skincare – by Breanna Marie

Exfoliating with Trish McEvoy

May 2, 2017

Hello hello!

I am sitting here, close to but not in, a super sunny window that faces the sea, just dying to be outside in the sun. The sky is an epic shade of blue today and I can see the trees rustles in the ocean breeze, no rhyme intended.

And while I’m dying to be out in the water, I’m reminded of what I’m here to talk to you about! Sometimes exfoliators are a little harsh and sandy, so I tend to be pretty picky. One that I can recommend for sensitive skin is the Trish McEvoy’s Beta Hydroxy Pads Daily Exfoliator.

These pads gently exfoliate your skin, so this is a perfect solution for people with more sensitive skin that don’t want a harsh exfoliating wash or have trouble with redness after exfoliating. This product is refreshing and easy to use on the daily. I swipe across my face and neck in the morning after cleansing and before makeup.

However, I would like to include that this product doesn’t replace my cleansing exfoliator that I use once a week. It doesn’t quite have the exfoliating power I feel I need on a weekly basis, but it’s a good supplement for daily use without hurting my skin. I also love these when my skin is acting up. If I’m having an issue with a breakout or some problem spots, these are the perfect addition to my routine to help exfoliate the problem area without damaging the skin.

So, while I recommend these for problem or sensitive skin, I’m not sure that I would invest in having them for the every day if your skin is generally normal. I keep them on hand for when I’m having skin issues or for convenience when I travel.

What’s your favorite exfoliator?

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Welcoming Spring with Kiehl’s

March 21, 2017

Is everyone else ready for spring? I have blooming orange blossoms in the garden that embrace me with their beautiful scent every time I step out my door. I want to bottle it and wear it as a perfume. But while the blooms are all ready for spring, my skin is still pretty dry from the winter and I am counting on Kiehl’s to help me through it!

Kiehl’s is new to me, but I’ve fallen in love with the simplicity and moisturizing power of their products. My three favorite products for getting rid of winter dullness and moisturizing skin to prep are Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream and Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado.

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve is thick and rich enough for people who work with their hands and gentle enough to work on anyone’s skin. Plus it makes your hands feel soft as a babe’s bum and is unscented, so it’s great for any perfume you may have on! This is ultra great to keep in your desk if you use purell or wash your hands frequently. I also like to keep it in the kitchen!

Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream is another new favorite. It literally sucks in moisture, but it’s super light and dewy. This is another unscented product that is super soothing and great for sensitive skin. I don’t typically (read never) ask my fiance to try my beauty products, but after using this for a couple weeks, I suggested he try it. He was hesitant as he has had some serious issues with facial moisturizers in the past irritating his skin. Kiehl’s is legitimately the only product that doesn’t cause him redness and inflamation; aka I’m buying this in bulk for him! I am so happy I found this for both of us! This product doesn’t have SPF, there is an SPF 30 version available here that I have not yet tried.Last, but certainly not least, is the aptly named Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. This eye cream definitely tops my list as one of my favorites. It’s creamy and absorbs into the skin quickly while leaving my under eye skin brightened and velvety to the touch.

All of these products pack a serious punch in the moisture department and they come with Kiehl’s trusted brand name. I highly recommend them! If the price tag looks a little scary for a new product, I would highly recommend starting with one of the amazing kits, like the Kiehl’s Since 1851 Healthy Skin Essentials Starter kit which includes the Ultra Facial Cream and the Creamy Avocado Eye Treatment as well as a couple of their other best sellers.

What are your spring beauty rituals? I’d love to hear about them!

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Product Love: Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Perfect Skin Cushion

January 10, 2017

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When it comes to foundation, my biggest priority is caring for my skin while hiding any imperfections. Anything that is going to sit on my skin all day needs to have SPF, and that’s what brought me to Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Perfect Skin Cushion.

I walked up to the Nordstrom beauty counter one day and told the sales associate that I was looking for a light foundation with SPF and she got all fresh eyed and beaming when she told me about this product. Not only does this foundation blend to my exact skin tone, but it also protects and treats my skin. That means, when I put this foundation on, I’m reducing redness, tightening up my pores and reducing the visibility of dark spots. Not only that, but this cushion is SPF 50.

Come again? Yes, SPF 50.

Now what does this mean: cushion? When you open this blush pink compact, there’s a round flat sponge. You open a separator and there is the cushion. It opens like a powder foundation, but instead it’s a liquid. Dab the sponge on the cushion and gently pat the product into your skin.

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I always notice an immediate reduction in the appearance of oil on my skin, which is HUGE for me. I love love love it. When using Dior Capture Totale Dreamskin Perfect Skin Cushion I always dab a tiny bit of concealer on any trouble spot and on any dark circles, since the coverage is so light and sheer. The texture of it is lovely, though. There’s no heavy cakiness, just sheer, moisturizing coverage.

A couple other details you ought to know: Dior is picking up their game when it comes to reducing waste. So when you buy this product, you’re also buying the compact. However, when you buy the refills (which come with a new sponge, fyi) it’s about half the price of the first time you purchased it. And pro tip: when you’ve finished with one side of the cushion and think you’re out, flip it over! There’s more product on the other side!

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Product love: African Botanics Fleurs d’Afrique

December 30, 2016

Skincare is phenomenally important. As someone who had relatively low maintenance skin for many years, I learned this later than many people. With the exception of a moisturizer with sunscreen (SPF is SO important on the daily, especially in SoCal), I didn’t do much with my skin for most of my teenage years.

Things began to change when I went to college and added more and more things to my life that affected my skin, like working out and wearing makeup more frequently. One thing that always stayed the same was that my skin is on the more oily side. So when skin oils began to gain popularity in the last couple years, I avoided them like the plague. It wasn’t until I started hearing about how great skin oils can be from multiple bloggers, magazines and friends that I even began to think about using a skin oil.

Recently though, I read on Alicia Lund’s blog, Cheetah is the New Black, about a product she was using daily during her pregnancy, Marula Stretchmark Botanical Body Oil by African Botanics. She raved about it on multiple posts, so when a friend of mine complained about a similar problem, I went online to the African Botanics website and purchased their Regenerating Body Hydroserum as a gift. When I ordered that, I was also sent a few samples of their Fleurs d’Afrique.

Wow. Just wow.

Never did I imagine that a face oil could be what this oil is. When I thought of face oils, I thought of cooking oil, like a nice olive oil. No, that is not what this is.This oil is super light and locks in moisture. It also works at the trouble spots, like evening skin tone, fighting redness, and reducing the appearance of fine lines and blemish spots. The fighting of blemish spots is huge for me. Although I never had really bad skin, I’ve had problem spots where I have scars I’m still self conscious about. The smell is also amazing. It’s light and flowered without being sweet. One of the best things about it, is that there’s nothing artificial in it: no parabens, silicons or synthetic fragrances.

And what a job it does. After I wash my face in the morning and at night, I apply a few drops to my fingers and massage it into my skin with upward strokes. When I say massage, I mean a real massage, it’s so relaxing to smooth onto your skin! I let it sink in a minute or two and add eye cream. In the morning I also follow with an AM moisturizer with sunscreen (of course) and makeup.

I’m now a true believer in face oils! While this one is pretty pricey, because a little goes a long way, I anticipate it will last a long time. I’ll keep you up to date!

What are your thoughts on face oils? Any favorites? Alternatives?

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