Skincare Woes and Loves

In this little post here I blogged about Shasta Anne's awesome skincare giveaway...and I WON!Thank you SO much Shasta!!!!!!!! I am so excited! Not only because I won, but because the skincare products she was giving away were geared towards people with discoloration issues (aka malasma, my nemesis). I touched briefly on my struggle with melasma due to birth control and my irish skin. After my beach trip with Muffin a few weeks ago my face literally looked stained. The spots that I had been lightening gradually came back full force. In this post I am going to talk about some of the skincare products I do love, and have continued to purchase because they actually work.

For zits (luckily, I deal with these only around that time of the month)

• Clean and Clear Persa Gel (has 10% benzoyl peroxide, put it on over night and your zit will most likely be gone the next morning, minus a little mark).
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For makeup removal (HEAVY makeup removal mind you...)

• Burt's Bees Orange Essence Facial Cleanser-you know those fancy facial oils from Shu Uemera and Laura Mercier that came out a while ago and were so popular? This is the same thing, just in gel form. I use it on my DRY face and the gel melts into an oil that takes off pretty much EVERYTHING...plus it smells fantastic and is not harsh at all.
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• Neautrogena Deep Clean Oil Free Makeup remover wipes-I use this before washing my face when I have lots of makeup on... Cleanser alone won't cut it for me.
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• Clinique Take the Day Off Makeup Remover- This I use only on my eyes b/c it is super oily...it is amazing and is the ONLY thing to get rid of my beloved Bobbi Brown gel eyeliner.

Regular Wash and Moisturizing

• Aveeno Skin Brightening Scrub-love it, takes off any flakies (ew.. I know..I know..) without making my skin look like I just washed it with a brillow pad.
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• CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion-my absolute favorite can't live without skincare product. I have been using this for YEARS. It is an amazing moisturizer with no fluff, just does what it says without any awful side effects like breakouts or reactions.. TRY IT you will be HOOKED!
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• Retinoid- I use a generic prescribed one from my dermatologist. I have been on Retin A, Tazorac, TriLuma (for the spots), and the generic one is doing its job. I stay on the retinoid b/c it keeps me clear and is the ONLY proven wrinkle fighter.

I am obsessed with skincare, and am always trying to find a regimen that works and that I can stick to. The above products are the ones that I keep buying over and over again. Now, because I am a makeup/sephora junkie I also tend to try new stuff. Currently, I am trying out the following:

• First Aid Beauty Radiance Pads-I have only been using this for over a week, and haven't really seen any results besides my face feels really clean---ps I also use this on my arms and chest...just because.
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• Clarisonic Mia-I have had this for over a year...I used it when I first bought it and really did not like it which was sad, because it gets such good reviews. I felt it irritated my skin and caused breakouts. Now I started at it again because I am praying it does for me what it does for other people. This time I am trying the "sensitive" brush head. If it doesn't work on me this time, I will use it to clean Muffin's shower.
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So, if the products I won work as well for me as the did for lovely Shasta and the other bajillion people raving about it, then I will be the happiest girl on the planet. I promise to keep regular updates on how it is working for me.

PS: Remember how I was saying my nails are pathetically weak? Well I have found the MOST amazing thing to keep them strong and pretty. It adds the most gorgeous pink to your nails and uses something else to cancel out ANY yellowing. LOVE LOVE LOVE (minus the price tag)

It's called Pink Gel Topcoat. You can find it in the aisles near the checkout counter in Sephora, or buy it online here.