Nightly Exfoliation | How to wake up looking like you had a facial.

You guys know that I love the topic of exfoliation. We've discussed it time and time again. We've even been inspired by celebrities who attribute regular exfoliation as the key to their glowing, youthful skin.  I thought we've learned all their is to know, until I was given new advice by a beauty expert in the industry.

I was making my rounds in Sephora, hoping to pick up the free birthday gift they so generously provide when I saw this striking blonde woman who stood about 6 feet tall, wearing an all black dress.  Her hair was in a stylish bob and her makeup was perfect.  She just so happened to be near a product that I wished to sample so I asked for her help.  Since she wasn't in the typical Sephora uniform, I first asked a series of questions to find out more about who she is.  Turns out that she represented a company called Korres.  She asked how she could help so I requested a sample of Dr. Dennis Gross' dark spot correcting sunscreen.

The reasons I want to try it, I told her, was because I was intrigued by a sunscreen with active ingredients that exfoliates and fights hyperpigmentation.  She agreed that Dr. Dennis Gross has decent products but responded by saying  "the best time to use products that exfoliate and treat hyperpigmentation is at night."  While you're sleeping, she goes on to say,"your skin is regenerating and going though a cleansing process.  Using exfoliation products at night helps the process."  I thought about it for a moment, and it made complete sense.  I almost liken it to exfoliating in the shower. We're already cleansing so pairing an exfoliation session while showering just seems natural.

When we exfoliate during the day (or in the morning) we then immediately expose our already sensitive sensitive skin to the sun.  But, in the evening, we're giving our skin a chance to recuperate. Wonderful things happen to our skin at night.  I experience it first hand when I use coconut oil on my face or when I take certain supplements at night.  When I awake the next morning something about my skin seems different, renewed.  It makes sense to use products that can aid in the rejuvenation process while you sleep.

The helpful Korres representative happily prepared a sample of Dr. Dennis Gross' sunscreen, along with a sample of Korres' Wild Rose brightening sleeping facial.  I really like the idea of a "sleeping facial."  It got me thinking about how I could create a nightly regimen that produces facial-like results when I awake.  I'll put more thought into it and, if I come up with something brilliant, I'll let you know.  But for now, let's start to experiment with using our acid based products or doing our at home chemical exfoliation routines at night and see if your skin transforms by morning.  Because, hey, who wouldn't want to look like they just had a facial when they first wake up.

My anti-aging tools that I've never told you about.

Besides hair products a good amount of my disposable income goes towards facial beauty tools and anti-aging contraptions.  My is collection small but growing.  Ideally, I'd love to invest in expensive machines like one that does at home oxygen facials.  But for now I'm starting small while adding items one by one.

One of my beloved purchases is the cute little vibrating facial wand.  The claims are that this wand eliminates wrinkles.  I don't know about that, I'm more interested in the vibrations which might have a positive effect below the surface of the skin.  Ever since I learned that vibrations can impact bone density, I've wanted something with vibrating power made specifically for the face.  Not only was I hoping that it would increase blood flow to specific areas but I'm also hoping to target specific areas for greater impact.  Especially around the eye area.

 As we age, changes in bone structure  occur.  One of the most obvious changes, to me, is the widening of the eye socket.  It's a subtle difference but it definitely happens. This widening is what promotes hollows and the appearance of tiredness around the eyes. Our eye area doesn't get much exercise as the rest of the face. And were warned to be very gentle when applying eye creams and whatnot.  This could be a contributor to atrophy around the eye socket.  Jumping on a trampoline is supposed to be powerful enough to exercise the elusive eye muscles (which some say can even improve your vision when done regularly).  Along with rebounding, I choose to stimulate the eyes with this tiny little vibrating wand.   Even if the wand has no effect on the bone density around the eye area, it still feels really relaxing when I use it.

I was in a hotel once, watching late night infomercials when suddenly an announcement was made for an at home microdermabrasion machine.  Since I already have the Riiviva, I wasn't really interested in purchasing. But the host said something I would never forget.  As a selling feature, he highlighted the strong suction of the machine.  The suctioning, he claimed, promoted collagen formation in the deep layers under the skin.

I theorize that mild trauma to the skin can promote thickening and collagen formation.  We know this because getting fillers and using derma rollers can produce collagen.  While the plumping affects of the facial suction cups might be temporary (think lip plumping devices) they could help produce collagen below the surface of the skin.  Cupping therapy is based out of Chinese tradition and can provide a multitude of benefits to the body.  When used on the face, cupping massage promotes lymph drainage, and can help firm and plump the skin.  I bought my little facial cups specifically to experiment on the lower half of the face.

When you look close at the faces of women who appear younger than their age vs women who look their age (or older), one of the obvious differences is the amount of volume in the lower half of the face.  We loose fat/collagen in that area and it's a bit challenging to get it back once it's gone.  I don't use my cups on a daily basis but I do think they have helped in thickening the intended areas.  I just place them on either side of my jaw for a few moments to allow blood flow. Then I remove, place them in a new location, and start again.  I definitely feel the burn in the area after a cupping session. Next, I'll get some in smaller sizes so I can practice cupping between my eyebrows and other parts of the face.
_________________________________________________________________________

Last on this list is probably my favorite.  Again, in my quest to find ways to impact the facial structure, I stumbled across the Yamuna face rolling kit.  Basically, it's two balls and an exercise video that demonstrates how to use the rolling action to massage your face.  This exercise/massage technique is phenomenal for removing facial tension that you probably didn't know you had.  When I sit in front of the computer, I tense my facial muscles as I squint or whatever.  When we're stressed out, the stress usually ends up in our shoulders, on our face, and in our scalp (that's why scalp massages feel so good).  [Side Note: If you have moderate to high stress, please reward yourself with scalp massages to keep blood flowing to the scalp. Stress causes constriction, we need to counteract the constriction by promoting healthy flow to the scalp again.]

