The Best Moisturizer Ever!

Here in Denver, at 5280 ft above sea level, you can see the sun damage on lots of people who have lived here all their lives. The UV damage is much greater…and you can see on the people who run outside daily and work outside–they age much faster here than the people you see around the US at the same age. Sunblock is a MUST. Ask RMK, who treats someone dying from melanoma metastatic to the brain daily in his ward. We have the highest skin cancer rate here than anywhere else in the US. The place people usually forget the most: the top of their ears, the neck, chest, and hands. But added to the sun damage, it’s the dryness. We NEVER have a mold problem here due to very low humidity. All year round. So unlike Texas weather! In the summer, I don’t have a single breakout.

However, in the winter and with working nights, I break out like crazy. And my skin actually gets dry!! And I have found the miracle worker: First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream. Great for people with eczema and skin sensitivities: no parabens, no fragrance, no dyes. Put it one 2-3 times a weeks, and you get supple, moisturized skin when you wake up. I also have Clinique Moisture Surge for the mornings where I need a wake me up! The trick is to refrigerate it when you aren’t using it. Put it right underneath your eyes, and ta-da! It will make non-waterproof mascara run though because it’s pretty moisturizing.

To Good Skin for 2012!

Wedding Makeup Foundation

Hmm it was worth trying!

I have since given up on Lancome’s Teint Idole Ulta. It has super coverage (you can hide those zits you get at the end of your nose) without looking like you’re wearing heavy make-up, and I think they have the most skin tones available. But still, every time I used it, breakout-ville here I come. It didn’t matter that I used my Clarisonic followed my a mud mask: zits and tiny little bumps were coming.

The Love of My Skin's Life

So I started looking for a foundation that will give me enough coverage on my wedding day without giving me a teenage face.  And so the search began!

The Downside: Not a lot of tones.

My current loves:

1. Revlon Photoready in Medium Beige ($8-10).  Okay, okay.  I know.  Revlon?!  Not that I am a fan of drugstore brands, but Revlon has never been on my list to buy; probably more on my list to NOT buy.  However, someone suggested this and compared it to MAC’s Studio Fix Fluid.  So it was worth the try.  I have been using it for about 2 months, no break outs, flawless, and easy to apply.  I will say, it is probably rated as medium coverage.  But still, good for everyday wear.  And it last for about 12 hours plus!  The con: very little selection in shades.  It’s best put on with a brush.

Nars in Barcelona

2. Nars Sheer Glow Foundation in Barcelona ($42).  I tried this moisturizing foundation since I thought maybe my breakouts may be from using oil-free makeup.  It is also medium coverage, and I would have to say it’s comparable to Revlon’s Photoready.  The only thing is that they don’t have many shades with yellow undertones.  I used it during the interview trail for about 3 months, no major breakouts.  And it is moisturizing.
3.  Lorac Breakthrough Foundation (~$40).  It was okay.  Not the perfect shade for Asian skin, and the coverage would be light to medium.  Not much to say since I used it for 2 weeks and didn’t like the tone.
4.  Stila Illuminating Foundation ($38): I used a sample for a week.  Truly a sheer coverage, and they don’t have many shades.  So so.  3 out of 5.

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What I heard was awesome:
Makeup Forever Invisible Cover Foundation HD: their HD line is suppose to be the perfect wedding makeup.  I am a little nervous trying it because their primer gives me bumps all over my face.  People all over the Internet, in person, etc. vouch for this magic bottle.

I want to try this!

What I Really Want to Try:

Fresh Umbrian Clay Fresh Face Foundation: I love, LOVE their Soy cleanser, why not their foundation?

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So the search continues!  Until then, my current addictions:

Awesome. My favorite!

Fresh Soy Cleanser: This thing wipes off even the heaviest eye makeup in one washing.  How do you know?  Use a cotton ball full of lotion or toner and wipe.  Na-da after this.  And it feels so good.  RMK was using it on one of our trips, and he is one of those guys that squirts a gallon size in his hands.  After I showed him the cost, he’s back to his ivory bar

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Skin Yumminess

Boscia Night Recharging Cream ($44).  It’s expensive, I know.  It will last about 2-3 months.  But I have always had breakouts, and this has given me soft, lush skin without bring on the pimples.  Organic: paraben free, preservative free, and I heard that Boscia makes all their makeup in clean-free zones (you know those places where people wear mask and space outfits).  Doesn’t matter, it works wonders.

