You want to have clean, clear, healthy skin like some of your favorite teen idols. While you may want to have that Kellan Lutz or Dianna Agron look, your hormones and skin are telling another story.
Here are some quick things to make clean, clear, healthy skin a reality:
Hormonal changes can cause an increase in sebum (oil production.)
Dead skin cells, sweat, oil, and dirt can clog your pores causing pimples, breakouts and zits.
Using an exfoliating cleanser, toner, spot treatment, and moisturizer twice a day can help clear up existing breakouts and reduce future breakouts.
Using cleansers, chemicals, spot treatments, or acne pads, without following up with a moisturizer can cause your skin to dry out and release more oil, causing more breakouts! Make sure to use a moisturizer.
Be sure to use a clean washcloth each time you wash your face. Avoid buffing sponges as they can over exfoliate skin and irritate healing skin. Avoid facial sponges as they can breed bacteria! If you use your hands to apply cleanser, be sure to wash your hands with anti bacterial soap before washing your face.
Inexpensive makeup foundations can have mineral oils and fillers in them that can cause your pores to clog. Try using a minimal amount of foundation (oil free) and consider switching to a mineral based powder foundation.
Avoid picking at skin that is healing. Doing so can cause cratering and permanent scarring. If you are going to be outdoors in the sun for more than 10 minutes a day, be sure you wear an oil free sunscreen with an SPF of at least 20 or more. Exposing unprotected healing skin to UVA/UVB rays can cause pigmentation spotting.
Here are some kits for acneic skin that won’t break the bank!
It’s sunny out and with the weather change into summer, camping season is here! Grab your fishing poles, tents and camp kits before you hop onto the road. It can be rugged out there in the wilderness and I have some tips to help you stay feeling pretty and comfortable during your trip to the great outdoors!
Instead of bringing your usual makeup bag filled with goodies, empty it out and make room for the essentials. I’m not sure about everyone else but for me the first word that comes to mind when thinking of camping is dirt. We all know camping is usually less convenient then we like but all you need is an extra hand. Baby wipes come in very handy for the body and for other supplies which need cleansing. Luckily there are also wipes created especially for the face. I suggest either the Korres Pomegranate Cleansing & DeMake Up Wipes or Skyn ICELAND Glacial Cleansing Cloths. I designated these two items as the trip savior. Even the guys are impressed how these come in handy outdoors!
Coming in close to the camping saviors, is your multi purpose products. Do not! I repeat, DO NOT forget to pack either your moisturizer with SPF or your SPF facial powder. Everyone is different, so there are quite a bit of options under this product category. An easy to pack little option is Colorescience Sunforgettable SPF 30 Brush options. They come either translucent or with a little color to warm up the complexion. If you like your cream/ lotion products, you can throw in products like Kinerase Daily Defense Lotion SPF 30 or for a more radiant option, Stila Illuminating Tinted Moisturizer SPF 15. It’s very important to keep your skin hydrated and protected, especially outdoors.
Next into your bag is your oral care. These days there are many different oral products for you to grab, throw in some Supersmile Single Dose Powdered Mouthrinse into your bag or try Supersmile Quikee. It is a pocket sized tube to use on the run. You use a drop, smear it over your teeth/ gums with your tongue and it provides tooth whitening, fresh breath and plaque combating protection. Cool, huh?!
We cannot forget about our beautiful tresses. I suggest you wash your hair before you go to prolong having to cleanse it. You can however include in your little survival pack some dry shampoo. I LOVE dry shampoo. It works wonders and I use it even at home for regular routine. Dry shampoos come in aerosol or powder options and work wonders. They will help to absorb the excess oils in your hair, while also providing volume and freshness. My new favorite is Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo!
This concludes my checklist for a happy and well-prepared trip into the woods. Hope you take it from me and leave prepared! Oh and P.S. for tips on insect repellants, take a look at a fellow blogger’s post titled, “Win the Battle Against Mosquitoes.”
Katy Perry’s recent pop hit “California Gurls” has revitalized the term California Girl.
“I know a place where the grass is really greener
Warm, wet and wild, there must be something in the water…
You could travel the world
But nothing comes close to the golden coast…
California girls, we’re unforgettable”
If you’re in search of that iconic look, we’ve gotcha covered! Colorescience mineral makeup offers a kit with a few of their best sellers to help you achieve that sun-kissed glow.
Wild to Mild SunReliable SPF 20 Primer is my latest product infatuation. I’ve told everyone about it! If you’ve searched for that perfect no makeup makeup, for those days you don’t feel like putting much on, this is it! It provides a hint of bronze, while imparting a more uniform smooth finish. Your skin looks even and radiant without a stitch of foundation. Love it, love it, love it!
