No, not the hit Medi-Drama. I speak of body scrubs, exfoliative and moisturizing and yummy-smelling. Quite possibly the greatest invention since scented lotion. I am not the biggest fan of baths, in which these solutions are the most effective, but sometimes I will brave the awkward positioning necessary to sit in a hard tub and stare at a wall with no mental stimulation for 15-20 minutes (some days that's a bit of a stretch even) in order to obtain supreme exfoliation and hydration. The idea of a loofah sponge is disgusting to me (there's still dead skin on it after you rinse it out, and it just sits there and decays until the next time you use it. GECK!) so I just use scrubs whenever I can. Since we're running with the home made theme, I'll feature the ones we made from household products first.
First, some ingredients:
Salt: Great for coarse scrubs, post-shave disinfecting to prevent the Red Bumpies of Death, and also for detoxing of skin and muscles. Sea salt can be used, but epsom salts are better for all the above purposes and won't sting quite as much. Best for use on the body only, as it is too coarse for the thinner skin of the face and doesn't feel awesome in the eyes, nose, or any open acne spots.
Sugar: About the only healthy use for white bleached cane sugar, sugar scrubs are best for sensitive, dry, or easily abraded skin. Make sure it's rinsed off thoroughly after use, though, as bacteria just LOVE sugar and any spots that stay damp (between toes, under arms, etc) is a storehouse for infection.
Olive Oil: One of nature's best oils, second in my book only to coconut oil, olive oil is thick and moisturiing and feels great in a warm bath.* It's also relatively cheap (store brand works just as well as the high-end stuff) easy to obtain, and mixes well with any scent.
Coconut Oil: This oil is divided into two classes: Regular coconut oil and Monoi, which has long been credited for the beautiful skin and hair seen on Polynesian women. Chemically the most similar thing the natural world has to offer to our own natural sebum, it is a fantastic replacement oil for people who experience dry skin as a medication side effect or health condition. A four-ounce bottle of Monoi costs about ten dollars. My favorite brand can be found at http://www.monoi.com/ It sinks in fast, never leaves greasy residue, and smells unbelievable without being perfumey. One of the most popular scents is Tiare, which is Tahitian Jasmine and pairs beautifully with vanilla.
Coffee: Good for the body, good for the soul, coffee helps tone the skin and break up cellulite while detoxing pores and, of course, exfoliating.
Baking soda: Scientists have found that cancers of all kinds thrive in an acidic environment, which many toxins, preservatives, chemicals, and pesticides create in our bodies. I don't know if baking soda combats this in any way by using it topically on the face, but it's a nice soft scrub to use that is non-drying, cheap, easy to use and requires very little brain power. Use it straight or with a regular non-scrubbing cleanser to buff away dead skin, which, as we all know, is the devil.
Now, as for recipes: As a warning, I was taught to cook by my mother, who was taught by her mother, who was taught by my gran-gran. Women in our family do not use measuring cups. All measurements here are approximate and should be tweaked and adjusted to taste.
Erin's Down-Home salt or sugar scrub: One of the easiest and most luxurious products to make, all that is necessary is two parts dry to one part wet. The oil should just cover the salt or sugar. Make sure it is mixed well. I would recommend a good essential oil for fragrance. A few drops will go a long way here. Don't be surprised if you feel a little greasy when you get out of the tub. Just keep rubbing and you'll be a little ball of velvet by morning.
Corrie's Coffee Scrub: Coffee grounds, vanilla, cinamon, sugar, and just enough olive oil to wet everything down, this concoction was stuffed in a pretty jar and given to the roomies by Corrie for Single's Recognition Day, AKA Valentine's day. The initial smell of coffee is overwhelming when you first set out to use it, but after you scrub and wash the grounds away, there is only a rich, spicy vanilla scent left behind. And no, it doesn't stain.
Baking soda scrub: Mix equal parts baking soda (don't use the box you've been storing in your fridge for months. It's gonna stink. Fork out the two bucks to get a new box to keep under your sink) and your favorite cleanser, making a paste. Wet the skin with warm water beforehand. Do not use more than two or three times a week, as over-exfoliation will cause irritation, breakouts, and premature aging.
Bath and Bodyworks: Their basic salt scrubs are pretty nearly perfect, fairly affordable, and smell amazing, but if you have any perfume sensitivities, stay away. The fragrance in this stuff is pretty heavy.
And there you have it! Next: Leave-on masks! Or something.
Happy Polishing!
Erin
*Word to the wise: Keep a bottle of dish soap handy in the bathroom. Oily tub+bare feet+gravity=Hospital trip x OW2.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Monday, February 8, 2010
The Chemical Sasquatch
In this advertising-led world, we tend to believe, whether we mean to or not, anything that commercials tell us. It's just in the back of our minds. If they were telling us something we actually cared about, we would go and research it, but since they tend to load us with information about deodorant and toothpaste, we go with it until we hear differently.
Most of us were born with perfect skin, and it was intended to stay that way our entire lives. Before the industrial revolution, it did for most people. Acne was a skin condition suffered only by the overindulgent wealthy that ate too much and exercised not at all. Anything else involving the skin was usually the result of trauma or a communicable disease. Now, we have rosacea, cystic acne, cancerous moles, premature wrinkles, pregnancy mask, and a host of other afflictions that mostly attack the face, the section of skin that undergoes the most strain. Our depleted ozone layer lets through far too much UV radiation, and though sunbathing may improve complexion on the short term, it leads to clogged pores, hyperpigmentation, dryness, and skin cancer in the longer term. Chemicals in our food set off myriad allergic reactions in our bodies that simply go unnoticed because we are so used to being unhealthy, and the first organ to suffer is our skin. Hormones in meat, dairy, and eggs cause premature puberty in females and feminine fat patterns in males, and also (because they're hormones, duh) hit the ovaries of females. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a new epidemic, and one of the top side effects of this condition is acne.
