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Tag Archives : serum

Nail The No-makeup Look In Seven Minutes

Ten months ago, at 40, I became a mother. As a marketing executive turned entrepreneur, I’ve always spent 80% of my time at work. The addition of a baby has been quite an adjustment. I’m still working like a machine but have had to tweak (OK maybe more than tweak) my routine in order to accommodate the even greater deficit of time that a baby brings to the mix. In short, the no makeup look has become an absolute must for me. My repertoire consists of seven steps (but can be cliff-noted a bit – just skip step 1A and 4A).

Ironically, makeup is the least important part of the no-makeup look. What separates the women from the girls is investing a handful of minutes, every day, to establish a consistent self care ritual. Not everyone is going to cleanse, apply two serums, a moisturizer, face oil and under eye cream…like I do – yes, two serums. That said, the secret behind an authentic no-makeup look is having beautiful, healthy skin to build-on. If you make the commitment to nurture your skin upfront, you’ll save a ton of time and energy in the long run. Five to six minutes (seven tops) is all you’ll need.

Don’t have a skin care regimen in place?

Start with a cleanser and moisturizer. These should be used in the morning and at night before bed – even if you’re exhausted and can’t be bothered. If you’re in your twenties or early thirties, you might not need more. Once you have your basic system down pat, especially if you are 35+, try adding a serum and under eye cream. Here is a simple step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Wash your face!

Sounds easy enough – right? But at night, after a long day, the thought of taking your clothes off before climbing into bed may be daunting enough, let alone dragging yourself into the bathroom to wash your face and remove your makeup. The good news is there are multi-tasking products out there and they save loads of time. Why use four products when you can use one? Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm is an award winning, quadruple-threat spa in a jar. This British import is a moisturizing, deep-cleansing, exfoliating, makeup-removing cleanser, mask and leave on overnight treatment (I also use it as a lip mask) that doesn’t strip the skin of its essential oils. The key ingredient, moringa, is a superfood that contains nine essential amino acids, Vitamins A & C, Iron and Calcium and is packed with protein and antioxidants. Medical research has revealed that it not only calms inflammation in many tissues of the body, including the skin, but also helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol. I also brew a tea, daily, made from ginger, moringa and lemongrass. This concoction is known as Bush Tea on many Caribbean Islands and is often the first remedy administered at the onset of a cold, flu, headache…well anything. I am a big believer in holistic beauty – take care of your insides and it will reflect on the outside.

Holistic-beauty-travel-beautyStep 1A: Serious Serum

If you are going to go for the gold and incorporate a treatment serum into your skin care ritual, Sapelo Skin Care Spring Tide Serum is an excellent choice. Truth be told, it can be used as a stand alone treatment product. It contains high concentrations of a potent cocktail of proteins, peptides, amino acids, active Omega 3 fatty acids, Vitamins A and E, as well as Selenium, Magnesium, Copper and Zinc. The magic ingredient is a 5% highly blenderized, unfertilized, organic Norwegian Salmon Roe Extract. This extract stimulates growth in the dermis boosting the skin’s ability to build collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. In other words, it works.

Step 2: Hydrate

I happened upon an exceptionally high-tech line of cosmeceuticals in Switzerland called EVENSWISS, which is backed by 30 years of scientific research. This revolutionary anti-aging (or pro-aging – I’m actually ok with calling a spade a spade) skin care line utilizes cutting-edge signaling technology along with pure concentrations of a unique patented complex to promote the skin’s elasticity by sending signals to cells in the deepest layers of the dermis. These signals stimulate cells to produce increased collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, literally regenerating new healthy skin cells. EVENSWISS Rich Regenerating Cream, the star product of the line, is an ultra light formulation ideal for sensitive, reactive and/or dry skin as well as pregnant women. Pregnancy can interfere with normal cellular activity and send skin into a tizzy. EVENSWISS’ moisturizer nurtures and repairs stressed skin.

