Quick Thoughts: Lisa Eldridge "PMS Face"

I'm not sure if it's the fact that she's British or if it's the fact that she's just gorgeous, but Lisa Eldridge makes "PMS Face" (or at least getting rid of it) seem way glamorous. Check out this video and you'll see what I mean.

I wasn't aware that "PMS Face" was even a thing until finding this tonight, but after Lisa discusses it, I know exactly what she means. So, thank you Lisa! Now we all know how to handle this lady issue like professionals.

Evercle̅n Skincare

Of all of the skin problems that ail us, among the most tenacious is sensitivity.  If you suffer from sensitive skin, you know that even a search for facial cleanser alone means an hour or two spent in the beauty aisles, hunting down a soap-free, non-comedogenic, fragrance free concoction.  Unfortunately, if you're trying to do the whole natural beauty thing, this is even more of a challenge, especially if you're particularly sensitive to essential oils.

But, the sensitive skinned among us can rejoice because Evercle̅n has the answer to your prayers with their line of products that "say no" to soap, fragrance, parabens, gluten, phthalates, petroleum, colors, DEA’s and sodium lauryl sulfate.  Shew! What a mouthful! But you get it. Evercle̅n is basically giving people with sensitive skin a chance at using natural products and I love it!

Their line includes a face cream, facial cleanser, facial toner, hand cream, eye cream and body lotion.  Of all of these products, I favored both the face cream* and the body lotion*. Though I couldn't use the face cream all over my entire face due to a glycerin sensitivity, I used it as an eye cream and it was light and incredible.  Actually, if you're looking for a natural alternative to the not-so-natural sensitive skin favorite, Cerave, this would be an amazing option.

*Photo via betterlife.com

Another of their products I really loved was the body lotion.  Very similar in texture to the face cream, the body lotion is non-greasy, but very moisturizing. It's not often that one comes across a combination like this in a body lotion.  Usually you're left sacrificing moisture for non-greasiness or vice versa.

*Photo via betterlife.com

If you've got sensitive or intolerant skin, I highly suggest you take a look at Evercle̅n's products.  The entire line can be purchased here (and at very reasonable prices, if you ask me).

Have you tried these products? Are you as happy as I am about a natural line that isn't fragranced?

The * denotes a product which I was sent free of cost.  Reviews will remain objective, regardless of how the product came to me.

Coco-nutty

       Before I give a full intro of my new favorite product, I am going to go ahead and acknowledge the obvious:  I am becoming a huge fan of natural products.  I've still got the usual toxic-chemical-paraben-laced-carcogenic stuff lying around, but I keep getting all these fun, organic products that are only reinforcing my new found love.  The specific product I want to address today is coconut oil.  In recent years this stuff has become the bee's knees in the beauty world and I am quite late to the party.  People are going crazy with it.  I mean hair, body, face... it's being used everywhere.  We all love a good "do-it-all" product, so of course, when I read about all of coconut oil's reported benefits, I wanted to give it a try.  For you skeptics out there, I found a good article by The Huffington Post that reinforces these benefits, but not in a fluffy, too-good-to-be-true way. 

      
       I am sad to report that I am not one of the people who can use it on their face.  I used it as a makeup remover one night and woke up with a few new spots the next day.  This was a bit surprising to me as CapriClear (post here) had no adverse effects on my skin the first time I used it.  I am thinking it is because CapriClear is 100% fractionated coconut oil containing only caprylic tryglycerides (a.k.a only the good stuff), whereas the 365 Everyday Value Organic Refined Expeller Pressed Coconut Oil from Whole Foods obviously has everything in it, good and bad.

       
        But never fear fellow breakout-prone ladies!  This stuff works wonders as a body lotion or a deep conditioner for dry hair.  Unlike most oils, coconut oil absorbs very quickly when used on the body.  I was really surprised the first time I used it as I was expecting to be greasy for a few minutes afterwards.  If you plan on using it on your hair, however, it will take a little longer to work its magic.  I recommend applying it to dry ends and then wrapping your hair into a bun,  tucking the oily parts into the ponytail holder.  This allows you to go about your normal activities without worrying about getting it on your face or clothes.  Additionally, I have heard great things about coconut oil when used to combat eczema symptoms.  It supposedly calms the itch and moisturizes like no other.  If you're suffering from this condition, it seems to me that there is nothing to lose by giving it a try.
        Coconut oil is reasonably priced and Amazon.com offers different sizes for various prices.  I'd love to know your opinions on coconut oil.  Are there any other uses that I've missed?   