See, what the commercials and marketing directors that write those commercials will tell you is that there is only one little thing wrong with your skin that their product will fix, and then your skin will be perfect. The fact of the matter is that we wouldn't need all those products unless we were trying to control the side effects of other products, oftentimes produced by the same company.
Okay, okay, I admit, I'm a little bitter because of the cysts on my ovaries that are even now causing poetic amounts of pain as they try to figure out just what it is they're supposed to be doing again and taking my pancreas along for the ride. Chemicals and pesticides have done a number on my body as a whole. But really, cutting out the gross side-effects of a world that gives us whatever we want, a bag to put it in, and a side of free radicals to take home is not as hard as it sounds.
Hence, a few tried-and-true tips for combating the Chemical Sasquatch.
1. Water, water, water. Water is an amazing cure-all. So many problems are worsened or caused by dehydration, from abdominal discomfort to bloating to headaches to back pain. I hate drinking water myself. It's nasty crap. But your body needs it. And don't believe that idiocy that Coca Cola prints on its packages, that drinking straight water isn't necessary as long as you're intaking fluid. The stuff in soda (even and especially diet soda) is evil in a can, liquid Satan, sin with bubbles. There is not a thing in soda that you need. The water they use is minimal and of such poor quality that it does your body absolutely no good, while the phosphorus, sugar, aspartame, and plethora of other nastiness wreaks havoc on your digestive tract and the rest of your bodily systems. Water is best. Put fruit in it to flavor it. But don't believe the hype about Crystal Light and other ready-made drink mixes. They're not as bad as soda, but they're still harmful.
2. Vitamins are key. Multi-vitamins are okay, especially for people who don't have time to cook. The tasty-foody variety of vitamins are best, though. Many restaurants are beginning to make fresh and nummy menu items that are packed with nutrients.
3. Don't use the cheap skin crap. Splurge on the items that are made by full-disclosure companies, the ones that let people know exactly who they are and what goes in to their products. As a general rule, anything I recommend here is from just such a company. Also, there is no reason to buy beauty products that have been animal tested. There is so much out there that is affordable, animal friendly, and works GREAT. Animal testing, even though it sucks, is necessary for medical research. But for makeup? Come on. No one needs lipstick that bad. We're talking chemical burns that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, open sores, infections, and allergic reactions that kill slowly and painfully. Not to mention that these companies are taking the formulas that have these side effects and, instead of changing the formulas, are simply watering the solutions down until the side-effects are no longer noticeable, then selling it anyway. The FDA is a joke. They don't regulate anything besides the number of kickbacks they take before lunch. Is it any wonder we have so many skin problems?
4. Fiber, both soluble (the kind that's good for your heart) and insoluble (the kind that makes you poo) is good for detoxification, and hence, your skin. In case you've been on glue for most of this entry, toxins+skin=toxic skin. I hate oatmeal myself, but Kellogg makes an amazing fiber bar, and Fiber One isn't too bad either.
5. Sleep! I am a hypocrite for writing this, but sleep is the single most important ingredient for healing and restoration in your body. When an injury or sickness is sustained, the first thing your brain does is send sleep hormones rushing into your system. It's your body's way of recharging and reconstructing its tissues. Plus, bed and blankets and pillows are all awesome things.
On that note, I'm signing off now. More to come later, intermingled with a few new things I've tried, and a final ruling on the Visibly Fit Lotion Challenge.
Happy Detoxing!
Most of us were born with perfect skin, and it was intended to stay that way our entire lives. Before the industrial revolution, it did for most people. Acne was a skin condition suffered only by the overindulgent wealthy that ate too much and exercised not at all. Anything else involving the skin was usually the result of trauma or a communicable disease. Now, we have rosacea, cystic acne, cancerous moles, premature wrinkles, pregnancy mask, and a host of other afflictions that mostly attack the face, the section of skin that undergoes the most strain. Our depleted ozone layer lets through far too much UV radiation, and though sunbathing may improve complexion on the short term, it leads to clogged pores, hyperpigmentation, dryness, and skin cancer in the longer term. Chemicals in our food set off myriad allergic reactions in our bodies that simply go unnoticed because we are so used to being unhealthy, and the first organ to suffer is our skin. Hormones in meat, dairy, and eggs cause premature puberty in females and feminine fat patterns in males, and also (because they're hormones, duh) hit the ovaries of females. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is a new epidemic, and one of the top side effects of this condition is acne.
See, what the commercials and marketing directors that write those commercials will tell you is that there is only one little thing wrong with your skin that their product will fix, and then your skin will be perfect. The fact of the matter is that we wouldn't need all those products unless we were trying to control the side effects of other products, oftentimes produced by the same company.
Okay, okay, I admit, I'm a little bitter because of the cysts on my ovaries that are even now causing poetic amounts of pain as they try to figure out just what it is they're supposed to be doing again and taking my pancreas along for the ride. Chemicals and pesticides have done a number on my body as a whole. But really, cutting out the gross side-effects of a world that gives us whatever we want, a bag to put it in, and a side of free radicals to take home is not as hard as it sounds.
Hence, a few tried-and-true tips for combating the Chemical Sasquatch.
