Confession time.
I have always felt ambivalent about the whole concept of newsletters. It’s kind of a ‘yay!’ mixed with an ‘are you really sure?’ feeling.
Even though everyone on my mailing list has willingly signed up (and I’m super grateful!), every time I’ve clicked ‘send’, the thought ‘perhaps I’m being too invasive’ has lurked in the background.
What’s in a LisaLise Newsletter syndicated from LisaLise Blog – Natural Skin Care
February 11, 2019 at 03:00AM
If you’re a regular here, you know Paula’s Choice C15 Booster is my fave vitamin C serum. I dig the lightweight texture, the bright glow it gives my complexion, and… it doesn’t break the bank (girl’s gotta eat, too).
I’ve never thought I’d strayed. Why fix it if it ain’t broken, right?
So, when Drunk Elephant launched in the UK last year, I thought I’d try their C-Firma Day Serum for kicks and go back to my beloved C15 Booster once the tube’s run out.
Well, the tube’s almost run out and I’m not sure I want to go back. If there’s one serum that can give Paula’s Choice C15 Booster a run for its money, it’s Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum.
Question is, are they really dupes? Here’s how they compare:
Both Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum and Paula’s Choice C15 Booster have the same active ingredients: 15% ascorbic acid + 1% vitamin + 0.5% ferulic acid.
Let’s focus on ascorbic acid for now. Ascorbic Acid is the pure form of vitamin C. It’s the most powerful. And the most unstable. I’ll explain what that means in a while. Let’s start with the positives.
Ascorbic acid is an anti-aging superstar that:
The catch? It’s unstable, meaning it goes bad quickly when exposed to light and air. Both brands packaged it in opaque bottles/tubes that keep it away from its natural enemies and extend its shelf life.
Still, even with the right protective packaging, ascorbic acid doesn’t last you too long. These serums aren’t something you can buy today and use in 6 months’ time. You buy a bottle and finish it as soon as you can.
P.S. It’s easy to see when vitamin C goes bad. It changes colour until it slowly turns brown.
P.P.S. Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum is a light orangey in colour. It’s the antioxidants in the formula that give it that colour. It’s not a sign that it’s gone bad before you bought it. Phew!
Related: My Vitamin C Serum Has Turned Brown! Can I Still Use It?
You can totally use vitamin C alone. But I don’t recommend it. Like all antioxidants, vitamin C works way better when it can play with its antioxidant friends. Its BFFs are vitamin E and ferulic acid.
A study conducted by Duke University has found that adding ferulic acid “into a topical solution of 15%l-ascorbic acid and 1%alpha-tocopherol improved chemical stability of the vitamins (C+E) and doubled photoprotection to solar-simulated irradiation of skin from 4-fold to approximately 8-fold as measured by both erythema and sunburn cell formation. This combination of pure natural low molecular weight antioxidants provides meaningful synergistic protection against oxidative stress in skin and should be useful for protection against photoaging and skin cancer.”
Translation: vitamin C + vitamin E + ferulic acid boost one another’s effectiveness and the protection your sunscreen gives you.
Both Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day and Paula’s Choice C15 Booster have vitamin E AND ferulic acid, so you’re all covered here.
But Drunk Elephant goes the extra mile. C-Firma Day Serum also has licorice, green tea and other antioxidants that can supercharge vitamin C.
Related: Why Your Vitamin C Serum Should Contain Ferulic Acid Too
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day and Paula’s Choice C15 Booster share the same active ingredients. If it’s the benefits of vitamin C only you’re after, it doesn’t matter what you pick.
BUT, there are 3 key differences between them that may swing the balance in favour of one of them – depending on your particular needs:
Related: What The Heck Are Humectants And What Are They Doing In Your Skincare Products?
Imo, the dealbreaker is the texture.
If you have dry or normal skin, you’ll love Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum. Marula oil makes it more moisturising for your skin type.
Oily skin? The sticky texture of the Drunk Elephant serum will drive you crazy. Paula’s Choice C15 Booster is way lighter and hydrates your skin without adding more oil.
Sensitive skin? Again, Paula’s Choice C15 Booster is the better choice (no pun intended!). It has a simpler formula that reduces the risk of irritation. Having said that, 15% ascorbic acid itself could be too much for your skin – use it in moderation.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum: available at Cult Beauty, Sephora and SpaceNK
Paula’s Choice C15 Booster: available at Feel Unique, Nordstrom and Paula’s Choice
I wouldn’t call Paula’s Choice C15 Booster an exact dupe for Drunk Elephant Day Serum. They have the same active ingredients, so both will give you all the benefits of vitamin C. But Drunk Elephant’s moisturising texture makes it more suitable for dry skin. Lighter and more hydrating, Paula’s Choice is a better option for oily skin.
Have you tried Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day and Paula’s Choice C15 Booster? Share your fave in the comments below.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum Ingredients: Water/Aqua/Eau, Dimethyl Isosorbide, Ascorbic Acid, Laureth-23, Glycerin, Lactobacillus/Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Sclerocarya Birrea Seed Oil, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Juice Extract, Phyllanthus Emblica Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis Leaf Extract, Tocopherol, Lactobacillus/Punica Granatum Fruit Ferment Extract, Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer, Hydrolyzed Quinoa, Phytosterols, Glutamylamidoethyl Imidazole, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Ferulic Acid, Acetyl Glucosamine, Sodium Hyaluronate, Tetrahydrobisdemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodemethoxydiferuloylmethane, Tetrahydrodiferuloylmethane, Glycine, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Sucrose, Maltodextrin, Chondrus Crispus Extract, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Isohexadecane, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylhydroxamic Acid, Caprylyl Glycol, Sorbitan Isostearate, Propanediol, Pentylene Glycol, XanthaN Gum, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hydroxide, Chlorphenesin, Polysorbate 60, Sodium Dehydroacetate, Potassium Sorbate, Sorbic Acid, Ethylhexylglycerin
Paula’s Choice C15 Booster Ingredients: Water, Ascorbic Acid, Butylene Glycol, Ethoxydiglycol, Glycerin, PPG-26-Buteth-26, PEG-40 Hydrogenated Castor Oil, Pentylene Glycol, Tocopherol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Hexanoyl Dipeptide-3 Norleucine Acetate, Lecithin, Ferulic Acid, Panthenol, Bisabolol, Oryza Sativa (Rice) Bran Extract, Hordeum Vulgare Extract, Propyl Gallate, Sodium Gluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin.
