I have decided to move on and to start bloggin on the Tumblr platform.
You can find my blog here: http://aurelielb.tumblr.com/
See you there!
February 18, 2011
February 14, 2011
Product review : Jane Iredale Disappear Camouflage Cream & Pure Pressed Minerals Refillable Pressed Powder Base
I blogged last week about a few tips to control acne. Today is almost a follow-up post on how to conceal blemishes and acne scars.
I recently discovered the Jane Iredale brand, which is a line of mineral make-up that is natural and does not contain any harmful chemicals. I have switched all my make-up essentials (mascara, eye liner and eye shadow) to this brand, and love it.
I was never big on foundations and powders, but I recently decided to take a leap of faith and try some of their products in that category, in order to camouflage my blemishes as much as possible, and have more beautiful skin (at least in appearance).
The first product I will review is the Disappear Camouflage Cream, which is basically a concealer. A very effective concealer. I have been using it every day for a week and it works wonders. It hides all the blotchy redness like no other concealer I have ever tried before. Plus it has green tea extract and other natural ingredients to help get rid of the pimple. Best of all, it rates as a 2 on EWG's Skin Deep Database (2 being low hazard).
Once I am done with concealer, I apply their Pure Pressed Minerals Refillable Pressed Powder Base, the second product I will be reviewing. I find that for the great coverage that this powder offers, it is surprisingly light and looks very natural. Picking a color is kind of tricky, as they have so many, but I got lucky on my first try and got a good match. I love that this is a refillable container (you only replace the powder inside, not the casing), which is super eco-friendly. And this product also rates as a 2 on EWG's Skin Deep Database.
My only negative about the pressed powder is that it comes with a really cheap and thin applicating sponge, whic forces you to either buy a better one, or, as they suggest in their instructions, to buy one of their foundation brushes, which are very expensive. I would have expected, for such a pricey product, that it would come with a quality applicator sponge. I just bought a replacement one at my local Superstore (Joe brand - rocks!).
I buy all of my Jane Iredale product on the Spa Boutique website, which has an excellent selection of natural and organic products (although you have to be familiar with the brands, since they don't identify which of their brands are natural).
I recently discovered the Jane Iredale brand, which is a line of mineral make-up that is natural and does not contain any harmful chemicals. I have switched all my make-up essentials (mascara, eye liner and eye shadow) to this brand, and love it.
I was never big on foundations and powders, but I recently decided to take a leap of faith and try some of their products in that category, in order to camouflage my blemishes as much as possible, and have more beautiful skin (at least in appearance).
My only negative about the pressed powder is that it comes with a really cheap and thin applicating sponge, whic forces you to either buy a better one, or, as they suggest in their instructions, to buy one of their foundation brushes, which are very expensive. I would have expected, for such a pricey product, that it would come with a quality applicator sponge. I just bought a replacement one at my local Superstore (Joe brand - rocks!).
I buy all of my Jane Iredale product on the Spa Boutique website, which has an excellent selection of natural and organic products (although you have to be familiar with the brands, since they don't identify which of their brands are natural).
February 10, 2011
Acne fighting regimen: Cleansing your skin from the inside and out
So anybody who follows this blog knows that I have been dealing with adult acne, more so than ever since my wedding last year. Since then I have tried many regimens and "miracle" products to try and get my acne into check.
Recently, I have been having some success in achieving better skin, and I would like to share what I have discovered through much trial and error. This is what worked for me - no guarantees it will work for everyone!
1- Stop using face moisturizers that have shea butter, cocoa butter, or beeswax amongst its ingredients
Most butters, although very hydrating, will block your pores if you have an acneic complexion. Butters will affect people differently, but for me, the effect was almost immediate: every time I tried a new moisturizer with butters as an ingredient, my face would break out. You could literally see the clogged pores. So if you have an issue like that, one of the first steps to take is to stop using your moisturizer to see if it gets better.
