This will obviously be image-heavy, so click the jump to see it all!
Showing posts with label 2014 Blogger Challenge. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2014 Blogger Challenge. Show all posts
Thursday, June 5, 2014
2014 Blogger Challenge #11: My polish stash...photographed!
Good morning! I'm finally returning to the 2014 Blogger Challenge. You might have noticed that I haven't done it for a couple months--there were some prompts I didn't have much to say about, then I kinda got distracted. But I thought today's topic would be a perfect place to get back on the horse. The prompt is collections. What do I have a giant collection of? Nail polish, of course! If you like to see pictures of organized stuff, you will like this post!
This will obviously be image-heavy, so click the jump to see it all!
This will obviously be image-heavy, so click the jump to see it all!
Sunday, March 16, 2014
2014 Blogger Challenge #6: Frittatas!
Hi all! Hope you had a nice weekend! It's time once again for the 2014 Blogger Challenge, and this week's theme is food. I've been really busy lately getting ready to release my next polish collection, so I was actually thinking about skipping the challenge this time; luckily Mr. ALIQUID provided me with an easy topic when he asked me to make something eggy for breakfast this morning.
What I ended up making is a frittata (basically an open-faced omelette), which is practically foolproof and a great way to use up leftover veggies or meat. I started by roughly chopping half an onion and half a bell pepper, which I cooked on medium-high heat with some olive oil, salt and pepper until the onions turned golden brown. Be sure to use a nonstick skillet.
The type and amount of filling is totally up to you, depending on what ratio of eggs to filling you want. The important thing is that the filling is fully cooked and that any water in the pan gets cooked off (otherwise you'll have watery eggs, ew!).
Meanwhile, I whisked four eggs in a bowl and added some salt, pepper, and torn up slices of cheddar and muenster cheese. You can get fancy and add herbs too.
Once the veggies were cooked, I turned down the heat to low and poured the eggs into the pan:
Now you just let the eggs sit until they're cooked all the way through (firm and opaque), but only just; the eggs should still be tender and moist. (You can also do this part in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes.) Slice it up and enjoy!
What I ended up making is a frittata (basically an open-faced omelette), which is practically foolproof and a great way to use up leftover veggies or meat. I started by roughly chopping half an onion and half a bell pepper, which I cooked on medium-high heat with some olive oil, salt and pepper until the onions turned golden brown. Be sure to use a nonstick skillet.
The type and amount of filling is totally up to you, depending on what ratio of eggs to filling you want. The important thing is that the filling is fully cooked and that any water in the pan gets cooked off (otherwise you'll have watery eggs, ew!).
Meanwhile, I whisked four eggs in a bowl and added some salt, pepper, and torn up slices of cheddar and muenster cheese. You can get fancy and add herbs too.
Once the veggies were cooked, I turned down the heat to low and poured the eggs into the pan:
Now you just let the eggs sit until they're cooked all the way through (firm and opaque), but only just; the eggs should still be tender and moist. (You can also do this part in the oven at 350 degrees for a few minutes.) Slice it up and enjoy!
Saturday, March 1, 2014
2014 Blogger Challenge #5: Tools of the Trade
Happy Saturday! Today's 2014 Blogger Challenge theme is, believe it or not, nails! Oh no, what should I write about?? I decided that instead of doing another swatch or something, I'd write about all the other stuff I use to take care of my nails and do nail art. Somehow I've never discussed this topic before! I'll also leave links to purchase any of the products I use, in case you're interested.