If You Can't Buy 'Em, Sample 'Em!, Part 2

    I am finally done with finals and as a celebration I HAD to stop at Sephora today on my way back home!  Unfortunately, I did break my Spending Ban, but only by $6.36! I bought the Sephora Face Complexion Brush and picked up samples of two new cleansers!  I've been using Johnson & Johnson's Head-to-Toe baby wash on my face for the past year, and while it does its job, I think it may be time to start taking my skincare more seriously.

PTR is the clear cleanser on the left, while Origins is the pearlescent, white cleanser
on the right!  

    First, let me just say, Sephora Sales Associates are very friendly, but sometimes a little too pushy!  Let me search for a cleanser in peace, people!  Anyways, the SA recommended the Origins A Perfect World Antioxidant Cleanser with White Tea and I chose Peter Thomas Roth's Beta Hydroxy Acid 2% Acne Wash.  I'm honestly skeptical about the white tea cleanser, as it contains many oils.  Against my better judgment, I am going to give it a try anyways, because it smells divine.  I chose PTR's BHA acne wash because I think it could help keep some of these little random breakouts away that have been popping up on my face.  Plus, it's alcohol and oil free, which is truly a rare find when it comes to acne-preventing cleansers.  I'm very excited to give these cleansers a try, but even more so to try my new facial brush!  You know you're a makeup freak when you get this excited about a complexion brush.  I'll report back my findings on these cleansers later this week.  I think the PTR cleanser is first up tonight and it looks pretty promising!

*Update:  Loved my sample of the PTR cleanser, but it may be a tad harsh for the winter months.  Also, the facial brush really adds to my cleansing routine; however, when using this I would recommend using a light hand.  As for the Origins Cleanser, I am going to wait a bit until these random breakouts on my face subside to sample it.  
  

Weekend Ramblings: The Black Friday Recovery

If you all are like me, you are just now getting out of your post-Black-Friday daze.  My mom, three sisters, and I left our house around 12:00 am and got back around 4:00 this morning.  Needless to say, I am totally wiped out.  The deals weren't as great as I had expected, but I did manage to make it out of Ulta with a nice little haul.  Unfortunately, everything I bought there is a Christmas gift for someone else, so I can't post about it on here just yet.  But, let's move on!  If you're anything like me, staying up all night wreaks havoc on your skin.  Thanks to the all night shopping extravaganza I've got undereye circles like none other complimented by some blotchy red areas.  Unfortunately, I left my favorite face mask (reviewed here) at school, so my typical all-nighter recovery routine is already off to a bad start.  However, it's been a loooong time since I've experimented with a DIY face mask so I figured I would give it a go tonight!  I didn't get this recipe from anywhere specific, I just mixed together a few random ingredients that are known to have skin-improving properties.  Here's the recipe!

2 Tbsp. Oats
1 Tbsp. Honey
The juice of 1 small lemon wedge
A little water (to make the mask more paste-like)

Directions:  Mix all the ingredients together in a little bowl.  Once the mixture is like a paste, spread it over your face using either your fingers or a makeup brush (like this one).  Honestly, how you apply the mask doesn't really matter, it's just about preference.   Put some cucumbers on your eyes for a spa-like effect.  Leave the mask on for about 10-15 minutes then use warm water and a wash cloth to wipe it off.  Your skin should feel super soft and look a little less aggravated.


In case you were wondering what the significance of each ingredient is, here it goes: the oats are for calming redness, honey is for cleansing and moisturizing, and lemon juice is for lightening scars.  Now, like I said, it's been a long time since I've made my own face mask, so I can't promise that this recipe will be good for everyone.  I will update this post if I experience any adverse effects, such as breakouts.   But for now, I must say that my skin feels pretty good!