1. Water, water, water. Water is an amazing cure-all. So many problems are worsened or caused by dehydration, from abdominal discomfort to bloating to headaches to back pain. I hate drinking water myself. It's nasty crap. But your body needs it. And don't believe that idiocy that Coca Cola prints on its packages, that drinking straight water isn't necessary as long as you're intaking fluid. The stuff in soda (even and especially diet soda) is evil in a can, liquid Satan, sin with bubbles. There is not a thing in soda that you need. The water they use is minimal and of such poor quality that it does your body absolutely no good, while the phosphorus, sugar, aspartame, and plethora of other nastiness wreaks havoc on your digestive tract and the rest of your bodily systems. Water is best. Put fruit in it to flavor it. But don't believe the hype about Crystal Light and other ready-made drink mixes. They're not as bad as soda, but they're still harmful.
2. Vitamins are key. Multi-vitamins are okay, especially for people who don't have time to cook. The tasty-foody variety of vitamins are best, though. Many restaurants are beginning to make fresh and nummy menu items that are packed with nutrients.
3. Don't use the cheap skin crap. Splurge on the items that are made by full-disclosure companies, the ones that let people know exactly who they are and what goes in to their products. As a general rule, anything I recommend here is from just such a company. Also, there is no reason to buy beauty products that have been animal tested. There is so much out there that is affordable, animal friendly, and works GREAT. Animal testing, even though it sucks, is necessary for medical research. But for makeup? Come on. No one needs lipstick that bad. We're talking chemical burns that you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy, open sores, infections, and allergic reactions that kill slowly and painfully. Not to mention that these companies are taking the formulas that have these side effects and, instead of changing the formulas, are simply watering the solutions down until the side-effects are no longer noticeable, then selling it anyway. The FDA is a joke. They don't regulate anything besides the number of kickbacks they take before lunch. Is it any wonder we have so many skin problems?
4. Fiber, both soluble (the kind that's good for your heart) and insoluble (the kind that makes you poo) is good for detoxification, and hence, your skin. In case you've been on glue for most of this entry, toxins+skin=toxic skin. I hate oatmeal myself, but Kellogg makes an amazing fiber bar, and Fiber One isn't too bad either.
5. Sleep! I am a hypocrite for writing this, but sleep is the single most important ingredient for healing and restoration in your body. When an injury or sickness is sustained, the first thing your brain does is send sleep hormones rushing into your system. It's your body's way of recharging and reconstructing its tissues. Plus, bed and blankets and pillows are all awesome things.
On that note, I'm signing off now. More to come later, intermingled with a few new things I've tried, and a final ruling on the Visibly Fit Lotion Challenge.
Happy Detoxing!
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Lush Moisturizers
Foreword: Lush puts their very best into the moisturizers, knowing that it's more than just greasing up the skin. The pollutants we live with in this slowly-dying earth necessitate us using very strong soaps and astringents to clean the toxins from our pores. This also strips the natural oils that our skin needs to stay young and healthy. This has to be restored carefully, or we run into problems.
Lush does not skimp on ingredients. Some of their moisturizers are insanely expensive, but you get what you pay for...no, really. More to follow.
Celestial Moisturizer: If I could pick a moisturizer to use for the rest of my life, it would be Celestial. It smells like fresh vanilla beans. It's light and fluffy, and when you open it sparkles and rainbows shoot out. Basically, a summation of all that is good and kind in a really sleek-looking jar with a nice screw-top lid. If it's put on too thick it's surprisingly heavy though, so slathering it on is not an option, nor is bathing in it. Although, if I ever find out I have a month to live, I am filling a bathtub with this stuff and climbing in to smother.
Imperialis Moisturizer: A very nice, neutral, balancing moisturizer. No fragrance, just down-to-business for combination skin. Very much like the British-land, fix what needs to be fixed, drink tea, then move on. However, if you have problem skin, you're going to want something a little more to the point.
Gorgeous Moisturizer: Oh...My....Goodness. That's probably the best way to describe this stuff. At eighty dollars, it is the single most expensive skin care product I have ever purchased, but it was so worth it. This moisturizer not only clears up acne, but leaves the skin with an inexplicable but definite glow that got me comments from strangers. If I could afford to, I would continue to order it and use it as a regular moisturizer. To date, the closest thing to a miracle I have ever put on my face. Truly, the only problem is the price.
Toners:
The only toner I have tried from Lush so far is the Eau Roma toner. I am a big fan of history, especially Rennaissance and Regence era history. This toner is made with a rosewater base. When I smell it I instantly feel like I'm wearing petticoats and lacing into a corset, getting ready for a ball. I mostly use it after blow-drying my hair to stop sweating and redness caused by all that hot air. A very nice product, affordable, and lasts a while.
I am going to place a new Lush order with four items. There will be much blogging when they arrive. I get so excited when I get presents via UPS, sometimes I blog all over myself.
Lush does not skimp on ingredients. Some of their moisturizers are insanely expensive, but you get what you pay for...no, really. More to follow.
Celestial Moisturizer: If I could pick a moisturizer to use for the rest of my life, it would be Celestial. It smells like fresh vanilla beans. It's light and fluffy, and when you open it sparkles and rainbows shoot out. Basically, a summation of all that is good and kind in a really sleek-looking jar with a nice screw-top lid. If it's put on too thick it's surprisingly heavy though, so slathering it on is not an option, nor is bathing in it. Although, if I ever find out I have a month to live, I am filling a bathtub with this stuff and climbing in to smother.
Imperialis Moisturizer: A very nice, neutral, balancing moisturizer. No fragrance, just down-to-business for combination skin. Very much like the British-land, fix what needs to be fixed, drink tea, then move on. However, if you have problem skin, you're going to want something a little more to the point.
