Facts vs. Myths on Why and How We Wrinkle

Everyone hates wrinkles. Whether we have yet to find the first little line on our face or are looking in the mirror wondering how all those fine lines and wrinkles got there, we all want to know how to make it stop. There are a million and one products and procedures advertised and marketed today claiming to stop the aging process, reverse the aging process, and more but what's real and what's full of crap? AND, are there any ways in our day to day lives (without forking out hundreds of dollars on this cream and that injection) that we can, if anything, delay the visible aging process? Here's a little general information on skin's aging that may just help. These were all tidbits from the Good Housekeeping magazine in November 2012 from an article entitled "What Really Stops a Wrinkle?" by Melanie Rud.

1. Do wrinkles tend to show up on side of the face verse the other? Yes, the left side, according to dermatologist Mona Gohara M.D., of Yale School of Medicine. "Collagen breakdown and wrinkling typically happen more rapidly on that side of the face for Americans." What is to blame? Driving! And don't think you're plenty safe if you always use the air conditioning and keep those windows up tight. "The sun's aging UVA rays penetrate the car's window glass." Therefore it is important to wear a broad-spectrum sunscreen year round to defend your skin from those UVA rays even when you think you're "indoors".

2. Is there an ideal time during the year to start using a retinoid? Yes, there certainly is. Retinoid products are the "gold standard" in reducing those fine lines and wrinkles, but they can be irritating, especially to sensitive skins. It is ideal to begin using these products during Spring and Summer when the environment is moist and warm. You may find yourself extra sensitive to retinoids during the colder months with all the dry air pumping out and cold temperatures. However, retinoids can make your skin more sun sensitive so remember to always pair it with a daily SPF lotion.

3. Does your place or residence age you faster ... city vs country? Yes it does. City dwellers are constantly exposed to air pollutants which is a major factor in skin's aging according to a recent German study. Protection is simple though; wash your face each night to ensure the pollutants don't sit on your skin. Also, since we all know these pollutants are decreasing the protective ozone layer, using a daily antioxidant serum is ideal to protect your skin further. It is important to remember that the sun is always one of the leading causes of visible aging so living in sunny climates makes you more prone to visible aging so again, sun screen is key.

4. When is it best to apply the strongest anti-aging products? This by far is my favorite question. Countless women (and men) would ask me at my cosmetic counters why we had day and night creams. They felt as though it was merely a sales tactic to make more money and clutter up everyone's medicine cabinets with cream after cream. There is a simple, logical, and important reason to have a day AND a night cream/lotion/serum. First, day-specific creams will almost always have an SPF which is important and beneficial during the day for protecting your skin. However, your skin goes through different processes during the night and absorbing SPF in through your pores each night when you have no sun exposure is not healthy. Your skin cells work to repair themselves during the night and night time creams or no time specific treatments with anti-aging ingredients like retinoids, AHAs, or peptides are best applied at night. Also at night, you don't have the concern of these powerful (and typically pricier) products being diluted by daytime products like sunscreen and makeup.

5. Does using an exfoliating scrub often help to soften the look of fine lines and wrinkles? Not really. Over exfoliating can damage your skin and lead to excessive dryness which will actually make fine lines look more pronounced. However, appropriate amounts of exfoliation can maintain skin's glow and improve anti-aging treatments ability to penetrate the skin. Be sure to check the labels and use either a gentle daily exfoliator or a once-a-week scrub ... and don't mix them up! If you find your skin is too sensitive for any type of abrasive exfoliation, try a chemical exfoliant like moisturizing washes with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) or chemical peel kits.

And finally a little cheat sheet from the article in Good Housekeeping to help you find the right moisturizer for your dry skin concerns since all dry skins are NOT the same!:

HUGE-MUNGOUS SALE AT ULTA!!!!!!

Hey lady loves (and my style-conscious boys too)! Hope you had a great and safe 4th of July and are managing to stay cool in this crazy heat! I just had a little visit to Ulta today in Springfield mall and picked up a couple things I needed, but the sales are insane!!! I wanted to give my readers a little preview of what you can get during this sale in case you aren't signed up for their mailers. As a side point, go sign up! It's absolutely free and you just provide name, address, and phone number and they give you a little membership card. If you forget or lose your card though, no big deal because they can look up your membership by your phone number. Also, if you ever have a problem or need to return a product and lose your receipt, they can look up the transaction using your membership card/phone number. You also accumulate points towards free products and get their monthly mailers that always include a coupon like $3.50 off $10 or 20% an item.