Bold and the Beautiful

I have NOT been keeping up with my beauty news.  I finally broke down and bought Instyle and Lucky for the long plane ride, when I really should be reading about HSV hepatitis but still, could not be helped.  And I look at all these wedding websites rather than catching up on fashion.  However, I still got a finger on the pulse.

1.  HELLO JCREW OUTLET online!  Every weekend, and only on the weekend.  Go to Jcrew.com and click on the outlet link.  I got an email in my box but haven’t got a chance to explore.  Tell me how it goes!

2. Bobbi Brown for Sephora. YES!!  I can use my giftcards now for Bobbi Brown!  I highly recommend her long-lasting eye gel.  I wear it sometimes from 5am to 5am the next morning, and it’s still there.  Though you shouldn’t wear your makeup for 24 hours, sometimes you just don’t have time to wipe it off.

Deep Set Cream

3. GoodHousekeeping just gave our their beauty awards.  Their tests are usually more strenuous than Allures.  They test over 3000 women who use it routinely for 6-8 weeks.  Suprisingly, who made the cut? L’Oreal Revitalift Night Cream.  It beat out Chanel and Clarins.  Hmmm.

Chow Chow Make-Up

I was lounging in Chow Chow’s room the other day. She stated that she read my blog, everything except about make-up. Gasp* WHAT! I told her some of that was written with her in mind. This is for someone who didn’t own face wash for the longest time! She says she never wears it, unless I make her for some occasion. I DON’T know, maybe for weddings, banquets, etc. Maybe I am just CRAZY to think spackling some paint on for a special event was NORMAL.

Anyways, if I could redo her non-existent make-up collection. Of course, we would have to buy face wash and a moisturizer. She needs a easy to apply, long-lasting, and medium coverage foundation. Bobbi Brown is perfect. A concealer stick to make it easier for her, and lots of eye make up. Not like raccoon eyes, but more to do her lids. Which I have to say, are pretty difficult. She likes to blink hard, and I think she has this innate ability to rub her upper eye lid on her lower lid somehow. This creates the ring. Of which she yells at me for telling her to not blink all night. Just a collection of my imagination…

Chow Chow Makeup by aggiemed2007@gmail.com on Polyvore.com

Duo Eyeshadow – Brumes, $32
Blush – Deep Throat, $26
Rimmel London Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer, $7.50
Bare Escentuals – i.d. BareMinerals Multi Tasking Minerals SPF20…, $25
M·A·C ‘In the Groove’ Mineralize Blush Duo – - Nordstrom, $23
Bobbi Brown Long-Wear Gel Eyeliner, $21
Bobbi Brown – Luminous Moisturizing Foundation Sand, $55
Bliss Lid+Lash Wash Makeup Remover 3.7 oz, $14
SEPHORA COLLECTION 2 in 1 Kabuki Flex Brush, $26
Urban Decay Cosmetics – 24/7 Glide-On Eye Pencil
Gloss Pur – New! 47: Pure Peach, $30
Lancome ‘Color Fever’ Lipstick, $25
Studio Stick Foundation SPF 15 – NW35 – MAC(9g/0.31oz) by MAC…, $31
Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel ($38 Value), $35
Buxom Stay There Eye Shadow Brush, $17
THUMB TEE, 89 AUD
Youngblood Cosmetics Mineral Lipstick Barely Nude

Summer Make-up Addiction

Summer is usually the time to go light on your makeup.  No one likes sweaty, gloppy, melt-off your face foundation.  I alway get those mascara rings after a couple of hours, so I just leave the house with concealer and lip gloss.  Do NOT forget the sunblock.  I am currently addicted to Mustela products, which were initially made for babies.  You used to be able to buy them through Bath and Body but now, I believe they only sell them at Sephora and Neiman Marcus.  The Boscia spray is unbelievable when you need to be revived.  Essie nail polish is the best out there and glitter, glitter everywhere.  Summer is a great time for a little iridescence!  Enjoy your weekend

Summer Glory by aggiemed2007@gmail.com on Polyvore.com

Shopping Fever

Socialize Me In!

It’s 8am, and I am dreading doing another USMLE World Question Day.  Blah.  This is probably the only post I will actually post right after I write in a long time!  There is another diamond article scheduled for later today.  Chicki181 sent me a message asking if I write everyday.  Psh.  No!  Sometimes, I don’t write for weeks.  And then a night will hit and I pump out 14 or 15 posts.  It’s a good release button.  Other times, something happens, and I keep it logged in my head and share it later.

