Showing posts with label skin care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label skin care. Show all posts

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Biore (My haven)

So, I was thinking about things that I have not talked about before (which happens to be a lot actually), and I was looking around my room and saw all my Biore products. I thought to myself, "well I do use a lot of Biore's stuff, so why not mention it in a blog post?" So that's what I'm going to do here.

Many of you are probably familiar with Biore's pore strips. You know those strips you put on your nose, forehead, or chin that pull up blackheads from your pores. Yeah, the ones many people THINK are painful, and resemble a bandage for a broken nose. Well though you may be familiar with this product, Biore offers a whole line of other products as well. To name a few: Steam Activated Cleanser, Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser, Pore Unclogging Scrub, and of course the Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, along with many more products. 

All of Biore's products work quite well, and I highly recommend trying them for yourself. My favorites happen to be the pore strips, the Blemish Fighting Ice Cleanser, and the Pore Unclogging Scrub. Using each product separately gives great results, but combining them in a regimen makes for a pretty much flawless complexion (at least for me). Each product targets certain skin factors, and delivers a punch to deal with acne quite well.

For the products I use:

To give the box description: "Biore deep cleansing pore strips are a weekly pore refining treatment for the nose area [or other areas upon which you type you purchase] that instantly removes pore-clogging dirt, oil and blackheads. Tests show that in just one use, Biore deep cleansing pore strips are twice as effective as the leading pore cleanser at getting rid of build-up  and blackheads for clearer pores. In fact, when used regularly, Biore deep cleansing pore strips actually diminish the appearance of your pores."

My assessment: I'd say I can attest to the above statement. They work amazingly to remove dirt, oil, and blackheads, and better than most topical cleansers/astringents. I find this to be my Holy Grail product for removing blackheads. Simply a life saver. Ok, I'm going to do something that I wouldn't normally do on any other product, but I'm going to show you two more pictures of this product: the when using, and the after using (the strip itself). 

During:
Note: This picture is not my personal picture, and was taken from canadianfreestuff.com (as to site the source)

After:
Note: As stated earlier, this is also not my personal picture, and was found on google search from a blog source.

 
Pretty gross looking I know, but look at how many blackheads came off on the strip. That's how many blackheads that were removed from your skin. Amazing right? While you thought your cleanser was doing a good job of combating your blackheads, and while it may be, it simply can not hold a candle to these strips. If you don't believe me, then try them for yourself!

Bottle description: front: "cools and clears. Clinically proven to remove over 99% of dirt and oil." back: "Give blemishes the cold shoulder. Oil-free formula with soothing lavender, purifying eucalyptus and salicylic acid penetrates pores, clearing the way for noticeably smoother skin."

My assessment: I love this cleanser! It removes dirt and oil really well, and it leaves skin soft and smooth. But as the name suggest (ice), it gives the face a cooling effect when you wash. It's almost nasal clearing. The eucalyptus scent is very powering, and it will awaken your senses. It gives the skin a slight tingling feeling, but I must say for me this is an added bonus. I love the way my skin feels after using this, and even more so...the way it looks! After using this product, I can honestly say that my acne has been more controllable than when using other acne washes. I highly recommend this wash for anyone looking for a good and affordable face wash.
The website description (since I currently don't have this product at home): "The acne-fighting scrub that purges pores of blemish-causing dirt, oil, and blackheads." "Give pores a breath of fresh air.
Our gentle but super effective scrub uses perfectly spherical beads — not jagged edges, like some competitors' scrub ingredients — to detoxify skin. The scrub penetrates deep down where breakouts start to help prevent future ones. Show the door to pore cloggers and get ready for beautiful, clear, smooth skin."

My assessment: Though I don't have this product currently since I ran out and am using another scrub meanwhile, it's hard to give a completely accurate description. I'll do my best to recall as it wasn't that long ago since using it. When using this scrub, I noticed my skin to be more radiant, smooth, and soft. This scrub exfoliates the face removing dirt, oil, any makeup left behind, and dead skin cells that can clog the pores. I found this scrub to be less abrasive than many other scrubs, as it contains a bit of a cream cleanser. So I would say that this scrub may work well for those with sensitive skin, or those who prefer a gentler exfoliation. I wish I could tell you more about the scent and texture of this scrub, but like I said it's been almost a month or more since I last used it and haven't gone back to the store to replace it just yet. I'll try to get onto that so I can give a better assessment later. Perhaps we could look forward to an update then :). 

Those are the three products from Biore that I live for. However, I'm quite interested in testing out some more of the products from their line, and giving reviews. I'm really wanting to try out the Steam Activated Cleanser, Triple Action Astringent, and the Even Smoother Microderm Exfoliator. If I ever pick up those products, I will make sure to do a review on them for you guys. 

Well that's it for my Biore products discussion. If you have any questions about the products I use, or want to make any statements/suggestions about which ones you use (Biore or not), feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear what you guys think. 

And also for your use, here are the links to the full line of Biore products:
Thanks again and have another wonderful day!
~Angel



Saturday, March 5, 2011

The Morning Routine For The Beauty Queen

Okay, don't let the title fool you. When I wake up in the morning, I'm far from a beauty queen. I'd say it's more like Frankenstein's bride. But thanks to a few steps and products, I have found a cure to the morning curse.

