All Done!

Hi there!

I finished all my blog posts and I look forward to hearing your comments and answering any questions you may have.

Thanks for the opportunity!

Alina

Blog 4: One Skincare Product I Would Buy Today.. and Why?

One product that I would buy today at the store was Bliss' No 'Zit' Sherlock complete Acne system, especially since I currently have a sucker near my bottom lip. I was enticed by the crisp green packaging and the play on words as a name for the product. It seems targeted for both young and old people and for all kinds of skin types.  I read a little bit about the product from the box and I decided that this seemed like a simple enough cleansing system that could work.

Immediately when I got home, I washed my face with the Purifying Cleanser and Toner. I then put the Correcting Serum on my pimple and my T-Zone area as to prevent. Lastly, I put on the oil control moisturizer, which left my skin feeling soft and not dry. 

Throughout today, I have been applying the correcting serum to see if it gets rid of this pimple quickly, and I will wash my face again tonight once I'm home, so hopefully it will work fast and prevent future breakouts. 

Blog 4: SkinCare Products That Don't Seem Right To Me

While I didn't take exact pictures of this company's products I knew just from the marketing and the packaging that this isn't something geared toward someone my age. 

Shiseido cosmetics/skin care seemed to me that they are for women over 40 specifically because everything was Anti-Aging emphasized. The red marketing also spoke to me that it was for an older crowd and I just wasn't attracted to anything they were selling. It appears to me that their products aren't for me just yet. 

For instance, while I do look for skin care products that promote hydration, it seems to me that it isn't the kind that I need for my younger skin. 

The packaging also seemed to be quite off-putting and I just wasn't feeling it.

Blog 4: Skincare Options - How Do I Feel?

I felt a bit overwhelmed looking at all the skincare options. It was kind of hard to decide what might work for me, especially since I haven't tried all of them. I did look at the marketing and the containers the products come in to gain a better perspective for what might work for my skin. From there, I based on what I took pictures of that you saw in my last post. 

The products I really liked promised moisture, hydration, oil-free, and a radiant complexion after using them. These are the things that attracted me to certain products over others. I usually don't ask skin care consultants at the store because since I used to work in retail I feel none of them are truly qualified to tell me. They can only say what has been popular with customers, but just because something is popular and sells out does not necessarily mean its the best or will work the best way for me. I feel the only skin care consultant you can trust is a dermatologist. I mean, come on, they studied skin! Of course they're the experts.

Blog 4: Shopping Time! : Sephora

Where do I typically buy my skincare and beauty products?

Usually, I buy my skincare and beauty products in a few different places. Lately, I have been shopping online a lot more on websites for stores like Sephora, Ulta, drugstore.com, Bare Essentials, Smashbox, and Benefit Cosmetics.

If I do shop in a store, I buy products at Sephora, Ulta, or at supermarkets, while I'm grocery shopping.

The store I chose to shop at for this assignment was the Sephora on 150 Broadway in downtown Manhattan. It was quite the task taking pictures of products with my phones. I was afraid to get yelled at by employees, so using my sleuth like skills I snapped photos of all the products you are about to see.

I went to this particular Sephora because it is the one closest to my job downtown and its pretty big, which lets customers have more variety of what to find and buy.

Below are all the pictures of beauty and skin care items that called out to me as I was walking around. I'll tell you what they are and why I was so interested in them.

Benefit Posie Tint:
This caught my attention because I love how Benefit Cosmetics High Beam Highlighter works for me, so I was interested to try other products created by them. This caught my eye because its a liquid-gel like formula that enhances your cheeks and lips with just a hint of color.

Smashbox LipGloss

I love the (3) different shades of lip gloss I already own, so I was curious to try other colors and so I took a picture. They have a slight lip plumping effect without stinging your lips and the gloss isn't overly sticky. It also gives you the perfect shine.

Benefit Finding Mr. Bright collection - $36.00

This small collection caught my eye because I'm always looking for products that will help brighten up my face and those dark circles and I loved the fact that you could try 4 of the company's products in miniature versions to see if they work for you. If they do, you can go on to buy the larger versions. 

