Tropical Flush

I know I mentioned that I'd review some of the products I talked about in the post I did on bronzers a few days ago. I'd planned on already having at least one product review posted but I've been slacking off a bit. So, I figured I'd finally get started. One of the products I mentioned dusting over Benefit's ChaCha Tint was Benefit's Corolista blush. It's a warm coral pink color with just a hint of gold shimmer to it. This is a universally flattering color that will look great on pretty much anyone. The color has often been compared to "Orgasm" by NARS. It's warm but not so warm that fair skin tones can't pull it off. I'm very fair with strawberry blonde so I'm speaking from experience on this. I only wear Coralista in the warmer months of the year & I always wear it over bronzer. I've never tried wearing it without bronzer so I can't say for sure if I'd like it without the bronzer. I'm sure I would but I don't want to say that I'm 100% sure. I really do think this is such a great Summer color though. I think coral is such a beautiful color & that more people should give it a shot when it comes to their makeup. It's a great color to warm up your complexion with. Like all of Benefit's products, this one comes in an awesome package. Coralista is one of Benefit's "box o' powders" so the box is in the same square shape all the other box o' powders come in. I love their collections of powders in this category b/c you really get quite a bit of product in the package which makes the $28 price tag worth it for me. If you're like me & alternate between several different shades of blush from day to day, one box of this stuff should last you quite a while. I actually bought my box when it first debuted last year & I still have more than enough to last me through the rest of this year. One added little extra about Coralista is the awesome smell! I can't describe it aside from saying it smells really yummy. If you're interested in buying a box for yourself you can purchase it at Ulta, Sephora or at: www.benefitcosmetics.com .If you are a fan of the NARS "orgasm" blush & haven't tried Coralista, I definitely recommend it. You're getting quite a bit more product for only $1 more!

I'm Quite the Fair Lady



That is one fair little lady! Oh, wait.. that's ME! Look at that "red" hair. Even though I can't say it now, at least I can say I DID come into the world w/ 10 toes & 10 fingers! And I must say, I was quite precious!

 I was born a redhead so I was destined to always have fair skin. Even during my days of going to the tanning salon every other day, I never got super dark. I'd get a little bit of color & a whole lot of freckles. While I actually do miss my freckles, after my skin cancer scare back in 2008, it didn't take much for me to realize that I was doing some pretty bad stuff to my skin. Aside from the skin cancer ordeal, I started to notice that perhaps all of these dermatologists really did know what they were talking about... going tanning makes you get wrinkles!! I'll take fair skin over wrinkles any freakin' day, thank you very much! And I know so many of these tanning lotions you get at tanning salons now days all have "anti-agers" in them but trust me, those UV rays are much stronger than the tiny bit of anti-aging components they put in tanning lotions! (I have experience w/ this topic b/c I've worked at 2 tanning salons) Now, despite how popular vampires are right now, I realize during Summer even us fair skinned ladies want a bit of color. With my physical condition, I don't exactly go around exposing a ton of skin. My chest & my face are without a doubt the most exposed places on my body. Still, even though I don't have to worry about my legs looking tan during the months everyone else is wearing shorts, I like having some color on my face, neck & decollete' so that I don't look like a live in a cave. (although, during Summer in the South, I basically stay in my cave aka the house b/c it's so damn miserable outside) So, if like me, you want to avoid damaging UV rays but get some color, here are my personal picks:



The FAIREST of all fair ladies, Audrey Hepburn!


• Versa Spa~ I LOVE this! In my opinion, Versa Spa does a far better job than Mystic Tan! It looks more natural & the smell isn't awful like Mystic Tan. Versa Tan booths are also much nicer inside. One of my favorite things about the Versa booth is the heater inside. I remember when I used to do Mytic, I always froze the entire time. Another thing I like about Versa Spa is that it does a really good job of spraying you from every angle imaginable. Also, it blow drys you off after it's finished spraying. If you're interested in finding a salon that has a Versa Spa booth near you, go to their website: http://www.versaspa.com/ . You can watch a video demo on this page too!

