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Kate Somerville

A Detailed Deep Dive Into My Current Skincare Routine

April 25th, 2019 by Karen 27 Comments

current skin care top pic
All about retinol these days, babes.

I’ve been meaning to do an updated skin care routine breakdown, and today seems like a good day for it. But before I jump in, I feel like I should let you that I’m standing in my bathroom right now looking into my cabinet, which stands just behind and above the toilet, and having PTSD flashbacks of my Velvet Teddy lipstick falling into the toilet. 🙄

I keep hearing that *plunk* over and over again…

That said, here we go!

Everything I’m doing in my routine now revolves around how sensitive my skin is feeling on any given day, because I started using a retinol with vitamin C recently. It’s called Kate Somerville Retinol Vitamin C Power Serum, and I’m trying to ramp up slowly to be able to use it seven days a week. Right now, I’m at three days, and I find that introducing it slowly over weeks and watching everything else that I use in conjunction with it allows me to keep going without my skin turning red or freaking out.

Morning routine

In the morning, I’ll wash one of two ways. If my skin’s feeling extra tight and red and sensitive and angry, then I’ll do a few splashes of warm water on my bare face, then gently blot with a towel. If, on the other hand, my skin’s feeling OK, then I’ll use a squirt or two of Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser directly on bare skin (I’ll work it in with my fingers). Then I’ll remove it with a washcloth dampened with warm water. After that, I’ll do a few splashes of ice cold water to help me wake up.

At that point, I’ll wait…usually between 30 minutes and an hour (depends on how much time I have and what I’m doing in the morning), and then I’ll apply all of my skin treatments.

I wait because I want my skin to be completely dry before I put anything aggressive on there, because if I don’t wait, and my skin is wet when I apply a BHA or benzoyl peroxide, they’ll just aggravate it even more.

So. Completely dry!

current skin care routine
It’s less complicated than it looks, I swear!

At that point, I’ll do an eye cream. (Right now I’m using this one by Nyakio, and I think it’s just “eh.” I’ll replace it eventually with something else when I get around it.) Then I’ll use two pumps of my ride-or-die Kate Somerville Anti Bac Acne Clearing Lotion all over my face to prevent the pimples from taking over.

After that, I’ll apply a thin layer of Avène XeraCalm A.D Lipid-Replenishing Cream (which has been my skin savior ever since I introduced the retinol), followed by a healthy dollop of sunscreen, specifically Clinique Super Defense Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 20 for Very Dry to Dry Combination Skin.

Sometimes, before I do the two pumps of Anti Bac, if I feel like my skin can handle it, I’ll do a little with Fresh Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence, just because I like to sneak some exfoliation in during the day if I can. I’ll do that two or three mornings a week, so it’s not an everyday thing for me.

Fast forward to the evening…

First, a double cleanse. On completely dry skin (as in my makeup is still on), I’ll massage an oil cleanser on my face and eyes to break everything down. I like DHC Deep Cleansing Oil or Fresh Seaberry for this.

At that point, I’ll take a clean, warm washcloth and gently wipe everything off. Next, I’ll do a second cleanse with either Clinique Redness Solutions Soothing Cleanser, if I haven’t been wearing a ton of makeup, or if I haven’t been sweating; or the H2O Plus Elements Keep It Fresh Cleanser. I use that one when I’ve been wearing a little more makeup, or if I’ve been perspiring a lot. It’s just a stronger, more potent gel cleanser.

Again, I wait from 30-60 minutes (this generally depends on how tired I am), then apply eye cream, and I’ve been using this one called Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair Supercharged Complex.

It’s OK… I’ve yet to find an eye cream that blows my mind.
[Continue reading…]

There are 27 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Avene, Clinique, Estee Lauder, Fresh, Kate Somerville, Skin Care

A Sephora VIB Sale Strategy (and a Skin Care Haul)

November 13th, 2018 by Karen 27 Comments

kate somerville skin care
New from Kate Somerville

I have revised my plan of attack for the Sephora VIB sale, because, let’s get real…only a few of the items I want are things I can’t function without (I’m talking to you, Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion). Most of the things are things I only want because they’re on sale… I’m 100% my mother’s daughter that way (“It’s on sale? BUY IT. Don’t you ever pay full price, ever!”).