Check out my enormous bottle of Out the Door! I need it too, since I burn through the stuff. It's not quite as quick-drying as Seche Vite, which I used for a while, but Seche caused my nail polish to pop off in sheets, while Out the Door doesn't. Plus, OtD doesn't smell like death. (buy it here
)
For a base coat, I use NailTek Foundation II about 99% of the time. It's been a big help in strengthening my nails over the past year or so. I rarely get breaks now, even with square nails. It's also a ridge-filler, which is great for my ridge-y nails; it covers up all but the worst ones. (buy it here
)
I sometimes use Gelous as a topcoat over really bumpy glitter polish, since it's thick and also ridge-filling. It's also great as a base coat when you need super smooth nails, like when you're putting on a chrome polish. (buy it here
)
My polish remover of choice is Zoya Remove+. It's nearly as strong as pure acetone but WAY less drying. (I was stuck using pure acetone for a while and my cuticles looked absolutely horrible.) It doesn't smell quite as ghastly either. The only downside is the price. (buy it here)
I use OPI polish thinner when a polish is too gloopy, or if I'm doing nail art and I need a polish to apply more like a paint. I also use it when making polish. This thinner is pure butyl acetate and ethyl acetate, so no sketchy ingredients that will wreck your polish. (buy it here
)
Here's my cleanup brush! It's actually an E.L.F. Professional Concealer Brush, but it's got the perfect shape and stiffness for cleaning up stray polish (which I really need, since I always rush through application). I've been using this guy for over a year, and you can see it's getting a little worn out, but still works great. Actually it's deformed into a shape that works even better! (buy it here
)
I hope that wasn't terribly boring! What nail care or nail art product could you never live without?
1. Base and top coats
Check out my enormous bottle of Out the Door! I need it too, since I burn through the stuff. It's not quite as quick-drying as Seche Vite, which I used for a while, but Seche caused my nail polish to pop off in sheets, while Out the Door doesn't. Plus, OtD doesn't smell like death. (buy it here
)For a base coat, I use NailTek Foundation II about 99% of the time. It's been a big help in strengthening my nails over the past year or so. I rarely get breaks now, even with square nails. It's also a ridge-filler, which is great for my ridge-y nails; it covers up all but the worst ones. (buy it here
)I sometimes use Gelous as a topcoat over really bumpy glitter polish, since it's thick and also ridge-filling. It's also great as a base coat when you need super smooth nails, like when you're putting on a chrome polish. (buy it here
)2. Application tools
My polish remover of choice is Zoya Remove+. It's nearly as strong as pure acetone but WAY less drying. (I was stuck using pure acetone for a while and my cuticles looked absolutely horrible.) It doesn't smell quite as ghastly either. The only downside is the price. (buy it here)
I use OPI polish thinner when a polish is too gloopy, or if I'm doing nail art and I need a polish to apply more like a paint. I also use it when making polish. This thinner is pure butyl acetate and ethyl acetate, so no sketchy ingredients that will wreck your polish. (buy it here
)Here's my cleanup brush! It's actually an E.L.F. Professional Concealer Brush, but it's got the perfect shape and stiffness for cleaning up stray polish (which I really need, since I always rush through application). I've been using this guy for over a year, and you can see it's getting a little worn out, but still works great. Actually it's deformed into a shape that works even better! (buy it here
)3. Nail art tools
Here's my cute little folder full of brushes and dotters. This actually contains brushes from multiple kits; the folder came with a lot, but I added a set of tiny acrylic paintbrushes for detail work, plus some other random stuff. I definitely have some favorite brushes and some not-so-favorite ones. (buy the folder kit here
and the small brushes here
)
)
And of course my trusty stamper and striping tape. I've got a Konad stamper, but I'm also hoping at one point to get a "squishy" stamper too. For a scraper I just use an old credit card. (buy the stamper here and the tape here
)
)4. Nail care
This is actually the most crucial category if you want nice-looking nails (and who doesn't?). Keeping your cuticles moist not only helps their appearance, but also helps your nails grow in stronger and healthier. When shopping for cuticle moisturizers, avoid products that contain water, since water is your nails' worst enemy!
I keep Indigo Bananas cuticle balm in my bedroom to wear overnight. (My tin is actually a prototype, but now she sells larger sizes with different scents!) On my desk where I do my nails I keep Julep's cuticle oil, in case I need to freshen up before I take photos. (buy Indigo Bananas balm here; it looks like Julep's cuticle oil is no longer available in this form, but they have a couple similar products)
To keep my cuticles neat I use Sally Hansen Instant Cuticle Remover. This stuff is powerful--you leave it on for 15 seconds, then push and rub at your cuticles with an orange stick. This may be gross, but I love seeing the bits of dead skin coming off...it beats using nippers anyway! (buy it here
)
)I hope that wasn't terribly boring! What nail care or nail art product could you never live without?
