Product Reviews #2

Vasanti Brighten Up Enzyme Face Rejuvenator 

Click here to buy

I received this product in my October Birchbox and was extremely excited to try it! I have a few friends who had tried it before and loved it so my expectations were pretty high with this one. It has Microcrystals, Papaya enzymes, and Vitamin B as active ingredients. I absolutely loved this product. the micro crystals weren't too abrasive and my skin felt so refreshed. If you have oily skin you could use this product everyday. I have combination skin so I won't use it everyday just to make sure I dont over exfoliate. For Dry skin I would use this once or twice a week to get a really good exfoliation in. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!! 

Pomegranate Crush Illuminating Mask 

http://www.biorepublic.com/products/pomegranate-sheet-mask

I had way too much fun with this mask that also came in Birchbox as you can tell! The mask was on for about 20 minutes and it was so refreshing! Each mask has about 1/2 a bottle of revitalizing serum and I could definitely tell! I loved how my skin had a glow and amazing hydration after using this mask! If you have Dry skin, Combination skin, rosacia or get red pretty easily this would be a really good cooling/ hydrating mask for you! 

Alba Botanica Even Advanced Deep Sea Mask

http://www.albabotanica.com/face/treatments/deep-sea-facial-mask.html

I picked this mask up on a Kroger run in the organic isle and I was pleasantly surprised! This  Kaolin Clay based mask is meant to draw impurities from the skin, stimulate skin to help even the tone and brighten overall appearance. This product did just that. I could feel the product working instantly as it had a slight tinging feeling. I saw instant results when I took it off and I will definitely look more into other products this line has to offer! Highly recommended for oily skin, combination skin, or someone wanting a more even tone to their skin! 

Thats all the product reviews for now my friends! Please please email me at skincarediaries.blog@gmail.com if you have ANY questions regarding products or even your own skin!! Until next post, MAKE GOOD CHOICES!

Facials

Facials. What do they consist of? Are there even any benefits to gettting them?How often do people get them? These are the most frequently asked questions new time clients ask me. Since I work for an Aveda salon, I will be going by what we do in our 60 minute facials. Every facial is different depending on where you go!

What happens in a facial?

•precleanse (I use Avedas Beautifying oil)

•cleanse 

•skin analysis 

•tone

•exfoliate (steam if needed) 

•tone

•extractions 

•first mask

•reflexology while first mask is on

•neck, shoulders, and facial massage 

•final mask 

•tone, moisturize, and SPF 

Benifits of Facials

•increases circulation in face

•anti-aging

•maintain skin 

•relaxing 

•will help create the perfect skincare routine to keep skin healty

•help prevent any seriois skin problems 

How often:

most of my clients come in for a 60 or 90 minute facial about once a month. I do however have some clients that cant come in that often so they come in every season change to help their skin adjust. 

If you arent sure about what your skin needs, call your local spa to see if they do free skin consultations! They will be able to tell you exactly what your skin needs! 

Thats all for now! If you have ANY questions please feel free to contact me! Until next post, make good choices ;)

Product Reviews #1

So this past week i have been trying a few products I've been dying to tell you guys about! 

First, Trader Joes Spa Face Wash with Tea Tree:

They had me right off the bat with infused Tea Tree! When you first pump it out, it's almost like water. I had to emulsify it in my hands to give it some suds. It doesn't have a distinct fragrance which I like. I absolutely LOVE this product! I felt with the first wash I had that deep clean feeling I needed. Since then I do have a few new break out spots. Thats more than likely just because the tea tree is bringing all the dirt and impurities to the surface of my skin. It will clear up within the week I'm sure. 

I highly recommend this product for someone with oily skin or combination skin. 

Second product is Trader Joes Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion w/spf 15:

This lightweight fragrence-free daily facial moisturizer has been an amazing day time moisturizer! For my combination skin though i need a heavier creme at night. In the summer time this is definitely going to be a great product i'm going to have on hand! I recommend this for oily skin, sensitive skin, and a good day time facial lotion for the combination skin types! 

Third and Fourth Products: 

Dead Sea Mineral Mask and the Avocado oatmeal mask

I was SO excited to try these 2 different masks from CVS! I tried them both about a week apart and got the exact same results. They both majorly burned my face! I'm not allergic to anything in either of these masks. There is a saying that the sting from a facial product is good. This is NOT true!! If it stings STOP usage of that product!! I do NOT recommend either of these products and will probably not try any other products from this line. 

