Lookin' Good (with Clear Skin)!

Happy 2013!

We're almost halfway through January, can you believe it?

I hope all of your holidays were amazing! I laughed entirely too much (which is really not a bad thing), saw so much of my family and good friends, and even picked up seven body washes from Bath & Body Works (75% off? Yes please, thank you! That sale's still on FYI.)

During all that, I've had a few people tell me that I should write a post about the facial and skin tips I've picked up over the years. And so what's a lady to do but oblige? :)

I'm pretty sure that...

And what makes you feel more confident, more like smiling, and more like rocking a new outfit?

Clear skin...or at least, that's how my brain works. :)

Let's start with the basics...

Tip #1: 

Wash your hands, and then...cleanse every morning and evening! I'm sure you've all heard this one before, but it really is quite important. This helps to get rid of oils and dead skin cells that can cause pores to become clogged. (Not pretty language but it's the truth!)

How to:

First of all, take a look at your skin throughout the day...do you notice it's mostly dry? oily? sensitive? or starts off dry and then ends up oily? Pick out a cleanser that is specific to your skin (for dry, oily, sensitive, or combination). Reevaluate every time the season changes because it affects your skin!

I use:

Wet cleansing towelettes. This type of product works for my lifestyle as it's ridiculously easy and quick to use. Almost every well known brand now makes facial towelettes (insert loud applause) for cleansing as well as removing makeup.

Tip #2: 

Pick out a moisturizer that easily absorbs and suits your skin type. Look for a night creme with retinol (helps with anti-aging and acne, so I've heard) and a day cream (NO retinol...see below) with SPF 15-45, which will protect your skin from 94%-98% of the sun's rays. An SPF above that adds less than 1% more protection...seems silly to me to  add all those extra chemicals for that amount of difference. 

How To:

If a moisturizer clogs your pores to cause breakouts or maybe you're not seeing any difference in your dry skin...before you throw it out, consider that different parts of your face need different levels of moisture. My "T-zone" (forehead, nose, and chin) tends to be more oily than my cheeks, which tend to be dry. Moisturize each area as needed. If you're still having problems, it doesn't hurt to try a new brand! You'll find something that suits you!

Watch out for:

Day-time moisturizers, sunscreen, foundations etc. that contain retinol. During the day, this Vitamin A derivative breaks down in and is more susceptible to the sun, causing your skin to actually age faster. (Yikes!)

And now, the not-so-common ones...

Tip #3:

When you get up in the morning, after you cleanse, splash your face with cold water. This one's not fun to do, but the cold water will tighten your pores and stop oil buildup. In the evening before you cleanse, splash your face with warm (not hot) water so that your pores open and are more deeply cleaned.
So as not to confuse you:
Morning - Wash hands, cleanse, splash with cold water, pat dry
Evening - Wash hands, splash with warm water, cleanse, pat dry

Tip #4: (Love this one...so simple)

Consistently change your pillowcase! They collect oils, dead skin cells, and bacteria (ick).
How often:
If you have dry to normal skin and hair, change once a week. If you have oily skin or hair, change two to three times a week.

Tip #5:

Have you ever seen these before? The benefit of using these little beauties is found in the title..."Oil Absorbing Sheets" can help clear away oil and shine throughout the day, preventing future breakouts without removing makeup! (Woot!)

BEST TIP EVER:
If you're worried the cost of buying these will add up, I have a solution for you! Before I tell you, though, I want to let you know I didn't come up with this on my own. A lady with many years of experience at a local salon who worked wonders on my face mentioned this tip to me. And so, I pass it along to you. Use disposable toilet seat covers as a replacement for oil absorbing sheets. That may or may not seem all sorts of weird to you, but it does the EXACT same job and will last you the same amount of time as purchasing 50 of these little packs. I found them on Amazon. :)
Make sure:
You press away oil and shine as opposed to wiping it away. Blotting will prevent the spread of oils and pore clogging.


Tip #6: 
Drink water all-day-every-day and consume one teaspoon of olive oil a day! Keeping your skin properly hydrated is a shared benefit of both the H2O and the olive oil. On top of that, olive oil contains antioxidant properties (and a healthy does of Vitamin E) that protect and repair your skin, not to mention hair.
Your own mojo:

Olive oil can also be mixed in a bath or used as a moisturizer...whatever works for you!

Let me know if you have any of your own tips! 

Happy skin=Happy me. :)

Cheers from 775 Fashion Avenue.