The Versa Spa booth

• Xen Tan Deep Bronze Lux~ I find that this is one of the better self tanning lotions on the market. I know there are quite a few celebrities who have said they use it, so if you don't want to take my word on it being a good product, feel free to take one of the Olsen's (as in the twins) word instead! It has a light tint that immediately shows up when applied so you can make sure you get it on evenly. It says it develops within 3 hours but if I am planning on applying it, I wait until bedtime so that I can give it a full 7-8 hours to develop. Another nice thing about this stuff is the vanilla scent. Granted, if you leave it on for 8 hours, the smell usually doesn't last the entire time. It is one of the more pricey self tanning lotions. You won't find this stuff at CVS or Target. I know Sephora & Ulta carry it online but I've never actually seen it in the stores here in Memphis. If you're interested in ordering it just get on sephora.com or ulta.com & look up the brand name. They make several different lotions so look for the "Deep Bronze Lux". They make the Deep Lux for body & they also make a version just for faces. I always just use the one you can use all over so I don't know what the difference in the 2 are. The version I use contains aloe, green tea, vitamin E & coco butter, so it's got plenty of stuff in it that makes it good for the skin on your face.

Xen-Tan Deep Bronze Lux- $39

• L'Oreal Sublime Bronze 1 Day Gel~ Now, this stuff is cheap & it's fail proof! It's a tinted gel but if you don't like how it looks or you put too much on, wash it off. Can't get any easier than that! I don't use this on my face but I use it on my neck & decollete. I'm sure you could use it on your face if you wanted to but I use a liquid face bronzer w/ a thin layer of powder bronzer over it. The main reason I use this is so my neck & chest will match my face. I hate seeing women walking around w/ a tan face & a white neck. NOT cute, ladies!! I mix a squirt of this in w/ the moisturizer I put on my neck & chest & it does the trick. (I use the same moisturizer on my face as I do my neck & chest but like I said above, I don't put this stuff on my face) You can get this just about anywhere. Target & all the drugstores should carry it. It will only set you back $8- $11, depending on which store you get it from.

It's cheap & it does the job!

• Stila One Step Bronze~ This is the stuff I do use on my face. It's a serum that is a swirl of copper bronze, pink bronze & one of Stila's most iconic colors, Kitten. Each color in the swirl does something different and the result is so pretty. Aside from bronzing it illuminates & corrects any other problems you may be having with your face. One Step Bronze helps minimize pore size which is really my biggest skin problem. The pores on my nose & right around it are bigger than the pores on the rest of my face. This stuff also helps control oil (another skin issue I have w/ my T-zone) & it helps make fine lines & wrinkles a bit less noticeable. I know some people have issues w/ using serums b/c they don't like how they feel. I do understand that people think serums tend to feel a bit oily b/c most of them do. BUT, this one is oil free so no matter how it may feel to you, rest assured that there is NO, zip, zero, etc. oil in this. I know I've mentioned in a previous post that I take ridiculous care of my skin & that I was also just blessed w/ good skin for the most part, so, even though this is considered a primer, I don't put anything on over it. I actually don't even know if you can put liquid foundation on over this or not. I'd assume that you can but I don't want to say that I'm positive when I'm not. I do put powder bronzer over it so I CAN tell you that it's okay for you to put that on over it. One thing some people may not like about this product is that it does give your  face a bit of shimmer. I mean, you're not going to look like you're walking around w/ glitter on your face but it's not matte, at all! Once you put any kind of powder over it, it tones the shimmer down some. Stila makes some really great products & I've been using this brand for over 10 years. Of course, me w/ my "prestige" cosmetic brands... you know this one isn't cheap. A bottle of this will set you back $36 but b/c it's a big time multitasker, I think it's well worth it. It doesn't take a whole lot of product to do the job so a bottle will last a good 2 or 3 months, if not more. I bought mine in April or May & since I don't use it every single time I wear makeup, I still have about a half of a bottle. I like putting mine on w/ a foundation brush but feel free to use a sponge or your fingers. You can buy this at Sephora or Ulta or you can go to: http://www.stilacosmetics.com/ .

Stila One Step Bronze: This stuff even looks cool in the bottle. Love how it's swirled!

