By Renee Rouleau, Skincare Expert and Esthetician
Renée Rouleau has been helping men, women and teens attain healthy, glowing, beautiful skin for more than twenty years.
Her philosophy is simple: With the proper tools, effective products and a disciplined approach, anyone can have great skin.
She provides regular skincare advice and tips on her blog, too!
Six Skin Habits You Should Unlearn for 2012
As a skin care expert and celebrity esthetician with 25 years of hands-on experience, I have observed and heard many bad skin habits through the years. Here’s six of the most common habits I hear, and ones that should be broken to ensure your skin is healthy, balanced and glowing.
1) Tugging at the delicate eye area.
The eye area is the thinnest skin of any area on the face, and it’s the first to show the signs of aging, so when people pull on the skin when they put in their contacts, apply eyeliner, or rub aggressively on the area when removing stubborn eye makeup, this can unnecessarily create wear and tear on the collagen and elasticity fibers within the skin. These habits may cause visible lines and wrinkles prematurely, so be sure to treat this delicate area with care.
2) Misting, not wiping, your skin when using toner.
While I understand a lot of people have gotten in the habit of misting toner on the skin because of the convenience, it is really important to use a wiping action while using toner. The reason is because toners are designed to remove cleanser residue and (most importantly) salts, chlorines, and chemicals from tap water that may dehydrate the skin. So when you mist the toner, you are simply diluting these chemicals, not removing them. Always use an alcohol-free toner, wipe it over the skin with our Toning Cloths, and if you so choose, mist afterwards.
3) Over-using your Clarisonic brush.
In a previous Temptalia post called Skin Care Expert, Renée Rouleau Reviews the Clarisonic, I share my thoughts on how many people may be over-using the Clarisonic brush and being more harmful than helpful to the skin. The company suggests you use it twice a day, every day but I personally feel this is way too much for most types of skin to handle, especially if you’re using other exfoliating products such as acids, scrubs and enzymes. Just like you shouldn’t use a facial scrub twice a day, you also shouldn’t use the Clarisonic twice a day. It should be reserved to 2-3 times a week.
4) Not washing your skin in the morning.
Many people have gotten in the habit of not washing the skin in the morning, because the skin is already clean from washing the night before and no makeup was worn. The reason it is important to wash your face in the morning is because while you are sleeping, the skin is in repair mode and will secrete toxins and sebum, which can prevent your daytime products from working effectively. When you wash your skin in the morning, you are removing not only the toxins and sebum, but your nighttime products as well – this allows your daytime products (particularly our Daily Protection SPF 30) to absorb into the skin better since they will have a clean slate. Be sure to wash with a mild, sulfate-free cleansing gel in the morning.(And of course, washing your skin every night is a must!)
5) Using the same products year-round.
Without a doubt, your skin has different needs in summer and winter, but even in fall and spring. In summer, the focus should be on protecting your skin from the sun with sunscreen and antioxidants, which have powerful protective qualities. Products should be lighter-weight in the summer, since there is more humidity in air. A summer skin care routine should have less exfoliation since more time is spent outdoors. During the fall, you can increase your exfoliation to repair the skin from the summer sun. With the dry air in winter, it is about increasing moisturization with more hydrating products. In spring, it is time to do a spring cleaning with deep pore cleansing products. So getting in the habit of using the same products year-round is an absolute no-no.
6) Picking at your skin.
Many are guilty of this one, but they are in the habit of automatically picking at a blemish the minute it appears. Whether it is out of nerves or simply trying to make a blemish go away faster, you really do end up making it worse. The truth of the matter is, a blemish only lasts 5-7 days, but the redder, dark scar can linger for months. Did your blemish leave you with a dark or red scar? Use Post-Breakout Fading Gel. To keep your hands busy and off of your face, try our No Picking! Twisty Toy.
So if you are stuck in any of these habits, follow these skin care tips to break free and be well on your way to healthy, glowing and beautiful skin in 2012.
By Courtney, Indie & Mineral Makeup Expert
Courtney is the amazing talent behind Phyrra.net, which showcases a veritable treasure trove of looks and reviews, often focusing on indie brands and mineral makeup. She’s my go-to for all things in those areas! I reached out to Courtney to help me and readers like me understand more about indie brands–how can we make sure we’re buying from good companies and getting quality products (and not just repackaged ones)? You can also check out Courtney’s own tried and true list of brands she buys from.
