Everyday Skin Care

Ever since middle school I have been pretty adamant about washing my face at least twice a day.  I guess I can thank my mother for that habit, (Thanks Mom!) because she taught me early-on what a good skin care routine can do for you.

I never had what you would consider to be clear skin during my adolescent years, and I frequented trips to the dermatologist, got medial facials and used prescription blemish cream.  When I got to high school, my skin finally started to clear up and I was then blessed with getting on the same skin care line as my mom called Eva's Esthetics.  Now, the line is called Tu'el or (2L), and I still use a product or two of theirs.

The main reason I don't use their entire line anymore is simply because of cost.  When I moved out and on my own I forfeited ordering my skin care line with my mom and decided to find the best alternatives I could find to create my own affordable skin care line & routine.  After a few years of trying different product lines, products, types of cleansers, moisturizers, creams and everything you can possibly imagine, I've found my own personal line that has worked wonders and keeps my skin feeling soft, wrinkle-free (well...reduced) and even clear:

Neutrogena Naturals & Healthy Skin Products:

When choosing the line of skin care that works the best for you, always go with one that says "Dermatologist Recommended" on the box or bottle.  Be careful not to go for "Dermatologist Tested" products.  I've learned that just means the product was tested by a dermatologist, NOT approved & recommended.  Once you find one product you like, start experimenting with more from the same line and eventually you will create an entire skin care routine on your own, according to what works best for YOUR skin.  *NOTE: I got all of these products (with the exception of the blemish cream) from ULTA.  You can also find the majority of them at your local grocery store, CVS or Walgreens.

As far as brands go, I swear by Neutrogena.  I used to use Clean&Clear for everything, but I started to see dryness from that line and it just didn't feel as natural.  Speaking of natural, have you seen the NEW Neutrogena Naturals line? I LOVE it!

It smells SO good and is a great way to start your morning, without all of the added chemicals! :)

Okay, let's begin with the basics.  Just like brushing your teeth, washing your face is important to do at least twice a day.  I say at least, because if you do an intense workout or go swimming, or outside for a period of time, you'll probably add another wash into your routine.  But, for this purpose let's go over the 2 basic times you should make time for skin care - when you wake up in the Morning & before you go to sleep at Night.

Morning Skin Care Routine:

Washing my face when I get up in the morning actually helps me wake up.  I love starting my day with the wonderful smell of Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Facial Cleanser.  There is another version of this called Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing + Makeup Remover, but I opted for the straight cleanser because I'm using it in the morning and there is no need to remove make-up.  After I wash, I go for the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Pore Scrub.  *NOTE: Everyone's skin is different and results vary from person to person.  I use this scrub every other or every few days, so I don't over strip my skin of it's natural oils.

After cleansing your skin it's important to moisturize it.  Here is a great way to kill two birds with one stone by applying a product that already has SPF in it.  I'm sure you've heard it many times before but if you don't wear SPF to protect your skin from the sun AT LEAST wear it on your face.  They make it really easy for you by putting it in products you (hopefully) already use.

I recently tried a new moisturizer and loved it.  Pictured above is Neutrogena Healthy Skin Radiance Cream and I use it in the morning only (you'll see why later on in this post).  I've switched between a few different Neutrogena moisturizers, but for now this is the one I'm using and it's working great.  *TIP: Don't forget to moisturize all the way down to your neck, that skin is important too!

After my skin is clean and moisturized, I put a nice little dab of eye cream under each of my eyes to help make me look a little more awake, while trying to hide those pesky crows feet wrinkles. 

Pictured above is two different eye creams: Oil of Olay Age-Defying Eye Gel and Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream.  I've been using Oil of Olay for about 6 months now and noticed a difference in the bags under my eyes.  After just a few uses they seemed less puffy and the darkness of my circles were fading.  Just recently I started trying the Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair, and even just after a few days of using it twice a day I can see big difference!  I am in my mid...well leaving my mid-twenties and that's the one part of my skin I'm not crazy about.  I think years and years of dancing and smiling for hours on end really did a number on those guys (crows feet.)  I'm happy to have finally found something that helps put those bad boys back where they came from and look my age again!