If you desire a bit more coverage, simply dust on their infamous Pressed Mineral Compact in California Girl and your complexion is flawless. Their powder stands out above other mineral powders because it has triple the pigment of other mineral powders. Which translates to more coverage with less powder.
To finish off that bronzed babe look the kit includes Lip Candy Glaze in Suga Babe for a kissable pout and a handy dandy Loose Mineral Puff. It’s a self dispensing travel puff with built in bronzer so you can glow on the go.
• Wild to Mild SunReliable SPF 20 Primer, 0.68oz
Called Wild to Mild, this was created as an after-sun product, to calm down burned skin, and to take it from wild (burned) to mild (soothed).
• Pressed Mineral Compact – California Girl, 0.42oz
Unlike traditional pressed powders which are usually translucent and used as a finishing powder, Colorescience’s very concentrated pressed mineral pigment gives more coverage than any other formula!
• Loose Mineral Travel Puff – Kissed by the Sun, 0.52oz
A bronzer that is packaged in a self dispensing travel puff that allows you to glow on the go.
• Lip Candy Glaze – Suga Babe, 0.20oz
A long-lasting, non-sticky lip gloss with the natural flavors of Quadruple Chocolate Extract and mint. Sheer and lightweight, Lip Candy Glaze won’t leave your lips dehydrated or tacky.
How do we know when our “look” is outdated? If you’ve had the same look for the last 10 or 20 years, it’s definitely time to move on! Holding on to those styles from your teens and twenties doesn’t keep you suspended in your youth. In fact it can make you look VERY outdated! It’s time to take some risks! Go down to the bookstore and take a glance at some fashion magazines (for both men and women.) Get a feel for which looks are in style that best reflect who you are and your personality.
Ladies start with a new hair cut, color and or style. If you’re not sure what to do, tell your hairstylist you’re updating your look and need some suggestions. Consider something short and sassy like a bob or pixie cut! Losing the high school hair can make you look much more sexy, sophisticated and empowered!
Gentlemen lose the bleach blond (Guy Fieri) or overly dark, dyed hair. Go for something more trimmed and clean around the sides and back and a hint of spikes on top. If you’re balding or thinning on top, the best way to go about updating your look is to go short! Shorter hair creates less contrast between the fuller and thinner areas on your scalp. Also, consider updating your sideburns, goatee and/or beard. Sometimes facial hair may be very sexy on the right guy; sometimes it can make a man look downright ridiculous. If you’re graying, a little bit of gray can be sexy but, do-it-yourself dye kits for hair and beards can end up WAY too dark and look obvious.
Buying the same old style turtle neck sweater in a different color doesn’t qualify as updating your look. You need to take some risks and try something new that you wouldn’t normally buy. Take a younger niece or nephew out with you when you go shopping. Ask them to give you their honest opinion on whether the clothes you’ve picked out are the same old same old, way too trendy, or just hip and trendy enough.
Finally is the all important skin care and make-up. Ladies (and gentlemen) if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to start considering a regular regimen of skincare products to undo any damage and aging to your skin and help prevent future damage and aging. Find a good cleanser, toner, moisturizer and SPF and use them on a regular basis! Taking better care of your skin will result in healthier more vibrant skin with less fine lines, wrinkles, sunspots, and dark circles; and less need for heavy makeup and concealers.
When choosing makeup, remember to go classic with a little bit of flair. Avoid the use of metallic’s, heavy bronzers, and glitter. These accentuate lines and wrinkles. Consult with a make-up artist and/or esthetician on designing your eyebrows and eye shadow. Eye shadow contouring and highlighting and color choice can make all the difference in whether your eyes look bright and inviting or dull and sagging.
Correctly designed eyebrows can accentuate your eyes best features and minimize flaws. The wrong eyebrow design can also send the wrong message. And gentlemen, remember the object is to “groom” your brows so you don’t have a unibrow or a couple of caterpillars on your forehead. Don’t go overboard and lose your handsome masculinity.
Keep all of these things in mind while you have fun designing the new you! Now go forward and conquer that mid life crisis!
The dog days of summer mean scorching heat, which for many of us translates into makeup meltdown! Just the thought of leaving my air conditioned sanctuary to venture out into a bubbling abyss gives me anxiety. Even the best and lightest weight foundations are no match to 110 degree temperatures nearing the end of summer. Many bare faced beauties may be able to don their flawless complexions, but I was not born with such skin or luck for that matter. To avoid this typical summer conundrum I rely on Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray.
