So Many Products, So Little Time, Part 2

In WWD’s Prestige Beauty Winners of 2013, the Color Cosmetics Category winner was Giorgio Armani Rough Ecstasy CC Lipstick. This 36-lipstick collection is Triple-C for color, comfort, and care. The colors are fabulous—some soft, some brilliantly intense, all beautifully tinted. These lipsticks treat as well as color to lips, marrying lip balm and lip stick in a dynamic duo. At $34, they are luxury purchases, but are still flying off the shelves in the U.S.

Ibuki by Shideido took the Prestige Skin Care category. Seven products comprise this offering, which targets 20-somethings and their specific skin issues: lack of sleep, oiliness, visible pores, and rough skin from shall we say less-than-optimal nutrition. The cleansers, moisturizers, and refining products tackle all of these problems and constitute serious skin care for millennials who want a product formulated specifically for them rather than their mothers or grandmothers. Products are in the $25 to $45 range, so let’s hope those millennials have disposable income.

The Prestige Hair Care category went to Color Wow Root Cover Up, a product that covers up gray between sessions with the hairdresser. This solid powder pigment is applied with a brush, and is selling like gangbusters at Ulta and on QVC, and is part of a line of products crafted to address various problems that occur with color-treated hair. It comes in a range of tones so that you can best match your color. Ulta offers Color Wow for $29.50.

The final category in Prestige Beauty Products, Fragrance, was captured by Modern Muse by Estee Lauder. Modern Muse mixes feminine notes (jasmine) with strong notes of wood to create a modern, stylish scent, a break from so many of the Estee Lauder perfumes that remind me of what my grandmother would wear. The 3.4 oz. eau de parfum retails for $98 at Macy’s.

What’s In My Makeup Bag?

News flash: my skin isn’t as clear or young as it used to be. Thinking I needed a little help, I thought I’d give Peter Thomas Roth’s Anti-aging Buffing Beads a try. I like the fact that it isn’t as abrasive as some of the other buffing products I’ve used. The jojoba beads supposedly help to lift dirt and debris from skin pores, and melt away blackheads. I don’t know about that, but I do know after several weeks that my skin looks clearer and I haven’t had any breakouts.

It also contains glycolic and salicylic acids to smooth the skin and reduce the look of fine lines; and the aloe keeps it from drying my skin. I like that I can use just a little bit to cover my face and neck (at $36 a bottle at Sephora, that helps). I also appreciate the fact that it tones and prepares my skin to easily absorb moisturizer and sun block . This is a keeper, and I intend to continue using it morning and evening.

What’s in My Make-up Bag?

This time of year, my normally well-balanced skin takes a beating from the heat and humidity, and turns oily. My forehead, nose, and chin are shiny by early afternoon, and in need of a pick-me-up. That’s why I love Shiseido‘s Pureness Refreshing Cleaning Sheets.

These moisturized cotton wipes clean my skin with a few swipes. They are big enough to handle my face and neck (and feel great on the back of the neck, too), and are sturdy enough that they don’t tear while wiping. The sheets have a pleasant smell and do a thorough job refreshing and cleaning skin. And they are alcohol and oil free, so they don’t dry or put unneeded oil on your face.

Summer is my favorite time to use them, but they come in handy in my desk drawer at work year round when I’m going out for the evening and want to freshen up. And at $18 (from Sephora) for a good-sized pack, they don’t break the bank.  Come to think of it, it’s time to use one right now…

What’s in My Cosmetic Bag Today?

My latest find is Make Up For Ever’s Pro-finish Multi-use Powder Foundation–I love this stuff! It goes on wet or dry, and comes in 25 shades so it’s a relative snap to match your skin color. With an oily T-zone, I use it dry but I did use it both ways, and both worked.

Sephora gave me a sampler with four shades to try, which helped me narrow it down to one. I opted for Pink Porcelain, but the other shades worked, too. I love it to do touch-ups after a day in the office when I’m on my way out at night. A new winner in the make-up bag!