• Powder Bronzers~ I actually have 2 bronzers I go back & forth with. Of course, they're both Benefit products! Because I am so fair, I basically never go out w/out powder bronzer on. EVER! Even in Winter. I decide on which bronzer to use depending on if I want to look really bronze or slightly bronze. So, my 2 go to bronzers are: Hoola (yes, it's spelled w/ 2 Os) & Dallas. I've actually been using Hoola for close to 10 years now. This bronzer has won a ton of awards since it first debuted. I mean, just about every magazine or beauty website that does a "Best Bronzer" award has at some point given the award to Hoola. Hoola is the one that makes me look a couple of shades darker. The color is not orange & it is considered a "universally flattering" color so it will look good on just about anyone. For something less dramatic I use Dallas. It has some plum, rosy undertones so it's great for fair skin since those are basically our natural undertones. Benefit actually describes it as, "An outdoor glow for an indoor gal!". Like her big sister, Hoola, Dallas has also won several beauty awards since it's debut. A lot of people use it as a blush but I like to put it all over. I always dust bronzer not only on my face but of course down my neck b/c again, we don't want to walk around w/ those lovely makeup lines some women seem so oblivious to. Not pretty! Oh, & as with all of Benefit's box o' powders, these 2 bronzers come in really cute boxes. You can purchase both of them at Ulta & Sephora or, if you're lucky enough to live somewhere w/ a Benefit Boutique, they'll obviously have it as well. If you seriously do live near one & have been thinking about buying one of their products & have never been into one of their boutiques, I totally recommend it. Especially, if like me, you LOVE pink & you love basically anything cute & girly & fun! And of course, you can go to: http://www.beneficosmetics.com/ . They both cost $36. Also, they've improved the packaging a bit. Instead of taking the top off it not flips open & has a mirror inside of the lid. They still have the same cute design on them though.



You can definitely tell from the pictures of the 2 bronzers that this is the deeper bronze. I only use this for "special" occasions. This isn't my daily bronzer. 





Great bronzer for my fair skinned friends. This is definitely more of an "everyday bronzer" for me.



The inside of a Benefit Boutique. If given the opportunity, I'm quite sure I could live here! Actually, I'm POSITIVE I could live here! =)

• Finishing Touches ~ Of course, now that you have the glowing, bronzed skin, be sure to finish the look off w/ a great blush & lipstick. This Summer, my go to color has been coral. I am loving coral cheeks & lips. Best of all, I can use one product to get both: Benefit's Cha Cha Tint. I reviewed this product in a previous post but if you haven't read it & don't know about Cha Cha Tint, it's a liquid gel lip & cheek stain, so the stuff has staying power, especially on cheeks! I always brush a really light layer of either Benefit's Coralista or Benefit's Georgia over the tint I put on my cheeks just to make them pop a bit more. On my lips, after applying the Cha Cha Tint & allowing it to dry, I put a layer of coral lipgloss on over it. L'Oreal makes some really pretty coral glosses. I only do the coral look in Summer so for the rest of the year, if for some reason I'm really rocking the bronzed look, I use a pretty pink or rose colored blush. For Spring I love Cha Cha Tint's older sister, PosieTint. It's a lip & cheek stain as well & it too is a liquid gel. The color is a really pretty poppy colored pink. I always dust a layer of Benefit's Dandelion on over it to help the color pop & I just layer a clear gloss on over my lips once the stain has dried. For Fall & Winter I don't really do the bronze look at all. Like I said above, I do use the Dallas bronzer everyday but I'm only doing it to add a little color to my pale skin during Fall & Winter months. I'm not layering it over a liquid bronzer or anything like that. I'll have to review each of the products I mentioned in this section individually sometime soon. I'll probably do a couple of them this week so stay tuned for that. Aside from the L'Oreal gloss, all the products I just mentioned in this section can be bought at http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/ . Of course, L'Oreal can be found at Target, CVS, Walgreen's, & a ton of other places.

So, there ya have it. This is how I SAFELY give my fair skin a dose of color in the warmer months. If you try any of the products I mentioned, be sure to message me or comment on my blog & let me know if they worked out for you. I'm definitely not saying all of these products will work for every fair skinned female but they work for me. I guess a lot of the "getting it right" process is to just try out different things until you find something you like & that works for you! One more thing before I go, if you will be outside at anytime while the sun is up, be sure to put on sunscreen before doing any of the other steps from above! Believe me, you'll be much prettier & healthier looking in 5, 10 or more years w/out sunspots, crow's feet & wrinkles all over you b/c you get to much UV light... outdoors or in a tanning bed! Pale is much prettier than wrinkled! Never forget that, my fair skinned friends! (& not so fair skinned friends as well =))