Benefit "That Gal" - $28.00

Since I love their highlighter, I feel like this brightening face primer would be a good product for me to try. According to the marketing of the product at the store, it says it is good for all skin types and it will help smooth and tone your skin, so you look luminous.

Benefit California Kissin' - $18.00

I chose this because I'm always interested in keeping my teeth as white as possible and this caught my eye. A lipgloss that can help you do that. Since it has a light blue tint to it- which helps your teeth look white and yummy minty flavor, it's definitely  a product I would go back to Sephora to try. 

Girl Meets Pearl - $30.00

While I took a photo of the product in the box, the actual product is a glide on stick with a golden-pink color to give you a better complexion, which I'm always for. I love the fact that you can wear it alone or over makeup for an added glow. 

Tarte LipSurgence Natural Matte Lip Stain - $24.00

This appealed to me because some days I would just like a little bit of matte color rather than a shiny lipgloss. This seems like the perfect solution and it seems that it will last a long time becasue it is a stain that glides on smoothly. It also seems like it won't try out your lips either giving you that chapped look (Yuck!). 

Skin Care Products That Appealed to Me:

Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash

Bliss Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Mask

Bliss Clog Dissolving Cleansing Milk

Bliss Fabulous Face Lotion SPF 15

Bliss Triple Oxygen+C Energizing Cream

All of these products below appealed to me for different reasons and here is why.The face wash looked like it could be quite refreshing especially after a long day at work. The Energizing Mask seemed like a good way to revitalize your face every week. Kind of like a treat for your face. The Cleansing Milk actually seemed like it could be quite soothing and help with redness and evening out skin tone. The Face Lotion seemed great because it had SPF 15 and it seems like it would be moisturizing in a way that I like to help combat my dry skin. Lastly, the Energizing Cream seemed well Energizing. I could actually imagine myself putting on this product right before bed and starting a nightly regimen to revitalize and hydrate my face. 

Based on the packaging and the easiness to understand how to use the products because of their marketing and packaging, I actually pictured myself incorporating these products into my everyday routine.

bareMinerals Pure Transformation Night Treatment
bareMinerals Exfoliating Treatment Cleanser
bareMinerals Purely Nourishing Cream
bareMinerals Purifying Facial Cleanser

These four products caught my eye first of all because they are by a company that I have used a variety of their products. I was interested in the Active Soil Complex in the formulas. I love any good exfoliating cleanser and the moisturizer seemed like it could be very hydrating, but what I was most interested was in the Night Treatment. I've been looking into acquiring a nightly skin care regiment and it looked like this could be it, especially since it has all these other products to complement it. 

Ren Clearcalm 3 Anti-Blemish Starter Kit
Being that I have a small hill growing on the side of my mouth, a few kits attracted my attention at the store. First it was this REN system. Second was the Boscia. I was actually almost going to purchase the Boscia system because of it's promise of a clear complexion and all natural ingredients. What deterred me was the $55 price tag. Products are expensive and while I'm willing to splurge sometimes you have to draw the line. I wish they had offered a more minitature/test size I could buy for a cheaper price to see if the systems would work for me and then if I knew it did I would go out and purchase the full kit with the expensive price tag.

Boscia Clear Complexion Kit

Clinique Acne Solutions Oil-Control Cleansing Masque

Clinique Acne Solutions Cleansing Foam 

These last two skin care products I was interested in was the Cleansing Masque and the Cleansing Foam. Clinique has a great reputation and I've tried a few of their other products, so I was more confident that this system might work for me best. I again, loved the oil-control, and the fact of the cleansing. The packaging looks clean and simple too and is synonymous with a legendary brand, so that's also an enticing factor to trying to see if this system would work for me. 

