Product Review - My Face Is Happier Than Ever

I don't know about you, but at this time of year, and then as it gets even warmer, I am a sweaty mess.  I don't "glow," or "perspire" - I SWEAT.   And it means that putting anything on my face that is lotion-y or creamy is a) a mess, and b) a waste of time, since it seems to sweat right off.

So when I saw commercials and ads in magazines for this product, I decided it was worth a try.

And I am now in love.  

To paraphrase Stefon, of "Saturday Night Live" fame, this product has everything:  a light feel, a cool feel, virtually no scent, hyaluronic acid, and you only need a small amount to cover your face (and your neck if you get a little carried away).  

Seriously, this is exactly what you need if you are like me.  Though it is a gel, it's a very light gel, liquidy but not runny.  It feels invisible on your skin, and application is a breeze.  But most of all, it immediately sinks in to your skin and your face feels cooler.  As I mentioned above, it has the slightest of scents and does not in any way sting or feel like it is shrinking your skin - you know, like products with alcohol content can do.

Of course, since it contains hyaluronic acid, it is good for anti-aging, but also means that you need a good sunscreen if you are using it in the daytime.  But whether you put sunscreen or foundation or powder - or even all three - on top, you never feel like you are adding a layer.

Also, since it is a Neutrogena product, you can find it in your local drug store.  I got mine on sale at our local CVS, for under $20.00.  I have a feeling it's gonna last me a nice long time, since you need the tiniest amount for full face coverage.  So there is a better than usual chance that this will do well on the BMST.

This gel has not caused any extra redness, breakouts, or other problems with my sensitive, rosacea-ed skin.  I really feel like this might be one of the best things that Neutrogena has come up with - or that anyone has, for that matter!

My face and I are both happy.

In Which I Make An Amazing Discovery

And not just amazing, but a discovery about myself!

A couple of nights ago, I went into the bathroom to wash my face before putting on my pajamas.  I looked in the mirror, and realized that I do look different.  In that, I look older.  This is because - well, I am older!  But though I look in the mirror a bazillion times in any given week, this was the first time in a long time I really thought about what I saw or whose face it was.  I won't lie, I was a little surprised.

I still have rosacea.  It's under control pretty well, thanks to my amazing dermatologist and effort on my part.

I still have freckles, though they are not as noticeable as they used to be.

I have creases on my forehead, and between my eyes at the top of my nose.  Partly I'm sure due to aging, but also because I do have a tendency to frown or furrow my brow when I'm thinking hard or trying to figure something out.  Or when I'm annoyed (read: frequently!).

My skin is in really good shape.  This was not always the case.  Between the rosacea, sunburns as a child, and teenage acne, my skin used to be in pretty sad shape.  But now, it's actually healthy-looking, if not perfect.  I'll take it.

My eyebrows are thinning.  They were never that full or dark, anyway.

I have some crows' feet, and some undereye bags, and some plain old wrinkles.  Not terrible, but there nonetheless.

But you know what the most amazing discovery was?  I realized that it was all OK with me.  I think because my skin is in better shape now than it ever was, any flaws or signs that I am no longer a kid are just not a big deal.  Yes, I use face and eye products that I feel give me the best result for what I am paying, but except for sunscreen, I could give them up if I had to.  And I wear makeup, both because I think it's fun and because it evens out my skin tone, but I don't wear a lot of makeup - and there are days when, if I'm just hanging out at home, or not really going anywhere, I don't bother with makeup at all.

I'm OK with my face, and with the signs of age that you can see on it.  I think I look good, and not haggard and worn (though some days I feel that way).  I cannot imagine a scenario where I would get something like Botox, or get any kind of surgery.  Mostly because I am not that worried about it, and prefer not to have someone putting needles or anything that cuts in, on, or near my face.

I'm getting older.  I look like I'm getting older.  It really truly is OK with me, because I still look like myself to me.  This was an unexpected and comforting discovery.  But definitely a good one.

Nothing Else Has Come Close

Once upon a time, I walked into a Kiehl's store here in Philadelphia, and bought this face balm:

I'd read about it in a magazine.  The article said it was great for really cold weather, because though it was a balm (aka "greasy") it absorbed into your skin and didn't sit on top.  Plus it had sunscreen in it.  I was skeptical, but figured it was worth a try, since I could return it if I didn't like it.

Let me tell you, it was amazing.  It really did protect my skin from extreme cold and wind, and even kept it from turning as red in that kind of weather.  You didn't need to use much, so one container easily lasted an entire winter of extreme weather.  During the week, I could even wear foundation over it without any problems.  It was one of the few products I'd ever tried that lived up to its hype, and that I continued purchasing whenever the container would be empty.

Then, Kiehl's decided to discontinue it.  I have no idea why, and though they have since claimed other products were similar, they are not.  I have tried in vain to find something similar in other brands, without anything even coming close.  The product is either too heavy and thick like Vaseline, or doesn't contain any sunscreen (or worse SPF 8 which might as well be zero as far as I'm concerned), or you can't wear makeup over it.

The last time I was at a Kiehl's store, I asked a clerk if they had any idea why it had been discontinued, and he said no, but so many people ask for it, he wished they would bring it back.  I don't really think they will, but I guess I can always hope.

In the meantime, please let me know if you have any suggestions.  My poor face has really suffered this past week, and it's only the beginning of winter!

Don't Hate Me Because ...

Do you remember that old commercial where the woman (whose name escapes me) used to say, "Don't hate me because I'm beautiful"?  And then more recently, the story about how Dove Soap did a video survey where women talked about what they looked like to themselves, and then listened to how strangers described them?