Sunday, February 16, 2014
2014 Blogger Challenge #4: What's in a high-end polish?
Happy Sunday! I hope you didn't get as much snow as we did yesterday...I'm getting really sick of winter this year. >:-(
This time around, the 2014 Blogger Challenge participants are discussing "high-end vs. high street", or, are expensive products always worth it? I think nail polish is a different case than some other beauty products, and I'll explain why.
For some products, like skincare, foundation and so on, there can be a pretty big difference in the ingredients used, which can make some products worth more (or at least have the impression of being worth more). Compare the ingredients in Chapstick with those in Burt's Bees next time you're in the drugstore. The foundation, concealer and powder I use are all from Jane Iredale, which is on the pricey side, but they're designed to be beneficial for your skin (especially acne-prone skin) and avoid filler materials, like talc, which can be found in cheaper products. To me, the benefits of using this makeup are worth the extra cost.
With nail polish the situation is a little different. I've been making nail polish for about six months now, which by no means makes me an expert, but it seems to me that there are a fairly limited number of ingredients that go into making polish, and most of these aren't overly expensive (exceptions include things like real gold flake). What sets a polish apart from the rest is the way it combines those ingredients--so, the formula, color, finish and so on.
One reason high-end polishes are popular is that they're often at the leading edge of new trends and great color combinations; take, for example, Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream (retails for $20), which everyone drooled over. Then we got an inexpensive near-dupe from Revlon that made Mermaid's Dream accessible to more people.
For another example, take Rescue Beauty Lounge Aqua Lily (also $20), rightfully lusted after and then duped by GAP. I thought it might be fun to try to make my own version of Aqua Lily too and see just how expensive it is to make. Obviously, I'm not going to be selling this polish; I'm keeping it for myself!
Compare KellieGonzo's lovely swatch of Aqua Lily with my polish below. Since I don't own Aqua Lily, I based the color on photos; hopefully I came close! I also don't happen to own the same shade of pink shimmer used in Aqua Lily, so I used a violet shimmer that doesn't pop quite as much (it's stronger IRL than in my swatch). That's why I'm calling my polish "Aqua Violet". :-D
Aqua Lily, while beautiful, is a pretty simple mix--just pigment and shimmer. My bottle of "Aqua Violet" cost less than a dollar to make, not including the bottle itself.
So what are you actually paying for when you buy a high-end polish like Aqua Lily?
I'd love to hear what you think!
(Side note: high-end polishes aren't always the innovators. Textured polish, as far as I know, originated with OPI. And look at everything that's come from mid-range indie companies. Some really "classy" brands, like Dior, seem to stick to safe, conservative finishes. I'm sure they've done their market research.)
This time around, the 2014 Blogger Challenge participants are discussing "high-end vs. high street", or, are expensive products always worth it? I think nail polish is a different case than some other beauty products, and I'll explain why.
For some products, like skincare, foundation and so on, there can be a pretty big difference in the ingredients used, which can make some products worth more (or at least have the impression of being worth more). Compare the ingredients in Chapstick with those in Burt's Bees next time you're in the drugstore. The foundation, concealer and powder I use are all from Jane Iredale, which is on the pricey side, but they're designed to be beneficial for your skin (especially acne-prone skin) and avoid filler materials, like talc, which can be found in cheaper products. To me, the benefits of using this makeup are worth the extra cost.
With nail polish the situation is a little different. I've been making nail polish for about six months now, which by no means makes me an expert, but it seems to me that there are a fairly limited number of ingredients that go into making polish, and most of these aren't overly expensive (exceptions include things like real gold flake). What sets a polish apart from the rest is the way it combines those ingredients--so, the formula, color, finish and so on.
One reason high-end polishes are popular is that they're often at the leading edge of new trends and great color combinations; take, for example, Deborah Lippmann Mermaid's Dream (retails for $20), which everyone drooled over. Then we got an inexpensive near-dupe from Revlon that made Mermaid's Dream accessible to more people.