Skindinavia has a wide range of finishing sprays to help you keep that just applied makeup look, no matter what circumstance you may encounter. Whether you are in the Mojave Desert or Antarctica you’re makeup will be lookin’ good! Makeup will no longer slip and slide, settle into creases or be completely gone by lunchtime. Say buh-bye to touch ups!
Depending on your dilemma, Skindinavia has a wonder tonic for you:
Skindinavia Makeup Finishing Spray: Your makeup will look fresh from morning to night. Skindinavia’s exclusive cooling technology chills the makeup surface to resist melting, smearing and loss of color. This formula is suitable for all skin types.
Skindinavia 10 Years Younger Makeup Finish: Reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by keeping the makeup from settling into them. The spray keeps the surface chilled and hydrated. Makeup stays in place and does not become dry or cakey looking even hours after application.
Skindinavia No More Shine Makeup Finish: Oily skin types will not know how they lived without this finishing spray! This formula is uniquely designed to absorb excess oil and control surface shine. The weightless mist distributes particles evenly for a clean, matte look for up to 16 hours.
Skindinavia Mineral Makeup Finish: Contains a blend of six moisturizers that hydrate the skin to avoid a powdery, dry, or chalky appearance. Works well with all mineral foundation brands.
Skindinavia Dance! Makeup Finish: If you’re going to hit the club, dancing until the sun comes up, don’t forget this finishing spray! Frequently used by professional dancers, this mist allows you to forget about the need for constant touchups throughout the night. It prevents makeup from sliding or melting, revives tired skin, and helps control shine.
Skindinavia Bridal Makeup Finish: On your special day, you want everything to be perfect, including your makeup. This formula holds color for hours even under the most stressful situations. The mist aides makeup to blend more evenly and stay put even when put to the ultimate test with sweat or tears. Remain picture perfect all day!
Skindinavia Jet Set Makeup Finish: Traveling this summer? Airplanes are notorious for leaving your skin parched, which can makeup look less than lovely. Jet Set instantly revives tired makeup and helps makeup last longer. Six water attracting moisturizers stop foundation from drying up under harsh conditions. Also, meets all FAA regulations for carry on luggage.
Skindinavia Cool Flash Makeup Finish: Beat the heat! Cool Flash will make touch ups a thing of the past. Unique cooling technology chills the makeup surface by 20 degrees, keeping your makeup fresh even in the warmest temperatures.
Customers frequently contact us with many questions about their skin care and hair care products. Here are some of the top questions we receive on a regular basis. Hopefully the answers will be helpful to you!
1. How long do the products that we purchase last?
•Most products have a 2-3 year shelf life unopened.
•Once opened most products, depending on ingredients can last 3-9 months.
2. When do products expire?
•Each product depending on brand and ingredients has a different expiration date. Unfortunately there is no universal labeling system for cosmetics that allow you to definitely tell what serial numbers on the packaging means. The exception would be sunscreen (SPF). The Food & Drug administration (F.D.A.) requires sunscreens to have a printed expiration date on the packaging. Using sunscreens after this expiration date will compromise your skin’s protection to UVA & UVB rays and make you more susceptible to sunburns and skin cell damage.
3. When does product efficacy (effectiveness) begin to diminish?
•Once opened most products, depending on ingredients can last 3-9 months.
•The longer you continue to use the product after that time period the less effective it will be in providing the results you desire.
•Many U.S. manufacturers are beginning to put the European labeling on their products that have a picture of a jar or packaging with a number and an “M” (i.e. 12M) meaning the product has a 12 month shelf life AFTER the product has been opened.
4. Is my product compromised by being exposed to heat or cold?
•All products must pass a heat/cool and freeze/thaw test in order to make it to the market. All products must be tested to ensure the active ingredients and overall composition has not been compromised. Although not recommended, products are tested and can be exposed to extreme heat or cold for extended periods of time but cannot last if the extreme temperatures are constant and repeated.
•Normal exposure to heat or cold while in shipping from the SkinStore warehouse to your delivery location should not affect your product. If your product has been sitting outside in elevated levels of hot or cold weather, bring your product inside and allow it to come to room temperature (70-75 degrees Fahrenheit) before using it. If your product has separated, the active ingredients are not compromised; you should be able to stir the product (i.e. skin cream) until the correct consistency is achieved.
5. Where do you get your products from?
•All of SkinStore’s products come directly from the brand manufacturer. We do not purchase any products that do not come from the manufacturer.
6. Where do you store the products SkinStore sells?
•SkinStore receives all of the products directly from the manufacturer and we store all of the products in a climate controlled warehouse in the United States.
