Welcome to my first blog post-& thanks for reading!
Woman have been performing beauty rituals, or skincare regimens since before the famous icon of beauty, Nefertiti. In Egyptian times, cleansing the skin & taking part in beauty rituals were luxuries that only the royals could enjoy. Luckily for us, we can lavish our skin & bodies on a daily basis! Yes, I realize that the woman of today are extremely busy-working, running the home, etc. Nevertheless, if you take just 5 minutes and care for your skin (the largest organ of your body) it'll make all the difference. You can slap on as much foundation & concealer as you want ladies...but if your skin is dry even the most expensive foundation will look cakey & flakey!
For some reason our grandmothers got it in their heads that using cold cream & never allowing water to touch the face was the best way to prevent wrinkles. ***Allow me to just say that if your grandmother did this & did indeed have wonderful skin then its because of good genetics...and just think if she actually had a solid skin regime what her skin would have looked like! Let me share a story with you: I was working in the skincare section one day at Sephora this elderly looking lady came up to me & wanted a cream for the wrinkles that covered her entire face (they were at least a quarter deep). She went on to tell me that she was only 70 years old & could I believe how wonderful her skin looked?! To be honest I was totally freaked out even having a conversation with this woman since her skin was not only one big wrinkle but so dry she looked like a walking corpse. She continued to tell me her "secret" which was she never allowed a drop of water to touch her face, never washed her face in all her 70 years. And every night smothered her skin in massive amount of cold cream! AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!! This was the most appalling thing I ever heard. I had to be honest with this woman that nothing we carry would reverse the wrinkles on her face. I didn't want her to waste her money.
Why may you ask is cold cream so bad for your skin? It contains mineral oil which adds to skin aging. When products with mineral oil are regularly applied, cellular activity decreases, aging becomes more apparent, and other anti-aging ingredients that you may be using are incapable to be properly absorbed because your cells have been damaged people! Okay now you may want to know what mineral oil is: " Petroleum by-product that coats the skin like plastic, clogging the pores. Interferes with skin's ability to eliminate toxins, promoting acne and other disorders. Slows down skin function and cell development, resulting in premature aging. ...Any mineral oil derivative can be contaminated with cancer causing PAH's (Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons). Manufacturers use petrolatum because it is unbelievably cheap. It is produced as a byproduct of the distillation of gasoline from crude oil, the same stuff they make gasoline from. Mineral oil is leftover liquid, and because it is abundant, it is very inexpensive. It is less expensive for manufacturers to purchase these by-products as a filler than it is for the industry to dispose of it. " YUCKKKK!!! If you are using any product on your body that contains mineral oil put it back in the trash where the company using it found it!!! What should you be using? Use products that have ingredients such as essential fatty acids, ceramides, vitamin C, & hyaluronic acid these ingredients promote cellular repair. Additionally, you should use a lighter lotion in the day & a more emollient one at night.
Hey Amy, what are your thoughts on the Mario Badescu line for skin care, possibly compared to the Neutrogena Skin ID or Proactiv.
ReplyDeleteHey Courtney, I've worked with the Mario Badescu line over the hoilday season when I was working at Lavish Body + Home in Scranton. Its an excellent line-all the ingredients are active ingredients. The less ingedients in your skincare the better. I got a Mario Badescu glycolic facial from Lauren Woodard at Lavish and it was INCREDIABLE!!! I havent personally tried Neutrogena Skin ID but never had any luck myself with drugstore brands treating acne. The only comparison to Mario & drugstore brands is the price. Mario is very very reasonable!!! Proactiv I have tried on the other hand and it did work for me BUT DO NOT USE PROACTIV!!! It may clear up acne but will leave your pores permentally larger!!! Trust me :( The best ingredients for combating acne Ive found are glycolic acid & sulfur. The plus to using products with glycolic is that its a multi-tasker. Meaning not only does it kill the bacteria that causes acne but it reduces fine lines and minimizes pores. Im having a love affair with glycolic acid actually...and will be posting much more on it in the future. But just remember when using glycolic it may be drying at 1st so follow the directions and dont use glycoic in all your skincare products. I used a glycolic wash and serum for a few weeks once and my skin got so so dry (which never happens). I personally recommend using in as a treatment product (serum).
ReplyDeleteThank you for your help Amy :) I appreciate it!
ReplyDeleteLet me know what you end up choosing & how you like it! If you need help picking out Mario products let me know Id love to help. Remember you dont have to stick to one line, use what products work for your skin. I think Im currently using 4 or 5 different brands in my skincare regime and I feel like my skin is at it's best ever :)
ReplyDeleteWe went to Ulta and decided on the Mario collection...they had a starter kit with a lotion, cream, and buffer that we chose, we'll let you know about the results!
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about more questions I have had throughout the years in relation to makeup and skin care (I've never really been "in the know" about either) and I've come up with a few more questions or topics for your blog that I know have always boggled my mind. So here goes:
1) How long is too long to be wearing the same perfume? I've been wearing mine (Victoria's Secret Heavenly) since 7th grade, and almost 10 years later I still love it, but when is enough enough?
2) What is the best exfoliant to use? Something like a St. Ives or is that too harsh? What about the morning burst by Clean Clean and Clear?
3) What is a good foundation and cover up to use that won't make me breakout more?
4) Are there certain foods that one should stay clear of because they can be bad for your skin?
5) How do you choose the right lipstick for your complexion?
6) How do you do smokey eyes?
Well, that's all for now, I'm sure I'll think of more, but I look forward to hearing your advice :) Thanks!
It'll take me a while to answer all these!!! But I def will, I promise. Right of the bat thou to answer number 1...if you love Heavenly then dont change it the point of wearing fragrances are to smell lovely. If you want a change thou you could always add another and alternate or use a different fragrance in your lotion.
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