What’s In My Cosmetic Bag Today?

On days such as this when I’m cursed with a pimple along with a wrinkle (how does this happen? you’re killing me, face!), I’m so glad that I have Peter Thomas Roth’s Acne Spot and Area Treatment in my cosmetic bag. It’s my go-to product for breakouts, and it does the job with finesse and swiftness.

A dab smeared around the trouble area dries up the offending blemish in a day or two, without drying out my skin. It’s odorless and blends in with my skin, and does not show obtrusively when I use BB cream or powder over it. I carry it with me in my purse just in case–it is indispensable when my skin is acting up. I wouldn’t be without it.

Test Drive, Pt. 3: Exfoliants

The exfoliant de jour today is Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate Gentle Exfoliating Treatment (cute, huh?). At $65 for 2 ounces, it’s not exactly a bargain. However, value always plays into my equation for what constitutes a bargain for me; if it does the job and makes my skin look great, I’m willing to pay the price (up to a point, which is why I pass on Creme de Mer products).

The sales pitch states that “Microbeads lift dead skin cells from surface while papaya, pumpkin, and pineapple enzymes reduce pore size, stimulate circulation, and improve oxygen flow.” Sounds good.

Unlike the other two products, this one is a seaweed green, and smells like–fruitcake? Something spicy and natural. It goes on easily, and tingles while I’m scrubbing gently, gently, gently. One down side is that it is supposed to stay on the skin for two minutes after I’m finished scrubbing. I always wonder what I’m supposed to do while the product is on my face. Today, I did a sun salutation, so some good came of the two-minute wait! Otherwise, I’m so impatient I can’t see myself doing this too often, especially when I try to keep my facial care to 5 minutes.

Back to ExfoliKate! It washed off cleanly, but my skin felt tighter than I would have liked, and I noticed I had to use a bit more moisturizer afterwards. Perhaps ExfoliKate might work better for women and men with oilier skin. But I’ll give it a pass.

Test Drive: Exfoliants, Part 2

This morning, I took Clinique‘s Exfoliant out for a spin. At $19.50 a tube, it sits in my price range sweet spot, but how would it perform?

It has a grainy and creamy texture, so that I didn’t feel like I was stripping my skin of moisture while I was sloughing off dead cells. It passed the sniff test–no odor. And it had a good, tingling feel as I scrubbed about my face with gentle fingers (and upward strokes, ladies, always upward strokes).

Because of its creamy consistency, I had to use a washcloth to remove all traces, but I was quite pleased with the result–skin that looked and felt clean and moist. The best exfoliants should contain a goodly amount of moisturizer so you don’t feel like you’ve used a belt sander on your face when you’re done. I didn’t really need to use moisturizer, except that I wanted SPF protection, so on it went.

This one is a definite keeper!

BONUS REVIEW: I also trotted out Bobbie Brown‘s Extra Eye Repair Cream, for which I had received several samples. The literature promises that it will reduce puffiness, dark circles, lines, and wrinkles. Of course, multiple applications over time are needed to prove such claims, but I loved the thick consistency, like clotted cream. And I thought it did help reduce puffiness after a few hours perusal. This is a definite maybe–I have enough samples to judiciously last me a couple of weeks, so I’ll see how continued applications help. At $69 for a half ounce, I want better proof of results.

Test Drive: Exfoliants, Part 1

Now that I have amassed a sizable bag of samples from various cosmetic companies, I’ve decided to try out a new sample every night for a week and see which one works best.

This week, I am focusing on exfoliants–those products that help remove the dead skin cells from our faces and necks, leaving our skin clear and smooth. There are exfoliants for the body, too, but those will wait for another time. Exfoliation is important in that it polishes the skin, helping to eliminate rough patches while improving texture and tone, and minimizing fine lines.