Anyway ...ULTA sales are valid today, Sunday, July 7th through Saturday, July 27th!

 

• Major sales on jumbo sizes of shampoos and conditioners. Buy the jumbo sizes for anywhere from $12.99 to $19.99 of select brands, but there is a huge variety! Also, you get a free pump with the purchase of any liters, which is a $3.00 value!
• Select professional haircare and styling products like bigsexyhair, REDKEN, CHI, Wella, and more are buy 2, get 1 free and with any $20 haircare purchase, you get a free Healthy Sexy Hair Soy Renewal .34oz (a $6 value!).
• Ulta Beauty in a Flash Collection is now $19.99 (reg. $24.99). It's a 56 piece collection including 12 eye shadow palettes containing 48 shades, 3 blush shades, 1 bronzer, 2 dual-ended eye liner, 2 lip glosses, and more. The reusable case is perfect for tablets or netbooks or storing makeup.
• Cover Girl, Physicians Formula, Neutrogena, NYX, Nutra Nail, Elegant Touch, Prestige Cosmetics, Palladio Cosmetics, Kardashian Beauty Collection, and Maybelline cosmetics lines are all buy 1, get 1 50% off.
• The non "prestige" brands skincare is 15% off
• And finally "Great Values from ULTA":

• $1 ULTA Kohl or Smokey Eye Automatic Liners or Pencil Lip Liners (reg $7-8)
• $2 ULTA Lip Crayon, Automatic Eye Liner, Precision Liquid Eye Liner, Salon Nail Lacquer, or Single Eye Shadow (reg $6-8)
• $3 ULTA All Cheek Color, Extreme Wear Whipped Eye Shadow or Whipped Foundation (reg $7-12.50 and excludes bronzers)
• $4 ULTA Baked Eye Shadow Duo & Trio, Extreme Wear Gel Eye Liner, Cream Eye Shadow, Glitter Eye Top Coat, Eye Crayon, Gel Eye Liner Pencil, Liquid Eye Liner, Eye Makeup Remover, Professional Nail, or All Lip Color (reg $6-10)
• $5 ULTA Foundation, Pressed Powder, Concealer, Complete Eye Shadow Quad, or Mascara (reg $7-14)
• $6 ULTA Face Primers (reg $12.50-18)

Summer Loving

Hello gorgeous! I know it has been so so so very long since I've written. Tons has gone on and I apologize for the delay! Let me give you a little update! My hubby started an AMAZING new job with Mercedes Benz :) and my baby girl, Zoe, is 18 months old today! Can you believe?! Time flies. We also found out just about 13 weeks ago that we are expecting our second baby!!! He/she is due at the SAME exact time Zoe was born so I get a second Christmas baby! Best Christmas gifts I could ask for! We moved our growing family into a new house out of an apartment so things are going very well! Well, but busy! I hope you're all doing well, staying beautiful, and enjoying all things beauty. I haven't abandoned my love of cosmetics at all, just been a bit busy to write.

While I have some time on this Saturday night, let me give you a little update on some products I am LOVING!

Body:

Shick Hydro Silk for Women. Love, love, love! It is a lot like Venus razors in that you buy a "starter kit" with a handle, shower/tub hanger, and a refill cartridge or 2. You also purchase refill packs in amounts of 4 or 8, like Venus ... but for A LOT LESS MONEY! First of all MAJOR BENEFIT is that Target offers Target coupons for Shick almost every month in the Sunday paper coupon inserts. Often you can find manufacturer coupons as well. Target lets you combine Target and manufacturer coupons for added savings! Also, they often have bonus times where a 4 pack of refills comes with an extra refill free!

At full price the starter kit is listed for $9.49 at Target, but you can often find a $1 or $2 Target coupon and a $1 or $2 manufacturer coupon to combine and end up with a $4 savings, paying only $5.49 for the starter kit. Beat that, Venus! The cartridge refills? Even better deals. You can save $8-$9 dollars combining coupons and the full price for refills is less than Venus's are and they rarely offer coupons and they are only manufacturer so no combining. They work just as well, last just as long. It has 5 blades, silk reconditioning strips, and is an all around great razor!

