Monday, June 9, 2014

My Beauty Regimen And Skin Care Must Haves

Happy Monday, babes!  How was your weekend?  Hopefully you guys got a chance to get out and enjoy the sunshine!  On Saturday Adam took me out for a mystery date and scheduled lunch at my favorite spot {Michael's Genuine Food & Drink} and a couples massage afterwards at the Mandarin Oriental.  It was such a nice surprise!  He's a keeper for sure ;)

It's been a while since I posted about my skin care routine, and since a couple of you have sent me questions about what products I use, I figured that it was time that I posted about my loves & must haves.

Read on for more deets.




What I'm Currently Using:

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream -  I've posted many, many times about my love for this eye cream.  I've been using it for years, and hope she never changes the formulation or discontinues it because this is hands down the very best eye cream.  This cream is extremely hydrating, and lasts all day.  I also swear that it has significantly decreased the fine lines around my eye area.  I put this on before I apply under eye concealer, and it makes the application so much smoother; no concealer settling in ultra fine lines, etc. 

SK-II Facial Treatment Mask -   I was skeptical about trying out this mask due to it's high cost, but I've read for years how literally every celeb uses it before big events so I cashed in some Nordstrom notes and gave it a try.  Oh.em.gee girls, this mask is amazing.  After using this mask, I see noticeable results.  My skin glows, it's softer, and primary lines on my face are minimized from the extreme hydrating properties of this mask.  It evens out my skin tone, and helps with my acne scarring.  There is quite a bit of serum that is left over in the package, so I put a paperclip on it to keep it sealed and use it throughout the week. 

Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector -  I've been using this product for a few months now and really like it.  I purchased it mainly because I needed something to help with my acne scarring {I have a few deep set scars on my forehead} because I wasn't quite ready to resort to laser treatments yet.  I've been using it every morning and can see a major difference in my scars.  It's also very hydrating, and makes my makeup application go on much smoother.  I highly, highly recommend this serum.
  
Crème De La Mer Moisturizing Cream -  Ok, so this was another extremely pricey purchase, but I truly believe that investing in your skin care is worth it.  

The story behind La Mer is pretty interesting: the doctor who invented the formulation was an aerospace physicist who was part of a lab procedure gone awry, leaving him scarred with chemical burns.  At the time, doctors had no way to heal the appearance of his skin—so he set out to invent one. 

Looking to the sea, Dr. Huber discovered a type of sea kelp off the Pacific coast with an incredible ability to regenerate itself, growing up to 2 feet a day.  After combining the nutrient-rich plant with vitamins, minerals, essential oils and other natural ingredients, he biofermented the concoction using light and sound to help boost its powers.

It took twelve years and 6,000 experiments, but the outcome—La Mer’s "Miracle Broth"was transformational and now lies at the heart of the La Mer skincare line.  Over time, as Huber discovered, firmness and radiance are restored to his own skin, wrinkles and irritation look dramatically reduced.  

I use this every morning and night, and have had less breakouts since I started using it.  I layer this on over the Lancome serum in the a.m and my face instantly has an all over glow.  I also need to add that yes, La Mer is extremely pricey, but a little bit goes a long way and it lasts forever. 

Atralin Gel -  I've also posted about this Retin-A gel before, and I still love it!  I initially received this prescription grade gel from my dermatologist because when I first moved down to Miami, my skin started breaking out really bad.  This has definitely helped with that, and with wrinkle reduction as well.  

I think by the time women reach their late twenties, using a retin-a product is an absolute must have.  Retin-A helps your skin in so many ways; it significantly aids in boosting collagen production, it improves skin texture, it fades dark spots & freckles, it shrinks pores and helps with cell turnover so your pores are less likely to get clogged.  Retin-A is basically a miracle in a tube and you need to be using it.  End of story.  I use it every 2-3 nights so that it doesn't dry out my skin.  I always apply it at night because retin-a is like a vampire and works better in the dark, and I always apply a tiny drop to the backs of my hands as well.  You can search online and get major coupon discounts for this product.