But really, how much do I actually need another bronzer, all-matte neutral palette or another coral lipstick?

Not much! LOL. But I still want them all, especially with new makeup coming out every five seconds, so I gotta check myself before I wreck myself…

How do I weed out unnecessary or spur-of-the moment purchases?

On the very first day of the sale, I put everything I want to buy into my cart, and then I wait… And wait. And wait. I let it all simmer there, brewing and stewing (and taunting me?). Then, juuuuust before the sale ends, I’ll see what’s left in my cart, and most of the time when I do this, there are things that have sold out, which whittles the list down, and from there I reevaluate what’s left and see what fits into my budget.

This tactic reduces the likelihood of me getting a whole bunch of things I mostly only want because they’re on sale.

sephora vib haul
‘Twas a skin care haul (regular prices shown)

Um…but K-Dawg, does this actually work?

Dude, it totally does! Forcing myself to wait and really think about my cart and the grand total $ staring back at me helps…because I know who I am, and I’m a spur-of-the-moment shopper.

Waiting also forces me to look around at what I already have in my stash.

For this last sale, I knew I needed another bottle of Kate Somerville Anti-Bac, sunscreen/face moisturizer for winter (ugh, dry skin), an eye cream and some chemical exfoliators for mature skin, because every morning lately when I wake up and look in the mirror, instead of seeing my face, I see freakin’ Gollum’s!

What my heart was telling me I wanted, though, was a bunch of makeup — a Charlotte Tilbury palette, Shiseido eyeliners and eyeshadows (they recently revamped their entire makeup line, and it’s supposed to be REALLY good), some Charlotte Tilbury blushes and bronzers, and a Dior foundation.

OK, and maybe a few other things were in there too, ha ha ha. You know me too well!

Step 1: Shopping my own stash

The Charlotte Tilbury palette ended up being sold out, but everything worked out because I rediscovered my BECCA Chrissy Palette, which more or less serves the same purpose. I’m a little sad panda, 🙁 but if the CT palette is still around for the next VIB sale and I’m still lusting after it, I’ll get it then.

becca chrissy teigen swatches
Hello, old friend…

[Continue reading…]

There are 27 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Charlotte Tilbury, Clinique, Dior, Kate Somerville, Shiseido, Skin Care Keywords: sephora vib sale

5 Things I’ve Been Loving Lately

February 2nd, 2018 by Karen 38 Comments

senita athletics top
Cute cutouts for the win

1. Tops with back detailing

Cutouts and braids and peek-a-boo details, oh, my! I’m into tops with cute back action right now, because, let’s be honest…the only part of my body NOT covered in food at any given moment is my upper back. And if it’s the only part of me that’s going to be devoid of half-chewed Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies and organic string cheese, by golly, it’s going to be cute!

senita athletics top
Senita Athletics Barre Long Sleeve in Pink and Zara Crop Top in Black

2. Kate Somerville Wrinkle Warrior Pink Plumping Mask

This moisturizing gel mask is pink and sparkly — although I can’t quite figure out how the shimmer works, because I don’t really see it on my skin when I look directly at it; it’s like sneaky side sparkle — and smells a like little like a triple berry smoothie.

It’s SUPER hydrating, too. I’ve been using it a few times a week in the morning when my skin feels even drier than usual.

kate somerville wrinkle warrior pink plumping mask
Sparkly!

When I apply a layer after cleansing and toning in the morning, eat breakfast and putter around for a bit, then wash it off, my skin looks and feels plump and moisturized. Kate S. says the moisture magic is from something called “HA3,” which stands for three types of hyaluronic acid, but really, every time I see “HA3” on the jar, I think “Ha-Ha-Ha!” instead. 🙂

All jokes aside, I love this as a makeup prep step in the a.m. because everything I put on top of my skin after it — foundation, concealer, powder, etc. — looks much smoother.