Anyways, every summer, same time, I get this shopping bug.  It hits badly, as my wardrobe does not need anymore expansion!  RMK has literally 3 inches in our 4 foot closet.  That’s all he’s ever going to get.  3 inches and decreasing.  He threatens that if it gets any smaller, he’s going to start putting clothes on the floor.  So I gave him a chair next to the closet.

But July 4th Sales have started!  My newest addictions and awesome sales:

The Socializer! It was featured in a bunch of magazines.  You can read reviews on it here.  I think it’s pretty much YSL Eclat Radiant but currently $25 cheaper!  I would say they both work the same but the Socializer comes with a moisturizer.  It’s on sale for a limited time at the Luxury Spot right now for $16 with FREE shipping! It’s not for the raccoon eyes, but works really well as a highlighter.

Lash Extensions...never done them but I hear they're great for weddings.

Groupon!!! If you don’t know about this by now, you are surely missing out!  Every morning, 6am, I wake up and lounge while scrolling on this site.  They have a Iphone App!  It’s ordered by city and some of the best deals around.  I bought $100 worth of Fish gift certificates in Houston for $20 once.  I got a Red Door Elizabeth Arden facial and mani/pedi for $35 a couple months ago in Dallas!  Use it when you travel!  The Lash Lounge is on sale today!

Martin and Osa- 50% off our entire purchase.  I have bought a bunch of things from them.  Awesome quality, and I like the simplicity.

Sitarious!

LuLu’s- 15% off purchase.  Use code happy4th.  I love their new Sitar Sensation Dress.

Do you need glasses?  Forget EyeMasters! EyeBuyDirect! Really good prices for brand names and comes in the mail.  Easy as 1-2-3. (I sound like a commercial.)  No really, if you need glasses and your insurance reimburses based on receipt of sale, this place really rocks.

Thick as Thieves

Thick as Thieves on Etsy-my newest jewelry addiction.  Delicate, simple.  Awesome quality.  Not out of this world expensive.

Shu Uemura No More!

Bat Those Eyes!

Well, with this downturn economy, we’re starting to see luxury markets close.  Shu Uemura has decided to close all their American stores.  If you don’t know who they are, they make the ultimate eye lash curler and that famous cleansing oil.  So if you have a gift certificate there, hurry to your nearest Saks!

You would think rubbing oil over your face would induce a pimple fest…but

Grease Me Up!

this stuff is pretty magical.  It feels greasy as hell when you rub it dry all over your face, and then cleans off like a soap.  It’s not the squeaky-parchy clean feeling but more of a “hey, I left a layer of skin left” feeling.

And the eyelash curler, it sells out every Christmas at Sephora.  Enough said.

Moisture Surge!

Moisture Surger!

Since winter is leaving us and summer is coming, its time to think about different moisturizers.  I was shopping with Sandy a while back, and bought another jar of Clinique’s Moisturizer Surge.  Now this thing, when refrigerated, feels absolutely decadent in the summer.  It is for the combination/oily skin person and absorbs pretty quickly.  In the winter, you can use it as a mask, leaving it on for about 10 minutes and rinsing off.

Other moisturizers I’ve tried that I think pretty awesome.  These are all without SPF and meant for night creams.

A dose of luxury

Kiehl’s Ultra Moisturizer
This is for the type of skin that chafes during the winter.  Truly rich, and I usually use it once a week for recovery.  Or after camping in the Artic.  The scent smells luxurious, and the 2.5 ml oz is around $16.  It will last you at least 1/2 a year since a little goes a LONG way.

Mario Badescu Honey Moisturizer
Use this for oily skin in the winter.  It does go on sticky but last about 1 minute.  Some people don’t like the honey scent.  My favorite is the gentle AHA in it that encourage exfoliation without all the damage and irritation.  Daily AHA has shown to

Honey is good for the face. It has anti-bacterial/anti-acne qualities.

improve wrinkles over time, but only if used long-term and early.  Do not mix with retinoic acid and wear sunblock in the AM.

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion
There are two types: the cream and the gel.  If you are super-oily, go for the gel.  In the winter, use the cream.  I love the cream because it was what my mom used when I was a kid and the scent reminds me of her.  Made for sensitive skin, and hypoallergenic.