After you finish your Yamuna face rolling session, you immediately feel the tension leaving your face.  Best off all, this ball does an amazing job of lifting the face and giving you a younger overall look.  I may be imagining things, but I notice a reduction in my smile lines and forehead wrinkles when I'm consistent.  Not to mention that I can use as little or as much pressure as I desire.  The more pressure I use, the more bone stimulation I experience.  For people with facial congestions, tension headaches, etc, this ball could provide some much needed relief.  The kit is a little pricey but I highly recommend it. There's even body rolling kits to work out tension located deep within the muscles.  Even if I'm imagining the anti-aging benefits, I still think this is a great purchase to destress the face after a long day.

If you want to see Yamuna Face Rolling in action,  check this video out.

This is only the beginning of my anti-aging goodies.  I plan on amassing many more tools in the future.  As my collection grows, I'll be sure to share my finds with you.  If you have any anti-aging techniques/tools that you love.  Be sure to share them below.

Frequent vs. Infrequent Washing| Let's Discuss

When it comes to wash day routines, there are people who find success on two opposite ends of the spectrum.  I'm referring to those who wash frequently and those who don't.  Proponents of frequent wash days boast about increased retention while some advocate leaving the hair alone which also promotes length.

Neither option is right or wrong, but let's discuss some pros and cons of both so you can decide which choice is best for you.

If you wash your hair 2 or more times a week, you can consider yourself a frequent washer.  I've written a complete post on the benefits of this type of regimen.  Basically, you expose your hair to water multiple times a week, thereby increasing moisture levels.  The need for daily moisturizing and sealing diminishes as your hair is better able to retain moisture on its own.

Frequent washers attribute their length retention and progress to this method.  I gave it a go for several weeks and my hair approved.  Unfortunately, since I'm a loser at air drying, which meant that I was roller setting multiple times a week.  Yes, that's a lot of manipulation, but as moisture levels rose, I barely lost any hair.  The time commitment involved caused me to go back weekly wash days, but I'm currently experimenting with an alternative method that I'll write about in an upcoming post.

If you have chronically dry hair, frequent washing may be just the answer you're looking for.  The key to success, using this method, is to manage the manipulation.  If you can find a low manipulation way to handle your hair after cleansing, you're as good as gold.  One other pitfall to be aware of is over moisturizing the hair.  When the hair becomes over saturated with moisture it can feel week causing you to lose out on making any progress.

Lastly, let's never forget the issues of some of WEN's customers who claimed to have experienced hair loss from using their cleansing conditioner.  I saw my mother in law earlier this year who raving about how amazing her hair felt after introducing WEN to her regimen. After complimenting her hair, I advised her other's experiences to which she replied "you may be right, I do notice that I shed more hair when I use their product."  So keep an eye on that kinda stuff just to make sure you aren't doing more harm than good.  But, if you hair loves frequent exposure to water, frequent wash days can take your journey to the next level.

I've met people who wash their hair every few weeks and claim that this is their secret to retention. I get it. Leaving your hair alone can have a huge impact on manipulation related breakage.  Back when I'd get my hair professionally straightened, my hair could go two or more weeks without issue.   It required just a tiny bit of finger combing each day. Detangling was a breeze because shed hairs are easy to remove when your hair is so straight.  If I incurred any breakage, I'd just mist with a little It's a 10 with Keratin and call it a day.  At one point I contemplated using this method to promote retention.  But then I remembered how much manipulation and heat was required to get my hair to that point.

There was a girl at the dominican salon who has the most amazing hair.  Her hair was probably close to waist length, jet black, and had so much volume (think Kenya Moore's hair but a little bit longer).  Based on our brief conversation, she seemed to be a regular patron.  I only visited once every 6 months or so.  A couple years passed, and I decided to visit the salon out of the blue.  That day she just happened to be there, only now, her hair was around bra-strap. It still looked good but no where near where it was during her glory days.  That's realized that my hair wouldn't do well if I tried to keep it bone straight 100% of the time.

Another issue is my scalp.  Going without washing for more than a week can be asking for trouble if you've got scalp issues.  I'm sure the people who can endure extended times between wash days have little scalp concerns.  I had to leverage anti-fungal oils like coconut and essential oils to make it through the experience.

But with all that said, there's some merit to successfully creating a process where the hair can thrive if you only wash once or twice a month.

Many of us, including myself, full under the category of washing once a week.  For me, washing once every 7 days came about out of convenience.  I worked 5 days a week and the weekend was a best time to wash, deep condition and set.  But in all honesty, a once a week wash (in it's current form) isn't optimal since my hair responds better to washing more regularly.  Once a week is adequate but frequent washings would be ideal.  For others who use heavy heat to straighten after washing, extending wash days to every 1.5-2 weeks might give hair hair a much needed break. Or, if weekly is just right, then keep going.

 And by just right, I want you to think of retention as your measure of success.  Retention is made up of how your hair behaves from day to day.  If you're constantly battling dryness and breakage, play around with increasing wash day frequency.  If your hair likes to be left alone to do it's thing, try extending and see what happens. Don't just stick to weekend wash days out of convenience, make sure it's truly adding value to your hair.

I'd love to hear your experience.  Does your hair thrive more when its washed frequently or when left alone?

Korean Layering Routine Part 2 // The Nightly Routine

Yesterday, a thought randomly popped into my head.  "I wonder if Steve Jan uploaded his night time skin care routine."  If you recall from the Korean Skin Care Routine article, I featured Steve Jan's intricate layering routine.  The man is in his 40s and had the skin on someone half his age.  He inspired me to finally invest the time and effort to truly create glowing skin.  In the last video, Steve mentioned his evening routine and promised to give us a glimpse.