For another example, take Rescue Beauty Lounge Aqua Lily (also $20), rightfully lusted after and then duped by GAP. I thought it might be fun to try to make my own version of Aqua Lily too and see just how expensive it is to make. Obviously, I'm not going to be selling this polish; I'm keeping it for myself!
Compare KellieGonzo's lovely swatch of Aqua Lily with my polish below. Since I don't own Aqua Lily, I based the color on photos; hopefully I came close! I also don't happen to own the same shade of pink shimmer used in Aqua Lily, so I used a violet shimmer that doesn't pop quite as much (it's stronger IRL than in my swatch). That's why I'm calling my polish "Aqua Violet". :-D
 |
| ALIQUID's "Aqua Violet" |
Aqua Lily, while beautiful, is a pretty simple mix--just pigment and shimmer. My bottle of "Aqua Violet" cost less than a dollar to make, not including the bottle itself.
So what are you actually paying for when you buy a high-end polish like Aqua Lily?
- a good formula (but not always!)
- beautiful packaging
- prestige of owning a high-end product
- prestige of owning the original Aqua Lily/Mermaid's Dream/whatever
- maybe considerations like vegan, cruelty-free, etc.
I'd love to hear what you think!
(Side note: high-end polishes aren't always the innovators. Textured polish, as far as I know, originated with OPI. And look at everything that's come from mid-range indie companies. Some really "classy" brands, like Dior, seem to stick to safe, conservative finishes. I'm sure they've done their market research.)
Saturday, February 1, 2014
2014 Blogger Challenge #3: Once upon a time...
Welcome to the third edition of the 2014 Blogger Challenge! This time the prompt was to write about a book we either love or hate. I've always been a big reader, so it was a hard choice...
Trudy obligingly agreed to pose with one of my favorite books: The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (1911). Nearly everyone is aware of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, but not everyone knows that it was based on a century-old French novel! You can see how beat-up my copy is--I've had it since probably elementary school, and I still like to go back to it now and then.
If you've been in an opera house basement all your life and don't know the basic plot (which is the same in the book and the musical), here it is. The Phantom, horribly disfigured from birth, lives in the labyrinthine cellars below the Paris Opera House. He is a genius, a great singer, composer, inventor and magician, and he uses his talents to control and terrorize the employees of the Opera. He is also completely emotionally warped, since he's had no compassion from anyone in his life thanks to his terrifying appearance. He falls in love with a young singer named Christine Daae, and starts giving her singing lessons as a disembodied "Angel". Christine, still traumatized by the death of her father, is easily ensnared by this heavenly voice. Then her childhood sweetheart Raoul turns up, and things start to turn ugly...(I won't spoil the rest for you.)
The book differs from the musical in some important ways that I think make it a more powerful story. First, in terms of looks, the Phantom is definitely more of a Lon Chaney than a Gerard Butler (who manages to look sexy even with his mask off):
Trudy obligingly agreed to pose with one of my favorite books: The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux (1911). Nearly everyone is aware of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical, but not everyone knows that it was based on a century-old French novel! You can see how beat-up my copy is--I've had it since probably elementary school, and I still like to go back to it now and then.
If you've been in an opera house basement all your life and don't know the basic plot (which is the same in the book and the musical), here it is. The Phantom, horribly disfigured from birth, lives in the labyrinthine cellars below the Paris Opera House. He is a genius, a great singer, composer, inventor and magician, and he uses his talents to control and terrorize the employees of the Opera. He is also completely emotionally warped, since he's had no compassion from anyone in his life thanks to his terrifying appearance. He falls in love with a young singer named Christine Daae, and starts giving her singing lessons as a disembodied "Angel". Christine, still traumatized by the death of her father, is easily ensnared by this heavenly voice. Then her childhood sweetheart Raoul turns up, and things start to turn ugly...(I won't spoil the rest for you.)
The book differs from the musical in some important ways that I think make it a more powerful story. First, in terms of looks, the Phantom is definitely more of a Lon Chaney than a Gerard Butler (who manages to look sexy even with his mask off):
 |
| Like this... not this. |
The Phantom looks like a living skeleton and smells like a grave. He is not a sexy guy. So, while in the musical we want Christine and the Phantom to get together because hey, if he kept his mask on I would totally hit that...in the book we understand Christine's horror of him, and her compassion is even more extraordinary for it. The Phantom is more a truly tragic figure than a romantic antihero.
