Archive for the FACE CLEANSER Category

5 Skin Boosting Tips that Dramatically Improved My Skin

Posted in FACE, FACE CLEANSER, PRODUCTS I LOVE, SHOPPING, SKINCARE with tags , , , , , on March 26, 2012 by stylebymeli

I’ve recently gotten compliments on my skin and happy that it has really cleared up a lot since the new year.  The results have come from a few lifestyle changes which I’m going to share with you here.

1 – Daily face masks (about twice a week)

I do own a few face masks but never really got into the habit of using them until recently.  I honestly try to do them at least twice a week.  I currently have been using Murad’s Clarifying Mask and also a huge fan of The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Mask.  My main skin concern has been daily breakouts and these masks seem to have boosted the clarity and overall smoothness of my skin.

2-  Massage face with oil based cleanser as a pre-wash (every time I cleanse my face in the shower)

Okay, my real secret to glorious skin (in terms of the supple and firmness) is oil based face products.  I’m obsessed.  I truly believe oil is the key to keeping the skin smooth, youthful, dewey, and extra radiant.  Pretty much skin perfection.  What I have been doing now every day (at least once a day, before I hop in the shower).  I massage my face (dry, not wet at all) with an oil face cleanser for a couple minutes.  I then like to let the oil penetrate into my skin for extra hydration.  Then I will go ahead and rinse it off with a regular non-oil based cleanser with my Clarisonic.  The two oil cleansers I use are Josie Maran’s Argan Oil Cleanser and Origin’s Clean Energy Cleansing Oil.  I love them both very much.

3-  I invested in a Clarisonic Mia (I use at least once a day)

Back in December, I decided to buy the Clarisonic Mia and initially I was skeptical if it was really improving my skin or not.  Months have gone by and I do notice my skin looks much smoother so I have to give credit to where credit is due.  Although the Clarisonic feels a little abrasive (which is why I only limit myself to washing my face with it once a day), I do feel that it does deep clean the skin much more effectively than I would when using my hands to wash my face.

4- Consistent and simple skincare routine (everyday)

I own a ton of skincare products.  I haven’t counted but I probably have at least ten different face washes including face scrubs in my shower (as I told you, I’m overly obsessed with skincare).  However, the skin needs to follow a consistent routine in order to get the best results.

My new everday face wash. I have been using this for the past month and it's amazing!

Recently, I purchased Peter Thomas Roth’s Anti-Aging Cleansing Gel as it was recommended by an actual representative of the line from Sephora.  I went there specifically looking for a glycolic face cleanser which is supposed to help clear acne.  My heart was set on buying the Peter Thomas Roth Glycolic Acid Face Wash 3% but the PTR representative talked me out of it and said it would be much too harsh to use on my skin being that my skin wasn’t that much broken out to begin with.

She recommended the anti-aging cleanser as my everyday cleanser because it’s much more gentle, great to use with the Clarisonic, and also has acne fighting ingredients, both glycolic acid and salicyclic acid but at much lower amounts.  Now I pretty much have been using this cleanser everyday in the shower and I think this has definitely helped improve my skin tremendously!  I felt a difference the very first time I used it and a little bit goes a long way.

5-  Organic fruits and vegetables along with green smoothies (everyday!!!)

I truly believe that you are what you eat.  If you nourish the body with natural foods, I believe your skin will glow from the inside out.  Fruits and vegetables are main staples to my diet but it wasn’t until about a month ago that I decided to go totally organic (I used to only invest in certain things organic but not everything).  I had been reading a lot of articles regarding the over usage of pesticides in fruits/vegetables which contaminates them.  This definitely causes havoc in the body  and I believe this correlates with breakouts to some degree.  Not only does organic food taste better, but I swear, ever since I made the switch, I’ve really noticed a difference in my skin!  My grocery expenses have gone up since organic foods are usually a little pricier but in the long run, it’s completely worth it!  When it comes to food, you have to invest in the good stuff!

[Do you have any good skincare tips or products to share?]

About these ads

5 Comments »

[My Thoughts on...] The Clarisonic Mia and My New Face Cleansing Routine

Posted in BEAUTY TREATMENT, FACE, FACE CLEANSER, MELI'S THOUGHTS ON..., SKINCARE with tags on December 30, 2011 by stylebymeli


I’m happy to announce that I FINALLY (after talking about it months ago) purchased a Clarisonic Mia.  For those of you that are not familiar with this revolutionary and high-tech skin cleansing contraption, basically it is a handheld face cleanser (although they also now carry one that can cleanse the body) with a brush head that gently pulsates to cleanse the skin with a built-in timer.

I purchased the Clarisonic Mia (which is one of the most basic models) towards the beginning of the month as an early Christmas/birthday gift to myself, since I have always wanted to try it and every single person I know that owns a Clarisonic states that they cannot imagine life without it.

