Reviving Tired Skin

So, as a new mother, I am dealing with a new consistent level of sleep deprivation. Now, I wouldn't say that I am at an exhaustion level but a little sleepy most of the time and always able to take a nap is my new normal.

I feel like I can really see tiredness in my skin and I have felt this way even before baby.  My skin starts taking on a gray tone.  It's texture seems a little rough, but not dry.  When I wear makeup its like it just sits there and does nothing for me. Holla back if you feel me on this one.

So I thought I would share just a few simple tips to revive tired skin. When you think resurrection think: "The old has gone, the new has come."  Oooh, got all spiritual on you there but seriously, it works for skin care too.

When reviving skin, the old top layer needs to go (exfoliation) and the new needs to be encouraged to come (stimulation and blood flow).

Exfoliating:

• Sugar Scrubs
• Exfoliating face soaps
• Exfoliating pads or sponges
• Exfoliating masks

You can Google search any of these things to find great DIY recipies and tools but for this blog I will share one easy, inespensive exfoliating scrub and/or mask: the honey, lemon and sugar scrub.

Mix a whole squeezed lemon, 1 to 2 tablespoons of honey (make sure its real honey not honey mixed with corn syrup - Caro can't help yo' face!) and a teaspoon of sugar. If you want to use it as a scrub then get all your make up off and then scrub your face for about 2 minutes with the mixture.  For a scrub only use 1 tablespoon of honey so the consistency is a little more stiff.  If you are using this as a mask use closer to 2 tablespoons of honey and maybe a little less sugar because you want this to stick to your skin.  For the mask leave the mixture on your face for 20-30 min. 

The lemon's citric acid will work to break down that top layer of tired skin and make it easier to come off.  The removal of the top layer will also stimulate your skin to regenerate more, new skin.  Honey has anti-inflammatory powers along with great antioxidants - this will nourish and encourage new skin.  The sugar is the exfoliator that helps get off all that old junk.  If you want something a little rougher than sugar, use salt.  And can I share a random scientific fact? Salt always forms in cubes; tiny little perfect cube clusters - those rough edges make it a very powerful exfoliator because sugar is just a little particle with some dents, like a pebble.  That fact was free folks...

To stimulate new growth is somewhat easy - just remove old skin and your body automatically makes new skin (wowzers!).  You can encourage the process though by using antioxident and nutrient rich moisturizers and masks (like avocado masks, raw egg or mayonaisse masks) and masks that encourage blood flow to the face.

Arbonne makes a warming mask but if you have sensitive skin do not use this!  Another warm, blood infusing mask is the cinnamon, nutmeg and honey mask. 

Use one tablespoon of honey and a half tablespoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix them together and rub on your face.  The spices are a gentle exfoliatior and have anti-inflammatory powers and warms your face up too (that I do not have the chemical explanation for but when I did it my face got real hot).  Blood flow to the face will encourage new growth and give you that hard to explain "glow".   If you have sensitive skin, please try this on your wrist or arm first or don't try at all, you can get burned so please be careful.  Leave the mask on your face about 15 minutes but if its too warm, rinse it off.

So there you go.  May you experience a skin resurrection!  If you try either one of these please let me know how it goes, I love feedback!

Also, you may want to get a nap...seriously though, get a nap...

BB Cream

Have you been seeing these "BB" cream commercials everywhere?  I saw them and thought "What in the world is this BB thing?" and felt a little silly for not knowing what it was.  So like any 30-something American I Googled it.  I found out that "BB" stands for "Beauty Balm" and somehow that name made all the mystique die for me.  I can't explain it but once I saw the name I pictured stuffy people in expensive clothes slathering tons of lotion on their faces.

Anyway, I have not used a BB cream mostly because its very similar to tinted moisturizer which doesn't offer me enough coverage.  Thing of BB Cream like glorified tinted moisturizer.  But I will say this - if you have a nice complexion, don't have a lot of active breakouts or scars and like a natural and/or "Dewy" look then try a BB cream.  This cream offers moisture as well as additional ingredients to firm up your skin and lessen wrinkles.

If you do try a BB Cream please let me know!  Tell me what brand and what you thought of it and I will publish it so other people can see.  I don't know if I want to try one again because I like my coverage but well, we'll just see!

My two cents on a few products...