Well the day has finally arrived.  I just happened to check his page minutes after he uploaded his evening regimen.  His evening regimen is quite extensive.  As you watch the video, set aside any thoughts about how many steps and products involved.  Instead, let's listen for tips and tricks that we can incorporate into our current routine.  Steve's profession is in the skin care industry, so he knows his stuff.

Since the video is quite in depth, here are some of the highlights for those who can't watch the video until later:

+ Double Cleanse // If you wear a lot of make up or if you're skin exposed to the elements, you want to pre-cleanse (using oil, or makeup wipe to remove surface impurities)

+ Steve teaches a little trick on how to turn a square cotton pad into a nourishing facial mask.

+ Notice that Steve practices facial massage during the product application.  Not only does this help the product to better penetrate, but it also keeps his skin firm and taut.  His face shows no sign of facial sagging.

+ Warm the serum on the back of your hand before apply to the skin.  Warming the product could help the product better absorb into the skin.

Check out the entire video for full details.

Ice Facials | The Celebrity Beauty Secret for firm, healthy skin.

Ice therapy is an amazing beauty secret.  A bunch of celebrities finish off their facial cleansing routine by dunking or splashing their face with ice water.  Pharrell Williams says that he finishes off his cleansing routine with ice cold water because his big sis Naomi Campbell taught 'em.  Her super model counterparts like Kate Moss and Linda Evangelista were also fans of using ice water before photo shoots and runway appearances to create firm, healthy skin.

We've talked about the wonderful beauty benefits of taking cold showers. I've even discussed how I used hot and cold water therapy to treat facial blemishes.  You can imagine my excitement to learn that there's actually a facial tool that uses the power of ice to enhance the look and feel of your skin.

Ice facial rollers are handheld tools that live in your freezer!  The roller head is filled with water and gel which retains the cold temp as you roll it across your skin.  A facial ice roller has so many applications.  You can use it to close up the pores after cleansing.  Cold temperatures fight inflammation which is great if you have acne breakouts.  Another great use for the roller is after any treatment that causes irritation to the skin like using a derma roller or after a laser peel.  The cooling feel of the ice roller will calm your skin, helping it heal faster.

I was moments from buying this ice roller when I remembered that I had a couple of jade rollers to experiment with.  I grabbed two rollers, rinsed them with water and placed in the freezer (while still wet).  An couple of hours later, hubby snuck up on me and rolled one on my back.  Not realizing what it was, I jumped back, startled and partially annoyed.  But once I realized that my jade roller experiment worked, I was elated!  Since he was confused as to why they were in the freezer in the first place, I explained my experiment as I tested the roller on my skin.  Success!

The roller felt just as cold as if I were rolling an ice cube on my face, but without the messing dripping.  Since my roller isn't made of the same material as the professional roller, the cold feeling lasted for only about a minute before I had to remoisten and place back in the freezer.  For a few minutes after use, I could feel the lasting effects on my skin as the warm blood rushed back to my face.  As you might recall, cold temperatures on the skin cause blood to flow inwards towards the organs, as a protective measure.  One the surface of the skin warms up again, the oxygen rich blood returns to the surface of the skin,  giving it a nice healthy glow.

Although, the jade roller hack works for now, I'd like to grab one of the ice facial rollers so I can execute longer ice massage sessions.  Even with a professional level ice roller, I'll still use the jade roller for dealing with under eye puffiness using the smaller sized roller.  I remember the days when I'd put ice in a zip lock bag and rubbing it on my skin to enjoy the benefits. These rollers are so much more convenient and quite effective.

Must Have Essentials for Girls with Puny Lashes.

If you're one of those women who aren't blessed with a huge set of lashes, I empathize with you.  Lashes offer such a huge advantage on those days when you want to execute a five minute makeup regimen.  Healthy, lush lashes and a well arched brow can do amazing things for one's look.  Which is why it's imperative that those of us who aren't lash endowed have some tricks up our sleeve to make miracles happen.

Let's start with the absolute basics.  Lashes are just hair.  And as such, they respond positively when they receive a boost in nutrition.  Which is why you should feed your tiny lashes either internally or via topical application.  I've seen the wonders of consistently applying lash serum day and night with my own eyes.  Girls with skimpier lashes than me suddenly had an enviable pair thanks to their consistent efforts.

If you aren't into applying a topical lash enhancer two times a day, opt for an internal supplement or, do like I did and whip up a large cup of bamboo tea as part of your daily ritual.  At first, I wondered why my lashes seemed a little longer than normal until I remembered that I'd been regularly drinkng from a large (gallon size) batch tea that I'd store in the fridge.  Frequent bamboo tea refills have paid off and, suddenly, my lashes are now visible again. Don't take my word for it, check out LA Shopper's recent review on Amazon where she too proclaims the wonders of newly visible lashes thanks to indulging in the silica rich tea.

Now that I've got some lash action going, it's time to take it to the next level.  The absolute best thing you can do to enhance your lashes is to opt for cult mascaras known for situations just like yours.  On one trip to Sephora, I was introduced to Benefit's They're Real thank's to an eager sales girl who insisted that I not leave the store without having purchased it.

Actually, she was right, it was a pretty good mascara.  One reason why I love it so much is due to the unique wand which has a tiny spiked ball on the end. This little mascara ball easily finds those teenie, tiny hairs hiding in the corners.  The wand really helps me to create a more flirty look.  Especially if you're going for visibility over volume.  But then things get interesting when I layer Benefit's They're Real with MAC's Zoom  Lash.  I stumbled on Zoom Lash years ago when Kim Kardashian's make up artist used it to create her signature spidery lashes.  What I love about his mascara is how highly pigmented it is.  The wand is much smaller than "normal" which makes it much easier to maneuver through tiny lashes.  Zoom Lash is a wet formula,which requires you to use a little extra patience and care during application.  But, the payoff from this mascara makes it all worth it.

