"Cannot Live Without" Beauty Items

I'm constantly trying new products that claim to be the best and the greatest, but I've found over the years there are somethings I just continue to go back too.  Here are a few of my "cannot live without" beauty items.

MAC Bulk Wipes

These are a lifesaver!  One wipe will remove every stitch of make up including mascara no matter how much make up I'm wearing.  It's EXTREMELY important you remove your make up before you wash your face.  Your face wash was never meant to do double duty by washing your face and trying to remove make up.  (A bonus with these wipes is if you're in a time crunch or just too exhausted they can be used as a one stop shop-removing make up and hydrating your skin.  Great for those nights when you just want to get to sleep!)

La Roche-Posay Toleraine Purifying Foaming Cream

I have been obsessed with this face wash for years!  As someone who has sensitive, dry skin I have to be cautious about what products I use and this one has never let me down.  This cleanser is so concentrated, just a small pea size amount is plenty to wash your face so the bottle seems to last forever, plus it has a nice rich lather and does not strip my skin of moisture. (La Roche-Posay in general has amazing products.  Check out one of my favorite sunscreens in this post)

Toleriane Purifying Foaming Cream

Trader Joe's Honey Mango Moisturizing Shave Cream

You know those shaving commercials...the ones where the girl's leg is completely covered in a foam shaving cream minus the one strip she's already shaved off?  For years that was me, shaving my legs like the girl in the commercial.  A non-foaming shaving cream just seemed so bizarre to me that I resisted trying anything else until one of my guy friends (yes, even guys get beauty too :) ) mentioned how the Trader Joe's Shaving Cream kept his face from breaking out after shaving.  From my first bottle I knew I was never going back.  As one who shaves my legs every day (I really hate prickly legs) this product is perfect for continual use on your legs...and all other delicate areas that need shaving.  A little goes along way with this product, so you need just enough to create a barrier between your skin and the razor.  Also, a bonus is that it's Paraben free and 100% Vegetarian. (For those who don't live near a Trader Joe's you can order it off of Amazon here.).  Get ready for silky, smooth legs!!!

MAC Brush Cleanser

Oh, I cannot stress the importance of properly cleaning brushes!  Next to my hands they are the most important tool in my make up kit and that is why I use this both personally and professionally.  There are plenty of other brush cleansers on the market (and even some DIY Pinterest boards), but I DON'T suggest them.  For me this brush cleaner packs a triple punch-it cleans/shampoos, disinfects with an anti-bacterial agent and most importantly it conditions the bristles.  It's not as imperative with a synthetic brush that the bristles be conditioned, but it is with a natural bristled brush.  Just imagine washing your hair and never putting a conditioning agent on it; it might be clean, but it's probably not going to be the softest and silkiest it could be.  Trust me after you feel how soft the bristles are after you've washed your brushes, you won't go back to another brush cleaner.

 These are just a few of the beauty items I can't live without.  Let me know what are some of your "Can't Live Without" items!

Jamie

I Scream, You Scream, We All Scream for...Sunscreen?

Sunscreen, we know we need it, but do we really know what to use and why?  When I began researching this topic I expected to gain a refresher about sun safety, discover a few advancements and present you with a brief summary.  Boy was I wrong!  The refresher part was easy, but the discovering new advancements was like opening Pandora's box.  There are some very opinionated debates about what sunscreen you should wear, how you should wear it, and why you should wear it. Sun School 101

There are two types of UV Radiation being giving off by the sun, UVA and UVB and you need protection from both.

  • UVA - These are the rays that cause AGING.  This is the dominant tanning ray whether tanning out doors or in a tanning bed and it is strong enough to permeate through glass and clouds.  This ray penetrates the skin deeper than a UVB ray, thus causing cumulative damage to the skin over time. 1
  • UVB - These are the rays that cause your skin to BURN as they tend to effect only the superficial epidermal layer (or the top most layer).  The intensity of these rays vary by time of day, altitude and season. 1

According to the FDA's new labeling rules for 2012, if a bottle of sunscreen just has an SPF + a number it will not block out a significant amount of UVA rays.  To be sure your sunscreen is going to block both UVA and UVB rays, the bottle has to read "Broad Spectrum" and have an SPF of 15 or higher.  Any sunscreen not labeled Broad Spectrum or with an SPF between 2-14 the product will be listed a warning  “Skin Cancer/Skin Aging Alert:  Spending time in the sun increases your risk of skin cancer and early skin aging. This product has been shown only to help prevent sunburn, not skin cancer or early skin aging.”  2

Types of Sunscreen

There are two types of sunscreen, physical blockers and chemical blockers.   Physical sunscreen, titanium dioxide or zinc oxide, sits on the skin's surface and physically blocks both the UVA and UVB rays.  A chemical sunscreen is absorbed by the skin so the sun becomes deactivated once the rays come in contact with the chemicals in the sunscreen. 3 There is much debate as to the safety of chemical sunscreens and every article and opinion you read will tell you something new.  If you have used any major brand of sunscreen at any point in your life, you've used a chemical sunscreen.  Two chemicals that seem to be least controversial are Avobenzone and Mexoryl (see here and here). 1  Oxybenzone and Retinyl Palmitate seems to be two of the more controversial (see here and here).