Blog 3: Beauty Routines I Can Live Without and How My Routine Came to Be

I could probably live without using foundation and mineral powder as that combination could probably be very pore clogging. Depending how I feel in the morning or where I'm going, I'll use one or the other. If I'm going to work, I'm not in any need to impress anyone, so I'll just use a simple mineral powder for a clear effect. But if I know I'm going out at night about the town, I'll wear the foundation for sure.

I can't live without the highlighter. It's hard to describe until you try it, but it just instantly makes your face better. It brightens it up and gives you a nice accentuation. When I was younger, my routine was a lot smaller and not as regimented. That mainly had to do with the fact that I wasn't the one spending the money on beauty products, but my mother and if something is too expensive, she wasn't going to buy it, especially if she knew I didn't know how to use it. Why waste it, is her motto?

So as I got older and by reading magazines, I learned how to apply makeup and all kinds of techniques and that helped form what I do today and the products I've bought, especially if I've read a great review on it.

I feel my skin care routine is up to par with my friends.  I feel like we've equally talked about how we wash our face to keep it clean and pimple free, but we've also related to each other because of our lazyness at times by going to bed without washing.

I would have to say that I am pretty happy about how I take care of my skin, but what would be great and fun is to learn more about why our skin gets so dehydrated or how companies come to make these products. I'd be curious to learn more about the ingredients and what exactly everything does and how it works together to help our skin.

I only see my skin care changing in the future if I find new products that work better than the ones I'm currently using, which I'll get into in another post because when I shopped at Sephora, I bought a new skin care system, which I'm trying out now.

Blog 3: My Beauty Routine

My Beauty Routine takes longer. I'm not even quite sure how many steps there are too it, but we'll find out now. I will highlight in yellow the steps I could not live without.


1.  I make sure my face is clear of any old makeup residue, especially around my eyelids. It's not good to apply makeup over old makeup. Kinda gross, in fact.


2. My first step is concealer. I place a dot or two underneath my eyes and on any pimply spots on my face. I rub in with my finger or a sponge to make it even. 


3. Next, I take the foundation I am currently using and rub all over my face and I blend it well. 

4. I, then, take my mineral powder and take some of it from the compact and using a buki brush, I brush it onto my face focusing on my forehead, the bridge of my nose, and my chin.

5. Some days, I choose to wear bronzer or blush. I mix it up, but when I do they are placed in strategic areas of my face. I will suck in my lips together like a fish and brush bronzer onto my cheeks in an upward motion going towards my ear. If it's blush, I brush the color onto the apples of my cheeks. I'll also place the bronzer on my forehead and my chin, where sun naturally hits the face.

6. I'll than take an eyeshadow brush and brush my lids with colors, depending on my mood.


7. From there, I take High Beam Highlighter and dab a few spots on my face on the apples of my cheeks, on the inner corner of my eyelids, and the arches of my eyebrows and blend with my skin for a glowy effect.

8. Next, I take black eyeliner usually and rub it onto the inside of my lids for a dramatic look. 


9. Then I use eyeshadow to lengthen my lashes.

10. From there, I will either apply chapstick for a more natural look or a fun lip enhancing gloss. 

All done! I have found that this technique makes my skin look clear, natural and fresh faced. It works for me and I get to incorporate all the products I love to use daily. 

Blog 3: My Skincare Regimen

Here are a few of the products I use daily to clean my skin on a daily basis. 

First: I wet my face with warm water than I place about a dime sized amount of the Proactiv Deep Cleaning Wash on my face and scrub my face away. I clean off the wash with cool water and use a towel to pat dry. 

At night, I'll use Garnier Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Wet Cleaning Towelettes.

I will take one towelette and gently rub it on my face removing my makeup and I'll go over the spots on my face that have a high density of makeup on, such as my eyelids or lipstick where its harder to remove. 

If I need a little more remover for my eye makeup, I'll take a cotton ball and pour some Neutrogena's Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover on it and focus on my lids and lashes. 

Once I'm done cleaning my face, I put 3 pumps of moisturizer on my right palm and mix with the other and then slab it onto my face, spreading evenly and focusing on drier spots of my face like near my scalp and on my nose. 

