Teens are busy…between sports, socializing and school, who has time for skin care? If only there was a product to help keep skin healthy in between their busy schedule…

Dermalogica All Over Clear

Oh, wait…there is! Dermalogica’s Clean Start line (for teens) has an amazing spritz called All Over Clear. It helps keep breakouts and shine under control during the day.

We love it because you can keep it in a gym bag, purse or backpack to freshen up and control oil during your busy day. You can even use it on your back, chest…anywhere you breakout!

Here’s how it works:

• Sesame Seed Extract controls oil and shine
• Lemongrass revives skin and gives it a “pep” while toning
• Licorice, Burdock and Argan extracts hydrate, calm and shield skin from environmental exposure

It’s so simple…just spritz for healthier, less oily skin! It’s no substitute for your typical routine (cleansing, exfoliating, moisturizing), but it’s the perfect way to keep skin in check while you’re on-the-go. 

Radiance Beauty Clinic is based in Rochestown, Douglas, Co. Cork in The Mount Oval Village shopping complex.We are now in business over three years and are now seen as the Permanent Hair Removal specialist in Cork City and County.We offer all Beauty Treatments and Aesthetics Procedures, Botox,Dermal Filler,IPL and Microdermabrasion.We are proud stockist’s  of the Dermalogica Product range and our Facials using these products are in huge demand.

Christine and her staff are all Qualified Experienced Beauty Therapists and her monthly offers now have a large following.If you become a client Christine will text you the offer every month free of charge.The last offer which finished on the 9th December was €5.00 for an Eyebrow Wax and €40.00 for a Dermalogica Facial, which was incredible value.

You the customer are the focus of the Clinic, Christine’s passion for all things Beauty and Cosmetic based shine through and not expense is spared to bring you the best and most up to date treatments available.

For those of you who follow the blog, you may know that Stephanie had skin problems growing up. From this, it’d be easy to infer that her older, insensitive and deuchey brother would tease her. But the fact that he called her “rash girl” is appalling and almost shocking. We really haven’t been shocked by anything he’s done since he gave Audrina flowers behind his future wife’s back. It was then we knew what kind of guy we were working with.

We digress. Stephanie has since bounced back from her unfortunate experiences with acne as a kid, and thanks Dermalogica in part. “Bad skin is the number one thing that makes you lose self confidence. What I found that I stick with now and love is Dermalogica. I’ve been using that for the last four years.”

Stephanie’s advice for anyone else struggling with their skin is to pick the right product. “It’s all about the product! For Halloween I put on really cheap makeup, because I was a vampire, and it made me break out.” Suffice it to say, if you want to cut cost, you may not want to start with skin or makeup products.

Stephanie’s must have product is Dermalogica of course. “Dermalogica face wash. I always have a travel size in my car, in case I’m going to spend the night out.”

Since Stephanie has turned from cheap makeup, she’s found makeup that doesn’t react so harshly with her skin. “ A makeup artist turned me on to Armani Designer Shaping Cream Foundation. It’s my favorite foundation I’ve ever tried. Me and Lauren (Lauren Conrad) love it.” Stephanie keeps Bare Escentuals Powder and Kai roll-on perfume oil in her purse. “Whenever someone is going to do my makeup I bring my Laura Mercier Oil-Free Primer, Dermalogica Active Moist, Armani Designer Shaping Cream Foundation and baby wipes for them to use.”

Spa treatment is another way people may try to keep their skin up to par, and get some R&R. Stephanie has some favorites. “I love Bacara in Santa Barbara. It’s really fun being at a hotel that’s also a spa. The rooms are amazing. It’s really fun to go there when it’s cold. It’s right by the ocean. I love it! I love getting a spa package at Bacara. And getting the package saves money. Also, I’m pretty loyal to Burke Williams [Los Angeles]. My number one favorite thing in the world is massages.”

But you don’t have to take a big vacation to a spa in Santa Barbara to treat yourself. Stephanie and some of her Hills friends enjoy joint trips to nail salons. “When I was younger, I had a beauty party like three years in a row. I had t-shirts made that said “Girls Just Wanna Have Fun”. Now, Lauren (Lauren Conrad) and I go to Burke Williams together and Audrina (Audrina Patridge) and I get pedicures together.”

