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My Updated Skincare Routine

Skincare RoutineIt’s been a while since I’ve done a beauty review, so I thought I’d share my updated skincare routine.

I had been using Augustinus Bader’s The Rich Cream and Biologique Recherche’s p50 lotion for over a year.  I was convinced I had found my holy grail moisturizer and toner and my search was over.  But like 95% of the beauty products in my arsenal, after about a year of use, they seemed to stop working.  I wasn’t seeing any visible benefits.  Maybe my skin got so used to both, they lost their efficacy.

And so a new search began.

Toner

I had heard great things about Moon Juice’s Acid Potion being a great alternative to p50 lotion.  While Biologique Recherche has one of the tightest quality control standards in the world and is considered very clean, the Acid Potion is officially green, clean beauty.

I’ve been using it for 4 months now and love it.  Unlike p50 lotion, I can feel it working every time I apply it (it tingles/burns).  A little goes a long way.  I put a few drops in my palms and pat it on my face and neck (no cotton ball).

I love that it’s easily accessible – it’s carried at Sephora, etc. – and comes in a glass bottle.

Final verdict?  I’d recommend Acid Potion over p50 lotion.

Moisturizer

At the end of the day, The Rich Cream ended up being too rich for me.  I tried switching to The Cream, but didn’t like it near as much.  For how expensive it was, I wasn’t seeing enough of a benefit to continue buying it.

I’m now using a combo of OSEA’s Atmosphere Protection Cream and Ere Perez’s All-Beauty Crème.  They clock in a $48 and $35 and leave my skin feeling so soft and hydrated.  I love that they’re both clean beauty.

Final verdict?  I love both and have re-orderd both several times.

Retinol

Due to pregnancy and breastfeeding, I couldn’t use retinol for years.  Now that I can, I chose this clean beauty version.

I use it two nights per week (start off with one night/week).  A lot of people will experience “purging” when they start retinol (your skin will break out and bring all of the yucky stuff to the surface).  Since I had been using p50 lotion, my skin was already well prepped so I didn’t experience this.

It makes my skin feel SO silky and smooth after applying.  It does, however, definitely dry out my skin (what it’s intended to do).  It comes with a hydrating serum they recommend using to cut down on the dryness.  It’s also offered in a mini size if you want to try it before committing to the $74 full-sized version.

The combination of these three products has increased cellular turnover, kept my skin smooth and hydrated and I love the results.

Final verdict?  I’ll be buying this again.

BeautyBlender vs. Artis Brush

BeautyBlender vs Artis BrushAs a die hard BeautyBlender fan, I didn’t think I’d ever use anything else to apply my foundation.  But I kept seeing Artis brushes EVERYWHERE so I decided to give them a try.

Holy cow.  Had I been missing out.

Let’s compare the two.  Check out my video of the difference in application.

BeautyBlender

Pros

  1. Can be used wet or dry
  2. Provides great coverage

Cons

  1. A pain to clean (check out my beauty hack for the best way to clean them)
  2. Needs to be replaced every 6 months (not environmentally friendly)
  3. You use a lot of product
  4. Can only be used with liquid or cream makeup

I always thought the BeautyBlender gave the most seamless, natural finish.  Then I tried the Artis brush (more on that in a sec).  While the BeautyBlender does provide excellent coverage, you do get a “blotch paint” effect.  Some parts of my face would have great coverage, others not so much.

Also, the way my makeup wore off was always uneven.  You could see my pores through the product – almost like air bubbles in paint.  Not good.

I do think the BeautyBlender still has a place in everyone’s makeup bag.  It’s great for applying concealer or other makeup to small areas.

Artis Brush

Pros

  1. Super soft bristles
  2. Flawless, even coverage
  3. Can be used with powder, liquid or cream makeup
  4. Makeup lasts much longer
  5. You need very little product – a little goes a long way
  6. Clean with brush shampoo and it will last forever

Cons

  1. The cost

I am a total convert.  The Artis Oval 7 is my new favorite beauty tool.  I only need a small amount of foundation to cover my entire face.  The brush blends so well it’s almost like your makeup disappears.  It’s incredible.

The one thing I had to get used to was blending foundation around my nose.  Artis does make smaller brushes that may work better for this area, but I think the Oval 7 gets the job done.

It also works great for concealer or areas where you want heavy coverage.  The flawless blending is the same – I just use a lighter touch and fewer brush strokes.

I bought this set that also includes a handle-less Oval 7.  This is great for traveling because it takes up less room in your makeup bag.

Conclusion

I now only use the Artis Oval 7 to apply my foundation AND concealer.  I’m keeping my BeautyBlender for touch-ups, but I’ll be honest, I haven’t used it once since getting my Artis.  I doubt I will ever purchase another one.

If you’ve been on the fence about Artis brushes, I highly recommend them.  This is one of my best beauty buys of 2020!