Now for the NO-MAKEUP cakewalk

Step 3: Mascara application

The type of mascara you use is much less important than how you apply it. I happen to be using Le Volume De Chanel right now. I also like Maybelline Great Lash Mascara in Very Black. The trick is combing your lashes before and after you apply mascara with Tweezerman Folding ILashcomb. It separates and elongates lashes so you don’t wind up with what I call spider clump lashes. ILashcomb has metal spokes – so be careful! Finally, place your pinky finger right under your lower lash line, horizontally and blink your eyes a handful of times. This will remove the excess mascara so it doesn’t run or work its way into your under eye highlighter later on.

Step 4: Lashes and brows

If you have beautiful, thick, long lashes, they can never be voluminous enough and if you are in need of a lash and/or brow boost, you MUST try Jessica Johnson Classic Beauty Brow and Lash Conditioning Serum. Just apply a light coat above your upper lash line and/or on brows before bed. This is the real deal and it not only spurs hair growth but conditions as well. I have tried a number of reputable, over the counter lash serums only to have an allergic reaction. I had no sensitivity with this conditioning serum and it really works.

Step 4A: Under eye cream

You’ve now finished your mascara application. What’s next? Take a damp Q-tip and sweep it across your under eye area to ensure that no mischievous mascara flakes have set up house there. Sweep the area again with a dry Q-tip to soak up excess water. At this point, I apply an under eye cream. (Skipping this step? Go straight to step five.) If you prefer more of a serum-like texture I recommend EVENSWISS Rejuvenating Eye Complex. If you are partial to a creamier formula, try Emma Hardie Age Support Eye Cream. They are both fantastic and you will see results.

The no-makeup look travel beauty

Step 5: Under eye highlighter

Apply an under eye highlighter focusing on the area under the inner eye and then sweep out and dab to blend. It’s important to pick the right shade. Right now I’m using Yves Saint Laurent Touche Éclat in Luminous Vanilla. I am fair skinned and prefer less coverage. The Touche Éclat line has shades to fit every skin shade and coverage preference. If I develop a blemish I use a dab of Touche Éclat to camouflage it as well.

Step 6: Powder bronzer

For the finishing touch, sweep Institut Esthederm Sunshine Care Powder over the apples of your cheeks with a medium sized blush brush. It provides just enough color to give you a healthy, sun kissed glow and the small compact is wonderful for travel and gals on the go. It’s a handbag must have.

Step 7: Lip gloss

I almost forgot the lip gloss. Lancôme Juicy Tubes are my old stand-by. I know they’re old school but they keep my perpetually chapped lips moist and the colors are ultra shimmery – which I love. Marshmallow Electra is my favorite color.

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By: Alyssa Barrie Weiss, Twitter: @AlyssaBarrie

 

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Winter Weather Skin Care Tips

Even the most stout-skinned of us need to brace our faces against harsh winter weather. If your skin is sensitive, you’ve probably come to fear winter like the zombie apocalypse. And unfortunately, it’s not just Jack Frost’s nose nips that put our skin through the ringer. The colder it gets out, the harder we pump the heat indoors. Our days then consist of going from cold to hot to cold. This constant switching from bitter cold to incredibly drying convection heat and back to bitter cold again can severely stress and deplete skin. Here are some tips and tools to give skin the extra protection it needs in winter.