Stephanie also notes that men are not immune from the necessity of skin care treatment. “I love when I walk into a guys bathroom and see anything other than a bar of soap. I like to see face products and toothpaste. My dad’s a dentist, so I really like guys who brush their teeth!”

So what about the person inside of this skin? Stephanie thinks you would be surprised to know a few things about her in general. “ I’m really down to earth and I don’t live in Hollywood. I only go in Hollywood for work. My celebrity friends are on the show (“The Hills”). And that’s because they are all really down to earth and genuine.” The interviewer concurred. Kudos to that!

If you’re wondering what type of products you need to help with skin conditions that arise from harsh environmental conditions or the affects of aging, then here’s some of the products you’ll want to know about.

The good news is that by using professional strength face products such as a high quality face creams like Priori Forte much of the damage done to the skin can be minimized if not reversed. Lower quality face products are prone to cause irritation or even worse, damage to your skin.

The Issue of Quality

Let’s face facts, you don’t want to purchase “any old” face products as a poor quality face cream can often cause more problems than it fixes. That’s why sticking with products that are known for getting good results is the smartest choice when it comes to taking care of your skin. Granted, the search for a quality product might take some effort but once you find the right product for your skin type and condition you will be so glad you did.

Why Use Quality Face Products?

One of the key things that quality face products offer is the capacity to reverse a wide-range of conditions through re-nourishing the skin back to good health. For example, one of the common problems that the skin faces is the issue of dryness. When the skin dries, it starts to keep a certain percentage of dead skin cells. This results in skin that looks scaly, blemished and rough.

By adding a quality face cream like Dermalogica Age Smart Super Rich Repair, you will promote skin hydration & nourishment, alleviating the problems dryness causes and reverse or diminish the overall affect on your skin.

Elasticity

A lack of elasticity will yield the one facial issue that most people would certainly wish to avoid. Specifically, when you lose the elasticity in your skin, you start to develop wrinkles. One of the biggest areas of concern for people when it comes to their skin is wrinkles. Being able to reduce or get rid of them naturally is a big plus.

This is possible when you purchase reliable, high quality face creams like Dermalogica Age Smart or Md Formulations Vita-plus, which have long since proven their positive impact on facial elasticity.

Discoloration

Most people will develop age spots and blemishes over time, especially in our harsh environment. How you choose to deal with them and the result you achieve will revolve around the type of skin care products you purchase. By using quality face products like Dermalogica ChromaWhite or the Priori Idebenone range, you can actually reverse and get rid of sun damaged related blemishes and reduce hormonal blemishes. By doing this not only will your skin look and feel better, so will you.

Launch Pad just announced their 2009 Readers Choice Awards, and Dermalogica won BIG! We knew this was our favorite skin care line for a reason Here are their winning categories:

• Best Cleanser: Essential Cleansing Solution
• Best Moisturizer: Active Moist
• Best Exfoliator: Daily Resurfacer
• Best AntiAging: MultiVitamin Products
• Best Men’s Skin Care: Shave
• Best Acne Skin Care: Clean Start
• Best New Product Launch: Clean Start
• Best AntiAging Eye Treatment: Intensive Eye Repair
• Best Overall Skin Care (Green Category): Dermalogica

To celebrate, we are offering YOU 18% off all Dermalogica products! Enter code LAUNCHPAD during the ‘Summary’ screen of checkout to get your discount. Start Shopping >>

The weather is getting coooold, but your skin doesn’t have to show it! The dry, cold air can make skin look flakey and dull. Here are a few tips to keep a year-round glowing complexion:

