Dr Murad Energizing Pomagranate Cleanser

I'm finally back after so long with a product review: the Murad Energizing Pomegranate Cleanser.

Usually I'm more of a drugstore skincare kind of girl. Having tried most brands I decided it was finally time to invest in a decent facial wash.
Drugstore gel washes have always left my skin tight, dull and dry (and yes - I've tried every brand from St. Ives and Neutrogena to Clean & Clear and L'oreal). Cream cleansers leave my skin feeling a bit icky like there is a film or product left behind.
So usually I end up washing my face less so as not to strip my skin of essential moisture and oils.


My skin type:
I'm in my mid twenties and used to suffer from acne as a teen. Luckily, now I only suffer from the occasional breakout and oily/combination skin. But I was definitely longing for that "glowy" and healthy skin look- sans make-up.


Enter the Murad Energizing Pomegranate Cleanser, and helloooooo: you cleanse and tone in one step.

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Product info: ($26 for 5.1 fl Oz)
This dual-action foam cleanses and exfoliates with AHAs to leave skin clear, soft and smooth, while Energizing Pomegranate Complex™ infuses skin with a healthy glow.

Additional features and ingredients:
•Witch Hazel removes excess oil without stripping skin of its natural moisture (good bye harsh acne fighters!)
•Tones and tightens pores

The verdict:
As soon as I tried this face wash I noticed the difference compared to all other gel and cream cleansers I've used in the past. One pump is enough to leave your skin feeling soft and cleansed. But bear in mind, just like all other cleansers, this won't be enough to remove foundations and make-up, so I use my Pond's make-up remover before. However this cleanser does work great on removing natural oils, dirt and any other breakout causing skin impurities. It feels so light you could easily use this in the morning and at night.
The smell is also pleasantly fresh and fruity!

Is the higher price justified? Absolutely! I can honestly say I'm sold on Murad products. Even though I'm a budget beauty lover and rarely venture outside the drugstore, I feel like it's ok to spend a bit more if I can notice a difference.
You could aksi rationalize the price by the fact that you only need one pump of this product to wash your entire face and it will last you a few months. The bottle is quite large and and you won't need a separate toner-this really came in handy when I took this on vacation with me. Just fabulous!

What's your favorite facial cleanser and have you tried this one?

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Skincare Routine And Tips For Clear Skin!

I skipped this months September Favorites, because I just felt like doing an updated skincare routine (which is ALSO a review of new favorites products I've been using) because I'm really ecstatic about the fact that I am barely ever breaking anymore. For once I feel like it's smooth sailing for me and my skin.
Age: 24 years
My skin-type: oily/acne prone
Wear make-up: everyday


Without further a do:

1. Clean & Clear : I recently ran out of my old cream cleanser which was by Noxema and utterly useless (I'm not even kidding), and hoping for the best I picked up this brand. "Hmm... she has oily skin and uses a cream cleanser?" you ask. Though exfoliating had been helping to keep my skin clear and remove  make-up, I didn't want to be TOO harsh and age my skin with daily over-exfoliating or by using drying face washes. That's why I like cream cleansers, because they're recommended for dry skin and thus leave skin soft and not tight.
I remember using this cream cleanser in my teens, when I'd find myself rummaging around at the drugstore hoping to find a miracle product to banish my breakouts. It didn't help dry up my pimples back then, but now that my acne is much more under control I fully appreciate what this cleanser has to offer.
It's thick, white and comes out looking like a paste, but as soon as it mixes with water it's ready to do it's job.

So in summary:
*gives a minty,tingly scent and feel to skin.
*removes most make-up (even my Revlon Colorstay foundation which is hard to remove)
*lathers up nicely even though it's a cream cleanser
*budget friendly: only $6

I do use my Pond's Cold Cream after to remove any left behind traces of make-up (since I use Revlon Colorstay which doesn't come off easy).

2. Neutrogena Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Toner : This toner is just Ah-mayh-zing. It's not your regular toner, because it's also meant to fade away post-acne scars! Sure I do have a few stubborn scars here and there which won't entirely go away, but I feel like this has really helped even out most of them.

PRO's:
*available at drugstores/Walmart
*only $7
*really helps fades post acne scars
*helps with preventing acne and deep clean pores to remove dirt/make-up traces

CON's:
*may be drying
*alcohol smell is noticeable and feels strong due to that

3. The Body Shop face brush ($4) : I bought this brush 2 years ago but didn't use it for long. After I saw Sephora had come out with their own version I remembered about it. Now, I wouldn't say this is THE softest brush but when used gently I feel this brush + my cream cleanser do a good job of removing make-up without being harsh.
I try not to use it every day, only at night when removing make-up and when I really feel I need it.

