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· Long before there were the Pussycat Dolls...
· The Perfect Stash: Part 2 (face)
· Decleor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient
· Price vs. value
· Joining the work force...
· The Perfect Stash: Part 1 (skin)
· Haul from France...
· Pre "Photoshop culture"
· Spring Break!
· RIP Groovynub
· Cosmetics ennui...
· A handful of reviews from Spalook.com: Part 1
· Latest look-alike for MAC Strawberry Blonde lipstick
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Comments
· March 31, 2007 12:56 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
· March 23, 2007 11:57 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
· March 22, 2007 9:12 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
· March 24, 2007 2:28 PM by
Dain
· March 27, 2007 2:24 PM by
Colleen Shirazi
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The Lipstick Page Forums Beauty & Fashion Blog: March 2007
Long before there were the Pussycat Dolls...
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Thursday, March 29, 2007 7:43 PM (Eastern)
There was Siouxsie Sioux:
and Kate Pierson:
I'm not sure these are exactly beauty-related, but I've been listening to them a lot lately. Amazing what you can find on Youtube.
Labels: music
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The Perfect Stash: Part 2 (face)
Posted by Dain, 12:59 PM (Eastern)
This part is easy. I don't wear much. Concealer under the eyes, rosy blush, and sometimes a dusting of powder to even things out a little.
CONCEALER
requirements: undetectable (nothing cakey), brightens tired eyes, travels
well, preferably cost effective
candidates: Stephane Marais Perfect Concealer, Clé de Peau Concealer,
YSL Touche Eclat, Kevyn Aucoin The Sensual Skin Enhancer. There are
pros and cons to each of these. The Stephane Marais is wonderful; I've had
this tube for three years and have probably 1/3 left, which is cost effective
for $39. It's also very easy to use. But, it has been discontinued (except on
ebay). The Clé de Peau is the same wonderful product, but it's horrendous
at $65. Still, I may bite the bullet and get myself some anyway, because I
find this is the easiest and best concealer to use. The YSL would be the
ideal product for me, except that it goes bad very quickly, and there's only a
tiny amount of product for a great expense. The Kevyn Aucoin is great,
but difficult to get the hang of, but the tiny pot ought to last me forever, and
it has the added bonus of being versatile. Other options: YSL Anti-Cernes
Multi-Action Concealer, Shu Uemura Pro Concealer.
POWDER COMPACT
requirements: finely milled, tightly pressed, smells nice, light-diffusing
effect that evens out (just a little) and brightens skin, banishes shine
without drying out my skin, chic compact with mirror (so I can touch up my
lips)
candidates: Caron Poudre Peau Fine no. 5—this little beauty has it all, I
think it's destined to be a holy grail.
ROSY BLUSH
requirements: a bright candy pink is my go-to blush, it's perfect with my
light, golden skin and dark eyes and hair (very Snow White)
candidates: Becca Wild Orchid Creme Blush, NARS Desire Blush, Kevyn
Aucoin Pravella The Creamy Moist Glow. NARS Desire was how I
discovered the versatility of this shade, and perhaps it is the best choice as
one compact will last you ages. But I think the shade of Becca Wild Orchid
is superior, plus it's easier to use (look ma, no brush!), blends more readily
into the skin, and lasts longer. It is extremely expensive for only a little, $27;
one pot lasts me about a year. The Kevyn Aucoin, I have yet to try, but I
know it's a quality product (I've used Liquifuschia, which is too bright for
me), better even than the Becca, but I don't know if the color is as nice.
PLUM BLUSH
requirements: an in-from-the-cold snow-bunny flush, rosy plum, just a
little stronger than my everyday blush
candidates: NARS Sin Blush. I admit, I haven't done much research yet. I
tried Sin recently, and was amazed how flattering something that looked so
dark and dusty could be (it transforms on your skin).
Final face stash?
Clé de Peau Concealer
Caron Poudre Peau Fine Compacte
Becca Wild Orchid Creme Blush
NARS Sin Blush
I shudder at the expense. But, yes indeed, that would be my perfect stash, and additionally, I think all of these products last a really long time (at least three years), with the exception of the Becca blush (about a year).
Labels: becca, caron, cle de peau, kevyn aucoin, nars, stephane marais, ysl
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March 31, 2007 12:56 PM, Colleen Shirazi said...
It doesn't seem overly expensive to me. In fact it's occurred to me more and more, that I spend less on beauty products now than I did before, even if the individual products are more expensive. |
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Decleor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient
Posted by Dain, Tuesday, March 27, 2007 1:15 PM (Eastern)
An update after a week's worth of use.
My skin looks great, I'll admit. It could be the La Prairie or the Sisley, both of which I've been using. But they're not really treatment products, so I don't think it is.
At first, I reacted to it. Whatever essential oils are in it, they are potent (the scent is quite strong—I love it, but others might not). I was itchy and burning, which seemed odd considering that it is intended to treat sensitivity. But either I got used to it, or it is much better to use less (barely two drops), because I no longer have that issue.
The way you use it makes a big difference. I apply it to clean, freshly washed skin, just a bare couple of drops, and pat—notrub—it in. A sparing hand works better with such potent stuff. It makes a good "anchor" for your moisturizer afterwards, but of course it can be worn alone (in the summer).