Managing Normal Skin

Having normal skin is the most idealistic skin type to have! Small pores, perfect moisture balance, and an overall great tone to the skin! When you have this skin type its all about preference. Today I will be going over a few products I've used and really liked plus their importance. 

Cleansing:

When cleaning, I would use a basic gel cleanser with maybe a very very mild exfoliant. This is because you won't need a heavy exfoliation since you don't have any major problems. A good mild exfoliant will gently take off any existing dead skin and help any blackheads you may have. 

Aveda Tourmaline Charges Exfoliating cleanser

Toning:

To tone the skin is to rebalance the Ph of your skin.  Normal skin already is pretty balanced but it would not hurt to add a toner to your skincare routine! It will help serums and moisturizers absorb deeper in the skin!

Moisturizing: 

I would use a basic light coverage facial moisturizer. If you feel in the winter you want to add a little more moisture, use a heavier creme at night time! Its still important to moisturize even though  you have normal skin because it will keep you skin looking more radiant and healthy!

Extras:

Most of my clients with normal skin want to look more radiant. Aveda has a line called Tourmaline Charged that is great for normal skin! The Tourmaline Charged Radiance Masque is great for instant results!

Tourmaline Charged Radiance Masque

As I stated in the beginning of the post, ALWAYS wear a facial sunscreen. Especially when just driving around. Windows do NOT protect against sun damage. The sun is the #1 cause of wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation (dark sun spots). Its much harder to reverse than it is to just wear sunscreen everyday to prevent them!

Kiss My Face SPF 30 spray 

Managing Combination Skin

Combination skin can mean more than just Oily/ Dry. It can also be a combination of rosacea and oily, normal and dry, normal and oily, and even age lines with acne break outs! Genetics plays a HUGE factor in this. Today I will be going over the most common which is the Oily/ Dry  combination. I will go over the others in future blogs. Typically with this combination you are more oily in the T-zone and drier everywhere else. I myself have this combination and what i've found works best is having 2 different cleansers/ moisturizers for however my skin is feeling that week! With this skin type it is important to remember trial and error is key. I'm STILL learning what goes better with my skin and what doesn't so lets try together!

Cleansing: 

Since its drier in the winter here in VA I use a thicker creme cleanser until Summertime. It's super humid here in the summers so I will use a lighter cleanser thats still moisturizing but also not as thick as my winter cleanser! If you have more acneic breakouts with your combination skin, I would rotate a cleanser with a little Salicylic acid. Rotate the Salicylic cleanser out with a normal cleanser so it doesn't completely dry out the drier parts of your skin. This is a lot trust me i know! Ive posted pics below of the cleansers I've found that really work well with my skin! 

Winter Cleanser (only at whole foods) Earth Science creme cleanser

Summer: Clarity Cleanse Daily gel cleanser (online or at any Hand and Stone)

Toner:

Using a Toner is a must for any skin type! Its purpose is to rebalance the Ph of your skin! Since our skin is so back and forth its great to get it all on the same page. It also helps other products such as serums or moisturizers to get absorbed deeper into the skin. 

Exfoliation:

its important to exfoliate but to not over exfoliate. I do not recommend using a Clarisonic spin brush every day. If you do use it every day it could be over exfoliating which causes more dryness, irritation, acne breakouts, and tenderness. once a week is ideal for this skin types exfoliation! Exfoliants range from the little beaded products (known as mechanical) to liquid exfoliants (known as chemical).

Moisturizer:

Much like the cleansers, I rotate my moisturizers with how my skin is feeling that week or the season.   Thicker cremes in the winter and a lotion in the summer. If you feel cremes are too much for you, get a lotion with a little thicker consistency or put a thicker creme only on the dry portions and a lighter lotion on the oily portions!

Earth Science moisturizer (only at Whole Foods)


Extras:
I recommend using 2 different masks to accommodate the  oily and dry at the same time. you could use a clay based mask on the oily portion then place a thicker more moisturizing mask on the dryer portions. Then your skin can get the nutrients both portions needs!

Salicylic acid is meant to speed up the cell turnover rate. it can be drying to some so if you do decide to go that route use it in moderation at first!

Tea Tree oil is also great to add to any cleanser or moisturizer. its a natural antibacterial and can help clear deep acne! make sure the tea tree oil is safe to be put directly on the skin before you do so!

