Tag: skincare review

Best Sunscreens for Dark Skin Tones That Won’t Leave White Streaks

Published on by Lee5 Comments

Although melanin does give darker skin tones some sunprotection, it’s not enough to prevent skin cancer. Not to mention,“With cumulative sun exposure you can see increased fine lines, decreased elasticity, and discoloration, which means, yes, you should wear broad-spectrum sunscreen every day, even if you have a darker skin tone. The trouble is, so many leave a white cast. Here, Lee found (and tested) the best sunscreens for darker skin tones that were made with melanin in mind. And while you’re hunting, don’t forget the lip SPF!

Green Screen Daily Environmental Protector

Farmacy $46.40

A blend of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide forms (with an antioxidant boost from echinacea) a shield on the skin that not only blocks the sun’s damaging rays, but also visible light from digital devices (which accelerate aging, too). Prefer mineral based sunscreens or physical blockers that contain zinc oxide or titanium dioxide, because they’re more protective against exacerbation of discoloration and dark spots.

Umbra Sheer Physical Defense

Drunk Elephant $34.00

Zinc oxide is the sunscreen gold standard. It blocks a broader range of the sun’s light than titanium dioxide and may be more stable. But zinc’s difficult to formulate into a wearable sunscreen, especially for darker skin, because it’s very whitening. This formula gets it right. It disappears on the skin, even on dark complexions. Mineral sunscreens are particularly helpful for dark skin because they deflect heat which worsens hyperpigmentation.

It Cosmetics Your Skin But Better CC+ Cream with SPF 50+

IT COSMETICS $39.50

This all-in-one cream is powered by mineral sunscreens and is my current go-to. There are shades to match every skin tone, it acts as a concealer, and is oil-free with a matte finish.

Award-winning color correcting cream that works beautifully as your full-coverage foundation, hydrating anti-aging serum and SPF 50+ physical sunscreen. Infused with hydrolyzed collagen, peptides, niacin, hyaluronic acid, antioxidants and vitamins, this skin-loving full-coverage foundation reduces the appearance of acne scarring, wrinkles, redness on skin, dark circles under eyes and large pores—all while giving you a luminous, supple, flawless-looking complexion.

Complete Daily Broad Spectrum SPF 30

Olay $13.99

For dry skin I usually recommend using sunscreens that are hydrating and most facial moisturizers with sunscreen can achieve this. This formula has a mix of chemical sunscreens and zinc oxide. This gentle, lightweight lotion is fragrance-free and features zinc oxide, a gentle mineral sunscreen. It also includes vitamin E and aloe to help maintain healthy-looking skin. Unlike many facial moisturizers with sunscreen, complete all day facial moisturizer with SPF is non-greasy and lightweight. Its oil-free formula leaves skin with a healthy glow which is also perfect for sensitive skin.

SPF 50 Defense Refresh Setting Mist

Supergoop! $30.00

Lee emphasizes that sunscreen must be reapplied throughout the day (specifically every two hours) to maintain protection. Sounds okay for a day at the beach, but what about a day at the office? Spritz this spray right on top of your makeup—it’ll refresh your look and protect your skin.

Mineral Liplux SPF 30

Coola $18.00

Lips need sun care, too. Moisturize and protect them with this Coola mineral sunscreen lip balm. Organic beeswax, shea butter, and coconut oil give this balm its creamy base while titanium dioxide and zinc do sun-blocking work. COOLA Mineral Liplux with SPF 30 adds a hint of natural color while protecting, nourishing and conditioning your lips. Organic Cupuacu Butter and Mongongo Oil offers incredible creaminess that promotes a special softness and smoothness to boost your lip’s natural moisture and help improve the appearance of aging and thinning skin.

Ultra Sheer SPF 30 Moisturizing Sunscreen

Black Girl Sunscreen $18.99

A sunscreen made for women of color. The formula goes on completely clear and gives the skin a pretty glow. Because it hydrates without being greasy or tacky, it’s an effective base for makeup.

Being Oxybenzone and Octinoxate free means you won’t have about toxics disrupting your hormones, and your sunscreen being environmentally friendly. Avocado moisturizes, reduces signs of aging, and treats sunburns. Containing vitamin E and antioxidants is what makes avocado one of the hottest trends in the natural skin care industry. Not only using avocado oil, but eating avocado on a weekly basis can be very beneficial and necessary for your skin. Jojoba soothes and moisturizes the skin leaving it flawless while preventing acne. Hydrating your skin is crucial to skin health and prevents wrinkles and fine lines. Cacao provides powerful anti-oxidants and evens out the complexion of your skin for a smooth, consistent skin tone. Carrot Juice contains vitamin C which enables it to promote healing and even boost the level of melanin in the skin. Carrot juice has been known to even out acne breakouts too. Sun Flower Oil prevents skin irritation from sunburn and other skin irritants. This nutrient-rich oil provides inflammation relief as well.

Forever Young Hand Cream with Sea Buckthorn

Supergoop! $14.00

Your hands need sun protection, too. While its powered by chemical screens, there’s no oxybenzone. And it has argan oil to moisturize but still absorbs quickly.

Environmental Shield Essential-C Eye Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 15

Murad $70.00

The eye area is particularly sensitive to the sun’s damaging rays because the skin is thinner and dryer. This eye cream protects with SPF and antioxidant Vitamin C. Treatment ingredients include retinol to increase cell turnover and avocado oil for moisture. Shorea stenoptera butter and avocado oil work together to condition and hydrate for smoother skin.

