DERMALOGICA

There is Nothing like a Scrub: My Four Faves

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Well… hmmm. Nope: nothing like a scrub from head to toe, upon return to to my Haven of Beauty after two weeks away.

I have been giving myself a good going over since I’ve been back, from my literal head to my literal toes.

Here is what we’ve got on the go at the mo:

THE LINEUP 2013That’s enough to keep me in posts for another week and half!

I have cut four products out of the herd, and have been happily exfoliating every day since Thursday. This may not be advisable! But I don’t care, I am intent upon sloughing off The Lag, straight down the drain.

FOUR FAVE SCRUBS

From left-ish:

>Lycon Pomegranate Sugar Scrub, from I don’t know where. It is spa-quality, and for a sugar scrub — which normally rolls right off your body, no matter how you try to prevent it — this is tops. The jelly-like base holds the scrub in perfect suspension, and it smooths over the skin with nary a grain lost.

>Oh, Vichy Normaderm 3-in-1, how happy I was to see you! Next time, I swear, I am bringing you along. There is nothing that you cannot do. To celebrate my return, I went hard-core and employed your masque-y qualities, and indulged in a thorough scrub once under the spray of the shower.

> This was a hard sell, initially, but now I am completely on the Redken Nature’s Rescue Refining Sea Polish. I use it before I shampoo, which may or may not be as directed — it still works a treat, and my hair is all the shinier for it.

>The classic for a reason: Dermalogica Microfoliant gently exfoliates, foams up into a cleanser-like consistency, and lasts forever and ever, amen.

Did reading this make you feel itchy? I feel all itchy now.

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Prices vary depending upon what your googling reaps. If anyone knows where that Lycon stuff came from, do let me know.

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Top Twelve of 2012: Minding Me Pelt

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BODDDDAlso file under: Hoarding. I love both of these so much, I ration my uses of them. Which is too bad really, to not use something that I like, but on the other hand, I know how to make special occasions even more special.

I fell for Dermalogica’s Hydro-active Mineral Salts immediately. Itcombines the excellence of salt-based therapeutic bath salt, with minerals and tonnes of essential oils. It smells rather… organic, which some may find off-putting. I feel medium about the scent, personally, but the effect of the sea salt and sandalwood, lavender, orange, clary sage, lemon, and tea tree — among others! — is pretty spectac.

Oh, Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse, how do I love thee? Countless ways! I have tried other oils, and liked them muchly, but not completely and utterly muchly — no where near as muchly as I adore this. The scent! The coverage! The suppleness of my skin! This year saw a special anniversary addition that came in a spray bottle! There is a version that has glittery sparkle in it! Still waiting, like many of this product’s fans, for the perfume version. Hint, hint, Nuxe!

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Here’s the original post about the Dermalogica salts; here are the words about the prodigious oil.

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Baby, It’s Cold Inside! Hot Salt Scrub by Bliss Saves the Day

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Or, it will save the day, later, after I’m back from horseriding volunteering. I refuse to heat my wee apartment like it is winter — it is not winter — so I’ve got the hot water bottle on full rotation, and I am going to luxuriate in a bath this evening.

A key element in the luxuriousness will be Hot Salt Scrub via the always by name/be nature Bliss.

I have gone on record as not being a fan of salty scrubby things, as half the salt always seems to roll right off the bod and onto the floor. This drawback is only slightly mitigated if one gets into the tub and applies — it still rolls off, but at least the excess goes down the drain, saving you a sweep up after the shower.

Now this: this has a gel base, so if you go slow, the product adheres nicely to the skin, and the scrub is thorough and satisfying. The hot water of the shower activates the cleansing powers of the rosemary and eucalyptus, the latter a scent that has not been among my faves, but I am happy enough with it in this incarnation.

So, the big exciting plan is: scrub with this all over, rinse off, and then run a tub, in which my open, scrubbed pores can fully receive the lovely heat. And maybe also throw some more salts in, like those Dermalogica ones I am newly in love with, the Hydro-active Mineral Salts.

The shivery in-between potential is high, now that I look at it in writing. May rethink this. It would be best to just plunge right into the bath, but I don’t know, dead skin cells floating all around me seems a little gross.

Big question: does it get hot? Well, sort of. Like, not so hot that you’re hopping around, which would be dangerous in the bath. It definitely warms you up, and naturally, the more briskly you scrub, you warmer you get. Science!