My skin is extremely even-toned and fine-textured. By this, I mean that Rose D'Orient brightens and exfoliates (how, I do not know), and that it seems to diminish the size of my pores. Strangely, I find it drying; there's quite a bit of surface dryness, which if La Prairie can't address, I don't know what can. I think I may switch to Aromaessence Neroli in the future, better for drier skin. It will take ages to use up, though.
I really like the versatility of this system, because you can layer over it exactly what you need for moisture. I think this is a quality product, and they have aromaessences for all skin types: ylang ylang for oily and congested, iris for mature, and so forth. I wonder how it works with the Harmonie cream, or even with the Baume Rose D'Orient.
Price vs. value
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, 12:36 PM (Eastern)
A couple of recent incidents have made me reflect just how...planned...my beauty existence has become over the years.
Just as beauty boards may be blamed for many an impulse purchase, as well as many a "haul" (this is planned, but may include extraneous items, or else be an orgy of superfluousness...whatever), so they may be blamed for my next-to-obsessive strategic approach to buying, say, a bar of soap, or a bottle of shampoo.
Gone are the days when I would go to Target or Longs Drugs and simply choose the most interesting-looking product on the shelf. I don't think I've done that in years. I always consult my own experience (aka a "repurchase") or "the boards" first. If a product has been raved about enough on the boards...and by this, I mean it's been raved about by people I've heard of, like Edina Monsoon, or Lipstick Chick, or Rupa, or M...that might mean something. I'm not gonna list the people on my own board, since you need only go there (link at the top of this blog).
One of the incidents was, I was explaining to my son about the shampoos in the shower...how the Alba Hawaiian Plumeria shampoo was the fancy, expensive one (okay it's $9 for 12 oz.) that we use occasionally, because it's a great shampoo but costs too much to use all the time. The Queen Helene Mint Julep shampoo on the other hand, is $3+something for what amounts to nearly a gallon of shampoo--like a gallon of milk. The soap is the Bisous De Provence you get at Trader Joe's for about $3 (might have gone up some lately). This is a very hard milled soap, lasts a good long time, lathers nicely, not drying, smells terrific... My facial cleanser is that board gem, Johnson & Johnson Head to Toe Baby Wash.
We've got Jason Satin Shower Body Wash in there, Nature's Gate Herbal hair conditioner...outside I have Heather Loraine jojoba butter (which I reported on the board as a UEU, meaning I'd used it up, yet there remain little dibs and dabs of it...it's lasting a month longer than I'd thought it would), Lab Series Age Rescue eye cream (damn good eye cream, tube lasts about a year), MAC Blot pressed powder, MAC Powerpoint eyepencils, Nars the Multiple in Malibu...
These are all, generally speaking, "expensive" items, save the Queen Helene shampoo and the J & J. They all cost more than comparable items. Why I buy them, is that they last a long time.
For example, I don't think I've owned a drugstore eyepencil that lasted more than a year. Two years would be a stretch. The pencils either turned rock hard, or else went crumbly. The Powerpoints I have, haven't changed much from when I bought them more than two years ago.
You could find cheaper soaps, but how long would they last? Would they dry your skin to the point that you needed to use lotion? (After having switched to Bisous De Provence, I didn't get itchy skin this winter.)
Continuity is also key...I've used the Lab Series eye cream since...just realized...2004. They did "reformulate" once (same cream, a dollar more), but that is far better than having to look for a new eye cream.
Conclusion: it is folly to base sales of beauty products on customer impulsiveness alone, in this era of the Internet. If consumers temporarily go mad and buy more makeup in a year or two than they'd bought their entire lives up to that point, so these same consumers evolve rapidly into much pickier buyers than ever before.
Picky buyers are like good lovers in that they are capable of intense, unshakable loyalty. If you treat them right, they'll remember you. They will buy your products again and again and again.
But if you treat them badly, with price spikes, frequently discontinued or limited edition products, and declining quality, don't be surprised if they go somewhere else.
Labels: bath and body, hair, skin
Joining the work force...
Posted by Dain, Friday, March 23, 2007 9:48 PM (Eastern)
And now for the makeup!
RED LIPSTICK
Kevyn Aucoin Principessa The Expert Lip Tint $23
At first, I thought this bright red was way too bright (it's darker in the photo than it is in real life). But it's got a slight berry tone that keeps it a little tempered, and in any case, I wear bright colors very well. The formula, of course, is simply fantastic: light and silky and rich. It wears down into a pretty bright berry red stain, subtler than you might think. I feel the need for some intense color after all that black. If not this color, then Chanel Barcelona Red would do very well: a red rose petal shade, a little sheer.
BIG LASHES
L'Oreal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara $7 & Too Faced Lava Gloss Extreme Black Gloss $16.50
No matter what kind of makeup I wear, my Asian lashes need a bit of a boost. I've found the absolute best way to do it: a combination of intense rich black mascara (in my favorite formula, Voluminous—why pay more?) and supersoft intense black eyeliner on the inner lid (the Too Faced doesn't drag at the delicate eye area, but it smudges, so I'm interested in trying Kevyn Aucoin's The Eye Pencil Primatif). I have very dark hair, so I need a really, really strong black to make this impact. Together, it's almost like I'm wearing false lashes, though more natural and a lot less work.
