Clean My Face First (pt. deux)

Following the last post, I promised a list of products I used for my daily cleansing routine. 

Morning

First I start with a mild cleanser. I'm have oily yet very sensitive skin, and I'm allergic to..well the world! But the original Cetaphil does the job for me. 

On to toning. I've tried many different brands but I always seem to go back to what my Grandma reccomends, Witch Hazel. Sometimes...most times the generations before us know best. And I will admit, this is one of them. I'm partial to Dickinson's brand, my skin never feels dried out but always balanced after using it. 

To add a bit more moisture I follow up with either a mineral water mist preferably Avene Thermal Spring Water or in summer months when I need a little more help with oil control I opt for Naruko brand Magnolia Brightening and Firming Spray. It adds moisture and vitamin C while also helping balance my skin and provides a great base for my makeup. (FYI, both can be carried with you and used as a refreshing mist through out the day as well)

Like most people (well at least in my mind) I'm on a constant hunt for the perfect moisturizer. One that does its job at moisturizing my skin well, but doesn't leave it feeling greasy or under moisturized. One that will promote healthy looking skin and not lead me into a reaction state that will take me weeks to recover from. Lately I've been thrilled with the results from Aveeno Clear Complexion Moisturizer. It's oil free (+), contains Salicylic Acid which helps fight breakouts and will also keep future ones at bay (+). Not to mention its made with Aveeno's total soy complex which will moisturize, promote even skin tone, soften skin and even fight away unwanted hairs (+++++). What more could you ask for, this stuff is amazing! 

Night

I follow the same routine at night with slight tweaking. 

Cleanse, Tone, Spray with mineral water only and Moisturize. If I feel I need a extra moisture I will replace the Aveeno for Simple Brand Rich Moisturizer. Its not heavy at all but will give you a deeper penetrating feel and its super gentle to skin. 

I follow with petroleum jelly under the eyes. Just a little will help prevent bags from showing up in the morning. I also use a tiny bit on my lashes for extra moisture and lids to help with sleepy time. It really does help, but make sure you have enough hours ahead to get a full nights sleep. The jelly will cause them to be slightly heavy and your snooze button my no longer like you if you have to press it too many times :-).  I've been in love with Vaseline brand Cocoa Butter Petroleum Jelly. It just gives a extra UMPH to the plain boring one we've all been used to for years...and it smells great!

Well there you have it my dears, a run down of my daily routine. I'd love to hear what you all do and why so comment below!

Next week I'll follow up with my weekly facial products combined with a review on STEAMCREAM the All-in-one moisturizer.  We'll see if it lives up to its hype!

Later poptarts ~_^

Clean My Face First...

Hello beauties, as promised in the last post a product review would be on its way…well its here…sorta!

Let me explain…

Picture it…

Queens, NY….

2012…

A new blogger (aka me) in an attempt to give her viewers an honest reiview at a quick and easy face mask had a brilliant idea. Why not use the mask on someone who has never tried it so the viewers can see how amazing it really is. Well as circumstance had it, I just happened to have an available face.

Meet Hal, lovingly known as Poop

But before we get to the review lets talk daily/weekly face cleansing routines. In most cases people are very particular about the products they use on their face, I mean after all it like your own personal billboard. And truth be told we want it to look its best always. 

Keeping a routine is beneficial to healthy skin. Of course lets not forget it all starts within, a healthy diet and lots of water are of the utmost importance as well. But having a set daily routine can help you learn your skin, know its likes and dislikes, understand why it becomes temperamental and just won't seem to cooperate when you need it to. 

Cleansing morning and night is a must, and yes I know some of you may think "well, who doesn't do that"...pssshhh, you'd be surprised! Being constantly on the go with work, school, family or just plain 'ole life can leave us all desiring a few extra hours in the day. So after you get home from a long day in the office or a night of partying it up with friends, take a few minutes to wash that gorgeous face of yours. Believe me, your face will thank you. 

Now for post wash, do you tone or go straight to the moisturizer...or just go? If its one of the first two choices then good for you, and if you're one of those that does the latter - tsk, tsk, tsk shame!!!!

Toning, why do we do it really? Some feel its just an extra step or another way cosmetic/beauty companies can push one more product on us, but toning can actually be beneficial. Cleansing is a definite must, but toning will also remove any residual dirt left on your face. Another benefit is that it helps restore the natural pH balance to our face. 