Gorgeous Moisturizer: Oh...My....Goodness. That's probably the best way to describe this stuff. At eighty dollars, it is the single most expensive skin care product I have ever purchased, but it was so worth it. This moisturizer not only clears up acne, but leaves the skin with an inexplicable but definite glow that got me comments from strangers. If I could afford to, I would continue to order it and use it as a regular moisturizer. To date, the closest thing to a miracle I have ever put on my face. Truly, the only problem is the price.
Toners:
The only toner I have tried from Lush so far is the Eau Roma toner. I am a big fan of history, especially Rennaissance and Regence era history. This toner is made with a rosewater base. When I smell it I instantly feel like I'm wearing petticoats and lacing into a corset, getting ready for a ball. I mostly use it after blow-drying my hair to stop sweating and redness caused by all that hot air. A very nice product, affordable, and lasts a while.
I am going to place a new Lush order with four items. There will be much blogging when they arrive. I get so excited when I get presents via UPS, sometimes I blog all over myself.
When I was a teenager, I saw my brother break out-the typical T-zone acne that my mother tried frantically to fix and wound up healing itself. I watched and smugly told myself that my skin was perfect, that I would never break out like he was.
I forgot that I am two years younger than he is, so my break-out wouldn't come for a little while yet.
I also forgot that pride goes before a fall. Two years later, my face exploded. Three trips to the dermatologist produced no results. He said it would probably heal itself, gave me some retin-A, and sent me home to wait.
I waited. And waited. And waited.
Mary Kay's skin care cleared up my skin for about two years. Then, for some reason, it stopped working. Tweaking the products I used produced no results. Proactiv only made it worse after six months of religious use. I could fill a blog with the different skin care systems I used that were "guaranteed" to work.
Years later, I understand two very important things about my acne.
1. The basis of my acne is hormonal. I have polycystic ovaries, which cause a lot of pain, obesity, facial hair, blood sugar problems, various collateral hormonal imbalances, and acne. Birth control may help, and I will see about obtaining it soon, but it must wait for medical insurance.
2. Acne patterns have a great deal to do with their causes and, thus, treatment tactics. Acne in the T-Zone is caused by oily skin that clogs pores and can be treated by the "traditional" methods such as Benzoyle Peroxide and Proactiv. My acne resides along the jaw line and the edge of my face, leaving the T-Zone clear. This acne is caused by dry skin. Much more difficult to treat with skin care.
Especially since every chemical known to man causes my skin to erupt.
This brings me to Lushusa.com.
I was actually introduced to Lush products via one of their Dallas stores. When I entered, a few days before my birthday and under obscene amounts of stress (so naturally with pimples on my jaw that were waving and greeting passers-by with inappropriate enthusiasm) I was accosted by a flamboyantly gay man who grabbed me by the hand and LITERALLY walked me through every product in the store. The staff were the company's biggest fans, always a good sign, and I was soon sold as well.
All organic. Non-animal tested. Handmade. Lush is about the closest you can come to rubbing angel wings on your face every day. I am going to make an effort to review their products as I use them, but here are the ones I've been so fortunate as to use so far;
Coalface Cleaner: This is one of the few products they sell that smells HORRIBLE. But the astringent properties are unmatched. My face literally squeaks after I use it. Of course, it's a little drying, but I don't have to slather on moisturizer after I wash my face with it, just lotion up like normal. There are, of course, veins of coal in it that give a nice exfoliation, but the coal deposits are a little chunky, so you wind up only getting a scrub once a week or so.
Aqua Marina Cleanser: One of the weirdest cleansers I have ever used. The best way I can describe it is calamine mixed with modeling clay wrapped in seaweed like sushi. I never could figure out how to use it without a lot of awkwardness. It doesn't foam, it just turns kind of milky when mixed with water, and then you've got the seaweed hanging around. It slowly breaks up as you rub the cleanser around, though, eventually tearing into parsley-sized pieces. In fact, the first time I used it I ran downstairs and woke Roomie Corrie up from a nap by screaming, "LOOK, I'm a slice of garlic bread!" It's a nice, gentle cleanser with pretty great astringent properties and not drying at all. If your skin is easily irritated by scrubbing, you'll love it.
Baby Faced Cleanser: I hesitate to even call this stuff cleanser. It's more like rubbing straight vaseline on your face. Of course, it sinks in more easily than that, and leaves the skin thoroughly moisturized, but not good for oily or combination skin. People with dry, dry skin, though, will love this one. It's got a creepy little baby face stamped on it, though, not sure how I feel about that one. Especially since it melts and looks like the cover art for a death metal band.
Greased Lightening Cleaner: Not so much a cleanser and more of a spot treatment, a very little bit of this clear, odorless gel dabbed on breakouts soon zaps them dry. The problem I've had with spot treatments in the past is that they are over-drying for my skin, irritating, or set off one of my many chemical sensitivities. Greased Lightening does none of these things. It simply lands on my skin and immediately dives deep to avoid being seen. Pretty great stuff.
So that's it for the cleansers. I'm more excited about their moisturizers, but that'll have to wait for my next post, since I'm tired and getting a headache.
Happy lathering!
~Erin
I forgot that I am two years younger than he is, so my break-out wouldn't come for a little while yet.
I also forgot that pride goes before a fall. Two years later, my face exploded. Three trips to the dermatologist produced no results. He said it would probably heal itself, gave me some retin-A, and sent me home to wait.
I waited. And waited. And waited.
Mary Kay's skin care cleared up my skin for about two years. Then, for some reason, it stopped working. Tweaking the products I used produced no results. Proactiv only made it worse after six months of religious use. I could fill a blog with the different skin care systems I used that were "guaranteed" to work.