First up was Lancer’s Dermatology Natural Minerals Polish. Unlike other exfoliants, the texture is quite fine, like the creams used in microdermabrasion. It had a clean, fresh odor, more like eucalyptus than sea minerals, and went on smoothly. I used just a small bit, dot by dot, on my forehead, cheeks, and chin, and it covered my face and jaw line quite well. Once I applied the polish onto my wet skin, I was instructed to gently massage the polish into my skin, avoiding the eye area. I could feel a tingling, but it was not unpleasant. After a minute, I rinsed my skin. With just one application, my face felt smoother and perhaps looked just a bit brighter. When I finished with moisturizer, my skin looked quite moist and felt like velvet. Go Lancers! It is available at Nordstrom for $75 for 5 ounces, and wouldn’t you know it, the omnipresent Oprah loves it, too.

Tonight, I have a date with Clinique’s Exfoliating Scrub. Anything for science and beauty!

Put Your Money Where Your Face Is

I spent some time on my day off yesterday cruising up and down the aisles of Sephora in the Columbia Mall. Sephora has the kind of allure for me that a candy shop has for a child. Bright lights, pretty packages, so much to choose from! Friendly ladies in black outfits with cutting edge (and dare I say at times frightening) make-up on ask if I need helps and stand ready to let me play with the latest mascara, powder, hand cream, shadow–you name it, they offer it up.

What helps to bring me back to earth is the price tag attached to each of these little wonders. Beauty is many things, but expensive is the word that comes to mind most often. Given that most of us don’t have limitless budgets for beauty products (and if you do, please call me and let’s do lunch), where should we spend our beauty dollars to give us the best return for our money?

I firmly believe that the older we are, the more important it is to spend money on the canvas (our skin) than what goes on it (the cosmetics). So, I put my money into skin treatments–exfoliants, serums, BB creams, moisturizers, and retinol treatments. I also splurged and bought a good set of make-up brushes that I wash weekly and treat like I do my kitchen knives–with great care. I have spent less on skin care products, but not been happy with the result.

My one make-up splurge is for mascara–I buy Christian Dior because I prefer it to all others. It goes on smoothly from root to lash tip, and doesn’t clump or cake on me. Find what works for you, and go with it–but don’t be afraid to ask for samples and try them. You might find yourself a convert to a new product, and then you’ll have to rebalance your budget.

Five Forward Actions to Protect Your Complexion

snow white (Photo credit: rachel sian)

Would that we all had young, supple skin like Snow White–or any of the model lovelies we see gracing the covers of fashion magazines. Time, sun, free radicals, and other drags take their toll on our faces and necks, and none of us will ever look like we did when we were sweet sixteen again.

However, there are some basic actions we can take to protect our skin and help it to look its best (besides drinking water to hydrate our bodies).

1. If possible, schedule a facial. A facial at an established day spa will help set the baseline for caring for your face and neck (and will pamper you, too, during this cold and dark time of year). The clinician can assess your skin type and offer advice on any issues such as adult acne or severe dryness. The facial will also deep clean and hydrate your skin, extracting nasties from below the surface to help your complexion glow and give you a good starting point to protect.
2. After cleansing, use a serum. The newest serums on the market are remarkable in their ability to firm skin, minimize wrinkles, and infuse the skin with moisture, which helps skin look younger and more supple. There are many great serums. Don’t be afraid to ask for samples and see which works well for you (Sephora is generous with their samples, and last I looked was offering a sample of Clinique‘s newest serum).
3. Exfoliate at least once a week (or according to your clinician’s recommendations). In order for skin to optimally absorb serum and moisturizer, the dead skin cells must be removed.
4. Don’t forget eye protection. I know, sometimes it seems like you need so many products; however, eye care is not the place to scrimp. The skin below your eyes needs protection, and can also show signs of age first. Keep those peepers hydrated!
5. Use sunscreen every day. This is crucial not just to control wrinkles and sunspots, but to protect from cancer. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in your moisturizer, foundation, or BB creme, as long as it’s at least SPF 30.

If you follow this plan, chances are you’ll see marked improvements in your skin–unless you’ve been following such a regime all along. If you have, good for you, Snow!