Tag: Ponds

POND’S: Cleansing Dry Skin

Published on by Lee1 Comment

I’ve been using POND’S for about 4 years now. Pond’s has great products for people that have dry skin. Anytime I have used their products, I always end up with a soft, glowing healthy skin. POND’S has been a trusted brand in the beauty realm for over 50 years, so it’s easy to see how they’ve nailed down great quality products that are available at drugstores nationwide.

Since POND’S seems to mesh well with my skin, I was excited to give the POND’S Cold Cream Cleanser and POND’S Evening Soothe Wet Cleansing Towelettes a try. The aroma of the Evening Soothe towelettes alone is reason enough to use them. It felt like such a luxurious experience to remove my makeup and cleanse my skin. A little tip I have for removing extra stubborn eye makeup is to run one end of the cloth under the faucet to create a little bit more of a “suds” and press that on your eyes to soften the makeup. I wear a lot of mascara, so I’ve found that pressing an extra-moistened towelette on my eyes before attempting to work the makeup off is much kinder on my lashes.

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The POND’S Cold Cream Cleanser is perfect for these dry winter months. And it’s both gentle and effective.

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The last thing I want to spend time on in the morning is covering up any blemishes, and these products have helped me maintain blemish-free skin while also keeping it nice and hydrated.

My skin is prone to dryness in the first place, but especially in the winter I find that dry patches and irritation is common. Here are a few tips on cleansing dry or sensitive skin in the winter months:

1. Don’t use piping hot water. I know it’s much more relaxing to use hot water when you are washing your face, but the hot water can end up being a little bit too harsh and cause extra dryness in the end. Luke warm is best!

2. Don’t rub your skin with a washcloth afterwards. Pat it dry instead or let your face air dry! This motion will be a little bit more gentle on fragile parts of the face.

3. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Drink plenty of water AND use a good moisturizer. Both will contribute greatly to well-hydrated skin throughout dryer months.

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The One Skin Care Product You’re Not Using That You Must: Pond’s Cold Cream!

Published on by Lee1 Comment

Fashion and beauty experts often say, “What’s old is new again.” I see vintage looks from the 70’s, mixes of bold colors from the 80’s, and even bigger hair from the 90’s starting to return now.

In skin care, I’ve been reading a lot about the return of masques lately. But there is one sensational product I haven’t heard much about a revival, and that is cold cream.

While our grandmothers, great-grandmothers, and those at the turn of the 19th-20th century raved about cold cream can do magic for your skin. It is an all-in-one cleanser, makeup remover, and moisturizer.

What Defines a Cold Cream?

Traditionally, a cold cream must be comprised of a few simple ingredients: olive or almond oil, beeswax and water (Journal of Chemical Education, 1944). However, as time passed, the most hydrating cold creams were found to also include occlusive agents to lock moisture in, such as petrolatum or mineral oil. Various ingredients were also added by different manufacturers to infuse a scent or for additional benefits, like antioxidants.

In addition, a “cold cream” must be cooling to meet the definition in a traditional sense. “Cold” is simply a reference to the cooling sensation it causes after being applied, believed to be due to the water content of the cream evaporating off the skin.

Benefits of a Cold Cream

  • Dry skin relief. Those who suffer from dry, flaky patches on the skin will find some relief from regular use of a cold cream.
  • Climate change relief. When the weather changes, the alterations in temperature and humidity can cause variations in the amount of moisture your skin needs. The beauty of a cold cream is that your skin tends to absorb the level of moisture it needs after a few minutes of application, and then the rest is then rinsed away.
  • Excellent for use with a retinoid or AHA. Cold creams can provide an extra level of hydration to aid the irritation associated with strong anti-aging treatments.
  • Cleanser. The oils dissolve all oil-based debris, and the water-based ingredients absorb the water-based products still on your face.
  • Makeup removal.
  • Moisturization. If you leave cold cream on your face, it can penetrate the skin well, leaving it soft and hydrated. Note: If you have oily skin, you may wish to use another cleanser afterwards, as the cold cream may leave your skin feeling a bit oily.
  • Cost and preservation. A cold cream is quite affordable for most persons, and it lasts for a long time.