Many people have also expressed to me that the clarity of their skin has improved tremendously and as I have expressed in previous blogs, I’m kind of going through a skin crisis.  (Please excuse that I tend to over exaggerate, but I’m sure you already know this by now ;)).  By “skin crisis,” I’m talking about adult acne.  I realize there are many people besides myself that are experiencing this, but for someone like myself that has a high standard of how the skin should look and had clear skin for many years, it truly is a skin crisis.  (I have concluded that the breakouts I’m experiencing are definitely hormonal and caused as a result of getting off birth control, over a year ago).

Moving ahead to discuss my thoughts on the Clarisonic Mia, I’ll be completely honest….

*  I think that this is definitely a great skincare investment and the whole concept is phenomenal.  I believe that the Clarisonic definitely gives the skin a good deep cleaning and leaves the skin feeling great afterwards.  However, I don’t believe that this electronic face cleanser is going to guarantee you perfect skin or even improve the texture of your skin for that matter.  I haven’t used it for a full month yet, but I have used it for enough time to make this assessment (on myself personally).  I have not seen my acne clear up at all (which again, I think I’m suffering from something hormonal, so nothing topical is really going to make an impact).  Despite my initial thoughts, I’m going to be patient and hope to see results over time with continued use.

*  In my opinion, the greatest benefit of the Clarisonic is that it has a timer that provides consistency, which in the long run I think will lead to results.  Without a timer, it’s hard to know if you’re spending enough time cleaning your face.  When using a Clarisonic, it will actually automatically shut off after each single use.

*  I’m a little nervous if the pulsating is too rough on the skin?  I haven’t read much research regarding this subject but my concern with a pulsating face cleanser is, will it create wrinkles?  I know this is going to sound very crazy, but I just noticed for the first time in my life that I have extremely fine lines under my eyes that just seemed to magically appear out of no where!  I’m not stressed over it, they are minor, but I wonder if it’s possible that this was caused by the Clarisonic?  I know people are going to tell me absolutely not, but it still makes me wonder.

How I Use My Clarisonic Mia:

Personally, I only use it once a day when I take a shower and conveniently store it there.  I know they say it’s best to use it also at night when you take off your makeup, but I kind of think it’s a bit excessive to use it twice a day.

While I’m in the shower:  Being that I’m a little concerned regarding the roughness of the pulsating brush, I first massage into my face an oil based cleanser with my hands.  In my shower, I have Origins Clean Energy, which I find to be an amazing cleanser in itself.  It has a nice scent and leaves the skin feeling soft and supple.  After I let that sit for a few minutes, instead of completely rinsing it off, I then go ahead and use the Clarisonic Mia with a completely different face cleanser (non-oil based).  I have quite a number of facial cleansers in my shower and when I decide on what to use, I’ll go ahead and rub a little on the face and then load up the actual brush head with a small amount of the cleanser.  I’ll turn the Clarisonic on rub the face in circular motions until it shuts off.  Afterwards I rinse my face completely.

[Once I'm out of the shower, I'll use a skin toner followed by a moisturizer.  If I had a good face serum right now, then I would tone the skin, apply the serum, and then lastly moisturize].

[What are your thoughts on the Clarisonic Mia?]

1 Comment »

Oil Based Makeup Removers: Why I’m Obsessed and Steps on How to Use it Successfully

Posted in BEAUTY TREATMENT, EYE MAKEUP, FACE, FACE CLEANSER, PRODUCTS I LOVE, SKINCARE with tags , , , , on November 28, 2011 by stylebymeli

Yesterday, I received a text from one of my best friends regarding a subject that ironically, I had all intentions on writing about.  It is a subject matter that I feel everyone could truly benefit from and I am happy to share it with not only my best friend, but my beloved blog readers!

“So you use oil to remove eye makeup right, not eye makeup remover?  What kind?”

The answer is, ABSOLUTELY (100%, without a doubt!)  I have been using oil based makeup removers just as long as I have been doing makeup professionally.  They are the very best and I feel that everyone should own one.  Especially for people who wear lots of eye makeup including waterproof products.

Reasons Why I Find Them to Be the Best:

1-  For starters, I want to clarify that oil based makeup removers will NOT cause breakouts.  There is a huge misconception that being that it is an oil, it is going to clog pores and cause the skin to produce more oil.  Quite the contrary.  Applying oil to the face directly will actually allow for the skin to produce less oils over time.

[It’s kind of like how people have the misconception that eating fat makes you fat.  There are many healthy fats out there (such as olive oil) that are essential in your daily diet and actually won’t make you put on weight.  FYI, my diet consists a lot of fats (the healthy ones obviously) and I’m smart enough to know they won’t make me fat!]

