Post #3: Let's Talk About CoverGirl Smoothers Concealer!

Hey Everyone!

In my last post on the MAC foundation I tried out, I mentioned a concealer that solves all my blemish problems. That concealer is surprisingly just an inexpensive drugstore concealer by CoverGirl! It's called their Smoothers Concealer, and it comes in a lipstick-like tube, which you can see in the picture. I have it in the shade "Fair." It makes it super easy to throw in your purse and application is easy too.

I'm on my third tube of this stuff, so I totally swear by it. The problem is, the shade I use is just slightly off of what my skin tone is, which makes it kind of annoying to use at the moment. However it matches my skin perfectly for most of the year. It's super creamy, which is great for covering up dark circles. I have pretty visible dark circles due to my light skin, so I can't live without a good concealer. I get some redness around my nose and around my chin, so I use this to cover that too. And I usually have a blemish or two to cover up (at the moment I have three... read the post below to find out why), so I use this to cover those up as well. And this is always enough to handle all that and make my skin look nice.

It stays on pretty well, but it's not fantastic in terms of staying-power. That could be due to the fact that I don't use a face powder because I have dry skin. I'm definitely in the market for a new concealer for two reasons. First, so I can get one that matches my skin color better, and second, so I can get one that stays on a bit better/longer. However, I would still totally recommend this one. It hasn't broken me out, ever, and I've left it on overnight by accident once or twice. It's available at drugstores, so go try it out! I believe it is around $6 at most drugstores.

PROS:
- very creamy and blend-able
- can cover dark circles, redness, and blemishes
- matches my skin well for most of the year
- cheap price

CONS:
- at the moment does not match my skin tone perfectly
- does not stay on super well for the entire day

xoxo
- Ellie

Post #2: Let's Talk About MAC Studio Fix Fluid Foundation!

Hey Everyone!

One week ago, I decided it was time I got a real foundation. I had always hesitated on using foundation for three reasons. First, I was worried about looking ultra made-up and cake-y, especially with my dry skin. Second, I was worried about it coming off or just being messy because I usually have practice after school and I go on runs almost daily. And third, I was concerned about the price I would have to pay to get a good foundation, and what's the point if my skin wasn't bad in the first place? However, I figured that it was kind of crazy that I'd never even tried a foundation. I thought that maybe it could look really good, and I had a series of college interviews coming up, so I wanted to look my best.

So, I went to the MAC store at the nearest mall because I'd heard great things about the brand on Youtube and MakeupAlley. I talked to the lady who was working there, and she directed me to the Studio Fix Fluid SPF15, and matched me to their lightest shade: NW15. She applied it in the store with a brush, and it looked great! It didn't look outstandingly better than my concealer routine I was doing before then, but the color matched my skin perfectly, and it covered up my blemishes without using any concealer at all. So, I spent the $26 and got it! I got a bunch of makeup sponges as well, because I didn't want to invest in their expensive foundation brushes quite yet.

I wore it all day and was very pleased with how it held up for the rest of the day. It washed off well with my current skin care routine. I liked it so much that I kept on using it for most of the week. I bought it and had it applied at the MAC store on a Saturday. I wore it on Sunday night for a party. I wore it all day on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday when I was traveling and interviewing at a few colleges. So, I pretty much wore it for six days straight - not a very wise decision. Even though I was diligently taking care of my skin morning and night, I should have allowed it to breathe for a little bit rather than wearing the foundation every single day.

On Friday, when I got home, I didn't wear any makeup. I noticed, though, that I was getting three pretty bad blemishes in places where my skin usually doesn't act up. If I do get a zit normally, it's around my forehead, nose, or chin, but these were on my cheeks! I decided to stop wearing the foundation, but they still worsened on Saturday. Today, Sunday, I finally noticed them getting a bit better. I also did the toothpaste trick (you've all heard of that, right?) yesterday, which made them slightly better.

I go back to school tomorrow, so I'll have to cover them up with concealer - but my concealer hasn't ever broken me out so I'm not worried. It's a real shame that MAC Studio Fix Fluid didn't work for me. I wasn't applying it heavily at all, but it still broke me out. :( Nothing downright horrible, but enough for me definitely stop using it. I might use it for special occasions, but even then I'm kind of hesitant to do that. If your skin is acne-prone, be careful with this foundation. If your skin isn't acne-prone, still be careful with it, but it's worth a try for you. Bottom line: it looked fabulous, but broke me out.

PROS:
- evened out my complexion better than a concealer can
- matches my skin tone better than my concealer
- good texture, doesn't look cake-y
- stays on for a very long time

CONS:
- takes kind of a long time to get a nice, even application (but once you do, it looks great!)
- a little expensive
- broke me out :(

xoxo
-Ellie

Post #1: Let's Talk About Skin Care!

Hey Everyone!

So, skin care, skin care, skin care... it's so tough to find what works for you. You may have to face product-induced breakouts, expensive items that just don't work, and pure commitment in order to attain that perfect skin. And I will be the first one to admit - my skin is definitely not perfect yet.

