What's Your Skin Type?

For oily skin. For sensitive skin. For dry skin. What does all of this mean? It's actually not as complicated as I used to think it was.

 Determining your skin type is best done first thing in the morning, before you wash your face or brush your teeth. Your natural level of oils is most obvious to see and feel at this time because you have not applied product or removed oil in around eight or so hours. Note the areas that are shinier or flaky, but also feel your skin. Just because there's not a lot of shine doesn't mean there's no oil there, and skin may not look all that dry, but feeling it may have you reaching for your moisturizer.

 You may also not have the same type of skin on your entire face. This is where the term "combination" comes from. Just remember that whatever your skin type, it is important to take proper care of it - this includes an SPF to protect it from the sun.

Normal Skin

 Normal skin is even and smooth, and has no areas that are overly oily, nor are they dry or flaky. Everyone is affected by hormones, though, so sometimes there will be the odd breakout, but acne is not a problem for these blessed few.

Although this skin may seem like it doesn't require much maintainence, you should still maintian a regular skincare routine, since not taking proper care of your skin can lead to signs of aging, and wrinkles. This skin type can also change throughout the year (ie: Oily in the summer, and dry in the winter), so if you have this skin type, you may need to adapt your routine.

Oily Skin

 This is predominately my skin type (although, I think my skin is a bit confused). This skin type is prone to breakouts (yay!), and is characterized by a shiny T-zone.

The biggest mistake people make with this skin type is stripping it of all oil. What this does is prompts the skin to creat even more oil, in larger quantities to compensate for the oils lost.

Use a cleanser both morning and night, and follow cleansing with an alcohol-free toner. Moisturize all over with a lightweight, oil free moisturizer. Exfoliate up to three times a week (every other day or so, but not every day). Use an exfoliator that is granular (I use the St. Ives apricot scrub), and focus on the areas of your skin that are the oiliest. It is also helpful to use a mask that is clay based once a week or so.

 Use foundation that is water based, and don't be tempted to use a powder foundation, as they will get patchy on oily skin.

 Believe it or not having oily skin can be advanatageous. Oily skin doesn't age as fast as other skin types, and since it has more elasticity it will not sag or wrinkle as easily. This could be why I still get carded a lot.

Dry Skin

 If you have dry skin, you may find that it feels tight. Dry skin tends to have closed off pores, and therefore is not prone to blackheads. Dry skin has a tendency to form fine wrinkles, and to be flaky and red. On darker skin tone it can look ashy or dull. This skin type is not the same as dehydrated skin (keep reading for that), as dry skin lacks oil, where dehydrated skin lacks moisture.

 You want to use a creamy cleanser if this is your skin type, and massage it into the skin. In the morning you need a rich moisturizer to keep your skin from looking dry throughout the day, and a night cream or oil at night. Avoid washing your face too often, as this will dry it out. It is also important to exfoliate once a week to remove dead skin cells that prevent moisture from getting into your skin. You want to use a cream based exfoliator.

 Look  for a moisturizing foundation. Companies are pretty good about letting you know what skin type they made a particular formula for, but if you're ever confused ask for help. Sometimes it can take some trial and error to find what works for you, so never be afraid to ask for a sample to take home before you commit. Tinted moisturizers are also great if you don't need a lot of coverage. You can also add a little bit of moisturizer to your foundation if you purchase one that you find too drying. Avoid powder foundations. If you have a bit of oil in our T-zone, dust a bit of translucent powder over the area, but use a light hand, and avoid powder puffs. Select a cream blush instead of powder.

Sensitive Skin

 You may notice your skin feels thin, and reacts quickly to temperature. Sensitive skin is also prone to redness, and is usally dry and suffers a lot from allergic reactions.

 The most important thing to do when using product on your face is to do a patch test behind your ear. Monitor the area over a 24-hour period to see how your skin reacts (this is always on the hair dye box as well haha). Ask for samples so you don't have to spend a lot of money on something that you react to.

