Tried & True Reviews Tuesday

I love trying new things. And in the last couple years, I've tried a lot of different things for my beauty regimen. However, I don't believe in using something just once and then giving a rave review about it because there is no way you can really tell its effect in that little of time and use.

I'm going to share with you some products that I used up until their last drop or close enough...so you know this is a tried and true review of these products.  

Disclaimer: None of these companies paid me to write a review about their products, nor did they send me them for free. I made my own purchase of the item based on what they claimed to do. In short, I can say whatever I f***ing want about them and it's going to be the truth, and nothing but the truth.

Clarins Double Serum

I bought this stuff on whim while at Macy's in NYC in December of 2013. It was a good deal, I think I paid around $85.00 for the larger bottle of it at the time. I was in need of a serum because I hadn't really had one in my regular skin regimen at the time and thought I should. It obviously lasted a long while, meaning a little went a long way. I only just ran out of it in the last month. I didn't use it EVERY day, but I did use it very regularly during that time. I highly recommend this product, especially if you have some skin discoloration or rosacea. I had some melasma on my forehead from my pregnancy with Farrah and it is pretty much gone now. I definitely give the credit to this product. It's pricy, but worth it.
Tip: After your rub it in to your face, use any excess on the back of your hands.

Boots No.7 Protect & Perfect Serum

I really, really wanted to like this stuff. It's gotten amazing reviews. For the most part, I did love how it felt, it was a light non-greasy feel on the skin and I'm certain it did do wonderful things for my skin. However, one thing it did do to my skin was cause it to break out. Not like horrendously or anything, but I started to notice that every time I used this serum, the next day I had a pimple on my chin or near my nose...I just couldn't believe that was coincidental. So I won't tell you to steer clear of this one because for the price at $24.99 it's worth a shot. I won't be purchasing it again, however, due to my skin's reaction. I'm not one who breaks out typically at all, so when I do have a random breakout, it's usually a red flag about something new I'm using.

Dr. Jart+ Pore Medic Pore Minish Primer

I actually got a trial version of this with an order I received from Sephora. But that trial bottle lasted a week at least. I've never been big about putting on primer before foundation, but I am one of those people that really notices her pores and I thought I'd give this a go to see if it made a difference. I REALLY liked it. I felt like my skin appeared smoother than usual and my pores were definitely hidden. A little of this goes a long way, so I'm sure a tube would last a good while. I'm considering buying it now that my trial tube is empty. It didn't leave a greasy feel or cause me to breakout.

Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Moisturizer - Night

I love this stuff. I am on my second bottle of it. It does last a while. Retinol is a must in age-preventative skincare. I definitely see a difference in my fine lines and wrinkles. I don't use this every night, maybe about every other night, as my skin is on the sensitive side. On the nights I don't use it, I just use my regular nighttime moisturizer. I even bought the Day version of this...which is just a glorified sunscreen moisturizer, but definitely has anti-aging benefits as well.

Clarins Toning Lotion

I'm embarrassed to say I've gone years without using a toner after I wash my face. Now I realize the importance of it, in that it restores your skin's pH balance after washing. I got this also as a free sample with my Sephora order and I will definitely be ordering it once my sample runs out {which by the way has lasted a few weeks now!} I have normal/dry skin, especially in the winter, so I feel like this keeps it from getting too dry. No adverse reactions from it either.

That's it for my current empty products for now. I hope to keep you posted on other products as soon as I can give a tried and true review! Do you have any product recommendations?

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Sun Lovin' and Cancer-Free {Part II}

Last year, as my 30th birthday approached, I talked a little bit about skincare and what I was going to do to start taking it more seriously. I created the post, Sun-Lovin' and Cancer-Free {a little play on Fun-Lovin' and Fancy Free, tee hee}. The bulk of the post was about the skin cancer epidemic and what steps I was going to take to {hopefully} prevent it from happening to me.

I definitely feel I've been doing well with my skincare regimen this past year. I've been wearing SPF every day, whether that's with actual sunscreen {for pool/beach days or being active outdoors}, or just my daily moisturizer and foundation.

Between then and now, I've had another baby. And even though the bulk of my pregnancy was in the winter months, I actually managed to get some melasma on my forehead and a tad on my cheeks from it. Melasma is often called "the mask of pregnancy" because it most often appears in pregnant women. The problem is, it doesn't often go away after the pregnancy is over. The darker pigmentation of the skin tends to stick around, and can often worsen with sun exposure. I've seen some of my darker-toned friends struggle with it during and after pregnancy, while I, a fairer-toned person, managed to go two pregnancies with out it. While mine is pretty minor and not that dark, it freaks me out to think it could get any worse. Mine is mostly on the left side of my forehead {the driving side...interesting}. But now I am crazy about sun protection there. Summer is here and I've been doing a lot of walking and running outside to start losing this baby weight, as well as spending time at the pool and beach with my kids. In addition to already having my SPF 20 moisturizer, I've often been spraying SPF 50 on those areas before going outdoors, but I still worry that just being in the sun at all, even with SPF, will cause the color of the melasma to darken and become more noticeable.