Lindsey's "Serious About Skicare" Routine

I have people compliment me on my skin quite often! (Thank God b/c it makes me feel better as I age!) Combine that w/ the fact that quite a few people know how much I love skincare & that I'm planning to go to school to become an aesthetician & believe me, I end being asked about my skincare routine quite often. So, since my creative juices weren't flowing as far as what to blog about today, I decided I'd fill you all in on my strict skincare routine. Yes, strict! I follow this routine religiously & it seems to be doing the trick. I've mentioned in a previous post that from the age of 13 up until just a couple of years ago I was a serious tanner! I went to the tanning bed 3-4 times a week, sometimes more. I had a bit of a skin cancer scare back in 2008 & that's all it took to put that nasty little habit behind me. I was pretty much addicted to going tanning so when I first quit going, believe me, I wasn't liking what I was seeing. I felt nasty b/c I didn't like not having a tan color to my skin. Then, to top it all off, I noticed that any lines &/or wrinkles I had were now more noticeable. So, that's when my quest for figuring out how I could make my skin look younger & give it that youthful glow I seemed to be lacking really started forming. I started really taking note of all the skin tips I read about in all of the magazines I love to read & started playing around with different products. Some products came & went at first but some stayed around. I REALLY fell in love with the Philosophy brand. They have some phenomenal products. They aren't cheap but the ones I use work... for me! A few months ago my favorite cosmetics line, Benefit, put out a new skincare line so I just had to give some of these products a try. I really fell for a few of the products in the line so I rearranged the skincare routine just a bit by replacing my nighttime moisturizer, adding a scrub twice a week, & replacing one of my day/night eye creams. (yes, I use 2 eye creams each AM & PM) I've been following this routine for a few months now & I swear, I get compliments on my skin all the time. So, here's how it all goes down... or maybe I should say, on!

~~ Every A.M.- Wash w/ Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. (it smells WONDERFUL) I could seriously bathe in this stuff b/c it has the prettiest smell to it.  $9- $22 at http://www.sephora.com/

~~ Every Tuesday A.M. & Friday A.M.- After washing my face, I apply Benefit's b.Right! Refined Finish Facial Polish. Because the scrub contains seaweed & clay, instead of immediately washing it off I let it sit for 3-5 minutes so it can work as a mask & help vacuum out my pores.  $22 at http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/

~~ Every A.M.- After washing my face (& using polish Tues. & Fri.), I use Philosophy's Miracle Worker A.M. pads. The "juice" that these pads are soaked in is full of good for your skin antioxidants. These help defend skin from free-radicals that are all in the environment. Free-radicals are just one of the things that cause skin damage/aging. Aside from helping fight off free-radicals, these give your skin such a pretty, health glow. $58 at http://www.philosophy.com/

~~ Every A.M.- After using the pads, I apply either Philosophy's Eye Believe or Philosophy's Eye Hope eye cream. I only use Eye Believe on days I wear makeup. The reason for this is b/c the velvety texture of it feels amazing & it's perfect for layering concealer over. It's great at filling in lines too! It's more of a balm then a cream so that's probably the reason makeup goes on top of it so well. The Eye Hope cream helps w/ lines, wrinkles & dark circles. It's also very hydrating & I find it's good for sensitive skin. I was using another eye cream for a while but it was starting to dry the delicate skin underneath my eyes out. I switched to this & it's working just as well & it doesn't dry out my skin. It does just the opposite! $30 for Eye Believe & $48 for Eye Hope at http://www.philosophy.com/