Affiliate links.
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Are They Dupes?: Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum VS Paula’s Choice C15 Booster syndicated from beautifulwithbrains.com
March 13, 2019 at 09:15AM
Let’s talk about inflammation.
Inflammation is our body’s defense against infection, and it’s a natural and, even, healthy response by our body’s immune systems to the presence of bacteria, viruses, and other potential contaminants. Inflammation helps our bodies heal from infections, wounds, and other kinds of tissue damage as it helps our bodies repair themselves. Put short, inflammation happens when our immune systems are triggered or stressed.
That doesn’t always mean inflammation is good, though. When our immune system is overstimulated or in a constant state of stimulation, that can result in chronic inflammation, which leads to other deeper, longer-lasting problems like eczema, dermatitis, and rosacea. Inflammation also plays a role in acne.
Before we get deeper into what inflammation does to skin, though, let’s answer the basic question: what exactly causes inflammation?
When our immune systems detect a problem, the many, many cells in our body participate in a complex system that includes our arteries enlarging to increase blood flow and our capillaries become more permeable for fluids and proteins to get through easily. Our bodies also release these things called neutrophils, a type of white blood cell that is filled with tiny sacs of enzymes to digest microorganisms.
All that results in redness, swelling, and heat at the site of the inflamed response — all of which are signs of skin inflammation. What sets off an inflammatory response, though? A wide range of things actually, from high stress levels to lack of sleep to pollution to environmental stressors to sun exposure, amongst others.
Acne commonly starts with a pore blockage called a comedone, which occurs when a pore is blocked with sebum and dead skin cells, attracting bacteria. Our immune system tries to kill this bacteria, prompting the inflammatory response that contributes to the red, swollen, tenderness around acne sites.
You might be thinking, Wait, I thought excess sebum causes acne? — and you’re not wrong; excess sebum does play a part in increasing the occurrence of acne because bacteria feeds on sebum. Excess sebum production can attract more bacteria, which is why it’s essential not to dry out your skin. If you’re seeing a pimple start to emerge on your face and try to “treat” it with cotton soaked in alcohol, that alcohol will only dry out your skin, which then responds by producing more sebum because it’s feeling dehydrated and thinks it must compensate for that. That excess, fresh sebum then attracts more bacteria, which could provoke an inflammatory response because your body’s immune system senses that this bacteria needs to be destroyed. See how this cycle goes?
That’s not to say that all inflammation is caused by bacteria, though. Inflammation can also be triggered by stress, lack of sleep, pollution.
We won’t get too deep into eczema or rosacea here because they’re both very complex skin issues that affect people differently. Inflammation is one possible way to trigger a flare-up, though, so it can be beneficial to keep skin as calm and hydrated as possible.
If you have active acne that’s open and leaking pus, do not apply products on top! See a doctor if you aren’t already.
In general, there are three steps you can take to help fight and prevent inflammation.
Skin that’s inflamed should be soothed, so we recommend opting for products that contain soothing, calming ingredients like chamomile, camellia, oatmeal as well as centella asiatica extract, a superstar ingredient with healing properties. Switch to a gentle cleanser (if you aren’t already using one), like the Peach & Lily Power Calm Hydrating Gel Cleanser, which is packed with chamomile, camellia, and peach extracts, or the Atoclassic Real Tonic Soothing Multi Cleanser, with root and herbal ingredients from traditional Korean medicine that cleanse and nourish skin. Both cleansers have a pH level of 5.5 to keep your skin balanced.
We recommend following your cleansing step with the Peach & Lily Good Acids Pore Toner to help balance your skin and provide light exfoliation on a daily basis (exfoliating helps keeps your pore clears) and the Ground Plan Cell Power Energy Essence with its soothing base of oatmeal extract. If you want to use a treatment, like a serum, ampoule, or oil, look for something that helps calm and nourish skin, like the Peach & Lily Glass Skin Refining Serum.
Keeping pores clear is one way to help prevent inflammation — clear pores are less likely to attract bacteria and, thus, less likely to provoke an inflammatory response. We recommend a gentle chemical exfoliant like the Peach & Lily Super Reboot Resurfacing Mask, a professional-grade mask with 10% AHA (glycolic acid) and 0.5% BHA (salicylic acid) that help sweep away dead skin cells and excess sebum, while hyaluronic acid, centella asiatica extract, and aloe help calm and soothe skin.
When skin is hydrated, it is more likely to be healthy and better able to ward off stressors, bacteria, and other things that would do skin harm and trigger inflammation. Look for hydrators like hyaluronic acid, aloe, and glycerin, and make sure to use a moisturizer to seal all your hydration in because don’t forget — a moisturizer brings additional moisture and hydration to your skin, but its distinguishing characteristic is that it creates a barrier over your skin, preventing the hydration you layered in with your routine from evaporating out.
