Body, Feet and Hand Exfoliating: Like a Rub Down With Sand, Only Better

In my last post I spoke about the polishing effects of at home microdermabrasion kits. These kits can do wonders for your face, but the rest of your skin needs exfoliating too. Now, I would never suggest that you waste your hard earned money covering your body in microdermabrasion creams, although if you've recently won a lottery or find your have too much money, I say go for it, give it a try and let me know how it works for you, I'd be willing to bet you'd be the proud owner of some amazingly smooth skin. However, you can achieve a similar result for much less money by using body scrubs and specialized hand and feet sets.

Lets start with the body exfoliating scrubs. Coming into the summer months exfoliating your body is even more important than simply giving you smoother skin. Exfoliating will also help you to get a closer shave, giving you extra smooth legs, and if you use self tanners exfoliating before application is a must, otherwise you'll end up with a very uneven tan.

There are plenty of body washes that claim to include gentle exfoliating beads of some sort. I'm of the opinion that my dry, dead, flaky skin needs something a little stronger than a gentle coaxing to jump ship from my arms and legs. And so, I like to use the more intense exfoliating powers of the St. Ives Apricot scrub. You simply rub it on in cricular motions (no need to be too gentle here, you limbs are tough, they can take it) before hopping in the shower, and then rinse it off under the warm water. In less than five minutes, and under 10 dollars, you'll have amazingly smooth skin. Afterwards be sure to apply a moisturizer all over to maintain your smoothness. Repeat once or twice a week as needed.

As for your hands a feet, a slightly more specialized product may be in order. My two favs are the Mary Kay Satin Hands set, and the Crabtree & Evelyn 60-Second Fix Manicure Set for Hands. Both sets work similarly as with an exfoliating scrub and a soothing moisturizing cream. The Mary Kay one also comes with a bonus night time cream to help keep the smooth feeling longer. Both sets work amazingly well to scrub away dry brittle skin on your hands or feet, and the keep them smooth and supple for days. As with anything these sets aren't one time use miracles, they do need to be used on a regular basis, but they do work. They're extremely helpful with dry cracked hands in the winter, and with getting beautiful sandal ready feet in he summer. Although they aren't the cheapest cheapest products in the world, they are a fair bit cheaper than a regular mani/pedi appointment.

Microdermabrasion: Not Nearly as Scary as it Seems

For years I was terrified of those scary sounding nonsurgical but next best thing products. I always assumed that microdermabrasion kits were, well, insane. I like my skin attached to my face thank you very much, not scrubbed off by some futuristic sounding micro-things. Clearly I was a bit misinformed in addition to being overly immaginative.

A few years ago I was given a free sample of a L'Oreal at home microdermabrasion kit. This full sized free product was part of my spoils from the ever popular Women's Show, which I suggest every last one of you go to in your own city if at all possible, if there is not one in your home town, then I would suggest looking into traveling to get to one.

Anyway, this at home kit, aside from being free, is also, as it turns out, a miracle. Not only does it not scrub the skin from your face, it actually leaves your skin feeling smooth and polished, just like it says it will. Imagine that a product that actually does what it claims, incredible.

The L'Oreal Advanced Revitalift Micro-Dermabrasion kit includes a derm-abrasing cream with lots of micro scrubbies, and then a super duper moisturizor. You apply the scrubby cream in a lught circular motion. The key here is to make sure you use light pressurse. Press too hard and the scrub will irritate your skin, but a light pressure will gently exfoliate your skin. After you give your face a gentle scrub you rinse off the scrubbing cream and apply the moisturizor.

It works well and I think it's really worth the effort. Now, if you, like me, use a light scrub on a regular basis, you may not immediatly see the need for a more intense scrub. However, I find it really does make a difference. There's all sorts of facts and numbers about the rate of skin cell renewal and the slothing off of dead skin cells and so on, but it leaves my skin looking smooth and polished, much more so than when I don't use it, so for me, that's all I need to know.