And that's my morning routine.  Once you've got the pattern down it all takes less than 5 minutes.

After a long day a work, working out, or just being out and about all day sometimes I can't wait to get home and wash my face.  I know, that sounds weird...but it's true.  I NEVER go to bed with my make-up on my face and even if I accidentally do for even one night I wake up with a pimple or two the very next morning: NOT WORTH IT!  I can't tell you how important I think it is for every person out there who cares about their skin to complete their skin care routine at night!  Sometimes, (especially for girls who wear a lot of make-up) it's even more important than your morning routine!

Night Skin Care Routine:

As soon as I get home and know I'm home for the night the first thing I do is take off my make-up.  Before I reach for any type of cleanser, I use make-up wipes first to get as much eye make-up off as I can.  *NOTE: You many not need make-up wipes if you're not a heavy eye make-up person, but I wear eye shadow, eye liner & mascara every day and need that first step.

I started using Almay back in college for make-up and came across their amazing make-up wipes from a friend of mine.  I've tried all different brands and kinds of wipes, eye make-up removers, pads, etc. and these exact make-up removers are what I've been buying and will continue to buy for years to come.  I use Almay Oil-Free Makeup Remover Towelettes every night, and on nights when I have extra or performance make-up on I remove my eye make-up off first with Almay Oil-Free Eye-makeup Remover Pads. 

After my make-up is "off" (I use the quotes because you'll be amazed at how much keeps coming off with each step!), it's time to cleanse.  You'll notice that in the morning I focus on deep cleaning my skin, while at night I still cleanse but focus more on firming my skin with anti-wrinkle products.

My favorite night-time cleanser is Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle + Anti-Blemish Cleanser.  I picked this up about 6 months ago and was so excited to find a wrinkle AND blemish fighting cleanser in one!  I have noticed a difference since using it and would recommend it to anyone.

If I think my skin was extra oily, dirty or lathered on with extra make-up that day I then follow my cleanser with the Neutrogena Naturals Purifying Pore Scrub.  *NOTE: If you use the scrub at night, try to avoid using it the next morning so you don't irritate your skin or dry it out.

If it's just a normal make-up day, I go from cleanser to toner.  I started using toner in high school and right away I noticed a difference in the size of my pores.  *TIP: Washing your face with warm water opens up your pores, so it's important to use a toning product directly after to close your pores again once they are clean. Again, I used to use Eva's Esthetics, but keeping price in mind I've searched on my own to find on that suits me the best.  I used Clean&Clear Toner Astringent in college, but after using it day after day my skin seemed to dry out and sometimes even peel.  What I really like about Neutrogena products is that nothing feels to "stingy" or filled with chemicals when I use it, but instead feels natural like it's working with my skin not against it.

I just recently found Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner and fell in love after just one use.  Toners are a great product to reduce the size of your pores and also to fight acne, but I've always been reluctant to use it since I had a previous problem of drying out from it.  Even after just using this product a few nights, I can already tell a difference in my skin and it doesn't feel one bit dry.

After toner, it's time to moisturize.  For night time, I want a wrinkle-fighting, firming moisturizer.

The best one I've found out on the market is Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Night Cream.  I sound like I'm repeating myself, but honestly after just a few uses I noticed a huge difference in the my skin.  It's soft and feels tighter and firmer - hence, less wrinkles!  I LOVE this product!!!

Have I lost you yet? I promise we're almost done.

After my skin is cleaned, toned and moisturized I use my fabulous Neutrogena Rapid Wrinkle Repair Eye Cream to fight the bags and crows feet I got all over again from my long, hard day and call it a night!  If I'm fighting a blemish, I turn to the only Tu'el product I have left to use (it's the best, so I keep buying it).

