Advice from an Esthetician and Further Substantiation that I am Addicted to "Beauty" Products

I went back to Lucy the Latvian for more face prodding.

Her work around my sinuses sent streams of tears and snot down my face, which is not embarassing at all. I didn't need as many spots of calamine lotion on my face last night, although Salty D. still called me Bambi because he said it made me look like a spring fawn.

What's interesting is the advice that Lucy gave me during our special time together.

Sunscreen:  "I don't like sunscreen, because it does not block the correct rays and it is just chemicals that clog the skin. The skin is better without, unless you are at the beach all day. Sunscreen is big business."

Foundation: "Only use little bit where you need. Get the kind with the least chemicals."

Moisturizer: "You must moisturize. Otherwise the dry skin gets into the pores, mixes with oil, and clogs them."

Dermatologist recommendation: "Only New York. The dermatologists in this area, I don't know what they do. They are very different than other places."

Yes. You could say that about lots of things.

While she recommends certain products (including using this stuff not as a nighttime spot treatment, but as mattifying day cover-up for oily skin)  she is quick to advise where home remedies work better.

Deep cleaning mask: I'm a big fan of Queen Helene Mint Julep masque, the classic tube of green clay stuff usually found on the bottom shelf at Walgreen's or Sally's. I don't know how Lucy feels about that so I'm going to follow her advice for a while and see how it goes.

Take a raw egg white, stir it til it's foamy. Add 10 drops of lemon juice - from a real lemon, not the concentrate in the little bottle. Apply to the face and let dry, do it once a week.

Not that putting egg whites or lemon on the face is a big revelation. I have shared that I've smeared half my kitchen on my face at some point: honey, oatmeal, avocado peels, yogurt, salt, rosemary, plus lemon and eggs, but all a la carte.  Another really great homemade exfoliant that some friends swear by: Mix plain yogurt with sugar, apply to wet skin and rub.

I know that lots of sleep and water and exercise are really the only "secret" to great skin, and not anything you can find during the beauty breakthroughs hour at 1 am on QVC, but it's so much fun to search for the magic potion.

 

Comments

[JuJuBee]

90% of the crap we hate about our skin (fine lines, wrinkles, uneven tone, dark spots, etc.) are from the sun. Show me a chick who wore sunscreen everyday of her life and you'll see some awesome skin. Unfortunately that is easier said than done, and we also need to absorb some sun to make vitamin D. That being said, maybe you can find a physical sunscreen instead of a chemical one to use. The physical kind acts as a sort of barrier on top of the skin and doesn't absorb into your skin like the chemical kind, although chemical can protect you from a wider range of rays. We get a lot of sun damage when we aren't sitting at the beach all day, even just driving. Too bad something that feels so good and makes us so happy can also ruin our faces. Stupid sun. Sorry for the novel!

[KtP]

I just can't see how putting yogurt on your skin is good for it. Or anything found in the kitchen, really. But then Lucy would have a field day with my ginormous pores.

[Queen Helene]

The Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque is a classic go-to masque and a great addition to your skin care routine. It helps deep clean skin that is prone to pimples and enlarged pores to leave skin feeling refreshed and smooth. Follow the link below to get a coupon for $1.00 off and give it a try. Hope you enjoy.

www.bit.ly/QH_Coupon

[Lurker Girl]

KTP, yogurt has lactic acid that is proven to soften skin. That's why they use it for body washes and lotions, too. Plus milk makes a great addition to a pedicure soak . . . I do a nice milk & honey soak for really soft feet!

[blaugra]

JuJuBee: what's an example of a physical sunscreen?
And while you're here, what's your opinion on mineral makeup?

KtP and Lurker Girl, thanks - to build on what LG says, lactic acid and sugar are natural gentle exfoliators, so is salt, which is why you pay lots of money at spas for milk baths, salt scrubs. Honey also helps clear pimples because it's antibacterial. It doesn't do it as quickly as a drying lotion but a little dab of warm honey at night will decrease a zit. Rosemary in a steam pot helps cleanse the pores. Avocado moisturizes, sometimes I rub the inside avocado peels, after I've eaten the guacamole, on my knees and elbows for a couple minutes. Oh and I forgot about the olive oil for your hair and nails.

Of course the husband thinks I'm nuts. But I swear that maple syrup as a pre-shampoo hair treatment (follow the link in the post) really works.

Your majesty Queen Helene, thank you. The mint julep also can be used as a spot treatment for blemishes, leave it on a spot overnite.

I have a little bit of experience in that area.

[Queen Helene]

You're very welcome JujuBee, and yes, the mint julep does also works well as an overnight spot treatment. Great advice.

Feel free to pass the coupon on to anyone else who might like it.

[D]

I agree about sun screen, it's like getting a 'gradual chemical burn'. What also helps me in moisturizing my skin is drinking a lot of water or other liquids with real lemons. I may try the yogurt. Also, steam baths really do work. xo, D