Another thing I like about the book is that the characterizations and drama are ramped up compared to the musical: the Phantom is more dangerous, more terrifying and at the same time more pathetic; Christine is more fragile and naive; and the stakes in the final showdown are even higher. There is also a lot of humor in the book in the form of the two Opera managers and Madame Giry, the batty old box attendant, who are exaggerated almost to the point of satire.
The author, Gaston Leroux, was originally a journalist who switched to writing mystery novels (and was pretty famous for them in France at the time), and both these careers influenced the novel. It's written as an account of real events, as the narrator starts by talking about some documents he found relating to the Phantom affair, and parts of the book are in the form of interviews. Leroux also invented some crazy ingenious devices the Phantom used to get around the Opera House and fight off any intruders, and they're a lot of fun to read about (some play a big part in the plot).
I'll finish up with a quote from the scene where Christine sees the Phantom's face for the first time:
'...But imagine, if you can, Red Death's mask suddenly coming to life in order to express, with the four black holes of its eyes, its nose and its mouth, the extreme anger, the mighty fury of a demon; and not a ray of light from the sockets, for, as I learnt later, you cannot see his blazing eyes except in the dark...I fell back against the wall and he came up to me, grinding his teeth hideously, and, as I fell upon my knees, he hissed mad, incoherent words and curses at me. Leaning over me, he cried, "Look! You want to see? See! Feast your eyes, glut your soul on my cursed ugliness! Look at Erik's face! Now you know the face of the voice!"...And, when I turned away my head and begged for mercy, he drew my head back to him, brutally, twisting his dead fingers into my hair.'
The Screamsheet has a much better review of the novel, plus comparisons with the various film and musical versions. If you like Gothic-style stories and tragic romance, pick up this book!
Don't forget to like the 2014 Blogger Challenge Facebook page or follow the hashtag #2014BloggerChallenge on Twitter to see everyone's posts!
Wednesday, January 15, 2014
2014 Blogger Challenge #2: Skincare for the pizza-faced
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
It's time once again for the 2014 Blogger Challenge! This time the theme is skincare. It turns out I have a lot to say about this topic, because I've been through a skincare odyssey over the past year or so.
I've had very oily, acne-prone skin (mainly whiteheads and cysts) ever since puberty, and I spent a decade scrubbing my face with special cleansers and slathering myself with benzoyl peroxide and oil-free "moisturizers" that didn't do much. As a result, I ended up in a vicious cycle where my skin got very dry due to all the acne products I was using, which made my skin produce lots of oil, which made me break out more, which made me use more acne products...
About a year ago, after doing a lot of reading online, I decided to try and break the cycle. My goals were to balance my skin's oil/moisture levels and eliminate benzoyl peroxide from my routine, because it's so harsh and drying. I wasn't successful with this second goal--I tried every product known to help acne (tea tree oil, sulfur, AHA/BHA, turmeric...) and found that benzoyl peroxide is really the most effective product for my skin. But I did manage to drastically reduce my skin's greasiness and flakiness without increasing breakouts.
I'm going to tell you the rules I follow that have helped my skin. Obviously, everyone's body is different, and you should make sure to follow your dermatologist's recommendations!
Any acne-fighting ingredients in your cleanser are only going to be sitting on your face for 30 seconds max, so they don't really have time to sink in. Plus, lots of these "extra strength" cleansers, especially ones labeled as "foaming", contain harsh detergents that strip all the moisture from your skin.
Instead, just stick with a gentle product that gets the excess dirt/oil off. Here's what I use:
Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Face Wash: This stuff makes me feel clean without giving my skin that "tight" feeling that means it's dried out. Plus it's not too expensive. The herbs are supposed to clean out your pores, but it's not necessary to get something with special ingredients like this--just look for a product without sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, which are detergents that can irritate skin.