Blog 3: Mirror Mirror on the Wall

My mirror is one of the most important tools to my beauty routine. Without it, I wouldn't be able to do anything or at least notice my imperfections.


Confession 1: 
My mirror would have to confess that while I try to keep up with a strategic skin care routine of at least washing my face once a day, I sometimes don't wash my face after coming home from a night of being out on the town. Usually, I just use a cleansing towelette that I described before to wipe off the gunk from my face, but sometimes it's not always enough, especially with the mascara. At times, because of tiredness, inebriation, or laziness, I'll just go to sleep. But then I'll wake up with what we call eye gook (Yuck!) around my eyelids thanks to water-proof mascara that didn't fully come off if I had cleaned my face. 


Confession 2:
I have picked at my pimples. Sad, but true. Sometimes I get impatient for them to go away and I could be charged with Criminal Popping. :( which then ends up taking longer to heal and has left slight scars, which eventually go away over time. 

Blog 2: Ideal Skincare Products

My Ideal for Skin Care Products are those that will revitalize and hydrate my skin. I want products that use natural ingredients and are good for all types of skin. You never know when I want to make a recommendation. 

Hydration is definitely important for me. I love products that incorporate SPF into there products. Sun protection is key and as I have freckles and am fair skinned, I'm more prone to attracting more exposure than most. I want products that help reduce any redness that may occur because of my eczema and that help get rid of the dark circles under my eyes. Products that help tone your skin as well, such as self tanner or a tinted moisturizer are important to me, so I can achieve a healthy fake glow without sitting at the pool all day taking in those bad cancerous rays. 

I think it's important to help prevent wrinkles at a young age that companies come out with a product line that is targeted to women my ages 20-30 to help with getting into a routine to taking care of your skin and to preventing signs of aging. Of course the products wouldn't need to be as aggressive as if it was for someone in their 40s-50s, but starting healthy habits early doesn't hurt. 


As far as packaging is considered, I like bright packaging. I need something that catches my eye. Modern type and font is important too. Simplicity is sometimes better and being that I'm a creative person, I would definitely purchase something if it was in a cool looking bottle like this for instance. It seems fun and bright. It makes me want to buy it. 

I like combination sets. If a company can produce a line of products that work cohesively with each other and complement each other than I would buy it rather than mixing two or three different companies. I like cohesiveness and I feel if products by the same company work together it will achieve what they say it's supposed to more times than not. 

My ideal texture and application process is dependent on the product.

If it is a cleanser, I want it to be light formula with small exfoliating beads to get deep down into the pores of my skin. I want to feel like it's working and that will let me know that it is.

If it is my moisturizer, because I do tend to have dry skin, I want a thicker cream with a great fragrance, but nothing too overbearing. I want it thick enough that my skin feels hydrated.

If it is an astringent, I don't want it to be too harsh or overly alcohol infused. I want it to be gentile on my skin.

If it is an eye cream, I want to make sure it gets rid of these circles,  even if there is a process that comes with it. I want it to do what it says and get rid of my circles.

If I saw that a company was making all these products, I would most definitely purchase them in a heart beat and change my daily routine. If I knew it works and is working and will continue to work, I am a loyal customer to a brand. 

People will buy a company's products if they treat their customers with respect by not lying to them about their products and following through. People will buy what they try and works for them and never stray. 

Blog 2: Skin Care Products I Currently Use

Here are a few of the products I use daily to clean my skin. All of these products I have purchased from either supermarkets or online drugstores like www.drugstore.com or even Amazon. 

As I mentioned before, I only use Proactiv Renewing Cleanser every once in a while as since I don't suffer from severe acne, I don't need to use it daily. 

What I will use that I have found to help get rid of my makeup is  the Proactiv Deep Cleaning Wash, which is good to use on your face and your body. It has small exfoliating beads that get deep down and it leaves a tingly feeling on my skin once I wash it away and dry it. That feeling is great because it makes me feel like it is working. 

