Show some skin, that's what's in

A tittilating title for you there! Or it would have been at an all-girl's boarding school in, say, Victorian England. Or at a Bulgarian nunnery. I'm not cutting edge or risqué at ALL, not by today's standards. Phooey! Hoity toity! (<< try saying that in a Mexican accent). DOBBY'S SOCKS!

I wanted to do a short post on cosmetics and skincare I've been loving. Will this be another beauty blog? No, not exclusively. I'm not knowledgeable/experienced enough to commit to such an endeavour. Admirable and excellent beauty blogs include Pink Sith, Drivel about Frivol, Ars Aromatica, Musing on Beauty,  Musings of a Muse, A Model Recommends, Delicate Hummingbird. There are more, which I can't remember just now. 

I mention these to point those of you in the right direction, who accidentally found this blog searching for a good beauty-esque read. These are all good.

Now.

 As most new mothers know, skin takes a beating from all the hormones, late nights, broken sleep, and intense, crippling STRESS! 

Actually a cute baby does a lot to diffuse stress, but dark circles? Hormone related breakouts? Dry, flaky, vitamin-depleted skin? Not so, Pablo.

I want skin like hers!

The following stuff has made my skin absolutely pristine over the past few weeks.

Firstly. HUGE RAVE FOR SAAF SKINCARE.

I like the fact that this is a woman-owned business, it's all organic, highly certified. Their customer service is also great-always good to know, for etailers.

 I tried their face and body kit (sampler sizes) and had to order the full sized Pure cleanser and Ultimate moisture serum. Regarding packaging: LUXE! Regarding effectiveness: ULTRA FABULICIOUS BABYCAKES!

Pure Face Cleanser:

Smells nice. Beautiful texture. You just smooth it on, gently massage, remove with warm, wet cloth. (Shout out to MICROFIBER--available at Wal Mart for cheap-o!) Probably be best to use cotton wool for eye makeup, but who's to lazy to? JE!

Removes all makeup, my nasty (file into "regrets") Clinique Lash Power tubing 'scara included, leaves skin soft, fresh, cleaaaaan, and not aching for moisture.  Sometimes I follow it up with Dermalogica Tri-Cleanse which is a gentle creamy cleanser that has active ingredients to brighten the skin, helping with hyperpigmentation.

Ultimate Moisture Serum:

I did my proper, fanatical review for this on makeupalley.

Recreating that kind of enthusiasm here would render all of you numb to further raves, and a bit scared (tumbleweed and air, in particular). So let me say only that this is one of the best skincare products I have ever purchased. 

It soothes skin, absorbs just as well, if not BETTER, than the vastly more expensive Omorovicza Gold Rescue Serum, and Guerlain L'orchidee imperial--both of which seem to have been made only with yacht-owners and Arabian princesses in mind. 

Ultimate moisture serum leaves my skin IMMEDIATELY supple, soft, stronger over time (i.e. not as sensitive), and somehow has managed to fade several acne scars! I love this stuff as much as my grandma...'s knitting needles.

 When I run out (hard to do, as just a dab'll do ya), I will FRANTICALLY be on the website SCREAMING for more.

Be warned that it doesn't smell too pleasant. There's a nice scent, but a distinct rose hip scent lingering in the back. If you follow up with a moisturizer on top, you should be good, though.

For those with acne-prone or oily skin (Jiminy Cricket, pay attention), you'd much prefer the Complexion Boosting serum. I actually passed mine onto my sister in law.

Other serums:

Estee Lauder Advanced night repair is good to have around to calm down breakouts, but not much else. I've been through four bottles. "Meh" at most.

Boots' Hydraluron. You use this as a serum under moisturizer--supposedly makes the moisturizer more effective. Ok. So this has massive, rave reviews on the internet. You can read them all with a quick google. But wait. You're here for ME. So stick around if you're a bit younger than 49. You see, if you don't NEED need it, you may find it to cause pimples. At least, I have. 

Every usage has prompted itchiness and little under-the-skin pimples (dontcha hate those?!?!). So, i keep this to use under my eye cream, and around the "marionette lines" area. Is it effective--very. I wish it would work over the rest of my face.

Over this stuff, my eye cream has been the inexpensive c.Booth liquorice eye cream. Good, nothing miraculous. Is it doing anything? Who knows. 

Normal night cream has been Nivea cream, which I have cheated on in the past with fancier, flashier creams, but came back to each time with renewed affections (have used since teenage-hood). Masks vary, but currently it's Dermalogica Sebum Clearing masque, which is VERY brightening and effective for controlling pimples. Esp if used every few days--effect is cumulative.

NOW. The fun stuff. Fun because it's all flashy and expensive, like.