TIP: I'll alternate this brush and use an exfoliating scrub instead (by Garnier Fructise). I like mixing my exfoliating scrubs with my cream cleanser to create a gentle scrub that can be used everyday. All you need is one drop of your scrub and a dime size of your regular face wash.




TIP : don't let oil sit on your face. This may sound silly, but I didn't realize till recently that on days I wasn't wearing make-up, THIS was giving me break-outs. When you're not wearing make-up, chances are there's no powder or other product there to soak up oil being produced by skin. This leads to oil and dead skin cells clogging up pores and usually causing whiteheads and pimples.
So now when I'm at home and not wearing make-up I make sure to rinse my face with water every few hours. And if you're at school or anywhere, make sure to blot your face with tissue or special blotting papers.

4. Moisturize : I've been using Oil of Olay's Total Effects moisturizer, to restore moisture and counteract any drying effects of toner. I don't use this over, just around my laugh lines, eyes, and forehead. And even though it's a rich cream, it doesn't break out my oily skin.
You can use any moisturizer that works for you though, just make sure you're face isn't getting too oily (see point 6 again).


5. Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Fight & Fade Gel : I use Neutrogena or Clean & Clear for those occasional whiteheads or pimples that pop up. And I use it under make-up so the gel can do it's job during the day too and dry up any spots. Then I use some at night again for emergency treatment.

This is just what's been working for me and what I do to keep my skin clear while freely wearing make-up on a daily basis. If you have any questions don't hesitate to shoot me a message and feel free to add your own tips.:)

Is Your Make-up Harming Your Skin And/or Body?

 The other day the Boyfriend was trying to bring to my attention that make up ruins skin and how so many women look terrible by the time they're in their 50's, due to so many cosmetics used during their lifetime. As you can guess, I brushed those remarks off as him being too worried, and continued carefully applying my blush and gloss.

Later, I couldn't help but wonder: was he right? Was I really preventing my skin from "breathing" by slopping on these chemicals?

I asked a few people about their experiences and opinions and even googled here and there. But at the end of the day, there's no predicting exactly how some one's skin will react after years of using beauty products.






Did you know that make up, fragrances and all cosmetics are not subject to any FDA approval in the US and no claims made by these companies are required to be true (as per laws and regulations)?
Did you know that over time you will ingest several ounces of lipsticks and glosses?


Some time back I began making a post about the topic, but never got around to finishing it. I was reminded about it when I found an interesting video about the topic on Youtube from SPNation where he talks about a few precautions you could take when using make up and skin care products (mineral make up, powders, glosses, fragrances, etc.) and some precautions to take - gathered from Dr. Oz's show.





My recommendations and precautions:

• Make sure to properly remove ALL your make up:

If you DO use make-up, your cleansing method is crucial. I used to use Olive oil as a make up remover, along with a gentle face wash. But if you're like me and use even a bit of foundation on a regular basis, you may not be aware that not all make up removers nor olive oil get your skin deep clean. I used Revlon Colorstay foundation which gives heavy coverage. So here's my make up removal routine:

1. Olive oil: natural and great for removing powder products and most eye make up. Plus it adds moisture to your skin. But it's NOT enough to remove foundation and dirt.
2. Pond's Cold Cream: If I could I'd shout it from the mountain tops: "this is my favorite, Holy Grail product for make up removal and I can't live without it!!" It's so gentle and moisturizing, yet it astounds me how deep clean it gets my skin. (P.s. if you have dry skin it can even double as a moisturizer).
3. A gentle facial cleaner: I can't wait to get the Philosophy facial cleanser, but in the meantime I'm using an extra gentle cleanser from Noxema, so as not to strip my skin of too much moisture, even though I have oily, acne prone skin.
4. Toner (optional)

• Use less make up, fragrances and skin products (duh!):

This goes without saying but you need to use this stuff less. Have make-up free days whenever possible and take it off as soon as you can. And whenever possible switch up your lipstick and gloss for a less chemical beeswax lip balm.

• Be careful when using Talc and other powder products:

You don't want to be inhaling the dust particles (which you may not even be able to see!) while applying your translucent powder, blush, shadows or mineral make up.



