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Comments
· July 5, 2007 1:45 AM by
Colleen Shirazi
· July 5, 2007 1:56 AM by
Dain
· July 5, 2007 2:32 AM by
Colleen Shirazi
· July 5, 2007 5:21 AM by
Dain
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Posted by Dain, Wednesday, July 04, 2007 12:42 AM (Eastern)
A couple more shades...
3. Lotus: (a) "silk", a lilac shimmer, ever so slightly greyed to keep it from being too easter-egg-y (b) "fawn", as the name implies, a soft fawn shimmer (deep taupe with beige shimmer), think NARS Ashes to Ashes with more depth (c) "expresso", a dark rich brown with a plummy undertone, I haven't decided whether it ought to be matte or shimmery, like MAC Teddy Eye Kohl. My version of browns, with the lovely lilac as an accent, like a box of chocolates.
4. Daisy: (a) "sun", soft gold shimmer in a deep beige base, nothing garish (b) "rose", a complex mix of rose-beige-taupe-pink-gold-mauve shimmer (c) a dark brown-charcoal base, with emerald-leaf-green-olive shimmers. A soothingly warm set, but not too much color.
How to get clear skin...
The truth is most women do not approach their acne with the right attitude, or with the right knowledge. To them, acne is such a bane upon their existence, that they cannot but see the banishment of it. So they scour with heavy-duty scrubs, blast their skin with chemicals, take harsh routines of accutane, until their poor skin, harrassed and confused, simply gives up.
I don't mean to personify your skin, but in fact, it is a person, it's you. To treat your skin harshly, is to punish yourself.
Here are some easier axioms (axiomata?) to live by:
1. To know your skin is to know the causes of your acne.
2. Learn to treat acne effectively, but not to overtreat it. Doing so will not only damage your skin, it will make oily skin oilier and acne bacteria feistier (simple biology, that). Gentle is always better, no matter what your skin type.
3. Patience, friend. Skin regenerates over weeks, which means that the most deep down, effective treatments take at least two weeks to show real results.
4. Prevention is superior to treatment.
There are many types of acne. Its manifestations range from blackheads (clogged open pores, not infected) and whiteheads (clogged closed pores, not infected) to papules, pustules, nodes, and cysts (infected lumps of increasing depth). Inflammatory acne results once non-inflammatory acne becomes infected by bacteria, so sometimes it is enough to address clogged pores: regular exfoliation and an oil treatment will get you started. I recommend Bliss Pore-Refining Facial Polish and Clarins Lotus Oil. They're simple additions to your pre-existing routine, but in case your skincare is responsible for clogging your pores in the first place, I suggest stripping down to a very mild cleanser like Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. Use a scrub no more than three times a week, no matter how tough your skin. And the oil, surprisingly enough, will actually soften up plugs. I've using one targeted at dry, sensitive, aging skin, and it's actually diminished the size of my pores over the week. And avoid wearing any makeup; it's just a vicious cycle that makes your skin worse. A clean slate is the best place to start.
To treat infections, you need something that kills bacteria. I find that a salicylic acid treatment works best, topped by a oil-sucking clay mask, as I find most ingredients too harsh. I like Kiehl's Blue Herbal Spot Treatment (the entire line is excellent) and Queen Helene Mint Julep. For something stronger, pure vitamin C works well. For a more overall chemical treatment, La Prairie The Retexturizer, though pricey, is incredibly effective. I suggest using only one treatment at a time, whether it be AHAs, BHAs, benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil, vitamin C, Retin A, Differin, zinc, or sulfur. Find something that suits and stick with it. I find that treatment products need to be used in moderation over long periods of time, rather than overloading: the damage done to your skin means its natural power to heal is diminished, while the bacteria simply become increasingly resistant to the chemicals.
To moisturize or not to moisturize? If you've invested in a clarifying face oil (it could be as simple as pure jojoba to Decleor's swank Aromaessence Ylang Ylang), you may not need anything extra. In some cases, however, you might not have oily skin. This may be true even if you seem like an oil slick. If you've been using strong chemical-laden products and washing your face often, your skin might be over-compensating by producing more oil. Or, if you have dry skin and don't exfoliate regularly enough, the dead flakes might accumulate and lead to clogged pores, but you still need extra moisture. If you still feel wary of putting moisturizer on your face, pure and simple aloe vera is not only intensely hydrating but also exceptionally healing. Layer it over the oil treatment, and your skin should be happy.
If all else fails, your acne might be hormonal in origin. If you have monthly flares associated with menstruation, or if has to do with adolescence, pregnancy, or menopause, then you can probably guess that hormones might be a cause. Men aren't off the hook, either, because male hormones are more conducive to acne. The strategy here is hormonal treatment, usually birth control pills. It might also turn out that hormones in your food (particularly meat) might be the culprit. Just gives you another reason not to support a corrupt industry.
If the 80s are back...
I dare say this is the best of the best. Such a great song.
Labels: acne, alchemist's apprentice, beauty notes, music, skin
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July 5, 2007 1:45 AM,
Depeche Mode? Hahahaha...okay I did think their "Personal Jesus" was good. Rhyming "pick up the receiver" with "I'll make you a believer"...almost as good as Blondie's "restaurant/debutante."
The 80's...not as good musically as the 70's, but more visual, thanks to MTV. Did you know MTV used to show only music videos, 24/7, no commercials? For quite a while actually.
July 5, 2007 1:56 AM,
O, in my opinion the best decade was the 60s by far (and early 70s). The 80s are... well... eh. But it's getting popular again.
July 5, 2007 2:32 AM,
About acne...it is better to wear makeup. It sounds counterintuitive, but makeup...most of it anyway...does not aggravate acne. At least I never had that experience.
Before I "got" acne, I had easily fifteen years of perfect skin, probably more. I went through the "typical teenage acne" thing of the time (before adults had acne), then nothing...until 1995.
During that period, if I got lazy and didn't wash out my powder puff, I'd get these tiny pimples. That's about it. I used to sleep in my makeup and do everything wrong...no acne, until as I say I "got" acne.
The idea of wearing makeup sort of covers the acne, but more importantly, it helps keep people from picking at their acne.
The USDA quietly banned hormones in pork production (just as they did poultry production earlier). It's beef that can trigger my acne...regular milk too. I always buy milk labeled "no growth hormone"--it's becoming easier to find--the beef is the more obvious source of hormones, but throughout the day, you probably consume more dairy products.
July 5, 2007 5:21 AM,
Yes, but... it is true that makeup left on the skin does ruin many people's skins. It's better to let skin do its own thing if you're really out to correct bad behavior.
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