This one seems counterintuitive at first--why would someone with oily skin put more oil on it? And indeed, people with acne are often advised to use oil-free products. But certain oils are non-comedogenic (don't clog pores) and can actually reduce the amount of natural oil your skin produces. Remember, your skin makes oil to keep itself moisturized; the drier your skin is, the more oil it will pump out (increasing the chances of clogged pores). Many plant oils make excellent moisturizers, thus reducing the need for your skin to make its own oil.
Here are some oils I like to use as nighttime moisturizers (they can be a bit too heavy for daytime):
Nubian Heritage Shea Butter with African Black Soap Extract: Shea butter is non-comedogenic, and African black soap is good for problem skin.
I also use a blend of jojoba oil, argan oil and tea tree oil. Jojoba and argan are both recommended for acne-prone skin because they're chemically very similar to human sebum (skin oil). Tea tree is antiseptic and good for pimples (it's very strong, so make sure to dilute it to no more than 10%).
When using oil or butter, a little goes a long way--just a few drops of oil or a tiny glob of butter will do. You can wipe off any excess if it feels too heavy. You can also experiment with different kinds of oils; just do your research, because not all oils are good for acne-prone skin. Coconut oil, for example, is very popular right now but can cause breakouts.
During the daytime, I use Burt's Bees Radiance Day Cream, which is effective without feeling heavy or greasy (its main ingredients are sesame oil, glycerin and castor oil).
Just make sure to moisturize in the morning and at night, especially in winter!
I know it's sometimes tempting to jump in bed without cleaning your makeup off, but that's the best way to wake up with new pimples the next morning. One nice, cheap product that's good at removing makeup is mineral oil (like cold cream or plain old baby oil), because it dissolves the makeup and extra skin oil better than water can. But right now I'm using something that works wonders:
Jane Iredale Magic Mitt: This thing is just...ugh, amazing. It looks like a mitten-shaped washcloth, but it is so much more. It's "made from a new generation of specially knitted micro-fibers...that break the surface tension of the oils that bond makeup to the skin". Micro-fibers may as well be some kind of witchcraft to me, because it really does work incredibly well. You just get it wet, wipe off your makeup with one side of the mitt, then flip it over and remove any remnants. Then wash the mitt with hand soap and hang it up to dry. The craziest thing is that because of those magical micro-fibers, the mitt is sterile when dry, so you never need to put it in the washing machine!
I really feel completely clean after using the Magic Mitt. It even gets off eye makeup like a pro! It also exfoliates, so I feel really soft and smooth after a couple uses. And supposedly it doesn't mess with the pH balance of your skin like soap would. I can't recommend this thing highly enough!
Once you get the basics down, you can mix and match any other products that work for you. Here are a couple other things I like:
I hope my fellow pizza-faced people find this post helpful. Let me know your tips and tricks in the comments! And don't forget to follow the 2014 Blogger Challenge on the Facebook page or on Twitter (#2014BloggerChallenge)!
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
It's time once again for the 2014 Blogger Challenge! This time the theme is skincare. It turns out I have a lot to say about this topic, because I've been through a skincare odyssey over the past year or so.
I've had very oily, acne-prone skin (mainly whiteheads and cysts) ever since puberty, and I spent a decade scrubbing my face with special cleansers and slathering myself with benzoyl peroxide and oil-free "moisturizers" that didn't do much. As a result, I ended up in a vicious cycle where my skin got very dry due to all the acne products I was using, which made my skin produce lots of oil, which made me break out more, which made me use more acne products...
About a year ago, after doing a lot of reading online, I decided to try and break the cycle. My goals were to balance my skin's oil/moisture levels and eliminate benzoyl peroxide from my routine, because it's so harsh and drying. I wasn't successful with this second goal--I tried every product known to help acne (tea tree oil, sulfur, AHA/BHA, turmeric...) and found that benzoyl peroxide is really the most effective product for my skin. But I did manage to drastically reduce my skin's greasiness and flakiness without increasing breakouts.
I'm going to tell you the rules I follow that have helped my skin. Obviously, everyone's body is different, and you should make sure to follow your dermatologist's recommendations!
Rule #1: Don't bother with special "acne-fighting" cleansers.
