Skin Care

Streamlined Skin Care on Vacay

June 20th, 2017 by Karen 7 Comments

I know this was supposed to be my “Summer of Skin Care,” but all last week it was more like “The Summer Vacation of Minimal Skin Care,” haha!

SO different than our last trip to visit family in Hawaii. I took all of my favorite skin care products at the time and put them into these tiny sample jars I got from Nordstrom. Then I meticulously labeled each jar and kept up with my regular multi-step skin care regimen the entire trip.

Skin care-wise, this time I only brought makeup removal wipes (which I ended up not really using because I wore so little makeup), face wash, sunscreen and moisturizer, and I took my chances that if I were to get a bad pimple or something, I would either deal with it when I got home, or I’d pick up something from a drugstore. I also temporarily stopped following my anti-aging routine.

It was weirdly liberating to not have all of those little jars with me because I always bring them on trips, but after a week without my skin care bells and whistles, the sky wasn’t falling! Clearly, this concept of traveling light has been BLOWING MY FREAKING MIND, as you can tell.

Here are the skin products I did bring and how they worked for me…

Tula Purifying Facial Cleanser

Skin care brand Tula puts probiotics (like the good bacteria in your tummy!) in all of their products, and I really liked using and having their Purifying Facial Cleanser with me…although I have no idea if the probiotics have anything to do with how well it works. It smells a little like cucumbers and kept my skin clean and clear without stripping it.

Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense SPF 30

I’ve talked about this tinted sunscreen before and its gorgeous glowing finish. It’s good for everyday OR vacay.

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The Summer of Skin Care: Son & Park Beauty Water

May 24th, 2017 by Karen 19 Comments

Wow, Beauty Water smells like the product of a mad genius mixologist who spent years crafting a special concoction made with the peel of an exotic, prehistoric citrus fruit found only in a secret valley lost to civilization eons ago.

If it were a beverage, I would pour it over ice on hot afternoons, sip it at my desk and call it “Mommy’s special sauce.” LOL! 🙂

The first stop on the Summer of Skin Care tour is Beauty Water by Son & Park ($30).

The way people rave about this Korean brand’s toner on the Sephora website makes it sound like a miracle in a bottle. It’s an exfoliator made for most skin types (normal, oily, combo, dry and sensitive), and it’s supposed to alleviate dullness, dryness and uneven texture.

The ingredient list is pretty long, but I see lots of plant extracts high on the list. The fourth item down, Hamamelis Virginiana water, is commonly known as witch hazel water, and here’s a fun fact about that: witch hazel is one of very few products that is both endorsed by real witches *and* FDA approved.

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Sephora Adventures: Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo, Drunk Elephant Tinted Umbra Tinte Daily Defense, and Pinrose Perfumes

May 23rd, 2017 by Karen 7 Comments

sephora adventures with connor — Practicing her #RBF

I swear, my last trip to Sephora was Connor’s idea. If she looks a little crabby in this picture, it’s because she’s practicing her #RBF (resting baby face).

I went to grab a couple things I’ve been wanting to try from my lust list, and speaking of that, that list has been exercising my wallet in ways I did not anticipate, LOL!

First, there’s this clarifying Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo.

I had a a lot of product buildup in my hair after using a Klorane shampoo and mask, and Sunday Shampoo, which I used on Saturday (such a rebel!), got my hair feeling normal again. Buuuuuut, I still think I’m going to return it, because I read on the Sephora website (and don’t ask my why this didn’t sink in beforehand) that it isn’t recommended for color-treated hair, which I have.

Oh, well… It was fun while it lasted.

I do like the idea using a clarifying shampoo every so often to remove buildup from dry shampoo and other hair products, so I’m thinking about exchanging it for a shampoo by Briogio, a natural hair care line at Sephora, called Be Gentle, Be Kind Green Tea Clarifying Shampoo. It’s $24, so about the same price as the Bumble shampoo, which is $25, but it’s supposed to safe for color-treated hair.

I hope it smells good. 🙂

Also, while I was there, I picked up a tube of new Drunk Elephant Umbra Tinte Physical Daily Defense Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30 ($36) with 20% zinc oxide.

Zinc oxide usually leaves a white cast on darker skin, but this one doesn’t! It’s really neat. I thought it would be too deep or peachy for me, but it isn’t. I can’t see it at all, which is great, and there’s no white cast! I used it on Saturday, Sunday and Monday, and my skin really likes it so far. It has a light mousse-y texture, so it absorbs quickly, and I don’t have to sit there working it in for days and days. Plus, it isn’t sticky, so it doesn’t leave my neck feeling gross, and it layers under foundation well.