Photo: Sxc.hu/omar franc

• Step up your moisturizer
  A slightly heavier moisturizer can give your skin that extra protection that it needs when the weather is cold.
• Exfoliate 2-3 times weekly
  Exfoliating with a Lactic Acid product can help add moisture and get rid of flakey skin. Daily Microfoliant works well for most skin types, and is perfect for cold weather because it hydrates without being too aggressive. If you get regular professional peels, you may want to lighten up during the winter…they may cause more sensitivity and more peeling.
• Add Hyaluronic Acid to your routine
  This ingredient is super-hydrating…it hold 1,000 times its weight in water! Skin Hydrating Booster is the perfect product to add to your regimen in the winter…just apply a thin layer to skin under your moisturizer and you will look AND feel sooooo hydrated You may not even need to change your moisturizer once you start using this product!
• Don’t forget the SPF
  The sun may not be out in full force, but it can still cause just as much damage behind clouds! Keep wearing your SPF15 to SPF30 each day.
• Turn down the heat in the shower
  It’s so tempting to take hot showers in the winter, but this can actually break down your protective layer and cause dehydration! Take a warm shower, and apply your body lotion as soon as you get out to lock in moisture.
• Apply lotion before putting on glvoes and shoes
  Gloves and shoes can really lock in moisture, which is especially important when it’s cold outside. Apply a thin layer of your favorite body lotion before putting on your layers, and you’ll be amazed at how smooth you feel by the day’s end!
• Get a humidifier
  Besides helping you feel better, a humidifier is skin’s best friend in the winter…it helps add moisture when the air is so dry!
• Keep your chapstick handy
  Lips tend to really look flakey when the weather is cold. Get a great lip treatment with ingredients like Vitamin E and Shea Butter. We LOVE Dermalogica Smart Mouth Lip Shine…it is part of their teen line, but works wonders for anyone’s lips! It’s also very inexpensive, and is packed full of extra goodies like Avocado and Rice Bran. Avoid any lip products with Mineral Oil…this can cause little breakouts along the lip line.

"Dear god, please make me beautiful"

So, you want to buy lots and lots of beauty products for yourself, but have a conscience at the same time. Well this is the perfect solution.

Shop to Benefit is a brand new website where you can buy beauty products and perfumes for many top brands. ‘What’s so great about that?’ I imagine you’re hollering. Well, let me explain.

For every item you buy online, 5% of the total will go to a charity of your choosing from either cancer care, environment, children’s health and community support sectors. This 5% is included in the total, so you pay no extra. But you will get that little warm glowy feeling inside. And look good at the same time. Honestly, everyone’s a winner.

Shoptobenefit also has a number of charity specific products, which give even more money to good causes. So if you want the Pretty in Pink limited edition GHDs, then this is the place. Or Paul Mitchell Tea Tree products, which fund American Forests’ Global ReLeaf and Wildfire ReLeaf programmes to preserve natural resources throughout the world, then look no further.

The woman who you have to thank for this lovely, lovely website is Leanne Abraham. She decided that enough was enough. Women spend a ridiculous amount of money on themselves. £385 on beauty products each year to be precise. And if those products were purchased at Shoptobenefit, this average woman would have given £19.25 to charity.

So what are you waiting for? With brands like Elizabeth Arden, Burberry and Dermalogica on offer, you don’t ever have to feel bad about spending money on beauty products for yourself again.

The golden nectar that is olive oil has been used in beauty preparations for centuries, adding lustre to hair and softening skin. Enterprising nuns in the 12th century found a method of making olive oil soaps, Cleopatra is thought to have nourished her hair with it, and Mediterranean women have been using it as a shaving oil for decades.

DHC is Japan’s No.1 online skin care company, and has been creating high quality beauty products for over 25 years. These products have been conceived using age-old Japanese beauty secrets combined with the natural benefits of olive oil, resulting in a range of products that aim to bring harmony to any skin type. The entire range is free from parabens, fragrances and colourings, and is clinically tested for irritants.

One of their best selling products is the Deep Cleansing Oil with vitamin E. I am a big fan of cleansing oils, having used Shu Uemura’s and Dermalogica’s in the past. I found that my skin felt clean and moisturised after using these – as opposed to traditional face washes where my skin often felt a bit tight and dry afterwards. These oils are water soluble, so that they emulsify into a sort of milky liquid on contact with water, then rinse away leaving soft, supple skin. Cleansing oils are wonderful for all skin types, contrary to what one might expect if one has oily skin, because oils of this kind break up and dissolve dirt and debris in the pores. I know of several acne-prone friends who swear that switching to a cleansing oil significantly improved skin texture and frequency of breakouts.

The DHC Deep Cleansing Oil can be purchased online at www.dhcuk.co.uk for £16. These oils go a very long way, so are good value for money in these cash-strapped times. My only slight criticism of DHC products in general is the packaging and design. It is slightly too utilitarian and could definitely do with a revamp if it wants to become a desirable brand that women are happy to display on their bathroom shelves.

I recently wrote a seasonal how-to which I thought everyone would enjoy coming close to Christmas. I also did the make up for this editorial with amazing  photographer and good friend Dave Wise.