The trick to getting the most from your mascaras is to layer them for the double the impact.  If you purchased one, and aren't too happy with the results, see what happens when you layer with the other options in your makeup kit.  Another quick tip for making your lash line more visible is to line the inside of upper eyelid with a dark pencil.  This makes the base of your lashes appear darker, which gives them a fuller look.   This is especially helpful if you have a hard time reaching the base of your lashes with mascara.

And when you want to go for even more va-va-voom with your lashes, get a little a help from a lash curler.  Probably, the most well known brand is from Shu Uemura.  As with any purchase, you truly get a quality product for the price.  I invested in one years ago and have been happy every day since.

Curlier lashes are just the start, if I really want to amp up the lash power, I lightly warm up the curler before use, transforming it into a lash curling iron of sorts.  Once done with the routine, you can take it to the highest level by trying out the lash trick made famous by Audrey Hepburn's makeup artist.  Basically, after carefully applying mascara, she'd go back and meticulously separate each lash using a tooth pick. This would allow every single lash the opportunity to shine and get rid of any unwanted clumping.

Then, of course, you always have the option of grabbing a pair of falsies for a quick transformation. But, truthfully, I love the idea of sporting healthy natural lashes that accentuate your eyes, adding a bit of femininity and enhance your natural beauty. Best of all, they can turn you from a doe-eyed baby doll to a cat eyed vixen in just a few short minutes.

Gabrielle Union reminds us to step our water drinking game up.

One of my favorite posts of all time is on the topic of how Beyonce, Adriana Lima and Gabby Union drink a gallon of water a day to keep their skin perfectly flawless.  That post resonated with a lot of you and it sparked off a water drinking challenge that would change lives.

You can imagine how elated I was when to stumble on this pic, while scrolling through Gabrielle's Instagram feed.

It depicts Gabby, as she shows off a partially filled gallon of water.  In her caption, she writes about accepting a 30 Day Transformation Challenge which appears to be spearheaded by celebrity trainer Luther Freeman.  Gabby--miss overachiever, is actually pictured with her 2nd gallon of water for the day.  Yes, she's upped the ante to two gallons.  And notice how she's included a couple of lemon wedges to transform the water into an ultra alkalizing beauty tonic.

If there's one tip I'd like you to take away from this post it's this: The bigger your water bottle, the more water you'll drink.    When I first became serious about my water intake,  I grabbed this huge 56 oz drinking bottle.  It was a little cumbersome at first but it definitely served its purpose.  If I could drink two of those a day, I'd reach my goal. And, to be honest with you, it was pretty easy to do.

Then I started using a smaller (regular sized) water bottles for the sake of portability and my water intake immediately went down.  This was unacceptable.  Whenever I needed to make up for slacking on my water intake, I'd drink directly from a 3 liter bottle.  But, what I haven't yet tried, was drinking directly from a gallon.  I really like the idea.  And I love how she includes a few lemon wedges in there as a way of claiming that entire gallon as hers.  Someone as consistent as Gabby is with her water intake deserves to enjoy glowing, flawless skin at 42.  Thank you, Gabby, for reminding us to keep going so we can reap the rewards of ultra-hydration.

I've turned my Korean Treatment Essence into a high end facial mist

Hey, good to see you again.  I want to tell you about something I did which just saved me nearly $100.00.  You see, after I became addicted to Evian facial mist last summer, I discovered that Chanel carries a luxury facial mist infused with skin loving ingredients. Evian was cool and all, but I wanted to add a little something extra, beyond water, to my skin with every mist.  I fell in love with the idea of rejuvenating the skin with antioxidants and hydration at any given point of the day.  But alas, the $90.00 price tag kept me at bay.   Y'all know I have no problem splurging on higher end items but I really couldn't see myself putting that kinda money on a 1.7 oz bottle in which the first ingredient is water.

Time passed and I filed away the idea of a nutrient rich facial mist.  I figured that eventually the answer (or product) would eventually come to me.  And, I'm here proclaim that the day has arrived!

You all know how I've been indoctrinated into the Korean Skin Care Ritual.  This intense layering method has exposed me to a new type of product.  Steve Jan made me a believer in facial treatment essence which led to the discovery of Missha's First Treatment Essence.  This stuff makes sweet love to my skin every morning.  I don't know how to explain it...it's like a water that moisturizes (not just hydrates--there's a difference).  It feels like water, but then it sorta behaves like a moisturizer on my skin and it leaves behind this subtle little glow.  It's fantastic.

The other day and had this bright idea.  What if, I get a tiny spray bottle and lovingly pour a little Treatment Essence in it, to carry in my bag?  That way, I can mist my face with the blend of amazing extracts and pro-youth yeast ferment whenever mood strikes.  Let me take a moment of reiterate that Missha's Essence looks and feels like water but there's no water in the ingredient list.  This means that every ingredient is purposeful, yet it feel like you're misting your face with an infused water.

The minute the idea struck me, I ran into the room to see if it was possible.  After grabbing the bottle off the counter and taking a look, I'm relieved to find out that I can easily remove the plastic stopper and have full access to Missha's miracle water.  Because they give so much product in one bottle, I can afford to distribute some into small spray bottle.  Off I went into the land of internet shopping to find the perfect little spray bottle.  My requirements were clear, I needed a glass spray bottle, small enough to fit into my tiniest makeup bag. I chose glass because the original product came in glass and I wanted to stay consistent. Plus a glass mister would make me feel all luxurious, and stuff, every time I used it.