In addition to the L'Oreal kit, there a several other at home kits available. I have also tried and liked the Mary Kay TimeWise Microdermabrasion set, which works similarly with a scrub and a moisturizor. If you decide to try out either of the sets, be sure to go gently, and use the system once or twice a week. I think you'll be really happy you took the chance.

Facial Cleansing Clothes: The Solution to Your Packing Problems

A few weeks ago I finally managed to get my boyfriend to take a look at The Antiwrinkle, I warned him that the subject matter probably wouldn't interest him much, but he dutifully scrolled through the blog anyway. When he was done, his only comment was, "wow, you use a lot of products." The comment struck me as funny, considering he'd only browsed maybe half a dozen of my products, which is far from even half of my beauty and skin care products. Boys are so clueless.

However, he has a point. As women we have a lot of products we use. Now I wouldn't go so far as to say that we have too many products, because really can you ever have too much of a good thing? But, we do have a lot, and sometimes that can cause some problems, especially when travelling. Sometimes there just isn't enough room in the suitcase for the 3 pairs of heels you need or the weekend, and your bottles of eye makeup remover, face wash and toner. So what's a girl to do, leave a pair of shoes behind? Never.

The obvious answer is to buy larger luggage, however, if that is not an option, you may want to consider as all in one facial cleanser clothes to cut down your space needs.

These nifty little travel companions often come dry and need to be wettened before use. This makes them super easy to stuff into even the most over filled bag. My favourite cleaning clothes, however, take up fractionally more space because they are prewettened (like a baby wipe) and therefore must be kept in their package. The Olay Daily Facials Express Wet Cleansing Clothes do a great job of tackling dirt and makeup, even waterproof makeup, and I find they don't dry my skin out as many of the other cleansing clothes tend to. The only down side is that they aren't very textured, so deep scrubbing isn't really an option.

However, if deep scrubbing is something you want in a cleansing clothe, then I'd suggest Dove Essential Nutrients Cleasing Pillows. The pillow requires water, but it creates a rich lather, and the soft and textured sides do a great job scrubbing away dirt and makeup. The textured side kind of resembles steel wool, but it's a fair bit gentler than it looks. The lather is not friendly to eyes, however, so it can't be used to remove eye makeup. It's also a bit more drying than the Olay one, so moisturizing afterwards is a must, but you always use a good
antiwrinkle moisturizer at night anyways, right?

I love facial cleansing clothes for travel, however, for daily use I'd say stick to your many bottles. The facial cleanser clothes just don't offer the kind of specialized care you can get by customizing your own combination of makeup remover, cleanser and toner. Plus, they're way too expensive to use daily.

Foundation: The Hardest Beauty Purchase of All

My dear friend SingleGal requested that for my next post I talk about foundation. I had to think long and hard before I wrote anything though, because I myself have more difficulty with foundation than any other beauty, makeup, or skin care product.

I have so much trouble because matching my skin tone is hard. I'd like to think that I'm special, and I am special, rare shade of pale, but everyone's colour is different, and it is a challenge for everyone to find a foundation that matches them. And matching is the key with foundation. Foundation is not a means for changing your skin into the colour you wish it was. Foundation is your base, and as such must reflect your natural skin colour.

What is the point in foundation if you only use it to match your skin colour you say? Well the point is to even out your skin colouring. The best advise I can offer is to go somewhere with many different types of foundation, and try as many as possible. Try not to be one brand before you try them out. I went in looking for a light age appropriate foundation, and ended up with a full coverage foundation specifically formulated for mature skin, because that is the one that matched me best. For initial tests I would suggest using the inside of your wrist, once you find a few that match fairly well there try applying them to a small section of your face. Find some natural light (that will most likely mean you'll have to go to a window, stores generally use florescent lights, which can distort some of the colours in the light spectrum) to determine which is best.

Just as foundation won't change the colour of your skin (or at least it should;t if you're wearing the correct colour), it also won't flawlessly hide any and all imperfections. That's what cover up and concealer are for. To help your foundation do it's job you should apply your concealer prior to applying foundation.