Evening make up

It’s that time of year again when grudgingly we watch our tans quickly fade, pile on the woolly layers and wave good bye to the last days of summer but thankfully we have a glitz filled party season to cheer us up. I have created professional step by step evening looks so you can turn heads this autumn.

Effortless glamour

This look is long lasting understated and elegant; the alluring lashes add instant femininity.

Individual eyelashes  Eyelure  (£4.80) are a make up artist’s favourite beauty secret. They can be customised to every model to simply add exceptionally natural thickness to lashes or even to create long-lasting fluttering glamour puss lashes. They can last up to 4 weeks and need little or no mascara eradicating the possibility of smudges or chips so perfect for evening beauty

Application

Before you start make sure your lashes are completely clean and oil free.

Select the lashes that will work best on you and thing about the finish you want, natural, glam, flared at the corner….

Choose how long you want the lashes to last, if only for1-2 days Duo lash glue (£8.50) is an outstanding glue for easy application and removal. Or for more of a semi permanent lash (up to 4 weeks) use Eyelure’s individual eyelash glue and remover which is included with the lashes.

Keep the eye you are working on closed throughout application.

With the glue applicator or a fine disposable brush apply the glue from the stem of the lash and spread up the lash a little so the lash has lots of surface area to adhere to your own lashes, be careful not to drown the lash in glue.

Give the lash a few seconds to go tacky.

Start from the corner of the lashes and work towards the middle

Hold the individual eyelash carefully with clean fingers tips in place pressing as close as possible to your lash root.

Open your eye when the glue is dry; do not panic if the eye corners stick at all when you open your eye. Carefully use your nails to pick any pulling glue off. Do be extremely careful through out the application, if any glue goes into the eye follow manufacturers guidelines.

Once the lashes are totally dry you can apply the rest of your make up but be extra careful not to pull or rub the lashes out of place. 

 A flawless base is key when working a naturally gorgeous look and vitally important for every model to be able to achieve in their working lives.

Determine your skin type and ensure you select your skin care according to this. Banish any overly perfumed or abrasive products from your bath room cabinet; don’t over load your skin. (For advice try a Dermalogica skin mapping consultation 0800 591 818 ).

Now your skin is perfectly clean and moisturised a primer is a fantastic product to get a prolonged smooth finish from your foundation. Smooth Laura Mercier’s moisturising primer £26.43 in with finger tips to get a deliciously dewy glow to dry/normal skins or apply L’Oreal studio secrets anti shine mattifying primer (£9.99) This competitively priced primer holds its own to the big dogs and gives a beautifully smooth velvety finish which controls shine for oily skins and keeps your foundation fresh for hours.

Start your make up with your eyes this way any drop from the eye shadow can be wiped away before your foundation is applied.

Lightly sweep Bobbi Brown Bone eye shadow £14 all over the eye from lid to brow as a base, follow with Mac Woodwinked £11 blending over the lid area and blend a lighter shadow to highlight into the inner corner of the eye and to highlight just below the brow area, Mac Shroom £11.

Wipe away any drop and line the eyes tracing neatly around the lash line and blend with a fine eyeliner brush. Chanel long lasting waterproof eyeliner in Espresso.

Wipe away any powder drop with a face wipe and then apply Bobbi Brown Skin foundation (£27.00) with a foundation brush for long wearing buildable coverage that looks like perfect skin. Cover up any visible imperfections with Bobbi Brown touch up stick (£17.00).

Lightly press a little Rimmel Stay Matt Powder over the t-zone to set and bronze outwards from the forehead spread out from the tops of cheeks and dab a tiny small amount on the bridge of the nose. Bronzer gives more believable depth to the face and eradicates any unnatural blankness from the foundation Guerlain Bronzer (£30.00).

To give an instant healthy glow to the apples of the cheeks dust Illamasqua’s powder blush in Chased (£16.00)

Finish with a glossy long lasting lipstick Bobbi Browns Creamy lip Colour in Crystal Pink (£15)

Smokey eyes and pale lips (Annalise)

Again start with the eyes. You will get a lot of noticeable powder drop from a dark smokey look so start with a cream to give extra drama and a good base for shadows to adhere to.

For the eye look I have used Dior 5 Couleurs Designer palette in Smokey design 08. An all in one palette with 4 textured blendable shades and a cream liner with a matt velvety texture which in this case I also used as a base for my shadows.