It didn't take me long to find these perfect little misters on Etsy for a couple of bucks.  They're super cute and come in a set of three.  I can use the others for perfumes and whatnot.  If you travel frequently, you'll enjoy these.  It took 2 seconds to fill the bottle and voila!  I had my very own high quality, high end facial mist.  I didn't realize how concentrated the Essence was until I used it as a mist.  It delivers high levels of moisture in an instant.  I think I may create a diluted version (by adding a little water) for those times when I want more hydration and less moisture (if that makes any sense).  Whenever I mist with the pure essence, I take a moment to massage the product in.  If I diluted to include more water, I could just mist and let it evaporate.

I'm still experimenting but I had to run in here and share the good news.  If you still haven't tried Missha's First Essence yet, you are missing out.  I went back and reread my initial post where I predicted that my face would improve over time with consistent use, and I was so right.  My skin looks really smooth and more even toned.  I could attribute those results to daily facial exfoliation, but I've read other accounts of others who've also experienced skin altering results from this product so it's not all in my head.

How to Create Flawless Skin in 7 Days.

I received a comment on a recent post linking to an article on how to get flawless skin in 7 days.  The article was ok, but left a lot of valuable info out. So decided to write my own little "how to create flawless skin in 7 days post".  I'll start by saying it's darn near impossible to get flawless skin in 7 days.  But, you can drastically improve your skin within that period of time.  You just have to adjust your actions to match the level of concerns keeping you away from your goal of flawlessness.  There are times when you've got special occasion coming up and it's imperative that you make an impact on your skin quickly.  Hopefully this guide will help.

Beyonce & her flawless skin.

I'll break this post by severity of issues and how to drastically improve those issues in 7 days or less. But first, we must define what flawless skin means, that way we all have the same idea of what the end goal is.  For the purposes of this discussion, flawless  (1)skin is free of acne, (2)hydrated,  (3)smooth, (4)even-toned, and (5)glows (reflects light).  I like to work on my skin in phases.  For example, when I was troubled with cystic acne, I wasn't trying to create glowing skin. I had to get rid of the blemishes first. And when I did, I realized that I had work to do to get my skin smooth and even toned.  Glowing skin is cool, but if you have discoloration from previous scarring, it takes away from everything.

If you have active acne, clearing it should be your first priority.  If the acne is persistent (meaning, it's not some random flareup), you have to do something drastic to clear it in 7 days.  My recommendation is to focus heavily on your internal environment.  Treating it using only topical methods is like playing whack-a-mole.The name of the game is to reduce/eliminate the inflammation in the most effective way possible.  This means you'll cutting out foods such as dairy, sugar, anything fried, and wheat.  Basically, you want to starve any internal issues that could be feeding your constant breakouts.

To speed up the cleansing detox process, you want to add lots of alkalizing foods into the mix.  Green salads are you friend.  And you should be drinking (lemon) water like a freakin' fish.  If you want results within 7 days, you've got to get serious with it.  When it's all said and done, your skin will not only look better but you'll feel tremendous and maybe even shrink your waistline.  It's a win-win.

  If you suffer from the occasional break out, you also want to follow the advice that I gave above. Your issue may be because you've slipped a little in your water intake. You've indulged in rich foods more than normal and your skin is gently reminding you of your mishaps.  All you have to do is get back on track.  You also want to take a few extra precautions like washing sheets/pillow cases, cleaning your cell phone, not touching your face and the other random stuff that create sporadic break outs.  I'd also recommend you conduct a couple at home facials to help move the purging process along.

 What if you're one of those people who don't really get breakouts but you're skin isn't as fantastic as you'd like it to be.  The good news, since you don't have to worry about dealing with visible blemishes, you can skip directly to the step of trying to achieve glowing skin.  You've got a  couple of options.  One would be to exfoliate regularly, removing the surface skin blocking the world from seeing all of your beauty.

Let me tell you two examples of experiences where my co-workers transformed their skin. One had smooth even toned skin but wanted to take it to the next level.  Her course of action to was feed her skin by doing a 7 day juice fast.  We hadn't seen each other for a few days and when I saw her again, she had the skin of an angel.  She couldn't stop raving about what the juice fast did for her skin and it showed.

Another coworker took a leave of absence for a few months and when she returned, the first thing I noticed was her skin.  She wasn't terribly attractive and her skin wasn't really her best feature.  But when she came back, her skin was suddenly above average.  After exchanging pleasantries, I was like "so what are doing differently to your skin."  Oh, she responded, I don't use soap any more, "I scrub ever day." 

It's that simple ladies and gentlemen, the formula for flawless skin can be boiled down to:
1. Feed the skin
2. Exfoliate to allow fresh skin, gorgeous to shine.

If you're like me and you've got your acne under control but you're dealing with scarring, your options to address this within 7 days are:

1. Find an amazing full coverage foundation.
2. Treat yourself to a facial peel.

My first experience with a peel was awesome and I really need to do it again.  Within a week, years of stubborn scarring had reduced drastically leaving behind baby smooth skin.  Since then, I've been taking the slow and steady approach to reduce acne scars but, in all honesty, I need to get serious and do a peel again.  I'm thinking of doing the VI Peel that claims amazing results, regardless of skin type.

In all honesty, the peel experience wasn't my favorite, watching the top layer of your skin peel off is somewhat unsettling.  My ultimate advice is to maintain regular habits that give you great skin.  For instance, a powerful daily routine will do wonders for your skin (see Korean layering method post). And I can't tell you the number of people who left comments on the blog and on Facebook about how much their skin improved after jumping on the "drink your water" challenge. Anytime you talk to someone with incredible skin, they will likely tell you about their high water intake.