Who Should Not Use a Cold Cream?

  • Those with oily, very oily, or acne-prone skin
  • Those living in hot, humid climates
  • Those with allergic reactions to oils

Isn’t Mineral Oil Terrible for the Skin?

Cosmetic-grade mineral oil does not generally clog the pores, as many are lead to believe. Cosmetic-grade mineral oil usually warrant only a 1 or 2 rating on a scale from 1-5, with 1 being the least pore-clogging, and 5 being highly pore-clogging.

However, cold cream is not a leave-on product. So using mineral oil in a cleanser gets you all of the hydrating and moisture-locking potential of mineral oil, without the possibility of it trapping comedogenic ingredients against your skin when rinsed properly.

TOP PICK

Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser is by far my favorite at the drugstore. While many drugstore cold creams will give the “cooling” sensation with ingredients that can be irritating or drying like mint or citrus extracts, Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser is simple. It hydrates the skin deeply with mineral oil, water, beeswax, montan wax, and cetyl alcohol, and leaves the skin feeling soft and smooth after its application.

Ingredients: Mineral oil, water, ceresin, beeswax, triethanolamine, ceteth-20, fragrance, behenic acid, montan wax, cetyl alcohol, carbomer, dmdm hydantoin, iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.

Bottom Line

If you are someone with a dry, normal/dry, or normal skin type who is looking for a product to boost the performance of their skin care regimen, I highly recommend adding in a cold cream. Popular in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, I have a feeling cold creams are going to make a comeback soon, with sensational cleansing, makeup removing, and hydrating properties! I highly recommen Ponds Cold Cream Cleanser.

What are your thoughts on cold cream? Let me know in Comments!

Natural Looking Makeup: Learn the Tips For Getting the Look Just Right

Published on by Lee1 Comment

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Finding the right makeup to wear when you’re going for a natural look can be more complex than you think. You don’t want anything too cakey, too bright, or too dark. And we all know, that looking natural does indeed require SOME makeup application – and some skill, too. The best tip that I have for you is to wear colors close to your natural skin tone, and ones that just enhance and perfect your skin. For your best natural look, follow the tips and tricks below, followed by some of my favorite beauty products to use to get that natural looking glow.

1. Moisturize. Creating the perfect base for your makeup is very important. Moisturizing boosts hydration in your skin, prevents flaking and dullness, and creates a protective layer of moisture that lasts all day. Plus, proper application of a face cream will help anti-aging ingredients work better – increasing the odds that they’ll work.

Beauty Tip:

  • I use Shea Moisture Head-To-Toe Nourishing Hydration 100% Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
  • Sometimes, I feel like I have a dry skin so I have been using POND’S Dry Skin Cream. It deeply hydrates for smooth, soft, radiant skin. *Don’t worry, it won’t clog pores. Pond’s Dry Skin Cream is hypoallergenic and is suitable for sensitive skin. It has been Dermatologist tested for the ones that are concerned.
  • Since I have discovered a ULTA Beauty close by me, I have been going insane. A month ago, I purchased Luminizer Primer Base Lumiere by Dr. Brandt. You can either wear it under your makeup or by itself. If you want to control those pores of yours then Dr. Brandt is the way to go plus it adds a natural glow to your beautiful face.
  • Also, I use Juice Beauty Hydrating Mist. Here is the bonus: It formulates with certified organic ingredients. Tones with this refreshing blend of rosehip, ylang ylang, resveratrol-rich grapeseed oil and antioxidant-rich organic botanical juices for a fresh, radiant complexion.

2. Conceal. Hide away any dark circles, fine lines or blemishes with a concealer. This will get rid of any imperfections and leave your skin looking flawless

Beauty Tip: My go-to concealer is NARS honestly. I have many concealers by different brands but I always end up using NARS.

But sometimes I end up using PUR Bare It All foundation by itself without a concealer because it is a high performance, 12-hour, demi-matte foundation that helps to cover imperfections and instantly perfect the skin while helping to correct the problem areas. Designed for face and body and formulated with PUR’s proprietary Energy Complex and Ceretin Complex, this formula renews the look of your skin and goes the distance.