 Skincare products should be mild, and not contain any allergens (you will eventually figure out what you react to if you pay attention to ingredients). Look for products containing calming ingredients, like lavender or chamomile. Avoid using hot water, as it is very harsh, and instead use water that is lukewarm. You also want to avoid rubbing your face, since that can be irritating. When you exfoliate use something gentle and avoid granular ones.

Dehydrated Skin

 What exactly is the difference between dry and dehydrated skin? As noted above dry skin is lacking in oil production. Dehydrated skin on the other hand is lacking moisture...oil is not the problem, water is. This is a common issue in the winter, when there is less moisture in the air. You will notice your skin is unusually dull or ashen.  


 When your skin is dehydrated, moisturizing is very important. If your skin is prone to becoming oily look for oil free formulas. You can mix this into liquid foundations to make them more hydrating. If you mix it into your foundation, then you run the risk of it being absorbed by the foundation instead of your skin. To avoid this you can moisturize your skin, then apply primer to create a barrier between the moisturizer and the foundation.

 Select a cleanser that is gentle, as dehydrated skin is often a result of the skin being stripped of it`s moisture by a harsh cleanser. Selecting a moisturizer can be tricky. Sometimes oil-free can not be hydrating enough, and formulas for dry skin can make you look greasy after some time passes. You can easily remedy this by blotting with the paper blotters. This way you get enough moisture that your skin doesn`t look flaky once your make up sets, but it won`t look greasy because the oils have been blotted out.

Combination Skin

 If you have more than one of the above skin types in any given area of your face or neck, then you are classified as combination. Oily/dehydrated, dry/sensitive, etc. The most common combination skin is oily on the nose, forehead, and chin ("t-zone"), and dry on the cheeks and near the mouth.

 When treating this skin it's a good idea to identify which type is predominant, and treat that. You can also look for items designed to treat combination skin, since isolating the different types and treating them separately can be really time consuming, and will cost more in product. Personally, I think if you do feel the need to treat separately, buy two moisturizers - a heavier one for the drier areas, and a lighter one with less oil for the oily areas.

 If your oil is concentrated in the t-zone you can use blotting papers or a light powder to control the shine, just remember to avoid doing this on any areas that are drier. If the dryness is mostly on your cheeks go for a powder blush. If you feel the need to use two different types of foundation I recommend going to a make-up counter where an artist can help you determine which products to get, and in which shades.


   No matter what skin type you have it is possible to achieve a beautiful look and a flawless finish, It can seem like a lot of work to establish a skin care routine, but once you figure out what does and doesn't work for you it's a lot easier, and there are people out there to help you out if you know where to look. Don't be shy about asking for samples and recommendations. Nearly everyone has something about their skin they'd like to change, but if you learn to work with it instead of fighting against it you will find that it's not as bad as you once thought.

xoxo
Jordan

IMO: Revlon Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick

       Hey all! Welcome back to my ramblings! Every month on the tenth the Canadian government deposits around $23 into my bank account. My first thought was "Yes! I can pick up that lipstick I've been wanting to try!" I live an exciting life.

       Because the tenth was a Sunday I got my money on Friday. So I headed out to Wal Mart on Saturday to pick up the lipstick.

       Let me just start off by saying I. Love. Revlon. When I was eighteen they came out with the first Just Bitten stain and I used it religiously. They had come out with it along with some other special products that I picked up, that I liked, but not like my lip stain. When it was gone I went to pick it up again, but they were not selling it anymore.

       On Saturday I went to get my new lipstick. I specifically wanted a coral/more orangey shade than I usually go for. I chose the new Colorstay Ultimate Suede Lipstick. I had seen a display of them previously, and the colour selection is just stunning, and I hadn't seen or read anything about it on the internets. I like to live dangerously.