So, a hat it is. I thought I would get one of those big fancy beach hats, you know, like this:

And as cute as it is, It's definitely not me.

I love Fedoras a lot, but I didn't think I'd get the coverage I really needed from it {really wanted the nose and cheeks to be protected too}. I've always been told I had a good face for a baseball cap, but couldn't find my good ol' Roxy one from many years ago. So I scoured online for a cute trucker style hat and found one I love:

Yes, much more my style...perfect for outdoor workouts and beach/pool outings. May be getting my kids a good hat too, if they will keep it on.

I've been wearing the hat a lot while driving too, since I suspect much of the culprit was the sun from that window! {Always be aware of this and protect your left side, people. Doctors often find skin cancer in the left arm and side of the face, much more than they do in the right.} I am doing what I can with products to hopefully reverse some of the melasma that is already there...if I find something that works, I'll be sure to let you know about it - I know I'm not the only one suffering from this.

Stay protected and have a happy summer, my loves!

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Memorial Day Weekend Recap & Skincare in Your 30s

Wow...coming off a long weekend and heading back to work can prove difficult. For starters, my hair looks like this today:

And I'm not sorry.

It was a great weekend. Jake's brother, his wife and kids came to town and all of the boys went fishing with Papa up at Lake Moultrie both Saturday and Sunday. This made for a lot of free time for Momma. I spent it at the pool mostly. So while my boys were out looking like this:

My view was pretty much this:

I got to do a lot of reading on my Kindle - really enjoying The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin. And I've got a hint of a tan now...been wanting to get a little base started before we head to Florida in less than two weeks. I'm using SPF though...don't worry...so it will probably be a while before I have any good color. I just really don't want to burn myself in order to get color anymore - the risks are so not worth it. This is what I'm using - SPF 12 was the highest I could find in a tanning dry oil {please let me know if you know of another that is higher!} So I just reapply often.

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I took the boys to the pool late Sunday afternoon after they got back from fishing and then again on Memorial Day. We avoided the beach as the tourist traffic is just insane and getting to the beach could take over an hour...not to mention also when you were ready to head home from the beach. Just not worth it - we can go anytime.

I went to Target on Saturday to get some skincare products to add to my regimen. Megan of Style Me Swanky had some great products to suggest and I definitely wanted to try a few. She said she has combination skin, so I thought what worked for her might also work for me. I really want the Clinique items she is using because I have always loved Clinique, but I only had time to get to Target, so I may just order them online from Sephora.

Here's what I did purchase:

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This foaming gel cleanser by L'Oreal looked promising. I had not heard of it before, but when I read the back and it seemed pretty gentle and was what I needed to get my makeup off at the end of the day, I decided to give it a go. So far so good. It doesn't irritate my skin and it gets all of my makeup off without a problem.

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Megan had recommended this facial cleanser by Neutrogena. I'm reading The Honest Life by Jessica Alba, so I've been a little more careful about choosing products with the least chemicals in them, so this definitely fit that description. I use it after I remove my makeup with the L'Oreal cleanser. To apply it, I wet my face, neck and decolletage with warm water and then use this:

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Megan uses the Clarisonic, but I didn't have the means to spend that much on a face care item at the moment, so I opted for this one I found by Acne Free. It was only $14.99 and came with 2 removable brush heads. So far, I really like it and my face feels really clean after using it. My pores are looking a lot cleaner. All it takes is a pea-sized amount of the cleanser applied on the brush head and it thoroughly cleanses all of those areas.

After that step, I pat dry and then using a cotton ball, I apply a light layer of pure grapeseed oil. This was a tip I read about weeks ago and I really like the results so far. My face seems clearer and brighter...and the fine lines are less harsh.

Now that I'm 30, I know it's a good idea to start using a retinol product. Megan suggested this one by Neutrogena, so I picked it up:

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A little dab goes a long way. I've been using it every night so far, but it does say if it starts to irritate, to go to once every other day. So I'll let you know if I have to do that.

Then lastly, the night cream I've been using for a couple weeks now is L'Oreal's Revitalift. I have no complaints so far.

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So that's my new nightly skincare routine. I'll let you know how I like it in a few weeks after I have a chance to hopefully see some positive results. I will say though, in just the couple of days I've been doing this regimen, my skin looks a lot smoother, brighter and clearer. My pores are definitely cleaned out! I'm hoping to see some improvement in the "crow's feet" and expression lines I've started noticing the last couple of years.

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Monday Musings

Welcome to yet another fabulous week! Hope y'all had a nice weekend.

We kept ours low-key...on Friday night we grilled out and roasted some 'mallows around the fire pit. On Saturday, we pretty much just hung out. I had some cleaning to catch up on - so the boys stayed busy rotating between Play-Doh, painting and running around outside. We went out to dinner that night at Los Arcos for a much-needed margarita {and I guess for dinner too}.

