First things first... decide what you want and what matters most to you. I've discovered that you really CANNOT have it all. Do you want organic products, environmentally friendly products, or ones that won't break you out?
Tree Hugger? If organic is what you are looking for, I recommend a line of cosmetics called Juice. They have selections available at Ulta. To learn more about the line, visit http://www.juicebeauty.com. Due to my allergies and sensitivities, it isn't practical for me to use something organic and filled with fruit and vegetable and nut oils. My mom has pretty sensitive skin, but isn't as allergic as I am, and she is liking it. Her only complaint is that she feels like it "moves" around on her skin. It's choc full of natural oils so I'm sure it does migrate. Like I said though... you can't have it all.
For me, I'm sick and tired of having the skin of a teenager. My breakouts have been consistent for years. Never awful, thank God, but consistently obnoxious. My most recent makeup, BobbiBrown, didn't really seem to break me out, but I wasn't pleased with the texture and finish. I felt like a greaseball by the end of the day. Bare Minerals is not an option for me. I'm intolerant of the bismuth that is in it. It burns my skin like battery acid and it caused awful, painful cystic acne. That's certainly a no go in my book. I felt like everywhere I went and everyone I asked was only trying to sell me their most "exclusive" and "beneficial" products... which is basically code for most expensive! So frustrating! I decided to educate myself and seek out the perfect products for me...
I discovered that many products that claim to be non-comedogenic or dermatologist tested or hypoallergenic are full of CRAP! Talk about disappointing. I discovered a Comedogenicity Scale that ranks pore clogging ability of common products on a scale of 0-5. Check your current products with the ones on the list provided at the pink link. If you're not incredibly prone to acne, it may be ok if you have a couple of "3" ingredients far down on the list of your products.
After countless hours and a ton of Googling, I found a line that I approve! Cover FX. It doesn't have any bad boys in it at all! Awesome! I've only been using it for two days so far and I'm already loving it! It's buildable coverage is smooth and amazing. I don't feel like I'm wearing any makeup. I don't feel greasy and nasty at the end of the day. I'm using the Cream Foundation in E10 and the Setting Powder in Light. I'm experimenting with a few primer samples from Sephora before I make my final choice. So far I've tried two from the Cover FX line. The SkinPrep primer went on smoothly. It didn't feel like I was wearing anything, but it finished nicely. Not too shiny, and not too matte. Today I used BritePrep. It's supposed to be illuminating. My mom complimented how my skin looked, which is always nice, but it felt a bit sticky. Tomorrow I'm trying one from another line, Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer. It's water based but sounds pretty promising. The girl at Sephora swears by it, and it's cheaper than the CoverFX primers, so it must be awesome. I'll get back to ya on that one though.
Moisturizers are a big culprit too. Personally, my dermatologist recommended Vivite Replenish Hydrating Cream. I've been using it for about a year and a half and I really do love it. It's very light, but effective. I might try the night cream, just to have something heavier for nighttime repair. It does have cetyl alcohol in it, which is listed as a "3", but it's the 5th ingredient down, and I don't feel like it breaks me out, so it must be ok.
I also just bought new shampoo and conditioner. They're free of SLS, Sodium Laureth Sulfate... which is a 5! I haven't used these yet, but I will tomorrow, and I'll let you know how it goes!
This is a continuing work in progress for me. Check back for updates!
Tree Hugger? If organic is what you are looking for, I recommend a line of cosmetics called Juice. They have selections available at Ulta. To learn more about the line, visit http://www.juicebeauty.com. Due to my allergies and sensitivities, it isn't practical for me to use something organic and filled with fruit and vegetable and nut oils. My mom has pretty sensitive skin, but isn't as allergic as I am, and she is liking it. Her only complaint is that she feels like it "moves" around on her skin. It's choc full of natural oils so I'm sure it does migrate. Like I said though... you can't have it all.
For me, I'm sick and tired of having the skin of a teenager. My breakouts have been consistent for years. Never awful, thank God, but consistently obnoxious. My most recent makeup, BobbiBrown, didn't really seem to break me out, but I wasn't pleased with the texture and finish. I felt like a greaseball by the end of the day. Bare Minerals is not an option for me. I'm intolerant of the bismuth that is in it. It burns my skin like battery acid and it caused awful, painful cystic acne. That's certainly a no go in my book. I felt like everywhere I went and everyone I asked was only trying to sell me their most "exclusive" and "beneficial" products... which is basically code for most expensive! So frustrating! I decided to educate myself and seek out the perfect products for me...
I discovered that many products that claim to be non-comedogenic or dermatologist tested or hypoallergenic are full of CRAP! Talk about disappointing. I discovered a Comedogenicity Scale that ranks pore clogging ability of common products on a scale of 0-5. Check your current products with the ones on the list provided at the pink link. If you're not incredibly prone to acne, it may be ok if you have a couple of "3" ingredients far down on the list of your products.
After countless hours and a ton of Googling, I found a line that I approve! Cover FX. It doesn't have any bad boys in it at all! Awesome! I've only been using it for two days so far and I'm already loving it! It's buildable coverage is smooth and amazing. I don't feel like I'm wearing any makeup. I don't feel greasy and nasty at the end of the day. I'm using the Cream Foundation in E10 and the Setting Powder in Light. I'm experimenting with a few primer samples from Sephora before I make my final choice. So far I've tried two from the Cover FX line. The SkinPrep primer went on smoothly. It didn't feel like I was wearing anything, but it finished nicely. Not too shiny, and not too matte. Today I used BritePrep. It's supposed to be illuminating. My mom complimented how my skin looked, which is always nice, but it felt a bit sticky. Tomorrow I'm trying one from another line, Korres Pomegranate Mattifying Primer. It's water based but sounds pretty promising. The girl at Sephora swears by it, and it's cheaper than the CoverFX primers, so it must be awesome. I'll get back to ya on that one though.
Moisturizers are a big culprit too. Personally, my dermatologist recommended Vivite Replenish Hydrating Cream. I've been using it for about a year and a half and I really do love it. It's very light, but effective. I might try the night cream, just to have something heavier for nighttime repair. It does have cetyl alcohol in it, which is listed as a "3", but it's the 5th ingredient down, and I don't feel like it breaks me out, so it must be ok.
I also just bought new shampoo and conditioner. They're free of SLS, Sodium Laureth Sulfate... which is a 5! I haven't used these yet, but I will tomorrow, and I'll let you know how it goes!
This is a continuing work in progress for me. Check back for updates!
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