Skin Care

Recently, I've taken a fancy to my skin - protecting, loving, nourishing - you know, all the things we're supposed to do to our largest and most abused organ. Layering on the makeup and face-pinches from the boyfriend aren't exactly pro-skin, so I've taken to upping my game.

My love for girly things takes me down isles of products, catching my eye at every pink or glittery bit and bobble. Or even worse is when the products look foreign and made from ancient recipies.

As of late, however, I've been passionate about finding products that make me feel mature and spoiled but also powerfully do the job on a budget.

From the dreaded winter months full of dutiful testing, I've launched into spring with new skin care favorites!

Since you're my new friend, I want to let you in on all the secrets!

1: Himalaya Herbal Purifying Neem Face Wash

This cleanser uses age-old natural ingredients to make a powerful cleanser that takes everything off in just one wash. Neem is very popular in India because it's a herb that pulls everything out, but is not in least bit drying. If you habe a full face of makeup, skip the micellar water and do a double wash of this. The gel rapidly suds up to melt off whatever is on your face. Its a no-fuss cleanser ripe to tackle your gripe!

Seeing as this is an Indian product, it's easiest to buy it off amazon or eBay so you don't have to worry about currency exchange or cross-country shipping - terrible business. Plus it's dirt cheap! I found mine at an Indian grocer just down the street from my place, so find out if you have such a store in your town and make a trip down there. You neem this cleanser in you life!

2: Pixi Skintreats Glow Tonic

This bad boy is liquid honey in a bottle! It cleanses and tones the skin while giving it some nutrients as well. I've seen a reduction in breakouts and a tightening to the pores just from using this alone! Iv'e found a swipe on the face once a day is just right for me, but play and see what fits your needs.

3: Timeless 20% Vitamin C + E + Ferulic Acid Serum

This is a powerful little potion. Vitamin C is renowned for adding vibrancy and a refreshed look to your skin. It drastically reduces sunspots spots and acne scarring to even out your complexion, as well as the crows feet around your peepers. A bit of an anti-aging benefit! Timeless is a great company with quality products, and this is the most affordable yet effective vitamin C elixir out there. I use this after my glow tonic dries just before bed for maximum potency. Vitamin C will oxidize with oxygen and even faster with sunlight, making it less effective. So take advantage of the lunar hours!

4: Timeless 100% Pure Squalane

Without a doubt, this is my biggest secret! Beauty oils are very popular these days, from moisturizing, to priming your face, to mixing in with foundation, they have multiple alluring benefits. If your someone who has an oil and cream for every time of day, then toss it all and grab a bottle of this!

Squalane is a hydrogenated oil that is found naturally in the livers of sharks. This is where they first harvested the oil from. Thanks to new eco-friendly and cruelty-free production practices, there no longer are any sharks involved in the process! Commercial squalane today is derived from olives, like Timeless, but more recently scientists have found ways to derive it from sugar - the most potent and regulated form. So this stuff is vegan!

Squalane is a special oil (not to be confused with squalene) because it is the same natural oil you have in your skin right now that is keeping it supple and glowy! As you age, however, this oil declines, leading to wrinkles and crepiness. When you apply squalane on your face, you saturate your skin with more of your own oils to obtain and retain moisture most efficiently. Sounds like an oxymoron, but it's true - and it's biochemistry! If my biological attributes provide such great results already, why would I replace them with something processed and foriegn to my body?

I slather a pump on at night and add just three drops in the morning. When I wake up, my skin is like a baby's butt, and I feel hydrated all day. Using squalane consistently will significantly prevent signs of aging, but it unfortunately won't significantly reverse the sign of again, so get a jump on when you're young if you can! No matter the appearance, since using this product I've seen great results in the softness and moisture content of my skin, my oily and dry spots have evened out, and the disinfectant properties of squalane has reduced the blemishes on my skin.

5: Pixi Skintreats Peel & Polish

Do you ever want a microdermabrasion treatment but faint at the spa pricings? Splurge on this! Its a super-packed antioxidant enzyme peel for your face that leaves it nourished and smooth like butter. The word "peel" terrified me. I could just imagine putting this on and then ripping off a whole layer of my skin like one of those peel-off blackhead charcoal mask. Not thanks!

I was pleasantly surprised to find that this product is just like an exfoliating scrub you massage onto your face. Apply all over to a lightly damped face, as a wet one will render it ineffective and a dry one will not get the product moving. Let it sit for 2 minutes to activste all the goodness ot brings. For an added intensity, massage with your fingertips for 30 seconds more, then rinse off with warm water. The massage will feel abrasive but oh so satisfying, and you will be impressed by how bright and silk-like your skin will be! You can do this 2-3x per week, and you'll see results.

6: Lush Mask of Magnaminity

It's no surprise that keeping your face takes work, but this bad boy does all the heavy lifting for you! Once a week I'll pop on this mask to do a deep purge of my pores, and I got to tell you, it's been revolutionary. This smells incredible, sweet, minty, and earthy - good enough to eat! And since it's 100% natural and self preserving with honey, you really could with no harm to you.

If you're a sucker for texture sensations like I am (weird, but true) the chunky ground aduki beans makes application a joyous occasion! It feels as of you've just whipped up an ancient natural remedy and blessed your skin with life again! Grab yo-self a jar!

7: Mario Badescu Facial Spray with Aloe, Herbs, and Rosewater

Mr. Badescu has some rockstar skin products, definitely worth more of a peek into. A friend alerted me to his rosewater spray - which I found particularly relevant to my life as my Persian boyfriend uses rosewater in everything - and now I find myself spritzing it almost every day to refresh my tired and tight face from dawn to dark. As an added bonus, I spray this on my eyeshadow brushes to intensify the pigments, and it works flawlessly.

There are two other sprays featuring cucumber or the newly launched lavender, and they come in multiple sizes, perfect for traveling. I thought facial sprays were pure hype, but after taking this everywhere with me, it's become a dream for boosting hydration and stress relief!



From this lot I can proudly say I've gone sans foundation, and my skin is praising me for it!

What are your skin care favorites? Any I should try?