The Ubiqutous Skin Care Post

So for most people I know, winter wreaks havoc on their skin. Extreme dry patches, acne eruptions, and just overall dullness. I, however, find the exact opposite. As a sufferer of acne, winter relieves me a lot of my acne, so its always a blessing in disguise. I can't stand the cold weather, but I do love what it does to my skin.

However, like most people, I get dry skin and dullness. So I wanted to do a skincare post and discuss what I do for my skin. I am hoping that all you readers will give me your feedback and opinions on your own skincare regimes.

First off is the Clarisonic. I just recently got it as a birthday gift (thank you sister!!). I got the Clarisonic Plus, which is the one with the body brush attachment. Let me just say, as someone who has acne, it has really helped in keeping the dry and oily patches away. Mechanical exfoliators make me look like a pizza pie...white and red and doughy. The Clarisonic is gentle and incredibly effective. I have really noticed a drastic change in the texture of my skin.

What I wash with is the generic Neutrogena oil free acne wash in the night and spectro gel when I wake up. The Neutrogena is to get all the gunk (makeup, dirt, etc) from the day off. I use my Clarisonic only at night with the Neutrogena wash. I find that the Clarisonic is too harsh to use every day, so I usually skip two days a week at night.

Alas, the clarisonic is not a miracle worker. The tone of my skin has stayed exactly the same. I have red post-acne marks that just don't seem to fade! I use the neostrata toning solution level 2 (with 10% AHA) at night only to help with my acne scarring and to bring a glow back to my face. Winter really does make your skin dull! Afterward, its just general moisturizer. I use Neutrogena oil free fresh moisture, which is a moisturizer that doesn't clog up my pores at all. Most moisturizers do, and be it expensive or cheap, this is the only thing that seems to work well. But the joke is on me, I can't find this moisturizing anywhere in Toronto anymore! I wouldn't be surprised if Neutrogena discontinued this product - they always have a knack for discontinuing the good lines! So readers, I am in need of suggestions on what moisturizer I should try - I need it to be oil free and light but powerful. Suggestions?

So there you have the gist of what I put on my face. Compared to other people's lists, I think I'm a minimalist! So tell me; what is your skin care regime secret?

I've been bad

Hello readers!

So naturally, as the title suggests, I haven't been the best. No, this isn't some reference to
some naughty magazine article, but to my blogging habits. It seems that I come and go. But no longer. Life has been hectic and full of surprises lately. All good ones though. I've been online shopping like crazy. Work just drains the life out of me and online shopping is the haven that I now understand. One store I am so thankful for is the CSN stores. Seriously. They have everything from modern dining room furniture, to cookware, to handbags.

Last time I talked about CSN stores, I talked about getting some cookware to start on my very beginner culinary adventures. Boy, was I surprised at the service and the quality of the items I ordered. I ended up getting a two Calphalon contemporary non-stick frying pans and I am SO happy with my purchase. Not only are they super durable, but they look so professional and for the price (at 75% off!!) I was just shocked. It takes a lot for a store to impress me, but shipping was super duper quick and the package was great. Calphalon makes some of the best cookware in my opinion, so I can't wait to get more and stock up my kitchen. CSN stores, here I come!

My Journey into Makeup

As you can see from the title, this post is about my reluctant and tumultuous journey into makeup. To me, it was always as if makeup was something that women were born knowing how to put on. That is, every woman except me.  I had no clue as to how to use it, how to make it look good and more importantly, how to make makeup look natural. One thing I hate is looking at a face full of makeup – evident foundation and concealer. 

But makeup also scared me on many other levels. It is like embarking on a transformation into an adult. In my family, no one encouraged me to wear makeup, but no one discouraged me either. While other tween girls were busy rebelling and putting on eyeliner in the bathroom at recess, I was more concerned with whether or not my clothes smelled like yesterday’s dinner! Makeup also meant that I would be hiding my “imperfections” – and while I felt that I had many of these, I could never see myself hiding who I really was. I was ready to take on university, part time jobs and social events with my imperfections in tow. 

But then something changed. I left university and realized that a) I look 16 years old still, and b) as much as I felt that I did not want to hide who I really was; makeup would only serve to enhance my self-image. It seems ridiculously self-serving for me to say this, but I have been feeling that makeup has allowed me to gain access to the corporate world. It is a sad reality that some foundation, concealer and mascara has taken me from being a messy teenager, to becoming a put-together adult. And yet, I still feel as if there is an element of trickery involved in this image. It’s not who I really am. The skin you see is not really how I look underneath. 

But I’m also a realist and know that in an office setting, looks matter. It is the sad reality that I will get more respect if I attempt to hide my scars and acne and meld into the corporate mould of working woman and man. I also believe that it projects a level of self-care, which they are hoping will reflect in your work (which I believe does not, but that’s just my own opinion). 

Now that I’m done with my whole essay, time to get to the good stuff! First of all, the makeup brand that I chose to go with was MAC. Many of my friends who have Pakistani / Indian heritage chose MAC for their foundation brand of choice just because of their colour range. My favourite is the studio finish concealer SPF 35 concealer. It is truly a brilliant product which covers my acne scars, and any redness in one swipe. It is a little drying, so putting it around the eyes is a challenge some mornings, but it is a wonderful product. Next, I use just a bit of the Studio Tech creamy foundation if I want more coverage that day. And I top of all these with my Studio Fix powder plus foundation for an airbrushed and finished look. The MAC ladies were incredibly helpful and matched my skin tones with all the colours, so there was such little work involved for me to do! 

I just bought a powder brush – Quo Professional Powder Brush – and it has been excellent so far. I’ve heard a lot of negative reviews on makeupalley about the Quo regular powder brush, but the Professional grade one has been excellent so far. It is incredibly soft, and the bristles have not come off as of yet. On the weekends, when I only care for a bit of coverage, I will use this brush to swipe on some of the Studio Fix powder plus foundation and I’ll be ready to go! 

Next, I’m going to show you my favourite products that I use every morning. I’m a fan of the au-natural look, so I rarely use anything too dramatic. I use just a bit of shimmer on the eyelids from Physicians Formula. This is an excellent pallet for a nice subtle daytime look. I also line my tear ducts and the inside lower rims of my eyes with the gold Revlon luxurious colour pencil in antiqued gold. It creates a shimmery pop that’s so subtle. Next, I use a Quo eyelash curler and Cover Girl Lash Blast mascara. I love this mascara and it separates so well! The Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Cafe au Lait is a nice everyday nude. However, my only problem with this nail colour is it chips much too easily.

So please readers, tell me what you think of my makeup journey. What products do you recommend that I use? Did any of you feel the same when you started to wear makeup?