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€30.59/£28.60/$36

OMG The Darkkkkkkkkkness. Go Have a Bath.

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I never post on Bank Holiday Mondays, and I never post past 5pm, in order to respect some class of business hours which I expect the internet has already rendered artificial/obsolete, but lads: it feels like a million o’clock, and this day, despite being so short, feels like it has been gonig on forever, and even though episodes of the superlative Forbrydelsen are whispering at me, through the ether, I have to say the following.

When it is newly dark out because of the shaggin’ clocks, and it feels like a million o’clock, and you just don’t know what to do, go have a bath with Dermalogica Hydro-active Mineral Salts {€30.20}.

Is bliss.

They put it best, themselves:

The advanced complex of mineral-rich Sea Salts, natural Kelp, aromatic essential oils, spices and skin-smoothing enzymes gently exfoliates the entire body, leaving it ultra-smooth. Soothing essential oils of Sandalwood, Lavender, Orange and Clary Sage, balanced with purifying oils of Lemon, and Tea Tree, help deliver soft, silky, revitalized skin. The warming and fragrant spices of Coriander, Cinnamon and Ginger relax the body and uplift the senses for a soothing, stress-reducing muscle soak.

Plus! You can scrub it all over yourself like a… like a scrub. You know what I mean! An exfoliation/spa-type thing! Here’s a Pro Tip™: Stand in the tub and dampen yourself, and then commence scrubbing. Even then, the stuff will get all over the place, but at least in this case, that place will be the water.

You do not want to waste a single grain of it.

It smells better dissolved in the water; on the bod, there’s a bit of an odd pong. Even still, it is gorgeous, relaxing, soothing, and cleansing.

If only my water heater wasn’t so crap! I’ve almost got it figured out, the perfect ratio of cold-to-hot water, one that gets the best use out of the measly amount of hot on tap {LOL}. I may shake some of this into a baggie and bring back to Amerikay for The Christmas: land of the free and the home of an endless supply of hot water. Wow, now I’ve got even more to look forward to!

Seriously, get this, turn on the water, take a bath. It will make these dark hours melt away.

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kudosbeauty.ie do a great line in Dermalogica products.

Q: Why is This Woman Grinning Like an Eeeejit? A: HD Brows.

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HD Brows are the best thing ever, ever, ever.

Ever. Seriously, it’s like the rest of the face can just chill out, because the brows are doing all the work.

I just got them seen ta yesterday at Carter Beauty in Blackrock, and the world of difference it makes!

If you haven’t seen the before-and-after gallery on their site, go have a look.

Evidence: compelling.

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What else have I got going on?

> The Hair: Dermalogica Shine Therapy Shampoo & Silk Finish Conditioner {€22.20/28.65} with a few squirts of L’Oréal Mythic Oil Milk {€19.99}

> Foundation Le Teint Touche Éclat from Lancôme {€38}. I think I got too light a shade, maybe? Can’t tell from the seriously warm photo. I’m not sure this is right for me. I have to give this another go, and see.

> 10 Bronzer {€34} from Benefit because of the above.

> Clinique High Impact Extreme Volume Mascara {€21}

> NYC HD Color Quattro Eye Shadow in Queens Boulevard {€3.49}. I didn’t use the full quattro, only a duo; the palette is nicely purple-y.

> Dr Hauschka Lipstick Novum in Slow Mood {16.50}, because I was going for a neutral lip. I’m thinking it is only okay, and was sorry that I hadn’t remembered this new Lacura Beauty lippy I’m liking at the moment, from Aldi, in 419. It’s a smoky purple-y grey, and the other day? I ate an apple, and it didn’t wear off. !

Hey, that’s one pricey face…

Tanning Twenty Twelve: What To Do About Spots

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Basically, I have the hide of a rhino, and can test out just about anything. I therefore didn’t think twice about slapping the auld SPF on my face.

Mistake. After two days of doing the right thing, I got a zit on the bottom of my chin — whatever — and one on the front of my face.

Dilemma: will any of the zit-busting treatments that I have react badly with the self-tan I am putting on my face? Is it the self-tan that is making me break out? I have only just made myself all brown and gorgeous, do I need to scrub it off, get rid of the pimple, and start over?

Nope. May I introduce you to Dermalogica’s Concealing Spot Treatment?

I did not find this useful when I wasn’t tanning, because it is too dark for my everyday skin. But as you can see, in yet another weird ass photo of my paw, it is pretty perfect for those with darker complexions, and those who have not come by said complexions naturally.