SOPHISTICATED GREYS
Smashbox Twilight Eye Shadow Trio $28 / NARS Bombshell Single $21 & Pandora Duo $31
Now, I cannot wear browns. I don't know why, because everyone else on the planet can. My solution to the neutral eye, then, would be greys. Both of these combinations are the simple formula of white/silver/black. I've heard that the Smashbox is good, but I know firsthand that the NARS are excellent (and you know how much of a Nartian I am), in particular Bombshell, which is a really soft dove grey touched with just a little taupe. I would have to test them both out in person to say!
As an alternative, NARS Cleo would be a great "work" eye, just a wee more color, but equally aloof and businesslike (this isn't your 80s-bold kind of blue). Bombshell mixes well here (which makes me think that the NARS route might be better), as would any peachy/pink/champagne/gold color.
CLEAN SKIN
Stephane Marais Perfect Concealer no. 2 (DISC), Becca Wild Orchid Creme Blush $27, & Caron Poudre Peau Fine Compacte no. 5 $45
I don't like to put too much on my skin. After a long day, foundation just feels dirty. I have good skin, to be honest, and don't really need it. Instead, a little bit of concealer under the eyes (Stephane Marais, as good as Clé de Peau but nearly $25 cheaper—discontinued of course), and a bit of rosy blush (I've tried very many bright pink blushes, but this tiny, heartstoppingly expensive Becca Wild Orchid is my absolute favorite; it looks most natural, and it does last quite a while, and you need only a little. Sorry about the picture; as you can see, it's quite finished.) is all I need. I like soft pink blush with red lipstick. It doesn't compete, just adds balance. And finally, a light dusting of powder (Caron Poudre Peau Fine) for the barest, diffuse coverage and a velvety finish that sops up shine.
DEFINED BROWS
Kevyn Aucoin The Precision Brow Pencil $24
This is just the best—not that I am really an expert on brow pencils. Brows really frame a face.
That's pretty much it! My hair, I'd just wear it in a ponytail, to keep it out of the way.
Labels: skin
The Perfect Stash: Part 1 (skin)
Posted by Dain, 12:22 AM (Eastern)
Perhaps you've heard the term "holy grail": it means a product that is perfection itself, and like the real holy grail, almost impossible to find*.
A perfect stash takes that concept to a systemic level: a collection of holy grails, none of which compete with each other, and form an aesthetic whole. It is an interesting exercise, especially if you're a makeup enthusiast like me with little to do (it is still vacation yet), but it tends to be little more than an exercise. You never really attain a perfect stash; it is exponentially more difficult than finding a holy grail.
But, it's fun. So here we go. I've put the current product in rotation first, under "candidates".
CLEANSER
requirements: non-foaming milky/lotion formulation, gentle, removes
makeup passably well, no residue left on skin, inexpensive
candidates: Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser, I've tried many others, but
always I return to this—truly, it is perfect, though it doesn't remove
stubborn makeup (but I don't wear stubborn makeup)
TREATMENT
requirements: desensitizes, hydrates, brightens, and clarifies, in that order
candidates: Decleor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient, which I am just starting
to try now, as the Biotherm Biosensitive Anti-Redness Concentrate has been
discontinued. My skin is a little troubled now, so it's a good time to test it
out. I'm really not yet sure about it. Maybe plain jojoba oil would be better.
MOISTURIZER
requirements: gentle enough for sensitive skin, unpretentious (I hate
spurious claims), MUST smell good (I am very sensitive to anything I
consider noxious), preferably a cream for normal/dry skin (the perfect
weight for layering) but nongreasy (so it wears well under makeup), doesn't
break me out, if expensive, has low cost per use
candidates: La Prairie Cellular Day Cream, Sisley Creme Reparatrice (I
have a sample, but I'm thinking I don't like the scent), Decleor Harmonie
Gentle Soothing Cream, Better Botanicals Dandelion Moisturizer, Kiehl's
Ultra Facial Moisturizer, Body Time Lavender Cream, La Prairie Cellular
Time Release Moisture Intensive, Sisley Botanical Intensive Night Cream,
Creme de la Mer, Fresh Rice Face Cream, Nuxe Creme Fraiche Riche, Nuxe
Creme Nirvanesque Enrichie, Kerstin Florian Rejeuvenating 24-Hour
Moisture Creme
EXFOLIANT
requirements: most exfoliants are way too rough for me, whether they be
physical or chemical, so something very, very gentle, that unplugs my pores
candidates: Jurlique Face Wash Cream, which I have never tried... I'm
thinking the Decleor Aromaessence seems to exfoliate well enough on its
own, though—perhaps it means something that I've never been able to use
an exfoliant successfully
So the final skincare stash? How minimalist is this?
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Decleor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient
La Prairie Cellular Day Cream
*I'm not sure, but I think I coined the phrase, really long ago. Of course, everyone uses it now, so it really doesn't matter.
Labels: cetaphil, decleor, jurlique, la prairie, skin
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March 23, 2007 11:57 PM, Colleen Shirazi said...
It would be incredibly cool if you had coined that phrase. I can say, it was already there when I joined LP, and the way people were using it, I had the impression the term had been around for quite some time (i.e. no one ever talked about where it came from, the way "cold turkey" and UEU were talked about on LP when the terms were new). |
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Haul from France...
Posted by Dain, Thursday, March 22, 2007 2:35 PM (Eastern)
Hi! I'm back. Vacation was great. Here is my haul...