Any acne-fighting ingredients in your cleanser are only going to be sitting on your face for 30 seconds max, so they don't really have time to sink in. Plus, lots of these "extra strength" cleansers, especially ones labeled as "foaming", contain harsh detergents that strip all the moisture from your skin.
Instead, just stick with a gentle product that gets the excess dirt/oil off. Here's what I use:
Himalaya Herbals Purifying Neem Face Wash: This stuff makes me feel clean without giving my skin that "tight" feeling that means it's dried out. Plus it's not too expensive. The herbs are supposed to clean out your pores, but it's not necessary to get something with special ingredients like this--just look for a product without sodium lauryl/laureth sulfate, which are detergents that can irritate skin.
Rule #2: Don't be afraid of oil.
This one seems counterintuitive at first--why would someone with oily skin put more oil on it? And indeed, people with acne are often advised to use oil-free products. But certain oils are non-comedogenic (don't clog pores) and can actually reduce the amount of natural oil your skin produces. Remember, your skin makes oil to keep itself moisturized; the drier your skin is, the more oil it will pump out (increasing the chances of clogged pores). Many plant oils make excellent moisturizers, thus reducing the need for your skin to make its own oil.
Here are some oils I like to use as nighttime moisturizers (they can be a bit too heavy for daytime):
Nubian Heritage Shea Butter with African Black Soap Extract: Shea butter is non-comedogenic, and African black soap is good for problem skin.
I also use a blend of jojoba oil, argan oil and tea tree oil. Jojoba and argan are both recommended for acne-prone skin because they're chemically very similar to human sebum (skin oil). Tea tree is antiseptic and good for pimples (it's very strong, so make sure to dilute it to no more than 10%).
When using oil or butter, a little goes a long way--just a few drops of oil or a tiny glob of butter will do. You can wipe off any excess if it feels too heavy. You can also experiment with different kinds of oils; just do your research, because not all oils are good for acne-prone skin. Coconut oil, for example, is very popular right now but can cause breakouts.
During the daytime, I use Burt's Bees Radiance Day Cream, which is effective without feeling heavy or greasy (its main ingredients are sesame oil, glycerin and castor oil).
Just make sure to moisturize in the morning and at night, especially in winter!
Rule #3: Don't go to bed with makeup on.
I know it's sometimes tempting to jump in bed without cleaning your makeup off, but that's the best way to wake up with new pimples the next morning. One nice, cheap product that's good at removing makeup is mineral oil (like cold cream or plain old baby oil), because it dissolves the makeup and extra skin oil better than water can. But right now I'm using something that works wonders:
Jane Iredale Magic Mitt: This thing is just...ugh, amazing. It looks like a mitten-shaped washcloth, but it is so much more. It's "made from a new generation of specially knitted micro-fibers...that break the surface tension of the oils that bond makeup to the skin". Micro-fibers may as well be some kind of witchcraft to me, because it really does work incredibly well. You just get it wet, wipe off your makeup with one side of the mitt, then flip it over and remove any remnants. Then wash the mitt with hand soap and hang it up to dry. The craziest thing is that because of those magical micro-fibers, the mitt is sterile when dry, so you never need to put it in the washing machine!
I really feel completely clean after using the Magic Mitt. It even gets off eye makeup like a pro! It also exfoliates, so I feel really soft and smooth after a couple uses. And supposedly it doesn't mess with the pH balance of your skin like soap would. I can't recommend this thing highly enough!
Some Other Products I Like
Once you get the basics down, you can mix and match any other products that work for you. Here are a couple other things I like:
- Himalaya Herbals neem face pack: The only mask I've tried that doesn't give me breakouts. It's on the watery side and dries quickly.
- Dermadoctor Physical Chemistry microdermabrasion and chemical peel: One of the few pricey products I have. It gets off ALL that dead skin and makes you feel soooo soft. It's also supposed to help with scars and discoloration.
- Jane Iredale makes several great mineral makeup products for oily and acne-prone skin. I like the PurePressed mineral foundation and Beyond Matte powder--they have great coverage without feeling heavy. The Balance antioxidant hydration spray sets the makeup and gets rid of any flaky dry spots.