       The colour of this is gorgeous! I fell in love with it as soon as I swatched it on my hand. It's an absolutely lovely coral colour with flecks of gold in it. It is exactly the colour I had in mind. 

       The packaging is also very nice to look at. I would prefer if it were more the regular height and width of a lipstick, but that's just a storage thing for me. 

       I haven't seen this advertised, so I had to go onto the Revlon website to see what they have to say about this product (not the easiest site to navigate, but it wasn't overly difficult to figure out).

"Is your lipstick giving you both moisture and wear? This velvety soft formula with moisturizing shea butter and aloe is food proof and doesn’t quit. 20 shades. Apply once and go."

Revlon boasts the following features for this product:

• Instant moisture
• All-day colour
• Shea butter and aloe
• Food-proof wear
• Soft suede finish
• Availabile in 20 shades.

In My Opinion:

       IMO, this is a stunning colour both in the tube and on my lips. Revlon was spot on with the shade selection, because I want every single one of those colours. There is a bright fuschia one that is calling my name. And it does have a matte-ish, suede feeling to it.

       I did, however, find this to feel quite drying, which I did not like at all. I had this down to the fact that I usually enjoy glossy lip products, but upon wearing it non stop for two days, I think it's just a dry lipstick. Another thing I noticed when wearing it alone is that the pigment tends to gravitate toward the inner, centre part of my lips - especially on the bottom lip.It also leaves a bit on the outline of my lips as well, making it look like I applied coral liner and nothing else. 

       It is also not even a little bit food-proof. This got all over my coffee cup when I got my coffee this morning. I never buy into the food-proof thing because I have yet to find one that actually is food proof, so this was not a big surprise to me at all. I expected that. 

       Having been a little underwhelmed I went on a mission to find a way to love this lipstick, and I think I may have succeeded. Yay! When I reapplied the lipstick after I had my coffee I put a gloss over it. I went with something that has little pigment to allow the colour to show through. I added the Gosh Light'n Shine lip glaze in the colour 03 (available at Shoppers Drug Mart). The result was absolutely gorgeous. It intensified the colour I fell in love with at the store, and took away the dry feeling. 

       Overall this is an okay product. The only thing that would prompt me to repurchase is the colour (which I'm fairly confident I could go into MAC or Sephora and find a shade for which this is a dupe). Everything else about it was not all that impressive.

       If you have a product you would like to know more about please let me know...I just might have it (likely), and if I don't I will make an effort to get my hands on it so I can let you know what I think!

xoxo

Jordan

The Tiniest of Drugstore Hauls

Recently I've gotten a couple of new drugstore products. They are products that have been getting really good reviews, and were selling at quite a good price.

1. Maybelline The Rocket Volum' Mascara. This is something I've been wanting, but I already have 2 mascaras, and my mum bought me a new Rimmel one in London. I was at Shoppers looking for a different product, and this was on sale for $5.99 from $10.99, so my Nan bought it for me, since I'm not supposed to be spending a lot of money. I grabbed the first one I saw and we then moved on to look at the other product I got.

When I got home I realised I got Brown Black. Normally I only wear black mascara (the blacker the better), but I decided to keep it and give it a try. So far I'm really liking the formula. I got the waterproof one to prevent smudging, and it has worked pretty well, but we'll see how well it holds up when I'm working.

2. The reason we had gone into Shoppers in the first place is to take a look  at the new Colour Tattoos. I ended up with Inked in Pink. I really wanted to get another shade, but Shoppers is pretty pricey if the item isn't on sale. It was $9.99...today I saw it at Wal Mart for $6.99, which is a little frustrating.

The colour was gorgeous, so I was super excited to get it home. I've used it once, and the staying power was awesome. Once again I wore it on a lazy day off, and am hoping to put it to the test tomorrow when I'm working, so I'll withhold my final verdict until then.

That's all I got over the weekend. It wasn't a whole lot, but so far I'm happy with it. :) Happy Monday!
xoxo
Jordan