You can tell how long this bottle lasts me from the wear!

It's called Clear-It Blemish Control, and you can get it online.  When I run out I either ask my mom to order more with her next order or I just google it and order it from a third-party site.  Here's one I happened to find for $39.  It's a little pricey, but it the bottle lasts a really long time (since you only place it on blemishes) & does a great job to clear up any blemish within days. 

Oh, and one more thing...you're probably wondering what that weird egg shaped thing in my night time routine was.  Well, it's only the best lip balm in the world!

It's called EOS, it's organic & it's seriously the best!  I am a HUGE lip balm fan and have to apply it after I brush my teeth in the morning, before I go to bed at night and about a hundred times in-between.  I found this gem in the check-out line at ULTA a while back and fell for it right away, for it's shape alone. Pictured above is the Sweet Mint flavor, but they have 5 other wonderful flavors to choose from and once you try it you'll be hooked on all of them for more than the shape!  You can get this lip balm at ULTA, an EOS retailer or online.

If nothing else, I hope that you've understood that keeping up with a daily skin care routine can do wonders for your skin!  Good skin care is not only healthy and helps to keep your skin clear, it also keeps and takes YEARS off of you!

What are some of your favorite moisturizers, cleansers or all-around favorite brands in skin care?  Feel free to comment, share and review below!

WIO: Barre 54 Workouts

I love to do full-body work outs, the results I get and way I feel after doing them.  Keeping active and my body up to it's full potential has always been something important to me, but there's just one problem with this concept: getting motivated to actually GO to the gym.  For the past 4 years I have had a free membership to a HUGE, state of the art gym filled with top of the line weight machines and a variety of fun group classes.

Since the end of June, this precious gift of a gym membership ended and believe me at least one tear was shed that day.  I felt like a lost little gym puppy, not knowing where to go or what to do.  I've been on the search for another gym to join, but just haven't found the right one.  So what have I been doing? Cardio.  That's it, and that's surely not enough.  Cardio is great, but I notice the most results and feel the best about my body when I am doing exercises and weights for specific areas. Enter...

Work it Out (WIO): Barre Workouts!

*Photos courtesy of Liquid Light Studios, FL

I first heard about this concept from a friend of mine who started training to teach at a studio called the Bar Method.  Two barre workout studios opened up around the same time this past summer in Orlando, and the buzz about barre here has just begun.  I'm sure both studios focus on the same type of exercise, but for this purpose I am just going to be talking about Barre54.

Okay, so what exactly IS this barre workout?  It's best explained directly off of their website:

"barre54 offers a full body, cardiovascular workout fusing yoga and pilates using a ballet barre. Each 54-minute class features high-energy music and a mix of isometric exercises and orthopedic stretches that challenges every muscle in the body, creating long, lean, supple muscles and strong, sculpted physiques." - Barre54.

My version?

"barre is a fitness solution sent from God that works out every muscle group in your body using fundamentals of ballet, yoga, & pilates.  Barre strengthens, tones & lifts your muscles, and leaves you feeling like you just spent hours at the gym.  It's a fun, high-energy workout and produces quick results to those who frequent classes regularly." - Me. 

(The beginning's a bit dramatic, but it's certainly how I feel!)

I started taking from Barre54 back in May when the studio was about to open.  Two of my friends from church started teaching there and encouraged our group of dancers to take classes.  I took my first class early in the first week and kept coming back 3 times a week until it opened...I was HOOKED and it seemed like everyone who took with me felt the same way.  I loved the classes and look and feel of the studio made me feel calm.

During this time I already had a gym membership, so it didn't make sense for me to join back then.  But, I feel like my prayers for finding a new gym to call home have been answered and my time to join is NOW!  Compared to regular gyms, barre classes seem to run a little on the higher side.  But, if you think about it you are getting all of your gym & class needs in one place.  Instead of paying to take yoga & pilates classes (which also adds up quickly), I can join here and take as much as I'd like. 