I have been using, for a month now, Pai's Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream. This cream uses a base of jojoba oil (which is very close to the composition of the skin's natural oils). It is truly non-comedogenic, and it feels fresh and light when applied. And it smells like geraniums, which I love. It's also 100% natural and contains a majority of organic ingredients.
2- Stop moisturizing at night
I have found that one of the problems with my skin is that I was not giving it a chance to breathe. Night time is a great time to allow your skin to breathe and rebalance itself. Stick to cleansing, and a spot treatment if necessary, and leave it at that.
3- Use a cream cleanser
Soap-based cleansers have the advantage of being very sudsy and of leaving your skin feeling really clean and fresh, and tight. But this tightness is actually a sign that you are stripping your skin of its natural oils, which makes your sebaceous glands go into over-drive, and actually cause acne.
Cream cleansers are just better for your acne-prone skin. Cream cleansers clean your skin without over-stripping it, which helps to balance your skin. I use Cocoon Apothecary's Petal Purity Organic Facial Cleanser, and LOVE it. It is very gentle, is great for removing make-up, and has lavendar and geranium to fight breakouts. Plus it smells super fresh. And its also 100% natural and mostly organic
4- Exfoliate and use a face mask more often
I have always had a tendency to forego my weekly scrubs and face masks due to lack of time or motivation. For the past month, I have dutifully exfoliated my face 5 times a week, and done a face mask twice a week, and my skin has been thanking me. Use a gentle scrub (one that has jojoba beads for example) and a clay mask for combination / acne-prone skin, like Eminence Pink Grapefruit Clarifying Masque.
5- Use a good spot treatment
I discovered the Eminence Herbal Spot Serum recently, and have been applying it to my trouble zones (cheeks and forehead) every night after cleansing, and it has been very helpful in keeping my acne in check. It is pricey but you need to use very little to get your whole face, so well worth the investment.
6- Treat your acne from the inside: use probiotics and drink lots of water
I have always been good with drinking my 1.5 - 2L of water per day. What helped was to cut the caffeine I was adding to that. Drinking a cup of tea or coffee cancels out an equivalent of water that you may have drunk that day. So if you drink 1.5L of water and 0.5L of tea, you've really only drunk 1L of water. So I have cut all caffeine from my diet and drink only non-caffeinated herbal teas and water, up to 2L a day, which means that my skin is well hydrated from the inside-out. Drinking lots of water also helps you get rid of toxins in your body, also helping with acne.
Also, I have started a regimen of probiotics. Everything in your body is related, and if you have an unhealthy gut, you'll most likely have bad skin. Since I was diagnosed as gluten-intolerant, I have been really careful (mostly) with my diet, which I think has helped greatly to balance my digestion. But I decided to boost my digestion by adding daily probiotics, which encourage good bacteria in your intestines. I have been taking one Bio-K yogurt (the equivalent of 50 billions live and active bacteria) daily for the past 3 weeks, and I feel great. I have also noticed a considerable improvement in my skin
Any other tips you'd like to share?
Recently, I have been having some success in achieving better skin, and I would like to share what I have discovered through much trial and error. This is what worked for me - no guarantees it will work for everyone!
1- Stop using face moisturizers that have shea butter, cocoa butter, or beeswax amongst its ingredients
Most butters, although very hydrating, will block your pores if you have an acneic complexion. Butters will affect people differently, but for me, the effect was almost immediate: every time I tried a new moisturizer with butters as an ingredient, my face would break out. You could literally see the clogged pores. So if you have an issue like that, one of the first steps to take is to stop using your moisturizer to see if it gets better.
I have been using, for a month now, Pai's Geranium & Thistle Combination Skin Cream. This cream uses a base of jojoba oil (which is very close to the composition of the skin's natural oils). It is truly non-comedogenic, and it feels fresh and light when applied. And it smells like geraniums, which I love. It's also 100% natural and contains a majority of organic ingredients.
2- Stop moisturizing at night
I have found that one of the problems with my skin is that I was not giving it a chance to breathe. Night time is a great time to allow your skin to breathe and rebalance itself. Stick to cleansing, and a spot treatment if necessary, and leave it at that.