Years later, I understand two very important things about my acne.
1. The basis of my acne is hormonal. I have polycystic ovaries, which cause a lot of pain, obesity, facial hair, blood sugar problems, various collateral hormonal imbalances, and acne. Birth control may help, and I will see about obtaining it soon, but it must wait for medical insurance.
2. Acne patterns have a great deal to do with their causes and, thus, treatment tactics. Acne in the T-Zone is caused by oily skin that clogs pores and can be treated by the "traditional" methods such as Benzoyle Peroxide and Proactiv. My acne resides along the jaw line and the edge of my face, leaving the T-Zone clear. This acne is caused by dry skin. Much more difficult to treat with skin care.
Especially since every chemical known to man causes my skin to erupt.
This brings me to Lushusa.com.
I was actually introduced to Lush products via one of their Dallas stores. When I entered, a few days before my birthday and under obscene amounts of stress (so naturally with pimples on my jaw that were waving and greeting passers-by with inappropriate enthusiasm) I was accosted by a flamboyantly gay man who grabbed me by the hand and LITERALLY walked me through every product in the store. The staff were the company's biggest fans, always a good sign, and I was soon sold as well.
All organic. Non-animal tested. Handmade. Lush is about the closest you can come to rubbing angel wings on your face every day. I am going to make an effort to review their products as I use them, but here are the ones I've been so fortunate as to use so far;
Coalface Cleaner: This is one of the few products they sell that smells HORRIBLE. But the astringent properties are unmatched. My face literally squeaks after I use it. Of course, it's a little drying, but I don't have to slather on moisturizer after I wash my face with it, just lotion up like normal. There are, of course, veins of coal in it that give a nice exfoliation, but the coal deposits are a little chunky, so you wind up only getting a scrub once a week or so.
Aqua Marina Cleanser: One of the weirdest cleansers I have ever used. The best way I can describe it is calamine mixed with modeling clay wrapped in seaweed like sushi. I never could figure out how to use it without a lot of awkwardness. It doesn't foam, it just turns kind of milky when mixed with water, and then you've got the seaweed hanging around. It slowly breaks up as you rub the cleanser around, though, eventually tearing into parsley-sized pieces. In fact, the first time I used it I ran downstairs and woke Roomie Corrie up from a nap by screaming, "LOOK, I'm a slice of garlic bread!" It's a nice, gentle cleanser with pretty great astringent properties and not drying at all. If your skin is easily irritated by scrubbing, you'll love it.
Baby Faced Cleanser: I hesitate to even call this stuff cleanser. It's more like rubbing straight vaseline on your face. Of course, it sinks in more easily than that, and leaves the skin thoroughly moisturized, but not good for oily or combination skin. People with dry, dry skin, though, will love this one. It's got a creepy little baby face stamped on it, though, not sure how I feel about that one. Especially since it melts and looks like the cover art for a death metal band.
Greased Lightening Cleaner: Not so much a cleanser and more of a spot treatment, a very little bit of this clear, odorless gel dabbed on breakouts soon zaps them dry. The problem I've had with spot treatments in the past is that they are over-drying for my skin, irritating, or set off one of my many chemical sensitivities. Greased Lightening does none of these things. It simply lands on my skin and immediately dives deep to avoid being seen. Pretty great stuff.
So that's it for the cleansers. I'm more excited about their moisturizers, but that'll have to wait for my next post, since I'm tired and getting a headache.
Happy lathering!
~Erin
Saturday, January 30, 2010
A word on underwear....
Jeannie Robertson the humorist said of her and her spouse, "We are not Victoria's Secret people. There is not a thong in our house. We are Sears people." I must say I identify with her. Being a plus sized woman comes with its own set of trials and travails. One of these is that so-called "pretty" underthings wind up looking like colorful rubber bands stretched around freshly kneaded bread dough. I have never kidded myself that I should wear those things. There are plenty of other pretty things I can put on that will not disappear up my backside. Victoria's Secret does not sell any of them.
I'm not knocking Victoria's Secret or any other women's under-roo chain. They have very pretty, very high-quality items. For women of my size and build, Cacique is a much better place to find fitting and flattering undergarments. I will do a series about online resources later when I have a little more filthy lucre at my disposal.
All this to say I am willing to pay a lot for things I wear that will never be seen by anyone but me, and possibly one of my roomies if they are very unlucky. But I tend to lean more toward the practical side of things.
Last July I was working a late shift in an Alzheimer's ward with a pretty great breakroom. There was a late-night infomercial on about an item from a brand called Kymaro, the Body Shaper. You can find them at www.ubuyez.com, and they are my best friend. The Body Shaper (or, as I call them around the house, my Hold-'Em-Ins) smooth out lumps and add a nice curve to the shape of the torso, for us boxier forms. I didn't really go down any dress sizes, but I looked much, MUCH better in my clothes, and was able to wear some clingier cuts without constantly feeling like the Michelin Man.
Initially I ordered one top and got two tops and two bottoms for around eighty dollars. When compared to Spanx (a great product for girls with some junk in the trunk, but for girls with larger tums they just make us look pregnant) at $50 for one set that last about as long as a really great pair of pantyhose (0.00006 seconds after contact with a jagged toenail, a twig, or several days of leg stubble), this is a great deal. My tops are in beautiful shape eight months of constant wear later. The bottoms are a little worse for wear, as I wasn't exactly gentle with them, but are still really great when used in tandem with the tops.