Eye Believe

Eye Hope

~~ Every A.M.- After applying the Eye Hope, depending on if I am going out of the house or not, I then use  either Philosophy's UBER FAMOUS moisturizer Hope in a Jar (it was even on Oprah's annual "Favorite Things" list for the last 10 years or something crazy like that!) or Hope SPF 30 (it's the same formula as the regular Hope in a Jar w/ the added benefit of UV protection) My skin seriously drinks this stuff up. The cream has a whipped texture to it & it's super light as well as oil free. It kind of smelled weird to me when I began using it 3 years ago but after a week I was used to the smell & now, I don't even notice the smell at all. Basically, I'm saying that this stuff is so good, I just made myself get over the smell. It's that freaking awesome! And to be fair, not everyone who uses it thinks it smells weird. To many people, the smell is "botanical". To many others, the smell is, well, "wet dog"! Those are the 2 ways I always hear the smell described. I know, it's crazy that I willingly put something on my skin that I thought smelled like a wet pooch but again, the way it feels just makes it that damn good! If the whole smell thing has you kind of thrown, just go to Sephora, Ulta or Macy's and smell the sampler! If you find that you don't like the smell, I really must say that you should give yourself a week to try the product b/c I promise, you won't even notice the smell after a bit! And most stores will allow you to return beauty products that have been opened & used! (I'm always surprised how many people don't know that. If you buy a mascara at Walgreen's only to find that after 1 use you hate it, take it back to them & you'll get a refund!) $15- $105 for the original Hope & $38 for SPF 30 Hope at http://www.philosophy.com/

~~ Every A.M.- After applying Hope, I tap a layer of Benefit's b.Right! It's Potent eye cream on over the Eye Hope. I've already done a product review of this stuff on a previous post. It's one of my absolute favorite products! It feels amazing & it has not scent to it. I keep this in my fridge which makes it feel even more amazing when I put it on. The cold temperature really helps w/ any puffiness you may have under your eyes. Plus, your creams will stay good for a longer amount of time when you keep them in the refrigerator. $32 at http://www.benefitcosmetics.com/

~~ Every A.M.~ I then apply a layer of Philosophy's Hope in a Tube Eye & Lip Firming Cream around my lips.Tell me you've never seen women who have those awful wrinkles around their lips from smoking!! I don't smoke but the point is, your mouth & lips age right along w/ the rest of the face. (& body!!) Then, I put on lip balm! I love Smith's Rosebud Co.'s Strawberry Lip Balm. I know they're famous for the Rosebud flavor but I don't like anything rose flavored! BLAHH! $33 for Hope in a Tube at http://www.philosophy.com/ & $7 for Rosebud's Strawberry

 ~~ Every P.M.- I wash face w/ Philosophy's Purity Made Simple while using the Clarisonic Mia. I honestly do not know how I ever lived without my Mia! "She" goes on every single trip out of town I make. Now, before you go thinking, "I can't believe she'd spend $149 on a facial brush when there are cheaper ones on the market!", let me just stop you! Before getting my Mia, I DID try a "cheaper" $70 facial brush. Big mistake! It hurt like Hell. The brush fibers were so damn scratchy on my face. It felt like it was tearing my face at times! Clarisonic's brush fibers are super soft! And I use the "deep pore" brush head. I can't imagine how soft the, "Normal", "Sensitive", & "Delicate" brushes are! So seriously, don't waste your $ by going out & buying a cheaper knock-off. If you, like me, are a fashion & beauty magazine junky, you've heard them ALL talk about the Clarisonic brush. The Mia's been out for a couple of years now & still, every single month I see it mentioned in at least one of 6 magazines I subscribe to! Every celebrity under the sun uses the brush & it's highly recommended by dermatologists! There's a reason you only here the Clarisonic mentioned: IT'S THE BEST! Now, you may be wondering, "Why do I need to wash my face w/ a facial brush anyway?". First, you won't believe how much makeup this thing removes. After getting my Mia, I did a little test I saw done on TV simply b/c I figured it was too go to be true. First, I washed my face like I normally did, just using my hands, a washcloth, & water. Then, I washed it again using the Mia. I was SHOCKED to see how much makeup was on my brush head. It amazed me to see how much makeup & dirt gets left behind when you just use your hands! Another reason this product is so worth it's price is b/c the brush vibrates which means any skincare products you put on your face afterward get absorbed better. If you don't understand how that's possible, just go onto Clarisonic's website or do a web search & it will help explain it. Clarisonic also makes a bigger brush which can be used not only on your face, but your entire body. I love my Mia & I'm able to use it on my face, neck & chest so it's the biggest size I need. Philosophy's Purity Made Simple is another product they make that has won numerous awards over the years. It smells amazing & it cuts right through any makeup, even waterproof mascara! For most people, it's gentle enough that they are able to use it to remove their eye makeup. I'm able to keep my eyes open when I use it b/c it doesn't cause me any stinging. I turned my mom onto this stuff a little over a year ago & it's now 1 of her beauty staples as well. $10- $47.50 at http://www.philosophy.com/ & $149 for Clarisonic Mia at http://www.sephora.com/ or http://www.ulta.com/





The Clarisonic Mia comes in a fun assortment of colors!