If you have particularly dry skin, you might want to try a thicker moisturizer, like Lagom’s Cellus Deep Moisture Cream, or you might want to try a facial oil to bring in more hydration — we like Olivarrier’s Fluid Oil Squalane or Aromatica’s Organic Rose Hip Oil. If you have normal or more oily skin, you might opt for a lighter moisturizer, like Lagom’s Cellup Mild Moisture Cream.
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Have any other questions? Leave them in the comments below!
The post When It Comes to Inflammation, Calm, Exfoliate, and Hydrate. appeared first on Pibuu.
When It Comes to Inflammation, Calm, Exfoliate, and Hydrate.
Originally posted here: https://www.pibuu.co/2019/03/12/comes-inflammation-calm-exfoliate-hydrate/
Shay Mitchell may be best known for starring in the hit TV show Pretty Little Liars, but more recently, she’s played another role: beauty influencer.
Ever since the show ended in 2017, the 31-year-old actress has been repping brands like Bioré, La Mer and Buxom on her social media channels. That means she shares a lot of sponsored content with her millions of followers—and it’s not always positively received!
Take this ad, for example. As reported by Buzzfeed, her fans called it “the fakest thing they’ve ever seen”…
😂😂😂
That’s not the only thing she’s faked. Refinery29 also documented evidence of a “fake-cation” on Shay’s Instagram, with the star posting other people’s Hong Kong travel photos as her own.
So this all got me thinking… WHAT ELSE might be fake about Shay?
Let’s take a look at her beauty evolution over the years and find out!
Shay Mitchell at the 2010 Teen Choice Awards.
This is a 23-year-old Shay on one of her first-ever red carpets, just a couple months after Pretty Little Liars premiered. Her style was completely different back then—this was before the “Kardashian look” would become an actual trend! But even with the dated eyeshadow application, she seems fresh-faced.
Shay Mitchell at the Lili Claire Foundation’s 2010 Benefit Luncheon.
And here’s an even more natural look from the same year. This is her natural hair texture (which she described to Byrdie as “super-wavy”), and we can also see her natural brow shape… lip shape… and nose shape. All of those features ended up changing later on!
Shay Mitchell at QVC’s 2011 Red Carpet Party.
With a classic black cat eye and red lipstick, this looks nothing like the Shay we know now. But is it just the makeup, or something more? I’m noticing a wider nose and thinner upper lip in these early pictures, for starters. Also, she had a very monolid eye shape thanks to her Filipina heritage.
Shay Mitchell at the Somaly Mam Foundation’s 2011 Project Futures Launch.
Another thing to note is how much fuller Shay’s face was during this time. She was 24 in this shot, so was it baby fat that she later lost? Or did she have a little nip and tuck to get the sculpted jawline she has now? One thing’s for certain: she really loved her false eyelashes and shimmery shadow!
Shay Mitchell at the 2012 Daily Style Sessions with Stella & Dot, H.Bloom and HPNOTIQ.
Then, there was this surprisingly bare-faced look, which I love. Sans false lashes and heavy eyeshadow, you really appreciate her natural beauty. She also lightened the ends of her hair for a subtle, tone-on-tone Ombré effect.
Shay Mitchell at the 2012 ABC West Coast Upfronts.
Shay’s hair and makeup really did improve in 2012, as this shot also demonstrates. (It makes sense—celebs always get access to better hairstylists and makeup artists as their fame rises.) In terms of her features, I think this photo clearly shows that her nose was more prominent back in the day.
Shay Mitchell at the 2011 world premiere of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.’
And here we can see what her original nose looked like from the side. It’s certainly flatter than the nose she has now (not that there was anything wrong with that!). In fact, I think she looks really beautiful here. Her skin is flawless, her hair is healthy and shiny, and I love the smoky eye makeup.
Shay Mitchell at the 2013 Teen Choice Awards.
In 2013, Shay rocked these beachy, warm blonde highlights, which give her a brand new look. (I think the key was keeping the roots dark, to match her brows.) Compared to 2011, her face is noticeably thinner. But since her jawline still has the same shape, I think it’s just weight loss…. for now!
Shay Mitchell at GQ’s 2014 Men of the Year Party.
By age 27, however, Shay looked even more different. She went back to dark hair, for one thing. But it’s also the more confident pose… and a newly chiseled face! One of the procedures I suspect is called submental liposuction, because it looks like fat has been removed from her lower face and jawline. The other is a rhinoplasty, although the next few photos will make that even clearer!
Shay Mitchell at Lupus LA’s 2015 Orange Ball.
Before Shay fully committed to the Kardashian aesthetic that she adopted from here on out, there was one last natural-ish look on the red carpet. (Other than the Instagram brows, that is!) The major change here is in her smile. If you compare and contrast with 2010, it’s obvious that she had veneers done along with whitening. I also feel like her eyes may have changed, but it’s hard to tell with makeup!
Shay Mitchell at the 2016 Outfest Legacy Awards.
Right when Pretty Little Liars was wrapping up filming for good, Shay debuted her new grown-up beauty vibe. I suppose if she’s going to make her living off Instagram now, she has to look the part?! With so much makeup, it’s hard to tell what’s real, and what’s just contour and highlighter. But I think it’s fairly obvious, seeing her profile, that the bridge of her nose is not as flat as it was before (despite the stripe going down the middle).
Shay Mitchell at the 2017 Variety and Women in Film Emmy Nominee Celebration.
A few months after the PLL series finale, Shay lightened up her look (she was 30 years old at this point). I actually like this a lot… but there’s still something about it that comes across as very “done.” I think it’s her lips—which are overdrawn with lip liner, yes, but also appear inflated. Her cheekbones may have been enhanced, too, because they appear to be projecting out more.