Buuuut...I think that's going to be my last drink for a while. No, I'm not an alcoholic or anything, but I do usually have a glass of wine almost every night before bed...and it's starting to affect me in the mornings. As early as I get up on mornings I have to open the gym and then the other days being up before everyone else so I can get things ready to take the boys to school...I just hate the groggy feeling. I used to be a real morning person. Plus, I think it gets in the way of my workout results - OK, I know it does. So I need to take a little break from it, and bring it back in very moderately...no need to have that glass every night.

Speaking of workout results...I am seeing some good results with barre and Spin classes. I feel like they are a perfect complement to each other for sculpting a long and lean body. I've been doing barre twice a week and Spin twice a week. I still do 1-2 strength-training days as well, with some cardio on the elliptical those days. It's definitely making my derriere seem much more toned and lifted {and that's a hard area to tone after two kiddos!} and my legs are definitely starting to look leaner {though not sure if I'll ever be 100% happy with them, ugh!} And for the sake of motivation...I'm going to post this pic again:

In other news, I started trying grapeseed extract on my face this weekend after reading about its benefits on Lauryn's blog.

I couldn't find one that said organic at my grocery store, but I got one that said 100% {that's the same, right?} So far, I'm actually pretty pleased...I use it to remove my makeup at night, then slather on my night cream over it. In the mornings, I wash my face, then using a cotton ball, I apply a light coat of the grapeseed oil. I let that sit a couple minutes to soak in and then I apply my daytime moistuirizer with SPF over it. I've already noticed a smoother, brighter appearance in just a couple of days. But it's great, it is a relatively light oil, so I don't feel greasy, and from reading reviews from people that use it for their skin, it actually keeps pimples away, so I'm hoping I won't experience any breakouts either.

I did also find time this weekend to get a small DIY project done that has been long overdue. It will be on the blog tomorrow, so be sure to check it out!

Anywho - that's all I really have for this Monday. Hope y'all have a great kick-off to the week! xoxo

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Sun-Lovin' and Cancer Free

I'll be the first to admit that I've made some risky mistakes when it comes to choosing to protect, or not to protect, my skin from the sun. I've been in the tanning bed many, many times, spent countless hours outside without sunscreen, or without reapplying, or just plain without using enough SPF.

This week has been on the blog has been a lot about my upcoming 30th birthday, and with the 30s on the very near horizon - and another summer, I can't help but reconsider my skincare regimen, as well as my skin protection efforts.

In the last few years, I've noticed fine lines, laugh lines and even my famous scowl lines start to become more prominent...meaning they are there even when I'm not making the face. I've got dry, sensitive skin...so it is often flaky, itchy and red in some areas. It's either over-moisturized or under-moisturized. I have trouble finding my happy medium. I am also pretty fair-skinned, so I get a light tan at best...and my skin has trouble holding one...which only caused me to increase my tanning efforts in the past. Not good.

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Cancer is a very real threat to our generation. Skin cancer rates are on the rise...it's time to get smart about sun exposure. I've recently sworn off tanning beds for good. I love some Vitamin D as much as the next person, but I think the risks outweigh the benefits in that area. As the season continues to warm up and I start spending more time at the beach and pool, it's got me thinking about prevention...it's not worth the sun-damage and wrinkles to have sun-kissed skin for only a few months. I need to embrace the skin tone I was given...even if it might blind others {hey, that's what your sunglasses are for}.

What steps am I going to take for sun protection? Well, I think a hat is a must to keep the sun off my face, some big sunnies to cover the eye area, and constant SPF application of at least 30.

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As far as the damage that's already been done in the last 30 years, well, I am going to reverse what I can with a proper skin care regimen.

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Are you taking the steps to prevent skin cancer?

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Wednesday Wishlist {Birthday Edition}

With my 30th rapidly approaching {this Sunday!}, I thought I should put together a wishlist. {Hubby, take note.}

I've wanted a bar cart for a while now, but ever since Caycee showed her newly painted hot pink bar cart, I've had that on the brain. After all, I have decided pink will be the accent in our black/gray/white kitchen. This Hampton Bar Cart by Worlds Away is sooooo adorable...and only just under $1000 {pipe dreams...} Maybe I can fashion something similar eventually?

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With Spring in the air now and outdoor entertaining on the brain, I fell in love when I stumbled across this gorgeous patio bistro set on Pinterest...tell me it's not the most sweet and beautiful set you've ever seen! Tell me. A bit out of my price range, but a girl can dream!

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I am also in the market for some new workout pants...my collection, though tried and true, is getting a bit on the weathered and worn side. I guess I can pride myself in that they get used a lot? Wear and tear on those babies is a good thing. I love the Beyond Yoga line and my current fave are these Gathered Leggings in this deep lilac color.

And lastly, now that I'm entering my 30s, I've had skincare on my mind. Not that I haven't taken care of my skin in my 20s, but now I need to start using a retinol night cream. After looking around, I think this one by Roc is the one I want. {But open to any of your recommendations!}

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