I thought there was no way I could afford it, but then I started really doing the math and breaking it down.  There's tons of gyms out there you can join for as low as $20 up to $100 a month, all offering different amenities.  You could put the fanciest of weight machines in front of me and I would be excited for a minute and then I would get over it since I have always preferred using free weights and taking classes.  I have just never been a true fan of doing weight machines, but have done them all of these years because of the results I get.

*Finally, a solution - 54 minute classes that work out every muscle in my body and take care of all of my weight training needs!

I made sure to do this post TODAY, because for the very first time Barre 54 is offering a deal on livingsocial.com!  $49 for 5 classes, which is a 53% savings!  If you have ever thought you might like this type of workout training, now is definitely the time to try it.  View & Purchse your Barre 54 coupon TODAY!

Like I said, I began to take barre classes last May and took a few months off.  I started taking again last night and boy am I sore (in a great way) today!  Just after one class back, I feel my thighs tighter my arms stronger and my mid-section trimmer, and that's not exaggerated.  It sounds crazy to say I have results like that after just one class, but if you don't believe me check it out for yourself...

What have barre workouts done for you?

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

It's October which means we are officially in the Fall season and I am very excited about it!  I have already welcomed Autumn by adding leaves, scents and warm colors into our home and you can how in my Fallin' on a Budget post.

The weather this weekend was beautiful and Orlando pleasantly surprised me with temperatures in the 60s, which got me even more into the Fall spirit.  My favorite fall food? ANYthing Pumpkin!  Really...pumpkin pancakes, coffee, bread, cookies, seeds, pies...I am all about the pumpkin and it's seasonings.

First on the list for baking this season is a recipe I found on my favorite phone app, Spark Recipes.  I was craving pumpkin all day on Saturday and decided on my way home from work I wanted to bake something, but didn't want anything too complicated.  With a simple step of typing the word "pumpkin" in the search box of my app I found this wonderful recipe.

*BONUS: There's only 3 ingredients & everything cost under $5!

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

1 box of spice cake mix
1 15 oz. can of pure pumpkin
1 cup of water

cook time: 25 minutes
servings: 24 muffins

Canned pumpkin is low in calories and fat and is considered a food full of nutrients.  It is high in vitamins and minerals and includes considerable amounts of Vitamin A, C, fiber, carbohydrates, iron and calcium.  I got this information from Livestrong.com and here you can read more about  Canned Pumpkin Nutrition.  *NOTE: Be careful not to confuse a can of pure pumpkin for a can of pumpkin pie mix.  Recipes usually call for one or the other, so be sure you pick up the right can for yours!

To make pumpkin spice muffins: open the box of Spice Cake and pour into a mixing bowl.

Add in the cup of water and mix until cake mix is smooth.

Add the pumpkin to the spice cake and water and mix until batter is smooth.

Transfer batter into a muffin tin.  I used 2 to make 24 muffins.

Bake 18-21 minutes, or as directed on the spice cake mix box.

Cool muffins for 15 minutes before taking them out of the cupcake pans & Enjoy!

I will probably experiment with different pumpkin bread and muffin recipes throughout the season, but I was drawn to this one because it was so easy.  *BONUS: It was the lowest calories per serving (or muffin) I found:

A pumpkin spice muffin for breakfast, a snack or even dessert for under 100 calories? Sign me up!

And my favorite pairing with these? Pumpkin Spice Coffee, of course.  This time of year, my favorite coffee is the Fresh Market's Pumpkin Spice - hands down.  It comes in both regular or decaf, and you don't even really need to sweeten it with cream or sugar.  Find it in stores or online: Fresh Market Seasonal Coffee.

What are some of your favorite pumpkin recipes?

Everyday Hair Care & Products

The number one thing I seem to keep asking my hairstylist is the age-old question of "why won't my hair grow?" There could be a number of explanations including I color it, blow dry and straight iron it, curl it with a curling iron, wear it up a ponytail for work every day, and tease it just to name a few. 