Face:

Olay Fresh Effects (Bead Me Up) Exfoliating Cleanser. Amazing face wash that combines the cleansing purpose of soap in that it removes dirt, makeup, and oil, but it also gently exfoliates too! The benefit to an exfoliating cleanser with beads is that they are man-made. Many people think apricot or sugar scrubs are best since they are natural, but there is a problem. Sand or sugar scrubs use rough, abrasive particles to remove dead skin. However, these particles are uneven with rough edges and make tiny cuts in your skin to remove the dead skin. Man-made beads are perfectly round and therefore massage your skin gently and remove skin safely and gently.

This cleanser is only $5.99 at Target and many $1.00 coupons are around! Give it a try!



Well that's all I have time for now, but I'll try to update more often! Thanks for your understanding, and of course your reading my posts!

How I've Missed You ... (BB CREAM!)

all so much! I'm so sorry for the HUGE delay in updating my blog posts! Life has been insanely hectic lately and I'm sans computer so I'll do the best I can until I get a new laptop!

Zoe - 11 months old!

Well Merry Christmas just about everyone! I hope you're all enjoying the holiday seasons and that Santa will be good to you! My little Zoe will be 1 on the 29th and I just cannot believe how fast this last year has gone by! I'm so grateful to any of you that are still out there reading my older blog posts and that will continue to read my newer ones and for being so patient with me! Zoe has had me running around so again, I apologize!




Without any more delay ...

BB CREAM!

I know, it's been talked about. Every brand and their mother makes a BB Cream now and its on all the shelves of drug stores, beauty stores and even at the high end department store counters. Here's a real quick synopsis of what the hell BB Cream actually is for those of you who've missed the boat and then I'll tell you about my favorite one!

BB Cream stands for a variety of things. In East and Southeast Asia where it began its popularity, it stands for Blemish Balm or Blemish Base. In the Western markets, where I'm sure it is unnecessary to say BB Cream has gained popularity, it's widely known as Beauty Balm.

The real wonder of the little tube is its multi-use abilities. It is designed to be an all in one product. It is intended to replace serum, moisturizer, primer, foundation, and sunblock, essentially saying all your skin care, makeup, and sun protection in one little tube.

While I LOVE my BB Cream, I disagree personally that it can replace ALL of these items. First and foremost, while it may be a substitute moisturizer for some and maybe more useful in the summer, it doesn't pack quite enough moisture for drier skins, especially in the winter.

Serum? I don't think so. Serums are SO personal. There are so many out there for so many different skin concerns and one BB Cream universal for everyone aside from 3 different shades cannot replace any and every serum. If you are using a basic serum and have younger skin, it may be good enough, but in general, don't kick your serum out yet!

It can certainly replace foundation has it is opaque and helps fade blemishes, redness, and discolorations. However, unless you have pretty flawless skin, it only DIMINISHES! It doesn't hide true problem areas, it makes them fade out a little.

In my opinion, the BB Cream makes for an excellent primer/lightweight concealer. It fades my redness, diminishes my dark circles, and makes any pimple less noticeable. It also does hydrate my skin as far as primers go, but I still use a regular moisturizer morning and night, but for a little kick-start of hydration before applying my makeup, it's perfect!

It, of course, is a wonderful sunblock as long as it is worn daily and has a decent SPF, though most major companies distributing BB Cream to our stores have included an SPF so that's not a big worry when shopping.

My personal favorite is Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB Cream. It comes in 5 shades online, but you'll generally find 3 in stores: Light, Light/Medium, and Medium/Deep. Most people will fall into the Light/Medium shade. If you are very fair with pink undertones, go light and if you are tan, especially with an olive pigment, choose Medium/Deep.

At Target or Walmart, it's generally around $7.50 and at Ulta, it is $8.99, but with their coupons, especially if you're buying a few other things, they can offer a better deal.

How've you been?