When she isn’t blogging, you can find her with her much loved standard poodle (Phaedra) and pug (Maximus), gaming, or writing (about non-makeup, that is)! She’s not afraid to experiment with color, whether it’s her hair, lips, or on the eyes.
Mineral Makeup: What to Look For When Buying
I first got into mineral makeup in April of 2008. I didn’t know much about it at the time, so I started to try and find as much information as possible. Surprisingly, I didn’t find too many reviews (though some of the best ones I could find came from The Shades of U). This led me to decide to start a blog and write about my experiences with indie cosmetics. Through my trials and tribulations, I’ve learned a lot! I’ve interviewed company owners and experimented on my own. From my experiences over the past three years, I’ve compiled a list of tips to share on how to discern good products.
When you stumble across an indie company that you’re just dying to order from, before you hit that buy button, there are a few things you should do…
Look at the Type of Products Sold
While some great indie and mineral makeup companies only offer eye shadows, so do a lot of companies that merely repackage product. If you’re unsure of what repackaged products are, it’s where a company will buy products wholesale, mark it up 400% and put it into tiny containers to resell it to unsuspecting consumers as a handmade product.
I’ve got no problems with companies that sell unblended shades that are clearly denoted as such, but I often feel it’s duplicitous when a company sells unblended shades at a crazy markup and claims those are handmade when they don’t even add a base to the product. A lot of the great indie (independent) makeup companies out there sell not only eye shadow, but also blush, mixing mediums (Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy, anyone?), foundation, and lip products. Lip products and foundations are usually a very positive sign of a legitimate company, because many people find creating both of those product lines to be labor intensive, so someone looking to make a quick buck isn’t likely to make either.
Do Your Research First!
First, Google the company name with the word review after it and see what people have to say. Sometimes, I’ve found a neutral or negative review on a product or customer service to be a deciding factor for if I will purchase. Positive reviews, as well as product swatches, are very helpful in deciding if the product is something I want to purchase, too. It is also helpful to see how an indie company handled a problem, like if someone had an item missing from an order, or to see how promptly a company responds to inquiries.
Next, Google the company name with the word repackaged after it. If nothing comes up, that’s usually a good sign. If repackaged links come up, see what people say. Some companies, as mentioned before, do sell some unblended colors. This means that they’re a stock shade, usually with a base added to it to make it a finished product. The most common colors to see that are repackaged are the Pops mica. Many companies have sold these shades.
If you’ve found a company that you’re interested in and they have some colors repackaged but others that are not, chances are they carry the repackaged colors due to customer request. Additionally, if the repackaged shades are a finished product, meaning they have a base added, they should be a good product to purchase and wear. Just be wary if a repackaged color doesn’t have any base ingredients listed!
Check out more tips to help you buy from reputable, quality indie brands and learn what ingredients to look for/avoid! Keep Reading!
By Amanda, Traveling Contributor
While earning her degree at university, Amanda traveled around the world to a plethora of countries in Europe, the Middle East and Asia, Africa, and the Caribbean. She currently lives on New York City’s Upper East Side where is pursuing a graduate degree and working in education. Amanda has studied the histories of beauty around the world and is herself, an avid admirer and practitioner of the beauty techniques she studies.
To track her travels, thoughts, and techniques follow her at www.aklectique.com. As a world traveler (and with more travel plans on the horizon), she’ll be offering a unique perspective of the amazing local brands and products she’s discovered and still discovering.
Traveling Must-Haves by a World Traveler
I’d like to share with you what I take with me whenever I go traveling. From the High-Atlas Berber villages in Morocco, to the Pyramids in Cairo, to Red Sea just off the coast of Saudi Arabia, to Diocletian’s palace in Croatia, and through Nottingham’s rainy days, these products have proven their metaphorical “valor” for their resilient consistency and inherent capacity to work well across varying climate conditions.
I’ve found that my MAC Studio Careblend Pressed Power ($23.00) works for me in all whether conditions. Whether it be the 125 degree weather in Egypt or -30s in New Hampshire, this product provides the same consistent coverage and staying power across temperatures. I’d find that my bronzer and highlighter (listed below) are best suited for all temperatures below 85 degrees. If the temperature is higher, I risk looking shiny all day long. Finally Benefit’s One Hot Minute ($30.00) adds the perfect amount of matte color to my face to prevent me from looking washed-out in any climate.