I spread the cream over the whole of the lid and blended the darkest shadow over the lid and the medium shimmering shade over the centre of the lids and into the corners and traced it around the lower lash line.

Macs smoulder eye kohl pencil (£12.00) was densely penciled into the upper and lower water lines and blended into the lash line using a fine brush to add fierce intensity.

A matt brown powder was blended in to the eye socket area and Bobbi Brown’s Bone Powder (as before) was used to high light under the eyebrows.

I applied 2 coats of mascara combing through from roots to tips as the finishing touch to the eyes Make up Forever’s Smokey Lash Mascara (£14.00)

After combing through the eyebrows I used Laura Mercier’s double ended brow brush (£27.00) and swept through Laura Mercier’s brow defining wax in a light feathering motion where ever the brows looked sparse. As the eyes are so striking do not over do the eyebrows, keep them natural to avoid the look becoming hard.

I applied Iman’s Luminous foundation to Annalise’s skin using a sponge, the oil free formulas and vast selections of colours are perfect for darker skin tones. Cover up any visible imperfections with Bobbi Brown touch up stick (£17.00).

Once the foundation has settled lightly press a little Rimmel Stay Matt Powder over the t-zone with a powder brush to set. Bobbi Brown’s blusher in Tawny (£16.00) was subtly brushed on to the apples of the cheeks to give a healthy flash of warmth.

To create a long lasting pale lip a pencil liner slightly lighter than Annalise’s lips was applied all over the lip area to tone down the lips MAC Naked Rose Cream stick Liner (£10.50). Nars Supervixen Lipgloss (£17.00) was painted neatly over the lips to finish this look.

Article from Every Model Magazine, written by Lauren Baker, Models Annaliese and Roksana @ Oxygen models

Photo: Sxc.hu/elessar x

Traveling for the holidays? Here are a few tips to keep your skin in shape:

• Bring a travel-sized toner to spritz after the flight. Planes cause major dehydration, so this will wake up your skin and add a blast of moisture. Toners with antioxidants are best!
• The night before your trip, do an at-home exfoliation. This gives your skin a gorgeous glow that should last for a few days. Exfoliants with Lactic Acid will also help moisturize.
• Drink plenty of water during the flight. Since planes have such low humidity, this will help hydrate your body and skin. It also helps keeps eyes from drying out, and can help prevent swelling and bloating (often caused by low cabin pressure).
• Keep lips hydrated. Also pack your favorite lipstick to pull together your look after the flight.
• Bring your essential products (toner, hand sanitizer, lipstick, cleanser, etc.), but don’t forget the 3-1-1 Rule: pack 3.4 oz. bottles (or less) in 1 plastic zip-loc bag, 1 bag per passanger.

Dermalogica has skin kits for all skin types…each kit contains a cleanser, toner, exfoliant and moisturizer in security-friendly sizes. You also get a cute bag to use again and again!

Happy Travels!!!

The Dermalogica Skincare system is the culmination of the work of The International Dermal Institute on skin health maintenance. Scientists worked to devise a care system, Dermalogica, that didn’t require any luxurious pampering to maintain a healthy regime. Focused on these results rather than on pretty packaging of their products, the Dermalogica System can be found in over 40 countries across the globe.

Scientists at the post graduate level launched Dermalogica skincare in 1986, at the International Dermal Institute. They adamantly avoided artificial colors, synthetic fragrance, alcohol, lanolin and mineral oil. Their procedure and products sent a shock wave through the dermatology industry.

Not just any skin care aficionado becomes part of Dermalogica Skincare. They must be experts in their field but also agree to an extensive training program. Not only does Dermalogica promoted health care but it also helps alleviate the skin problems caused by the synthetic and harmful products of the more traditional skin and body care manufacturers catalog.

Dermalogica is not only committed to the quality of their products. Its staff also works to educate the public about healthy skin and the latest products that help promote it. The primary ingredients in Dermalogica’s natural Skincare system are essential oils and their extracts, salicylic and lactic acids, balm mint, rice bran, green clay, and fruit enzymes. All are non-comedogenic.

A cruelty free firm, Dermalogica never tests any of its products on animals. The packaging for all its skin care products can be recycled, and all ingredients are safe for the environment.

Dermalogica Skincare system products are not as easy to buy as some of the less committed skin care products. You cannot order Dermalogica products on the Internet. This is because Dermalogica insists on a consumer having skin care products that are beneficial to the individuals needs.