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Chemical Peel Review: Tips for What to Expect & How to Recover

Kopari BeautyEver since I started getting regular facials, I’ve wanted to try a chemical peel.  I’ve heard so many estheticians – heck, even my dermatologist – rave about them, but I always thought I’d end up like Samatha in Sex and the City.  Who could forget that episode?

Well, two weeks ago I went for it and wanted to share my experience.  First, a little backstory.

My main reason for getting a chemical peel was to help with hyperpigmentation.  Prior to having my daughter, I was on birth control for years.  Towards the end of taking it, I started to notice hyperpigmentation on my cheeks and forehead.  Because birth control tricks your body into thinking it’s pregnant, I had developed a mild case of melasma (AKA the mask of pregnancy).  A dermatologist recommended I try laser treatment to remove the spots, so I did.  After the procedure, my hyperpigmentation completely disappeared… for three weeks.  For whatever reason, at the 3-week mark, it came back (literally overnight) and even darker than before.

While laser treatment can be effective for some people (do your research!), it was not the right choice for me.  I’ve been working to reverse the damage ever since.  My goal is to get to a point where my skin is completely even and wearing makeup is optional and not a must.

I saw Dr. Zoe of Perfect Face Aesthetic Medicine in La Jolla.  She did a deep-level peel which included the following.

The Chemical Peel Process

First, I had to wash my face to remove my moisturizer and sunscreen.  Dr. Zoe applied vaseline around my eyes, mouth and on the corners of my nose so the chemical peel solution wouldn’t pool in those areas.  She then gave me a handheld fan so the burning sensation wouldn’t feel so intense.

Using a cotton swab, she wiped the solution over my face four times, waiting a couple minutes between each pass.  The whole process took 10 minutes.

Did it hurt?  No.

You can definitely feel the burning sensation and while it isn’t comfortable, it’s nothing you can’t handle.  Having a handheld fan to blow cool air on your face really helps.

The First Two Days

For the first 48-72 hours you actually look normal.  Your face feels very dry and tight, and mine even looked a little firmer.  A friend commented that she thought I had gotten Botox!  My face looked glossy too.  The best way I can describe it is to have you imagine someone painting a clear coat of nail polish on your face – hah!

Day 3/4 – Let the Peeling Begin

I didn’t start peeling until Day 4 and the first place it happened was around my mouth.  If you’ve ever done a charcoal mask, you know the feeling when it starts to dry and will crack when you smile or talk.  That’s exactly what this is like but instead of the mask cracking and flaking off, it’s your skin.

Day 14

The average person is supposed to stop peeling between days 7-10.  I didn’t stop peeling until Day 14.  I’ve always been very slow to heal (a pimple leaves a mark for up to 6 months on me!) so this didn’t really surprise me.

You can’t wear makeup at all during this time and must apply sunscreen every two hours.  THIS IS KEY!

A Word of Caution

1. The hardest part about getting a chemical peel is the downtime.  I looked like a dying snake for a solid two weeks.  It was super gross and creepy.  If you work in an office or have to face the outside world on a daily basis, I honestly don’t know how you’d do a chemical peel.

2. You literally can’t touch your face during recovery.  At all.  No scratching, no rubbing, and absolutely no picking.  Even washing your face and applying moisturizer and sunscreen (the ONLY two things you’re allowed to wear) is risky.  You have to be SUPER gentle.  I pat my face dry and applied my moisturizer like I was handling a Fabergé egg.

If the peeling comes off because you touch your skin, you run the risk of scarring.

3. You must avoid the sun AT ALL COSTS.  Any time I went outside (even to check the mailbox!) I wore this hat.  It has a built-in face mask.  Le’ts just be honest – it’s basically a full hazmat suit.  Wearing it out in public resulted in TONS of comments from people.

4. Because the chemical peel eats away at the top layer of your skin, what’s underneath will get exposed.  In other words, if you have any congested pores, be ready to get pimples and blackheads while you’re healing.

I ended up with a pimple on my chin, one on my forehead and a few blackheads around the corner of my nose.  These were all things that would recur for me, so I’m glad the peel burned my skin down to the core of the problem to get rid of them for good.

What I’ll Do Differently Next Time

1. If you can avoid it, don’t get a chemical peel during the dead of summer.  It’s too hot and normal life inevitably gets in the way – you have to put gas in your car, buy groceries, etc. and doing those things when the sun is the most powerful isn’t safe or fun.

2. Get your peel on a Thursday.  Because you don’t start peeling for 2-3 days, you can actually go out in public over the weekend (no makeup though) and not look like a dying snake.

3. Be prepared with the right gear.  You absolutely need to wear a hat anytime you are outside or while driving.  I bought this hat and this visor and wore them religiously.  The visor is developed by dermatologists and blocks 99% of UVA/UVB rays.

Was it Worth it?

YES.  While I still have a ways to go to fully get rid of my hyperpigmentation, I absolutely recommend getting a chemical peel.  I can see a definite difference in my skin being more even-toned and the texture is amazing.  You have the freshest, most even skin after a peel.  It’s like baby skin!

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