3- Use a cream cleanser
Soap-based cleansers have the advantage of being very sudsy and of leaving your skin feeling really clean and fresh, and tight. But this tightness is actually a sign that you are stripping your skin of its natural oils, which makes your sebaceous glands go into over-drive, and actually cause acne.
Cream cleansers are just better for your acne-prone skin. Cream cleansers clean your skin without over-stripping it, which helps to balance your skin. I use Cocoon Apothecary's Petal Purity Organic Facial Cleanser, and LOVE it. It is very gentle, is great for removing make-up, and has lavendar and geranium to fight breakouts. Plus it smells super fresh. And its also 100% natural and mostly organic
4- Exfoliate and use a face mask more often
I have always had a tendency to forego my weekly scrubs and face masks due to lack of time or motivation. For the past month, I have dutifully exfoliated my face 5 times a week, and done a face mask twice a week, and my skin has been thanking me. Use a gentle scrub (one that has jojoba beads for example) and a clay mask for combination / acne-prone skin, like Eminence Pink Grapefruit Clarifying Masque.
5- Use a good spot treatment
I discovered the Eminence Herbal Spot Serum recently, and have been applying it to my trouble zones (cheeks and forehead) every night after cleansing, and it has been very helpful in keeping my acne in check. It is pricey but you need to use very little to get your whole face, so well worth the investment.
6- Treat your acne from the inside: use probiotics and drink lots of water
I have always been good with drinking my 1.5 - 2L of water per day. What helped was to cut the caffeine I was adding to that. Drinking a cup of tea or coffee cancels out an equivalent of water that you may have drunk that day. So if you drink 1.5L of water and 0.5L of tea, you've really only drunk 1L of water. So I have cut all caffeine from my diet and drink only non-caffeinated herbal teas and water, up to 2L a day, which means that my skin is well hydrated from the inside-out. Drinking lots of water also helps you get rid of toxins in your body, also helping with acne.
Also, I have started a regimen of probiotics. Everything in your body is related, and if you have an unhealthy gut, you'll most likely have bad skin. Since I was diagnosed as gluten-intolerant, I have been really careful (mostly) with my diet, which I think has helped greatly to balance my digestion. But I decided to boost my digestion by adding daily probiotics, which encourage good bacteria in your intestines. I have been taking one Bio-K yogurt (the equivalent of 50 billions live and active bacteria) daily for the past 3 weeks, and I feel great. I have also noticed a considerable improvement in my skin
Any other tips you'd like to share?
January 4, 2011
My new year resolutions for 2011
I don't usually make new year resolutions because I have no willpower and would never stick to them anyway. But I thought this year I would give it a try. I don't have a lot of resolutions that I want to make but the few that I do, I am very serious about. So here goes.
1. Stop biting my nails
I have been biting my nails for years and years and have never been able to quit for a long period of time. I managed it in the nick of time for the wedding, but relapsed soon after it was over. I often saw it as the way I manage stress, but it's also become just a habit that is hard to kick. Like chocolate. Or cigarettes. So in 2011, I want to actually do it. Stop biting my nails. Forever. Tips anyone?
2. Amp up the exercise
In 2010, I walked/ran a half-marathon. During the 4 months I was training for that, I was exercising 4-5 times a week. But once I finished running, I went down to a mere 1-2 times a week, sometimes skipping entire weeks of exercise. I blamed it on the weather, on the dirty people in the dirty gym in my building... anything not to blame my own laziness. I start 2011 with a pretty nice gym in the comfort of my own home (treadmill, bike, weight machine thingy), so I have no excuses. Training for the 2011 half-marathon includes runs every other day until the end of May. I plan on following that training program diligently. And on keeping up the exercise (runs, yoga, some weight training) once the half-marathon has come and gone. Promise.