7. My product color varies from my last order, is it still okay to use?
•Some products, especially those with a higher level of natural ingredients or L-Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C) can have varying color from batch to batch depending on where and when the ingredients were harvested from.
•L-Ascorbic Acid begins to oxidize and darken as soon as it is exposed to oxygen. This is a natural process and does not mean your product has been compromised or has expired.
8. How should I store my product?
•Store your product in a cool, dry, dark place, away from heat, moisture and sunlight.
9. I ordered a product that comes out of a pump. I pump the container and nothing comes out. What’s wrong?
•This is one of our most frequently asked questions regarding product packaging. Nearly all of the products that come in a pump dispenser, regardless of brand, will have a certain amount of air in the package. Sometimes an air bubble can get stuck in the between the product and the dispenser. Firmly tapping the bottom of the dispenser bottle several times and then rapidly pumping can help to get the air out of the packaging and release the product. Click here to learn more about air pump issues.
10. Why don’t my products have the same packaging and seals as when I purchased them at the retail store?
•In an effort to save packaging for environmental reasons and passing those savings on to the consumer, some of the products shipped to SkinStore do not have the same packaging and seals that you would find at a retail location. All of our items are stored in our climate controlled warehouse and shipped directly to you with no retail setting where the product can be tampered with.
As always if you have questions about a product you are welcome to contact us and we will be happy to help you!
Do you have an angel on your shoulder or the devil in your head?
Are you feeling naughty? Do you want to vamp it up? Do you want to dance on a table top tonight? Are you wearing your leather pants? Channel Kat Von D. Bring out your inner Bettie Page. Sex it up, kitten! Make those boys howl. Here are our favorite bad gal picks:
Stila Smudge Pot in Black; use as a liner to achieve a sexy cat eye look, or apply all over the lid and crease for a high-impact smoky eye.
Stila Eye Shadow Pan in Pewter; rim the inner corners of your eye and use as liner on the bottom of the eye to achieve a sultry, smoky look.
Too Faced Lash Injection in Pitch Black; create a powerful lash with this high-impact mascara. With a flick of the specially-designed wand your lashes will be injected with massive volume and length. Wink wink!
DuWop Lip Venom 2nd Sin; pump up the volume on those juicy lips sans injections. In a matter of moments you’ll feel and look as sexy as Angelina Jolie.
bareMinerals Vanessa Buxom Big and Healthy Full Color Lip Polish; red lips are the epitome of sex appeal. Add depth and oomph with a rich burgundy wine hue to yours, and since you’re feeling bold and daring mix red lips with smoky eyes for a Goth-inspired bad gal look.
Are you feeling girly? Are you baking cupcakes? Are you a refined, elegant girl at the Kentucky Derby? Drinking high noon tea with mother? Wearing your Tiffany jewels? Channel Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O, my doll. Make your prince swoon. Here are our favorite sweet angel picks:
Keeping that manly sex appeal with washboard abs can make all the difference in our love lives! Recent images of Taylor Lautner and Bradley Cooper remind us daily of what we all desire to have, and work to achieve.
Some of us need to hit the gym and lose 10 or 15 pounds in order to reveal those abdominal muscles we’ve been working to tone. But what happens if we have a few stretch marks around our belly and love handles? Nothing can be more frustrating than to lose a few pounds through diet and exercise only to have stretch marks from previous pounds tarnish your new look!
Despite all the infomercials on diet and exercise, there are no miracle machines or miracle diets that target weight loss only in your gut and love handles. Adhering to a balanced healthy intake of food and regular cardiovascular exercise can help in reducing your body fat content. A regular regimen of abdominal and oblique exercises (with or without weights, machines, gadgets & gizmos) will help you build, tighten and tone muscles. As always, before starting any new food or exercise plan see your doctor for advice.
Once you’re close to achieving those results you can use these products to help minimize the appearance of stretch marks (and not just on your belly and love handles!)
Belli Stretchmark Minimizing Cream is a healing skin reparative treatment specifically formulated to decrease the appearance of existing stretchmarks. Features darutoside and registril – ingredients shown in independent clinical trials to be effective on stretchmarks of any age or from any cause.
Hydroxatone Celtrixa Stretch Mark Lotion is another great choice. By infusing skin firming peptides, in association with soothing and anti-inflammatory agents, skin becomes thicker and more uniform.
Here’s a product review for the renowned StriVectin SD: “I bought this product in February 2009 for the first time and I am happy with it. My stretch marks are 15 years old and now they begin to disappear. My skin got firmer and thicker.”
Now that you’re all ripped out go show off your new look poolside!