Hey! I missed you all! I'm so sorry for the infrequent postings and general lack of posts lately! My life has been hectic to say the least, but it seems to finally be coming together. My hubby is all settled in at his new(ish) job and doing extremely well ... and not only that ... he loves the job & they love him! So happy and proud of him. Our little Zoe is growing TOO quickly; she'll be 10 months on the 29th. She's a little behind schedule with teeth, but her bottom two just broke through a few days ago! She is days away from walking and growing beautifully. As for me, oh boy! My ankle is a mess and I've been sick for WEEKS, but I'm working on it!

Anyway, I know I'm going to be a week behind (I'm sorry), but October's Beauty Week will begin this Sunday, October 21 and I'll plan to continue all future beauty weeks as they were: occurring the week of the 15th each month, beginning on the Sunday of that week. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding.

I also got an update from AdSense and it seems ads on blog feeds will be leaving so you'll be saying bye to those soon too. Feel free to visit any of the side or bottom ads while they're around if you find anything relevant or useful in them!

I would like to give the heads up to my readers that Forever 21 will be having their Friends & Family sale this Sunday, October 21, 2012!!! If you visit them online, you'll find a banner along the top suggesting you to subscribe for e-mail updates to get info on sales, deals, and especially the F&F discount on 10/21! I'm anxiously awaiting the announcement of what the actual sale will be; I've heard 20% off, but not quite sure since they seem to use a theme of the number "21" when it comes to sales days, return window, and so on so I guess we shall see!

Forever 21 recently reopened their new store in the King of Prussia Mall with a new space, which is now two floors and features TONS of new stock! They now offer Forever 21, Love21, Forever 21 Girls, 21Men, Forever 21+ Plus Sizes with a huge variety to choose from! They also have a big accessories section with jewelery, shoes, purses, scarves, and more!

They have amazingly low prices and a big range of looks, styles, colors, and sizes. The only downside I've found to this store is that you MUST be sure of your purchase before you make it since they have a very strict return policy. All returns must be made within 21 days of purchase date, you must have your receipt and the tags must still be attached. All returns are either exchanges or can be returned for store credit-no monetary reimbursement! It's well worth shopping here and the drive out, if you're not close to KOP (or wherever your Forever 21 is), for the amazing selection and value! I got a whole head-to-toe outfit (purse included) for around $80! This included a pair of skinny jeans, a cute top, a skinny belt, a pea coat, and purse! Killer deal, right??

Anyway, this post was much longer than I meant to make it, but I'll keep you loves updated on the F&F sale! Don't forget to visit Forever 21 in store and online and sign up for the e-mail updates!

Clearasil Acne+Marks Spot Lotion Review

I was recently visiting my local Dollar Tree (surprising, I know ;) ...) and can you believe they already have Christmas decorations out?! I mean we're not even in October yet and some of the Halloween and Thanksgiving decorations shelving have been given up to Christmas! While I adore the Christmas season, I think we could slow down a little, huh? Anyway, back to the point of this post ... as the title says .. Clearasil Acne+Mark Spot Lotion! .. and for $1.00!

I have tried many an-acne spot treatment and some work really well, others don't do a thing, and one even scarred a pimple onto my face! In my experience the percentage of salicylic acid is what makes the difference. It has to be high enough to actually do something, but low enough (for everyday users anyway) to not burn your skin. Obviously prescribed acne treatments can often have a higher percentage when necessary or even a stronger medication. I have found that for everyday, random pop-up blemishes, 2% is the perfect amount. Not too strong, but effective. This spot lotion has just that-2%.

Another issue I've found with even effective ones is that they burn horribly when applied and have a very strong smell. God forbid you were cursed with a blemish around your nose or eye area and have to use one of these. You'll be pouring tears from the combination of the smell and burn.

This product has a very soft smell that is pretty pleasant and doesn't smell like medication. It doesn't burn at all and is, just as the name says, a lotion. It's not a gel or a clear liquid like many others; instead, it's a white lotion. You can apply it strictly as a spot treatment or over an area of blemishes or previous acne scars.

My husband and I both gave it a try. I have very occasional, small blemishes, while he gets more boil-type blemishes. He only gets them very sporadically now, but used to have bad acne and has acne scarring. We both found that it did not burn or have a bad odor. We also found that it reduced the size and redness of blemishes for both of us, from small pimples to boil-sized blemishes. As far as the acne scarring, we haven't used it long enough to see its effectiveness on that. So far, so good for its name and promises and I will keep you posted on its ability to erase prior acne scars.