I hope my fellow pizza-faced people find this post helpful. Let me know your tips and tricks in the comments! And don't forget to follow the 2014 Blogger Challenge on the Facebook page or on Twitter (#2014BloggerChallenge)!
This post contains affiliate links. All opinions are my own.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
2014 Blogger Challenge #1, plus a giveaway!
Happy New Year!! I was just getting used to writing "2013" as the date, and now it's 2014 already...weird.
This year I'm participating in a bi-weekly challenge with a bunch of other bloggers of all kinds. The 2014 Blogger Challenge is organized by Gaby at Another Girly Blog; twice a month we all write posts based on a prompt she chooses. It should be exciting to see what topics she comes up with and how everyone responds to them! If you want to follow along, you can like the Facebook page or use the Twitter hashtag #2014BloggerChallenge!
The first topic for the challenge is "New Years Inspiration--share a quote or a picture that inspires you and you think will inspire others in the New Year." I didn't much like this prompt at first because I'm not big on "inspirational" stuff; I usually just find it to be cheesy and kind of empty. So I thought about my own personal challenges and what advice I'd found most useful.
What I came up with may not sound too inspirational at first:
The importance of not striving for perfection hit me a few months ago, when I was working on a polish for ALIQUID Lacquer. My husband came in, watched for a little while, and asked, "But how do you know when a polish is perfect?" I told him as long as I was happy with the result, I wasn't worried about it being "perfect". After all, perfection isn't really possible, is it?
So for 2014 I'm going to focus on just getting things done, no matter whether other people can find flaws in what I do. This really applies to all areas of my life--work, blogging, nail art, the nail polish business. I'll try to remember that my own self-worth doesn't rely on the work I produce, but how I feel about myself as a human being. I hope other perfectionists out there will try along with me!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This year I'm participating in a bi-weekly challenge with a bunch of other bloggers of all kinds. The 2014 Blogger Challenge is organized by Gaby at Another Girly Blog; twice a month we all write posts based on a prompt she chooses. It should be exciting to see what topics she comes up with and how everyone responds to them! If you want to follow along, you can like the Facebook page or use the Twitter hashtag #2014BloggerChallenge!
The first topic for the challenge is "New Years Inspiration--share a quote or a picture that inspires you and you think will inspire others in the New Year." I didn't much like this prompt at first because I'm not big on "inspirational" stuff; I usually just find it to be cheesy and kind of empty. So I thought about my own personal challenges and what advice I'd found most useful.
What I came up with may not sound too inspirational at first:
"Don't make it perfect; just get it done."This advice was originally given to me by a linguistics PhD in the context of academic work, but it really applies to all areas of my life. I'm a huge perfectionist, to the point where large tasks give me enormous amounts of anxiety because I'm so afraid of embarrassing myself if I don't get everything exactly right. While perfectionism can be an asset in that I pay really close attention to detail, it has often slowed me down, stressed me out and caused me to pull a LOT of all-nighters.
The importance of not striving for perfection hit me a few months ago, when I was working on a polish for ALIQUID Lacquer. My husband came in, watched for a little while, and asked, "But how do you know when a polish is perfect?" I told him as long as I was happy with the result, I wasn't worried about it being "perfect". After all, perfection isn't really possible, is it?
So for 2014 I'm going to focus on just getting things done, no matter whether other people can find flaws in what I do. This really applies to all areas of my life--work, blogging, nail art, the nail polish business. I'll try to remember that my own self-worth doesn't rely on the work I produce, but how I feel about myself as a human being. I hope other perfectionists out there will try along with me!
*******
And now, here's your reward for making it through my ramblings...Marbles for Polish is celebrating 500 Facebook likes, and she's teamed up with several indie polish makers and bloggers for a huge "New Year, New Goodies" giveaway! I'm giving away a bottle of ALIQUID Lacquer Quiet Night In and a vanilla-scented lip balm. Visit the giveaway page at Marbles for Polish for a full list of prizes. You can enter the giveaway right here; you just have to be over 18 and a resident of the US or Canada. Good luck!
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