La Prairie Cellular Day Cream: At Zurich (Switzerland) duty free, it was €89, which is about $118, the same in the US. This is one of the original products, unchanged since the 70s. It is a rich cream for normal to normal/dry skin, without frills. It has a wonderful texture, and you need only a little. The scent is powdery, not my favorite, but I don't mind it. This is a really top-notch product, and it has no pretensions—which I really like. I am very content with this face cream, and will use it to the dregs (it'll take me a while!), but I'm not convinced this is the "one". I am still curious about Sisley Creme Reparatrice and Decleor Harmonie Gentle Soothing Cream, both of which are cheaper in France. I wonder if I need more moisture, in which case the La Prairie Cellular Time Release Moisture Intensive might be better.
Decléor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient: At Galeries Lafayette in Nice, €42 ($55), about ten dollars cheaper. This smells wonderful, like sweet rose and neroli, but quite strong. It's high quality oils (sweet almond, black currant, corn oil, bitter orange, tocopherol, sunflower seed, neroli, carrot extract, rose, chamomile), and a drop or two is all you need, so one bottle, though expensive, will last a long while. I pat it into freshly cleansed skin, and apply moisturizer over it (La Prairie). The first time I used it, my skin was reactive, burned and itched a little, but I've since learned to use less, because the oils are so potent. It's not as nourishing as you might think (neroli or iris might be better if you have dry skin), so I definitely need a moisturizer over it, at least in the winter. Strangely, it has an exfoliating effect. I think this product needs more time to see its virtues, but I will say that when I wake up, I can see a difference: my skin looks bright and clean and healthy.
Caron Poudre Peau Fine Compact No. 5: At Galeries Lafayette in Nice, €31.50 ($42), about the same in the US, but it's almost impossible to find in America. There is a Caron store in New York, that is it. I've been dying to try it: I'd heard it was superior even to LeClerc in quality, and the Chanel compact I had been using had been discontinued. The shade I got is supposed to match the loose powder shades in Madame, Gitane, Noisette, and Tango. I chose the pressed power, because I don't really bother with loose. The compact is very presentable, small but heavy in the hand, in shiny gold with dots. It's very vintage 40s, and almost impossible to identify: unlike Chanel (the new pressed powder is a bit coarse for my liking, why did they change it?), Guerlain (Les Meteorites had a funny whitish cast, and Les Violettes, while good, has a beautiful but cheap construction, both are much more expensive), YSL (not tightly pressed enough, a sign of lesser quality, a pressed powder should be hard, not soft, to the touch), LeClerc (too drying). The powder inside is scented with real Bulgarian rose (which I like), very finely milled and tightly pressed, a flesh tone with a little peach in it; it reminds me of YSL Touche Eclat, with perhaps a little less pink. It's almost undetectable on (I use my Kevyn Aucoin Large Blush and Powder brush or the wonderful fine-textured sponge from the Kevyn Aucoin The Gossamer Loose Powder, rather than the puff it comes with), it's just got a slight diffusing effect that adds light to tired skin, but it doesn't look like you're wearing anything, just velvety, poreless skin. Which is perfect for me, because I don't like to wear foundation because it makes my skin feel dirty, even tinted moisturizer (the only exception being Chantecaille Real Skin). It does emphasize any dry patches, but any powder will do that. Perhaps this is premature, but I really consider this my HG! It is a superb product, just very difficult to find.
PHYTO Phytonectar Ultra Nourishing Shampoo: Only €12, at any pharmacie, which a little over half the price in America, I already love this shampoo. My hair is very long and dry, and this supergentle, luxurious shampoo cleans without stripping, all without noxious silicones. And it smells so good, like an explosion of orange blossoms in your shower. I almost also bought the Le Petit Marseillaise Shower Gel in Fleurs D'Oranger, the same scent, but decided against it when I remembered that I have plenty of body wash at home. It should be noted that the infamous glass bottles, which I rather liked (but I realize they are dangerous) have been replaced with unbreakable metal bottles.
PHYTO Phytorhum Fortifying Shampoo: I haven't tried this one yet, but I bought this because I heard it was even better than the Phytonectar. This one repairs damage. You are supposed to shampoo twice and leave it in. It smells like egg nog, for real. You can definitely smell the spiced rum and eggs. I'm gonna try it tonight.
L'Occitane Miel Incense: Another product I love, also about half the price it is in the US (€9.50). It's one of my favorite things ever, it smells like honey and meadow flowers; this is the third tube (there are 40 sticks inside).
That's it! I was very good and got only what I needed. I still need to buy: NARS Habanera Duo, NARS Pandora Duo, NARS Sin Blush, NARS Desire Blush (my roommate dropped mine and I have very little left), a lipstick to replace Maybelline Drippin' Honey (so I'm searching for the perfect blackberry stain, with just the right amount of brown in it), a lipstick to replace MAC Red Haute (maybe YSL Rouge Pur Shine no. 8), Kevyn Aucoin The Eye Pencil Primatif in Basic Black, Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream, Chanel Lavande Eyeshadow single, Serge Lutens Tubereuse Criminelle, Chanel Allure, NARS Nepal, NARS Bombshell, NARS Shanghai Empress, and I need to settle on the perfect deep conditioner and everyday conditioner, but I don't know what.
Labels: caron, decleor, hair, l'occitane, la prairie, phyto, skin
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March 22, 2007 9:12 PM, Colleen Shirazi said...
