Beauty Musts & Beauty Busts- Sunscreen

Ah, summertime. I just spent a heavenly weekend beachside in Nags Head, NC this past Memorial Day Weekend, armed with a few drug-store snatched sunscreens that I grabbed in a hurry as I jetted out the door. Packing up a beagle, a beagle puppy, a husband, and my vast array of beachy beauty supplies is no small task- but I probably should have budgeted a bit more time to researching good sunscreens. After all, what kind of skin care guru doesn't do her homework?

So, you can imagine my delight as I sipped my sweet tea vodka and flipped open my brand new Town & Country Magazine (a personal fave!) to find an entire article dedicated to top sunscreen picks for the season. My homework, done for me! The article, entitled Sultans of Soleil, pays homage to my vintage favorite Bain de Soleil, before it dives into six other recommendations, thankfully all of which offer a bit more SPF than the Bain's mild 4!

Speaking of SPF (which stands for Sun Protection Factor), I was interested to learn that this summer the FDA's new sunscreen regulation will finally come into effect.

"The maximum SPF you're going to be able to buy is SPF 50+ and companies will no longer be able to use the words sunblock, sweatproof, or waterproof" says L'Oreal Paris consulting dermatologist Gervaise Gerstner. (Town and Country, June/July 2012) 

I very much suggest picking up a hard copy of the magazine for yourself (because there are other great articles- one about la prairie's new spa at the newly revamped Hotel Bel Air- be still my heart! A $1,000 facial! My CPA husband would keel over!) but I'll also list a few of their recommendations here, for your convenience. To find the others, and to get the skinny on why each one was selected, you'll have to snag your own copy!

Doctor's Choice- La Roche-Posay Anthelios 50 Daily Anti-Aging Primer

Sunbather's Fave- Vichy Capital Soleil SPF Luxurious Protective Oil

Poolside Pick- L'Oreal Paris Sublime Sun Crystal Clear Mist Spray SPF 50+ 

Murad deals- Only for goodcleanskin readers!

Hello, wonderful readers! I am excited to announce that I have recently received a few private coupons for Murad, a great skin care company that many of you are likely familiar with. So of course, I want to share it with you!

The following link is good for up to 40% off their botanical products, and there are some great deals. The only catch- the deal for the United States site has expired (and pretty darn quickly, I apologize to those of you who were hoping to catch that deal!) But the link for the Canadian site is still active. So, if you live in Canada (or have a mailing address there) then you can still stock up on their Clarifying Cleanser, Sensitive Skin Soothing Serum, Active Radiance Serum, and many many more are all now at members only prices! Click here to be directed to the Canadian members only shopping website, and stock up!

For all you state-side beauties, don't fear. I've got a few great promos for you gals, as well!

If you're interested in getting $10 of a $40 order of Essential C Skin Care, visit this link and use promo code SAVE10MURAD.

You can also use this link, and get free shipping and a free gift when you use code MASKGIFT.

Happy shopping, North American gals!

Beauty Musts & Beauty Busts- Eye Creams

Eye cream is important. There are some products that you can skimp on, and some you can get away without using all together, but I assure you, eye cream is not one of them. It is actually one facial product where I recommend a splurge, if you can afford it. Why? Because sensitive eye skin needs special care. The skin around your eyes is more delicate, which is why you'll notice things like discoloration and wrinkles there before you notice it on other areas of your face.

And, let me be totally honest, eye cream is not just for Granny. YOU need eye cream. Women of all ages can benefit from adding a good, high quality eye cream to their beauty regimen. However, picking an eye cream can be tough. Your age, your personal issues (crow's feet, dark circles, etc), and your budget are all things you'll want to take into consideration before picking an eye cream. So, below I have listed some Musts and Busts in the hopes that you'll be able to find an eye cream that works for you, without burning through too much of your skin care budget!

MUSTS

1. My personal favorite- Mario Badescu Special Eye Cream V

This is my "best overall" eye cream. For $18 for a container, this eye cream is one of the most affordable creams I have ever found, and it's got a great consistency- not too greasy, not too watery. You'll like this eye cream, and you'll love the price!

2. Best for mature skin- Cosmedix Opti Crystal Chirally Correct Eye Serum

Regardless of your age, this eye cream is FAB-U-LOUS. I love this stuff, and it's from a great brand, Cosmedix. This is perhaps my favorite product from this line, but at $90.00, it's not the most affordable eye cream out there. However, I'm including it on my "musts" list, because it is worth every penny! Great for crow's feet and dark circles, best for dry skin around the eyes.