The tops themselves look like a tank top that is cut to ride below your bra. The fabric is 90% polyester and 10% spandex. Sounds hot, right? It's not. It actually breathes, and you can move in them. Granted, I'm used to corseting with Renaissance costuming, holding on to trees while devoted friends put their knees in my back and yank on laces until their fingers bleed. But really I forget I'm wearing them most of the time, and I wear them beneath everything but pajamas. They are also comfortable to wear in Texas heat.
The value is also amazing. I just ordered my second set, intending to get two tops and two bottoms like last time. I wound up getting four tops and two bottoms for just under one hundred dollars. Also, a nice new feature is that they now sell Camis with clear straps so that you can wear the Body Shaper with low backs or tank tops. Good stuff.
A word of warning, however. When you receive your new Body Shapers, do not be surprised if they seem to be a size too small with no intention of being otherwise. I forgot about that with this last order I made. My saga into my first top was an Odessey of pain, sweat, and anguish. But, as I said, I am no stranger to corestting, so with the use of a great deal of determination, I managed to squeeze into the top. My shoulders killed me for the rest of the day, but I was okay with that, so long as my hold-em-ins were holding 'em in.
Getting the shaper off introduced me to a new world of pain and suffering. I was honestly afraid for a moment that I would have to cut the darn thing off. The materiel was suddenly dry and chafing and pulled at my skin like mad. Even on my upper ribcage, the smallest part of my torso, the wadded up materiel nipped me cruelly. I looked like a tube of cookie dough being pushed through an hour glass. Actually getting the thing off involved nearly dislocating a shoulder and sustaining a bruise to my left deltoid. No kidding.
Still slightly tearful, I ran into roomie Lisa's bedroom to whine. She was busy cleaning at that point and offered kind words before returning to her work. Unsatisfied, I ran back into my room, grabbed the new shaper and one of my old ones, and brought them in to her. Absently, she pulled the stretchy fabric of the old one as I instructed her to, then I thrust the new shaper into her hands. Her eyes slowly began to bug out as she pulled on the top and realized how little "give" it actually had. Then she held it up and looked at me.
"How did you get IN this thing?"
I pointed at the bruise on my shoulder. We compared sizes. Both XL. We compared fabric composition. Both 90% polyester with 10% spandex. No, it wasn't an irregular top, although the Cami's had a lot more give to them and came on and off easily. My last resort was to wash the shaper before calling the dubiously-manned customer help line.
It worked. I don't know what kind of industrial-grade starch they use on those things before packaging, but it's the devil.
Now, I come to the most important information I shall impart to you in this entry. You may want to get a drink and go to the bathroom.
Done?
Okay, there is one more step you must take after your Body Shaper has been washed and dried. You must pull the top up to your knees (it goes on like a one-piece bathing suit). Then, when you get to your knees, there is a peculiar funky-chicken move whereby you stretch the material to prep it for easy placement. After a few rounds of pushing your knees outward forcefully and looking completely ridiculous, you should be ready to follow the directions and pull the silly thing in to place.
You will love it. And if the makers of the Kymaro products are reading this blog, I wouldn't say no to a little advertiser's pay.
I'm not knocking Victoria's Secret or any other women's under-roo chain. They have very pretty, very high-quality items. For women of my size and build, Cacique is a much better place to find fitting and flattering undergarments. I will do a series about online resources later when I have a little more filthy lucre at my disposal.
All this to say I am willing to pay a lot for things I wear that will never be seen by anyone but me, and possibly one of my roomies if they are very unlucky. But I tend to lean more toward the practical side of things.
Last July I was working a late shift in an Alzheimer's ward with a pretty great breakroom. There was a late-night infomercial on about an item from a brand called Kymaro, the Body Shaper. You can find them at www.ubuyez.com, and they are my best friend. The Body Shaper (or, as I call them around the house, my Hold-'Em-Ins) smooth out lumps and add a nice curve to the shape of the torso, for us boxier forms. I didn't really go down any dress sizes, but I looked much, MUCH better in my clothes, and was able to wear some clingier cuts without constantly feeling like the Michelin Man.
Initially I ordered one top and got two tops and two bottoms for around eighty dollars. When compared to Spanx (a great product for girls with some junk in the trunk, but for girls with larger tums they just make us look pregnant) at $50 for one set that last about as long as a really great pair of pantyhose (0.00006 seconds after contact with a jagged toenail, a twig, or several days of leg stubble), this is a great deal. My tops are in beautiful shape eight months of constant wear later. The bottoms are a little worse for wear, as I wasn't exactly gentle with them, but are still really great when used in tandem with the tops.
The tops themselves look like a tank top that is cut to ride below your bra. The fabric is 90% polyester and 10% spandex. Sounds hot, right? It's not. It actually breathes, and you can move in them. Granted, I'm used to corseting with Renaissance costuming, holding on to trees while devoted friends put their knees in my back and yank on laces until their fingers bleed. But really I forget I'm wearing them most of the time, and I wear them beneath everything but pajamas. They are also comfortable to wear in Texas heat.
The value is also amazing. I just ordered my second set, intending to get two tops and two bottoms like last time. I wound up getting four tops and two bottoms for just under one hundred dollars. Also, a nice new feature is that they now sell Camis with clear straps so that you can wear the Body Shaper with low backs or tank tops. Good stuff.
A word of warning, however. When you receive your new Body Shapers, do not be surprised if they seem to be a size too small with no intention of being otherwise. I forgot about that with this last order I made. My saga into my first top was an Odessey of pain, sweat, and anguish. But, as I said, I am no stranger to corestting, so with the use of a great deal of determination, I managed to squeeze into the top. My shoulders killed me for the rest of the day, but I was okay with that, so long as my hold-em-ins were holding 'em in.
