Use This!

Every now and then I will introduce a product that I really believe in strongly.  I am the type of person that does a lot of research on different beauty products, I use only the best and I use them for a long time. Today I am going to talk about my facial cleanser.

First you must know that I have used almost everything under the sun.  Everything from Clean and Clear, Neutrogena, Proactive, L'Oreal and Mary Kay.  My skin is combination skin, I never know how it may act, it can be dry or oily, so I really need a cleanser that is gentle but also gets the job done.  After years and years of trying new products, I read an article in Cosmo that said the best way to find skin products is to ask your dermo.  I took this advice and called mine.  (I still advise you to do this if you have a dermo)  But for those of you that don't regularly go to a dermo, I have you covered.

Without question, my dermo recommended Aveeno.  I have heard about Aveeno from sme of my roommates in college but for some reason I never considered it.  My dermo said that Aveeno is the ONLY product out there that is gentle enough not to dry out your skin but still works.  I dropped everything I was doing and ran to Walgreens.  Aveeno has a couple lines to choose from: Positively Radiant, Positively Ageless, Ultra-Calming and Clear Complexion.  I opted for the Clear Complexion line, since I was most worried about break outs.  I have tried the Daily Cleansing Pads, Foaming Cleanser, Daily Moisturizer and the Cream Cleanser.  So far I have loved all the products and I have also switched to using the body lotion.  I like Aveeno because they don't test on animals and the main ingredients used are all natural.

As I mentioned earlier, I will be talking about my face cleanser.  I use the Aveeno Clear Complexion Cream Cleanser.  I really like the richness of the cream and the action of the scrubbing beads.  This product leaves my skin feeling smooth and clean.  And best yet no toner is needed.  It took a little longer for my face to clear up than say Proactive, but I feel that the longevity of the product is more important.  Not only did my face get clear but it has stayed clear and fights against breakouts.  My skin has yet (even during winter) to get dry and patchy.

My advice is to 1. contact your dermo 2. try out an Aveeno facial care line that works for your skin 3. let me know how you like it!

Shopping Bag

Here are a few things I found when I was at the mall this weekend.

I have been looking for some comfy but chic long sleeve shirts for a while now and so I was really excited when I found these at Ann Taylor.  The look for fall is to warm up the styles from summer and by wearing these tops it can be made easy.  I like how light weight they are and they have a flattering neckline that highlights your collarbone.  P.s. Ann Taylor has a great sale going on right now, it's an additional 25% off everything already marked down.  I got some great embellished tanks that I will layer under a sweater or over my new long sleeve tops I just bought.

Ann Taylor Loft Twisted Boat Neck Tee.  $19.50

 

 

Philosophy Bobbing for Apples. $25.00

 I am a huge fan of Philosophy.  I like the idea that I can get everything I need in the shower in one bottle.  Plus anything that Oprah promotes you know is top grade.  I still use my award winning shampoo and conditioner but I use Philosophy products for everyday body wash or bubble bath and then I take philosophy travel size with me anywhere I go and i use that as my shampoo and body wash.  Another thing I love about philosophy is that it can be used as a shave gel.  It is smooth enough that you razor gets a nice close shave but also keeps your legs smooth.  All summer I used Philosophy Margarita and now I am switching to the Bobbing Apples set.  My recommendation is to keep one for yourself and give the other two to two friends or keep them all for yourself.  I am excited to get into the fall spirit and start using these!

SmashBox 'Burlesque' Beauty Collection & Train Case. $79.00

You know that I already wrote a whole post on SmashBox but I recently got another makeover when I walked through Nordstroms and I am officially sold on this makeup. Right now they have a special going on for the new movie Burlesque an this package includes all the fun products that Smashbox offers.  The kit includes Hyperlash Mascara in Blackout, Limitless Liner Pen in Jet Black, Double end lip gloss in Peep/Show, O-Glow Intuitive Cheek Color, Cream Eye Liner Palatte in Vixen, Eyeshadow Quad in Entice, Fusion Soft Lights in Tease and Loose shimmer in Burlesque.  I really liked the O blush and the eyeshadow but everything in there was awesome.  Some other things that are worth checking out at SmashBox is the Moisturizer, the Halo Powder and the Light Primer.  I also lost my first O-Gloss since I carried it around in my front pocket like a 7th grader for a month so I had to buy a new one. Smashbox is the perfect brand for a woman who needs a grown-up look for work but also wants to be able to create a going out look as well.

The New In Thing

I have a lot of single friends.  For the last three years we have been out and about trying different bars and different pick-up lines.  I am getting sick of it.

A couple of my friends have started to try online dating.  I have one friend that is on Match.com and she seems to love it.  She really likes the feature that you can see who is looking at your profile.  Match.com has the payments set up in different packages.  For instance my friend is paying around $18 every month for three months.  That didn't seem that bad to me.

I have another friend who is OKCupid.com.  This is a free site.  I thought all the losers would be on the free site but I thought wrong.  It seems like the people that are on OKCupid are just feeling out the online dating lifestyle.  She has been on a couple dates with men and although nothing has progressed further she said that it is still fun to go out and get a drink with someone new and the conversation is excellent.

I have another friend who is on J Date and I know that she also really likes it.  This is a Jewish dating site, but there are also a lot of people that aren't Jewish as well.  She has been the most successful so far, as she has gone on the most dates and has met the most people.

Please leave a comment if you are using a dating site that you like or a new one that I didn't look into.