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The Summer of Skin Care: Getting Serious About Skin

May 23rd, 2017 by Karen 40 Comments

Dude, I had a rollickin’ good time last Friday night. I watched an episode of Law & Order: SVU, ate a massive bowl of Rainier cherries and, totally not kidding, stayed up until 1 (which is late for me) reading about skin care and taking notes, because I have officially decided that — drum roll, please — this will be the Summer of Skin Care for moi.

Ahhhh!

How serious are you about your skin care?

Some people are real-deal serious about it, and I wanna get serious about it, too, even though I’ve mostly ignored my skin for the past two years, because when I got pregnant, I stripped my skin care routine down to the bare bones. I just didn’t have it in me to think hard about ingredients and multi-step processes. I still did cleanser, moisturizer, sunscreen and my acne medication, but that was it.

Pregnancy and having a baby wasn’t just a nine-month thing. I was talking to someone recently about mentally “bouncing back” and, gosh, it’s taken me a really long time. People told me that it would, but I didn’t really get it until it was happening to me. Connor is going to be 15 months old in a couple weeks, and I only now feel like I have the mental breathing room contemplate something like skin care again.

I’m also turning 42 next month, which is another reason skin care is on my mind. I’ve definitely noticed more sun spots, and my fine lines are getting…finer.

Anyway, I read a bunch of interesting skin care articles the other night (linked them down below in case you’re interested) and learned some fascinating things!

Order is important

The main skin care lesson I came away with after my jaunt through the Interwebs was that if you’re going to layer a bunch of products, the order with which you apply them is REALLY important, especially if you’re using active ingredients and compounds that can potentially conflict with the others.

I wish I knew the intricate science behind it, because I was deep in the chemistry trenches in college, and I think it would be fun to break it all down on a molecular level.

But the gist of it is this: some active ingredients deactivate others, so you can’t just layer things on your face willy-nilly…although, to be honest, that’s what I’ve been doing lately.

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These Too Cool for School Skin Care Products Have Egg-Cellent Scents

May 1st, 2017 by Karen 2 Comments

too cool for school eggs — Crack open some eggs!

How weird would it be to have an omelet-scented face mask?

Pretty weird, right?

It’s almost something I’d expect to see from Too Cool for School. They’re a quirky K-beauty brand available at Sephora, and, for instance, they make this mascara I love called Dinoplatz, which is 1) amaze-balls at locking the curl from my lash curler while lifting and lengthening my lashes, and 2) it also has dinosaurs on the tube.

That’s a double whammy right there!

With their EGG line of skin care products, you’ll literally have egg on your face, because they all contain egg whites and yolk extracts for tightening, brightening and moisturizing.

Let’s get real, though. The main reason I wanted to try these, all of which are available in the brand’s permanent line, is to smell them, because I’m a nosy noodle. 🙂

Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ($12): It contains egg white extract for dissolving dead skin cells and excess oil, but it smells nothing like a fritatta, in case you were wondering (I was). It smells like freesia to me, and I really like it. The scent is just right and not overpowering.

I don’t know why, but I find it weirdly satisfying to wash my face with this thick, rich mousse. I’m definitely going to finish the bottle. My combo dry/oily skin feels clean and hydrated when I rinse it off.

Egg Mousse Soap Facial Cleanser ingredients
Water, Tea-Cocoyl Glutamate, Palmitic Acid, Glycerin, Butane, Triethanolamine, Sodium Coco Amphoace- Tate, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Propanediol, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Propane, Myristic Acid, Milk Protein Extract/Extrait Protéine Du Lait, Egg Yolk Extract /Extrait De Jaune D’oeuf, Albumen Extract, Glyceryloleate, Betaine, Coco-Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Allantoin, Ethylhexylglycerin, Butylene Glycol, Hexylene Glycol, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance.

Egg Mousse Pack Facial Mask ($20): Again with the faint floral freesia scent. I like it! To use this mousse-y mask, you apply the mousse to your face, wait five minutes, then rinse it off. The egg yolk extract in it is supposed to be very moisturizing.

All I know is that it makes my skin tingle, and after I rinsed it off, the dry, sensitive skin on my cheeks feels extra tight.

I think this might be better for people with oily skin, instead of combo skin like mine.

Egg Mousse Pack Facial Mask ingredients
Water, Betaine, Butylene Glycol, Lauryl Phosphate, Isopentane, Trehalose, Carbon Dioxide, Arginine, Potassium Laureth Phosphate, Laureth-1 Phosphate, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Egg Yolk Extract/Extrait De Jaune D’oeuf, Albumen Extract, Dipropylene Glycol, Potassium Hydroxide, Glyceryl Caprylate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ppg-3 Caprylyl Ether, Acrylates /C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Sodium Citrate, Citric Acid, Xanthan Gum, Carbomer, Disodium Edta, Phenoxyethanol, Methylparaben, Fragrance.