3. Best for dark circles- StriVectin-SD Eye Concentrate for Wrinkles

StriVectin has long been a go-to for women who fight dark circles. While this concentrate has replaced the original "StriVection for Dark Circles" cream, it will still help with under eye darkness. And, at around $60 for a tube, it's a good mid-range price point.

BUSTS

1. Rollerball Rip-Off-  Chantecaille Nano Gold Energizing Eye Serum

A few years ago, the rollerball phenomenon hit the eye skin care market, and made quite a splash. And at $210 for this little tube, what we have here is a rollerball rip off, in my opinion! Rollerballs are popular, but it's important to know that rollerball products contain a serum, and not a thicker cream. I like rollerballs in the summer time, when dry skin isn't as much of an issue, because when you keep them in your refrigerator, they feel fantastic on tired, sun soaked eyes. But you don't need to spend $210, Clinique's All About Eyes Serum Rollerball is a great little eye serum and will only set you back $26 at your local department store. Stick it in your butter or dairy bin in your fridge, and enjoy a cooling eye gel all summer long!

2. Patchy Business- Guerlain Super Aqua-Eye Anti-Puffiness/Soothing Eye Patch

Let's put it this way. You can spend $117 on these little eye patches, or you can spend $1.50 on a nice hot house cucumber in the produce aisle and spend a little time horizontal on your couch. Take your pick.

3. Money, Money, Money- Any product over $200

Call me conservative, but I just can't justify spending over $200 on half an ounce of eye cream. I know that some of these creams probably work, but so do the creams under that price. If you've got money to spend- try the Opti Crystal Eye Serum from Cosmedix, listed above. Of course, if you've tried an over-the-top expensive cream, and you swear by it, let me know!

Next up- Beauty Musts and Busts- Sunscreens

Beauty Musts & Beauty Busts- Gadgets

Let's face it. There are a lot of expensive beauty products out there promising to cure your skin ailments. And, you've probably wasted some hard earned cash on products or gadgets that didn't work. It's frustrating, to say the least. So, in this next series, "Beauty Musts & Beauty Busts", I'll be sorting through common beauty products to help you decide where it's worth splurging, and when it's worth saving. If you have recommendations, I hope you'll list them below in a comment. I'd love to check out what products have been successful... or those that weren't!

 First up, beauty gadgets. Gadgets are expensive, make no bones about it. Because they are more of an investment than your regular wash, mask, or cream, it's important to know that a beauty gadget is worth it before you invest. So, let's take a look at two popular beauty gadgets- the Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Care System and the Zeno Hot Spot Acne Clearing Device.

The Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Care System will run you about $195, definitely not a decision you want to make lightly. The Zeno Hot Spot Acne Clearing Device will set you back only about $45. You can find both products at ULTA, a great spot for online beauty shopping. So, which product is worth the investment, and which can you pass up? Here are the results...

Beauty Must- The Clarisonic Classic Sonic Skin Care System 

This Clarisonic wonder-brush might be expensive, but it's worth it. And, don't be fooled by impostor brushes either, I've tried them, and they honestly don't achieve the same results. I can't exactly tell you what it is about the Clarisonic system that makes it so fabulous, but once you've used one of these little babies, you will be hooked. Your skin will feel cleaner, tighter, and smoother after just two weeks of consistent use. Use it in conjunction with whatever favorite face wash you've been using, and I promise you'll see a noticeable difference in your skin tone and clarity. I have actually seen great results with the Clarisonic brush and my good ole standby Neutrogena Deep Clean Cream Cleanser! Especially good if you have oily skin, because the Deep Pore Cleansing Brush Head (purchased separately) will give you oily gals a fantastic deep wash. This brush technology comes from the makers of the SonicCare toothbrush, which I think is pretty neat! So, while it might be an investment, it's definitely one worth the splurge. 