Wanna check to see if your make-up is "safe"?  Check out cosmeticsdatabase.com to see if it ranks as a "High", "Moderate" or "Low Hazard". I love this site and the only thing I didn't like was the fact that most of my products ranked as a "health hazard". Pretty scary facts.



What do YOU think about the subject: does make-up damage skin or is that just a myth? Have you seen cases where this has happened? If you're taking precautions, feel free to share them.

Review: Vaseline Intensive Care Cocao Butter

Believe it or not my boyfriend recommended this product to me. And I'm glad I took his advice.

What the product claims:

When our skin is healthy, light reflects off the rich color below the
surface, enabling it to literally glow. But when skin is dry, its surface
becomes uneven and rough, leaving it looking dull.
Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Lotion penetrates deeply to smooth away roughness and the appearance of dark spots, so your skin can glow from within.

Key IngredientsRich cocoa butter - helps to even skin tone
Conditioning moisturizers - leave skin smooth and supple

My experience:

Firstly, it smells amazing. You can even use it before perfume and it brings out the fragrance. (Note: it will make it smell different of course). I used it with my Cool Water Summer Limited Edition perfume, which  smells sweet and fruity. Also, this lotion doesn't smell like the Palmer's Cocao Butter creams - This one has a Vanilla+Cocao scent.

Secondly, it's so cheap! It's nice to see not ALL companies have highered their prices and for $4 I'd say it's very reasonable for such a big bottle.

I'm pretty happy with this product, and it smells MUCH better then the last Vaseline Intensive (with Alpha Hydroxy and Vitamin A) lotion I tried, so I'm thinking of getting the other products from this line - which include the Body butter, Extra care cream and Gel body oil.

Beauty Tips From Around The World

Here's a handy video I found with a few of the easiest home made beauty tips from around the world (India, Puerto Rico, Norwegia, Brazil, China, etc).

A few beauty problems adressed in the video are:
Cellulite
Beautifull, shiny hair
Highlighting brown hair
Beautifull skin/hair
Face masks

Watermelon Face Mask

Verdict: I have oily skin. Your supposed to "crush the watermelon/mash it and then apply to face."

Now, unless you have someone applying it for you this method doesn't work. I think a better idea would be to just take a small 1 inch cube and run it all over your face, or just apply the juice which drips after you mash it.
I applied the juice which was cold, so it felt nice and refreshing. Smelled great too.Then I lay down for about 10 minutes and relaxed, then rinsed off. It left my skin soft and clean.:) I *think* my pores are a bit tighter, but nothing too noticable.

I think these 1-fruit-face masks are great pick me ups but maybe not as good as the ones with more ingredients.
Still.. I would use this one again if I had watermelon lying around the house. This mask was easy to prepare and refreshing.
Here is another skin home made trick which uses watermelon:

Watermelon Toner
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons fresh watermelon juice
1 Tablespoon vodka
2 Tablespoons witch hazel
2 Tablespoons distilled water

Instructions:
Strain the watermelon juice to get rid of seeds and fruit pulp. Combine all ingredients in small bowl and stir well. Pour into clean containers with tight-fitting lids. To use: pour a small amount on a clean cotton pad and apply to face. Rinse off with cool water after a few minutes.
Store in fridge between uses to retain freshness. Will keep approximately one week.

Skin + Olive oil

 Extra Virgin Olive Oil is considered an ancient beauty secret that was used for thousands of years by the Egyptians, Greeks, Phoenicians and Romans.

Nowdays more and more products on store shelves are using this ingredient, since it's an antioxidant which helps protect the skin from the harmful action of free radicals, delaying aging skin. When shopping around for olive oil, always choose "extra virgin" because it hasn't been refined and conserves all its nutritional values.

For removing eye make up, put a few drops on a cotton ball and you have some cheap eye make up remover: it's natural and it moisturizes your extremely delicate eye area too! I just make sure I wash my face after this with my regular face wash. It doesn't cause me to get any pimples or anything of that sort.

.
..I mostly use it as a pre-make up remover (I think I just made that word up). But it works great to remove foundation, powder and any other make-up buildup before I use my Pond's Cold Cream. I feel like it removes most of the gunk so so my make-up remover is free to tend to more deep seated impurities.

It's also better then baby oil too in case you use that for moisturizing your body. From what I have read baby oil has chemicals in it so it has a tendency to dry out certain skin (this actually happened recently to a friend of mine when she used it on damp skin right after getting out of the shower.)

A good idea is to simply find a nice bottle for it, maybe tie a bow or some decorations around it and keep it in your bathroom instead of in the bottle it comes in.