3. Take more care of my appearance
When I worked at L'Oreal in Montreal, I went to work everyday with makeup on, nice clothing, heels. I felt confident and beautiful every day because I was taking care of myself. Nowadays, I can barely remember the last time I wore mascara, and I am pretty sure I have never worn eye shadow at work, like, ever. So this year, I want to make that effort every morning, as part of my morning routine. And since I just purchased some awesome Jane Irendale eye shadows, eyeliner and mascara, I have no excuse not to!
4. Get moving on my Etsy business (allyprojects.etsy.com)
I have the website, the name, the business cards, and I have knitted some items. Now time to take photos, and get to selling these things, develop some new products!
I could probably have added "Eat balanced meals" to my list, but then, I already do that. I could probably do with a bit less sugar. But hey, nobody's perfect. Especially not me!
1. Stop biting my nails
I have been biting my nails for years and years and have never been able to quit for a long period of time. I managed it in the nick of time for the wedding, but relapsed soon after it was over. I often saw it as the way I manage stress, but it's also become just a habit that is hard to kick. Like chocolate. Or cigarettes. So in 2011, I want to actually do it. Stop biting my nails. Forever. Tips anyone?
2. Amp up the exercise
In 2010, I walked/ran a half-marathon. During the 4 months I was training for that, I was exercising 4-5 times a week. But once I finished running, I went down to a mere 1-2 times a week, sometimes skipping entire weeks of exercise. I blamed it on the weather, on the dirty people in the dirty gym in my building... anything not to blame my own laziness. I start 2011 with a pretty nice gym in the comfort of my own home (treadmill, bike, weight machine thingy), so I have no excuses. Training for the 2011 half-marathon includes runs every other day until the end of May. I plan on following that training program diligently. And on keeping up the exercise (runs, yoga, some weight training) once the half-marathon has come and gone. Promise.
3. Take more care of my appearance
When I worked at L'Oreal in Montreal, I went to work everyday with makeup on, nice clothing, heels. I felt confident and beautiful every day because I was taking care of myself. Nowadays, I can barely remember the last time I wore mascara, and I am pretty sure I have never worn eye shadow at work, like, ever. So this year, I want to make that effort every morning, as part of my morning routine. And since I just purchased some awesome Jane Irendale eye shadows, eyeliner and mascara, I have no excuse not to!
4. Get moving on my Etsy business (allyprojects.etsy.com)
I have the website, the name, the business cards, and I have knitted some items. Now time to take photos, and get to selling these things, develop some new products!
I could probably have added "Eat balanced meals" to my list, but then, I already do that. I could probably do with a bit less sugar. But hey, nobody's perfect. Especially not me!
December 13, 2010
Natural beauty regime : my go-to products
Five months ago, I officially switched my whole beauty routine to all-natural products. I thought I'd write a recap post with a list of the products I am using, along with the review of these products and some more recommendations.
FACE
Cleanser : Cocoon Apothecary's Petal Purity Cleanser - Wonderful cream cleanser that leaves my face fresh without over-drying. Smells wonderful too.
Exfoliant : Cocoon Apothecary's Petal Purity Exfoliating Cleanser - Gentle cream cleanser with round jojoba beads that get the job done without overdoing it. Gentle enough for everyday use.
Moisturizer : This has been a real problem as I seem to have a problem with butters in moisturizers ; they clog my pores like crazy. I ordered Pai's Geranium & Thistle Organic Moisturizer recently (no butters or pore blocking ingredients, the base is jojoba oil) but I have yet to try it.
Eye Cream : Cocoon Apothecary's Eyewaken Eye Cream. Wonderful, light, refreshing eye cream that revives your tired eyes.
Mask : Eminence's Pink Grapefruit Clarifying Masque - I have just purchased this to replace my 100% Pure masque which was much to strong. Plus I'm sort of boycotting 100% Pure now because I don't like how they treat customers.