Do you wish there were just one product that provided antioxidants, sunscreen, and active ingredients to treat acne and clear the pores, while smoothing your skin texture and concealing ruddiness, hyperpigmentation and lines? I’m sure! Everyone would love to have this type of a product in their daily regimen. Boy! Do I have good news for you!
Meet ColoreScience Let Me Be Clear Primer. This formula contains 1% salicylic acid that will work to correct the appearance of blemishes and clogged pores. It will also smooth the skin’s texture and improve skin tone. It works as a great base for foundation, or can be used alone for a flawless finish. It’s great for men too because it’s undetectable on the skin. Let Me Be Clear Primer is infused with zinc oxide and titanium dioxide to provide natural sunscreen protection. It also contains anti-inflammatory essential oils to reduce redness and swelling associated with acne and even rosacea.
Give this a try- and if you love it, you’ll love the powder too! Colorescience Let Me Be Clear Brush comes in three different shades to choose from; Fair Play, Middle Ground, and Deep Cover to suit all skin types. Just like the primer it contains salicylic acid, and has added rice starch to mattify the skin, so it’s great for keeping the skin looking matte and fresh all day long.
Vitamins and minerals play a key role in restoring and maintaining a healthy body. The largest organ in our body is of course the one so many of us spend so much time and money caring for…our skin! But with so many products out there, with so many ingredients, skin care products can easily become very confusing!
Here are some ABC’s to understanding how Vitamins (oral and/or topical) benefit your skin:
Vitamin A – Vitamin A found in fruits and vegetables is essential in promoting skin cell maintenance and repair. Topical Vitamin A can help in the reduction of fine lines, wrinkles, and sun damage. Try Anthony Logistics Anti Aging Vitamin A Treatment.
Vitamin B – There are several different forms of Vitamin B that can be found in eggs, whole grains, fish, rice, milk and poultry. B-3 and B-5 can assist in exfoliating dead skin cells, reducing irritation, and increasing hydration. SkinCeuticals Hydrating B5 Gel.
Vitamin C- Vitamin C and C-Ester are one of the most popular vitamins now added to skin care products. They are powerful antioxidants that help protect your skin cells against free radicals (environmental pollutants) that can potentially damage your skin. Topical Vitamin C has also been credited for helping to increase skin’s resistance to UVA and UVB rays. Try Perricone MD Vitamin C Ester Dietary Supplement.
Vitamin D – Vitamin D is a vitamin that is essential in preventing a multitude of health complications. Those of us who are trying hard to avoid those UVA and UVB rays at all cost may actually be causing a Vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D is produced while your skin is exposed to the sun! While you won’t find it in most skin care products, it is something worth consulting with your doctor about! Try Elon MATRIX Complete Biotin Supplement for Nails with Multi-Vitamin.
Vitamin E – (Also in the antioxidant family,) Vitamin E can be found in vegetables and nuts. Products such as wheat germ oil, almonds, sunflower seeds, safflower seeds, hazelnuts are all excellent sources. Vitamin E has the excellent capability of helping to heal injured skin and scars, works as an anti-inflammatory, and prevents water loss from skin. Try Jan Marini Recover-E.
Copper – Copper peptides are emerging in several new products. The benefits of products with copper peptides are firmness and elasticity in skin and a deeper penetration of product for more hydration and moisture. Try Osmotics Blue Copper 5 Firming Elasticity Repair.
Alpha Lipoic Acid – Alpha Lipoic Acid can be found in red meats, organ meats (kidney, heart & liver), broccoli, and spinach. The benefit of alpha lipoic acid is that it is an antioxidant that is much more powerful in protecting against free radicals than C & E alone or combined. Try Janson Beckett Alpha Lipoic Day Cream.
If you have any questions on the products recommended or how to use them, don’t hesitate to contact us.
You want to have clean, clear, healthy skin like some of your favorite teen idols. While you may want to have that Kellan Lutz or Dianna Agron look, your hormones and skin are telling another story.
Katy Perry’s recent pop hit “California Gurls” has revitalized the term California Girl.
Are you feeling naughty? Do you want to vamp it up? Do you want to dance on a table top tonight? Are you wearing your leather pants? Channel Kat Von D. Bring out your inner Bettie Page. Sex it up, kitten! Make those boys howl. Here are our favorite bad gal picks:
Are you feeling girly? Are you baking cupcakes? Are you a refined, elegant girl at the Kentucky Derby? Drinking high noon tea with mother? Wearing your Tiffany jewels? Channel Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O, my doll. Make your prince swoon. Here are our favorite sweet angel picks:
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