I had a pic of it blended in, but then you couldn’t even see it, so that’s another point in its favour. Yet another point: it does not contain Benzoyl Peroxide, which tends to dry the sebaceous stuff out, sure, but then your skin is all flaky afterwards. Sulphur and Zinc Oxide are doing the job here, and with the touch of pigment, you can cover up and heal simultaneously.

Spots? The one on my face was gone, daddy, gone, after three applications. The one under my chin is fighting this to the death, but guess who’s gonna win?

Me.

€41.60/£30.50/$25

Love you, Dermalogica, but the difference in price points is shockin’.

Sensation: Dermalogica Overnight Repair Serum

/ brightandbeautyfull / 3 Comments

I think that there was this crazy diet going around that had something to do with losing weight in your sleep? Am I making that up? Because wouldn’t it be so fantastic to do pesky, annoying stuff in dreamland?

It seems silly… but I do think that subliminal listening programmes might have some value, the ones where they lull you to sleep, and have all these tracks that you can’t hear, but are rewiring your brain. I’ve never tried any, because I’m afraid I’ll get all tangled up in the headphones and choke myself. This would not be a good visualistion to fulfill. But I do think that overriding the conscious mind has value and what better time to try than when you are not conscious?

I guess my issue is that it would be great if things happened over night, but you do have to apply yourself in some way, regardless. Those ‘quit smoking’ tapes are not going to play themselves! And it’s all well and good to take a product like Dermalogica’s Overnight Repair Serum and look forward to enjoying the fruits of its nocturnal labours, but you do actually have to apply it.

Yes, I’m talking to you, Self.

I don’t know where to keep this bottle so that I don’t forget to put it on before I go snoozing. I’ve got it on my bedside table, which seems to make sense, so after I’ve brushed my teeth and put on some night cream — oh. Dammit. Forgot!

The thing is, I can mix this oil with that night cream. But sometimes I wander out of the loo and use the stuff I’ve got on the lower shelf of the bedside table…  is there a subliminal tape I can get so I remember that I’ve got this serum?

Because: it is awesome. Part of Dermalogica’s AGE Smart range, it is targeted to maturing skin, and I have to say, when I wake after I’ve remembered to use it, my skin feels great. It looks so glowy, and feels so moisturised, that I, the least likely to be nominated as Best Morning Person in any year — I feel pretty good about getting up and about.

The secret of its efficacy is all about oils: Argan and rose make up the base; added to this are essential oils and plant extracts — and seaweed! All combine to make this an aromatherapeutic experience, too.

You only need 3 to 5 drops to saturate your face in anti-aging goodness. Good thing, because the only issue I have with this is that it is a bit challenging to shake the stuff out of the bottle. Once out, it smells and feels like a fancy treatment you get in a spa, and the soothing scents are a lovely escort into the land of Nod, where everyone quits smoking and doesn’t gain a stone as a result. Magic!

PLUS: Dermalogica have joined with FITE {Financial Independence Through Entrepreneurship}, so every time you buy a product branded with the FITE logo, Dermalogica will make a donation to an indigenous female entrepreneur. These micro-loans help women all over the world, and you get to choose where, and what kind of business you’d like to support. Go here for more info.

€64.85/£56/$60

Day Cream v Night Cream: Ah Ha!

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Sometimes the stars align, and synchronicity engages, and you’ve just blogged about something, and then you go to a presentation that very evening, and the expert lady addresses the very issue that you had been pondering!

Or: the issue is a fairly common talking point, so NBD.

Either way, on the evening of the day that I had posted this, I went to the Dylan Hotel for a presentation hosted by Dermalogica, and given by Sally Penford of the International Dermal Institute. Sally is an independent skin professional, so wasn’t there to flog the brand {which hardly needs flogging, in fairness} but to address several common assumptions one makes about skin care and the use of product.

Imagine my surprise when we got to the question regarding whether or not everyone should use a night cream. And the answer is… Continue reading →

Treat Yourself: Carter Beauty’s Hydrating & Boosting Facial

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Two things occurred to me as a result of the Dermalogica Hydrating & Boosting Facial in Carter Beauty, Blackrock I got last week:  one was a momentary flitter of a thought near the beginning of the treatment, and the other came about two hours later. The fact that anything could occur to me at all, either during and after such a relaxing experience is something of a miracle, but here we go.

