Peter Thomas Roth Bronze Instant Mineral SPF 30 – Turn the dial on this convenient new brush applicator mixing SPF 30 protection mineral powder with SPF 30 bronzer for a  youthful and radiant complexion. Price: $35.00

Sephora Collection Harmony Trio Bronzer – Shed a little light on your look with this three shimmer shade palette. For dramatic results, buff over shoulders, and décolletage, anywhere you dare to bare. Price: $16.00

Hourglass Illume Crème-to-Powder Bronzer Duo in Sunset – This universally flattering new bronzer and illuminated cream imparts a healthy, natural golden tint, subtly defining and contouring the face. Price: $40.00

Sephora Collection Lush Flush in Rose 03 – For a healthy pop of color apply this sheer stain to brighten up the cheekbones. Apply over tinted moisturizer for a dewy summer complexion or on clean skin for just a hint of tint. Either way, you will look naturally glowing! Price: $12.00

St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Mousse – This lightweight, easy-to-apply, velvety mousse dries in 60 seconds and delivers a rich-bronze tan to really give you a bronzed glow from head-to-toe. Price: $30.00

BASICS OF SKINCARE:

Makeup Removal - Take note that this step gets its own category and is not lumped in with cleansing! You MUST remove your sunscreen and makeup before washing your face at night, and don’t assume your face was alone can do that job. You need to do an extra step before washing your face in the evening to remove sunscreen and makeup. Now here is where it gets crazy. I use oil to do this step! Yes, I am advocating putting OIL on your face. I swear to you, this is how you really get all that makeup and icky stuff out of your pores. You can use plain Grapeseed Oil or I also use Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil. It is amazing. To use, I apply the oil on my dry face and rub it in, then emulsify with a tiny bit of water, then rinse it all off very well with warm water. Follow with face wash.

Makeup Removal Recommendations: Grapeseed Oil from Aura Cacia, Fancl Mild Cleansing Oil, Boscia MakeUp-BreakUp Cool Cleansing Oil.

Cleanser - Your skin repairs itself at night, so properly cleansing your skin is extremely important. Never and I mean NEVER sleep with your makeup on! I don’t care if you’re totally drunk and about to pass out with your clothes on. WASH YOUR FACE FIRST. 

Cleanser Recommendations: MD Forte Facial Cleanser III, Jan Marini Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser, Purpose Gentle Cleanser.

Exfoliation: When I say exfoliate, I don’t mean scrub. Being rough with your skin will only make skin breakouts worse and allow bacteria to go deeper into your pores. I use the Clarisonic at night when I am cleansing my face about three times a week, which gives some good manual exfoliation. (I find when I use it more than that, my skin gets a little irritated, but I am super sensitive. I think most people can handle it daily.) I also use a very small amount of Tazorac cream every other night on broken out areas, which exfoliates the skin.

Sunscreen: Sunscreen is key, especially if you’re using a retinoid like Tazorac! But everyone should be using a good, stable sunscreen that their skin can tolerate. Even if you’re not going outside, you are getting incidental sun exposure when walking outside, driving, or just sitting by a window. And sun exposure is the number one cause of skin aging. I use to skip sunscreen because I thought it was just making my breakouts worse, but once I found one that worked with my skin and learned how to properly remove it, everything was good. The sunscreen I’ve been using & loving all summer is Elta MD UV Physical-SPF 41.

After the break, more on moisturizing, spot treatments, and skincare tricks & tips!!

Moisturize: During the hot summer months I sometimes skip moisturizer when my skin is oily. But when I’m dry, I use a very basic moisturizer like Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion.

Spot Treatments: I occasionally use Renee Rouleau Anti-Cyst Treatment for recovery from cystic break outs. Or Clean & Clear Persa-Gel 10.

SKINCARE TIPS & TRICKS:

Check Your Supplements – When I was really frustrated with my skin, I read that too much biotin can cause breakouts. Well, I had been totally overloading myself with biotin! It was in my multi-vitamin and in a few other supplements I was taking. I cut all of those out and weirdly my skin started to clear some within a few days. While biotin is great for your hair, it can cause breakouts on your skin and the same goes for Omega 6 & 9. So, for those of you suffering from breakouts who load up on vitamins, cut them out for a few weeks and see if it helps. If you’re worried about hair loss, make sure you get enough protein and fat. When I was shedding hair, I was not eating enough of either of these and as soon as I upped my protein/fat, my hair shedding stopped.

