive, but still meet my needs. My favorite YouTube beauty gurus, for skin were Veronica Gorgeois, who can be found here, and Ingrid Nilsen, who can be found here.

I have developed the following routine for myself:

In General, twice a day:

Cleanse: I usually use Total Matteness by Philosophy, $25, in combination with my Clarisonic Mia 1, $125, and totally worth it. I use my Clarisonic every day & I love it. You should change your brush every 3 months & I’ve found some good deals on duo packs on Groupon.com & Overstock.com. On the Clarisonic website the 2-packs are $40, but you can get them for around $25 on Groupon & Overstock. I sometimes use Purity by Philosophy and Aveno “Clear Complection” Foaming Cleanser, but it just depends on how hard I’ve been on my skin in other ways. I think Total Matteness is a good medium cleansing treatment. Purity is very mild and the Aveno ‘Clear Complection’ has Salicylic Acid in it, so in my view, it is more invasive.

Exfoliate: Technically, I think this is a second exfoliation, because the Clarisonic exfoliates on its own, but I do use an exfoliant after I cleanse. I have two different exfoliators. One is from The Body Shop’s Tee Tree Oil line, which I love & I have almost every product in that line. Specifically it’s called “Tee Tree Blackhead Exfoliating Wash,” which is perfect because my number one complaint is enlarged pores resulting in blackheads. The other exfoliator I use, which is more mild, is called “Aveno: Active Naturals *positively radiant* Skin Brightening Daily Scrub.” I use the milder one more often, but I really like the Tee Tree one too.

Toner: I currently use the Tee Tree Oil toner by the Body Shop as well. I like it because it has the same “shake to activate” indication as the Clinique “Acne Solutions” Claryfying lotion, but is cheaper & I was unable to find a full ingredients list anywhere, so I figured I’d stick with what I knew. The main difference between what I use now & the Clinique is the Salicylic Acid & menthol in the Clinique. The Salicylic acid is good for acne treatment, but the menthol just irritates the skin, so I figured I could do with out it.

Serum: I currently use a sample I got in BirchBox called DDF Amplifying Elixir. I’m not sure if it works, but I do like it. I don’t know if I’ll buy this when it’s done, just because it’s kind of pricey and I’m trying to develop a routine that’s affordable. I’ll look for a cheaper alternative with similar ingredients.

Moisturize: In the morning I always use a moisturizer with sunscreen. In the evening I use a night cream, recently I’ve been using Clinique Overnight Turn Around, but I doubt I’ll be buying it. I also use The Body Shop’s Tee Tree Blemish Fade Night Lotion, but because it does target acne, I sometimes find that a little drying, so sometimes I end up using “Take a Deep Breath” by Philosophy. I also re-apply moisturizers at varying points during the day, usually sunscreen, and usually not more than twice more.

Other: I also use a pore minimizer once in a while, from The Body Shop’s line and I Glam Glow three times a week. I also sometimes do an acne treatment and I am still using a 2% Salicylic acid treatment. It’s the strongest I was able to find.

Note on my Glam Glow use: I used to apply Glam Glow to my entire face, but I found that my cheeks were getting ultra dried out & I was getting blemishes on them, so I started applying Glam Glow only to my T-zone and it’s working out much better for my skin. I still love Glam Glow & I find that it’s making a positive impact on my skin.

I’ll update again when I choose a primer or find new or better products, but I just wanted to let y’all know how it’s going and maybe give you some ideas. Like I said, I’m not an expert, so if you have any ideas for me, I would love to hear them in the comments below!

Tips & Tricks for New Glam Glow Users

Hello! I just wanted to write a quickie update to my last post about my New Year’s resolution to develop a better skin routine! So far, it’s going well, but I think my skin is going into a “purge” phase. My acne is getting worse, but I’m not worried because Glam Glow just pulls everything to the surface & I’ve already noticed that my skin is more vibrant! I’m still working on developing a solid routine, but I DO have some tips for those of you who are new to Glam Glow.

1. I know it’s pricey, but Sephora is awesome & they will sample anything, so all you have to do is go in & politely ask for a sample if you’ve never tried it before. Maybe you have sensitive skin & need to see how your skin will react to all the (awesome) ingredients?