On your path to perfect skin, the first thing you have to do is find your skin type. The main skin types are oily, combination, and dry. Each of those skin types can be acne-prone. Personally, I have dry skin in the winter months and combination skin in the summer months, and acne-prone skin all the time! Identifying your skin type is important, so you can find the right products.

In this post, I'm going to discuss my skin care routine and tips for those of you with dry skin. Since my skin isn't oily, I don't have much experience with products that work well for oily skin, but I strongly encourage you to do your research! We're all capable of having perfect skin: we just have to find the right products and the diligence to get there.

My Daily Routine
Step #1: Remove Eye Makeup (at night)
This is kind of an obvious step I suppose, but it's very important. Make up residue can clog your pores, and leaving your eye makeup on can make your eyes puffy and worsen dark circles! I use Neutrogena's Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover. It works well, even with waterproof liner/mascara, and makes the skin around your eyes feel very soft. You can get it at drugstores.

Step #2: Exfoliate (at night)
This step isn't for everyone. Yes, I exfoliate every night - but careful! If you have sensitive skin, this might be too much for you, and exfoliating just twice a week will be much better. I exfoliate nightly because it removes my makeup very well, and prevents my skin from getting flaky. I know, that's super gross - but in the winter months my skin definitely gets flaky patches. Exfoliating gently really helps. The product I use is by a drugstore brand called St. Ives - you've probably heard of their Invigorating Apricot Scrub. It smells great, isn't drying, but the exfoliating particles can be a bit harsh, so again, it's not for sensitive skin. Use it very lightly/gently. I haven't tried the St. Ives Blemish and Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub, but I think I'm going to get it when I'm done with the one I have now - like many of us, I have some trouble with blackheads around my nose! For sensitive skin, St. Ives has a Gentle Apricot Scrub. I encourage everyone to try out some of their products! You can get them all at drugstores.

Step #3: Cleanse (morning and night)
This is the most important step, in my opinion. Cleansing the skin is super important to clear all makeup residue, dirt, and oil from the pores, so we don't get any zits! I've been using Clean & Clear cleansers for years. The current one I'm using is called the Deep Action Cream Cleanser. It works very well, but I actually prefer using their Continuous Control Acne Cleanser. It's a little stronger, and much thicker/creamier, so it works a bit better for dry skin. However both of them do a great job of keeping the breakouts at bay! Use a cleanser that works for you - it may take some time to find the one that works for you. You can get Clean & Clear products at drugstores.

Step #4: Tone (morning and night)
A toner will remove the last of any grime from your face. This is especially important if you have oily skin, but it's good to do if you have dry skin too. However, make sure that the toner you use with your dry skin isn't going to dry it out further. Get an alcohol-free formula. I recommend Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner. It doesn't dry my skin out, and is very mild. You can order Kiehl's products online, or find a Kiehl's store near you.

Step #5: Moisturize (morning and night)
This step is so, so, so important if you have dry skin! Finding a moisturizer that is heavy enough to moisturize your skin is key. For a while, I was using Clean & Clear's Dual Action Moisturizer. It's great - I totally recommend it if you have oily or combination skin. It works wonders for me in the summer, when my skin is much less dry. However using it in the winter just didn't do enough for me, and my skin would still feel tight and flaky. Now, I'm using a heavier, more moisturizing product by Orlane. Their products are expensive - I didn't buy this product myself, it was actually a gift from my mom who shares in my dry-skin plight! However it makes my skin feel so soft and hydrated. I still can't believe the difference it's made. I don't get dry, rough patches anymore, and all the flaky-ness is gone. You can buy Orlane products at department stores, but I'm sure there are products out there at better prices that work just as well.

Recently, as a sort of "step 6" in the morning and at night, I've been using a sample that Orlane gave me. It's the Purity Balancing Mask, and I think it's been working well. The lady at the counter told me that instead of it using it like a mask that you leave on for 15 minutes and then rinse off, I could massage it into my skin to use almost like a second moisturizer. I like it! It makes my skin feel very velvety, and I feel like it soothes my skin and closes the pores. Makeup goes on very well after I apply it. I don't know if I'll purchase the whole size, just because of the price, but for now it's a nice addition to my routine.

But what if I get a pimple despite faithfully following my routine? Well, maybe you've introduced a new product that your skin doesn't agree with. Try to only introduce a new product to your skin once every two weeks - that means any sort of skin product, including foundation and concealer. I know, it sounds kind of extreme, but then if you're starting to break out severely, you can single out which product is causing the turmoil.

I swear by the ole toothpaste fix. See a zit? Don't pop it! Get out your toothpaste (make sure it's the cream kind, not the gel) and put a small amount on the blemish. Leave it on from anywhere between 20 minute and overnight. I usually leave it on overnight. It's going to feel kind of tingly. Then, when you're done, just wash off the toothpaste! It should be dried. The blemish should be considerably smaller, and hopefully less red as well.

So that's it! If you have any questions let me know. Some other helpful tips to help you on your quest to perfect skin: drink lots of water, and eat right. Greasy, yucky food = greasy, yucky skin! Natural, healthy food = natural, healthy skin. You guys know what I'm talking about, it's the whole "you are what you eat" mentality. Good luck with finding a routine that works for you!

xoxo
-Ellie