Shay Mitchell at the 2018 MTV Video Music Awards.
In 2018, she continued with the Instagram brows and false lashes, along with lots of contouring (which was actually quite well done). But the “ring around the lip gloss” is very Jennifer Lopez! Since she’s facing the camera, we have a good view of her nose, and I think you’ll agree with me that it’s more petite and defined now. Also check out her upper lip, which strikes me as being plumped with filler.
Shay Mitchell at Entertainment Weekly’s 2019 SAG Awards Pre-Party.
That brings us to 2019, and Shay’s most dramatic red carpet appearance of all! This is the look that prompted my investigation—she’s just SO sculpted, I had to find out if it was makeup or something more. Now, I’m convinced it’s the latter! Even with all the shading and highlighting, there’s been a major change in her nose and jawline. Her forehead is as tight as a drum, so I’m guessing she has dabbled with Botox, too.
Shay Mitchell in 2010 (left) and in 2019 (right).
Shay Mitchell in 2011 (left) and in 2018 (right).
When I started to research Shay’s beauty evolution, I had no idea that the changes would be so dramatic when I put them side by side.
Yes, I believe that clever makeup techniques and a little weight loss were involved—but that’s not all.
Like the overwhelming majority of celebs we’ve examined in the Before & After series, Shay appears to have undergone a rhinoplasty. Her nose, which was wider and flatter before, now has a narrower shape, a more refined tip and a built-up bridge. I do think it was good work (and in case you’re wondering, this surgery is par for the course in Hollywood!).
There’s also been a huge change in her jawline and chin area. I mean, she has no fat there whatsoever now! There is a procedure that can achieve this: submental liposuction! (This doctor describes it as “a powerful technique for sculpting the lower face.”)
I also see evidence of a little filler in her upper lip (and in 2017, her cheeks), although she didn’t go overboard and it has started to deflate. Even though she’s only 31, she may well have done Botox, too, since her forehead is so incredibly smooth. And let’s not forget the porcelain veneers on her teeth.
As for her eyes, she is rumoured to have undergone eyelid surgery, but I just don’t know! In some shots, her eyes do seem less heavy-lidded, but given her penchant for false lashes, it’s too hard to tell.
One thing is for certain: Shay looks NOTHING like she did a decade ago!
How do you feel about Shay’s beauty evolution?
Which of these looks is your favourite?
What “beauty work” do you think she’s had done?
Shay Mitchell, Before and After syndicated from The Skincare Edit
March 12, 2019 at 08:58PM
Can a foaming cleanser be gentle?
I know some of you won’t touch them with a 10 foot pole. I hear ya. Foaming cleansers have a bad rep for drying out your skin worse than the Sahara.
I can’t say it’s totally undeserved. Back when I was a teen, foaming cleansers were harsh. They had to be. We were all lusting after the squeaky clean feel. Who knew back then how bad that was for skin?
Fast forward 10 years, and foaming cleansers have become a lot more gentle on the skin. Now they do what they were always supposed to: clean without disrupting the skin’s protective barrier.
Case in point: Epionce Gentle Foaming Cleanser.
Surfactants is a fancy way of calling ingredients that help water mix with oil and dirt so they can be rinsed away.
In the past, foaming cleansers used high concentrations of one or two powerful surfactants, like sodium lauryl sulphate or sodium laureth sulphate. They got the cleansing job done… but not without side effects.
They made the skin’s pH skyrocket and disrupted its protective barrier. Next thing you know, your skin’s all dry and sensitive. Ugh.
These days, foaming cleansers take a different approach. They use a combination of 4 or 5 mild surfactants. Used alone, they wouldn’t remove much grime. Together, they’re a cleansing powerhouse that removes all traces of impurities and makeup WITHOUT drying out your skin.
Here are the surfactants in Epionce Gentle Foaming Cleanser:
P.S. It’s the surfactants that make a foaming cleanser foam. The gentler the surfactants, the less foam they produce.
You’ve guessed it: Epionce Gentle Foaming Cleanser doesn’t foam much. And that’s a good thing. Too much foam is a sign the cleanser could be too drying.
The creamy texture spreads easily on the skin and rinses off just as quickly. It does a great job at removing all traces of dirt, sunscreen and makeup from my skin – keep in mind, I don’t wear long-lasting foundations or waterproof makeup. If you’re wearing as much makeup as a Kardashian, you may want to use this as the second step in your cleansing routine.
Afterwards, my skin doesn’t feel tight or dry. It just feels clean. Only if your skin is dry, the cleanser may be too much for you. But then again, it wasn’t made with you in mind. Epionce Gentle Foaming Cleanser is for combo, oily skin. For them, it works like a charm.
The only thing I’d do without is lavender extract. My skin doesn’t have a problem with it, but if yours is sensitive there’s a slight chance it could irritate it.
Available at: $32.00/£27.50 at Dermstore and Epionce
Have you tried Epionce Gentle Foaming Cleanser? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Ingredients: Water, Sodium Cocoamphoacetate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Glycerin, Lauryl Glucoside, Glycol Distearate, Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Sodium Alruyl Glucose Carboxylate, Althaea Officinalis (marshmallow) Root Extract, Ethyhexylglycerin, Hexlyene Glycol, Lavandula Angustifolia (lavender) Flower Extract, Linalool, Liminone, Phenxyoethanol, Pheonix Catylifera (date) Fruit Extract, PEG-150 Distearate, Salix Alba (willow) Bark Extract.
PR Sample. Affiliate links.
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Is Epionce Gentle Foaming Cleanser Really As Gentle As It Claims? syndicated from beautifulwithbrains.com
March 12, 2019 at 09:19AM
They say face masks are a pampering treat. Lately, they’ve started to feel like a chore.