~~ Every Wednesday P.M.- After washing my face I use Philosophy's Oxygen Peel. I love how this feels on my face. It really cleans out your pores & helps to brighten up your face. It's also very gentle so it shouldn't cause any stinging on your skin. It's kind of fun too b/c you get to mix the enzyme gel before each use. Once you have the gel on your face you put the oxygen foam on over it... it feels really good when it foams up. It's almost like you can feel your pores being cleaned out. As an added exfoliating step, the kit comes w/ a little spatula that you use to scrape the gel/foam off of your face. $50 at http://www.ulta.com/

The Oxygen Peel



~~ Every Sunday P.M.- After washing my face I use Philosophy's Mircodelivery Peel. Now, this one may not work well for people w/ really sensitive skin b/c it contains Vitamin C & for some people that can cause a stinging sensation. If you don't have sensitive skin, definitely try this stuff. This is yet another of their award winning products. It does such an amazing job of exfoliating. Even after using it for 2+ years, it still amazes me how soft & smooth my skin feels after using it. $40- $65 at http://www.philosophy.com/

The Microdelivery Peel

~~ Every P.M.- After washing my face (& doing my Wed. & Fri. peels), I apply RoC Retinol Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that retinol is THE holy grail of anti-agers! Go open a beauty or fashion magazine & try not to find it mentioned somewhere inside! Not only does retinol help as an anti-ager, it's also great for keeping skin/pores clear. They now have a version of this out for sensitive skin too. $22 at Target, CVS, Walgreen's & http://www.ulta.com/



~~ Every P.M.- After applying Roc, I again use Philosophy's Eye Hope.

~~  Every P.M.- After giving the retinol cream a couple of minutes to sink in I apply moisturizer. I use a different moisturizer at night than I do during the day. Your skin really benefits from all of the products you put on your face while you sleep so I use a night cream that's a bit rich. I like Benefit's b.Right! Total Moisture Facial Cream. It makes my skin feel so soft! I did a post of this stuff a month or so ago so I already explained the things I like about it. $38 at www.benefitcosmetics.com

~~ Every P.M.- After applying Eye Hope I use Philosophy's When Hope is Not Enough Neck Cream. All of those years of going tanning gave me the lovely "necklaces". Ladies, I'm sure you all know what I'm talking about... those lovely horizontal lines you get. This stuff is also really great to use on your decollete. I like that it's really thick b/c a little really goes a long way. It's full of peptides & antioxidants that help hydrate & firm the skin in this area. You may think that using your face moisturizer in this area is good enough but believe it or not, the skin on your face is NOT like the skin of your neck & chest. I always get the big 4 oz. size & I order it on the QVC website b/c every 3 or 4 months I get a new tube automatically shipped to me. So, basically, 1 oz. will last you approximately 1 month. Remember, you just need a tiny bit! $25- $55 at http://www.qvc.com/

~~ Every P.M.- Next, I go back to 1 of my favorite products: Benefit's b.Right! It's Potent eye cream. Can't get enough of this stuff. On those days where I didn't get enough sleep & my eyes look like I've been smoking meth or something, (okay, I've never done that so maybe that's not the best example) this stuff gets used about once every hour. That lets you know it's gentle though!

~~ Every P.M.- Right before I turn of the lights to go to sleep, I again apply Hope in a Tube around my lips followed by a layer of my Rosebud Strawberry lip balm. Obviously, it's always good to do this after you brush your teeth.

I know that sounds like a ton of stuff but seriously, it takes me about 10-15 minutes in the morning. When I do my night time routine, I usually take a bit longer but I enjoy doing all of this stuff so I just take my time with it. I usually do it while I'm watching Frasier reruns so there are usually some pauses between all of the steps.