Welcome back! Sounds like excellent, well-thought-out shopping. |
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Pre "Photoshop culture"
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Wednesday, March 14, 2007 12:23 AM (Eastern)
Someone coined that phrase on another board, and it stuck in my mind.
I've been going avatar-nutty on the forums lately; I've gone through five as follows:
(okay you can ignore this one)
I think what I've been after, is in fact the look and feel of pre Photoshop culture beauty. Pre plastic surgery for all and sundry (yeah, I know Marilyn Monroe changed her nose, I believe she also had minor work done on her jaw)...pre "everyone goes to the same plastic surgeons and has the same look" is probably what I mean.
The sameness is getting to me. I'm starting to crave beauty with imperfection; that slight roughness and off-ness and realness, is becoming like salt and pepper added to your food.
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March 24, 2007 2:28 PM, Dain said...
I totally agree. Of course, those old photos were retouched too, though nowhere near as much as they do nowdays (now we have photoshop). March 27, 2007 2:24 PM, Colleen Shirazi said...
Yeah...I can stand some retouching...in fact all of the old "portraits" were retouched (if you look at old pictures, no one has moles, freckles, pimples or shadows, and hardly a wrinkle in sight). |
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Spring Break!
Posted by Dain, Sunday, March 11, 2007 6:18 PM (Eastern)
I am going to Nice and the general Côte d'Azur area for a week. But more important questions: what to pack? what to buy?
PACK
Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
Pantene Pro-V Restoratives Conditioner
Healing Gardens Organics Fig & Lavender Shower Gel
Neutrogena sunblock
Stephane Marais Perfect Concealer
Benefit Benetint
L'Oreal Carbon Black Voluminous Mascara & Too Faced Liquid Lava Extreme Black Gloss Pencil
NARS All About Eve Duo
NARS Gothika Lip Gloss
Nuxe Baume Progideux Levres SPF 15
MAC Teddy Eye Kohl (smoky eyes for night)
BUY
La Prairie Cellular Day Cream at duty-free
a new blush: I think NARS Sin, if they have it at duty-free? JFK ought to have NARS...
Decléor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient in France
Nuxe Spa Tonific Nourishing Body Lotion
PHYTO Phytonectar Shampoo
Frederic Fekkai Glossing Cream
a new perfume! or two! but which one? I plan on taking a trip to Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, so there may be even better choices there
Guerlain Les Meteorites Voyage Compact? maybe?
I'll see you all soon! (See fashion blog for clothes I packed.)
Labels: bath and body, hair, skin, travel
RIP Groovynub
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Friday, March 09, 2007 11:05 PM (Eastern)
I just found out that Groovynub, easily one of the most prolific product reviewers makeupalley.com has ever known, has died at age 35.I knew Groovynub a little bit; not well. I remember being in awe of her makeup reviewing prowess. Whenever a new collection or product came out, she was sure to try it...and usually several of the new items. Her reviews were not superficial however; they were in-depth and good.
Groovynub had a thriving Ebay store and, it turns out, a beautiful LiveJournal, replete with the best House tv show, and sundry other entertaining and thought-provoking, icons.
She had a user account on The Lipstick Page Forums and posted there twice (unfortunately all posts from that period have long been expired). We do have a small entry on The LPF New Releases Blog as follows: Revlon - Summer 2004.
Rest in peace, Stacey. You will be missed.
image source http://www.livejournal.com/allpics.bml?user=goudagirl
Cosmetics ennui...
Posted by Dain, 6:57 PM (Eastern)
Yes, it most certainly happens. I've been feeling it of late. You turn around, look at your stash, it all feels dull, what is a girl supposed to do? Buy some new toys, no? I am feeling the skincare binge itch (skincare is my big weakness). The products in bold are my wishlist: I haven't tried most of them.
I was trying to think up a routine that meets my new needs (dry and sensitive), while still being flexible enough for the summer, when my skin is more normal. How would I go about this? If I am dealing with grails, then price is only secondarily important to the efficacy of the product. My skin is quite parched in the winter, and reacts badly to chemical agents and some botanicals (calendula, for example). Otherwise, it is pretty much normal/combination—it can get a little oilier if I sweat a lot. Even when it's oily, my skin is usually quite dehydrated, though not for lack of care. I have clogged pores, but they're small. I break out very infrequently, though moreso of late. And since I'm young, I'm not particularly interested in heavy-duty anti-aging, though I think I should start, maybe with some sort of antioxidant treatment.
So there you are. That's what my skin is like (as if you wanted to know). I think it's very difficult to rate reviews for skincare because there's quite a wide range of skin types, so knowing your reviewer is important.
Let's start with the basics.
