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.
The POND’S Cold Cream Cleanser is perfect for these dry winter months. And it’s both gentle and effective.
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.
In the black community it’s a common misconception that our melanin infused skin completely eliminates the need for sunscreen as protection. Yes, our melanin does protect from some UV rays, but we actually do need to wear sunscreen too.
Skin cancer and aging lines don’t discriminate. Every skin tone on earth is at risk of being dried out, aged and burnt by the sun. It’s not too late to properly take care of your melanin.
Let’s take a moment to explore the reasons why sunscreen is a must, even for darker tones.
Cancer
This alone is good enough reason to buy sunscreen for your melanin. Skin cancer effects both light skin tones and dark. Your natural skin protectant blocks UV light up to SPF 13. This isn’t as strong as the sunscreen (SPF 30 is recommended) which is created for skin protection.
That means cancer can and will develop in your skin, if not properly protected. Studies also show that we are more likely to die from skin cancer than those with lighter skin. Melanated people are simply more likely to die from skin cancer because we aren’t looking for the signs and don’t take the necessary precautions to prevent skin cancers.
While people with dark skin have more melanin, which helps to protect their skin from UV rays, they are still at risk for developing different types of skin cancer, including melanomas. UV rays also contribute to photoaging, and regular use of sunscreen can help prevent the formation of wrinkles, dark spots, and sagging leathery skin.
You can find important information on skin cancer and melanin on Health Care’s website.
Aging and Dark Spots
One of the benefits of dark skin is the ability to look as if you haven’t aged a day. You want to keep these good looks, right? Don’t let the sun dry out your skin creating fine lines and wrinkles. It’s simply not worth it when you can purchase sunscreen designed specifically for your needs.
Sunlight also creates uneven skin tones and dark spots which can be totally avoided with a little sun screen. Aging spots and lines aren’t the only thing to worry about. Your skin will lose tone, and volume.
Sagging skin will become a reality if sunscreen isn’t used while you’re in the sun. This is especially true for those who live in areas like Texas, Florida and other places where the sun always shines.
Unwanted Burns
If you’ve never experienced a sunburn lucky you. It’s the worst feeling and seeing your skin peel right before your eyes is pretty weird. Sunburns can happen on all skin tones. Sure, you won’t burn as quickly as those with fair skin, but you can still develop burns.
Take the extra precaution of choosing the right sunscreen designed for your skin type. It doesn’t hurt to take these measures. In the long run your skin will truly thank you.
While you’re in the sun your skin will become darker, everyone knows this but do you know why? The tanning effect isn’t really a tan it’s a sign of skin damage from the sun. Your body produces more melanin in effort to protect that previous outer layer of skin.
Your melanin is amazing. It performs super hero like duties but unfortunately it cannot completely protect you from harmful UV rays. Take the time to research skin cancer in African Americans and purchase sunscreen. Your body will thank you.
Knowing the ingredients and the resulting properties isn’t on every shoppers mind, but the undesirable outcomes are. The majority of shoppers look for a product that isn’t greasy or that doesn’t leave a noticeable residue on the skin. A good deal of people also look for a product that is in line with their own ethics. I, for one, look for Vegan/ cruelty free products that also hydrate the skin. I normally just stick with Aveeno PROTECT + HYDRATE Lotion but today… well read on to see why Bolden SPF 30 Brightening Moisturizergot me singing ♪♪♪. (Click here to continue)
If you rewind to 2018, the world was obsessed with perfectly sculpted, HD brows. Two years later, that trend has officially died (RIP) and in its place is the boy brow. It’s equally bold yet more natural, fluffy, and (looks) untouched – we’re low key obsessed.
The bad news? Not everyone is #blessed with naturally thick, fluffy brows. The good news? You can fake it with brow lamination; a semi-permanent brow treatment that straightens, sets, and tints your brow hair leaving you with full, thick brows for up to eight weeks. Brow lamination, as it’s called, is like a perm for your eyebrow hairs.
Originating in Russia, but blowing up in England and US, brow lamination tames unruly hairs and sets them in place for a fluffy just-combed look. Brow lamination is essentially a perm for your eyebrows, but without using the same harsh chemicals. It’s a keratin treatment that not only stimulates growth while strengthening the brow hairs, but creates thick, fluffy, and full brows.
Lamination is a good alternative to microblading because it works with your existing hair, giving you your ideal brow look without the use of needles, ink insertion into the body, and pain.
Here’s everything you need to know:
What Is Brow Lamination?
According to Instagram, brow lamination is a chemical process that straightens the eyebrow. It’s very similar to a lash lift, but what it does is straighten the brow in a vertical and swept way that lasts for five to eight weeks.