Wash my face. DUH! I have to be able to see what I'm doing to get the job done. If you have read my last post, then refer to the Burt's Bees Natural Acne Solutions Gel Cleanser, and to the Acne Free Severe to Clear Skin System (Step 1).

My eye roller. Yes, I do use one. I know, I know, "you're only 20, why do you use this?" My mom asks me this all the time. Simply, your skin begins to start maturing in your 20's. To prevent dark circles and crow's feet, you should hydrate the area around your eyes with a light cream or as I do, an eye roller. My pick:  Aveeno Smart Essentials Anti-Fatigue Eye Treatment  
 I love this! It reduces the appearance of dark circles under the eyes. You simply just roll it from you inner corner to the outer corner of your eye, once in the morning and once in the evening. Beware that this can irritate skin. The worse side effect I have experienced was just a little burn, but that was only when I got my acne medication too close to my eyes. So be cautious with using other products with this one. I'd use this right after washing your face, give it a few minutes to set in, and then add your next product as you wish.


Next is a good moisturizer with SPF of 15 or higher. It's important to keep your skin hydrated to prevent wrinkles later, but it's even more important to shield your skin from the harmful UVA/UVB rays of the sun. This is the first step to preventing skin-cancer, and it helps to keep you young and beautiful...so why not? My two picks:


I'm currently using the rest of this product up. I used to sell Mary Kay, so this was in my starter kit. I must say it works quite well as a sunscreen, but I would recommend the moisturizer that Mary Kay also sells to give your skin a little more saturation. This sunscreen/moisturizer also has an age-fighting complex that is good for young to mature skin.  This product is a bit on the pricey side, so if that is a problem for you, I am recommending another product that is more budget friendly. To read more about this click on the link above.


This product is a great SPF moisturizer. I haven't used it in awhile, because like I said before I'm trying to use up all my Mary Kay. However, when I did use this product, I must say it worked great. It kept my skin moisturized and protected from the sun. Viewing as I have young skin, it was hard to see if it benefited me on the age-fighting side, but it did help keep sun spots and sun-burn from appearing on my face and neck. I would totally recommend this product to anyone, and definitely to those individuals on a tight budget. To see more info or to purchase, click on the link above. You will have to type in either the product name or search for moisturizers to find this product.


Now we get down to concealer. This I use to help along with my eye roller AND to clear acne. It's the best of both worlds! I use a tiny amount under my eyes, after using my foundation (which I'm not going to be talking about in this post, because every product has different shades for different skin).  I use this for those stubborn dark circles under the eyes and blemishes. My pick:


This is by far my favorite concealer. It works great for masking dark circles under the eyes and blemishes. But what you might not know is that this concealer also contains an acne medication that actually clears blemishes when you use it on top of them! AMAZING! It goes on well and lasts. Great for acne troubled skin, or for anyone who is looking for a great concealer. I highly recommend this product. For more information or to purchase, click on the link above.

Finally, I finish with face powder. Any shade or brand you like. I use many products (too many to list here now). I do recommend finding a light weight finishing powder in a translucent shade for a more airbrushed look however. I live in Texas, and visit Florida quite often for travel so a powder is much more sustainable to the high humidity weather that I experience here.

Well, I think that's about it for this blog. If you have any questions or comments feel free to express! 

As always, have a wonderful day, and stay looking awake!

~Angel











Friday, March 4, 2011

My Beauty Picks For Acne Free Skin

Here are a few products that I myself use everyday. They are mostly for the treatment of acne caused by stress, menstruation, or overly oily skin. I have been using these products for quite some time, and I LOVE the results they gave me.

Here is the list (with descriptions):

I LOVE this product! It's made with natural ingredients that don't clog pores or irritate my skin, and it sweeps away excess oil and dead skin cells from the skin leaving it smooth. Over just a few days of use, I noticed a difference in the appearance of my skin. It had cleared the majority of my acne up in no time. Now when you buy this product, don't be thrown off by it's liquid texture. I know it says it's a gel, but it has a watery base to it. Some people don't like this, but it actually allows the solution to lather up nicely.  


Another amazing natural based product from Burt's Bees is this Targeted Spot Treatment. It has a watery consistency as well, but it leaves for more suitable spreading. It does come in a small bottle so don't be thrown off by the price for bottle...a little goes a LONG way. This product is great for those problems areas. Just dab a bit of this on in the morning and at night and it helps fight the bacteria that causes acne, and helps clear up trouble spots.


This is a four piece system for severe acne. I don't have severe acne, but I was recommended this product by a friend who said it worked wonders for her. So being the curious cat I am, I tried it. Now I love it. Of course I don't use as much of it as recommended for severe acne. I use the wash everyday twice a day, the toner once a day to every other day, and the lotion as well, and then on days when I need a sure fire boost I'll use the targeted solution (Step 4). This was a little pricey, but well worth the cost. I've read reviews saying it rivals ProActiv. I have never used ProActiv so I can't make that assessment myself, but I will preach its cure. It works!




Everyone needs an exfoliator for their skin. I recommend St. Ives Apricot Scrub Blemish Control. I will admit that right now I'm using a generic brand from Dollar General that does the same thing. It gently exfoliates the skin, leaving it smooth by removing dead skin cells and excess oil. Your complexion is also enhanced by this product as it helps to reveal healthier more radiant skin.

 
So those are my picks for acne products. Feel free to ask more questions, or click on the links of each product name to read up on them yourself or to purchase.

Thanks guys, and have an awesome acne free day!

~Angel