Sorry!

I apologize for how long it has been since I've last posted. I have been so busy with work and what not that I just haven't had the time. Look forward to me posting later this week with some goodies. Oh, and I'm using a new stretch mark cream. I just started so no results yet :( Hopefully I do get some though....

Anyway, look forward to that!

When to Throw Out Your Makeup

I used to never know when to throw out my makeup. I'd find things I had from like 3 years ago and wonder if I could still use it. Well, here are the answers to your question! Can you use it, or can you not?

Foundation= It depends. If it's water-based (usually used on oily-skinned people), it's good for 1 year. Cream, compact or oil-based foundation is good for 18 months.

Concealer= 1 year.

Powder= 2 years.

Eyeliner (pencil)= 2- 3 years.

Eyeliner (liquid)= 3-6 months. Yup... that short.

Mascara= 3 months. Even shorter than liquid eyeliner!

Blush & Bronzer (powder)= 2 years.

Eye shadow (powder/pigments)= 2- 3 years.

Lipstick, lipliner & lipgloss= 18 months- 2 years.

Nail polish= 1 year.

Cream blush & eye shadow= 12-18 months.

As you can see, some of the expiration dates have room. That's because sometimes something might expire sooner rather than later, or vice versa. The way to tell is if your makeup smells bad or not how it's supposed to, definitely toss it. Hopefully this information was helpful!

Anti-Aging 101

News about anti-aging is always changing and updating, so I'll continue to update with new information or products, or anything new that I find out. Even if you are young you can benefit from anti-aging products since usually anti-aging products are packed full of essential vitamins for maintaining healthy skin. Now who couldn't benefit from that?

Vitamins

Vitamins A, B, C, and E are essential vitamins to help keep you looking your best. Here I'm going to focus on the vitamins that are most popular in anti-aging skin creams.

Vitamin A
Vitamin A in the form of Retinol is excellent for stimulating collagen growth & skin repair when placed externally on the skin. Most anti-aging skin creams contain Retinol.

Vitamin C
Vitamin C helps to stimulate collagen when applied externally and is therefore great for anti-aging.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E helps keep your skin normal & healthy. However, some recent articles and studies have come about which say that Vitamin E applied externally really has no benefit. With this vitamin it seems people are about 50-50: Some love it, some loathe it.

Skin Care

Now here are a few tips on keeping your skin healthy which will help keep your skin better at fending off problems.

1. Always cleanse skin at night to remove dirt, oil & makeup. Remove all eye makeup as well with a specially formulated remover.
2. Exfoliate at least 3 days of the week to remove dead skin cells and to stimulate your skin.
3. Moisturize morning and night (especially after exfoliation).
4. Use an eye cream especially formulated for use around the eyes to keep the skin around the eyes healthy & radiant.

Those are just 3 tips for women who want a normal not too high-maintenence routine. There are definitely other things to add to your skin care regimen if you want to get even more in depth like serums, masks & toners, but these 4 things will certainly be just enough.

Suggestions

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Night Treatment

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Eye Cream

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher

Vita-C+ SPF 15 Sunscreen

Vita-C+ Antioxidant Serum

ABH Pore Refining Clay Mask

Here is a suggestion for a routine to help your skin look its best-

Morning:

1. Splash face with water (or take shower).
2. Apply moisturizer with Vitamin C & SPF 15 or higher. (Vita-C+ SPF 15 Sunscreen)

Night:

1. Remove eye makeup.
2. Cleanse face with skin cleanser that also removes makeup. (Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser)
3. Exfoliate skin at least 3 days of the week. (Olay Regenerist Thermal Skin Polisher)
4. Apply moisturizer with Retinol & AHAs. (Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Night Treatment)
5. Apply targeted eye treatment. (Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Intensive Eye Cream)

You could stop with just that or you could also apply a serum with Vitamin C at night (possibly alternating nights with your anti-aging moisturizer) & one day of the week at night you could apply a mask targeted to whatever skin issue you have (acne, blackheads, large pores, etc). I'm a night showerer so that helps a lot since there are so many products to use.

Hopefully this information helped you! If you have any questions or suggestions of products, comment here.

