Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion Review

I've always been a huge fan of the Mario Badescu skincare line, i've heard tons of good things about the buffering lotion so I finally jumped on the band-wagon & ordered myself a bottle. Let me just say I LIVE for this product. I mostly use it as a spot treatment at night if I get a pimple, and by morning it is almost gone. Two days, and it is completely gone. It is kind of liquid-y, so i apply a little to a q-tip first, than to the areas where im breaking out. Literally, a life saver in a bottle.

What is does: This potent sulfur- and salicylic-acid solution quickly minimizes large clusters of acne, prevents future breakouts and reduces inflammation and redness. Formulated with nourishing B vitamins and amino acids for healthy skin as well as soothing anti-inflammatory herbal extracts to promote healing. Easily absorbed into skin for treating deep acne at its source.

How to use: After cleansing and toning, shake bottle well and apply lotion with fingertips (or q-tip) to erupted areas of face or directly on the individual, cystic pimples. Use every other night.

Ingredients: Deionized Water, Isopropyl Alcohol, Sodium Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Hydrolyzed Serum Protein, Hydrolyzed Yeast Protein, Pyridoxine, Niacinamide, Panthenol, Propylene Glycol, Allantoin, Biotin.

Get it here: Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion (Ulta.com)

Bentonite Clay | Powerful Indian Healing Clay Mask

I always tend to get breakouts around a certain time of the month, so i've been researching tons of natural remedies/products to clear my skin up since it's been a little out of whack lately. (I don't like to use products that have tons of chemicals because my skin is very sensitive to salicylic acid & benzoyl peroxide, depending on the percentage) I came across some info on bentonite clay & I was sold. I ordered a big tub from amazon.com that im currently waiting on to arrive. Below is a little info on bentonite clay:

Photo Credit: imperialmedicalgroup.com

• Bentonite Clay is a powerful healing clay said to effectively absorb toxins, heavy metals, & impurities. It draws the excess oils & dirt out of your pores, removes dead skin cells, and boots circulation tightening the skin and improving blood flow. 
• Bentonite Clay Helps With: Skin irritations, Acne, Blackheads, Dull Skin, Dull Life-less Hair, Hair product build-up, Skin Detoxing, & more
• DIY Clay Mask: You can mix bentonite clay with various essential oils like tea tree, or lavender to increase effective-ness, I am going to try it with one part purified water, one drop tea tree oil, & one part apple-cider vinegar. Apply mixture and let dry completely for about 10 minutes.
• The clay comes in powder form, as the clay is activated by mixing it with liquid, (do not mix with metal bowl or spoon) it doesn't get activated until you're ready to use it which gives maximum results. When the clay is mixed with liquid it expands and takes up a lot more space, so one jar of clay will last you about 32 facials or more, according to the website. 





Photo Credit: HealthyNomad.com





I will list a review after using the Bentonite Clay in the comments!

My Simple skincare routine | Lazy girl's guide to taking care of your skin

How I Take Care Of My Super Sensitive Skin

So before I get into my routine, I want to explain a little bit about my skin. I have sensitive, combination (dry in some areas, oily in others) skin. Most products cause me to break out so I like to keep the products I put on my face as simple as possible. I don't like to use things with added fragrance, or harsh ingredients, as they tend to cause irritations for me. The products that I use now, have greatly improved my skin and kept it clear. I've pretty much tried every skin care product under the sun and I find that the super fancy stuff just doesn't agree with my skin. Now that we got that out of the way let's get into my routine and the products that I use & love!

My Morning Skin Care Routine:

• Wash with Purpose Face cleanser
• Pat skin dry with a clean paper towel (I keep a roll of paper towels in my bathroom, I find this more sanitary than using a traditional towel, and I've noticed less breakouts when using this method)
• Apply Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream to entire face & neck
• Gently apply Neutrogena Hydro boost gel eye cream to eye area

I don't like to wear makeup every day. I find it really important to let your skin breathe. Sometimes if I feel like my skin needs a little extra something i'll wear a light BB cream. I really like this one from Vichy - (Vichy Pro-Even Mineral BB Cream). It contains vitamin-c and minerals to promote a healthier looking complexion. I really like the idea of BB-cream, it not only perfects your skin when you wear it, but has long term benefits! That a win-win situation for me.

My Night-time Skin Care Routine:

• Remove makeup with Olay Wet Cleansing Towlettes (sensitive)
• Wash with Purpose Face cleanser
• Pat skin dry with a clean paper towel
• Apply Olay Fragrance-Free Total Effects Moisturizer (not pictured) onto face & neck area
• Gently apply Neutrogena Hydro boost gel eye cream to eye area
• If I have a blemish at the moment I will dab the tiniest amount of Burts Bees Herbal Blemish spot treatment on it
• Apply L'Oreal lash serum to eyelashes
• Finish off with some lip balm & get some beauty sleep

I also take a variety of vitamin supplements to help clear my skin & make it glow, more about that here in an older post http://coffeemakeseverythingbetter.blogspot.com/2015/09/eat-for-for-perfect-skin-healthy-from.html.

Weekly Treatments:

• Red Light Therapy - Red Light Therapy is a treatment that does it all, fades dark spots, evens skin tone, prevents aging, smooths skin, and clears acne. I try and get my red light therapy in at least twice a week. Many tanning salons offer this treatment. I go to Planet Beach for my Red Light Facial's. More about this here.
• I like to use a good exfoliate on my skin once a week, sometimes i'll use my Clarisonic, and other times I use St. Ives apricot scrub
• I treat my skin to an at home mask weekly, I am obsessed with the Miss Spa Facial Sheet Masks! It was extremely hard to find a sheet mask with no added dyes, fragrances, or parabens, Miss Spa masks are free of all these things.  