First, cleanser. Now, there are all sorts and plenty of hype. I prefer cleansers that are simple, largely because they don't interact with your skin long enough to have any "treatment" effects before it all goes down the drain. Consider how different a moisturizer is; it sits on your skin for hours and hours. Cleansers should, first of all, clean, gently and effectively. They can exfoliate, but I'm not really a fan—personally, because my skin is too delicate for scrubs, and generally, because you need a separate eye makeup remover. Can you imagine what might happen if you got a jojoba bead or some glycolic acid in there? I can see some virtue to medicated cleansers if you are very acne-prone, but everyone else is much better off using a standard cleanser. An exception to this rule are "balm" cleansers—Eve Lom, LUSH Ultrabland, Liz Earle, Boots, In Fiore (as you can see, it is very English, this trend). I've tried a couple of these, and they remove makeup very well and the extra massage/exfoliation is nice, but they're a time-consuming ritual. Easier to use are oil cleansers, like Shu Uemura's, which rinse off like any other cleanser (and therefore, little exfoliation), but still have the magical makeup-removing and pore-unclogging properties. One the opposite end of the spectrum are foaming cleansers, from the luxurious Japanese foam cleansers (Clé de Peau and Pola and many similar lines) to your standard foaming gel (I like Cetaphil Oily Skin Cleanser, Johnson's Head-to-Toe—I think, if you like this formulation, it's not worth buying expensive because the ingredients are very basic, and drugstore cleansers perform equally well, if not better, with much less fuss) to face soaps (DHC makes a good one). There are of course gel cleansers that do not foam; I particularly like Lancôme Clarifiance, a refreshing non-foaming gel, as THE basic cleanser for oily skin. Nivea makes a good copycat. But my favorite type of cleanser is the milky, or lotion/cream, cleanser. And for this, none is better than Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. It does wonders for my skin, plus it's cheap and totally innocuous, and I personally find that it removes makeup well enough, but I wear light makeup. Whenever I stray, I always come back.
Second, a toner? Most experts agree that toners aren't necessary, that modern cleansers are effective on their own (and you shouldn't be using a cleanser that leaves a film on your skin anyway). However, they are kinda nice, in a ritualistic sense, are they not? My favorite is Dr. Hauschka Facial Toner, which smells weird but wonderful, is full of potent botanicals, and comes in an easy spray (I hate fiddling with cotton pads). There are, of course, many good toners, from the gentlest rosewater from Jurlique to the most powerful astringents from Kiehl's Blue Herbal. I do not, however, need a toner, so I will leave that out of my calculations. It has more a placebo effect than anything else.
Third, treatments. This is where you find firepower; it's a good idea to make an investment here. Treatments ought to go first on the skin, after toner if you use one, because they will absorb better and be more effective that way. This strategy also has the added bonus of allowing you to choose very basic moisturizers, and switch them around to your skin's moisture needs. This is sometimes complicated by the fact that there are many moisturizers that treat in addition to hydrating. I suggest keeping an open mind and ignoring copy, especially with expensive products, samples and a long testing period are a good idea (at least two weeks): you know best what works for you. So if a face cream works as a brightening treatment, or a face oil for reducing shine, or even no treatment at all because you already have great skin, why not? Treatments address these following concerns: acne, aging, sensitivity, and lightening. Salicylic acid will combat acne, as will benzoyl peroxide, sulfur, glycolic acid (and other hydroxies, La Prairie makes the best glycolic serum, called Retexturizing Booster), oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, vitamin c, lemon extract, among others. Some of these are extremely irritating (I can only use salicylic acid myself). Some work by disinfecting and killing bacteria, others still exfoliate and unclog pores. In this latter sense, it may be better to invest in a face oil like Decléor Aromaessence Ylang Ylang or even pure jojoba oil. It may seem counterintuitive to use oil on your face, but in fact it's an excellent for unclogging pores, banishing flakes, and even oil control, all without irritation. I only need an occasional spot treatment, such as Kiehl's Blue Herbal, which is salicylic-acid based; another good option is a clay mask used as a spot treatment, like Fresh Umbrian Clay Treatment and Queen Helene Mint Julep. For anti-aging, the best ingredients are humectants and oils, antioxidants, vitamin c, oxygen, and hydroxy acids. Vitamin c, oxygen, and alpha hydroxies have the added virtue of combating acne, as well, if you want one product that does it all. Otherwise, anti-aging products mostly just hydrate the skin, because the biggest difference between young and old skin is hydration levels and skin elasticity (the latter can only be prevented, not treated). There are a lot of promises, of course, from caviar extract to kinerase to sake water (or whatever SK-II is supposed to be). I'm interested in trying Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel, because I almost always do better with botanically based products. I may be allergic to some of the ingredients, but it's hard to say until one tries a product. I think it would be perfect, antioxidant gel that's somewhere in between treatment and toner. I can wear it alone when my skin is oilier, or layer it underneath moisturizer. If not, I'm also interested in In Fiore Complexe de Fleur, though I haven't heard anything about it. The third major treatment is desensitizing, which ranges from healing sores to alleviating sunburned skin to calming allergic reactions. Common ingredients are aloe vera, lavender, calendula, chamomile, oatmeal, and rose, as well as a plethora of healing oils and butters. I very much like Biotherm's Biosentive Anti-Redness Concentrate, it is amazing for restoring tired, parched, reactive skin. I go through it so quickly, so I'm considering instead Decléor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient, which I can wear alone, over the Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel, or under a rich moisturizer. It is a more expensive investment, but you only need a few drops at a time. And finally, the last treatment, "lightening", which ranges from the most intense whitening treatments for hyperpigmentation (I've never tried any whitening product myself) to gentle radiance/brightening treatments for dull skin (Nuxe Crème Fraïche brightens the skin, for example, even though it's just a moisturizer and not a "treatment"). Hydroquinine, vitamin c, and hydrators in general, are common ingredients.