Caffeine reduces puffiness, retinol supports natural renewal to help restore skin’s youthfulness, and light diffusers soften appearance of fine lines and dark circles. Environmental Shield Essential-C Eye Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 15 / PA +++ is recommended as a Step 3 moisturizer to protect the eye area in any Murad Environmental Shield regimen. It hydrates, smoothes, and shields skin from UV damage to reduce eye area aging as part of Dr. Murad’s inclusive health system of care.

ARE YOU A SUNSCREEN USER? WHAT BRAND IS YOUR FAVORITE SUNSCREEN TO USE ON THE DAILY? Comment down below!

Discovered a New Way to Use a Cult Classic Eye Cream and Makeup Has Never Looked Smoother

Published on by Lee4 Comments

The perfect eye cream is hard to find. It has to have the right consistency, a formula that won’t give you milia or cause irritation and a blend of ingredients that actually delivers noticeable results. So once that holy grail is in your possession, there’s really no turning back. For many, that eye cream is the Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado — it’s a bona fide classic. 

As its name suggests, the formula is creamy and emollient, yet is fast-absorbing and non-greasy. The star ingredient is avocado oil, which is packed with fatty acids to moisturize and soften skin, plus beta-carotene for a dose of antioxidants and shea butter to hydrate and make skin supple. Plus, a little goes a long way, so you get plenty of mileage out of a small tub. As if we needed another reason to love this eye cream, we recently discovered a new way to use it: as a primer for eye makeup. Trust and believe, it’s a game-changer. 

When we typically apply eye cream, we use a finger to lightly tap it (never pull or tug at the skin!) along the orbital bone, starting at the edge of the nose and outwards, and then up to brow bone. To try the primer hack, take another fingertip-full and gently apply it over the eyelid before going in with your concealer or eyeshadow. 

Unlike so many other eye creams, the Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado doesn’t slide all over the place or make your skin oily or sticky. Instead, skin is smooth and hydrated, i.e. the perfect base for crease-free, long-lasting makeup. 

In addition to your shadow, your under-eye concealer will get the same red-carpet treatment. You’ll find that when applied after the Kiehl’s eye cream, your product glides on evenly without flaking and never settles into your fine lines which can make them look more pronounced. 

Excuse us as we add another tub – or three – to our carts. 

Did You Try Kiehl’s Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado? YAY OR NAY? COMMENT BELOW.

Dry Hand Tips

Published on by Lee4 Comments

If you’re constantly washing your hands and using sanitizer around the clock, your hands are probably dry AF. While it’s important to wash your hands as often as possible, it can wreak havoc on your skin. Your skin is your body’s first defense against bacteria, so you need to ensure you keep your hands hydrated. Cracked, dry hands and damaged skin means a weakened skin barrier, which makes it easier for germs to enter.

Fortunately, we’ve got some easy solutions so you can say goodbye to dry hands, for good!

Find a Nourishing Hand Wash

Many celebrity dermatologists recommends avoiding bars of soap as they can seriously dry out your skin. They explains, “Soaps have a special molecule that finds oils and strips them from the skin. We need our natural oils for retaining moisture.” Therefore, trade-in your traditional soaps for a nourishing hand wash instead. We’re currently using the Bath & Body Works Gentle Foaming Hand Soaps, $8.50, as they’re infused with essential oils, as well as vitamin E to nourish and clean the skin. Plus, they foam into a rich lather that smells so good – it makes washing your hands feel luxurious! Another hydrating soap that’s a little more boujee is the Aesop Resurrection Aromatique Hand Wash, $52. The formula boasts orange, rosemary, and lavender essential oils to cleanse and restore the skin.

If you already have a liquid handwash, you can try adding in a tablespoon of coconut, olive or grapeseed oil, which will help to lock in moisture while you wash. After you wash your hands, try to follow with a moisturizer almost immediately.

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Use Oils

If you don’t have any hand creams use oil instead and massage it into your hands. Our favorite oil to use is extra virgin olive oil, a recommendation we got from Julia Roberts. It’s super-hydrating and packed with vitamins, antioxidants, and fatty acids that help hydrate while repairing damaged skin. It’s also suitable for all skin types and is anti-microbial. If you don’t have olive oil in your cabinet, you can use coconut oil (our go-to DIY oil), or any other oil.

If your hands are super dry, create a DIY hand mask by massaging oil into your hands, then put on a pair of plastic gloves. If you don’t have gloves, you can wrap your hands in clingwrap. Try to leave them covered for up to an hour for super soft, hydrated skin.

Apply a Rich Cream or Balm

As you can probably guess, applying hand cream RN is essential. In fact, we’ve gotten into the routine of applying lotion immediately after we use hand sanitizer. You can also keep hand cream next to your sink for easy access after hand washing.

Look for a hand moisturizer that contains rich, hydrating ingredients like shea butter and oils like apricot and avocado oil, as they’re packed with natural goodness that will help seal in moisture and repair the skin. Here are three of our faves:

soft hands

Vaseline Intensive Care Lotion, $16.26: While this may not be the most luxe hand cream on our list, it’s a household staple. The fast-absorbing formula is clinically proven to heal dry skin within five days. Plus, it doesn’t leave your skin feeling greasy or tacky.

L’Occitaine Honey Harvest Hand Cream, $29: This hand cream leaves our skin feeling so smooth! The rich combination of shea butter and honey hydrates while strengthening the skin, helping prevent future moisture loss.

Kiehl’s Ultimate Strength Hand Salve, $28: This cream is infused with sesame oil, avocado oil, and olive, which are all packed with essential fatty acids to nourish and repair dry skin.

Check out more of our all-time fave hand creams here.

What’s your fave hand cream? Let us know in the comments below.

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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