BODY
Wash : I used to use 100% Pure Body Bars. They were great and big (10oz) so they lasted a long time. But they decided to cut the size of the bars in half, while still charging 9$ for the bar (their excuse? packaging of the new bar is fancier and more expensive. I say I'm not ready to pay 4,50$ in packaging. All I care about is the product). So I have dropped 100% Pure and as soon as I finish my stock of bars, I'll move on to Kiss My Face's Olive & Honey Bar Soap, which are also quite big and much more affordable.
Moisturizer: Cocoon Apothecary's Magic Bean Lotion. Delicious. And wonderful hydration.
HAIR
Conditioner : Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Conditioner. I've started to co-wash my hair (wash with conditioner) and now only shampoo twice a week (until I gradually get to no shampoos ever). This conditioner is great for co-washing because it's not too thick, but it hydrates my hair well while not leaving residue on my scalp.
Treatment : Cocoon Apothecary's Organic Argan Oil. Argan oil in pure form (not the Moroccan Oil crap that is shock-full of bad chemicals and fragrances) is great for treating split ends, for calming frizzy strays, and for overall treatment of dry hair. I use it every time I wash my hair, blending a few drops in my towel-dried hair. And once a week I do a hot oil treatment (3 tbsp of argan oil, warmed 20 seconds in the microwave and applied to my hair. Leave in 30 minutes before rinsing well and washing). I've noticed my hair grows so much faster since I started using argan oil on it.
I have also recently purchased Jane Irendale make-up (eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner). I'll do a separate post to review these. I'm excited to try them!
FACE
Cleanser : Cocoon Apothecary's Petal Purity Cleanser - Wonderful cream cleanser that leaves my face fresh without over-drying. Smells wonderful too.
Exfoliant : Cocoon Apothecary's Petal Purity Exfoliating Cleanser - Gentle cream cleanser with round jojoba beads that get the job done without overdoing it. Gentle enough for everyday use.
Moisturizer : This has been a real problem as I seem to have a problem with butters in moisturizers ; they clog my pores like crazy. I ordered Pai's Geranium & Thistle Organic Moisturizer recently (no butters or pore blocking ingredients, the base is jojoba oil) but I have yet to try it.
Eye Cream : Cocoon Apothecary's Eyewaken Eye Cream. Wonderful, light, refreshing eye cream that revives your tired eyes.
Mask : Eminence's Pink Grapefruit Clarifying Masque - I have just purchased this to replace my 100% Pure masque which was much to strong. Plus I'm sort of boycotting 100% Pure now because I don't like how they treat customers.
BODY
Wash : I used to use 100% Pure Body Bars. They were great and big (10oz) so they lasted a long time. But they decided to cut the size of the bars in half, while still charging 9$ for the bar (their excuse? packaging of the new bar is fancier and more expensive. I say I'm not ready to pay 4,50$ in packaging. All I care about is the product). So I have dropped 100% Pure and as soon as I finish my stock of bars, I'll move on to Kiss My Face's Olive & Honey Bar Soap, which are also quite big and much more affordable.
Moisturizer: Cocoon Apothecary's Magic Bean Lotion. Delicious. And wonderful hydration.
HAIR
Conditioner : Max Green Alchemy Scalp Rescue Conditioner. I've started to co-wash my hair (wash with conditioner) and now only shampoo twice a week (until I gradually get to no shampoos ever). This conditioner is great for co-washing because it's not too thick, but it hydrates my hair well while not leaving residue on my scalp.
Treatment : Cocoon Apothecary's Organic Argan Oil. Argan oil in pure form (not the Moroccan Oil crap that is shock-full of bad chemicals and fragrances) is great for treating split ends, for calming frizzy strays, and for overall treatment of dry hair. I use it every time I wash my hair, blending a few drops in my towel-dried hair. And once a week I do a hot oil treatment (3 tbsp of argan oil, warmed 20 seconds in the microwave and applied to my hair. Leave in 30 minutes before rinsing well and washing). I've noticed my hair grows so much faster since I started using argan oil on it.
I have also recently purchased Jane Irendale make-up (eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner). I'll do a separate post to review these. I'm excited to try them!
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