Fourth, moisturizer, in some ways the most important step. I prefer simple moisturizers just as I prefer simple cleansers, though fancier creams manage simple hydration very well too. The reason for this is threefold: you shouldn't overload your skin with products in the first place, too many intense products taken altogether are actually less effective for most people (a good example is acne, the bacteria will build resisitances if you insist on zapping them), and I don't actually believe in separate day creams and night creams and eye creams—they are all moisturizers. There is much debate over whether oily skin needs moisturizer. If you use a treatment, that may be all the moisture you need, especially if you are very oily. There are of course matifying lotions, none of which I have any firsthand expertise, though my friends like Kiehl's Blue Herbal. I recommend, for oily skin, Complex 15. It's an extremely light gel formulation, very gentle and noncomedogenic, so it gives hydration without irritating acne. If Cetaphil were a moisturizer, this would be it (I prefer the cream, but there's a lotion; I don't think there's any discernible difference, though). Another option, especially if you don't have acne and just oily skin, is a clarifying face oil, such as Decléor Ylang Ylang or Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil or even pure jojoba oil. For normal skin, I like Better Botanicals Dandelion Moisturizer and Kiehl's Ultra Facial, the latter is richer. For dry skin, creams and balms abide: La Prairie Cellular Day Cream is what I'm lusting after, though I am curious about Sisley's Restorative Facial Cream and Decléor's Harmonie Gentle Soothing Cream. An inexpensive cream that's rich is Body Time's Lavender Cream and Biotherm's Biosensitive Cream. If even this is not enough, there are rich, waxy balms for your perusal, but I think dry skin is best approached through a layering of products: a hydrating treatment underneath a rich cream works well.
Fifth, is an exfoliant. Along with cleansing and moisturizing, exfoliating is the most important thing you can do for your skin. Not everyone needs a treatment, after all (and ideally, if you take care of your skin well, a treatment shouldn't be so pressing). There are two types of exfoliants, chemical and physical. Physical exfoliants are scrubs and scrubby cleansers. For oilier skin, Bliss Pore-Perfecting Facial Polish is an excellent choice; for drier, Remedé Sweep with its microfine marble powder. A scrub should be used no more than three times weekly, and certainly not more than once a week if you have dry and delicate skin. A balm cleanser does work for daily exfoliation, as well. Chemical exfoliants are generally hydroxies, beta or alpha, though sometimes one sees fruit enzymes. These are left on the skin, either as a treatment or a moisturizer, though a product like YSL's Gommage Natural Action Exfoliater is a chemical "scrub". The best I know is La Prairie's Retexturizing Booster, but it is extremely potent (I can't use it). Exfoliating masks can have both chemical and physical exfoliants. As for me, I can barely use any of these products, so my solution is to use a "paste" cleanser like Jurlique's Face Wash Cream (similar to Dr. Hauschka's Cleansing Cream), which you massage into skin by "rolling" rather than "scrubbing", and it serves as a detox exfoliant. Apparently, it works better with an AHC (Aromatic Hydrating Concentrate), so I would like to test the Rose-Chamomile AHC (there are others for other skin types).
Sixth, is sunscreen. Though dermatologists say that this the most essential anti-aging product, I have to admit, I don't use any. I hate how sunscreens feel on my skin.
Seventh, are extra amenities. This includes eye makeup remover, face masks, acne spot treatments (spots can happen to anyone, after all, so it's good to have on hand, unlike general acne treatments, which are meant to be applied all over and intended for acne-prone skin), lip balms, eye creams, and whatever else I have forgotten. I think all of these products, if you choose rightly, are unessential. However, they are fun to use. So I leave it to your discretion.
So here is my routine:
CLEANSER Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser
TREATMENT Jurlique Herbal Recovery Gel & Decléor Aromaessence Rose D'Orient
MOISTURIZER La Prairie Cellular Day Cream
EXFOLIANT Jurlique Face Wash Cream & Rose Chamomile AHC
I don't know if all of these products (striken) are necessary, and in addition, I'm not sure I need two treatment products: I could just use Biotherm Biosensitive Anti-Redness Concentrate for antioxidant and desensitizing and brightening properties all three. But, really, the point here is to try new products, no?
Labels: decleor, dr. hauschka, jurlique, kiehl's, la prairie, skin
A handful of reviews from Spalook.com: Part 1
Posted by Dain, Thursday, March 08, 2007 3:14 PM (Eastern)
Spalook.com contacted us recently: would we be interested in trying a few samples? We took a look at the site, and it's a good one—easy to navigate, a selection of well known and unknown lines, from Jurlique to Kerstin Florian to Decleor to La Roche-Posay to Pevonia to Archipelago Botanicals to Caudalie. They're generous on samples, usually have free shipping and many discounts.
Wilma Schumann DNA Repair Gel $56: This is your standard antioxidant moisturizing gel, "all natural", intended for dry, mature skin, with DNA extracted from salmon roe. It's a small bottle (I just got a sample packet) of a light, pleasant gel with minimal scent and color and feel—pretty much it sinks completely into your skin. I do have dry skin, and I certainly wouldn't be able to use it alone, but I imagine it's intended to be used with moisturizer. I can't vouch for its effects (my skin is extremely undamaged, so what use anti-aging? plus, I only have a sample, and skincare requires at least a week to review properly), but I do not find it particularly hydrating, which, at $56, would lead me to this conclusion: don't waste your money.