3. Classical Art Memes

These are totally a thing.

classical art memes

classical art memes

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There are 38 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Kate Somerville, Skin Care

Sephora Beauty Insider Collectible Pin Set

January 18th, 2018 by Karen 23 Comments

sephora beauty insider collectible pin set bag
Pins!

Throughout the entire history of “Karen going to Sephora,” which is a long history, I’ve never gotten as excited about a Sephora Beauty Insider points exchange as I got for this Collectible Pin Set.

How cute is this!? It’s sooo cute, right? I had to (“had to,” air quotes) go to Sephora last week… Was it last week? Yeah, it was just before I got sick.

Anywho… I had to pick up another bottle of Kate Somerville Anti Bac Clearing Lotion because I was down to the last drop, and without it my face totally breaks out. So, I ran to Sephora, grabbed it, grabbed an $8 lipstick too (we’ll talk about that in a second), and when I was at the front counter, I saw this cute little set of four enamel pins.

sephora beauty insider collectible pin set
I couldn’t say no.

When the sales associate asked me if I wanted to redeem any points, I didn’t use my standard answer, which is almost always “no” because I’m hardly ever really moved by any of the chintzy samples they give away for like 500 points, but I saw these pins and was like, “YES, GIRL. HOOK A CAT LADY UP.”

OK, there are four pins… There’s a peace sign with painted nails. That one’s very sassy.

sephora beauty insider collectible pins peace
Nail art lives!

There’s this unicorn, whom I’ve named “Treasure.”

sephora beauty insider collectible pins unicorn
Say hi to Treasure.

This trio of cute little hearts…

sephora beauty insider collectible pins hearts
Hearts are my thing, man.

[Continue reading…]

There are 23 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Just For Fun, Kate Somerville, Lips, Makeup, Sephora

Kate Somerville Tight’N Cryogenic Tightening Gel Keeps It Cool

December 15th, 2017 by Karen 20 Comments

kate somerville tightn cryogenic
The newest from Kate Somerville, Tight’N Cryogenic Tightening Gel

I’ve finally found something cooler than the other side of the pillow, and it’s Kate Somerville Tight’N Cryogenic Tightening Gel.

And it literally might be the coolest thing I’ve ever used, ever, because it’s like sticking your face into an industrial strength freezer… But it’s also $125, and I’m still deciding whether it’s a necessary step, or one of those skip-able skin care bells and whistles.

Like carrot cake, this new skin tightening foam is weird and wonderful at the same time. You’re supposed to use it as the last step in your skin care routine, both in the morning and at night.

When you push the pump, a white fluffy foam shoots out, which then starts crackling loudly, like crinkling paper or a bowl of Rice Crispies when you pour milk into it.

You apply it with your fingers to your face and neck, avoiding your eyes, nose and mouth.

kate somerville tightn cryogenic
Kate Somerville Tight’N Cryogenic Tightening Gel

That’s when the cooling begins, and you feel your skin getting colder and colder and colder…

It’s not painful or anything, but it feels *cold*, and numbing, like somebody’s rubbing ice cubes on your face after the dentist injected you with Novocaine.

And your skin stays like that — really, really cold — for a long time. Thirty minutes or so. It’s fascinating! And so, so, weird.

[Continue reading…]

There are 20 comments on this post. Leave yours.

Categories: Kate Somerville, Product Reviews, Skin Care

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About Makeup and Beauty Blog

Welcome to Makeup and Beauty Blog
Hi there! I’m Karen, your friendly neighborhood beauty addict, and I’m a Bay Area girl who hoards brown eyeshadow and covets coral lipstick. Every morning, I wake up and say, “I’m going to do something other than a smoky eye today.” Then…I end up doing a smoky eye anyway (most days). When I’m not putting on makeup, taking pictures of makeup or writing about makeup, which I’ve been doing daily since 2007 (!), you’ll find me hanging out with my hubby (“El Hub”), my four-year-old daughter (Connor Claire) and my torbie girl cat (Pretty Girl Rosie, a.k.a. PGR).

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