Much helpful information is still available on the Dermalogica Web site, however. It’s Skin Care Reporter, for example, provides the latest news on maintaining good skin, as well as complete information on brand new Dermalogica Skin Care system products.

The two latest Dermalogica skin care products, for example, are peptides –
Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide and Palmitoyl Oligopeptide. Protein molecules, the two are helpful to the skin’s healing process. They stimulate collagen production, promoting skin elasticity, healthy skin tone and reduction of fine lines.

Another new Dermalogica Skincare item is hyaluronic acid. This is a product that occurs natural in our skin, but as we age our bodies produce less and less of it. Its replacement, Dermalogicas natural product, helps hydrate our dry skin.

Soy isoflavonoid by Dermalogica, also new, takes away the itch associated with skin rash and moisturizes. Colloidal oatmeal by Dermalogica protects skin from the harmful effects of our natural environment.

Dermalogica also offers a new moisturizing cream that is touted as super rich and repairing. It treats skin that has aged prematurely because of chronic dryness.

Of all the brands I’ve come across dermalogica is without doubt one of the most consistent, inventive and efficacious. It has within its exhaustive range some of my all time favourite skincare products and when I flew off to New York recently, my washbag was crammed with travel sized dermalogica stuff. So it’s great to see a brand new collection featuring some of the brand’s best- loved products in dinky ‘to go’ sizes. The new favourites kit (£23.50) features four essential products – including mini Skin Hydrating Booster and the award-winning Daily Microfoliant – in a handy carrying case. Perfect for travel and perfect as a gift idea. Who says good things don’t come in small sizes?

For stockists call 0800 591818 or visit www.dermalogica.co.uk

If you’ve never been to Shecky’s web site…you’ve got to check it out! They stay on top of everything that’s cool, from beauty to skin to events.

Each year, they collaborate with big names in the industry to deliver their Beauty Awards. It’s no suprise to use that in 2009, Dermalogica took the prize in 2 categories:

• Best Cleanser: Special Cleansing Gel ["Invigorates sleepy, dull skin"]
• Best Exfoliating Scrub: Daily Microfoliant® ["Get ready for smooth and healthy skin"]

These 2 Dermalogica classics are a couple of our must-have products, too! If you haven’t tried them yet, NOW IS YOUR CHANCE! You can combine this code (with other Skin Care Logic discounts) for an additional $3 off your total:

SHECKY3

 Enter code during ‘Summary’ screen of checkout.

www.SkinCareLogic.com

Dermalogica Intensive Eye Repair

This ultra-rich cream, fortified with Vitamin C, pure antioxidants and phytonutrient Wild Yam, helps repair prematurely-aging skin while smoothing-away fine dehydration lines.

Sample up for grabs: 4th Nov 2009
Sample Link: HERE

Regards
Elfaine

You may recognize Audrina Patridge from the MTV show The Hills. The beauty is often questioned about her gorgeous complexion, so she spilled her skin care secrets on her personal blog.

Her product line of choice? Dermalogica, of course! Audrina says she has been using Dermalogica since she was 11 years old. Her aunt introduced the line, and she has stuck with it ever since.

Audrina uses Dermalogica cleanser, Multi-Active Toner and Active Moist.

Dermalogica Clean Bar är en ansiktsrengöring ”på bit”, d.v.s i samma format som en enkel hederlig tvålbit. Dess främsta fördel är att den, till skillnad från vanlig tvål, inte torkar ut huden, tvärtom innehåller produkten ett antal väl utvalda naturliga ingredienser som är kända för sin hudvårdande verkan.

Den rika, naturliga doften är det första som slår emot en när man öppnar lådan. Dermalogica har inga anspråk på att tillverka organiska eller ekologiska hudvårdsprodukter, men i Clean Bar har de lyckats med en produkt som ger en omedelbar ”naturlig” känsla. Biten ligger skönt i handen och löddrar väl. Att massera in ansiktet med det härligt mjuka löddret och känna sig omgiven av den fina doften är en stor del av behållningen med denna produkt – vilket härligt sätt att väcka så väl hud som sinnen till liv!