Now, the eyes are almost a free-for-all. I tend to keep in neutral when I am traveling so as to not stand out as a foreigner too much. (Below is a more detailed list of eye products that I’ve found to last underwater in Jamaica and Croatia, as well as after a long day of work.) To the complete the visage, my must-have lip product is my Burt’s Bees Sun Protect Lip Balm ($3.99). This lip balm neutralizes the color of my lips and allows me to then apply pigmented lip product that is appropriate for the given situation. More often than not, I find myself using MAC Snob ($14.50) or Revlon’s Nude Attitude ($7.99).
Just remember: When traveling, less is more!
Check out Amanda’s list of must-have products for travel! Keep Reading!
By Renee Rouleau, Skincare Expert and Esthetician
Renée Rouleau has been helping men, women and teens attain healthy, glowing, beautiful skin for more than twenty years.
Her philosophy is simple: With the proper tools, effective products and a disciplined approach, anyone can have great skin.
She provides regular skincare advice and tips on her blog, too!
10 Skin Care Ingredients to Keep You Looking Young
Esthetician Renée Rouleau shares her list of favorite anti-aging ingredients that both she and researchers find are the most efficacious to keep your skin more youthful-looking.
Yeast Extracts
We have special skin repair cells just below the skin’s surface called Langerhans cells. They are our first line of immune defense in the body. These cells are very active when we are young to protect us from environmental skin damage and reactions. As we age, these cells become less active and the signs of aging begin to show. Yeast extracts are like nothing else on the market in stimulating these sluggish skin repair cells. They work well for both tired and sensitive skins alike. Beta-glucan yeast extracts have been shown to make skin less sensitive over time, as well as provide excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs)
AHAs (including glycolic, lactic, and fruit acids) are helpful in reducing wrinkles, fine lines, irregular pigmentation, age spots, and decreasing the size of enlarged pores by exfoliating away dead surface cells that age the skin. Exfoliation triggers repair, producing newer, fresher, younger-looking skin. The favored AHA is Glycolic Acid because it has the smallest molecular structure, and can penetrate deeper. Lactic cannot penetrate as deeply, but is gentler and more hydrating. AHAs are more effective in higher concentrations, such as those found in serums, which also retain the desired pH levels. It is important to note using acid products too often can lead to irritation, which then triggers an aging and inflammation response.
Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate
This is the most stable form of Vitamin C, and converts to Ascorbyl Acid once inside the skin and is time-released so it works for up to eight hours giving you potent anti-aging protection. In addition, it stays fresher and more active longer and it isn’t as acidic, so it doesn’t cause stinging, redness or irritation. I feel it’s one of the very best topical age preventers, because Vitamin C has been the most extensively researched antioxidant in skincare. It’s found to be extremely effective in interfering with many aging free radicals found in the environment (such as sunlight, stress and pollutants). It is recommended to be worn daily under a moisturizer containing sunscreen. This antioxidant not only gives your skin its daily dose of anti-aging, it is also helpful with reducing discoloration and brown spots.
Hyaluronic Acid
Water is essential for feeding the cells of our skin and keeping them looking plump, radiant and youthful. Found naturally in your skin’s dermis, Hyaluronic Acid holds onto water and provides tone and contour to the skin. When used in skin care products, it helps retain the skin’s natural moisture balance. Amazingly it can hold up to 1000 times its weight in water, resulting in enhanced elasticity, lubrication, plumpness and moisture in the skin. (Renée Rouleau Skin Drink uses a highly concentrated Hyaluronic Acid based, hydrating formula.) Layer it under your moisturizer or masque, or mix it with another serum to load up on this super humectant.
Peptides
Peptides are used for anti-aging to smooth wrinkles and reduce the visual effects of aging. Peptides are a portion of larger protein molecules used in the body to communicate with and direct skin cells to behave in certain beneficial ways, such as producing more collagen or thickening the support structure of the skin. Peptides are able to enter the cells of the skin and remain intact. Different types of peptides influence different types of cells. Common peptides used in skin care products are Acetyl Hexapeptide, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide, Palmitoyl Oligopeptide, Dipeptide-2 and Caprooyl Tetrapeptide.
Holiday Gift Guide: Gift-Giving Tips & Tricks
If you’ve ever experienced the feeling of giving a really fantastic gift, it’s know how amazing it can be. It’s so fulfilling and satisfying to know you picked just the right thing for that one special person. Similarly, when you receive a gift that’s exactly what you wanted/needed, you get a sense of how much thought the giver put into the gift. It seemed like several readers struggled trying to figure out what kind of gifts to give friends and family when it came to beauty, particularly because they weren’t sure what colors to choose. I thought I would touch on some tips born from past experience on that particular issue as well as some more generalized tips and tricks when it comes to the art of great gift giving.