3. Powder or light foundation. I recommend to use a powder or an airy liquid foundation. The illusion that we’re going for is natural makeup, so using a thick cakey makeup doesn’t fit the bill. Be sure to apply evenly with a brush or sponge for an even, non-streaky, look and your face will appear naturally perfect.

Beauty Tip: For powder, I either use BLACK RADIANCE, IMAN, or Bare Minerals Matte. But remember, if you are using a matte foundation then you don’t want to use a matte powder because you might end up looking cakey.

I also love, I mean I LOVE IMAN Second To None Cream Powder Foundation . It is not heavy on the face and surprisingly, it is full coverage. When wanting to look natural but still be flawless, IMAN Second To None Cream Powder Foundation is the IT FACTOR!

If you still have the desire to bake then lets go bake! I tried the Too Faced Born This Way Ethereal Setting Powder and loved it. Now I can’t get enough. I also use the Black Radiance Soft Focus Finishing Powder to bake and the IMAN Second To None Semi-Loose Powder .

* I don’t use all these powders at once, I use 1 or the other depending on what makeup look I’m going for or usually what my hand grabs first. These are the products that I have used or is still using.

4. Subtle blush. Creme blushes work well because you can rub them in as much as you like for a dramatic or subtle look. Depending on your skin color, blush colors will vary – but peaches tend to look great on everyone. Blend in to your natural cheekbone line where pink undertones normally show.

Beauty Tip: I don’t normally wear blush but when I do, I go for Too Faced Blush.

5. Neutral shadows. Sweep a neutral color over your lids for a muted but beautiful eye. Choose a color that is just a shade or two darker than your skin tone, anything too dark will create a more dramatic eye and won’t look natural.

Beauty Tip: You don’t have to wear eyeshadows, it is totally up to you. Try the L’Oréal L.A Palette Nude or The Nudes Maybelline New York. 

6. Nude lip. When choosing a lip color, go for the light pinks, peaches and sand colors. You could also apply a little gloss for an even simpler lip.

Try Burt’s Bees for the lip balm, Lucie + Pompette lipglosses, ColorKillMakeup, NYX, Fenty Beauty, LipLand by Amrezy, fullips, NARS, Sonia Kashuk lipliners, or Maybelline lipliners.

7. Little mascara (if any). A thin layer of mascara is all you need for a natural look. You still want your eyes to stand out, so if you have light lashes, adding a layer of mascara may be a good idea. If you naturally have dark, full lashes you may skip out on the mascara.

My Favorite mascara is Benefit Roller Lash and my two favorite eyelash primers so far are L’OREAL Voluminous Primer or the Elf Cosmetic Primer. *Benefit they’re Real mascara is a good one as well and Maybelline has good mascarars as well, it is so hard to choose.

8. No liner. While eyeliner is great for a dramatic eye, it doesn’t fit with the natural makeup look. Don’t apply any eyeliner on the top or bottom. Not only will your face look naturally stunning but you’ll love how easy taking off your makeup is!

Published on by Lee2 Comments

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If you have hyperpigmentation spots due to breakouts and sun exposure, the good news is you’re not stuck with them forever. Follow the tips below and you’ll start to notice the diminish appearance of dark spots in as quickly as four weeks and prevent new spots from cropping up. Read on for your spot-fading game plan.

1. Do Not (I Repeat, Do Not) Pick That Zit

Yes, it’s hard to resist. But if you’ve given into temptation in the past, you know the ugly aftermath: a red or brown mark that could scar your face forever. Instead, treat your marks with a 1% hydrocortisone cream 4 times a day (you can pick up a tube at any drugstore). Apply it around the same time every day. Hydrocortisone is an anti-inflammatory, so it’ll soothe redness and swelling. It’s better than traditional zit zappers that use salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide to dry out pimples, which can potentially dry out your skin and lead to more irritation. Want a more natural safe alternative? Try Aloe Vera, Baking Soda, Coconut Oil, Cucumber, Honey, Lemon, Potato Juice, Rose Hip Seed Oil, Sugar Scrub, and Vitamin E. After that, put Visine on the pimple to make it look less obvious for a few hours. Want to speed things up? Use a clay mask. Popping the sucker can damage skin tissue and make your pimple a lot worst.   clay