Finally, there are a variety of types of foundation: liquid, cream, mineral powder, and choosing between them can be a daunting task. Personally, I like liquid foundations. I find my skin is a bit on the dry side, and powders and creams settle into my skin more making my face appear flaky. On the other hand I know people who find liquid foundation too heavy and oily for their skin, and much prefer a powder. And then there are those who use both. Liquid won't cure your dry skin, even if it has a moisturizer in it, and powder won't absorb all you oil. Underlying skin issues should be resolved with other means: creams, washes, scrubs and moisturizers designer for those issues. a specific type of foundation will not eliminate your problems, but the wrong kind might just high light it.

Foundation is one of, if not the, most personal and specific beauty product, the only way to get it right is to keep an open mind, and try them out. Also keep in mind that if your skin tone changes throughout the year (ie you get tanned in the summer) you may need to have more than one foundation.

Sponges and Cotton Pads: The Tools of The Trade

I've talked about several different products in the last few weeks that get used in the washing up phase of your day, including what I still believe to be one of the best face wash and toner duos out there, but today I wanted to talk about the little tools that help you get the job done. I've actually had a hard time writing this, because it seems so insignificant, but really it's the little things that add up, and judging by my own reluctance to write about it, I'm going to assume that our poor little sponges and cotton pads often get over looked, but no more.

First, lets talk about the sponge. I'm not talking about those huge brightly coloured squishy sponges that were so popular before the advent of the shower puffs, or the even larger ones popular the world over with car washing enthusiasts, but instead the small unassuming facial sponge. Of course you can just use your hands to lather up and apply your facial cleanser, but I find I get a better wash if I use a sponge. They help to scrub a little deeper, while still being very soft and gentle on the skin. All you have to do is wet them to soften them up, apply some cleanser, and then commence scrubbing your face in circular motions. Once your face is sufficiently lathered up, rinse out the sponge and use it to rinse your face. Simple and relatively inexpensive, but I find it does make a difference for me.

Sephora has their own brand of cellulose sponges that come in a pack of three (the wear out and get dirty with use, so you do need to replace them, making a multi pack a good plan). However, if you're looking to keep your money from fleeing your wallet and feel that avoiding Sephora is the best way to ensure that, then drugstore or walmart brand sponges will work just as well.

Next, the other washing up tool I use is a cotton pad, but not just any cotton pad, I use Life Brand Certified Organic Cotton Pads. I know that sounds rather crunchy granola of me, but let me explain.

Normal cotton pads are generally made from a sort of quilted cotton that flakes apart and tear easily, making them a hassle to deal with. The organic pads on the other hand are miraculously entirely smooth and never flake or come apart. They are smooth and durable. And even though I only use them to remove eye make up and smooth toner over my face, I still love the feel of them. They are an indulgence. They make me feel special, and quite honestly I happily pay the extra dollar for the fancy organic cotton pads.

So I recommend to you, the next time you're looking for a little pick me up, and little treat, and you don't have a lot of money to blow, buy a pack of organic cotton pads, you'll be happy you did.

Anti-blemish Spot Treatments: Warring in the Trenches Against Zits

As I mentioned in my glowing recommendation of Tea Tree Oil Face Wash, I have recently suffered under the tyrannical rule of a massive zit. In my zeal to rid myself of it I tried a variety of things, including an old favourite, the anti-blemish spot treatment.

These tiny tubes have allowed many a girl to get a good nights sleep after confidently dabbing on the solution. Basically you apply the gel/cream/stick directly to the affected area (ie the giant zit poised to ruin your life) before bedtime, and in the morning the offending mark will be reduced and/or gone. For the most part these products seem to work fairly well, although there is always the odd case where nothing you do is going to totally eliminate the spot, but that's why we have concealer.