Little Touches Count
The little things can add tremendous value and appeal to your gift. Think about when someone takes an amazing gift but throws it into a paper bag at the last minute; or how about the time you totally forgot to grab a card and just shoved a gift in someone’s face? Fancy wrapping or expensive greeting cards are by no means necessary to a great gift, but remembering to take as much time in the presentation of the gift as you did in the acquisition of it is important. You can also keep an eye out for gifts that already come in festive packaging or bags.
I do, personally, splurge on fancier gift wrap, because I have a thing for Christmas decor and like to see lots of shine and color under the tree. Holidays come earlier and earlier each year, so you can find great bargains on wrapping paper at local discount stores as well as online. You can also stock up right after the holidays for the next year if you have some storage space! I also like festive ribbons for smaller gifts or awkward-to-wrap gifts. I often make my own cards to attach to gifts with colored card stock and simply scrawl a short and sweet note to the recipient.
It’s Not About the Money
I cannot emphasize it enough, but it is the thought that really counts, especially when you’re not gifting to a five-year-old who’s been dreaming of the latest gaming system for the past 364 days. But in all seriousness, the majority of people, and hopefully, your dearest friends and family, are not googling what you bought them to see how much you spent on them. Your best friend who is the girliest girl you can imagine doesn’t want to receive a weed wacker for the holidays, and it’s just important to know your recipient and find a gift that would resonate with them. Don’t get caught up in the idea that more is better or that bigger is better! Keep gift ideas in mind all year round, even pricier ones (that are just outside your budget), because if you know your partner has their eye on such-and-such electronic, you can keep an eye out for price drops towards the second half of the year.
Sales, Sales, Sales
Stemming from looking out for deals on must-give gifts much earlier than the last two months of the year is taking advantage of sales, but I will caution you not to let them take advantage of you! Just because there’s a sale doesn’t mean you have to find something for someone there. November is the time for Friends & Family sales and events, several having already taken place, but there are more to come. Similarly, the infamous Black Friday is nearing (along with Cyber Monday), which can be a good opportunity to take advantage of sales.
Use Social Media and Networking
So much of our lives are now online, from the photos and videos of our lives to our favorite interests. Many people have their favorite social networking sites that they use, and you can learn more about their various interests from a profile. I’m totally serious here! Sometimes you bond with someone over certain common interests (say, beauty), but you might not know their favorite music or movies. If you have friends or family members who are really active, you might be able to see what kind of things they’ve liked in the past couple of months to help give you an idea of where to start your search from!
Gift Guides from Everyone
Almost everyone has some sort of gift guide these days, and I don’t mean bloggers but major retailers and individual brands. Most of them have a section on their website for gift sets/value sets as well as gift guides broken out by price or “personality.” Perhaps you have a favorite brand you want a friend to experience or you know your friend’s favorite brand but you’ve never used anything by them; either way, you can peruse through recommendations from the brand as a great jumping off point.
5-Minute Primer on Beauty Products for Others
You have your beauty partner in crime, but you’re just not confident about buying them something because you don’t know if they’ll good in it or if it’s a shade they’d like. There are fantastic items that are more neutral and general that work across skin tones and undertones, but there are certainly plenty of products that just tend to look better on a certain skin tone/undertone.
- Stealthily get a grasp on their skin tone: if your friend wears a bracelet or watch, you can try to get a look at the underside of their wrist/forearm by asking to see their bracelet/watch close-up. Green veins indicate warmer undertones, while blue veins indicate cooler undertones; if you can’t really tell, they may be neutral. You can also use the jewelry trick; does your friend wear a lot of gold or silver jewelry? Is there one they look better in? Gold looks better on warmer skin tones, while silver looks better on cooler skin tones–but be careful, a lot of people prefer a metal over the other, regardless of their undertone!
- Think about the colors/styles/products you see them in most: if you’ve never seen your friend wear red lipstick and only baby pinks and barely-there nudes, buying them a red isn’t necessarily the best way to go (unless you’re deliberately prodding them to finally wear one and you know the perfect one for them!). Do they wear bold eyes? cheeks? lips? What feature do they emphasize?