So as you can see there is SO much when it comes to this skin type! Like I said, its all trial and error with us. if you have any specific questions about your skin please ask me questions!

until next post, MAKE GOOD CHOICES xoxo 

Managing Dry Skin

The most important thing to know when dealing with this skin type is knowing if your skin is dry or actually just dehydrated. So many times I've seen  clients that think they have dry skin when they are just dehydrated and need to tweak their skincare routine just a little!

The Difference:

 Dry Skin:

~Dry flakes present on the skin

~No breakouts 

~red/ inflamed

~very tight even after moisturizer application

Dehydrated skin:

~no dry flakes present

~tight feeling

              ~some breakouts present (breakouts are signs

 of oil presence even if you cant feel it)

~skin absorbs products quickly

Now that we know the difference, lets get started!

Washing your Face:

Cleansers to avoid would be gel products(meant for oily skin), cleansers with mild exfoliants in them (the tiny beaded cleansers), and cleansers with salicylic acid or any other kind of acids. Those are not meant for dry skin and will only make it worse. 

Cleansers TO use on dry skin would be creme based cleansers to help re-hydrate, help with the tight feeling, and help with the redness/ irritation you could be experiencing.  

Philosophy Purity Creme Cleanser

Exfoliation:

Even when you have dry skin, it is important to exfoliate every week and a half or 2 weeks. This is to help get the built up dead skin off! The important thing is to not OVER exfoliate . This causes more irritation. redness, tenderness, and dries you out even more. I do NOT recommend using a clarisonic everyday with dry skin types. If you would like to use it as your form of exfoliation, I wouldn't do it more than once every 2 weeks. This is because depending on the severity of  your dry skin, the abrasive motion could be too much for your dry skin and cause more damage. I highly recommend a liquid exfoliant so your skin doesn't get annoyed! 

Botanical Kinetics Liquid Exfoliant

Toner:

A toner is important for all skin types. It's soul purpose is to balance the Ph of your skin and it also helps other products absorb into the skin better!

Moisturizers: 

When picking a moisturizer out for your dry skin, always go for cremes over lotions. Lotions aren't re-hydrating enough. If you feel a creme is too much for you, a trick I tell my clients is to pat your clean skin with a little water and then put your moisturizer on! You'll end up using half the amount of moisturizer than you usually do and your skin will get a needed drink of water as well :)

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Hydrating Rich Creme

Extras:

A good habit to get into especially in the winter months is to use a facial mask that you can leave on the skin for a good 10 minutes during your routine. Some of my clients do it twice a week if the air is really drying. Use a heavier creme mask so you can really re-hydrate your skin or an aloe mask to soothe extremely irritated/ dry skin! 

If you have ANY questions about today's blog or even questions about your skin please contact me!

I will be doing many brand reviews from cleansers, masks, and other products later on, so if you want me to try a specific one let me know! 

Until next post, make good choices XOXO

                      

Managing Oily Skin

Hey friends! So in my first blog, we went over the 4 different skin types. Today I will be going over how to manage your oily skin type, what products to use, and what products to avoid using! Over the next few days we will be going over how to manage the 3 others!

Washing Your Face:

The BEST types of facial washes for oily skin are gel cleansers, cleansers with Tea Tree in them (or just add a few drops of tea tree), cleansers with a little Salicylic Acid in them to help with the cell turn over, or a cleanser with an extremely mild exfoliant. I would even alternate between a regular gel cleanser and a cleanser with a very very mild exfoliant! Avoid creme based cleansers at all costs. They are too moisturizing for this skin type. 

When you have oily skin, it's so easy to love that clean feeling of washing your face more than twice a day. However, doing so will cause your oil glands to overproduce oil and make your skin even oilier later on. 

Exfoliation:

~ gets rid of dead skin sitting on the surface 

~ unclogs pores

~ reduces appearance of large pores

~ helps the overall texture of your skin!

Exfoliation is great for our skin! Plus our skin feels super soft afterward too! 

But beware the dark side of exfoliation....... OVER-EXFOLIATION!! 

If you are exfoliating more than twice a week, it's too much for your skin. Over-exfoliation is one of the main causes of acne and breakouts! You should be exfoliating 2 times a at week at most. 

Toner:

Two of the main questions my clients ask are"what is a toner and why is it so important?" A toner is used after washing your face but before you moisturize. Toners re-balance the Ph level* of your skin and help other products absorb deeper into the skin. Toners are EXTREMELY important and should be in your everyday skincare routine. 