Clean Bar rengör grundligt men milt. Jag har under testperioden inte märkt någon uttorkande verkan alls, trots att min hy lätt blir torr och känslig i vanliga fall. Rengöringseffekten är kännbar, huden känns ren och fettfri, men absolut inte torr. Dermalogica rekommenderar två tvättningar, och det är nog klokt, det känns att det ”tar mer” andra gången. Effekten är väldigt omedelbar – jag har inte märkt någon skillnad i längden, man kan räkna med att det man känner efter första användningen är den effekt man får av produkten. Någon gång har jag känt en svag pirrande känsla i huden under andra tvättningen, nästan lite som efter en rejäl peeling, dock inte obehagligt på något sätt. Jag skulle tillskriva detta de djuprengörande ingredienserna Clean Bar stoltserar med. Efter tvätten känns ansiktet fräscht uppfriskat, dock utan den typiska ”kyliga” känslan av sammandragande ämnen, som emellanåt används som en genväg i en del produkter. Samtidigt är den löddriga massagen ett utmärkt sätt att mjuka upp skäggstråna och förbereda ansiktet för en skön rakning. Det är också en del av produktens marknadsföring, den ingår i Dermalogicas serie för rakprodukter – även om den mycket väl kan komma till användning även om man inte rakar ansiktet dagligen. För oss med envisa, styva hårstrån är det en stor fördel att ha förberett såväl ansiktet som skägget på detta sätt; det blir som en modern variant på gamla tiders raktvål och borste, med alla dess vårdande fördelar, men utan dess uttorkande effekt.

Under testperioden var jag tvungen att låta bli att raka mig i några dagar inför en fotografering. Här kom Clean Bar verkligen till nytta: dels genom att täcka upp för själva rakningens rengörande verkan, dels genom att faktiskt vårda och mjuka upp skäggstråna, och därmed ta udden av den obehagliga, kliande känsla som styva strån ofta orsakar när man precis har börjat odla en ”stubbig” look. Jag kan mycket väl tänka mig att de med permanent skäggstubb eller full ansiktsbehåring får god nytta av Clean Bar, den både rengör och vårdar såväl skinn som skäggstrån på ett milt och behagligt sätt. När det väl var dags att raka sig igen var jag åter glad att ha Clean Bar till hands, de vid det laget svårrakade, längre stråna blev mycket väl förberedda för rakkrämen och bladet.

Själva tvålbitsformen tilltalar mig personligen – det är ett väldigt omedelbart format som jag har mycket lätt för att använda, det känns smidigt och drygt. Produkten känns lite gammaldags rejäl och stabil, en form av rengöring man är van vid och känner väl igen. Är man ovan vid tvålbitar och föredrar t.ex. flytande medel, kan detta snarare vara en nackdel. Att behöva fumla runt med en kloss som man inte är van vid kan kännas ganska omständligt, även om doften och ansiktsmassagen kompenserar rätt bra.

En intressant vinkling vore att testa Clean Bar tillsammans med andra produkter ur Dermalogicas rakningsserie och undersöka hur väl de fungerar ihop, i fall de lyckas komplettera varandra.

Clean Bar är tyvärr mycket dyr, 245 kr. Den är visserligen väldigt dryg, så investeringen håller riktigt länge. Priset är faktiskt den enda nackdelen med Clean Bar jag kan komma på, i övrigt har den gott och väl infriat, och till och med överträffat, mina förväntningar. Jag har haft både nytta och nöje av den, och skulle mycket väl kunna tänka mig att köpa och använda den i längden. Betyget blir 5-!

photo:Sxc.hu/stem pl

The name can be decieving…Hyaluronic Acid isn’t technically an acid in the traditional form. It is NOT an alpha or beta hydroxy acid, and it has no exfoliating properties.

Hyaluronic Acid holds 1,000 times it’s weight in water. That means it is super-hydrating! Think of it as a drink of water to your skin.

Our skin naturally products Hyaluronic Acid in the dermal layer….that means that skin readily accepts it in products because it is recognizable. As we age, our natural Hyaluronic Acid depletes, so it’s a good idea to add it for a “plumping” effect.

It’s a fabulous ingredient for dry skin, but oily skin can use it too. Sometimes oily skin types can look “flakey”…this is because they are lacking water. Hyaluronic Acid is the perfect fix!

You may find it in moisturizers, and especially “serum” type products. It is very concentrated, which means a little goes a long way! It may read on the label as “Sodium Hyaluronate”.

