SOS: Save Our Skin





           It’s that time of year again – the air is brisker, the coats are essential, and unfortunately, your skin is suffering. Well, mine is at least. As soon as that snap of cold hits, I suddenly transform into something quite similar to a snake – the skin on my cheeks and forehead is so dry it begins to flake, my lips crack, my hands ache from dryness, and my body is as soft as sandpaper. Lovely, right? Thankfully, in my years of beauty product obsession, I have found some incredible healers that prevent the dramatic molting from occurring.

Contrary to the look of this slightly spooky black and white photo, oils are not to be feared.

          I have very dry, sensitive skin, but I get an oily t-zone. In a humid climate, such as India or NYC, my skin does fairly well in the spring and summer – it appears moisturized, and even has a slight glow. In a dry climate, like California, or basically anywhere during the fall and winter, I look like I’ve aged more than a few years. Thankfully, I’ve found a magic combination that seems to keep my skin supple and healthy-looking rather than dehydrated and parched. I only cleanse at nighttime in the shower – I first remove my makeup (pre-shower) with Amore Pacific Cleansing Oil, which is a splurge and a half but absolutely amazing, and afterwards, cleanse with Mario Badescu’s Acne Facial Cleanser. I finish my routine by mixing several drops of tarte’s pure maracuja oil with Sanre Organic’s Siesta Sunset face cream, which contains avocado and seabuckthorn oils. I religiously wear eye cream (currently tarte’s C-brighter maracuja eye treatment) for its “preventative aging” properties. I wake up with the soft, redness-free and dewy skin that I have always dreamed of. In the morning, instead of cleansing, which I find dries me out immensely, I simply tone with Thayer’s Rose Petal Toner, to get rid of oilies on my t-zone, and smooth on a light layer of whatever day cream I’m using; at the moment it is Mario Badescu’s A.H.A. and Ceramide Moisturizer. I follow with my makeup application. If I happen to get a breakout, I spot treat, rather than using an all-over acne serum, which I find dries me out. I use the classic Mario Badescu Drying Lotion. The lesson here? To “winterize” your favorite cream, add facial oil, like the aforementioned tarte product. Don’t believe the common misconception that oil will break you out. In fact, it will help acne. Facial cleansing oils (R.I.P. Shu in America) are some of my favorite products to try on the planet.

Are my lips chapped?!

          Lip balm is essential for everyone – men, women, and children. I probably have enough to supply them all. I think my lips are the first thing to feel the cold, as they go from kissable (or so I’d like to think) to pathetically dry in a matter of minutes in the brisk air. I can’t deny my love for classic Spearmint Chapstick, but if you want something a little more special, and much more pricey, By Terry and Sara Happ both make incredible products that smell divine. If it’s color I’m after and I will be walking for miles on the chilly streets and braving the windy gusts in Manhattan, I go for tarte’s LipSurgences, since I’m partial to matte lips if I wear a bright and basically every other matte dries me out to the max. Lively, a deep bright pink shade, flatters seriously everyone. The peppermint scent and tingle of these is quite addicting as well.

 I am almost as picky with body creams as I am with my foundation. There are only a handful of products that I’ve found that actually bestow immense moisture, don’t cause sensitive skin breakouts and flare-ups, and do not offend my nasal passage to the highest degree. Kiehls Crème de Corps Body Butter is my ultimate, but the high price tag can be a bit off-putting, so in a penny-pinching move,  Aveeno’s Skin Relief Moisture Repair Cream does the trick.

While this hair looks awesome in editorials, the same cannot be said for it in real life.

         Friends, I’ve recently discovered a miracle for my seriously fried hair. What is it, you ask? Shea Moisture Restorative Conditioner. I’m fairly certain it is not intended for my lame white girl hair, but boy does it penetrate and leave my strands soft and silky. Preceded by Oribe Moisture Shampoo and followed by one pump of Kerastase Elixir Ultime, I can actually see light bounce off my hair, which is a feat that I have been unable to complete since going blonde.

Obviously, I glow this much, if not more

          Last but not least, a product that helps you fake it (til you make it): RMS Beauty’s Living Luminizer. Formulated without any harmful chemicals and choc full of coconut oil, this super organic highlighter is a god-send for skin that has been pelted by the elements. Worn on the tops of cheekbones, beneath the brow bone, on the cupid’s bow of the lips and the tip of the nose, people will never guess you’ve basically been suffering from pneumonia since October 1^st hit. It’s not obviously shimmery, either, so guys, feel free to apply and get compliments.  

It goes without saying that a healthy diet will help your skin as well. Right now I'm loving Green Monsters - Spinach/banana/cocoa/flax/protein smoothies that I make daily in my beloved Vitamix and look quite putrid but taste delicious and are full of nutrients to heal you from the inside out.