High Tea – Drink two to four cups of Spearmint tea a day. There have been studies on this helping women regulate hormones and helping with skin… It’s worth a shot and tastes great!

Pillow to Blame? -  For problem skin, it can be very helpful to change your pillowcase nightly. Just buy a weeks worth of cotton pillowcases and rotate them all week. It’s a great trick because bacteria and oil from your skin and hair can buildup on your pillowcase and go right back onto your skin night after night. Make sure to wash your pillowcases with dye & fragrance-free laundry soap, too. Also, clean off your cell phone and anything else that comes in contact with your skin on a regular basis. For example, I now clean off my sweaty headphone wires after when I run.

Hair Away - Keep your hair off your face at night by pulling long hair into a low ponytail and clipping bangs back. It helps to keep the oil in your hair from transferring onto your skin.

Work It Out - Make sure to cleanse your skin before & after you workout! I typically go into my workout bare faced so I don’t have to cleanse before, but I always wash my face after to get rid of that extra oil.

Clean Your Brushes – You should clean your cosmetic brushes once a week because bacteria and oil builds up there too. Use a mild liquid soap and cold water. Cosmetic sponges should be washed or changed after each use.

Conditioner Culprit – Panthenol is a main pore clogging ingredient in hair products, but there are others like proteins, silicon, quaternium and thickening agents. You could try to avoid them, but it’s practically impossible, and people have reactions to all kind of ingredients. A good tip is to wash your face, shoulders, and chest area in the shower after you wash and condition your hair. It helps to remove any lingering hair product. And be careful not to get styling products on your face when you’re doing your hair.

Food/Skin Connection - For those who break out in cyst-like acne in the chin and jaw line, it can be from too much diary in their diets. If this sounds like the type of acne you deal with, try cutting out dairy for a few weeks and see if it makes a difference. I paid attention to my skin after eating certain foods and realized I have a soy allergy–every time I eat any kind of soy I wind up with a breakout! Just ay  Just pay attention to what your body is telling you! People have reactions to all sorts of things and a lot of food allergies can show up on our skin. Drinking tons of water is always a best bet for clear skin.

Patch Test – If you have acne prone and sensitive skin like me, and have a hard time finding products that don’t freak your skin out, do a patch test before rubbing a new product over your whole face. Use a small amount in an inconspicuous area, like the side of your neck and wait for 24 hours to see how you react. In general, avoid products with fragrance.

Don’t Force It – If you need to pop a pimple, cleanse the area, use a clean dry cloth, and your fingers (not your nails!). Push down around the swelling firmly, but if it doesn’t work, STOP immediately and leave it alone. Please, please don’t try to force it. That will only make it worse, and you can end up with a scar for life! Don’t pick at your skin either. Seriously.

Rx – If you are really going crazy with your skin issues and you’ve followed all this advice and nothing seems to work, make an appointment with a recommended dermatologist. They can help you decide if there is something more serious going on like Rosacea that needs to be addressed or if your acne could be treated with a prescription retinoid or oral antibiotic. Don’t be afraid to go see a dermatologist, they can be total life savers and can really help when skin issues have become more serious.

Hope some of these tips have helped! Please leave your own skin tips & tricks in the comment section. :)

It’s that time again… Time for another great MD Perricone giveaway! One lucky winner will receive Cold Plasma Therapy in celebration of Dr. Perricone’s upcoming book, Forever Young. The book is available for pre-order on Amazon only. And if you pre-order the book now, you can get a free Concentrated Restorative Treatment, a $75 value!