Ahava Time To Clear Purifying Mud Mask -  I actually purchased this mud mask when we were in Israel a few months ago but it can be found at Nordstrom!  I love mud masks because they are amazing for drawing impurities & toxins out of your skin.  I was so intrigued by the fact that the mud in this mask is made with mud from the Dead Sea {which has extreme healing properties}.  I've only tried this mask 1 time so far, but afterwards my husband commented that my face was glowing like I had a spotlight on it!  I'll definitely continue to use this :)

Neutrogena Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser -  I only started using this cleanser because Dr. Brandt discontinued my all time favorite foaming cleanser and I wasn't sure what else to use.  This does it's job and removes all my makeup + waterproof mascara with ease, but it always leaves my face feeling really dry.  To me, this is just an "ehhh" kind of product - nothing to rave about, and I probably will not repurchase.  I need reco's for a good face wash...what are you girls using & loving?  




Do you have any products that you love & want to share?  Fill me in by leaving a comment below.  xx

13 comments:

  1. The story behind La Mer is really interesting - I had no idea!! Probably why the products are so amazing and work wonders!! I love Ahava's product line - all their stuff makes my face feel so fresh!! Happy Monday!

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    1. I haven't tried any of the other products from Ahava's line, but one of my gf"s swears that their hand cream is the best :)

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  2. I've always wondered about La Mer products - might have to try them now!

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    1. I was curious about La Mer for years before I tried it out. I would suggest stopping into Nordstrom/ any dept store that carries the brand and asking for a sample. It's so pricey that you want to make sure that you LOVE it before committing! xx

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  3. Love this!! Definitely want to try most of these - I've been contemplating La Mer for ages, but think I'm definitely going to have to pull the trigger. As for facial cleanser, I swear by Mary Kay. I know a lot of people think of it as an "old lady" brand, but they've updated all of their face products. I use the cleansing bar - it's pretty inexpensive, great for sensitive skin (like mine), and it lasts a looong time. I bought a bunch of more expensive cleansers at Sephora recently, and had to dump them and go back to MK - I don't think I'll ever stop using it.
    http://www.marykay.com/en-US/Skin-Care/Collection/TimeWise/TimeWise-3-In-1-Cleansing-Bar-with-soap-dish-/100704.partId?eCatId=10685

    Xx
    Brooke

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    1. I'm definitely going to try this out! I need a good new face wash since my all time favie was discontinued. Thanks for the recco!! xoxo
      and P.S. - try La Mer, I swear you won't ever go back to any other lotion!

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  4. My favorite cleanser is My Body Clean Routine. Its made by the same guy that makes Philosophy and Bio-Medics. Its paraben free which is a plus for me. They have 3 lines: acne, aging and sensitive. I started with the acne and did not like it at all. It was to harsh for my skin. I started using the sensitive line and can not believe what a difference I have seen in my skin. Its very cost effective compared to other brands. We sell it at our office for $34. Its worth looking into.

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  6. Hi Andy! (Sorry had to re-post my comment, I forgot a sentence in there, oops!)
    I was wondering if you have any sunscreen recommendations, products that you swear by? I can't seem to find any that are good, and that are not too heavy, or leave an unpleasant white film!

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    1. Hi Nicole! I really like the Philosophy Hope {Oil free} SPF 30 and that's what my husband & have used for the past couple years. It has anti aging properties, as well as sun protection and is not greasy!

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    2. Perfect, I will definitely check that out, thank you so much! :)

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  7. I use Cetaphil face wash and it's great; it's gentle, removes makeup, and it doesn't leave you dry or oily.

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  8. Hi Andy! I was doing a little blog catching up {stalking} and I am glad I found this post can't wait to try some of these recommendations! I was on the hunt for a good cleanser forever going thru them like water and I finally settled on Alba Botanicals Acnedote or the gentle cleaners really all of their products I've tried are great including the micro peel and toxin scrub and the best part they are at target for a reasonable price! I'm always interested what if anything gals are doing for spa treatments so if you have any tips...Thanks for the recommendations!! Sarah

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