I have not really been one to put too much time and energy into skincare products or make up. Sure, I wash my face and I'll periodically stock up on some new make up, but for the most part, I'd prefer to spend my money elsewhere. I would so much rather spend 50 bucks on some new fabric than on the newest facial scrub.
That is until I hit my thirties. (swallow) I turned the big 3-0 this past July, and it was not long after that I spotted my first gray hair. (gasp) Side note: I have recently not been able to spot the little sucker! I think it may have disappeared?! Anyway, in addition I have begun to notice that my skin doesn't seem quite as...shall we say youthful, as it used to look. I realize this all sounds rather vain--and it probably is--but I'm telling myself there's something to be said for proper skin care, right? right?
All of this to say, I have informed my banker (otherwise known as my husband :) that due to the fact that he has an aging wife, we are going to have to start allocating a heftier portion of the 'ol budget to my skincare! You may have noticed this picture that I posted from Instagram over the weekend.
I stopped by the Clinique counter where I received an impromptu make over from a young man named John. Apparently, it was his first day on the job. I nearly fell asleep I found the whole thing to be so very relaxing. I told him I was happy to be his guinea pig, and I think he did a very nice job. Then again, I may not be the best judge. When I am given a couple free hours on a Saturday to roam around all by my lonesome, I get all sorts of giddy and adventurous.
Moving on....My mom just started using Arbonne...rather fancy, and I'm quite sure my banker would not support its place in our budget.
There are so many different brands out there, it is completely overwhelming! What's a girl to do?
Currently, I use Neutrogena and some Trader Joe's moisturizer that has SPF in it. I also love the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream for nighttime, especially during the winter. But I feel like I need to step it up a notch. Not going to lie that passing by a mirror sans make-up has been a little alarming of late. I promise I'm not trying to hate on myself, just trying to keep things real :) Also, I probably shouldn't assume that you want the nitty gritty on my complaints, but nevertheless--it's not so much acne, more dullness, and just a lack of that youthful luster I never knew to savor back when I was a wee one in my 20's.
A google search led me to this website, which I found to be very intriguing. Supposedly, this dermatologist does not have any financial ties to cosmetic companies, and she posts her favorite products in various categories. What I found to be interesting is that she says you can totally afford to save money on your cleanser and your moisturizer (suggesting drug store products like Cetaphil and Cerave), but you should prepare to spend more on your sunscreen and your anti-aging products. Seems to make sense to me.
Currently, these two items are in my Amazon cart. I think I'm going to pull the trigger on them.
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Eltamd UV Clear SPF 46 |
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Vivo Per Lei Facial Peeling |
I would truly love to know anyone's experiences with any of these lines or products! I feel like personal testimonials are far better than any online claims!
Do you have drug store products you swear by? Which products do you spend more money on? Spill the beans on your favorite skin care products and I (and my skin) will love you forever!
Hi Anne! As someone who used to work in the cosmetics department, I can share a few things from experience.
ReplyDeleteIt all depends on budget. The $30-$40 creams are just as good as the $11-$15 Neutrogena creams at CVS. Look for anything with SPF, the physical SPF, not the chemical SPF.
It's not until you get the $90+ range that you really start to notice a difference with quality. With that being said, I tend to spend my budget on eye cream since that it is where I notice ladies tend to age the quickest. Also, I use the eye cream on my smile lines or anywhere I notice the beginning of wrinkles. It's more concentrated so I figure it will work better. Then I just use the cheap stuff (Trader Joe's moisturize of late) for everywhere else.
The main factors that go into aging are genetics (and you have good genes) and environment (pollution, smoke, sun). The only one you can really protect yourself against is the sun. And start early with the little ones :-) Most of our sun damage occurs when we can't even spell sunscreen.
Take care,
Truly
anne, i just started thinking about skin care after reading this book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Water-Secret-Cellular-Breakthrough/dp/0470554703/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362424222&sr=8-1&keywords=the+water+secret.
ReplyDeleteI recommend it! He explains why eating fruits and veggies are so important and how eating them will influence your skin. Also he explains what ingredients to look for in moisturizers, etc.
Anne, I have been having issues with my skin too. I have been to dermatologist. And, she is a personal friend and recommends some drug store products that are excellent. I use Cetaphil soap for dry to sensitive skin twice a day. Then, Neutrogena healthy defense daily moisturizer in the am. And, she recommends the Elta MD UV Physical SPF 41. It is tinted. So I use this alone during the day , and if I have a date night, you can use a foundation for extra coverage. Then at night, she highly recommends the CeraVe PM. My skin tends to be dry, but she told me this is really for all skin types. I hope this helps. I love your blog!!
ReplyDeleteI, too, have been remiss in devoting much time to thinking through products (thanks for your ideas!) and am one of those women whose skin actually improved when pregnant/nursing...one of the few perks! But, now it's back to real life of combination skin + increasing wrinkles. Boo. Anyway, I will attest to the Clarisonic face brush doing wonders for the tone and feel of my skin after using a few months now (my sister-in-law recommended it and my mom gave it to me for xmas). It is strangely satisfying to use for a deep clean, though I will admit I haven't looked into whether there are any caveats about extended use of it.
ReplyDelete