Brow lamination is the latest brow treatment to blow up on Instagram and the results really do look amazing. The treatment reworks and tints your natural brow hairs to create a fuller shape. This treatment will help give you a uniform, full brow shape. This treatment is perfect for “Eyebrows that do not have symmetry: where the hairs follow a different pattern.”
Lamination is different than micro-feathering, for example, because it’s about texture, not color. “Most brow treatments are meant to fill in the brows and add darkness and pigment and can mimic the look of the hair.” Lamination, on the other hand, is a perm for the brow hairs.
To achieve this naturally full effect, brows are brushed into place in a way where every hair follows the same direction of growth. Then brush into a shape to create a very soft, natural arch. Brow Lamination is for nearly all skin types; however, a patch test is always carried out before the treatment to ensure no irritation or reaction occurs.
The entire lamination process is 30 minutes from start to finish. “A chemical solution is applied to the brow that breaks down the bonds in the hair to straighten it. After that, a neutralizer is applied to reform the bonds to create the new shape. Then, a post-treatment oil is applied to nourish the hair. This process should be done before brow tinting and before brow shaping.
Once the treatment is complete, brows will look very sleek with a wet look. This wet look lasts for 24 hours and once washed will remain fluffy. If you want that glossy look, you can achieve it easily by applying a brow gel or serum.
Post service, avoid hot showers and don’t exercise for 24 hours in order to keep them dry. After the initial 24 hours, you can wet and cleanse the face with any of your favorite products, which wouldn’t disrupt the shape of the brow.
Overall, thicker hair can endure more treatments every six weeks, but with finer brow hairs, it’s recommended they wait at least ten weeks because it can be damaging to the brow hair. If you want to get the look without the laminating process, try the NYX Professional Makeup Fill & Fluff Eyebrow Pomade Pencil to lift your natural brows with makeup.
How Long and How Much Does Brow Lamination Cost
With proper care, brow lamination can last four to eight weeks. Many Brow Experts recommend castor oil, as it helps boost hair growth: simply apply a coating of castor oil using a Q-tip before your sleep. The price ranges from $50 to $300 depending on location and the artist who’s performing the treatment.
Like with any new treatment, the results may be transformative, but there’s also underlying risks. If you’re curious about brow lamination, make sure to do your research to find a skilled artist that works out of a licensed, clean salon before booking an appointment.
A new year always puts our previous habits into perspective. From majorbeauty investments, pulling off new makeup trends, or our favorite skincare products, we’ve definitely had our fair share of beauty experiments in 2019. However, now that 2020 has arrived, our beauty forecast did too. A new year means a refreshed routine focusing on clear skin, the best brows (always), and lots and lots of self care.
Since our beauty routines are such a major staple in our lives, we wanted to share our 2020 beauty resolutions with you too. That way, you can follow along with us on our path to bolder looks, greener products, and great skin to jumpstart your new year. Scroll through to see our beauty resolutions that’ll have us conquering 2020…
1. Better Brows
Strive for greatness and perfect your brow game in 2020. Your brows, as you know, frame the windows to your soul, so we want you to be as religious as possible about having a foolproof regimen. Whether that means investing in microblading, getting them professionally shaped, or taking time to fill them in, put your brows first in your makeup routine. Your eyes {and the rest of your face, for that matter}, will thank you later.
2. Try a New Lip Color
It’s SO easy to get comfortable using the same color and wearing the same makeup look every day. We get it. Being comfortable in your routine is important. However, trying something new is the perfect refresh to your tried-and-true products. Even if that means wearing a new nude lip from a different brand or a bold and fierce berry hue, incorporating a new color into the mix always add a little adventure.
3. Focus on Your Skin
Your skin is the canvas and base for your makeup, so implementing products that will do your skin some good is your highest priority. Whether it’s anti-aging, acne fighting, or another skincare concern, find products that are going to treat your skin with the utmost care.
4. Stick to a Self-Care Routine
You’ve heard it before and you’ll hear it again: self-care is and will be an important staple in not only your beauty routine, but also the rest of your life. We have stressors all around us and they affect our hair, skins, nails, and overall health. Sticking to a self-care routine can create a more harmonious and focused part of your life that can help balance out all of the hectic points in your day.
5. Green-Out Your Beauty Bag
If some of your products have ingredients that you can’t even pronounce, it’s probably not the best product to be using on your body. There are a lot of amazing eco-friendly, green, and sustainable beauty products on the market, so take some time and do your research to find the ones that are a lot more beneficial to you {and the earth}.
What beauty resolutions are you going to try this year?
Let us know in the comments below—we love to hear them!
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