Burt’s Bee Radiance Night Cream
For those with the organic rush, this is a cheap, easily accessible moisturizer sold at Target, Walmart, CVS, and Walgreens.  It smell delicious, and I think it works best for the combo skin.  I do have to say, this is a rich cream.

Weleda Wild Rose Lotion
My personal favorite.  For the pregnant woman or organic/natural-craze user.  Very gentle and I think it works for every skin type.  Rose water is

Cleopatra used to bathe in rose water and milk every night.

wonderful for your skin, just a few drops in your washcloth or Clarisonic.

This is a short list by all means, just a few memorable ones.

Pur Minerals vs. Bare Minerals

Bare Minerals

I have a lot of friends who wear Bare Minerals (same thing as Bare Escentuals) and swear by it.  BM hit the jackpot when they joined with Sephora a few years back and have done fabulous for themselves with their Raremineral regimen and their cascade of colors for blush, eye color, and lipstick.  I do have to say, their colors are very light (as in not opaque), definitely not for those who enjoy MAC.  Bare’s relatively new anti-blemish powder is made of sulfur.  So if you have tried benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid to no avail, sulfa may be the way to go.  It does have a weird scent, so when you have a pimple on the nose, it gets annoying.  Does it work?  Not really for me.  If you put it on when you feel that cystic bump, when you know something is clawing its way out, its too late.  Some reviewers says it works better if you put it on every night.  But I particularly don’t want to smell rotten egg-ish every night.

I have worn their powder and mineral veil for a good 4 years, and can put it on in under 2 minutes.  It’s really good for oily skin with their new matte formulation and those who cannot take liquid sunblock underneath their foundation.  Probably not for the old and wrinkled, like my mom.  Just kidding!  But no, really, it made her look like an Etch-a-Sketch.

However, Pur Minerals started with Ulta about 2 years ago, and they

Pur Rocks

a have huge, loyal following too.  I have never tried it, but it’s next up in line.  I do have to say, it is appealing because its pressed! And it won the Allure approval for 09.  None of those spills and powder stains on my sink or purse from the loose powder of BM.  I am a little hyped by their Pur Rocks.  The reviews on Allure and Makeup Alley have been really good.  Think bronze and highlighter in one.

Now just to waylay some myths I have read from other websites or complainers.

1) Bismuth can make some people’s skin itch and break out.  Both of these companies advertise all natural earth minerals, free of preservatives, fillers, and dyes.  Bismuth is a natural metal used in many cosmetics, medicines, and now as a replacement of lead in certain products.  Not exactly poisonous, can just be irritable to some.

2)BM does not use talc as a filler.  Some reviewer wrote that Pur was better than Bare because it did not use any talc.  I looked at the ingredients; they both don’t.

3)Titanium dioxide can cause acne.  Umm it can be irritating so therefore can cause you to scratch/touch your face, which then give you acne from the introduction of oils and bacteria to your pores.  Titanium dioxide itself does not cause acne.  However, both Pur and Bare use it as their main sunblock ingredient.  Warning: this “natural” barrier is, well just a barrier.  It last as long as that powder is on your face, and if you miss a spot unseen by the mirror, well you’re not covered.  And the companies state, you have to wear the recommended amount.  I have no idea what that is.

4)They both cost the same.  And from what some friends are saying, they last about the same length of time.

Rosy Blush

Lady G from OK, who has the prettiest name ever, who is pretty gorgeous herself asked me about blushes today.  She’s one of these girls blessed with blonde hair, height, blue eyes, and a gorgeous personality to boot.  And she was so nice to a nerdy, short, Asian girl who talked smack about various make-up brands but never wore any.

Anyways, got me thinking, I have used the same blush for the last 6 years.  Does that put me in a beauty rut?  Nars Orgasm is never a rut.  It just plain works.

But G is looking at the Tarte gel blushes, which have cutsy names like Blushing Bride and Doll Face.  I have had Flush now for 3 years, and I like it for a natural stain, but only in the winter.  The gel can be oily, and make people with oily/combo skin break out sometimes.  Its really easy to put on, and a LITTLE goes a LONG way.  It looks natural if applied correctly.

However, I think these are little better.  Nars is still the best though.

Lorac Sheer Wash: Its sheer, almost idiot-proof, and its a stain, not a gel pigment.  So for the oily skin or those who don’t like heaviness.

Benetint from Benefit: Now this is not so idiot-proof but once you learn how to use this, it will look like you blush like a virgin naturally.