Dermalogica products with Hyaluronic Acid include:
Skin Hydrating Booster
Super Rich Repair
Dynamic Skin Recovery
Renewal Lip Complex

The Claim: “Day Bright SPF 15 by Dermalogica is a tri-active system that brightens, illuminates and protects skin during the day. Dermalogica exclusive Brightening Complex of eleven active botanical brighteners helps balance uneven pigmentation while optical illuminators manipulate light and shadows to create the luminosity associated with healthy skin. An SPF15 protects against further UV-related pigmentation, enhancing treatment results. Contains no artificial fragrance or color. Suitable for all skin types.”

The reality: This product is supposed to be a tri-active system. Frankly, if it brightens, illuminates and protects skin I wouldn’t really know. Maybe if I were in my 20s my skin would have enough moisture to keep the product from gathering in my albeit small but fine lines. Alas, I am not 20 and these suckers are getting deeper and more difficult to manage without making them more noticeably bright, which is what happens when a product sits on top of your skin and not absorbed by the skin. Looks more like the iridescent shimmer of fish scales than luminous skin.

If you look on the bright side… maybe you can still return it.

Day Bright

Don’t overlook the inportance of SPF when the weather gets cooler! Even when it’s cloudy, the sun’s rays are just as powerful. Going out with no SPF can result in wrinkles, sun spots (or worse…skin cancer) later in life.

Lucky magazine’s editor named Dermalogica Solar Defense Wipes SPF15 as “Easiest SPF” in their November 2009 issue. She says: “I love these wipes for my morning workouts! I wipe them over my arms and shoulders before I go outside. They’re cooling and not oily at all.”

Get them discounted at Skin Care Logic >>

Speech Debelle winning the Mercury Music Prize

Last week I had the pleasure of working with this year’s Mercury Music Award winner, Speech Debelle for a Company magazine photo shoot.

Somewhat surprisingly, this young rapper and performer was quite shy and a little apprehensive about posing for the camera, so I did my best to put her at ease and make her feel gorgeous. We discussed the downsides of touring on both the diet and on skin care, so I suggested that she might want to try Dermalogica’s skin care range, as it’s especially formulated for tired, over-stressed skin. Dermalogica has an excellent “face-mapping” consultation service in store, where a trained skin care specialist will assess your skin’s needs and recommend a range of gentle products to address those needs. I have personally had very good results with this range, as have many of my clients, and it’s a favourite with lots of the models I work with. I’m a little disappointed that this line of products is not organic, but as Ive said before, the most important issue for me as make up artist is that the products work well.

For Miss Debelle’s make up, I used the darkest shade of MAC’s tinted moisturiser to achieve a light, dewy, daytime look on the skin, along with MAC’s new Mineralize powder in Gold Deposit to highlight the cheekbones. We decided on a lovely violet eyeshadow palette by Guerlain called Violette du Soir which contains a good level of pigment and is very blendable, in fact Miss Debelle loved these colours so much that I gave her the palette at the end of the day.

As soon as this shoot is published, I will post the photos here.

Dermalogica PreCleanse – 5.1 oz. $32. This is not actually facewash but a pre-cleanse. I used to use a make-up remover and then wash my face, but after I used this stuff I realized how much better this is in removing make-up. It is really oily and that’s why it’s so good at removing make-up. I have oily/combination skin so I was worried about using too much oil, but when you wash this stuff off with your facewash, it comes right off, and your make-up comes off right with it. Also it smells like a spa.  Really good stuff to end the day with.

In a good way. Michelle, Caroline, and Andrea from the Contiki marketing team joined the ROXY Athletix College Tour at UCLA on Wednesday, 10/21. We checked out the scene and Roxy gear, did a yoga and cross-training class, and felt seriously sore afterwards. Thanks to the Roxy team – you ladies rocked our world and we had a blast!

Check out the Roxy Athletix site for more info on their new products, the workouts that almost made us pass out, and the college tour – plus enter to win a Contiki for 2 to Australia with VAustralia!

Neutrogena Visible clear

Jag trodde faktiskt inte att min hud skulle återhämta sig efter behandlingen den fick av Dermalogica. Antagligen band hudkrämen upp fett som resulterade i vita knottrar i ansiktet. Nu har jag sedan några dagar tillbaka använt mig av Neutrogena Visible Clear oil-free moisturiser. Nu har jag ett problem mindre!