Long story short, do the right things for your skin on a regular basis and you won't have to worry about creating a total transformation.  Don't be that person who has to work frantically to address skin issues, be the one who's known for always having great skin.

The Case for Exfoliating Your Eye Area

Things are going pretty well with this updated skin care system that I've been implementing.  The Korean layering method infuses my skin with various nutrient rich serums, which keeps it glowing.  And moving my favorite skin care products to the shower adds that level of consistency, brining great results.

Yesterday, I glanced into my sun visor mirror to see how my skin looked in natural light.  Skin looked decent but I noticed that my eyes weren't as fresh and bright as the rest of my face. Sure, my first thought was to attribute it to not being in my 20 anymore.  Maybe father time was finally catching up.  But the logical side of me wanted to get to the route cause of the issue.  "What's missing from my regimen that's causing my eyes to look like this?"  The response was immediate.  I was exfoliating all of my face except my eye area.

Now I'm sure that everything you've ever heard or read has warned you repeatedly to avoid exfoliators near the eyes.  They say the eye area is delicate and fragile, like a newborn baby duckling.  You're only supposed to use the lightest touch with the tip of your pinky finger, if you ever go near your eyes.  I understand where they're coming from. We want to protect the eye area as much as possible.  But are we missing on a huge opportunity by staying away from the eye?

Let me first address the idea that the skin around the eye is too fragile for exfoliation.  I'm of the belief that any part of the body that's neglected will start to atrophy.  If we don't use our muscles, they shrink.  When astronauts go weeks without walking, they lose bone mass.  I think that part of the reason why our eye area shows our age so quickly is because we allow it to atrophy.  I've read online accounts of people who claimed to have thickened the skin around the eye area through a vigorous massage technique that includes pinching and rolling of the skin. They say the skin responds well as blood flow to the area increases causing increased collagen production.  The result is a brighter, more youthful looking under eye area.  We layer mascara, concealer,  and eye creams without much thought of how to properly remove all the unwanted build up.

So I looked online and found several articles urging us to exfoliate our eye area. So we can enjoy youthful glowing skin over our entire face!  This morning, I nonchalantly walked into the bathroom to experience this for the first time.  Keeping in mind that if I happened to get an exfoliant grain in my eye, my day would be absolutely ruined.  For this reason,  I purposefully chose not to use any products that are too grainy.  Because, Fresh sugar scrub is extra thick, the likely of any sugar grains going astray is minimal.  Please, never use an exfoliant that has crushed almond shells (or anything of the sort) near your eyes.  If something goes wrong, water can't dissolve it like with a sugar grain.

First I massaged my skin with oil to loosen dirt below the surface.  Then I dampened the skin with water and scrubbed with a tiny bit for Fresh exfoliant. As I got near the eye area, I used a high level of caution.  In fact, I didn't really go near my eyes with the scrub, I just remained in the area surrounding the eye (outer orbital bone). But it was closer than I'd ever gone before with granules.

That's when I decided to use another means to really exfoliate the under eye.  With my eyes firmly shut, I grabbed the Clarisonic and proceeded to cleanse my face. This time I also scrubbed my upper and lower lid (eyes closed).  I even allowed the electronic brush to remain on the eye for a few moments before moving to the next eye.  I emerged from the experience completely unscathed.

As I began to layer on the serums, I made a conscious effort to apply Misha's Essence serum and my glycolic acid serum to the under eye.  After I was done, I looked in the mirror to assess the results. The difference was noticeable right away. I also look forward to the cumulative benefit as well.    Exfoliation allows you to put your brightest, freshest skin on display, it only makes sense to exfoliate your entire face.  If you feel weird about using scrubs near your eyes, try a brush, a mild chemical exfoliant like Cure Gel or an exfoliating serum to see what works best for you.

Instagram Beauty Secrets Part 7.

Who's ready for another round up of Insta-Beaty secrets?  For those of you who new to this series, it's basically where I stalk scour feeds in search of random sharing of their favorite beauty tip/product.  I'm not talking about the paid posts for teeth whitening or "skinny teas."  These are the real products they use everyday and swear by.  Let's get started.

@astrog1rl

Astrog1rl's Instagram feed is filled with flawless faced selfies. It's no wonder why people would bombard her with questions on what she does to create her everyday face.  Here's what she had to share:

"I get asked everyday what foundation I use so I thought it would be best to just make a post.  I use Makeup Forever Mat Velvet foundation #80 then I use Makeup Forever Duo Mat #218 powder as a finish.  This is the best foundation I've EVER used and yes I tried MAC (it's too heavy IMO).  This is just right for normal/combination/oily skin types."

I'll throw my 2 cents in and agree with her on Makeup Forever foundation.  It gives decent coverage while looking natural.  Since adding it to my regimen, I've never looked elsewhere. That is....until now.  I have the HD Foundation (which is perfect) but I like the idea of a mattifying foundation since I don't use a powder at the moment.  Especially now in the warmer months when oil production is sky high.  

 @sharshar_xo

Sharshar is a living testament to the lesson we learned on going to bed greasy.  Her flawless skin prompted lots of questions from her followers on what foundation she used to create her natural glow.  Here's what she had to say:
"For all the lovely ladies asking me what foundation I use. I don't wear any makeup.  I use this on my face and body twice a day."

We've heard that coco butter is notorious for helping to even out skin tone.  It makes perfect sense that this young lady keeps it simple by using something every day that promotes healthy and vibrant skin all over.   If coco butter is too heavy for you, we've seen great results from people who use coconut oil on the skin day/night.  Play around with it and see what works best for you.

@themelyssaford

I always get a excited when a celebrity shares her beauty secrets.  Today were featuring Melyssa Ford who never shared her go-to skin care products.  Looks like she's loyal to a certain brand.