Forever Young is Dr. Perricone’s newest book, and will be officially on sale in September. In the book, Dr. Perricone talks about how he discovered the technology which underlies Cold Plasma and how the nutrients in Cold Plasma directly stimulate the precursor to collagen and elastin, glycosaminoglycans. Cold Plasma addresses the 10 most visible signs of aging: wrinkles, enlarged pores, dryness, discoloration, redness, uneven skin tone, impurities, loss of firmness, loss of smoothness and loss of radiance. No matter your age or skin type, Cold Plasma delivers extraordinary results. And with this giveaway, you can win a free Cold Plasma, worth $150.00!

How To Enter:

1. Leave (one) comment telling me why you want or need Cold Plasma.
2. Individuals who share this giveaway via blog, website, Twitter or Facebook, can leave one additional comment a day, as long as you providing a link to where you shared this giveaway. That will count as another entry.
3. This giveaway will conclude Monday August 2, 2010. Winners will be chosen randomly via Random.org.
4. The giveaway is for residents of U.S. and Canada only.

And while you are waiting to see if you won, check out Perricone’s current special offer–free samples of Cold Plasma! All the customers have to do is pay shipping ($4.95)!

With summer in full swing–although Los Angeles seemed slow to get the memo recently–sunscreen is more important than ever. And one often overlooked area is the lips. This is a commonly neglected place when in the sun, but lips need protection from heat, humidity, and the sun’s rays–just like the rest of the body. It’s best to use  sun block with SPF to minimize damage from UV rays specifically made for lips because it can be less irritating than products made for the skin.

A good one to try is Nivea’s New A Kiss of Protection SPF 30 Lip Care.  Price: $5.99 for a pack of six tubes.

And after you have your lips covered, you certainly cannot forget about the rest of your face! Eucerin Everyday Protection Face Lotion UVA/UVB SPF 30 won’t irritate sensitive skin, clog pores, or make summer skin extra oily. It can take some getting used to if you’re not use to the feel of physical sunscreens, but it’s a good drugstore sunscreen option. It provides decent broad spectrum protection at a reasonable cost. It contains zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. I liked the pump applicator–very easy to use and clean.  Price: $9.60

Editorial samples were provided by the company so I could review these products. Please see my About page for further information on Disclosure policies.

As summer begins to heat up, your skin care needs change. And to help you with these issues, I have an exciting giveaway to announce. Thanks to Perricone M.D., Hair On The Brain is giving away the Summer Survival Kit! This prize is valued at $180.00 and sells on perriconemd.com for $125.00! It comes with THREE fantastic skin care products to keep your skin in tip-top shape this summer:

Citrus Facial Wash – A non-drying gentle skin cleanser that removes all impurities including makeup. It provides anti-aging benefits with DMAE and Vitamin C Ester to help improve tone, clarity and texture, unveiling skin’s natural radiance.

High Potency Amine Complex Face Lift – A powerful, dermatological-grade face treatment combining Dr. Perricone’s most effective anti-aging ingredients in higher levels than present in any Perricone MD product to deliver a lifted, tightened, defined, contoured and radiant appearance. It’s a top Perricone treatment.

No Foundation Foundation – A multi-purpose product that provides natural translucent coverage, corrects skin undertones, instantly smoothes fine lines and boosts skin’s natural moisture throughout the day, all the while delivering antioxidant benefits. Keeps skin looking dewy and flawless!

This giveaway is now CLOSED. The lucky winner is #58, Heather! Thanks to all who entered!!

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Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer found in the United States and is also one of the most preventable. Help others become aware of this growing problem while defending yourself against the sun’s harmful rays.

This year’s selection includes past favorites, new additions and  a travel and beach-friendly hot pink clutch. The Sun Safety Kit includes sample sizes of:

• Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer SPF15 & Dermaxyl
• DDF Ultra-Lite Oil-Free Moisturizing Dew UV Moisturizer SPF 15
• Kate Somerville Protect SPF 55 Serum Sunscreen
• Murad Essential-C Eye Cream SPF 15
• Bliss Best of Skintentions Daily Moisturizer
• PeterThomasRoth Max Sheer All Day Moisture Defense Lotion with SPF 30
• Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Crème SPF 15
• Cover FX BritePrep FX Brightening Foundation Primer & Photo Aging Defense SPF 50
• Bare Escentuals Summer Bisque SPF 20
• Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Lotion N SPF 60 PA+++
• Jack Black Lip Balm Intense Therapy Lip Balm SPF 25 with Lemon and Chamomile
• Clarins Delectable Self Tanning Mousse SPF 15
• UVSUNSENSE Bracelet

The Sephora Sun Safety Kit ($25– an $95.42 value) will be available while supplies last in all U.S. Sephora stores and on Sephora.com.