Babor Complex C Cream $58: Over the DNA Repair Gel, I layered this cream, also an antioxidant product. I don't have the chemistry background to determine whether the vitamin C is active, but I did a little reaserch, and the Babor people seem to "have their shit together". I have sensitive skin to most chemical agents, vitamin c in particular (only alpha hydroxies are worse), so I actually can't use this product. I mean, I can use it, but my skin is rough for days afterward, which it will be. Nevertheless, this version, couched in rich oils and humectants, is extremely gentle. Only a little bit of tingling, though any sign of irritation is dangerous for my skin. But I think this is an excellent choice for a night cream, if you have dry and normal skin. Vitamin c is a brightener, an antioxidant, and an anti-acne agent, so there's something for everyone, plus I think similarly priced department store creams are of comparably lower quality.
Babor Cleansing Hy-Öl $29 and Phytoactive Sensitive $25: Babor is a German line, not particularly well known in the U.S. except at spas. I have actually used these products before, so my review is perhaps a little more legit than the other two skincare ones. It's a unique cleansing method: first you massage in the oil, then you massage in the phytoactive, and then you rinse. It may seem counterintuitive to use oil as face cleanser, but it works surprisingly well. Possibly, a cleansing oil is the best way to cleanse your skin, especially if you wear a lot of makeup or have blackheads. It's an oil, so it penetrates deep into pores (oils mix together easily) to grab dirt, but it's also water-soluble, so it rinses clean. That said, I don't have either of these problems, and while I think it's an excellent product, I don't personally need it.
Zents Petal Body Spray $47: "The inspiration for Petal was a young Indian girl walking barefoot through a garden of white flowers." Notes: lily of the valley, freesia, lemon, ylang ylang, sandalwood and fresh rain accord. Ooo... this is so not my type of scent. It smells like detergent to my nose: uptight white florals, soap, tinny citrus, and "rain fresh" accord. All of which smell like laundry. I can see this on a high-society dragon lady in Ralph Lauren, or a very young girl. Indeed, it smells like a better balanced version of Ralph Lauren Romance, with plenty of musky skin, which I think improves it vastly. I do like the formula, there's some silky lightweight silicone in it, I think.
Nuxe Spa Tonific Nourishing Body Lotion $32: Mm! This body lotion is so yummy! It smells gorgeous, just sweet and fresh but not too strong. It has a wonderful texture that absorbs quickly, and you can feel how instantly hydrating it is. However, it's not tough enough for my winter-dry skin, though it must be noted that even Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion has had a hard time keeping me moisturized this winter. It would be lovely in the summer, however, especially after a day in the sun—I would happily pair this Korres Cedar Shower Gel or LUSH Sea Vegetable soap.
Caudalíe Fleur de Vigne Bath and Shower Gel $20: Caudílie is very hit or miss, I think. They have superb, gentle moisturizers. This product, well, it's just a shower gel. I normally love the Fleur de Vigne scent, but for some reason it is extremely cucumbery, and I loathe the smell of cucumber. If you want a light flowery cucumbery scent, buy by all means, but I pass. My attitude towards expensive body washes (shower gels, soaps, and hand soaps) is fairly simple. Detergents and surfactants are easy ingredients to come by, so pretty much all soaps, liquid or solid, high or low, are essentially similar to each other (though some are stronger or gentler than others). So the sign of a quality soap is the uniqueness and potency of the scent, rather than its cleansing properties. I find that cheap soaps have terrible scents (Healing Gardens Organics has a wonderful line of relatively cheap, more mid-range, shower gels), so I expect an expensive product to deliver.
Molton Brown White Mulberry Fine Liquid Hand Wash $23: Oh, this is a quality product. The scent, which may not to be everyone's taste, is divine. It's green and crisp, really it reminds me of dark leaves and green apples and just a little bit of flower (according to the copy, it's mimosa). Furthermore, it's extremely potent. The scent and the product both—you need only a little, and the scent lasts for quite a while.
Primal Elements Yes, No, Maybe Ultra Shiny Lip Gloss $8 Yes, No, Maybe is a bright cherry berry sort of color, with sparkles, extremely sheer. Its texture is more slippery than tacky, and it's very comfortable on the lips. It comes in a handy squeeze tube, similar to the Lancôme Juicy Tubes. It's nice but unremarkable: you could just buy Bonne Belle for half the price and totally not know the difference.
Ojon Restorative Hair Treatment $55: Wow, this is one expensive deep treatment (though not more than Kerastase), but you need very little, even for someone with very thick and heavy long hair like me. I normally go through deep conditioners like water, but I can see a jar of this lasting a very long time. What you do is scrape yourself a teaspoon's worth, warm it up in your hands, and massage into your hair, concentrating on the ends. I then wait an hour or so, and then blowdry my hair so it really penetrates. It smells lovely, like rich nut oils, but I don't know if everyone would be into the scent. I am on the fence on this one, because I figure I can just use a hair oil treatment, like Philip B's, with much the same results. But I think this is more cost-effective, in spite of the initial investment.
Labels: babor, caudalie, hair, molton brown, nuxe, ojon, perfume, primal elements, skin, wilma schumann, zents
Latest look-alike for MAC Strawberry Blonde lipstick
Posted by Colleen Shirazi, Friday, March 02, 2007 12:05 AM (Eastern)
Thank you nocturnalgoddess of makeupalley.com.
Victoria's Secret Very Sexy Perfect Lipstick in "Love Bite"
This is second-hand info, the same as Julie Hewett "Gem Noir" and Nars "Niagara."
Labels: lips, lookalikes, mac cosmetics, victoria's secret
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