I will be the first to admit that I was NOT blessed with beautiful locks, but instead fight with it every day to be curly, straight, or somewhere in-between.  Since this isn't ever going to change I have decided to accept the fact that I will have to work with it (i.e. damage it) whenever I want to wear it down.  To make up for the damage I'm putting into it I decided to finally take my hairdresser's advice:

Invest Time in Hair Care, Treatments & Quality Products!

Luckily, during the revelation I had about finally taking care of my locks, it happened to be during my professional dancing career where I received hair service & product discount.  Can you tell we were sponsored by REDKEN?!

At first, I was a little reluctant to completely switch over to the brand because previous to Redken I swore by Matrix-Biolage products.  The smell of Biolage is unlike any other shampoo or conditioner I've tried (amazing) and I would buy the S&C as well as hairspray, mouse, and who knows what else in industrial sizes.  I still sneak a few Biolage products in here and there, but the majority of my bathroom cabinets are filled with Redken, Redken and more REDKEN.

To make this cluster of products pictured above make sense, I'm going to breakdown my exact everyday hair care & product routine.  *Majority of the products I list in this post you can find at your local hair salon, Ulta, Target, Wal-Mart, drugstores like CVS or Walgreens, or online at the REDKEN website.

*TIP: If you want to get the most for your money, google the product name and you will see it pop up for sale on Amazon.com, discount beauty supply online shops and even eBay!

5 Basic Everyday Hair Care Steps:

1. Before Washing Your Hair

The first step to a healthy hair care routine is to find a shampoo & conditioner set that works best for your hair and it's needs.  For me, moisturizing is my biggest need in order to strengthen and thicken it to grow.  Also, I need a line that will work with styling products later on, so the set that makes the most sense for my personal needs is the Real Control line:

 
When I first started with Redken I had a dark red hair color and was more worried about it fading out.  To keep my red hue going strong I started on the Color Extend Line.

If you have no idea which way you need to go, ask your hairstylist what type of line would work best for you.  You can also check what end result you're looking for in the left sidebar on their website here: Haircare Questions & Solutions. Base the majority of your product selections off of your line, but know it's okay to mix and match lines to make your ideal product line at home.

2.  Wash & Treat Your Hair

Once you find your ideal shampoo & conditioner, pair it with conditioning treatments.  I veer off from my Real Control line and rely on the Extreme line to deep condition and treat my hair.  Extreme Cat is an easy way to deep condition your hair and is very easy to use. 

After shampooing, saturate your entire head with the Cat spray, leave on for 3-5 minutes, rinse and follow with your regular conditioner.  Besides Cat, I change up my deep conditioning treatments with Extreme Deep Fuel.  It comes in a box with 5 tubes, with each tube supplying enough treatment for at least 2 uses.  Just like Cat, after shampooing saturate your entire head with the conditioning cream.  Let this one sit at least 5 minutes, rinse and follow with your regular conditioner.  Unfortunately, Deep Fuel has been discontinued on the Redken website, but you might still be able to find it at salons.  If not, google it and I'm sure it will pop up somewhere. (That's what I'll be doing when I run out!)

*TIP: When you go in for your next hair appointment, ask your stylist about doing a deep conditioning treatment at the salon.  They use similar products to the ones pictured above, but usually they are a little more intense.  Also, it will extend your hair color's shelf life by conditioning right after processing.

*DOUBLE TIP:  Try not to wash your hair EVERY day, seriously.  If you can help it, wash it every other day to avoid stripping it of it's natural oils and prevent drying it out.


3.  Protect Your Hair With Leave-In Products

You can continue your conditioning treatments with leave-in products, and protect your hair from the damage you're about to do to it with styling.  I certainly mix and match with this collection, and it's a compilation of trying different products out and sticking with the ones that work.