Omorovicza. Or, as my husband calls it "Oh-me-gaga" - it was originally a mispronunciation, but is now he's even invented a song "Omorovicza! Omorovicza! Oh me gaga, oh me gaga, oh oh!" to tease me for how  (GOD ALMIGHTY!) I have fallen for this brand. 

The sexy image, a whole fantasy that only very expensive, prettily packaged items can conjure up for the poor and infirm (moi). 

"Nobody went broke underestimating the intelligence of the consumer," n'est-ce pas? Here's their spiffy ad. 

Now you too can be privy to desiiire, set on fiiiire...

Ah! WHAT a model! There was a girl in my class, Tasneema, who looked exactly like that, except with even more elegance & beauty, if you can picture it. Pathan, obviously.

Shall I, with a spray of the Queen of Hungary mist, be spraying on such allure, such glamour and grace? Mais oui! Have my money! Have it all--and this coupon for Pita Land too! Good till June!

This facial mist IS very nice. I use it every day, whenever. It feels refreshing and it *does* hydrate. 

Not too enamoured with the (simple, herbal) scent.

 For THAT price one expects something more resplendent, and perhaps a little jingle to play at every spray--but hey! It makes for a good "setting spray" over powder, a good mist prior to skincare. Quite moisturizing. Good all around, wot! Mac Fix+ is similar and good, but too easily available, well-known, and AFFORDABLE for me to dribble over. 

Ooh i JUST had an idea for Canadian companies to follow suit (Marcelle, you listening?)! 

Bottle and sell L'EAU DU NIAGARA FALLS with a few other goodies thrown in (rose water, glycerin, chamomile perhaps? A bit of the famous Niagara wine?). Seriously, do it, and I will be the first to say WOWZA and a do a jump in mid hair, kicking my heels together, which Archie will demonstrate below.

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My bad. Google doesn't seem to store such images in its bottomless pit/gallery. Well, this is close enough (replace  look of intense anxiety with Wink and Charming Grin)

Now. More Omorovicza. They do offer exclusive discounts on occasion, and samples with every purchase. BEWARE. The samples will tempt you to further purchases, not to mention all purchases on their site leads to garnering "loyalty pengo points" which will help justify further splurges. A slippery slope indeed.

To earn anything worthwhile, you'll have to accumulate a HELL of a lot of Pengo points, and will probably take the best part of a year, unless you're Queen Rania of Jordan. Or a very hard worker, Employee of the Month type. 

Here are pictures of me wearing only Omorovicza Complexion Enhancer. Am also using their Sunkiss as a bronzer in the second set of pics. 

As you can see, it makes the skin look natural + fresh. It is advertised to have a matte effect; forget this, it's satin-y. The finish (and feel) of my baby's cheek, to be honest.

Very sheer, but in a pretty way. When you use good skincare, you want to show off the results, not hide behind thick makeup.

 It lends this gleaming translucency to the skin that you usually find in young or very healthy people. 

Also--BIG POINTS HERE--this stuff has undoubtedly improved my skin. The first day that I wore it, two major pimples had totally shrunk by mid-day, and every time I take it off, my skin just seems better.  Very cool considering most tinted moisturizers and foundations, even the mildest mineral powder, seems to annoy my skin.

The Sunkiss is in a similar vein to the Complexion enhancer, but darker (not by much), with a very finely milled shimmer  from gold/ruby/mica particles! Ah me, oh my.... GOLD!!! This will suit darker skin tones as a tinted moisturizer, but I also use it as bronzer.

It is SPLENDID for looking as though you went on a short holiday to --take your pick--the Maldives, Tahiti, Brazil. 

Didn't put Morocco or Neelam Valley as options because those are my personal holiday picks. Nobody has gifted me with tickets to either, I'm a bitter hag about it.

Now a quick mention must be made of my other liquid bronzer love, Dr Hauschka Translucent Bronze Concentrate--fabulous and very versatile. You can use it on its own, mix it into foundation, or moisturizer, or SUNSCREEN (to take off the white cast). It also seems to improve my skin (must be the witch hazel). It DOES contain alcohol, so buyer beware. Actually, so does the Garnier Roller ball which is good for everyday, light concealing. (Lise Watier Les Beiges portfolio - concealer wheel - for formal events).

Shoutout to Vasanti Monoi Magic!! A recent release. 98% certified monoi oil (coconut oil with tiare flowers steeped in) with sandalwood oil and a bit of "parfum" as well. This smells gorgeous, it's about $35, and it soaks in lickety-split. Basically it's a great after-shower hair oil, along the lines of argan oil (but better imo), or light body oil. LOVE.

What now?

Confession.. j'ai un VAST array of foundation/base products, but am trying to go more natural, so I'm trying not to use them. I do succumb to Diorskin Nude Sculpting powder quite often, however. It's just TOO good not to. 

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More crickets.

More tumbleweed.

Twiddling of thumbs.

While we're here, let me teach you a mild swear word in Japanese. YABAI!