- Something old or something new? Consider whether you’re trying to simply buy them something they would love to wear, which means it is likely to be similar to other shades they already own (so go see if you can snoop through their makeup bag!) or if you’re trying to get them to try something they wouldn’t normally wear (perhaps something they’ve been curious about).
- Warm undertones look best in shades like earthy neutrals, coppers and bronzes, yellowy greens, metallic golds, corals, oranges, and yellow-based pinks. I believe anyone can wear anything–it’s just a matter of pairing it with the right products; this is merely a quickie guideline to pick the most-likely-to-suit products.
- Cool undertones look best in shades like sooty neutrals, beiges and taupes, charcoal browns and grays, blues, blue-based teals, blue-based reds, fuchsia pinks, berries, cotton candy pinks. Again, this is a mere snapshot of common colors that often work well on those with cooler complexions but you should feel free to wear whatever you like!
Share your gift-giving tips & tricks in the comments!
By Dain, New England, Skincare Contributor
Dain is a freelance editor and writer, who graduated with a Bachelor of Art in English. She expected to pursue an academic career but found her interests straying elsewhere–like beauty! She has dry, sensitive skin and is always looking for ways to keep her skin hydrated. When she isn’t writing about beauty, she loves to play video games, cook (and eat!), and read.
Check out her blog, Ars Aromatica!
A battalion of moisturizers, each trained to a specific purpose.
Importance of Gentle Cleansing & Layering Moisturizers
The skin is our body’s first line of defense against environmental aggressors. As a barrier, mine is deficient as a barrier. It’s both sebum-starved and paper thin, the conventional definition of “sensitive”. Consequently, I follow two principles in my approach to skincare.
GENTLE, GENTLE CLEANSING
All but the mildest cleansers are too aggressive for my skin. For a simple cleanse, I’ve faithfully purchased Weleda Calendula Baby Wash ($11 for 200 mL) many times over. Coco glucoside is a minimally invasive surfactant, approved for use on babies. Plus, it smells like tangerines. To remove makeup, I like micellar waters, such as cult classic Bioderma ($30 for 500 mL). It feels like water yet it dissolves stubborn eye makeup with ease. If I need a thorough, deep cleanse, I massage a cream cleanser generously onto dry skin, using the friction from my fingers to break down makeup and sunscreen. If you dislike residue, a good trick is to add water incrementally during the massage, slowly emulsifying the emollients. I’m currently enamoured of Trilogy Cream Cleanser ($37 for 200 mL), but I’m always open to suggestions.
LAYERED MOISTURIZERS
If there’s a skin trick I swear by, it’s to fragment moisturizing into several steps. Creams for dry skin, because they’re so rich in oils, can sit uselessly on the surface as a greasy layer. It took years of disappointment and thirsty skin to recognize that dehydration (water loss) and dryness (low sebum) should be addressed by separate products.
First, I saturate my skin with a softener. Pat, don’t rub, to maximize absorption. The humectants draw moisture deeper into the skin, penetrating past layers of dehydration and enhancing the performance of your moisturizer. I prefer formulations that feature hyaluronic acid, such as Shiseido Eudermine ($56 for 125 mL). With its gorgeous red bottle and fragrant with rainwashed peonies, Eudermine hits a high note in luxury skincare, but it’s also interesting from a historical point of view, as the seminal force behind Asian skincare. Then, while my skin is still damp, I apply a rich emulsion. Keep in mind, I’m the sort of girl who has half a dozen moisturizers on rotation; it’s unlikely I’ll ever settle on any single product. At the moment, my favorite is Tata Harper Rejuvenating Serum ($150 for 50 mL). Finally, I seal in everything with my favorite face oil, Kahina Serum ($90 for 30 mL), an enriched argan blend that nourishes the skin for a well-conditioned glow and soothes with anti-inflammatory EFAs. By splitting one moisturizer into three layers, I find it maximizes absorption, thanks to the softener, and yet provides a long-lasting protective barrier, thanks to the oil, with the emulsion sandwiched in between.
For daytime, I switch to a mild, avobenzone-free sunscreen like Avène Hydrance Optimale SPF 20 ($24 for 40 mL). Since it forms a barrier, in my mind it’s roughly analogous to the face oil: the final layer, applied last. Antioxidants and sunscreen go hand in hand, so I’m in the market for an antioxidant serum to layer under sunscreen, after softening. While I insist on actives—too many serums are no more than overpriced blends of silicones and humectants—alas, my skin does not tolerate vitamin C. I’m open to suggestions, reader!
Page 1 of 3612345...25...Next »Last »