 If I want to change my makeup from day to evening, I'll use either these wipes or a makeup remover. 


Garnier Nutri-Pure Detoxifying Wet Cleaning Towelettes 

These are great. I use one sheet a day to take off any makeup and dirt on my face. More times than not, I wash my face right after with one of the cleansers above. I love the smell of it and it doesn't leave my skin feeling oily. They are pretty large wipes, so you can get a lot of use out of them for your face and your neck and really getting deep down into your pores. The packaging is bright, which catches my attention and the fact that it says Pure makes me feel like the ingredients are natural and that I'm not just adding bad chemicals to my skin. I feel like this would be a great option for sensitive skin. 

I use Neutrogena's Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover when I wear thick eyeliner above my lashes or really heavy eyeshadow to make sure I clean them well. Eyes are pretty hard because anything you put on your lids travels down through your lashes and give you a raccoon like effect. This remover has been really good at removing water-proof mascara, which is a b*tch to get out. as any girl would know. It has great long lasting effects but it is one of the hardest products to remove. I love the sleekness of the packaging and the simplicity of it and the wording on it suits me because it appeals to the things I want from skin care products - effective and gentile, no oily residue (yuck!) and removes even waterproof mascara, how can you beat that? You can't.

Once I'm done using the cleansers for added effect and to remove any shininess I may have I use the astringent. 

After cleaning my face, I put on Aveeno's Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer. Like I said it works great for me. I love the natural ingredients and being that I was an Eczema sufferer I have strong brand loyalty to Aveeno. My mother use to have to give me Aveeno Oatmeal baths to soothe the itchiness and the rashes and it calmed my skin so well. I would say I have been using some form of an Aveeno product for at least 20 years, and I'm 23 and I know I will continue to because they are a great company whose products do what they say. 

Blog 2: Favorite 2 Products

It's so hard to decide what my two favorite products are. You've already learned that I absolutely LOVE High Beam Highlighter. But I won't count that in this.

My 2 Favorite Beauty Products:


It was kind of hard to pick just two, so I put a third that can kind of work as a beauty and skin product.


Maybelline's Mineral Power Foundation - I've found that this foundation works well for my skin. it's never caused any breakouts and it leaves my skin feeling dewy/moisturized without looking oily or too shiny. The packaging is great because it lasts a long time in such a small bottle, that's easy to carry around in my purse. The nozzle could be a bit smaller as sometimes the foundation leaks out of it too quickly, but overall its good standard packaging. The turquoise colored lettering of the word POWER helps it stand out when its among shelves of products, but it  could probably stand out even more with a brighter packaging or white packaging and colored letters.

Smashbox Photo Op Under Eye Brightener - $18.00
This is one of my favorite beauty products. This under eye brightener gives my skin an extra addition of moisture and helps me look awake by brightening my dark circles. I either use it by placing a few dabs before adding my concealer or I'll put concealer on first and than dab the brightener over it. The packaging is cute. It looks as though it would have a kind of lip balm nozzle but when you uncap it, its a small brush for easy application.Since the packaging is in pearlized pink, it makes it attractive to women and gives it a more luxurious look to the brand. 

My 2 Favorite Skin Care Products:

I would have to say that my two favorite skin care products at the moment are:


Proactiv Renewing Cleanser-  I don't use it everyday because too much can cause my skin to dry out, but every once and a while it's a good way to get a really deep down clean in my skin. I While I don't suffer from chronic bouts of acne, as I mentioned before my mother does. When she decided to try Proactiv, she became a subscribed member to receive it a few times a year, so I decided to try it and see if it works when I get the occasional pimple. I think because I don't breakout often, I don't really use the salicylic acid solution as much, but just this renewing cleanser, which has tiny beads that help exfoliate your skin without being overly harsh. It makes me feel cleaner and like they are getting any dirt or oil thats stuck deep down in my skin, so I always feel freshfaced when I'm done using it. The packaging is classic I think. Its synonymous with their brand, so I think it works. 