If your hair does well with silicones, this stuff will work well for you. My hair doesn’t love them though, and is a little too fine for oil treatment except on the ends. But I do use this stuff everyday–just not on my hair! I keep a little bottle of it in the car and rub it on my cuticles while I am stuck in traffic.  ;) You can find a salon retailer near you by going to defabulous.com.  Price: $24.00

An editorial sample was provided by the company so I could review this product. Please see my About page for further information on Disclosure policies.

So I recently tried a new product from St. Tropez, the Self Tan Bronzing Spray. It’s a super-fine, ultra even spray tan that’s infused with conditioning aloe vera. It has 360° spray technology, so you won’t miss a spot. And just like all St. Tropez products, it features Aromaguard fragrance technology, which eliminates the tell-tale self tan smell by a minimum of 70%. Instead, it has a nice, subtle fragrance. Just like my beloved Bronzing Mousse, I am now totally hooked on Self Tan Bronzing Spray! This stuff is super easy to use and provides a quick, natural looking tan–plus, it totally lasts forever.  Price: $35.00

How To Use St. Tropez Self Tan Bronzing Spray:

• Exfoliate and then moisturizing dry areas, like elbows, knees, ankles and feet. Protect light eyebrows and hair line with a little extra moisturizer.
• Hold the nozzle about 6” away from your skin and spray all over.
• Blend with your hand or a mitt to make sure you’re covered, as it’s only missed areas that can look patchy.
• Once you’ve got even coverage, wait until you’re touch-dry before getting dressed.
• Try not to get wet, or sweat, for at least four hours.
• Finally, shower off to reveal a perfectly golden, natural looking tan.
• To maintain, re-apply a couple of times a week, nourish daily with St. Tropez Body Moisturizer and smooth with regular exfoliation for ultimate results!

An editorial sample was provided by the company so I could review this product. Please see my About page for further information on Disclosure policies.

Just a reminder, guys! I am giving away the Perricone Starter Kit, and you can still enter until June 16, 2010. This is a great prize package if you’ve never tried Perricone products before because it allows you to test out a bunch of Perricone products all at once. It includes Nutritive Cleanser, Advanced Face Firming Activator, Vitamin C Ester Eye Area Therapy, and Ceramic Skin Smoother. The prize is worth $283.00! The Perricone Starter Kit is an exclusive item that isn’t available on the Perricone website, but over on the site you can save over 70% on the Fresh Face Starter Kit. Plus, there are tons of other Perricone Sale items and special coupon codes for three deluxe samples, like Cold Plasma.

To enter, please leave a comment on the original Perricone Starter Kit post!

Ouidad Luxe Mediterranean Bay Leaf Hair and Scalp Treatment features rare Bay Leaf Oil imported from Lebanon and commonly used throughout Europe and the Middle East for its restorative qualities. Blended with a fine grained natural exfoliant in a base of amino acids with moisturizing and restructuring proteins, this luscious experience will exfoliate dry scalp, inspire healthy growth and reinvigorate hair. Depending on length of hair, the treatment starts at $175.00. Available at Ouidad Flagship Salons.

Jo Malone Wild Fig & Cassis Body Lotion features the scent of sun-warmed figs and delicate cassis entwined with notes of hyacinth and cedarwood, enveloping the wearer in the warmth of the Mediterranean.  Price: $65.00

This whimsical and exotic fragrance, Tocca Aqua Profumata in Amalfi is reminiscent of Mediterranean waters in every way. Worn alone or layered this delicate spray will leave your skin beautifully scented and yearning for the Amalfi coast.  Price: $38.00

Enhance beauty with this limited edition double-decker pallet–perfect for summer. Giorgio Armani Bronze Mediterranean Palette features Mediterranean tones including shimmering greens and blues inspired by nature, earth, and sea.  Price: $85.00