"These are truly some of my favorite products.  I get questions on what I use on my skin and my two favorite [product] lines are Origins and Olay.  I don't believe in spending a grip of money on designer skincare when these two lines are more than comparable.  And Origins smells so yummy!  Please give them a try!"

If you've been on Instagram for any length of time, you may have run across before and after photos of fiber lash mascaras that use tiny fibers to create dramatic extra long lashes.  Well, it looks like I may have stumbled upon a DIY version to create extra long lashes.  Take a look.

This is a simple and quick beauty tip for fuller, longer lashes: After applying the first layer of mascara, apply a thin layer of baby powder onto the wet lashes. You can apply to the whole lash or the roots (for a fuller and thick look) or just the ends(for a longer look). You can repeat this step again for an even fuller/longer and dramatic look. Hope this was helpful 😛💁🏼 @ashleymartelle #BBLU #TazsAngelsBeautyBar 💕

A video posted by Taz's Angels Beauty bar (@tazsangelsbeautybar) on May 17, 2015 at 12:19pm PDT

Lily Ghilichi is known for going full glam on a daily basis.  She makes no excuses about wearing big hair and a full face, thanks to her personal team of make up artists.  Most of her page consists of advertisments for her or other products, but recently, she shared this little nugget.

" I get SO many questions about my under eye concealer. Ladies, this truly is THE BEST concealer I've ever used, it has changed my under eye life.  It's by @tartecosmetics and I'm obsessed."
Sounds like Tarte Creaseless Concealer is worth checking out. 

@thisissymphani 

After taking a break from WEN Honeyfig and going back into the world of shampoos, I learned that one of my favorite brands, Biolage,  has a cleansing conditioner for coarse hair.....and now I need it.  Don't get me wrong, I still love Keracare's SLS free shampoo, but I really miss the hydrating power of using a cleansing conditioner.   At first I was like "Nadege, you don't need another shampoo" but then @thisissymphoni said this:

"This is my new fav conditioner. It's a cleansing conditioner. Non stripping, no harsh salts, no parabens.  It makes my hair feel so clean and soft afterwards."

The reviews are awesome so it's secured a VIP spot on my list of Craves.   I'll pick up a bottle on my next visit to Ulta.

In the shower | Taking your beauty ritual to the next level.

Typically, if you were to peek inside my shower, you'd find several bottles of random shampoos, conditioners, and protein treatments.  But something happened the other day, that would change all that.  There I was, taking a shower, just like any other day, I dipped my fingers into a jar of TreeHut's Brown Sugar scrub to conduct my all over body exfoliation when suddenly, by accident I start scrubbing my face.

The instant I realized what I was doing, I freaked out.  Thoughts like, "these grains could be to large and could scratch your skin" flooded my mind.  But after the panic subsided, I realized that scrubbing my face with it wasn't the end of the world.  Then it hit me like a light.  Why don't I keep my face scrub in here?

Keeping shampoos and conditioners in the shower seemed to make sense.  The only problem was that I only use those products 1-2 times a week.  But, on the flip side, there are beauty products that I should be using daily, that'll bring much more value if they were in the shower with me.  So I switched out my hair products for those that benefit the skin.

Texture shot of Treehut Sugar Scrub vs the finer grains of Fresh Sugar Facial Scrub.

First on the list was the jar of Fresh's Sugar Scrub. You've heard me mention it several times before. This stuff is ridiculously expensive and worth every scent.  Fresh's umbra clay bar also made the list of products moving into the shower. It's a clay mask shaped like a bar of soap.  Great if you want a simple daily clay mask in an easy to use form.  I alway find that the damper my skin, the easier it is so apply, so using it the shower is a no-brainer.  Then I grabbed my bottle of Palmer's Coco Butter Moisturizing Body Oil off my dresser and moved it to where it makes more sense.  The only time I use it is after a shower so why not keep it in the bathroom to apply while my skin is most damp?
Here's how it all went down.  After jumping in the shower, I grabbed the clay bar, applying it all over my moistened face. While waiting for it to dry, I scrubbed my body with soap and a Salux cloth then proceeded to exfoliate my body using the sugar scrub.  After shaving, I check on the clay mask which only dried 85% because of the moisture in the shower (or because I go through my shower routine pretty quickly. That was fine by me, I just need it to draw dirt and oil to the surface in preparation for the cleansing routine.  I removed the mask by gently applying Fresh Sugar scrub to my skin using gentle circular motions.  What I love about this scrub is that it leaves behind traces of the natural oils on your skin, so it never feels dry or stripped.  Finally, I grabbed the Clarisonic Pro brush for a proper cleansing.  After I scrubbed my feet, I was done and ready to go. But before I left the bathroom, I rubbed a little of the coco butter oil on my damp skin to retain all of that lovely moisture.

Once I got to my dresser, I began the ritual of beautiful skin.  Here's the thing.  When I applied the glycolic and hyaluronic serum to my skin, I felt a slight tingle.  This wonderful little tingle is a sign that my skin was properly exfoliated enough to let the product do its job.  The smirk on my face said it all.  This could be the thing the completes my skin care regimen. Why hadn't I thought of this sooner?  Now I can actually exfoliate every day without fail (extends left hand in the air to give you a high five). I woke up this morning after trying the full routine for the first time last night and I couldn't stop looking at and touching my skin (sorry Lady Dee).

I'm still debating on whether I'll use the exfoliating scrub twice a day or just once.  I've got a small collection of facial scrubs and Fresh is the only one that could be used 2X a day without scratching or over drying my skin.  I'll test it out and see how it goes.  The reason why this is so awesome is because I've already developed rituals that are engrained. Therefore pairing these new actions, with what I already do, should be quite easy.