Egg Mousse Mask Pore Tightening Sheet Mask ($6): Whatever you do, refrain from eating crumbly shortbread cookies while wearing this sheet mask, because if you don’t, you’ll make a huge mess.

I’m just sayin’!

Anywho, my pores look a little tighter after I use this freesia-scented mask… Just a little bit.

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New Skin Care From Urban Decay

April 20th, 2017 by Karen 6 Comments

urban decay rehab makeup prep — New skin care from Urban Decay

I would have been a poor product prognosticator because I never — never! — expected to see an Urban Decay skin care line. No, a career as a fortune teller is clearly not in my immediate future.

A skin care line from Urban Decay. That is NOT what I expected, but it’s kinda cool, because when I think of UD, I think of color, glitter and crazy lipstick. I picture putting everything and the kitchen sink on my face, and sure, they also have the Naked palettes, but when I think of Urban Decay at its core, I think of bold, bad-@ss makeup.

Even though skin care seemed a little out of left field to me at first, it doesn’t anymore after seeing the products. There are seven in all, ranging from $15-28 each, and they’re divided into two groups — 1) products to prepare your skin for makeup, and 2) another group of products to remove your makeup.

And the products really are true to UD’s makeup roots, because they’re focused on preparing skin for face paint and helping it look its best. And then also on helping you remove everything you just put on.

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How Well Has Curel Hydra Therapy Helped My Perpetually Parched Skin? #EndDrySkin #sponsored

March 28th, 2017 by Karen 9 Comments

curel hydra therapy post 2 — Super obsessed with Curel Hydra Therapy!

This post is sponsored by Curel. As a participant in the #EndDrySkin campaign, I received product samples and compensation for my time and effort. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are always my own. curel.com #sponsored

So remember when I talked about going to Redding and how the dry air up there always wreaks havoc on my skin? And I talked about Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer?

I’ve been using it religiously now for a few weeks, and dang if it isn’t a minor miracle. I use it every night in the shower — actually, while I’m still in the shower — and the way it works, how you don’t have to rinse it off or wait for it to dry, never gets old. I put it on while my skin is still wet after I turn off the water, then pat dry and hop out.

Call me easily amused (hello, easily amused!), 🙂 but this stuff is revolutionizing the way I moisturize.

curel hydra therapy — Step 1: Pump a little into your palm…

Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer has a proprietary water-activated Advanced Ceramide Complex that dives deep into your skin to moisturize and repair its moisture barrier. Just apply it to wet skin after you finish showering, then pat dry with a towel, and for best results, use it daily. It’s unscented and doesn’t feel greasy. Plus, it’s fun to use and incredibly moisturizing.

Seriously, what dry skin? My skin is so much smoother and softer since I started using it regularly. The scary, scaly bits that had been bugging me on my arms and legs, especially when I went to the gym, are gone. I don’t even think the dry air up in Redding would give this grief.

There was a while there when I didn’t feel like wearing cropped workout pants because those scaly spots looked super obvs, but they’re gone now.

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Can Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer Handle the Frigid North (of California?) #EndDrySkin #sponsored

March 15th, 2017 by Karen 30 Comments

My drier-than-dry skin loves Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer

This post is sponsored by Curel. As a participant in the #EndDrySkin campaign, I received product samples and compensation for my time and effort. Although this post is sponsored, all opinions are always my own. curel.com #sponsored

The last time I trekked to the northernmost reaches of California to the city of Redding to visit my in-laws, I brought along my essential beauty belongings — my hairbrush, some dry shampoo, makeup (of course) and about 10 gallons of moisturizing lotion.

Oh, so dry…

Redding’s a lovely town up near Mount Shasta, not far from the Oregon border, but it’s also one of the DRIEST PLACES ON EARTH. The air there is so dry, or at least drier than I’m used to here in the Bay Area, that my lips and skin ache after one or two days.

Seriously, my arms and legs, my hands — the skin all over my whole dang body — which is already hella dry to begin with, feels like it’s being sucked dry by an industrial strength vacuum cleaner.

curel hydra therapy wet skin moisturizer 3 — Can Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer handle Redding?

If you ever visit Redding, my advice to you is this: take a walk along the Sacramento River Trail around sunset, because Redding has some of the best sunsets in the world. Also, bring along some mega-moisturizers.

It all starts in the shower

Wow, Curel Hydra Therapy Wet Skin Moisturizer… It’s so unusual! Most of the time when I think of incredible moisturizers, I think of rich, greasy body butters and body balms that you have to massage into your skin FOR DAYS.

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