JUST A FEW EXTRAS:

• I make sure to drink plenty of water throughout the day. If you don't keep your body hydrated, your skin is going to look dull! PERIOD! And drinking soda all day does not in any way substitute water!
•  Get enough sleep. When you're tired, a lot of times your skin will also look tired... especially your eyes!
• Use a really good body lotion. Your face & neck aren't the only things that show age! I personally love Philosophy's body emulsions, mainly, b/c they contain antioxidants & ingredients that help firm skin. I also LOVE that they make lotions to match all of their wonderful Grace fragrances. Amazing, Pure, Baby & Inner are my favorite scents. Anytime I wear the Amazing Grace fragrance, I get compliments. It's so light & beautiful. My dentist LOVES it so much he had me tell him the name of the scent & where to purchase it so he could buy some for his wife! My mom also uses it along w/ Eternal Grace & Inner Grace. Oh, & when I want something more flirty, I use Philosophy's Falling in Love body emulsion. I love the scent so much that I often spray the perfume on my chest when I put my PJs on.

I'm always amazed at the people who are my age or younger yet look 10-15 years older than me. I'm not talking about any of my close, personal friends but I do have acquaintances like that. It's usually really easy to spot the people who indulge just a bit too much in things like alcohol, drugs & cigarettes! I'm not trying to sound like a bitch but I mean, stop & think about all of the things my body's been put through! I've been as close to death and being in a coffin as you can possibly get without it actually happening. I take a ton of pills a day, including an opiate to help w/ my pain level. For you to be the same age as I am & look 10 years older than me, you're definitely not doing something right! I drink occasionally & yeah, I may do some other things that I shouldn't from time to time but I know how to keep myself under control. I know that if I wasn't so religious about taking care of my skin my health issues would literally be written all over my face. I think it just shows that taking care of your skin is really that important. With all that I deal with, I really am in the position where I don't want to look like I feel most of the time! My skin definitely helps me with that issue. Now, I need to get this strict about working out!! I'm working on it! Actually, it's 10 P.M. so I'm about to go do my night time routine right now so I can go read & watch the Golden Girls in bed!

Only Audrey Hepburn could look this gorgeous "sleeping" w/ an eye mask on!

Must-Have, Especially for Summer Months!

Here's a shocker... I'm going to review a Benefit Cosmetics product that I LOVE! If you haven't noticed from the 3 previous product reviews I've done, I have a SERIOUS love affair with this company. They have too many great products & they do the most adorable packaging I've ever seen. What can I say? I'm a sucker for girly, cutesy stuff, especially when the stuff works. Anyway, this product is called The Porefessional. It's a primer that does the most amazing job of making pores invisible. I was blessed w/ good skin & I really do enjoy taking care of it (that is basically why I want a career as an aesthetician) but my T-zone has an issue: My nose & chin get a bit shiny, especially when it gets warm & humid out. This is a velvety smooth balm that feels amazing on your skin! It's super lightweight & the color is translucent, so it blends right in w/ your skin. I don't know how exactly this stuff works like it does but I do know that as soon as you put it on, your pores become invisible. I guess the finish on this would be described as matte since it makes any shininess on your face go away... but in a natural way, not an "I'm wearing pressed powder" kinda way. I only put this on my nose & chin but there are times I want to put it on my entire face & even my body because of how wonderful the product feels. Another great thing about this stuff is that while it fills in your pores so they disappear, it doesn't clog them up or break you out. Now, I've never had acne prone skin so I don't know if it will do the same for every skin type. I always put this stuff on after moisturizer but before my bronzer which leads me to yet another great thing about this stuff:  You can put it on under or over your makeup. It comes in a small tube so during the "hot months" here in the South, I pop mine into the case I keep all of my lipsticks in so I'll have it with me if I need a touch up. A tube of it will cost you $28. I realize some people don't like spending a lot for makeup & beauty products but what can I say... when it comes to stuff I put on face, I usually like brands that fall into the more high end categories! (& I absolutely do not mind paying a bit extra for Benefit's super cute packaging)This stuff only came out last year & I bought my first tube of it during Summer 2010. Even though I've only been using it for a year, I can honestly say I do not know how I lived without it. I'm definitely glad that I don't have to worry with that now!

Eye Love This Stuff!