Like, who the heck has the time to squeeze 20 minutes for a mask in their skincare routine anymore? After a long day of blogging, meetings and errands, all I want to do when I get home is hit the pillow and sleep.
If only you could get that “my skin but better look” masks give you in a minute or so… Oh, wait, you can. Let me introduce you to your new BFF, splash masks:
A hybrid between a toner and a booster, splash masks are concentrated liquids you leave on your skin for only 15/20 seconds.
You guessed it, they’re another Korean invention. Rumour has it, Korean women splash their face with water up to 100 times a day to keep it as clean as possible (bit of an overkill, if you ask me).
It was only a matter of time before K-beauty brands jumped on the trend. They packaged the water in fancy bottles, added a generous dose of active ingredients for extra benefits and boom! Splash masks were born.
FYI, not all splash masks are the same. Depending on what actives they contain, they can be moisturising, brightening or soothing. Take your pick!
P.S. You won’t find splash masks in Korea. They call them “patting masks” or “patting packs” there.
I know what you’re thinking, “How can a splash mask work if you leave it on the skin for only 15 seconds?!”
Remember when I told you splash masks are concentrated? I wasn’t kidding. They contain VERY high concentrations of active ingredients. Blithe Splash Masks, for example, contain around 30% lactic acid.
That will give you the benefits of a 20 minute face mask in 15 seconds! But is that a good thing? Let me explain…
You rarely see such high concentrations of active ingredients in skincare products – and for a GOOD reason. Too much of a good thing can sensitize skin, irritate it and dry it out.
FYI, it’s not just exfoliants you should be worried about. Sure, overexfoliation is one of the worst things you can do to your skin. But any ingredients could cause trouble when used too much/too often. Yep, even natural extracts.
Do NOT leave splash masks on your skin a minute longer than the instructions recommend!
Related: 5 Skincare Treatments That Can Ruin Skin (If Abused)
You MUST dilute splash masks with water. A good ratio is 1:20. Just pour a capful of splash mask in a bowl of water and use it to splash your face. Pat the mask on – DON’T rub – quickly. Rinse off with water after 15/20 seconds.
Some splash masks can be diluted with running water in the shower. Be sure to read the instructions so you don’t accidentally overdo it.
It depends. If you’re too busy or lazy to fit a traditional 20 minute mask in your skincare routine, splash masks are a good alternative to consider. They give you the same benefits in just a few seconds. Sensitive skin? Don’t even think of going there. Splash masks are too concentrated for your skin type.
Have you ever tried a splash mask? Share your thoughts and experience in the comments below.
Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams – even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.
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Splash Masks: Do You Really Need One? syndicated from beautifulwithbrains.com
March 11, 2019 at 09:21AM
“Don’t be such a snob! Hydration is the foundation of youthful skin.”
That’s what I’d tell young Gio if I could go back in time. You see, when I first started getting into skincare, I didn’t value hydration at all.
I was in my early 20s, drinking my 8 glasses of water a day and living in Italy, where the weather is sunny and warm and even the winters are mild.
Why bother with hydrating masks and Hyaluronic Acid serums when my skin already had all the moisture it needed? Keep those and pass me the antioxidants, thanks. Back then, if a product wasn’t antiaging, it didn’t exist for me.
I was stupid enough to believe it would be like that forever. Turns out, forever ended 3 years ago. That’s when I moved to London. It’s not as cold as they say, but the wind is unrelenting.
Within a few months, it had sucked my skin completely dry. My skin was flaking, my complexion had lost its glow, and my face had aged 10 years overnight.
Those hyaluronic acid serums and hydrating masks I despised so much? They saved my skin. Lesson learned: the best antiaging products in the worlds won’t help you if your skin isn’t hydrated.
Did you know that 60% of your body is made of water? Just to give you an idea, your brain is made of up 73% water. Your lungs, 83%. And your skin, roughly 64%.
You know what that means? Your body can’t function without water. When you’re dehydrated, all kinds of bad things happen. You feel tired and dizzy, can’t concentrate, have headaches and muscle cramps, struggle with insomnia… and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Dehydration takes it toll on the skin, too. Now moisture’s gone, your skin is shrivelling like an old prone. New wrinkles spring out of nowhere. Those you already have look 10x worse. All the glow’s left your skin. And the flakes!
Yep, moisture helps skin exfoliates itself on its now. Without it, dead cells stay on the surface of your skin, giving you a bad case of the flakes.
Exfoliation isn’t the only thing your skin can’t do without enough moisture. Cellular hydration also triggers the release of growth hormones and DNA repair, processes that help the skin repair itself from the damage it sustains every day.
Truth bomb: dehydration doesn’t only make you look older. It makes you ages faster, too.
Related: Do You Need To Worry About Anti-Aging If Your Skin Is Perfectly Hydrated?
Three ways:
I’ve been doing steps 1 and 2 for years, but now I’m in my late 30s, I feel the need to step up my hydration game a notch or two. Anything to slow down the hands of time, you know?
So, last month I added Rejuvenated H3O Hydration to my water. Did it work? Let’s find out:
The key ingredient in Rejuvenated H3O Hydration? Hyaluronic Acid.
Hyaluronic Acid is a humectant: that’s how scientists call ingredients that can attract water from the environment (including your own body) and bind it to the skin.
Hyaluronic Acid is the best at this. Like I told you above, it can bind up to 1000 times its weight in water. That’s a waterfall of extra water for your skin.
The catch? Hyaluronic Acid is too big to penetrate skin. When you apply it topically, it just hydrates the surface of your skin.
