Skin Care

What’s One Product That Dramatically Improved Your Skin?

July 22nd, 2020 by Karen 36 Comments

kate somerville skin care — Kate’s got that magic. 🧙‍♀️

Oh, this one’s easy. I rave about it all the time. Definitely Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion! It totally changed my skin…and my life. I’m prone to breakouts, and when I don’t use this potent, preternatural pimple cream, the zits return, and they return in full force.

Anti-Bac contains 5% benzoyl peroxide, which really isn’t that cutting edge in terms of acne fighting ingredient, but the devil’s in the details I guess, because there’s something wonderful about this particular formulation that my skin loves. The effect is almost immediate. It goes to work clearing up any existing pimples I have and prevents new breakouts entirely. Seriously, like within a few days! Nothing else I’ve found works quite like it, and I’ve tried everything.

I have to remember to use enough of it though. I massage two pumps all over my face (everywhere except my eyes, of course!), once in the morning, and once again at night. That’s my sweet spot for clear, happy skin. Anything less than two pumps, and I break out.

Other things I love about this product? 1) It doesn’t have a strong BP smell, and 2) it layers well under moisturizer, sunscreen and makeup. It’s also pretty easy to find and available at Sephora and Nordstrom, among other places.

How about you? What’s one product that dramatically improved your skin?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

At What Age Did You Start Having a Skin Care Routine?

July 14th, 2020 by Karen 10 Comments

High school, 1993, when I was an avid Clinique 3-stepper

It wasn’t really anything I thought about when I was younger. I would just wash my face with whatever soap was around, and then I’d remove all the suds with a washcloth… Pretty standard stuff for an elementary and middle school-aged girl. I don’t think I even used face lotion (GASP). And sunscreen? What the heck was that?

But when I was 12, I started breaking out, and that’s when I started a skin care routine.

Granted, it wasn’t great! I remember going to the dermatologist and the doctor giving me a really drying benzoyl peroxide soap called PanOxyl bar, which was so stinky and drying, and it bleached all of my t-shirts and towels… That was pretty much the extent of my first skin care routine. 😂

My routine finally got “official” in high school when I started doing the Clinique 3-step process.

Do you remember the light green plastic soap case that came with the bar soap? I remember taking that thing everywhere — on band trips, to sleepovers. That soap was my jam back in the day. I wonder if it still comes with the soap. Hmm…

Anyway, I continued that routine through college, which was when I *finally* started using a sunscreen. It was one by Oil of Olay. I used it because that’s what my mom used, and it was affordable for my student budget.

How about you? At what age did you start having a skin care routine?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summer Faves and Raves: Neutrogena Skin Care

July 10th, 2020 by Karen 14 Comments

Good mornin’! Happy Friday to you. 👋 I hope your day is getting off to a good start.

Simply for discussion purposes, here are a few drugstore Neutrogena faves I’ve been loving lately…

Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

This paraben-, phthalate- and sulfate-free bad boy’s made for all skin types, but it works extra well for sensitive skin (including acne-prone peeps like moi). This oil-free face wash whisks away oil, sweat, makeup and anything else on your face without stripping your skin. I’ve loved this cleanser for years, and I typically return to using the Foaming Formula in the summer because of how quickly it removes leftover sunscreen and makeup from the day. Great stuff!

$9.99 for a 12-oz. bottle with a pump.

Neutrogena Shampoo Anti-Residue Formula

This basically brings my hair back from the dead! 🧟‍♀️ If you lean on smoothing hair products to control frizz AND remove leftover residue from shampoo, conditioner and styling products, this gentle but effective clarifying shampoo is SO money. It’s made for all hair types, including color-treated manes, and I use it once or twice a week in place of my regular shampoo to deep clean my roots and strands. Afterwards, my hair looks and feels more voluminous.

$6.99 for a 6-oz bottle.

Ultra Sheer Face Mist Sunscreen 55

I literally — literally — never leave home without this because I always have a bottle in my little black backpack. I usually do a mineral sunscreen before I leave the house (Elta MD), but I like to touch up with this physical sunscreen when I’m out and about. It’s a sheer, non-sticky liquid sunscreen that feels lightweight and comfortable. I mist a few few pumps in my hands, and then work the liquid onto my neck, arms, face and wherever else I want/need sun protection.

$17.49 for a 3.5-oz. bottle with a pump.
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This or That: Fragrance Edition

June 10th, 2020 by Karen 12 Comments

byredo gypsy water — I’m gonna go with this one.

How to play

Copy and paste the following questions with your answers in a comment. Can’t wait to see what yours are! Mine are down below…

Copy and paste

Floral or oriental?

Body splash or scented lotion?

Byredo Gypsy Water or Chanel No. 5?

Citrus or gourmand?

Rollerball or solid?

Eau de parfum or eau de toilette?

Spray on wrist or spray on neck?

Dior Poison or Calvin Klein Obsession?

French or Italian perfumes?

Floral or oriental?

Floral

Body splash or scented lotion?

Scented lotion

Byredo or Chanel?

Oooh, so tough… Gonna go with Byredo, since I wore Gypsy Water for like THREE YEARS STRAIGHT.

Citrus or gourmand?

Citrus

Rollerball or solid?

Rollerball

Eau de parfum or eau de toilette?

Eau de parfum

Spray on wrist or spray on neck?

Neck

Dior Poison or Calvin Klein Obsession?

Honestly, both give me a headache, but my mom used to wear Poison in the ’90s, so I’ll go with that for nostalgia’s sake.

French or Italian perfumes?

Italian, since I’ve fallen in love with so many Dolce & Gabbana scents — Light Blue (wore it on my wedding day), The One, Sicily (RIP), Dolce, D&G Anthology 18 La Lune.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. How was your hump day? What did you do?

Have You Ever Purchased a Perfume Without Smelling It First?

May 22nd, 2020 by Karen 36 Comments

clinique my happy — Yes, they smell just as pretty as they look.

Although I’ve gotten close a few times since stay-in-place went into effect because of 1) a Nordstrom gift card that’s been burning a hole in my wallet for months, and 2) an intense craving for something new and citrusy, I still have yet to buy a perfume without smelling it first.

Bright lemon, orange and grapefruit notes always cheer me up. I just feel lighter, less weighed down when I smell like fruit, LOL! So, I’ve been rotating through my usual citrus staples, a set of Clinique Happy fragrances (the original Happy has notes of ruby red grapefruit, boysenberry bush flower, Hawaiian wedding flower) and Annick Goutal’s effervescent Eau d’Hadrien (bergamot, citrus accord, grapefruit, lemon, cédrat, cypress, galbanum, basil, juniper berry, ylang-ylang, woody accord).

I’d still to try something new, though, like Jo Malone Grapefruit Cologne or Fresh Citron de Vigne.

How about you? Have you ever purchased a perfume without smelling it first?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

P.S. TGIF!