So, on a regular basis friends ask me for a recommendation on a product or product line.  I thought for this post I would just give a few suggestions. These products that I recommend come from first hand experience with the product and usually I  give any new product at least 2 weeks of use. So, there's some context for you. Products are listed from most expensive to least expensive :) Now, realize I have not tried every product out there and also, everyone's skin is different but if you wanted to know what I thought here it is:

Skin Care for Acne Prone Skin:

• DDF (Doctor's Dermatologic Formula)
• Philosophy (Go Without Makeup Kit)
• Proactive (if you're pretty oily)

Skin Care for "Regular" Skin:

• Korres
• DDF (they have products for all skin types)
• Boots (available at Target!)
• Garnier
• Neutrogena

Foundation Makeup (liquid and powder):

• Makeup Forever - High Definition and Medium Coverage
• Physician's Formula (mostly for their powders)
• Revlon (I use the colorstay on a daily basis)

* special note here I don't really like the powder mineral makeups but its because they don't offer enough coverage for me, they feel like they dry out my skin and easily set into lines and pores and there is not a sun-screen free mineral makeup on the market for special occasions.


Color Products (eye shadow, blush, eye pencils, lipstick, lip liner):

• Makeup Forever
• Urban Decay (love their metallic eye liners)
• Too Faced
• All the grocery store brands are pretty much the same in quality - I find their potency in pigment and staying power are the same so just get what you like :)

Mascara:

• Dior
• Covergirl Lash Blast

*this is an extreme difference in price but seriously, I've used several "nice" brands and I feel like the Covergirl does better but Dior really stands out as a phenominal mascara so if eyes are your thing go for it!

So there you have it - simple and quick.  Again, everyone's skin and skin needs are different but if you wanted to know my thoughts, there they are!

~Lindsay

Emerald Green

If you could salivate over color the way one salivates over good food then I am licking my chops.

Pantone has released their color of the year for 2013: Emerald Green!

I will admit, I didn't really discover the power of emerald green until my good friend Anneke Swanson began creating a vision for her company, Emerald and Aqua.  And I found a rekindled love for green that I first had when I saw the movie "Return to Oz". (Am I the only weird kid who loved that movie in the 80's?) When Dorothy had to find and touch anything emerald green, say the word "Oz" and I believe it freed her frozen friends.

One great factor about emerald green is it does well on anyone - anyone.  Unlike lime green, kelly green or even dark "hunter" green, emerald green is bright enough to be seen, dark enough to be classy, and a perfect balance of yellow and blue to look great on everyone.  Here are some ideas on how you can go emerald in 2013:

Accessorise!

Here are some gateway uses of emerald green - you don't have to spend a lot of money, you don't have to stick out like a green thumb, just looks like you are on the up-and-up:

And of course look out for emeralds - as in the gemstone - to be very popular.  Real or fake emeralds are beautiful from the ear, finger or decolletage.  Again, these are easy, simple and subtle.  And now for a little more pop.

In the bag for a shoe up:

For a little more daring folks, add to your emerald accessories an emerald bag or even emerald shoes:

Now remember, if you have lots of extra cash, go out and get that designer emerald bag and love it but if you are like the rest of America, don't go too crazy on a trendy colored bag.  My suggestion is Ross, TJ Maxx or Marshalls.  They will most likely be getting their first emerald bags in Spring and they will be affordable!  Shoes from gap are fairly affordable but Forever 21, Rue 21, Charlotte Russe and H&M are just as up on trends and will offer emerald shoes of some kind I am sure in the fall and you don't need to break out too much green to buy the green.

Finally if you are all in, fully committed to the emerald cause then here's some headlong emerald ideas:

Grab and emerald blouse or two, get pants and even a blazer!  I think I like the idea of the blazer and the blouse the most.  The blazer will be a great staple throughout the year as you pair it with things from the rest of your wardrobe.  For ideas just Pinterest search green blazer and you'll get some great ideas.  I think the pants are a little more daring - I did bright green maternity pants this spring and summer and I have to say, although I liked them I couldn't shake the creeping insecurity every time I went out...but if you are bold then go for it.

And of course, my favorite, the emerald eye.  I am showing here a emerald shadow from Make-up Forever, Lagoon Green and a beautiful model.  Now when wearing a color you can wear it multiple ways, for suggestions see my previous blog on how to wear color eye shadows.  When looking for an emerald shadow make sure it has enough blue-ish tint so it doesn't turn into a pine tree green or bright green because it may not turn out as favorable but this is daring, courageous and awesome.  I will try to do this on myself soon and post it.  Also, you can even get an emerald green eye pencil to just line a top or bottom lid.  I've already done this twice this year :)

If you find some other great uses of emerald green anywhere, hair, in the home, babies, pets, whatever, leave a message here!  I want to see the creative uses of this wonderful color!

~Linds