Haven't done a product review in a while so had to blog a bit about one of my favorite beauty products. Like the previous products I've reviewed, this one is by Benefit Cosmetics. The product is: It's Potent! & it's an eye cream. If you're under the age of 25, you probably don't understand all of the fuss women make over finding a good eye cream... mainly b/c you don't yet have dark circles under your eyes or crow's feet. Well, give it another couple of years & believe me, you'll understand. Actually, I say start at the age of 25 or 26 even if you don't show any signs of aging yet! It's Potent! is so hydrating & super soothing. It's also very gentle. I use it in the morning & at night before bed. I also use a retinol eye cream & since retinol creams can be irritating, I'm only able to use it at night. I give it a few minutes to really sink in & then tap It's Potent! on over it. All the flying I do w/ my motivational speaking job can really takes its toll  on my skin. The air from the airplanes can dry out my skin & since I don't always sleep well in hotel beds, I do get dark circles under my eyes from time to time. This stuff ALWAYS does a great job of re-hydrating the delicate skin under my eyes & it helps brighten up the dark circles. I seriously have It's Potent! on me 24/7! I have a full size jar on my vanity in my bedroom & I keep a travel size of it in my purse. The cream contains apple extract which helps boost the skin's collagen & can help fill in those fine lines we get around the eyes. It's very gentle so I'd recommend it for any skin type, including sensitive skin. It doesn't really have a scent to it so it's good for people who can be sensitive to really fragrant skin care products. Benefit has REALLY done a super job with this skincare line & should definitely be proud of the products in the line. If you're in search on a good eye cream that will help hydrate & soothe, give this one a shot. It costs $32 which may seem expensive to some but you're going to pay just as much, if not more, for the brands you can get at drugstores. You only need a tiny bit for each eye so one jar will last you quite a while, even if you use it more than once a day. Your eyes are one of the very first places that start showing age so I'm serious about starting an anti-aging routine for the eye area while you're in your young to mid 20s. I was 26 when I started using anti-aging creams & I think my skin looks brighter & better now than it did when I was 25.

I’m in Love! Benefit’s Total Moisture Facial Cream

I figured since I do plan on going to school to become an aesthetician & because I’m OBSESSED w/ skincare, I’m allowed to start handing out “advice”.  I’ve been lucky w/ my skin all my life. I never had to deal with acne aside from a “monthly” pimple. (ALWAYS in the exact same spot) However, from 9th grade up until about 2 or 3 years ago, I had a SLIGHT addiction to the tanning bed. A little scare with skin cancer put an end to that. Now, I know a lot of those tanning lotions you get in salons say they have anti-aging components in them and all but believe me, if you’re using them in a tanning bed, you’re gonna get wrinkles!! My neck now has those lovely “necklaces” on them. It’s horrible!! So, now, I spend a ton of money on anti-aging face and eye creams trying to undo even a little of the damage I did from all of those years going tanning. I use 2 different moisturizers but the one I use at night has become my favorite. It’s from Benefit Cosmetic’s new skin care line, b.right! . They’ve really done an amazing job w/ all the products in this line! Their moisturizer is called, Total Moisture Facial Cream. It’s rich but it hasn’t caused me to breakout anywhere. Sometimes the really rich moisturizers cause my skin to get a few of those really painful “underground pimples”. The moisturizer contains what they call their “triple radiance complex”. The complex does 3 things:  1) Captures water on the skin’s surface 2) Maintains the water on the surface 3) Develops the skin’s reserve of water. The cream is recommended for dry-normal skin & has a slight fragrance of cucumber to it. (it also is mixed w/ a slight floral fragrance but all I smell is the cucumber, which I like) It’ll cost you approximately $40 but b/c it is so concentrated, a little goes a REALLY long way. (not to mention the jar is pretty big!) I’ve been using mine for a little over a month now & it’s barely put a dent in it. Like all of Benefit’s products, their skincare line comes in super cute packaging. The bottle is real glass (made to look like sea glass) and the top looks like it’s made of cork. I would definitely recommend this stuff! (unless you have really oily skin) My skin feels so smooth since I’ve been using this and I am really enjoying this entire line. I look forward to putting this stuff on every night before bed. I’ve got my mom using this stuff now too and she has pretty sensitive skin, so, this should be okay to use if your skin runs on the sensitive side. If you’re interested in buying this, Ulta & Sephora both carry the line. Some places also have Benefit boutiques but unfortunately, we don’t have one in Memphis. The closest I know of is in Nashville. You can also get on the web site, www.benefitcosmetics.com and place an online order. I’ve ordered from the site several times and it always comes wrapped up in the cutest paper. Plus, they always include samples of some of their best selling products!