When the Going Gets Rough, Exfoliate EVERYTHING

Today is one of those days that almost requires you to curl up in your bed with a cup of tea, a book, and Sex and the City reruns and just shudder at the thought of even attempting to go outside.  However, being the good student I am, I woke up this morning and went to EVERY SINGLE ONE of my classes (hear that, Mom?!).  I've never felt more proud or exhausted.  Anyways,  just because I went to my classes doesn't mean that I did anything to improve my appearance before doing so.  I didn't even use baby powder in my hair and that's rock bottom for me.  I mean what's the point?  It's forty-five degrees, rainy, and no one can honestly recognize me with my rain coat hood cinched tightly around my face anyways.  Needless to say, after spending a while outside walking between classes, I really felt gross.  Nothing can get rid of that dreary, rainy-day appearance quite like exfoliation.  And I mean a lot of exfoliation.  Below are three of my favorite exfoliants for lips, face and body.

It's kind of hard to see what this is in the picture above, but it is the Fresh Sugar Lip Polish.  I got this as a gift and originally thought it was pointless, but it has been perfect for my chapped lips during cold weather.  I just put a little on the tip of my finger and rub it across my lips then wipe it off with a wash cloth.  It makes lipgloss and lipstick application go a lot smoother.  Love it!

This Sephora brand body scrub is just your average body scrub, but it smells like vanilla and was only $10.  I do love that it's in a tube.  I've always found that body scrubs in jars are kind of miserable to use and often run out faster.  It's perfect to use before shaving or if you just want a little in-shower pick-me-up.  Though this isn't the most exclusive or luxurious of body scrub options, it works really well and smells amazing.

I have a love/hate relationship with drugstore facial scrubs.  I usually just opt for a washcloth with my normal cleanser or this little silicone scrublet I bought for $5 at Sephora, but when I saw St. Ives Green Tea Scrub, I was intrigued.  I'm almost to the end of the tube with this one and I really like it.  It's packed with tiny little scrubbing particles that remove dead skin effectively without being too harsh.  It also contains one percent salicylic acid for a little extra chemical exfoliation.  I would recommend using this no more than three times a week, especially to those of you with sensitive skin.  Over exfoliation can cause premature aging, or so I've heard.  Better safe than sorry!

Enjoy this rainy day and use it as time to pamper yourself.  That's what I will be doing!

How to Pretend You Took a Shower

Today I have two exams to take, one in Stats and one in Geology.  As we all know, Stats is not my strong suit and then there's Geology which I find interesting, but can't focus in either (ADD much?). So basically I studied until 12:30 am then woke up at 5:30 am to continue my studies.  All of this procrastinating left me with no time to shower, therefore I had to bring out some secret weapons that help me trick people into thinking I've showered.

1.  The "I Haven't Showered, but Look Like It Holy Grail": Baby Powder.  Many people think the baby powder trick is only for blondes.  This is not true at all, as long as you blend it in well enough.  I flip my hair and sprinkle it in there, then blend it in with my fingers, and brush my hair. Voila, my hair is de-greased!  Many have a problem with the smell of baby powder as it reminds them of babies (duh).  I prefer the lavender and chamomile.  You may still smell kind of like a baby, but a sophisticated baby.

  

2.  The Bun:  Sometimes baby powder just isn't enough and you must resort to The Bun.  That picture above is my hair today.  It's not as polished as I would like it to be, but unfortunately I just don't have time for that.  The Bun is perfect for all occasions, whether it be class or a meeting.    

3.  Baby Wipes (Not Pictured Above):  This is for armpits and personal areas.  Work from top to bottom.  It's pretty self-explanatory. 

4.  Perfume...not a lot, just a spritz or two.

5.  Wash your face and actually do your makeup! Many people think that not showering excuses them from putting on any form of face makeup.  I am guilty of this (and quite often, because I am a lazy college student).  Putting on some eyeliner and mascara will brighten your eyes instantly, and throwing some under eye concealer into the mix will really do wonders.  Maybe add a little blush to make yourself seem perkier to the outside world that doesn't know you were up studying at all hours of the morning.  

Hope this helps all of you lazy ladies out there!  What are some tricks you use to make people think you're cleaner than you really are?