After towel drying your hair, use a protectant like Color Extend Total Recharge to protect your color, strengthen and condition your hair.  *You can also use this product as a treatment (like Cat) in the shower.  Next, apply protein to your hair with a product like Extreme Iron Repair. Again, this product has been discontinued on the Redken website, but a similar product I've tried and love is Extreme Anti-Snap.

Planning on straightening your hair with a blow dryer and/or straightener?  Sheer Straight 06 is a straightening serum I swear by.  This particular product has a lot of different uses including adding protein to damaged hair, protecting your hair from the heat it will soon endure and reducing frizz. Finally, the last thing I do before I blow dry is protect against more frizz with Smooth Down Heat Glide.  Apply 1-2 drops evenly, or less just on problem areas.  I have extremely frizzy hair when I blow dry, which is why I use an excessive amount of anti-frizz product.  This will probably not be the case for most of you, so focus on the Sheer Straight or Anti-Snap, if you're not wanting to have a product store under your sink like I do.

4.  Protect Your Hair After Blow-drying

Obviously, heat is not good for your hair's overall health, so it's important to continue using product the whole way through styling.  If you plan on using a straightening or curling iron, stock up on protectant products to coat your strands while you're heating them.

All three of the products pictured do about the same thing.  The main point of these heat styling sprays are to protect your strands while straightening, as well as fighting against frizz.  I interchange all three of these, *Pictured Left: Redken Spray Starch 15, Middle: Redken Iron Silk 07, Right: CHI 44 Iron Guard.  Spray Starch 15 is a little more intense than the other two and works best if you're curling your hair with a curling iron.  You can use these products before blow-drying, but I have found maximum results when using them by spraying section by section while straightening or curling.

*NOTE: When it comes to straightening tools, CHI is by far the best brand I've owned and trusted to work on any type of hair.  I am planning to dedicate a post just to my CHI products soon, but for now we'll stick to the styling products.

5.  Keep Your Hair How You Styled It!

Would you want to style your hair, walk outside and have it fall back to the way it was before you even blew it dry?  Living in Florida, this has happened to me quite a bit from high humidity levels, but here are some products I turn to to fight humidity as much as I can:

I love Redken Hairsprays.  I own 3 different strengths, Workforce 09 (flexible hold), Quick Dry 18 - pictured (firm hold) and Forceful 23 (super hold) and choose my hairspray according to my hairstyle and how active I plan on being.  In my dancing days, I stuck with the 23 for maximum hold to my curls.  If you're looking to smooth down your frizz or tame your whispies, I turn to Redken Outshine 01.  Use a very small amount and apply a little at a time.  Outshine is a little thick, so if you're looking for something a little smoother, you can turn back to your Heat Glide (pictured earlier), or invest in one of my favorite frizz-tamers EVER - Biosilk. Again, use a very small amount and apply a little at a time.

Not a fan of straight hair?  Get to your curliest potential with my favorite curling product, Redken Ringlet 07.

Super easy curls in 1 or 2 steps.  Apply to towel-dried hair, scrunch and let air dry or defuse for maximum curl and style.

*TIP: Even if you're on vacation you can still take care of your hair.  Invest in a travel line and most importantly, stay on your regular shampoo & conditioner.  Stick to the basics if you don't have a lot of packing space.  I put my travel products on top of our vanity box (AKA wedding ring holder)...lol to show how small you can find these products to take with you!

Seem like a LOT of products? I know...it does, but I do some serious damage to my hair and I'm guessing a lot of you who are reading this are just as guilty as I am. 

I have been through all different shades of hues from platinum blonde to dark red and the key to keeping my hair healthy & on my head is HAIR CARE, TREATMENTS & QUALITY PRODUCTS!  I can't preach enough how important those 3 things are to anyone who colors, blow drys, straightens, curls or even teases their hair.

Question:

What are some of your favorite Hair Care, Treatment or Styling products?