Friday, January 7, 2011

Face first.

I used to absolutely hate my skin. High school stress and growing up left my face red, splotchy, and covered in all sorts of acne. These problems left me with a pretty gnarly self-image, and I often imagined my life would be a million times easier if only my skin were clear. This, of course, is ridiculous, but my 16 year-old self couldn't see past it. I piled on the makeup to cover where my chemical-heavy cleanser had failed and distinctly remember my eyes stinging with terrors when a boy I had a crush on observed that my chin was caked in powder and my nose was covered in blackheads. Time passed and I was blessed with two things, one being the realization that a boy who loudly and publicly points out your physical "imperfections" is never worth pursuing. The other thing was clear skin. Or rather, clearer skin. When I entered college, I found that my acne had come and gone with puberty. I'm still subject to occasional big red pimple (they favor the tip of my nose or the middle of my forehead), but for the most part, my days of whitehead, blackheads, and what-have-you are over. My peers seemed to all have similar experiences but it’s also been universally granted that acne or no acne, one is never out of the skincare woodwork. This being the case, I have decided to share with you my favorite products. I use them daily, they treat me well, and I imagine they’d do the same for you.



1.The cleanser by First Aid Beauty is the best I've ever used. It doesn't cost an arm and a leg, and it leaves your skin fresh, even, and clean. I used to hate cream cleansers but this product really changed my mind. When my first bottle ran out, I immediately bought another. It was the first time I ever bought the same face wash two times in a row. Buy it here.

2. Oh, Caudalie. Every time I spritz this on my face after washing, I could swear it's the angels themselves sharing their toner with me. It smells very faintly of raisins, but considering how it makes my skin look and feel, I could care less about the scent. You can buy the grape water and other Caudalie products here.

3. This was my first ever encounter with an eye cream and trust me when I say I haven't looked back. My eyes look less tired and the product feels absolutely amazing on my skin. The long-term effects of using an eye cream are totally worth it, too. I apply it twice daily and one little bottle lasts forever. If you're ready to take the eye cream plunge, you can buy your own bit of Boscia here.

4. Using Argan Oil as a moisturizer made me wonder why I ever used anything else. I first bought it as a sort of experiment but after a week of daily use, I was hooked. My skin, even in the harsh winter weather, stayed soft. Where face wash usually left my face dry, it was suddenly the smoothest it had ever been. And while you might think an oil would leave your face greasy, this stuff sinks in all lovely-like for healthy, glowing skin. If you’re still not sold, try out one of the smaller bottles, sold here.

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