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Birthday No. 42, gulp. Products come and go.  Especially for a skincare/makeup obsessive like me.  Some products are so tried and true though I continue to use them regularly, if not daily.  I may cheat on them a bit now and then but I always return to products that work.  These are the absolute gold standard of my regime.  Follow the links to my original blog postings. Purity Made Simple Face Wash - Philosophy There simply is no better face wash.  It is gentle, dissolves makeup, and doesn't sting my eyes.  I buy 32 ounce sizes so that I never run out. Purity Made Simple Clarisonic Face Brush This brush is amazing.  It's worth the money.  Your skin just gets cleaner.  Your pores look better.  Just remember to REGULARLY replace that brush. Clarisonic UN-Wrinkle Peel Pads - Peter Thomas Roth I don't take the time to use these enough.  When I do though (and I always do), I s...

Who is surprised really that a product from outside the country is swiftly becoming a cult phenomena?  In America, products are parsed out for each issue.  Got acne?  Here you go.  Need moisture?  Age spots?  American companies nickel and dime us to death really.  We’re jumping on the bandwagon though.  Clinique, Garnier and Smashbox have all come out with their version of a BB cream.  However I went to the source. Let me circle back.  BB cream stands for blemish balm although apparently that term is copyrighted so most products say beblesh balm.  So what?  It’s a treatment for acne?  Yes, and so much more.  There are versions that gear more towards that end of the spectrum for sure.  The version I got after some research is geared towards me.  I get the occasional breakout but I’m also very sensitive and certainly need hydration so I chose a product from Elisha Coy. Elisha Coy Premium Gold Mineral B...

If you've been following me at all you know I tend to prefer powder foundations.  Wet, sticky foundation has never been my thing.  I really haven't ever worn foundation on a daily basis either.  It's always been a bit of a special occasion thing for me.  Ever on the lookout for a good high spectrum SPF that isn't sticky or goopy however, this caught my eye.  Well I have to say I've landed on something special here kids.   Philosophy Divine Illumination Divine Flawless Foundation is many things at once.  Lightweight foundation, skincare, and UVA/UVB SPF 50.  It is not goopy or sticky at all.  In fact, I make sure to use a good, solid moisturizer underneath because if anything it's a little dry.  With that said though, it has hyaluronic acid (yes!) AND ever important peptides so this is makeup that's working for you. Plus, there a very subtle sheen to the formula that I promise you is not shimmery but in fact quite flattering....

1) Gentle Exfoliating Mechanism (sugar, jojoba beads, alpha hydroxy acid) Don't even think about putting something expensive and beneficial on your face without exfoliating your skin! It would be like putting lotion on an unpeeled onion. Nothing's gonna bring that back baby! Putting products on your thick, dead skin is a huge waste of money. Besides, regular exfoliation promotes cell renewal. Hello! Stay away from products containing nuts. That stuff will tear up your skin, and not in a good way. 2) SPF The sun is incredibly damaging and we all know it. Put one twin in a basement for 20 years and let the other live life normally, guess which one will look remarkably young for her age? I don't recommend staying inside for 20 years by the way. It sounds like the plot of a promising horror film. That twin's got to be nuts. Get some SPF and live your life people! 3) Retinol Retinol (vitamin a) works underneath the surface of your skin to stimulate cell growth an...

I have never met a sunscreen for the face I could tolerate. They are inevitably thick, sticky and uncomfortable. It feels like my skin can't breathe and I'm convinced it will cause a break out. Of course I know better. Sunscreen is the number one tip for preventing wrinkles and damage to your skin. Everything else you do for your skin doesn't even come close to the effectiveness of sun screen. All the while knowing better, I sheepishly avoid the sun. Not anymore. Verabella Moisture Screen is amazing. It is light and silky and smells gorgeous; cucumber heaven. I will definitely wear this every day without any problem. At $48.50 it is a major splurge. As with all Verabella products however, it is a very large size. They could quite easily cut the size in half and sell it for $24.25. Honestly they would probably sell more if they did. I would encourage you to take advantage of Verabella's package deals available on their site which can get you an approximate 10% discount...