First thought: there is no way I could be good at being a beauty therapist, as I was struck by the complete silence of my extremely able consultant, Katie. I talk to myself all the time — and I may have just made an exclamatory sound right this second, as in ‘Ha! That’s right!’  in response to my own thought. I mutter to myself all the time. And I’ve stopped caring that is sad and weird to occasionally mumble-sing when I’ve got my earbuds in. So there I’d be, trying to give you a nice spa experience, and I’d be going, *uh*, ‘Where did I put that effing cleanser — oh, yeah.’ And then I’d probably hum along with the music, even if it was pan pipes, and talk about a disaster. I would be fired probably before I even finished the facial.

Happily, I didn’t think of much after I acknowledged this personal discovery, and let my mind clear entirely {I’ve finally copped on to the common sense of asking for a list of products after the treatment, so I’m not trying to memorise as we go along.} I can tell you that my love for Dermalogica is never so strong as when it is being applied by a professional, and when the products used come from all across their range. No less than ten potions/lotions were swept, massaged, and let sink into my skin over the course of an hour {It felt like an hour? But one of those really short hours that should last longer?} Of particular note was Katie’s prowess with pressure points: much attention was paid to those that circle the eye, and wowee, it felt amazing.

Afterwards, I walked around a bit, showing off my shiny, hydrated and boosted skin; however, I had plans for the evening, and I wasn’t too keen on going out completely bare-faced. This leads to my second thought, which may in fact actually be a realisation. When you get your skin all hydrated and boosted, it creates the perfect canvas for your make up. I know: duh. It never struck me before, I suppose because I don’t generally do anything after a treatment except hope I can get home without curling up for a nap on the bus stop. Anyway, radiance doesn’t even begin to cover it, so if you have an event or something and want to look even more smashing than usual, I’d give this a go ahead of the big day.

Plus, you get a wee giftie of the Dermalogica Dry Skin Kit containing Dermalogica Essential Cleansing Solution, Multi Active Toner, Intensive Moisture Balance, Gentle Cream Exfoliant and Intensive Eye Repair Cream — a €30 value for nothin’. Since it’s been so cold and raw lately, this is a really good antidote, and thanks to the kit, you can keep up appearances on your own.

Carter Beauty Dermalogica Hydrating Facial is €65. Carter Beauty is based at 40 Main Street, Blackrock, Co. Dublin. wwwcarterbeauty.ie Tel: 01-2103624.

♥Day: More Lip Service

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Well, this is a likely line up! Naturally, all of the above are perfect for every day use, but there’s lots ‘o’ smooching on ♥Day, so, get in shape, ladiez!

Whilst not the most romantic looking package in the family, I have to say that I am unconditionally in love with DERMALOGICA’s AGE smart renewal lip complex (€30/£22.50/$26). It’s hard to show its special feature in a crappy picture that I would take myself, so I gave up, but the top of the applicator is like a tiny collander: you spin the dial at the base, and the lip complex comes out of little holes. You don’t need much — I got great results with a half a turn — and it feels clean and neat. And so will your lips.

I liked the minty tingle I got from YES TO CARROTS’ C Me Blush Lip Tint in Cotton Candy (€8/£5.99/$10). This is a very light tint, i.e. barely there, but there’s just enough of a bit of glitter to pick up the light. It’s pretty and low key, a perfect combination of treatment and light make up, and purely excellent when you want to be able to reapply without looking in a mirror.

ORIGINS Lip Remedy (€17/£13/12.50) is a great go-to balm if your lips are in rag order. Chapped, cracked and peeling lips will find relief in the menthol/camphor based product, along with a whole bunch of other good things like French Thyme and Oil of Wintergreen. This feels like the perfect ski bum balm? I don’t know, I haven’t skied in years, but if I went, I’d have this in a pocket.

Okay, this is kind of a drag, but I’m going to go ahead anyway: because I saw ‘House of Fraser’ in the press release, and we have an HoF in Dundrum, I was all over this gig, a charity product by our friends from Clinique. This darling little pouch is the centrepiece of the Kiss It Better appeal, in aid of the Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity in London. It’s not available in Ireland, which is a bust, but you can purchase it for £25 on the Clinique website. From left, the treats are: Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss in Raspberry; Vitamin C Lip Smoothie Antioxidant Lip Colour in Pink Me Up; Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Woppin’ Watermelon; and Long Last Glosswear SPF15 in Mystic. I totally ♥ the little silvery bag…