Disclaimer: By no means am I attempting to brag here, but brace yourself for it will sound that way. If you could see the amount of beauty products that come across my desk or via events I attend, you might really dislike me. It’s hard to find a fit in editorial regularly, so I am going to start sharing a handful of my favorites. I’ve been playing with the following products for a while now and have seen a positive result in my skin. Some I even purchased outright due to the hype. So read on, comment or share.
This is definitely one of those things our fashion editor MarziFat turned me on to. Farsáli is the creators of one of those “way too cool for me” trends, but I LOVE THIS SHIT! First of all it’s called “Unicorn Essence.” Second of all, that should be enough… The oil-free, pink sparkly concoction is a dual-purpose serum. It can be used as a skin prep before moisturizer, or use it as a makeup primer prior to foundation. This is the method that broke the Internet and also created a cult-like following for the unicorn tears (which, by the way, was the product’s original name). $54
REN has been around for 17 years and has amassed a worldwide following. I’ve used several of their products and have really noticed positive results. Besides the fact that name already puts positive results into the universe, the Clean Skincare Wake Wonderful Night-Time Facial really does transform skin overnight. I use this when I really go to bed looking tired and, maybe it’s the name playing tricks on my brain, but I notice visibly brighter, more radiant skin with a uniform tone when I wake up. The product claims to gently renew the skin, boost skin cell vitality and infuse skin with plumping moisture. For $48, I’ll take it.
I’ve long been a user of Natura Bisse’s line of skincare. I’ve been playing with the Essential Shock Intense Complex and the Essential Shock Intense Retinol Fluid for about two months. The Essential Shock Intense Complex is the mother of serums. It deeply nourishes the skin, regenerates and tightens, literally turning over new skin. This is the one you want if you’ve had surgery, gone on a cleanse or shocked your system. The serum aims to correct sagginess and recapture the skin’s firmness in record time. $215. The Retinol Fluid comes in at $110 and is luxuriously creamy in its consistency. It’s super smoothing and hydrating. I like to do a face massage with this one, applying an even layer to clean skin. It can act on its own or be used as a serum. No one said beauty was cheap….
I discovered Koh Gen Do at an event at Forty Five Ten in River Oaks District a few months back. (The line is mainly known for its high-performance makeup for movies.) Koh Gen Do combines botanicals with Japanese skincare technology. I loved the Gommage Spa Gel; I’ve never experienced anything quite like it. You can feel it hydrating and nourishing the skin as the gel is gently applied to the skin in circular motion. The consistency gently peels and exfoliates the skin, turning over dead skin cells as the skin is stimulated and encouraged to regenerate at a cellular level. It’s gentle and you can see the dead skin cells. $45
There reaches a certain age when retinol becomes a necessity. I’m told constantly that the sooner you start applying it, the more immune to aging your skin becomes. I didn’t jump on the retinol bandwagon until my mid-thirties. Dermalogica’s Overnight Retinol Repair 1% comes with a buffer cream, which I found to be a nice accessory if you have sensitive skin or are a newbie to retinol. I am not sensitive nor a newbie so I went all in with the product. Essentially, retinol accelerates skin renewal. Dermalogica’s boasts a powerful bioactive peptide and antioxidant Vitamin C to help reduce the appearance of wrinkles, uneven skin tone and discoloration. I noticed smoother skin. Retails for $97
And this is the face massage I’ve been doing that’s due to that Forty Five Ten event: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_KlM0EfDz1U.
I swear that the massaging has made a difference. The rep said that everyone is different and it just depends on how good you get and how much time you spend massaging. I figure a little a day goes a long way! And on that note, I bid you goodnight, as I have to go do my skincare regimen to wake up with brightened, tightened skin.