Aveda Botanical Kinetics Toning Mist

Moisturizers: 

When you have oily skin, a moisturizer may be the last thing on your mind, but moisturizing is still very important even with this skin type! With oily skin you just have to find the right one that works for you. Avoid heavy cremes and stick with lighter oil-free facial moisturizers! Some oil-free moisturizers will help absorb excess oil throughout the day to give a nice matte finish to your skin!  Most places like Sephora or Ulta let you try something before you buy it, so I heavily recommend doing trying out a few different products until you figure out what suites your skin best!

Extra products: 

A little something extra I would add to my oily skincare routine is a facial mask. You should apply these masks and leave them on for about 7-10 minutes once or twice a week! A clay based mask will help absorb extra oil when you feel like you are really in need for a deep cleaning. 

Another great additive to consider is charcoal based products. Charcoal can be found in a variety of facial washes and masks. Check out the link below to an article with more info!

Tea Tree oil is a natural antibacterial. It's great to add a drop or 2 to your face wash, or even 1 or 2 drops directly on your skin! Some clients of mine do this daily or just when they feel a breakout coming on.  This can be done at your own discretion! 

Aveda Tea Tree Singular Note (Oil)

Final Thoughts:

Oily skin can be tricky but not impossible to manage! Always remember, what works for one person may not work for you, so if you have any questions please feel free to contact me so we can come up with your skin's perfect routine!

If you realize you have been over-exfoliating and you stop abruptly, your skin could be a little more oily the next few weeks just because it is so used to the frequent exfoliation. This WILL subside and your skin will go back to normal in a few weeks so do not worry. 

  -Until next post, MAKE GOOD CHOICES!!! xoxo

*Notes:

~Skin Ph: level of acidity or alkalinity of your skin. The ideal Ph balance is roughly 5.5. This should not be something you have to manage or worry about, but if you are concerned and want to find out before using any products, I would make an appointment with your local esthetician or dermatologist. 

~Benefits of Charcoal Products article

Determining Your Skin Type

Hey everybody! Welcome to my first themed week: Skin Types!

Let's face it, skin can be so tricky! With so many different products out on the market it's hard to find the right things to use for your skin type. Today I will break down the 4 different skin types there are! Skin type and skin condition are often confused as the same thing. A skin type is the skin you were born with and will always have. A skin condition can happen with any of the skin types such as acne, dehydration, hyper-pigmentation (known as sun spots/ sun damage), and many more! They can be corrected or managed with a change in your skin care routine.Here I will give a basic definition of the 4 different skin types!


Oily Skin is when your skin overproduces oil. Oily skin often causes acneic outbreaks, larger pores, and a shiny complexion. In some cases, it can be a little difficult to manage, but not impossible!

Oily Skin example

Normal Skin is when the skins moisture is balanced. Pores are typically smaller and blackheads are scarce.

Normal Skin

Combination skin is when the skin has an acneic break out but also some dry patches as well. Breakouts typically occur in the T-zone. Combination can also mean Aging skin with acneic breakouts or even rosacia and dry skin. Each person is different and your genetics play a huge role in which you have.

Combination Skin

Dry Skin is when there are dry flakes or cracks on the skin. No matter how many different hydration products you use, your skin cant seem to get enough.

Dry Skin Example

If you still have difficulty determining your skin type after seeing these examples, feel free to contact me using the contact page and I will be more than happy to help you figure it out!

Keep a lookout for my upcoming posts with the Skin Type Theme Week! I will be going over each skin type in more detail as well as what type of products to use for your skin!
   

-Until next post, MAKE GOOD CHOICES <3>

Update

Hey all,
the new contact page with a simple and easy-to-use contact form should be up and running now. If it does not work, please leave a comment on the page and let me know so I can try and get it fixed. THANKS <3


-until i post again, make good choices XOXO

WELCOME

Welcome to The Skin Care Diaries! I am SO excited to go on this skin care adventure with all of you! Be on the look out in the next week or so for my first post! Bear with me while I learn the site and get the hang of its formatting. The page will be sure to change around slightly over the first few weeks. Spread the word! If you have any questions, feel free to shoot me an email or comment on any of the posts. I will try to respond as quickly as I can! Until my contact page is finished being set up, email me directly at: skincarediaries.blog@gmail.com

-until i post again, make good choices XOXO