Getting the shaper off introduced me to a new world of pain and suffering. I was honestly afraid for a moment that I would have to cut the darn thing off. The materiel was suddenly dry and chafing and pulled at my skin like mad. Even on my upper ribcage, the smallest part of my torso, the wadded up materiel nipped me cruelly. I looked like a tube of cookie dough being pushed through an hour glass. Actually getting the thing off involved nearly dislocating a shoulder and sustaining a bruise to my left deltoid. No kidding.
Still slightly tearful, I ran into roomie Lisa's bedroom to whine. She was busy cleaning at that point and offered kind words before returning to her work. Unsatisfied, I ran back into my room, grabbed the new shaper and one of my old ones, and brought them in to her. Absently, she pulled the stretchy fabric of the old one as I instructed her to, then I thrust the new shaper into her hands. Her eyes slowly began to bug out as she pulled on the top and realized how little "give" it actually had. Then she held it up and looked at me.
"How did you get IN this thing?"
I pointed at the bruise on my shoulder. We compared sizes. Both XL. We compared fabric composition. Both 90% polyester with 10% spandex. No, it wasn't an irregular top, although the Cami's had a lot more give to them and came on and off easily. My last resort was to wash the shaper before calling the dubiously-manned customer help line.
It worked. I don't know what kind of industrial-grade starch they use on those things before packaging, but it's the devil.
Now, I come to the most important information I shall impart to you in this entry. You may want to get a drink and go to the bathroom.
Done?
Okay, there is one more step you must take after your Body Shaper has been washed and dried. You must pull the top up to your knees (it goes on like a one-piece bathing suit). Then, when you get to your knees, there is a peculiar funky-chicken move whereby you stretch the material to prep it for easy placement. After a few rounds of pushing your knees outward forcefully and looking completely ridiculous, you should be ready to follow the directions and pull the silly thing in to place.
You will love it. And if the makers of the Kymaro products are reading this blog, I wouldn't say no to a little advertiser's pay.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Mary Kay Visibly Fit Body Lotion is possibly the single best body lotion known to womankind. It smells like classy, no lie. At $18 per bottle, it's a little pricey, but lasts a long time. I have just begun a two-week pilgrimage in which I start with a three-quarters full bottle, apply it to my legs and arms twice a day, and at the end of the two weeks I will report on how it's affected my skin and my pocketbook. Soon after I will do the same thing with Hemp Moist lotion, found at Wal-Mart, and at least one of the body lotions from Bath and Bodyworks.
This is because something very strange happened to me about the time I turned 25....my skin, heretofore a massive white oilcloth, has turned dry. I barely know how to cope with the change. Heaven help my when menopause rolls around, I may go into a coma.
Apparently, some people have to....moisturize their skin? Madness. I refused to believe it for the longest time. Those rows and rows of lotion at the store are just for smell. The "Lubriderm" commercials are for old people, despite their being targeted at a young crowd.
But eventually I had to admit defeat and start slathering on the lotion. I confess I have not been as faithful about it as I should. My short attention span means that putting lotion everywhere it needs to go on my body is freakin' tedious.
Not to mention that I live in Texas, and sweating under a thick layer of lotion brings new levels of weird discomfort to view on the horizon. It's better in North Texas, where the air is nice and dry. I went back home recently for a family reunion in East Texas, and I couldn't believe the humidity level. Ducks, rather than looking for puddles, just sit still and breathe. Fish can survive quite nicely out of water in the summer. Humans, however, had to harness the mystical diuretic powers of super-sweet iced tea in order to live and breathe.
Lotion? You may as well be wearing a fur coat.
So here I go with my MK experiment. I will keep you apprised. So far, three days into it, my skin is feeling pretty great. I'm not aged enough to have wrinkles yet, but the Visib. Fit has evened out the blotchy skin tone on my forearms and some of the cellulite on my legs.
A note: with certain brands, less is more. Mary Kay is one of these brands. I am not applying much product at once. I will let you know the optimum level of goopy at the end of the two-week trials.
Happy slathering!
Erin
This is because something very strange happened to me about the time I turned 25....my skin, heretofore a massive white oilcloth, has turned dry. I barely know how to cope with the change. Heaven help my when menopause rolls around, I may go into a coma.
Apparently, some people have to....moisturize their skin? Madness. I refused to believe it for the longest time. Those rows and rows of lotion at the store are just for smell. The "Lubriderm" commercials are for old people, despite their being targeted at a young crowd.
But eventually I had to admit defeat and start slathering on the lotion. I confess I have not been as faithful about it as I should. My short attention span means that putting lotion everywhere it needs to go on my body is freakin' tedious.
Not to mention that I live in Texas, and sweating under a thick layer of lotion brings new levels of weird discomfort to view on the horizon. It's better in North Texas, where the air is nice and dry. I went back home recently for a family reunion in East Texas, and I couldn't believe the humidity level. Ducks, rather than looking for puddles, just sit still and breathe. Fish can survive quite nicely out of water in the summer. Humans, however, had to harness the mystical diuretic powers of super-sweet iced tea in order to live and breathe.
Lotion? You may as well be wearing a fur coat.
So here I go with my MK experiment. I will keep you apprised. So far, three days into it, my skin is feeling pretty great. I'm not aged enough to have wrinkles yet, but the Visib. Fit has evened out the blotchy skin tone on my forearms and some of the cellulite on my legs.
A note: with certain brands, less is more. Mary Kay is one of these brands. I am not applying much product at once. I will let you know the optimum level of goopy at the end of the two-week trials.
Happy slathering!
Erin
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Foundation Layer
So here it is, my newest indication that I think way too much of my time-management skills.