On to the moisturizer, and this is wear a lot of us make our biggest mistake. You must...MUST moisturize. Normal, dry, oily or combination skin type it doesn't matter, be kind to you face and give it the moisture it craves. Remember washing will strip your skin of essential oils and moisture, so its your job to put them back!

In my humble opinion these are daily cannot do without. But now I'm going to throw a wrench into the routine. What about scrubs, peels, masks and the sort. All wonderful to add to your routine, for everyday though...meh...these facial treatments can be saved for every other day, every three days or even once a week. Once you learn what your skin can handle then you make the decision. Just don't forget, your face is delicate, using these treatments every day can be harsh. I know you may feel you get a deeper clean, but if you cleanse regularly you'll be just fine. 

Now what we've all been waiting for!!!!!!!

I mask 2-3 times a week and personally I prefer clay masks. I've been blessed with oily skin (yes, blessed...keeps wrinkles at bay a little longer) and the way it removes all the yucky impurities and blackheads just can't be beat. Especially for a quick and inexpensive at home treatment. 

My preference is the Mint Julep Mask by Queen Helene (can be found...everywhere). I first remove all makeup then apply the mask with a brush all over my face (avoiding the eyes). I let it sit for a good 15-20 min and gently re-moisten by patting a tiny bit of water on my face and remove with a wet cloth using circular motions. I then follow with my usual cleansing routine and OMG talk about smooth skin. Depending on the amount of impurities you may see a little inflammation but don't be alarmed it will fade, usually in about 30 minutes. 

My aim was to see what someone thought about the experience of a clay mask that has never tried it.

*In comes Poop*

She says that's her 'doe-eyed' look

We applied the mask and let it sit, by this time I was being called a picture nazi!!!

Soooo, I resorted to video!

*pardon the hysterical laughter, I couldn't help myself...you'll see why*

I'm a GARGOYLE from Color My Face on Vimeo.

And that ladies and gents is why this is a 'sorta' review! I will say the end result is was successful. She is very happy with her skin and I quote "It feels nice and smooth..like a babies butt..I've never felt a babies butt..and that's my testimonial". I swear you just can't make this stuff up!!!

Thank you for your time again. I'll follow up with a list of products I prefer to use for my routine in a day.

COMING UP NEXT:

Youtube Beauty Expert Spotlight

and the SURPRISE!

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Eeeep, I'm blogging too!!!!!

 HELLO DARLINGS  Welcome to the first blog posting of Color My Face.

For those of you familiar with me you are well aware that I am a makeup/beauty junkie. The addiction runs deep and I probably need a 12-step program but I digress…I just love makeup. Moreover, for the newbies, please reference the sentence before (I’m also a smarty-pants, do not hold it against me).

Anyhoo, here’s a little background on Color My Face. It all started earlier this year while doing makeup (6 straight hours of makeup) for a Bollywood Dance production in NYC. While glamming up some already beautiful women a few inquired about me teaching makeup classes. I thought to myself “ummm, they cannot be serious”, but once the fifth person approached me it sparked a little something in the back of my mind. After a few months of mulling over the idea, I ran it across a few friends and received surprisingly unanimous thumbs up.

Beautiful story right…guess what, there’s more!

 So, I gathered ideas of what I wanted to teach and decided to keep things very simple. Then it was pick a date and see who responds time, but first I needed to make this event special to me…make it my own if you will. It took a little while to really dig deep and figure out why I love makeup so much. And as most things in our lives it stems from my childhood. I loved color…I loved coloring….I loved finger-painting, and honestly anything artistic. Truth be told, if you give me a coloring book right now I’d be at it for hours. That’s when I had my ‘lightbulb’ moment and Color My Face was born. I sent out an invite and the classes were a success.

As a result of the classes a Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/ColorMyFace) was started and now this blog.  Like I said before I’m a makeup/beauty junkie and I adore finding & trying new products, suggesting what I think may be of quality and helpful to someone wanting to pump up their pretty, annndddd I’m pretty good at just rambling about anything I think is super awesome especially if the color is gorgeous…and orange…I LOVE orange!!!!

With this blog and your comments, suggestions and thoughts I hope to explore a plethora of ways we can keep ourselves looking and feeling beautiful always.

Thank you all for embarking on this journey with me…I think we’ll have fun together ~_^