For home made facial mask: To maintain your skin elastic, hydrated and smooth: mix olive oil with an egg yolk and some honey. Put this mixture over your face and leave it on for fifteen minutes. Rinse with warm water.

**While writing this blog post I just found a really good link with some other wonderful home made tips for your face, a foot moisturizer, your hair, lips, hands... and pretty much every other part of your body:

Naturalskincaresecrets.com

Thefrugallife.com

Homemade Mask For Smooth Skin

 Here's a home made facial mask which exfoliates too and which will leave your skin softer then a babies bottom: milk cleanses pores deep down and it's a great moisturizer to boot! It's perfect for dry skin. You can even bathe in it.
Milk rejuvinates skin and leaves it looking fresh and healthy. The brown sugar will exfoliate your skin.


Ingredients:
1/4 cup brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons of milk (best not to use skim milk though)
Feel free to add some honey to this mask too.

Instructions:
Mix the two ingredients well. Apply to freshly cleaned face and massage gently for a full minute - leave on for 15 minutes. Wash off with warm water and maybe also a clean washcloth and pat dry. Beware with washclothes though as they tend to collect bacteria easily.

Another extremly effective mask ingredient somebody once told me about is Watermelon! Yes plain ol' watermelon..
I haven't really tried this out but I saw various people put this on their face. One girl rant and raved to me it left her skin completely smooth and clear. It's meant to cleanse skin and tighten pores.

I really want to try this out right now. Guess I will be taking a trip to the supermarket soon...

Nourishing Homemade Mask

Skin care... make up, potions and lotions, creams, gels, sprays, mouses... It can all be a bit confusing, so let me simplify things and try and guide you thru it with what I have learned thruout my last years of experimenting.

All facial masks (homemade and also store bought) should stay on for 10-15 minutes, should be followed with a cleansing and a thin layer of moisturizer. If you have make up on, remove it before applying the mask of course.

The mask for today is called an "Orange Smoothy" mask.

Ingredients:
1 tabelspoon of Honey
1 tabelspoon plain yogurt
juice of 1/4 orange

Honey is a natural antiseptic/anti-bacterial, so it's helpful with blemishes. It's also a moisturizer and it calms and soothes inflammation and swelling.

Yogurt: it's best to use plain, organic, whole milk yogurt! Yogurt masks are cooling and calming for the skin; they are also a probiotic and are good for sensitive skin. It cleanses and nourishes skin you deep down to the pores.
Fun fact: Yogurt masks are very Eastern European, where skincare is passed down from generation to generation.

And the orange is full of Vitamin C and Alphahydroxy.
This mask will leave your skin feeling soft and healthy.:)


Instructions:
Mix all ingredients together. If the honey is a bit hard, put it for a few seconds (not more then a FEW or else honey gets to hot) to make it runny. Apply it to your face and lean back or lie down, since honey tends to drip. At least it does smell sweet. You can leave it on for 10 or even 30 minutes. Get your fave magazine, sit back and relax... Then simply wash it off.

Want some exfoliation as well? Add some grated apple. It's also bursting with Vitamin C and AHA's.

Acne Fighting Egg Mask

Most home remedies and tips will prevent future pimples from forming which is great. But if you want to try and clear up existing acne and dry up existing blemishes, for oily skin try an egg white mask. It's also extremely cheap and who doesn't love that right? (costs about $0.25-$1.00).

Use it as an extra along with any other acne regimen you are using.

Crack an egg and seperate the yolk and the white... Then beat the egg wite. Use a cotton pad to dip into the egg and apply generously to face or any area. Leave on for 15-20 minutes.

Your face will feel tight while the mask is on. Wash it off and your skin will immediately feel soft and rejuvenated. The mixture should stay good for 2-3 days.

Like I said in another post, don't use this every day! Your skin does get immune to it and you don't want that happening until your acne clears up.

The only con of this mask is the smell, but I think you will get over it pretty quick.

Click here for reviews from hundreds of other users of this method.

Also: want to get rid of blackheads?? Your perfect choice for a face mask is adding a few drops of lemon juice to the egg white. Just keep in mind (for dry skin) that these 2 ingredients do have a drying effect. Lemon contains natural astringents.

Say Bye Bye To Acne - For Good

As someone who has suffered in the past from acne I will provide you with some vital tried and tested tips.