I have never been a very girly girl. My early teen years were spent tromping around the Texas wilds, with nary a thought given to concealer. The later teens were spent in the Blinn Community College computer lab thinking light diffusion was something the Rad Tech program should be concerned with. As for current events, I was recently thrilled with the purchase of a dress, which marks the first dress obtained with my consent since the horrible bridesmaid's dress I wore at age sixteen.
But I can't seem to get away from skin care and makeup. I love the stuff. I tried to sell Mary Kay for a while, because Mary Kay has some really amazing product. But my enthusiasm for other brands would not be repressed. Clinique, Lush Cosmetics, Bath & Bodyworks, and Too Faced called out to me, and I had to answer. In my career as a nurse, I have seen some truly funky skin. Nothing is more certain to make me ill than pathologically neglected epidermis. I've been privy to the good, the bad, and the fugly of human exteriors.
I never leave the house without makeup on. Lest you get the wrong idea and think that I am an incredibly vain and self-absorbed Paris Hilton clone that goes to the gym wearing heels and pearls, allow me to educate you to the contrary. I may leave the house wearing pajama pants. I may appear to be wearing a crack-imbibing Pomeranian on my head. I own no more than ten pairs of shoes, all practical in one way or another, and mostly more than a year old.
But I love my makeup.
And of course, skin care doesn't just cover the face. Your skin is your largest organ. People don't realize how easy it is to screw it up. Sun, pollution, pesticides, dehydration, slight vitamin and mineral deficiencies, stress, and hormone imbalances can all take perfectly lovely skin and turn it into the love child of a fire hydrant and a lizard's butt.
I guess if you look at it that way I could be kind of a skin super-hero. I could fly into women's bathrooms wearing a caped suit-a picture of a lotion bottle on the cape-and completely gut and rennovate their skin care routine, then fly out again, leaving them looking like Rachel Weiss with a slight radioactive glow.
So anyway, since I do love to write, and wanted a serial blog with a set, reachable goal, I thought I might start up a blog site where I try and review different skin and hair care products and cosmetics. I can start with some of the myriad products I use or have used in the last few years. From there I can branch out into the wild world of the Macy's makeup counters. I'm sure in the next few days I'll come up with a goal, but for now let's just say I'll probably have plenty of writing materiel.
While I realize that currently my readership is all of one (and that's only because my cat is sitting on my lap looking at the screen) I can't shake the hope that someday strangers from exotic places like McKinney, Texas will read my blog and find hope, inspiration, and helpful tips from my search for a cure for this danged acne.
My newest skin acquisition is a Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals set. I am in love. After extensive travails trying to find a foundation that doesn't break out my skin (which will be cataloged soon), I believe I may have found the answer.
More reviews are to follow. Here's christening the new blogspot and hoping for plentiful creativity inside and plentiful readership outside.
Happy Following!
Erin
I have never been a very girly girl. My early teen years were spent tromping around the Texas wilds, with nary a thought given to concealer. The later teens were spent in the Blinn Community College computer lab thinking light diffusion was something the Rad Tech program should be concerned with. As for current events, I was recently thrilled with the purchase of a dress, which marks the first dress obtained with my consent since the horrible bridesmaid's dress I wore at age sixteen.
But I can't seem to get away from skin care and makeup. I love the stuff. I tried to sell Mary Kay for a while, because Mary Kay has some really amazing product. But my enthusiasm for other brands would not be repressed. Clinique, Lush Cosmetics, Bath & Bodyworks, and Too Faced called out to me, and I had to answer. In my career as a nurse, I have seen some truly funky skin. Nothing is more certain to make me ill than pathologically neglected epidermis. I've been privy to the good, the bad, and the fugly of human exteriors.
I never leave the house without makeup on. Lest you get the wrong idea and think that I am an incredibly vain and self-absorbed Paris Hilton clone that goes to the gym wearing heels and pearls, allow me to educate you to the contrary. I may leave the house wearing pajama pants. I may appear to be wearing a crack-imbibing Pomeranian on my head. I own no more than ten pairs of shoes, all practical in one way or another, and mostly more than a year old.
But I love my makeup.
And of course, skin care doesn't just cover the face. Your skin is your largest organ. People don't realize how easy it is to screw it up. Sun, pollution, pesticides, dehydration, slight vitamin and mineral deficiencies, stress, and hormone imbalances can all take perfectly lovely skin and turn it into the love child of a fire hydrant and a lizard's butt.
I guess if you look at it that way I could be kind of a skin super-hero. I could fly into women's bathrooms wearing a caped suit-a picture of a lotion bottle on the cape-and completely gut and rennovate their skin care routine, then fly out again, leaving them looking like Rachel Weiss with a slight radioactive glow.
So anyway, since I do love to write, and wanted a serial blog with a set, reachable goal, I thought I might start up a blog site where I try and review different skin and hair care products and cosmetics. I can start with some of the myriad products I use or have used in the last few years. From there I can branch out into the wild world of the Macy's makeup counters. I'm sure in the next few days I'll come up with a goal, but for now let's just say I'll probably have plenty of writing materiel.
While I realize that currently my readership is all of one (and that's only because my cat is sitting on my lap looking at the screen) I can't shake the hope that someday strangers from exotic places like McKinney, Texas will read my blog and find hope, inspiration, and helpful tips from my search for a cure for this danged acne.
My newest skin acquisition is a Bare Escentuals Bare Minerals set. I am in love. After extensive travails trying to find a foundation that doesn't break out my skin (which will be cataloged soon), I believe I may have found the answer.
More reviews are to follow. Here's christening the new blogspot and hoping for plentiful creativity inside and plentiful readership outside.
Happy Following!
Erin
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