The spot treatments tend to be a clear gel that comes in a tiny little tube, like Garnier Pure SOS Anti-Blemish Spot Pen or Clean & Clear Invisible Blemish Treatment. I've used the Garnier one for many years with decent results. After washing and toning my face at night I simply apply the get to any spot where I have a blemish, or where I see/feel one developing. I then continue with my night routine, but I avoid putting my night cream on over the spot treatment, just to let it have a chance to work. The gel dries over the spot and works to dry out the blemish. In the mornings there is a bit of a gunky residue left over. It's not a big deal as it easily comes off when you wash your face, however, it does mean that I don't use these treatments in the day as I don't want to walk around with that on my face.

During my last battle with my spot, I found my normal spot treatment just wasn't cutting it, so a friend suggested I try her favourite secret weapon, the Vichy Normaderm Drying Concealing Anti-imperfection Stick. Unlike the other anti-blemish treatments I've mentioned this one is a solid stick that you use to colour over the spot. It is a concealer too, however, it only comes in one shade, so unless you happen to match that shade, it's not terribly useful as a concealer. As an anti-blemish treatment, however, it is marvelous. Since using it I've found that in most cases it stops a forming zit dead in it's tracks, and clears up minor spots in a matter of a day. I use it at night, but because it goes on smooth and doesn't gob up like the others, I also wear it in the day. The colour doesn't match my skin, so I have to put concealer over it, but really I was going to put concealer on over the spot anyway, so I might as well apply something that is actively fighting to clear my skin?

Being a Vichy product it is a little bit more expensive, but for under $15 you can have this miracle pen in your arsenal too. However, the more inexpensive options are also good little foot soldiers.

Foundation Primer: The Miracle Product That Actually Works

The first time I ever tried foundation primer I was idly wandering through my local drugstore waiting to meet someone. I saw a clear bottle and, wondering how a clear product could be a cosmetic, squirted a bit onto the back of my hand. I rubbed it in as I read the product description. It promised to give me lasting smoothness to create a perfect canvas for my foundation. The back of my hand certainly felt smooth, but I wasn't sure how long it would last. Two hours later when my chronically dry hand was still super smooth, I bought my first bottle of foundation primer.

Why do you need a foundation primer to make your skin smooth if you're already using a cream to hydrate your skin? Well, because you're skin still has a texture (pores, fine lines, scars, etc), and no amount of washing, scrubbing and moisturizing is going to get ride of that. There is nothing wrong with your skin having a texture, but it does mean that when you put on make up, it will settle into all the tiny lines and crevices, which can make your foundation look uneven. By using a foundation primer fills in all the lines and crevices making a smooth canvas for your foundation. I introduced a friend of mine to foundation primer recently and she described the effect like this: without the primer you can see that I am wearing foundation, with the primer it looks like I have nothing on.

The first one I happened upon and the brand that is still my favourite is Smashbox Photo Finish. other companies make similar products, including Lancome's La Base Pro, and Revlon's Beyond Natural Smoothing Primer. However, for my money, I'd choose the Smashbox one, any day. The consistency of the others is more watery and less effective at smoothing out the skin. Although Smashbox is not the cheapest option, the price difference is not great enough, in my opinion, to justify buying the inferior products. If you're going to go for a foundation primer, save up the extra few dollars and splurge on the Smashbox, you'll be glad you did.

Smashbox Photo Finish comes in a variety of options. There's the original, a light version, and a variety of colour correction options. There is a very helpful video which can help you determine which option is best for you. Personally I started with the original and I loved it, several of my friends with more acne prone skin have opted for the light version and found they prefer it.

Recently I purchased the green colour correction primer, not because I had a sudden urge to look like the wicked witch of the west, but to help compensate for the red in my skin tone, especially in my cheeks. With this green primer I get the same great smoothness and a reduction in my red colouring. The only disadvantage I have found with this is the packaging. The packaging of the original has been fixed, but as far as I know all the other varieties still suffer from the same issue. The primer comes in a glass container with a pump top, however, because of the consistency of the foundation, much of it becomes stuck on the sides of the container and is hard to get out. Other than packaging issues though, I have have no complaints, and I whole heartedly encourage everyone to try it.