  • To begin…In summer, we leave the house in nothing but a tank dress and sandals. DONE. In winter, it’s a hat, gloves, scarf, sweater, parka, etc. In the same vein, if you leave your house in winter with your face “wearing” the same old products as it does in summer, you’re leaving your face incredibly under-protected. too exposed to the elements and environment.
  • Expand your product arsenal. Using a (gentle) cleanser, toner, scrub, serum/essence, balm, oil, cream and SPF is NOT excessive for winter months. When you use each productand how much you usedepends on your skin’s needs. Experiment with different combinations to see which makes your skin the happiest and look its best. If you apply a product and see your skin is drinking it in, add another. Your skin obviously needs it. One caveat: Try to keep your SPF as a standalone product, and don’t have it be the first product you put on clean skin, as it will only clog pores. Apply a toner and at least a serum first, so a layer is created between the SPF and your skin.
  • Calm down with the cleansing. At this time of year, your skin needs every drop of moisture it can get, so don’t strip it twice a day with an industrial strength cleanser. As much as you may love a soapy, foamy, bubbly face wash (I know I do), switch to a gentler cleanser, at least until April. You can’t go wrong with B. Kamins Laboratories Vegetable Cleanser, or for a more luxe choice, try Sapelo Skin Care Seaweed Cleanser. For a real moisture surge, use a cleansing balm. In the winter (well, all year round, really) we love Cosmetics 27 Cleanser 27 by M.E. SkinLab and the cult favorite Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm. Both balms are silky, gentle, all-natural and full of high quality botanical ingredients that not only deeply cleanse skin, but also nourish and repair it.
  • I loveLOVEmy steamy (read: scalding) showers…especially on a cold winter morning! You too? Well, as good as we know that hot water feels, we must resist the temptation to stand under a scalding shower stream to warm ourselves up. As I’ve aged, I’ve really seenand feltthe toll that super-hot (and therefore super-drying) water has taken on my skin…from scalp to sole. The skin on my legs and tops of my feet, where the water hits most often, seems impossible to keep smooth and dewy these days. So keep the shower water warmtepid even. If you can’t tolerate the tepidness for an entire shower, aim for at least a portion of it. The most beneficial moments to turn down the temp would be when you’re rinsing off shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc.
  • While you’re in the shower, exfoliate. Everywhere. I know I’m entering broken record territory here about exfoliating; I only mention it in EVERY SINGLE BLOG POST. But really, exfoliating regularly will TRANSFORM your skinface…body…all of it. Lavido’s Gentle Exfoliator Peeling Cream for face is super-gentle, with Oyster Shell Powder and Pomegranate Peel Grains to provide a subtle scrubbing action. For body, Glytone Body Wash, withyou guessed it—glycolic acid, is the gold standard exfoliating wash. It is definitely not a “green” product, though, so if you want to stay away from chemicals, the Sasawashi Mesh Body Scrub Towel, Yu-be Foaming Skin Polish Body Scrub and Mio Skincare Double Buff Dual Enzyme Exfoliator are solid exfoliator choices that provide manual, as opposed to chemical (like Glytone), exfoliation. Yu-be Foaming Skin Polish and Mio Skincare Double Buff can both also be used on your face. Don’t forget your scalp, too! Does your scalp dry up once temperatures drop? Philip Kingsley’s Exfoliating Scalp Mask is brilliant. Not just for a healthy scalp, but for the overall quality of your hair. Healthy scalp=happy, beautiful hair.
  • Even in winter, use an acid. Work a peeling/exfoliating product into your routine 1-2 times a day (only once at night if your skin is particularly sensitive/reactive). Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel Pads are my hands-down favorite. They come in several different “strengths”, so even those with sensitive skin can use them. Follow your peel pads with a spritz or cotton pad soaked swipe of a hydrating toner (we know you read our recent blog post on toners, right?!) before applying your serum. Quick note on toners: This is the time of year to avoid all alcohol-heavy products. They are incredibly drying and irritating, especially after an AHA product.
  • Multimask! Though you should continue to use face masks year round, opt for more hydrating ones in the winter, as opposed to detoxifying clay/mud/charcoal based ones. If you have combination skin that still breaks out occasionally in winter, you can always multimask! Use a deep-cleansing/detoxifying mask on your T-zone and problem areas, like Binchotan Facial Cleansing Mask then a moisturizing mask on cheeks and drier areas. Winter is also the perfect time to work a hydrating sleep mask into your skin care routine. And honestly, any creamy mask can be a “sleep mask”, just apply before bed and leave it on overnight. The best of the best? Celeb (and royalty) favorite, Heaven Skincare’s Bee Venom Mask.

What are your cold weather skin care hacks? Let us know in the comments!

By: Claire McCormack, Twitter & Instagram

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