Good news: drinking Hyaluronic Acid works too. Studies show that oral supplements increase hydration, make skin suppler and brighter and even reduces the appearance of wrinkles!
Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine, No Matter Your Skin Type
Rejuvenated H3O Hydration doesn’t just hydrate skin. It’s also packed with antioxidants that help you fight wrinkles:
FYI, the amount of antioxidants here is low. But hey, every little bit helps, right?
Related: Common Antioxidants Found In Skincare Products
Rejuvenated H3O Hydration is a pink powder. Yes, it makes the water a little pink – that alone is reason enough to use it (can you tell pink is my fave colour?).
Seriously, though… The box contains 24 small sachets. Every day, you pour one into 300-400ml of water and drink it at your leisure.
The taste ain’t bad. I wouldn’t call it good, either. It’s not delicious as a berry smoothie or hot chocolate, but it ain’t bitter or unpleasant. More like bland. It doesn’t taste like much of anything. It’s kinda like drinking… water.
But did I see a difference? Yep. I kid you not, a couple of days after I started pouring Rejuvenated H3O Hydration into my water, my skin already felt softer and suppler. It looked a little brighter, too.
A month later, my skin looks healthy. I can’t say the difference is dramatic – probably because since my first winter in London, I make sure my skin is always fairly hydrated.
But the supplement did give it that extra little boost. You’ll notice it more when you’ve had a poor night sleep and the next morning your skin isn’t the worse for it. 🙂
Available at: £24.95 at Cult Beauty
Have you tried Rejuvenated H3O Hydration? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Rejuvenated H3O Hydration Ingredients: Chicory Root Fibrre (Inulin), Electrolyte Complex (Calcium Lactate, Potassium Chloride, Magnesium Oxide, Sodium Citrate, Ionic Minerals), Beauty Complex (Resveratrol, Hyaluronic Acid), Ascorbic Acid, Elderflower, Berries, Beetroot Extract, Citric Acid.
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Should You Use A Supplement To Boost Your Skin’s Hydration? syndicated from beautifulwithbrains.com
March 7, 2019 at 08:19AM
What are the best Dr Brandt skincare products?
This one’s tough. The brand hooks you in with catchy names like “Needles No More” and “Xtend Your Youth” and then gives you a bunch of silicone and film-formers that temporarily smoothen out the surface of your skin.
Think of them as concealers or foundations. They can hide imperfections for a while, but when you take the paint off they’re still there.
But just because Dr Brandt likes to play skincare tricks, it doesn’t mean the entire line is bad. Here are the best Dr Brandt products that are worth the splurge:
Dr Brandt Power Dose Vitamin C is different from other vitamin C serums out there. Instead than going down the traditional route and using L-Ascorbic Acid (the pure form of vitamin C), this baby uses two of its newest derivatives: 3-0-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid and Ascorbyl Methylsilanol Pectinate (AMP). Do they work as well? AMP doesn’t. It just sits on top of your skin and give you a little antioxidant protection. But 3-0-Ethyl Ascorbic Acid can penetrate skin more deeply. Once there, it fights free radicals, brightens the complexion and fades away dark spots. The texture’s fairly thick but absorbs fast without leaving a greasy residue behind. It’s also one of the few Dr Brandt products without fragrance or irritating essential oils. Definitely a winner.
P.S. These vitamin C derivatives are more stable in the presence of light than L-Ascorbic Acid, so the slightly see-through packaging isn’t a concern here.
Available at: Sephora and Ulta
Related: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Vitamin C In Skincare
Ok, Dr Brandt 2% Retinol Complex Serum‘s scent (a mixture of citrusy and lavender oils) isn’t the best for skin. If yours is sensitive, stay away. But it still gains a thumbs up for me thanks to retinol, an antiaging superstar. It fights the free radicals, boosts collagen production and speeds up cellular turnover (the skin’s natural exfoliating process) to keep both wrinkles and dark spots at bay. But don’t let the name fool you. The serum doesn’t contain 2% retinol. It contains 2% retinol complex. In other words, retinol has been mixed with other ingredients, so it’s hard to determine how much you’re getting. Having said that, even as little as 0.01% retinol can make a difference.
Available at: Beauty Bay, Revolve and Ulta
Related: What Strength Of Retinol Is Right For You?
Can’t stand the bitter taste of green tea? You need Dr Brandt Antioxidant Water Booster in your life. Each dropper gives you the equivalent of 15 cups of green tea, a powerful antioxidant that protects you from sun damage. Nope, it’s not a sunscreen BUT it fights sun-induced inflammation and the free radicals it lets loose. The taste is pretty bland, but if you add it to your oatmeal or smoothies that won’t be a problem.
FYI, if you already sip green tea throughout the day like I do, you DON’T need this. Supplements are ONLY for people who don’t get enough of a particular nutrient in their diets.
Available at: Dermstore, Sephora and Ulta
Related: 3 Reasons To Add Green Tea To Your Skincare Routine
You know how I always say you should avoid moisturisers in jars? Antioxidants are sensitive to light and air, so if you put them in a jar, they’ll go bad sooner. But that’s not really a problem for Dr Brandt Hyaluronic Facial Cream. It barely has any antioxidants at all. So why did I put it on this list? This baby is super moisturizing. Packed with shea butter, Hyaluronic Acid and natural oils, the cream deeply moisturises your skin and strengthens your skin’s barrier, keeping even the driest skin soft and supple all year round (yes, even in winter). The only thing I don’t like it’s the hint of lavender – it could irritate sensitive skin.