Well, I thought of both last weekend.  I went to the local Blue Mercury to have my brows tweezed (the price is good, and the woman is really nice).  Anyhoo, when I was finished, I was walking through the store, looking at some things, and one of the people who works there said hello.  She is really nice, and very friendly, and in the past, she has helped me with different things.  She seems like someone who would be a lot of fun, you know?

Anyway, she was working with someone else, doing a makeup application, and I heard her say, "See the woman I just spoke to?  She has the most gorgeous, amazing skin."  She was talking about me!

I  was of course flattered, but also really surprised.  For most of my life, my skin has been in terrible shape.  When I was a little kid, before the invention of sunscreen, I would get sunburt all of the time.  Not because I was a sun-worshiper, but just because I left the house, and have a very immediate reaction to any sun.  Then of course the teen-age years, when I was pimply.  And I always wondered why my face was always so red - enough that people were always asking me if I had been in an accident and burned my face - only as an adult to learn that I have rosacea.

Fortunately, when we moved to Philadelphia, I started going to a dermatologist who turned out to be really good at what she does.  Over the years, my rosacea has gotten under control, and because I am extremely vigilant, my skin is in good shape.  I have had people tell me that it was clear I took good care of my skin, and I have always been happy with that compliment.

But I never thought of myself as someone with "gorgeous, amazing skin" - who knew?   And it did make me think of the old commercial as well as the Dove Soap survey.  I don't think I'm overly self-critical or self-absorbed about my looks, but I really never thought that I was any more or less beautiful/good-looking/attractive than the average person.

Did I like hearing the woman say that?  Yes - I mean, I'm telling you, right?  But I was also somewhat amused and have been so ever since.

So remember - just because you don't see yourselves as others do, it doesn't mean that you can't be happy anyway.

Not me ...

But also not me ...

Diet and Dermatology

Besides my efforts to move more, and go to the gym on a regular basis, I realize that my diet plays as big a part in health and fitness as exercise does.  For the most part, I do pretty well.  Probably my biggest vice is 1-2 glasses of wine on any given evening or possibly a bit more on weekends.  And every once in a while, my will power goes AWOL and I get carried away on sweets.  I try really hard to not beat myself up over it, but at the same time I get really annoyed with myself.

I have noticed though, that my sweet binges are fewer and far between than they used to be.  One thing that has helped me is my weekly weigh-ins, and my "record keeping" such as it is, but also there have been a couple of times when I would decide to have something, and then it was underwhelming.  As in, not as yummy as I was expecting.  It's made me a lot more conscious of what I want to have when I decide to have a treat.  So I am pleased that I am no longer just eating junk for the sake of it.  And I've also found that if I want a snack during the work day, that a serving of Whole Foods or Barbara's Vanilla Animal Crackers, or a Mojo Bar, do the trick quite nicely.  And they're not quite as bad as other things.

Another benefit I've noticed from my attempts to be healthier is that my skin is doing pretty well.  I have extreme photosensitivity, sensitive skin, and rosacea, so on any given day, one or all can be living it up (so to speak).  But I've noticed that lately my skin looks and feels better, and I think that my activity level, diet, and the efforts I've made to take care of my skin better (i.e., my Clarisonic, for one) have made a noticeable difference there.  (Well, noticeable to me!)

This coming Monday morning, I have my six-month check-up with my dermatologist, and I'm really curious to see what she'll have to say.  I think she'll be pleased, and if for some reason she isn't, she's the type that will just come right out and say what I should/should not be doing, which I think is great.

Today was one of my cheating eating days, to be honest.  But then I came home, went to the gym and did my workout, and fixed myself a small but healthy dinner.  In a little while Dug the dog and I will go for a walk, and probably when we get back I'll have a cup of tea before going to bed.  So even though my day started out pretty poorly, I think by the end I'll feel like I turned it around!

Truth in Advertising

Every once in a while, I am sucked in by advertising to try something I didn't realize that I "needed."  Sometimes it's good, most often, not so much.  But recently, I had one of my good experiences, which I think is worth sharing.

Two of my nieces purchased Clarisonic sets last year.  At the time I figured that, well, they were always trying the latest thing, and I couldn't be bothered.  Plus, I have rosacea, so I assumed that the brush would just make my face redder, no matter what else the device did or did not do for my skin.

Well, the one niece that I see quite often could not stop talking about how wonderful it was - and she is not easily impressed.  Then, a beauty blogger mentioned that she tried it, even though she had rosacea, and it did wonders for her skin.

Enter a trip to Nordstrom's (one of my favorite stores) and a coupon to use there.  Then add in a special promotion on Clarisonics, and "bonding" with the rep who was visiting the store.  The result is this:

Yep, I bought a Mia, which is the smaller package.  I knew that if I didn't like it, or had buyer's remorse, I could return it, so I decided what the heck - I've spent more money on dumber things in my life.

It's now been about two months, and I use this every single morning to wash my face (I use the light blue brush, and use the black brush about once a week on my neck and shoulders), and at least for me, it's been worth Every.Single.Penny.  My skin has never looked better, and it has required very little, if any, extra effort on my part in the morning.  At first, I used it morning and evening, but was grossed out in the evening when the brush would have makeup on it.  So I clean my face the way I always have before in the evening, and use this every morning.

My skin is softer, healthier-looking, and more even since I've been using mine.  Any sensitivity or redness has not occurred, which is truly miraculous in my case.  It all comes in a nice portable package, and one charge lasts for a whole month.

If you have been thinking at all about buying a Clarisonic, and you've been on the fence, I say - go for it.  Depending where you purchase it, you can take it back if you don't like it.  But if you are like me, you'll love it.  And your skin will look better than you could have imagined.

And that, my friends, is my beauty suggestion for the day.