Stretch Mark Prevention & Diminishing

If you read my profile, you probably are aware that I just had a baby. Being pregnant was amazing & I loved it (the delivery- well that's another story). Unfortunately, what I'm not loving, is the stretch marks. Since the day I found out I was pregnant I was in search of products to prevent them, but alas they showed up. Now I'm in search of products to help diminsh (hopefully erase!) my stretch marks. Here is a list of things to try to diminsh stretch marks:

• Emu Oil
• Vitamin E Oil
• Grapeseed Oil
• Jojoba Oil
• Trilastin-Sr
• Strivectin-SD
• Dermactin-TS
• Revitol
• Mederma
• Bio Oil
• Keri Stretch Mark Minimizer

So far I've tried Emu Oil, with no results. Right now I'm in the process of trying Mederma & Bio Oil. I've tried the Mederma for a little over 3 weeks right now and they suggest using it for 8 weeks on new scars (which mine are) but it doesn't really look any different so far. The Bio Oil I've been using for almost 2 weeks and they suggest using it for 3 months and this is the product that so far has made the most difference. However, they are not gone just a little bit less visible but still indented. Massage is also an important factor in the healing of skin after scarring. Supposedly massage is supposed to help. I will continue and update in another week with more results! (BTW- I'm using each product on different stretch marks, not the same ones!)

To prevent stretch marks, my OBGYN (who I asked AFTER the fact) said she used Vitamin E Oil when she was pregnant and didn't get any stretch marks. I would suggest using 40,000 IUs or more to prevent the marks from appearing as well as to reduce any already incurred. I have yet to try it though! Unfortunately with stretch marks there is also a hereditary factor. Although if your mom or sisters got them that doesn't mean you will either because your genes are different than theirs. You could've just gotten your dad's side or something. Here is some more advice for avoiding stretch marks (whether pregnant or not):

1. Drink LOTS of water. At least if not more than 8 glasses of water a day.
2. Gain within the recommended amount of weight & steadily gaining that weight. That means gaining between 25-35 pounds. (Although I only gained around 30 pounds and still got stretch marks.)
3. Find a good oil/lotion that is directed towards preventing stretch marks. Palmer's Cocoa Butter for stretch marks is a popular choice, although I used it and it didn't work for me. What I also used until I ran out and stupidly didn't go get more of was Mother's Special Blend. It is all 100% pure oils and it's what Brooke Burke used (and you should see how great she looks!). It worked for me until I ran out and didn't get any more. I know, I know. I've slapped myself quite a few times already. Vitamin E Oil though (seen above) is a good choice as well.
4. Massage that oil/lotion into your body at least twice a day. (If you're pregnant a fun activity would be for you to ask your husband to massage the oil/lotion into your skin.)
5. Eat healthy foods.

I'll be updating weekly with any results (or lack thereof). If the Mederma doesn't work (which it seems that way) the next thing I'll be trying is at least 40,000 IUs of Vitamin E Oil & probably Jojoba and/or Grapeseed Oil. The great thing about pure natural oils is if they end up not working, it's not a waste of money! You can use the oils on your face to prevent aging (Vitamin E is a big anti-aging vitamin and is an antioxidant) or you can use them as massage oils either on yourself or someone else. Keep checking back for my stretch mark updates!

What I'm Lovin' This Week

Here's some fashion inspiration for those of you who want some more fall fashion ideas. I'm loving this outfit right now. It has plaid, which is big this fall. It also has a turtle neck which is big this fall as well. The shoes are just so sexy I had to cop'em. Check it out:


Top by Wet Seal $16.50


Bottoms by Bebe $118


Shoes "Birttania" by Guess $59.96

What would be great with this outfit, since it's all black & simple colors would be to add some neon nail polish that's really big right now & a black clutch. If you can't stand the whole nail neon, just do the tips. For example, Japanese Koi, Flying Dragon or Blue Sparrow from China Glaze's INK collection. Here are the swatches:


Japanese Koi


Flying Dragon


Blue Sparrow


I'm lovin' it.

Sephora Special! Free Bare Escentuals!

I know Bare Escentuals is a popular makeup brand that has a cult following, so if you've ever wanted to try it- now's your chance! Sephora is doing a special where you get 10 days of Bare Escentuals FREE plus a mini kabuki brush. You can pick it up free in stores or you can get it online with any order (just enter code MYSHADE at checkout). Now is your chance to see what all the hype is about Bare Escentuals- I'm going to try it and let you know what I think.

What's To Come

So you've probably noticed my poll in the right hand corner of my blog. I know probably every woman has something that bothers them, and these seemed like the most common. Stretch marks & cellulite plague me so I'll be doing an upcoming post on products I'm going to try and then update monthly with my results. Aging skin is something I want to prevent so I will also be updating about products that prevent/decrease signs of aging. For the acne, I'll be posting with tips to keep your complexion beautiful and clear- and how to fake perfect skin too.

Also, every week I will have a post called "What I'm Loving Right Now" which will include clothes, accessories, shoes, purses, makeup, etc that I'm using/currently wanting to use. Look forward to that!