2. Warn your significant other that you are Glam Glowing. I have terrified my husband more than once with my Glam Glow face. Or, don’t warn them, and let the spooking fun begin!

3. I like to rinse off my Glam Glow mask in the shower, then Clarisonic with a gentle cleanser (usually Purity by Philosophy), so before you put on the mask, you might want to remove all of your top layers of clothing, lest you stain your Lulu. Then you’d have to read this post.

4. I like to pat my mask on, rather than spreading it. I feel like I get more even coverage patting it on, even though I might use a smidgen more. That said you should use a thin layer. This mask needs to dry completely, and you don’t need a lot to get results.

5. Find out what works for you. I like to leave my mask on for 15 minutes, but I don’t have sensitive skin & I have slightly oily skin. This mask is slightly drying, but not really drying like other masks I’ve tried. If you have sensitive skin, maybe you should try using it for only 10 minutes, or if you need a more intense treatment leave it on for the full 20 minutes. It’s all about finding out what works best for you & your unique skin type.

6. Relax & enjoy. I like to catch up on my favorite YouTubers or watch an episode of The Big Bang Theory while Glam Glowing! Have Fun!

UPDATE:

I just wanted to write a quickie update to this post to say that while I found Glam Glow to be a little drying, it was mostly on my cheeks, so I’ve since stopped applying it there and have continued to use it only on my T-zone. Happy Glowing!

UPDATE:

I’ve now been using Glam Glow for 6 months and I thought I should do a little update. First: over all, I found this masks only works for me on my t-zone. If I apply it everywhere, it dries me out. Second: I do still really like it, but I do find it pricey. Thankfully, by applying it only to my t-zone, I get quite a few more uses out of it. Third: I have started using it only once per week. I used to sometimes use it twice, but I think it works best for me once a week, and I use other masks throughout the rest of the week. (Some hydrating, some skin clearing).

New Year’s Resolution #1 Better Skin

I know, it’s fluffy. I don’t want to save the whales or feed the homeless. I recently relocated & the air here is a lot more humid than what I’m used to & my skin has suffered the consequences. That said, I’d really like to start controlling my humongous pores & new “face friends,” (pimples) with a skin care routine. I know a lot of people already have this stuff down pat, but I’ve never had so much acne in my life & I think I need some serious intervention. Clean & Clear is just not hacking it anymore. So this year, I would like to develop an effective, inexpensive (or at least as cheap as possible) skin care routine that will combat acne, wrinkles & the humidity of my new city.

I have some ideas.

1. Clarisonic. I recently purchased a Clarisonic Mia 2. You can find them here. I think I’m using it correctly, I’ve been spending about 3 minutes a day with mine, usually in the shower. I love it because it makes my skin feel clean & it’s waterproof, so no leaning over the sink hoping water doesn’t drip down your arms.

2. I also recently gave in to the “Glam Glow” hype & bought a jar of my very own. I’ve tried it twice & I’m still not sure what I think. It’s good because my skin feels nice after I use it, but I don’t know if it’s an effective acne treatment. I’ve put a few tips in my next post.

3. Stronger Salicylic Acid treatment. I currently use a 2.0% Clean & Clear treatment, I am going to search for something stronger.

4. I’m very satisfied with my current cleansers. I use Philosophy “Total Matteness” with my Clarisonic in the shower, but if I have already done a Glam Glow or other drying mask, I use Philosophy “Purity.” As for “other masks,” I have also used The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Face Mask. It doesn’t “dry” on your face like most masks do, but I definitely think it works. It’s not a moisturizing mask, -it’s more of a acne treatment/ prevention type of mask which works for me because I think I need something a little more abrasive than most.

5. YouTube videos: Some of my favorite YouTubers are beauty video girls. They review makeup products and share their hauls and unboxings (opening BirchBox or other beauty subscription service box) on YouTube. I plan to watch some of their videos for new ideas on what my routine should be & which new products I might want to try.

Once I develop a new routine, I’ll write a new post with all the details.

What do you do in your skin care routine? Do you have a “routine,” or do you ‘wing’ it, like I do? What are some of your favorite skin care products? Link them below! Thanks for reading!