Clean & Clear Deep Cleaning Astringent

While some alcohol-based astringents can leave your skin feeling too dried out or even leave you stinging. This one does the trick! It's gentle enough to use on all types of skin in my opinion and it's oil free so your not applying more oil, which defeats the purpose of the astringent to get rid of the oil on your face. It has a great smell to it and their are a few other varieties offered by the company, which is great because there's something for anyone and everyone. I love the clear packaging of the bottle. I like to be able to see the product I'm about to put on before I do, so I know what I'm getting into. 

My favorite beauty/skincare combination product

Burt's Bees Beeswax Lip Balm

So I had to add this to my favorite products. I have an obsession with all things chapstick or lipbalm and I always keep my lips moisturized no matter what. There isn't a day that goes by that I haven't applied chapstick a few times a day. It's important to moisturize your lips. I think most people forget that and mainly focus on their face, but not only is it taking care of the sensitive skin on your lips, but have smooth  and hydrated lips is important when you go to apply sticky lipglosses, tints or lipsticks, which can dehydrate them. Although today, there are so many glosses, tins, and lipsticks that have a balm like aspect to them, so it's not like they are dehydrating your lips, so always make sure to choose one with that affect.

Blog 2: My Beauty Approach

My overall approach to beauty is I will always use and continue to use what I know works for me. I give a product a few chances to see how it does with my skin and how it makes me look. If it works, I may fall in love with it. Falling in love is good and guarantees that I will continue to buy it until I can't. While I do splurge on some of my beauty and skin care products, I also look for a good sale. A cheaper priced product does not necessarily mean that the product won't be as good as a $60 designer foundation. In fact, it may even work better. Sometimes I will look for alternatives to designer brands, because well it's still a poor economy and gas prices are up and at some point you got to cut.

I also love the fact that a company thinks of me and what I want first. Natural and organic ingredients are definitely a deciding factor for me in purchasing products. I don't want to put dangerous chemicals on my face. I want to look natural and beautiful. I want products that help my skin and that accentuate my beauty.

I also like community and socially conscious companies that get their ingredients in a ethical way.

I like products that are oil-free because face it with pollution, you are bound to gather enough oil and dirt already. I want products that are easy to understand and use. I love products that instantly make me feel beautiful. Products that do what they say they will.

No false advertising. Are you listening, corporate America? Don't lie about your product. Be honest and you'll be rewarded with profits. I love to see women like me in your advertising. REAL women. Not photo-shopped beauties. Honesty and customer care will sell your product and make women fall in love with it.

Blog 2: Inside Look at My Beauty Products (Q1 & Q2)

I store my beauty and skin products in a few spots around my house. 

First, I have kind of a wooden reject bin on top of my dresser. As you can see, I have hair, skin, and beauty products that no longer work for me in here. Blue eyeshadow that didn't work for me. Maybelline mascara that I wasn't really a fan of. These are the products I never use. I should probably throw these out, but for now they'll stay there. 

Next, I keep my skin products above the toilet in my bathroom or in my hallway closet. These are the products I use daily. Due to their placement above my toilet bowl or the hallway closet, they are near my sink where I wash my face, making them easily accessible. Being so close to the sink, it's also a great way to remind myself to wash my face and take care of my skin. 

I keep my beauty products (makeup) in a large Mark travel bag and a small black makeup bag for the products I use everyday and carry in my purse. The carry bags help make it easier for me to use the products I have placed in them everyday. I know exactly where everything is and I'm able to take my products with me, especially in the small bag. 

I also have a blue 3 drawer case for extra beauty products that I have doubles of. Whenever I'm done with one production, such as my foundation, rather than having to order another one online or go to the store, I can just grab from what I already have. The products inside the black bags are what I use daily. 

These are where I'm able to keep products on reserve when I run out. These pictures tell me that I like to plan ahead and not wait to get my favorite product when it runs out. I can just walk right over to my dresser and grab the next one.