Application

  • Strip down, yep I said it, strip down to your birthday suit and apply sunscreen at least 30 minutes before you go outside.  Applying sunscreen in the buff will ensure your swimsuit won't get in the way and you can cover all the hard to reach areas.  There is nothing worse than thinking your skin is covered, your swimsuit unknowingly shifts one way just a little too far and you end up with a lobster red sunburn in one small line.
  • Apply 1 ounce (equal to 2 tablespoons or a shot glass full) of sunscreen to your entire body. 1
  • Reapply every 2 hours.  "Waterproof" sunscreens have been approved to last for 80 minutes, but may need to be reapplied sooner when swimming or with heavy sweating.  "Water Resistant" sunscreens have been approved to last for 40 minutes. 4
  • Don't forget to apply sunscreen to your ears (front and back), back of the neck, back of the hands and any exposed areas in your hair (like where your hair is parted - you do not want that to burn and then turn into a peeling, flaky scalp). 4

Guidelines

  • Always choose a broad spectrum sunscreen with a minimum of SPF 15. 1
  • Sunscreen can loose it's potency over time so be cautious using sunscreen that has changed color, smell or consistency. 4
  •  If you are concerned about potentially toxic chemicals avoid any sunscreens containing oxybenzone and retinyl palmitate. 5  For a list of sunscreens without these chemicals, see here.
  • Remember this phrase from the American Cancer Society: "Slip, Slop, Slap and Wrap".  Slip on a shirt, Slop on sunscreen, Slap on a hat, and Wrap on sunglasses. 4

My Recommendation...

The two companies that I have trusted for the last few years is EltaMD and La Roche-Posay.  Unbeknownst to me they were the top two selling sunscreens of 2012 (see the list here - I cannot guarantee that the products on this list are free of some of the aforementioned chemicals.).

The sunscreen that I use almost every day...yes I don't wear it every day...is EltaMD UV Facial Broad Spectrum SPF 30+.  If I know I'm going to be stuck in side all day without being in the sun at all, I don't wear sunscreen.  This product is wonderful under make up.  It soaks right into the skin and leaves no greasy residue.  It's a constant in both my personal and professional make up kit.  This product is only found in a dermatologist office, but this link will tell you where it's sold in an office near you.

EltaMD UV Facial Broad Spectrum

La Roche-Posey is a company that I recommend for multiple products (I've used one of their face washes for years and I love it!).  Their sunscreens are some of the best on the market because of the Mexoryl SX technology.  The Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen is one of their best sellers.  This product is usually found in the dermatologists office, but in the last few years CVS has started carrying this line.  If it's not in a store near you then the products can be found on the CVS website.

Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizer

So as I told you in the beginning, what I thought was going to be a simple post was anything but.  Hopefully this gave you a refresher about information you already knew and introduced you to some new information about what's currently on the market.  I'd love to know what your favorite sunscreens are.

Blooming Brushes, what are the essentials?

Hands down (pun intended), my brushes are the most important tool in my make up kit. The right brush with right product can achieve beautiful results! This is one item that I will tell you DO NOT scrimp on your brushes. Bite the bullet and spend for QUALITY; the results are well worth it. It's a small investment with a major payoff. There are brushes that I've had for 10+ years and they are in just as good of shape today as they were the day I bought them (now this is also because I'm meticulous in taking very good care of them, but that is for another post coming soon! :) The 5 basic essentials ...

193 Angled Foundation Brush

This brush is a synthetic bristle perfect to be used for a cream or liquid.  I like that the over all shape of the bristles are wide enough to be used over the whole face, but because they come to a slight point it can double as a concealer brush for a little spot concealing when needed.

129 Powder/Blush Brush

This is a natural bristle brush perfect for a pressed or loose powder.  The bristle shape of this particular brush is large enough to be used as a powder brush or small enough to be used as blush brush.  (Either use the brush for blush or powder.  Trying to use the same brush for both could have a disastrous ending.)

266 Small Angled Brush

This is one of the most multipurpose brushes I own.  This brush is a natural bristle brush.  It's perfect for using a powdered product to line your eyes, smudge your eyeliner or even add a little color to fill in your brows.  There is a synthetic version of this brush (263 Small Angled Brush) that is ideal when using a cream or liquid liner.

242 Shader Brush

This has been a staple of mine for years.  It can be used for any make up product that is powder, liquid or cream.  The bristles are stiff enough to give a bold, intense payoff of color, yet soft enough to you could lightly brush product onto the skin to get just a hint of the color showing.  I use this to apply color to my eyelids or brow highlight, to smudge eyeliner for a smokey eye or even use it as a concealer or lip brush. (As stated above with the powder/blush brush, you must designate what this brush will be used for.  You can't jump between smudging eyeliner one day and then using the same brush for concealer the next.)

217 Blending Brush

I've saved my favorite brush for last!  This is a blending brush for the crease of your eyes.  It's a natural bristle so it's best used for powder products.  The dome shape of the bristles are perfect for flawlessly blending colors together and achieving that airbrushed look.

If you have any question about these or any other brushes, let me know and I'd be glad to tell you how to use them!

Jamie