***CLEANSE your skin***

It's really, extremely important to wash your face twice a day- morning and night- with a gentle, oil and frangrance free cleanser. Don't wash your face with the same body soap while in the shower as it will dry out your skin and clog your pores causing more pimples.

As you know there are 4 skin types: oily, dry, combination and sensitive skin.
I have oily/acne prone skin, so I always use a cleaner with either: benzoil peroxide or salicylic acid.
I also use a very gentle scrub (rounded mini beads which are not grainy and will hurt your skin.. I mean I know it's called a scrub but your not trying to scrub your skin OFF.) Scrubbing too hard will irritate and dry out skin making the pimples and pores redder as well.

I also use a toner because of my oily face. I used to use an astringent (from Clearasil, Clean & Clear, etc. I've tried em all) but found them way too drying.

My tip: Believe it or not.. Before bed I have started using witch hazel (my fave: HUMPHREYS Maravilla Witch Hazel available at most drugstores for a few bucks) on my face. I was extremely skeptical about using it when someone told me about this.

All you do after washing your face is: rub a cottonball drenched with witch hazel over your entire face and let dry. It acts as an astringent and helps eliminate impurities and will help dry the skin (so it is only to be used on oily skin really) and shrink the pimples.

Applying it before bed is the best idea. As you sleep your body goes through a lot of things: you're skin, metabolism and other organs are all restoring and naturally repairing. It is also noticable that if you do your beauty regimens at night, you will wake up pretty pleased after a good nights sleep.

***TREAT your pimples***

Apply an acne treatment containing benzoyl peroxide, glycolic acid, or salicylic acid over your entire face, not just where you have whiteheads and pimples. It takes pimples about 2 weeks to show up, so by applying to your whole face you stop future breakouts from forming.

If you wear make up, apply an oil free moisturizer with SPF of at least 15 (higher is better!) in it and then apply all your make up. At night I do the same. I also apply some moisturizing eye cream under my eyes.

Actually I used the Proactive system for about 4 years. It's only recently that I stopped (since I started using Witch Hazel). But the Proactive system helped break my break-out cycle and reduced my acne remarkably, I can't complain. It takes 2 weeks to clear your skin up though, it's not some overnight miracle as some people claim.

***CONCEAL your pimples***

If I have a pimple I use some foundation over my moisturizer and and make up powder. I apply the foundation with my fingers or with a small make up brush/sponge onto and around the blemish. Use your clean fingertip to wipe away excess concealer around the blemish and, if necessary, apply another coat of concealer. Then brush powder (I use a big make up brush) on top of the concealer.


*Extra tips/home remedies:
-Apparently Visine (eye drops for red eyes) helps calm down red blemishes. Also ice cubes/cold compress.

-Keep your bed linens clean: dead skin, oil, cosmetics, hair products and dirt on bedsheets will be picked up by your skin while you sleep and will clog pores. -Keep your hands away from your face or other affected areas. They contain oil, dirt and bacteria that promote acne. Wash your hands often.

-A high-fiber diet of whole grain breads and cereals, bran, legumes (beans, lentils and split peas) and lots of fruits and vegetables is a good way to minimize eating the wrong foods. Often skin problems are rapidly improved when more fiber is added to the diet. Reduce your consumption of junk food and limit your total fat intake to no more than 20% of calories. Cut out hydrogenated oils. It helps give you a healthy digestive system and it's also believed that diets high in refined carbs promote acne.

-(!) It is very tempting to pop whiteheads, blackheads and pimples. Whiteheads are clogged pores below the outer layer of skin and should not be squeezed. By following the program outlined above, the whiteheads will disappear in a few weeks. Pimples may be squeezed when they are infected and have yellow pus if the proper procedures are followed---> Apply a warm compress to the area for a few minutes to open the pores, then squeeze with a clean tissue until all the pus runs out. This will allow the pimple to heal properly. Using fingernails will promote scarring and may be covered with bacteria that will enter the area and cause inflammation making your pimples worse. Lol, If I have a pimple I just stay far away from mirrors whenever I can for a few days till it dries up.:/

-Egg white mask: Clean your skin thoroughly and apply egg white with a cotton swab. Let it sit for 15 minutes. The egg white tightens pores and helps dry out your pimples. Don't do this every day though. Try it at the most twice a week since your skin will eventually just become immune to it.

-And of course: Never ever(!) sleep in make up. Drink your H20/water.

-Try to not wear makeup when you aren't leaving the house or are doing something like going to the beach or exercising; makeup may cover up bad skin, but I am convinced that it also makes it worse.