Lets's Talk Skincare, Hair Color, and OOTD

Good Morning all!!! As I blearily sip my morning coffee, I have thoughts of skincare running through my head. Ahhhh, the skin. The bane of almost every woman's existence at least some point in their life. I myself struggled with acne in my teens, and still have to work every day to maintain a clear, healthy complexion.

Working for years as an esthetician, I have seen it all. To an extent. ;)  I have seen the 60 year old woman with the complexion of a 30 year old, and the 30 year old with the complexion of a 50 year old. Acne aside for the moment, there are a few obvious secrets to maintaining that healthy youthful glow we all strive for.

• Drink plenty of water
• DON'T SMOKE
• Never go to bed with your makeup on. (The hardest one for me in all honesty.)

I would like to start with a few products that I highly do NOT recommend. Don't worry, I will provide alternatives later on in the post. :)

Remember, these are all just MY personal (strong!) opinions.

This is one of the worst products on the market for your skin. The crushed apricot pits are extremely harsh, and using this can cause microscopic tears on the skin. I have seen it under the magnifying lamp. I am able to identify an apricot scrub user from a mile away.(With a mag lamp, I should add)  Think of it this way, open tears on the skin, more vulnerable to bacteria nestling in the skin, leaving the skin more prone to inviting free radicals and cystic acne. Ugh.

I know, I know it's what all the celebrities use. It saved their skin from the horrifying acne they suffered, yada, yada, yada. PLEASE. Can we honestly believe celebrities who make millions of dollars a year (a lot of which comes from hocking this product, I'm sure) use a $19.95 a month skincare system. Can you tell this is a pet peeve of mine? lol. The active ingredient in proactive is benzoyl peroxide. I hear that and I think of one word... DRYING. Sure, it may dry out existing acne, and clear out your skin's natural oil production, but we need our own natural oil. Short term fix, maybe (and that's pushing it for me), but I picture a life long user of proactive looking like this.

I kid, I kid. Kind of.  ;)

I personally have combination skin, more on the oily side. Like I mentioned before I am also prone to breakouts, so I have a pretty straightforward skincare routine. I will forewarn, these recommendations are Aveda heavy. But I will also provide you with a number you can call to consult with an expert, and they will ship directly to your door. Can't beat that.

I canNOT live without this skincare system. If I stray, I notice an immediate difference.



Aveda Outer Peace Acne Relief System

 I will preface this by saying the active ingredient in this system is Salicylic Acid. However, Aveda derives it's salicylic acid organically from wintergreen. Salicylic acid in it's chemical form is aspirin. That's it. Needless to say, this is much less harsh than chemically derived versions, it helps CONTROL the skin's oil production, but does not eliminate it. It's all about balance. :)

This is my recommendation for Proactiv addicts!!

• Foaming Cleanser - The foam is formulated to penetrate deeply, I feel like every nasty thing I have collected throughout the day is gone when I use this. I'm so in love with this cleanser, I would marry it if I could. lol
• Acne Relief Pads - These are more concentrated with salicylic acid, and I use them nightly to exfoliate. Tip: Cut them in half! You will get 100 pads for the price of 50.
• Acne Relief Lotion - I will say, I use this in the morning only. At night I like a little more hydration in the form of a cream, but this lotion during the day is amazing. No oily, shiny, glistening if you will, skin throughout the day. Love.
• Cooling Masque - A seaweed derived masque that calms and detoxifies the skin, as well as reduces redness. Another tip: Use it for sunburn! Put it in the fridge, put it on your nose and cheeks after a little too much sun (you know we all do it) and it will feel like a breath of fresh air.
• Spot Treatment - Pretty self explanatory. Keep this in your purse and use it sparingly throughout the day for those yucky every so often big guys. ;)  Don't use this all over! It will dry the skin due to the heavy concentration.

Ok, so there are a few things outside of this line I use as well. First being this...



Aveda Beautifying Composition

I use this at night as a pre-cleanse before using my Outer Peace Cleanser. It may seem strange to apply oil to oily skin, but oil attracts oil, so it really helps keep my oil production in balance. This is an amazing product... You can use it as a scalp treatment, a hot oil treatment for dry hair, I even use it on my baby because she has extremely dry skin.



Aveda Enbrightenment Correcting Creme


This is the moisturizer I use at night. Still not too heavy, but provides a little more hydration, and I wake up with dewy, supple feeling skin.

HOLY GRAIL PRODUCT:

I use this morning and night. I slather it on below and above my eyes. You will feel a warming sensation when you out it on. I have been using this for four years religiously, and I truly believe in this product 1000%. Price-wise, compared with other high end eye creams, you can't beat it. $45 and it lasts about 6 months.

Also, as promised an alternative to the Apricot Scrub addicts...

This exfoliating cleanser will satisfy the need for scrubbing, as well as cleanse. Two in one! The difference is that it uses jojoba beads, which are round, so none of those nasty abrasions or tears. It's gentle enough to use morning and night.

Obviously, everyone's skin is different. If you have any questions, leave a comment and I will help to the best of my ability. You can also visit here for a customized consultation. If you would like a more personalized experience please call my friends at the Indianapolis store. They would be happy to help, and will place orders and ship directly to you. (317) 580-0808.


Finally, I got my color done. I only use Aveda color (surprise surprise, lol) and it turned out beautifully. I couldn't be happier.

Here are some before shots...



Brassy... Aggghhhhh!!!

 And after....

Ahhhh, I feel human again. I am so fortunate, my lovely friend Cassy came over and did it at my house for me... Just a few (ummm, over 50 foils, lol) highlights and lowlights. I love Aveda color. To find a salon near you, simply click here.


One last OOTD pic, and I'm out to do a little shopping...




Top - Gap (It's really a deep plum color, looks black)
Jeans - Loft Modern Trouser
Shoes - Cole Haan Wedges (it was 68 here yesterday!!)
Jewelry - Anthropologie



I hope you all have a wonderful day, thank you so much for reading, and again, I welcome ANY and ALL comments, questions or concerns. Be on the lookout for another giveaway next week!!  ;)


Peace. xoxo