Beauty Bust- Zeno Hot Spot Acne Clearing Device 

I wish I could recommend this little product, because honestly, the theory is good. A blast of concentrated heat at a controlled temperature to help blast away pimples. In theory, this should be a great product, because gentle heat is one of the best treatment plans for unsightly pimples. Unfortunately, you can achieve the exact same results with a stainless steel spoon, a clean washcloth, and a pot of hot water. Start by heating up a pot of hot water, and allowing yourself to lean gently over the pot to steam your face and open your pores, and then take a stainless steel spoon and submerge it in the hot water. Don't leave it in there long, and make sure when you pull it out that it is not too hot for your skin. Then, LIGHTLY press the round, underside part of the spoon to your blemish. I must note- be CAREFUL. Try the spoon on the top of your hand first. Don't burn yourself. You aren't trying to scald the poor blemish off your beautiful face, you're trying to loosen the bacteria and gunk that has your pore clogged with a gentle application of heat. So, this is truly a case of less is more. If you are too timid to use the spoon, use the washcloth in the same way. Dip the washcloth in the hot water, and then gently apply a compress to your blemish. This method (and the Zeno device) both work better on those stubborn, painful, icky pimples instead of your typical whitehead. (However, the steaming treatment suggested at the beginning of this exercise is great for all skin types and all kinds of blemishes!)

Now tell me, what gadgets have you tried?

Next up... Beauty Musts and Beauty Busts- Eye Creams

Paint by Numbers

If you've had a lot of professional facial treatments, then you may have experienced a mask or product applied by the use of a brush, likely a fan-style brush. It feels pretty neat, and it's a great way to apply masks because the mask can be applied very evenly, and it's very relaxing. Also, because your fingers and hands contain natural oils, a brush is a very clean and gentle way to apply a mask. For those with sensitive skin- take note!

Of course, the best part about using this brush technique is that it's easily done at home, and as a matter of fact, I find a brush to be a great way to apply facial treatments that you've made yourself. It saves your hands from getting drippy and gooey, and honestly, I have to admit, it feels fantastic (and very spa-like!) to have a mask brushed onto your clean, bare face, even if you have to do it yourself!


A brush can also be a great way to apply some of the pure oil facials that I mentioned in previous posts, like the Sweet Almond Oil Facial or the Olive Oil Facial.

A few important suggestions for using a brush:

1. Brush gently- there is no need to be heavy handed!
2. Clean your brushes after each use.
3. Brush in sweeping, circular motions.
5. Brush thin layers on, don't use too much mask for your brush, or your soon lose the feeling of the bristles!

I recommend getting a high-quality brush, if you decide to purchase one. You are going to be using it on a most important canvas, after all! These can run you anywhere between $5-$15 a brush, and there's no need to spend more than that. Also keep in mind that because you are brushing this on your skin, cleaning the brush carefully after each use is very important, so that you don't have a brush full of bacteria!

Pucker Up, Buttercup!

Your lips. Are they plump? Thin? Kissable? Cracked? Lips get a lot of press in the beauty industry (likely because they also have a great deal of sex appeal) but what does it really take to get a gorgeous pout?

To cut out a great deal of anatomy, lips are not just the skin covering your mouth. The skin surrounding your lips and then the actual lip itself is different, and more sensitive, than other areas on your face. While your facial skin can have up to sixteen cellular layers, your lips only have around four. Your lips do not have sweat glands or hair, and therefore do not get the protection of naturally made body oils and moisture that hair follicles and sweat provide. Yes, those two things are serving a higher purpose than just stray brows and pimples, I promise!

Because of it's natural thinness and unprotected nature, lips are more likely to dry out than other areas of your skin, which is why the skin care and cosmetics industry has come up with thousands, if not millions, of products for you to perfect your pout.

But what actually works?

As you might imagine, I've tried a lot of products out there in the hopes of achieving soft, kissable lips.I've tried lip exfoliation, plumper, moisturizer, glosser, stain, stick.... ah, the list goes on. Because I have dry skin, and because I like to spend a lot of time outside, my lips are prone to being  chapped and dry. But it wasn't until a recent couples fly-fishing trip out west, that I found a true gem of a product, and for the bargain price of around $2.50 a tube.

Because fisherman are exposed to the sun, and also the reflection of sun from the water, they are forced to find good, strong, sunscreen packed lip protection. Enter Simms by Dermatone Angler Lip Protection, SPF 30. This little tube helped keep my lips soft the entire time we were out west, and is now my beach/golf/running bag staple for outdoor lip protection all summer long. You can find it online at almost any fly-fishing outfitter website. I haven't stumbled upon it in stores here on the east coast, but my introduction to this little beauty wonder came at a little spot called Blue Ribbon Flies in West Yellowstone, Montana.

So do yourself a favor, and order up an entire case. Share it with your dad, brother, mom, sister, best friend, tennis partner. This might just be the one beauty product that your husband/dad/fiance/son/brother tries to steal from your purse!