From my research, it appears that this product has been updated and that new product is on the shelves in stores now, but this one is at the Dollar Tree and a few other stores, like Walmart. However, it is $6.17 online on Walmart's website so give your Dollar Tree a try! Big savings! AND Dollar Tree now accepts manufacturer coupons!!! Here you can find the new version from Clearasil!

One Month, One Week, One Day Before the BIG EVENT

We all want to prepare our skin so it's in its ideal condition for that big event. As we are in September, we have upcoming weddings, whether its our own, one we are in, or just one we're attending, holidays are arriving which is when we see all the relatives we don't see often, or maybe you're heading back to your home town and want to show that ex of yours what he missed out on when you run into him at the grocery store, or just want to prep your skin for the change of seasons. Whatever your reason, simply piling makeup on your skin, especially skin that needs some TLC, is not the fix. A great look, makeup or not, begins with great skin. I'm going to give you some advice for preparing for a big event whether you have a month, a week, or only 24 hours to prepare!

One Month:

When you have an entire month to adjust your skin's condition, you have to start from within. If you don't eat or drink properly, you gain weight and it shows when your clothes don't fit, right? Well when you're not ingesting the proper nutrients, it shows in your nails, hair, and of course, your skin! Water is ESSENTIAL. Hydrating from within makes skin glow. Eat lots of fruits and veggies for the vitamins and of course, because they are high in water content. It is also advised to avoid (or at least lessen) your intake of caffeine. Green tea and pure cranberry juice (***not from concentrate***) have always been known to have amazing health benefits internally and they are great for your skin too! Eating salmon is also wonderful for your skin.

If you are acne prone, lower your intake of saturated fats. Increase your water intake and eat plenty of fiber-rich foods. And I'm sure it goes without saying, but, STOP SMOKING! Smoking is HORRENDOUS for skin ... and pretty much everything else.

When you have a month to prepare, feel free to try different skin services. Whether you visit the spa or a dermatologist, or simply do at-home kits, a month is an ideal amount of time to try something new. Microdermabrasion for example leaves skin red and irritated looking for a few days and if you were to have a bad reaction to something new, you'll have plenty of time to recover. Glycolic peels work the same way in that you need some down time before applying any makeup. If you have drier skin, give oxygen therapies a try!

One Week:

This is the time to just maintain your skin care. Trying anything too rough or new is a big risk with only 7 days from a big event. Oxygen peels or masks are ideal at this time because they hydrate and renew the skin with big, noticeable changes without the need of any recovery time.

At the one week mark, your best bet is to maintain your healthy diet, increase your water consumption, stay faithful to your skin care routine, wash makeup off daily, and if you do anything "special", make sure it's something you've tried before, with no risk of an adverse reaction. Again, oxygen masks are generally a safe way to go.

One Day:

Let's face it: Rome wasn't built in a day. Whether you've been faithfully taking care of your skin up to now or are just beginning to worry about it, there isn't much more you can do with 24 hours notice. The key is rest. Rest yourself and your skin. Don't overdo exercise or try a whole bunch of products. Drink plenty of water, eat well, and take a walk. Get the body moving and blood flowing, but don't exert yourself.

Even if you've taken immaculate care of your skin, blemishes pop up; that's just life. And I know every woman out there feels like they'll be the "one" to get a pimple right on the tip of their nose the morning of their wedding. It happens. Don't cake on tons of concealer or try to pop it because not only will that look bad in pictures, you'll end up oozing and scarring! If you notice it the night before, try a trusted, PREVIOUSLY USED spot treatment. The morning of, apply cold to lessen the size and redness. Wrap an ice cube in a thin kitchen towel and just rest it over the pimple for a couple minutes. Apply one layer of concealer to reduce any residual redness and continue with your makeup regimen as normal (or as planned for the big day) and know no one is perfect!

The most important thing to remember, no matter how much time you have, is to relax. Stress is proven to be so bad for us, inside and out, so stressing about your skin care will just cause more problems! Relax, enjoy your skin care & makeup, and have fun at your big event!

If any of my lovely readers have any questions about preparing for an event, specific products, or makeup for certain events, comment below or visit me on Facebook! I love hearing from you!