On thing I'll need to do is create a little more space and organization in the shower.  It's a wonderful beauty ritual and should be presented as such. That's why I've got my eyes on these teak wood shelves to display everything in a neat and attractive way.

What beauty items do you keep in your shower?

Craving | Dr Gross Dark Spot Sun Defense (the even skin sunscreen)

My current wish list is pretty short.  And on top of that list is an new and better sunscreen.  You see, ever since I've been practicing the Korean layering regimen, come to expect quite a lot from each product in my routine.  All the serums are doing a bang up job of addressing my various skin issues.  But I feel like my sunscreen needs to work a little harder to contribute to my overall goals.

Sure, the one I currently use is high SPF and does a decent job at blocking out the harmful rays (I suppose), but I'm ready for the next level of sun protection that addresses uneven skin tone.  I know that the simple act of wearing sun protection daily does have positive effect on managing dark marks. Yes, I understand that sunscreen is vital to helping promote perfectly even skin.  But, now that we've ventured into the world of BB & CC creams that boast of having multi-level benefits, I expect my sun protection to do the same.

Which is why I have my eyes set on Dr. Dennis Gross' Dark Spot Defense SPF 50.  It's a paraben free sunscreen that claims to moisturize, prevent and minimize hyperpigmentation while loading the skin with beneficial antioxidants.  I'd love to complete my skin care routine with a product with multi-level benefits.  It appears to be a fairly new product because there aren't that many reviews online.   This one is from a happy customer.

WOW!!

I have been looking for a face lotion with high SPF and this does above and beyond that. Not only does it not leave a greasy mess on your face after you apply it or if you start to sweat, it has vitamin c and e which is vital for your skin in order to prevent signs of aging. I would recommend this product!

I'm not an expert in ingredients but I saw a few things that caught my eye. Glycolic acid to help lighten dark spots via exfoliating the dead skin cells.  This super sunscreen contains plant oils such as  olive, evening primrose,  and echium oil (which boasts of omega 3,6, &9).  Not to mention vitamins C + E which load your skin with antioxidants and black rice extract which is also rich in antioxidants. I also appreciate that it contains glycerine which I suspect will help provide a moisturizing quality to the formula.  My current line up of sunscreens are too drying for my taste. After reviewing all this sunscreen has to offer, I just don't get that excited about what I currently use.  I need something that compliments this new skin care regimen and helps take my skin to the next level.

I suspect it won't be long until I have this product sitting on my dresser.

RAVE | Missha's Time Revolution First Treatment Essence.

After discovering the amazing Korean Skin Care regimen, my skin hasn't been the same.  But deep down I knew, without a facial essence,  I was missing out on one of the most important steps of this skin transforming routine. Since  facial essences were a bit foreign to me, I did a little research to uncover what made 'em so special.

Facial essences draw their potency from fermented yeast.  What I appreciate about these products are that the active yeast makes up a very large percentage of the total ingredients (80-90%).  SK II patented their fermented yeast formula after discovering elderly brewery workers with youthful , well preserved hands.  After digging into it further, they attributed the eternally young hands to the active fermented yeast.  The formula was patented and the rest is history.    

Multitudes rave about SK II.  I've read various accounts of how people's swear their skin will never be the same after coming into contact with the magical essence.  I've always wanted to try it but the $150.00 price tag freaked me out a bit.  Then I just so happened to stumble on an SK dupe by the name of Missha First Treatment Essence.  I couldn't believe how affordable this was compared to it's counterpart.  My first thought is because the ingredients probably sucked.  But, in actuality, Missha is also filled with fermented yeast, just a different variety (from the same family).  Missha's yeast comprises 80% of the ingredients unlike SK II which boasts of being comprised of  90% active yeast.  It sounds like SK II may have the upper hand but, if you look a bit more closely, Misha's ingredients also include natural extracts like beet root, rosemary, and other botanicals that could have soothing and anti-inflammatory qualities.  

What really made me take the leap was Missha's social proof in the form of a higher review rating on Amazon.  No more excuses.  A couple of days later, my package arrived.  First impressions--the bottle was much larger than I expected.  Enough to last quite a while.  Facial essence application comes immediately after washing so it's essentially a toner.  Toners, as many of us in America know it, can have a drying effect. But Asian facial essences remind us that layering a hydrating miracle water, after cleansing to seal in moisture, is logical.  Why did we ever think it was ok to strip the skin of moisture immediately after washing?  Actually, I apply a coconut based vinegar to my skin directly after washing my face because I have to. Without it my dermatitis would flare up.  Apply this directly after toning bring all the balance back to my skin.  And it happens instantly! The watery consistency makes it really easy to apply by hand.  Another option is to apply with a cotton pad, but I'd feel bad throwing away a cotton ball soaked with youth promoting active yeast.  Nope, I want every ounce of that stuff on my skin.

Of all the products in my multi step routine, this is my absolute favorite.  I layer all the serums and creams  out of obligation. Missha's Facial Essence is the only one that I look forward to applying.  I absolutely love how my skin feels immediately after application.  Moisture levels are instantly regained.  Interestingly enough, I actually have a watery "hydrating lotion" with the same consistency as Missha's Essence but doesn't compare in the level of moisture it imparts. It's not just moisture, I feel like the treatment essence improves the overall appearance of my skin.  I absolutely adore this product.  It's just so calming, hydrating and nourishing. And the price point is so right (I'd actually pay more for it).

I'm really looking forward to experiencing long term benefits from applying this on a daily basis.  In the back on my mind, I wonder if I should still try the SK II just to make sure I'm not missing out.  Maybe I'll experience SK II one day but just to put my mind at ease but, honestly, I can't see how it can be any more amazing than this.