Available at: Ulta
Related: How To Strengthen Your Skin’s Protective Barrier
Same as above. Dr Brandt Hydro Biotic Recovery Sleeping Mask is low on antioxidants so the jar packaging isn’t a concern here. What the mask excels at is hydration: this baby is packed with humectants, i.e. moisture magnets like glycerin that attract water from the air into the skin. All that moisture makes your skin softer and brighter and plumps up your wrinkles so they look smaller. Plus, the mask has bisabolol and probiotics to soothe sensitive and irritated skin. The only con is again the lavender oil. I know it makes the mask smell nice, but that’s not what good skincare is about.
Available at: Dermstore, Feel Unique, Sephora and Ulta
Related: The Truth About Probiotics In Skincare: Do They Really Work?
What do you think are the best Dr Brandt skincare products? Share your fave picks in the comments below.
Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams – even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and get access to the skin library.
Fave Five: The Best Of Dr Brandt syndicated from beautifulwithbrains.com
March 6, 2019 at 08:21AM
– This is a sponsored feature – I’ve most likely (because I can’t hold my water) spoken before about my absolute reliance on lip balms due to my tendency of chewing and licking my lips habitually. As such and surprising absolutely no-one, I more often than not sport chapped and unsightly lips. Over the years I have tried hundreds – if not thousands – of lip balms but the one I continually return to is the balmkind Alpine Rose & Lysine Lip Balm and for a good few reasons: it works (and quickly), it’s non-greasy and it is jam packed with great ingredients free from: parabens, mineral oil and petroleum.
Recently the balmkind Alpine Rose & Lysine Lip Balm has underwent a little transformation; the same great formula but with swanky new and dare I say slightly prettier packaging. If you have yet to try the balmkind Alpine Rose & Lysine Lip Balm let me quickly fill you in: the soft, silken and light balm has been created to nourish, soothe, protect and hydrate in one quick step. The ingredient line up is nothing but stellar with: Lysine, an essential Amino Acid; Oat Lipids with skin active ceramides; soothing Liquorice Root;Lipid rich Pomegranate Sterols and naturally protective Vitamin E. As mentioned above it is non-greasy and as such quickly absorbs into the lips, creating a comforting and nourishing barrier to help soothe and hydrate the skin continuously.
Oh but there is more, did you know that two of the core ingredients can actually help to improve the overall appearance of your lips over time and of course with continued use? Antioxidant rich Alpine Rose, Lysine (an essential Amino Acid) can aid skin healing and recovery time; thus meaning this could be a permanent solution to cracked lips. And for those that struggle with cold sores, studies have shown that soothing Liquorice Root contains properties which can help minimise their occurrence – pretty cool huh?
My Favourite Lip Balm Redesigned syndicated from The Sunday Girl
March 5, 2019 at 10:51AM
Don’t you just love skincare gifts sets?
Take Medik8 Face & Body Indulgence Gift Set, for example. It features 5 of the brand’s best-selling moisturisers to keep your skin soft and supple from head to toe. (Yes, I know it was a Christmas release, but it’s still available in the shops 😉 ).
Like, if you don’t know whether to get the hydrating serum or facial oil, now you can try both without breaking the bank. And when you fall in love with something, you can buy it separately whenever you want.
If you’ve ever wanted to try Medik8 but didn’t know where to start, the Face & Body Indulgence Gift Set is a good starting point. Here’s what it contains:
Medik8 Hydr8 B5 is like a waterfall of moisture for your skin.
This baby is loaded with Hyaluronic Acid and panthenol, two moisture magnets that attract moisture into the skin. Hyaluronic Acid is so powerful, it can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water.
All that moisture makes your skin really happy: it plumps up fine lines and wrinkles so they look smaller, makes skin softer and gives the complexion a dewy glow.
Panthenol goes a step further: it has soothing properties that calm down redness and irritations. Always a nice plus in winter when the freezing weather tries it best to dry out and irritate your skin.
Medik8 Hydr8 B5 has a lightweight, gel-like texture that spreads easily, sinks in within seconds and feels refreshing on. I use it both in the AM and PM, and my skin is perfectly hydrated and supple all day and night long.
P.S. Medik8 Hydr8 B5 is a great dupe for Skinceuticals Hydrating B5 Gel. 😉
Related: Why You Should Add Hyaluronic Acid To Your Skincare Routine
I have mixed feelings about Medik8 Glow Oil.
On the plus side, it has some great oils. Hemp seed oil and Argan oils have moisturizing and antioxidant properties that keep skin soft and supple while fighting wrinkles.
It also has a generous dose of Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, an oil-soluble derivative of vitamin C that penetrates skin easily. Once inside your skin, it fights free radicals, boosts collagen production and brightens the complexion.
On the other hand, it’s loaded with fragrant oils (citrus, geranium and cedar wood, to name a few) that could potentially irritate sensitive skin.
My skin is pretty tough and rarely gets irritated by anything. If you’re like me, you can use Medik8 Glow Oil without problems.
The texture definitely has an oily slip to it, but it’s fairly lightweight and dries down to a dewy finish quickly. I love the subtle glow it gives my skin.
I prefer to use oils at night. I layer them over my retinol and go to sleep. When I wake in the morning, my skin feels so soft to the touch. It looks a little suppler and plumper, too.
Related: The Complete Guide To Facial Oils In Skincare
Medik8 Nourishing Body Cream strikes just the perfect balance: moisturizing enough to keep dry skin soft and supple all day long but not so much it leaves a greasy residue all over your skin.
Thank Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride for that. FYI, don’t let the name fool you. That’s coconut oil minus the comedogenic bits. Moisturizing, but not clogging.
The cream also has cacao butter. It creates a barrier on the skin that keeps moisture in so skin stays hydrating for longer.
But the star of the show for me is white tea. It’s an antioxidant that fights wrinkles and helps protect skin from sun damage. The best part? It’s way more powerful than green tea.