2. Use a Skin-Cleansing Brush/Pad 

Using a powered cleansing brush or facial cleaning pad every two days not only cleanses your skin more deeply than your fingertips can, it also gently gets rid of dull, dead skin cells that can sit on your skin. Sloughing away dead cells also removes the top layer of skin that’s ready to be exfoliated away, making your skin better able to absorb the spot treatment you’ll apply to eradicate any brown spots from past breakouts or overexposure to the sun. Just remember to take good care of your brush head, washing it after each use and swapping it for a new one every month. 

 

3. Treat Your Trouble Spots 

Spots, whether from your handiwork (i.e. picking your skin) or the sun, take weeks to fade. So, while treating existing hyperpigmentation, make sure you’re also taking steps to prevent spots from forming by keeping your face clean. Whether or not you have acne, it’s important to wash your face twice daily to remove impurities, dead skin cells, and extra oil from your skins’ surface. Use warm water ( not hot water) and a mild facial cleanser.  Always dry your face with a clean towel but I normally just let my face air dry for better protection. 

 Many acne products contain ingredients that dry out the skin. Look for “noncomedogenic” on the label, which means it should not cause acne. There are moisturizers made for oily, dry, or combination skin. I use Aveeno Active Naturals positively radiant daily cleansing pads, Ponds Clarant B3 Dark Spot Correcting Cream, L’Oréal Paris go 360 Clean Ideal Clean Deep Cleansing Exfoliating Scrub, and the Skinutritions Age Defy Ultimate Dark Spot Corrector. They are available at your local stores/ drugstore. For lotion, I either use Aveeno creamy moisturizing oil, Aveeno skin relief moisture repair cream, or coconut oil.  

 

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 During a breakout, try to avoid wearing foundation, powder, or blush. If you do wear makeup, wash it off at the end of the day. If possible, please try to choose oil-free cosmetics without added dyes and chemicals. Choose makeup that is labeled as “noncomedogenic”, meaning it should not cause any acne.  Watch what you put into your hair because if they get on your face, they can block your pores and irritate your skin. Oily hair can add to the oil on your face, so wash your hair often, especially if you are breaking out. Got long hair? Keep it pulled away from your face. 

Keep your hands off your face because that’s one of the ways bacteria can spread . Never pick or pop pimples with your fingers, as it can lead to infection and scarring. Try to feed your skin with more fruits and vegetables and whole grains to your “diet”. Also, try to stress less because that can cause breakage.

 

4. Fade Spots Fast With a Retinoid     derm

Retinoids are a powerful form of vitamin A proven to speed up cell turnover, which helps erase spots faster. (Bonus: The vitamin also helps your skin produce more collagen, which helps your complexion looks smoother and diminishes the appearance of fine lines.) The most potent form is retinoic acid, which is only available through a prescription from your dermatologist, although it might cause slight irritation and flaking. It also costs about $150, though your insurance may cover it depending on your plan.
 If you don’t have $150 to shell out on the regular, you can opt for the over-the-counter form, retinol, at any drugstore. The milder version offers similar results and minimizes the chance of redness or flaking. Regardless of the retinoid your derm recommends, start out using it once a week and then build the usage from there to ensure your skin stays calm. And then use your skin-brightening cream, like Olay Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream Moisturizer, on the other nights.

5. Wear SPF Daily

If there’s only one thing you do, make it this: Use broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher daily, a guideline recommended by the American Academy of Dermatology. Not only does it help prevent skin cancer, it protects your skin from harmful UV rays, the culprit behind most dark spots. In response to the sun’s UV rays, our cells send out protective pigment (or melanin) to naturally keep your skin from getting burned. This is what you know to be a “tan,” but it’s really your skin trying to protect itself. You might be into your glowing bronze color, but deep in the layers of your skin, the damage has occurred and will later surface in as tiny brown spots (aka freckles). To keep your skin brown spot-free, don’t skip the SPF! I use the Aveeno protect + hydrate lotion sunscreen daily even if I don’t go outside.sunscreen