Bare Escentuals Natural Sunscreen SPF 30

About a month ago, I saw an Ad for the new Bare Escentual Natural Sunscreen SPF 30 but did not pay much attention to it. Last weekend, it was really hot in D.C., about 90 degrees. We were out and about under the sun. After awhile, my skin was getting oily and started to feel sensitive from the sun. My friend whipped out this powder sunscreen and we all started reapplying our sunscreen. This product comes in 3 shades, light, medium, and tan. Retail at $28.

Personally, I think this is a neat and convenience product. When applied, it is quite transparent. Meaning, it won’t alter the color of your makeup if you have any on. Actually, I could not feel that I was wearing anything. I would not use this as the only source of sunscreen as I can not tell if it will give adequate sun protection. However, it is a great touch up powder with the added benefit on sunscreen. I know I am supposed to reapply my sunscreen every few hours but when I am already oily and/or sweaty, why would I want to rub sunscreen lotion on top of that? Yuck! So, I guess I’ll pick this up for the summer.

EARTH DAY

Last Sunday, when I went to Home Depot, they were giving out free energy efficient light bulbs in honor of Earth Day. I have to give Home Depot kudos for doing that. Ok, so I know this have nothing to do with beauty but hey, it is important! Beside, pollution can do damage to our skin, if you want to look at it that way.

Anyway, I just want to remind everyone that the small steps we take each day can add up. And if every one of us does our small part, the world will be a better place. We can all do things such as (and they are pretty painless):

Recycle, recycle, recycle!

Use reusable bag when you do your grocery shopping

Change your regular light bulbs to one more energy efficient

Turn off the light when you leave a room

Don’t take too long of a shower

Carpool

Avoid chemical household cleaner

This is just a quick list; feel free to add more if you like.

Double Cleansing

Have you heard of double cleansing? Well, the whole concept was very new and interesting to me when I first came across it about a year or so ago. This is part of an Asian skincare regime.

Double cleansing is a two step cleansing process. The first step is to apply cleansing oil on dry face and start massaging to remove make-up, sunblock, dirt, etc. Afterward, rinse with lukewarm water. Then follow it with a gentle cleanser.

Yes, I said cleansing oil. I know the thought of putting oil on your face is not only foreign but also not very clean. However, cleansing oil is an effective and gentle method to remove makeup. It is also good at dissolving oil and dirt that build up on your face especially during hot, humid summer day. I tried DHC cleansing oil and it clean without stripping my skin from its natural sebum. It actually removes my eye makeup better than any makeup remover I ever used, with no stinging. Almost all Asian skincare brands carry cleansing oil. Some of the Western brands are starting to as well.

Final note, if you have oily skin, your skin may be able tolerate this method nightly. If you have dry or sensitive skin like mine, I would only do this when needed, not daily.

Product Review: Shiseido Skincare Cleanser and Night Moisturizer

I have sensitive skin that gets dry or inflame easily. Most cleanser I tried leaves my skin feeling “tight” afterward. So for the past couple years, I have been using Cetaphil most of the year. I don’t like that it contains SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) but it is in small enough amount that it does not irritate my skin. However, if you wear makeup or heavy sunscreen, it won’t remove it. Most days, I don’t wear a full face makeup and still it does not feel like it does a good job of cleansing.

My future sister-in-law gave me a set of Shiseido Skincare Extra Gentle Cleansing Foam and Shiseido Skincare Night Moisture Recharge. At first I hesitated to try because foam cleanser normally leaves my skin dry and tight. The foam from cleanser is from the SLS. However, this cleanser does not make a lot of foam (which is good). Instead when you add water, it creates this luxurious creamy texture. It feels very nice and smooth while I massage this on my face. After I rinse, my skin is clean, without any dryness. It has been a month or so and no sign of irritation. It’s a keeper!

Now for the lotion, it is a nice light texture. You only need 1-2 pumps for an entire face. It absorb well. It may not be moisturizing enough (Regular texture version) for those with very dry skin. It is a fine choice if you are just looking for a basic moisturizer. Personally, I like some antioxidant in my night lotion/cream.

Urban Decay Book of Shadows

I love spring. The blossoming flowers and warmer weather are much welcome. Spring is also the time when almost every cosmetic companies are lauching their new spring collection. Urban Decay is launching its book of shadows which contains their 8 best selling and 8 new shades of eyeshadow. The kit also comes with 2 premium brushes and a travel size eyeshadow primer potion. This kit is now available at Ulta for $45.

Have you tried it? Let us know how you like it.

Tip of the Day: Don't forget your sunglasses!

Last “tip of the day”, I wrote about the importance of protecting your lips from sun damage. I’ll now extend on that topic. There are two categories of factors that cause our skin to age (wrinkles), intrinsic and extrinsic. Extrinsic are external factors such as sun damage, pollution, and facial expressions.

The skin around our eye are delicate and thinner than any other parts of our body. Every time we squints and smiles, that contribute to fine lines and crow feet around our eyes. Though, I would not recommend give up smiling. Wearing lenses that is made to block UVA/UVB, especially the kind that wrap around your eyes will leave you one less thing to worry about.