P.S.: I would have done a proper product photoshoot for this, but I have been beyond busy between moving, work, and school. I'm quite pleased with the shelving I've installed in my bathroom. Here are some instagram photos; official shots to follow soon.

 

Encyclopedia Organica

          I apologize for the serious lack of updates as of recently. However, my life has contained little to blog about – I don’t think anyone wants to hear about my return to healthy eating, daily Bar Method classes/ellipticallizing (I made that a word), and the daily fighting of super-fun parasites evolving into stomach viruses, a lovely takeaway from my Indian adventure.

          But, I felt it necessary to inform everyone of my latest skincare finds – all of which are organic! I have been eating mostly organic and unprocessed food since I was a young girl, but to be honest, if a cosmetics or skincare product works well and there happens to be a ton of chemicals in it…I’ll continue to use it. For me, as long as there is no adverse reaction, it is okay. On a sheer whim, I began using organic skincare products, and I have to say, my skin has not been this clear since I was in the fourth grade. Yes, that is when I began getting acne.

          I think in my lifetime, I have tried at least 500 different facial care products. That may even be a low-ball count. I’ve found products that work for a short term, but then the season changes, or my skin type goes wacko, and bam, I’m left with spots.

          My skin is supremely bizarre – extremely dry, yet acne prone. I seem to also have a lot of redness, which I have essentially accepted at this point. The main concern for me is keeping spots at bay. For the past few years, my acne has not been bad, but there were some stubborn zits on my chin and lower cheeks that just seemed to never budge, no matter what spot treatment I would use. I've solved this by mixing Lavender Essential Oil (Young Living) and Sibu Sea Buckthorn Oil into my nighttime moisturizer (currently Kiehl's Rose Arctica, but another favorite is Yes to Carrots' Calming Night Cream - so cheap!).

Mountain Ocean Skin Trip – Although I can eat a whole lot of it, I have been slow to get on the whole “extra virgin coconut oil as moisturizer” bandwagon. Maybe it is my aversion to laying around naked and waiting for my body oil to dry for hours when I could be fully dressed and out the door, but something about body oils always made me feel as if I had clogged pores and a sweating problem. Anyways, getting to this body lotion, which, indeed contains coconut oil – it’s fabulous. It smells like real young Thai coconuts, not that sickening sweet Bath & Body Works catastrophe that reeks of a Pina Colada made from artificial concentrate. But most importantly – it works like a charm. It absorbs SUPER quickly (my holy grail fast absorber is Crème de Corps Light Weight Body Lotion and this is comparable), and leaves skin soft and lightly scented, but not oily in the slightest. This will be a beach staple this summer as it was designed to be used after sun.

Solar Recovery Spray and Hydrating Cream – This brand is a miracle. Two years ago, I was sunburned beyond recognition (the Jersey shore has stronger sun than you think – even when you are reapplying SPF 45 every 2 hours…). I discovered this at Whole Foods, and since then, have not been able to use anything but this product on sun-parched skin. It is basically a blend of essential oils, but boy, does it work. I’ve recommended it to hoards of (Irish) friends, and they all have amazing results. Seriously a must have for anyone who ever steps foot outdoors. 

Maui Babe Browning Lotion – So, I’m about to contradict myself by telling you to apply soothing oils and then recommending a tanning lotion. However, when using this OVER sunscreen (my favorite, as I’ve mentioned before, is Josie Maran’s), it helps you to get a lovely touch of color. Don’t mind the balsamic vinegar-esque smell, because this gives you a golden glow without self-tanner and with the ability to protect your skin. Besides, that is what showers are for.

Sanre Lemon Sparkle Toner - I'm a sucker for anything that says "lemon sparkle" on the bottle. And it's not a seltzer? Sold x2. While practically every derm says that toner is not necessary, I cannot deny how wonderfully clean it makes my skin feel. I usually use plain rose water from the Indian market, but this product is fabulous! It removes the excess makeup that my face wipe plus makeup remover combo does not. In addition, it is made almost solely of essential oils and completely of ingredients that I can pronounce. The best part? It's made in Sarasota, Florida, where my grandmother lives - a coincidence I found out after I studied the bottle at home. I picked mine up at Whole Foods. 

Organix Moroccan Argan Oil - Okay, this isn't a skin product, it is for hair, and I found it completely by accident. While visiting a friend, I asked if her roommate had Moroccan Oil I could borrow, assuming she would lend me the stuff in the dark brown bottle that I had adored for years, and she came back with this. I figured I would try it. I was amazed by the results - my hair was sleek, shiny, and still had volume. I bought it as soon as I could! While I will never give up my beloved Moroccan Oil, this is an awesome finishing product for the summertime and a good bottle and size for travel. A word of advice: don't go crazy spritzing, or you may look a little, well, unclean in the hair department. 

The rest of the products pictured are new purchases that I have yet to test. I’ll let everyone know what I think of them as soon as I get a chance!