The catch? White tea is rarely used in skincare products. So when you find it, snap it up!
Related: White Tea VS Green Tea: Which One Works Better?
Medik8 Hand & Nail Cream gets a thumbs up from me just because it has SPF 25. I mean, how rare it is to find a hand cream with SPF at all?! Well done, Medik8.
The cream uses a new generation of synthetic filters that aren’t as irritating as the old ones we used as kids (think avobenzone or oxybenzone). The catch? These new filters are still NOT approved for use in the US. So if you live on that side of the pond, you’ll have to visit Europe to get your hands on them.
So, what are these new UV filters? Medik8 Hand & Nail Cream uses Uvinul A Plus (a.k.a. Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate) for UVA protection and Univul T50 (a.k.a. Ethylhexyl triazone) for UVB protection.
But there’s more to this cream than just SPF. Like Hydr8 B5, Medik8 Hand & Nail Cream uses sodium hyaluronate to deeply hydrate skin and leave it soft and supple for hours.
The texture is on the thicker side, but sinks in immediately. You can type, cook or whatever without leaving sticky fingerprints everywhere (unless you use too much, of course).
The small size (the Gift Set version is 30ml instead than 60ml) makes it easy to carry around with you. Even though it’s moisturizing, I like to reapply it when I’m out and about to make the most of the UV protection. There’s no way I want my hands to look older than my face, you know what I mean?
The only thing I’d do without is the geranium and orange oils. As you know, they can be irritating for sensitive skin. Mine isn’t, so I can use it without side effects.
Medik8 Age Defying Body Oil smells divine. I know the blend of neroli, lavender and frankincense isn’t the best for sensitive skin (again, it can irritate it), but if you don’t have a product with fragrance, you’re gonna love the earthy aroma. It’s like walking through a neroli field while a gentle breeze carries lavender whiffs to your nose.
The oil uses a blend of safflower, Argan, macadamia and hemp oil to create a barrier on the skin that locks moisture in, keeping it soft and supple for hours. While they’re at it, they also fight free radicals and keep wrinkles at bay.
Medik8 says you can use the oil both in the mornings and evenings. But I prefer to stick to the evening. The oily texture feels luxurious and lightweight, but it does take a while to sink in. You can’t just massage it on and get dressed straight away.
Available at: Hydra B5, £40.00; Glow Oil, £40.00; Nourishing Body Cream, £24.00; Hand & Nail Cream, £25.00; Face & Body Indulgence Gift Set (£65.00) at Adore Beauty and Medik8
Have you tried Medik8 Face & Body Indulgence Gift Set or any of the products within? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Hydr8 B5™ Ingredients:Aqua (Water), Panthenol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Calcium Pantothenate, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Citric Acid.
Glow Oil™ Ingredients: Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Plukenetia Volubilis Seed Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Cananga Odorata (Ylang Ylang) Leaf Oil, Cedrus Atlantica (Cedarwood) Bark Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Peel Oil, Cymbopogon Flexuosus (Lemongrass) Oil, Daucus Carota Sativa (Carrot) Seed Oil, Origanum Majorana (Marjoram) Leaf Oil, Rosa Damascena (Rose) Flower Oil, Vetiveria Zizanoides (Vetivert) Root Oil, Citral, Citronellol, Limonene, Geraniol, Linalool.
Nourishing Body Cream™ Ingredients:Aqua (Water), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearic Acid, Saccharide Isomerate, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Glycerin, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Cetearyl Alcohol, Camellia Sinensis (White Tea) Leaf Extract, Benzyl Alcohol, Polyacrylamide, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, C13-14 Isoparaffin, Parfum (Fragrance), Laureth-7, Triethanolamine, Ethylhexylglycerin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Hydroxyisohexyl 3-Cyclohexene Carboxaldehyde, Limonene, Linalool, Potassium Sorbate, Citronellol, Sorbic Acid, Hydroxycitronellal, Citral.
Hand & Nail Cream™ Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Glycerin, Dibutyl Adipate, Diethylamino Hydroxybenzoyl Hexyl Benzoate, Ethylhexyl Triazone, Behenyl Alcohol, Myristyl Lactate, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Hydroxyethyl Urea, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Propanediol, Lactic Acid, Panthenol, Sodium Polyacrylate, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone/Vinyl Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Polyurethane-35, Dimethicone, Bis-Ethylhexyloxyphenol Methoxyphenyl Triazine, Sodium Hydroxide, Disodium EDTA, Benzoic Acid, Silica, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, Potassium Sorbate, Dehydroacetic Acid, Calcium Pantothenate, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Limonene, Citric Acid, Moringa Oleifera (Moringa) Seed Extract, Citronellol, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Benzoate, Geraniol, Linalool, Ethylhexylglycerin.
Age Defying Body Oil™ Ingredients:Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Cannabis Sativa (Hemp) Seed Oil, Olus Oil, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Neroli) Flower Oil, Boswellia Carterii (Frankincense) Oil, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, Caryodendron Orinocense (Cacay) Seed Oil, Camelina Sativa Seed Oil, Citric Acid, Linalool, Geraniol, Farnesol.
PR Sample. Affiliate links.
Get access to the “Pro Skincare Library” for exclusive skincare routine “cheat sheets” and tricks to help you navigate the beauty aisles jungle like a pro and immediately know what to pick off the shelves to achieve the gorgeous skin of your dreams – even when you’re drowning in an endless sea of skincare products.
Success! Now check your email to confirm your subscription and get access to the skin library.
The Best Face & Body Moisturisers From Medik8 syndicated from beautifulwithbrains.com
March 5, 2019 at 08:21AM
Dawn Siler 