So there you have it, This is how I keep my skin clear & smooth, hope it was helpful to all my "sensitive skin peeps"

Eat For For Perfect Skin | Healthy From The Inside Out

Eat your way to clear, smooth, and radiant skin.

At least once in your lifetime, you've probably heard the saying "You are what you eat". What you eat and put into your body takes a HUGE toll on the appearance of your skin. Our skin is the largest organ in our body, which is why what we eat is so important! There are certain foods you can eat that will clear, smooth, and make your skin glow. There are also certain vitamin supplements you can take to beautify the skin, I will talk more about this later. But first, here are some of the best skin beautify-ing foods that you can easily pick up at your local grocery store.

1. Egg's: Egg's contain many vitamins that benefit your skin in different ways. They contain proteins that provide a good source of amino acids. This aids your body in creating new cells, and strengthening your skin tissue.

Packed with Vitamin A, eggs also aid in your body's ability to heal wounds. Vitamin A helps your cells control gene activity, a process essential for new cell development. If you have skin issue's such as acne, eggs will help your skin to heal the acne faster, and the vitamins in eggs will help to prevent any scarring. You can also crack open an egg and use the whites as a facial mask. Just remove the yolk, and beat egg whites until fluffy. Apply this mixture to your skin, and rinse off when completely dry.

Egg's also contain iron which helps to bring oxygen to all of your skin cells. In addition the selenium in eggs helps your skin to protect itself from damage.

2. Almond's: Almonds contain Antioxidants! When plants are left out in the elements, they have to protect themselves, so they produce phenol's. Phenol's are protective chemicals that act as antioxidants to repair sun damage, and also produce a bitter taste to keep insects away. These plant phenol's also help protect people against diseases including heart disease and certain cancers. They also protect your body's largest organ, the skin.

Almonds contain Omega-3 fatty acids. These acids help support a healthy skin inflammatory response which helps achieve clearer skin. Fatty acids can also act as natural moisturizers that moisturize skin from the inside out.

Almonds also contain magnesium. Magnesium is believed to counter the effects of stress hormones, which can help with acne and have anti-aging benefits.

You can also apply sweet almond oil to your skin topically! I personally love Cetaphil's Moisturizing cream, which contains almond oil.

3. Olive Oil: Consuming olive oil, a staple in the healthy Mediterranean diet, provides antioxidants to protect your skin against free radicals and reduce inflammation. Mediterranean locals add olive oil to almost every meal, they believe it is an ancient "super food". All of my cousins who live in Italy have gorgeous skin & hair. This is mostly because they consume a diet rich in whole foods, nothing processed. Unlike European countries, American's live mostly off of processed foods. Instead of using vegetable oil, or canola oil, use olive oil. It has many benefits for your skin and overall health.

4. Blueberries: Blueberries are a good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin B complex and Vitamin C. Filled with antioxidants, blueberries help to improve many skin conditions, like blotchy skin, broken capillaries and acne.

5. Greek Yogurt: Greek yogurt contains a healing chemical which helps reduce inflammation in your skin, kills bacteria, lessens the severity of acne, and nourishes your skin cells from the inside out.

6. Salmon: Contains Omega-3 fatty acids that nourish skin from the inside out. Omega-3 fatty acids, have been shown to help reduce inflammation and signs of aging in the body. These "good fats" help protect and repair damage from the sun, and are responsible for the health and hydration of cell membranes. Omega-3 fatty acids help with keeping toxins out and help skin retain its healthy, soft, and supple appearance.

7. Avocado's: My personal Favorite beauty food, Avocado is amazing for maintaining healthy moisturized skin. This creamy food is rich in healthy mono-saturated fats (also said to reduce belly fat) and vitamin E that nourishes the skin from the inside out. Avocados are also a rich source of antioxidants. They contain anti-inflammatory, and hormone balancing properties that help to clear acne flare-ups.

Aside from eating avocado, you can add some avocado oil into your moisturizer or hair conditioner for extra benefits. I like Now Foods Avocado oil. One tiny drop is all you need, a little goes a long way. Another favorite avocado beauty product of mine is the Freeman Avocado & Oatmeal mask. I try not to use masks on my skin too much, i like to keep it down to only once a week.

8. Sweet Potato: Sweet Potatoes are rich in beta-carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body. Vitamin A promotes cell renewal, thereby promoting healthy clear skin. You can apply Vitamin A topically to your skin in the form of retinol. Many drugstores carry over the counter serums and creams that contain retinol. Start out using it sparingly, like twice a week. Once your skin builds up a tolerance you can apply the retinol every other day, eventually working up to using it every day. I only apply it at night-time, since retinol tends to make your skin more sensitive to the sunlight.

9. Turmeric: This incredible super-food has tons of healing properties, especially for the skin. It is widely used in India as a beauty enhancement product. Some even claim it can cure certain cancers. Turmeric is an anti-inflammatory, and cleanses the blood & lymph system, removing toxins from the body. It supports cellular health in the skin, liver, lungs, sinuses, joints, and digestive system. I like to take turmeric in supplement form, you can get it from almost any drugstore or order it online here.

10. Spinach: Eat your greens! Veggies are great for the skin because they provide a variety of nutrients and vitamins needed for your skin to be healthy.

Daily supplement's I take for clear skin & overall health:

• Turmeric Organic India Turmeric Healthy Inflammation, Veggie Caps
• Publix Greenwise Vitamin A & D complex
• Publix Greenwise Fish Oil supplement
• Maca Navitas Naturals gelatinized maca capsules
• Zinc Solgar- chelated Zinc
• Plant sourced B-vitamins Nature's dynamics B beautiful Whole Food Hair Skin & Nails
• Probiotic supplement