[Also think for a minute, if this was truly the case, oil based makeup removers would not be on the market if they caused people’s skin to break out.  There is a reason why the beauty obsessed love oils for their skin and this is no exception].

2-  I’m telling you right now, NOTHING will break down waterproof products the way an oil does.  Oils really penetrate the skin and remove all traces of makeup with little effort.  By that I mean you are not going to have to use a lot of the product to get it to work or rub the makeup off incessantly.

3-  Makeup remover oils are ideal for people with sensitive skin.  I believe oils nourish the skin and really keep it calm and supple.

4-  Ever notice that people with naturally oily skin seem to look great as they age?  Their skin is usually smooth and free of wrinkles.  I believe that any oil product applied to the face is going to over time, make a HUGE impact on the aging process.  It’s going to keep the skin much smoother and prevent wrinkling.

5-  If you have dry skin, this product will definitely give your skin more moisture, more so than a moisturizer ever could.  I just feel that the texture of an oil is much more penetrating than a lotion texture.  It really sinks into the skin and keeps it fresh!

[I don’t know about you, but personally, I want to age like a fine wine.  By that I mean, I want to only look better with age ;)...who ever said things have to go downhill?!  Look at Jennifer Lopez, one cannot deny how amazing she looks today (even more so than in her youth in my opinion).  Personally, when I look at myself 5 years ago and what I look like now, I find I have only become more beautiful with age.  I may not say that 5 years from now, but I do know that letting myself go is NOT an option so I’m not worried].

 My favorite makeup remover oil is MAC’s Cleanse Off Oil and I’m also a fan of Origin’s Clean Energy (which I typically use more in the shower).
How to Use a Makeup Remover Cleansing Oil:
  1.  Apply a small amount of the oil on a tissue.
  2.  When removing eye makeup, I will place the tissue with the oil over eye (closed) and press for about 5 seconds and then wipe.  I will then gently wipe any remainders of the eye makeup.  The makeup will literally melt off instantly.  You may need to rub a little harder to get mascara or eyeliner off but you’ll find that it won’t take nearly as much effort.  When removing face makeup, I pretty much do the same thing.  Quick and easy!
  3. You can then maybe take a clean wet towel to rinse off the excess oil left on the face or eye area.  Personally, I love leaving the oil residue on the face.  In the morning, my skin is radiant!
  4. Continue with the rest of your skincare regime.  After I remove my makeup, I follow-up with a toner and either a night cream OR skin oil (such as Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil).

[Does anyone else use an oil for makeup removing purposes?  If so, do you love it?]

6 Comments »

My NEW Skincare Discovery: Josie Maran Argan Oil Cleanser – (Why I’m Obsessed)

Posted in BEAUTY TREATMENT, FACE CLEANSER, MAKEUP REMOVER, MELI'S FAB FINDS, PRODUCTS I LOVE, SKINCARE with tags , , , on May 26, 2011 by stylebymeli

Josie Maran Argan Oil Cleansing Oil - Rich in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids. Great as makeup remover and for super hydration.

Over the weekend, I was in Sephora examining their skincare selection when I came across Josie Maran’s Argan Cleansing Oil.  I am already a HUGE fan of Josie Maran’s Argan Oil, so when I discovered there is also a cleansing oil, I was psyched!

I often times talk about my love for oil based products for the face.  I personally believe oil based skin products penetrate into the skin better than a face cream, which leaves the skin ultra smooth and moisturized.  Which then translates into dewey and supple skin.  

Besides this cleansing oil being all natural and loaded with antioxidants, it also smells ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.  It has a fresh citrus lemon scent.  I can’t get over how great it is.  Typically, I don’t expect my skincare products to have much of a scent, I just want it to nourish and improve the clarity of my skin.  So it’s an added bonus when I love the smell!   

How I use the Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil:

- I first like to remove ALL my makeup with MAC’s Cleanse Off Oil (or sometimes I will use a face wipe).

- I rub a couple pumps of the cleansing oil in my hands and then massage it into my face for about 20-30 seconds.

-  Finally I rinse the oil off with water and pat dry with a clean face towel.

*  (I then go ahead with the rest of my nightly skincare which includes a toner, serum, and night balm).

*  I plan on using this ONLY at night after removing makeup, almost every day.  I may alternate and use other cleansers.

Styling Confession:  Lately, I actually find myself spending more money on my skincare products than I do on clothing (and any fashion related shoe or accessory).  I never thought that day would come, but I really value great skincare.  It’s so important to invest money in quality skincare and taking the time to take care of your skin both morning and night!  Consistency is the key to long-lasting results!

[Has anyone tried this amazing cleansing oil?  If so, what are your thoughts and if not, are you willing to try it?]

Leave A Comment »

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 363 other followers