Saturday, July 28, 2012

Acne Attack!!

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned that I have acne in a previous post.. so I'll save you from reading all of that mess again. Really quick though, I am 18 and I have had moderate acne for 11 years now. Over half of my life, guys. Yeah.. it sucks. But anyways.. I've used a lot of different products in the past year that I want to share with you. Some are good, some not so much. I'll also throw in my current skincare routine that was recommended to me by my dermatologist. It's not a routine I am loving at all.. quite frankly, I hate it.. but I'm going to try and stick it out for a while.



One product line that I have tried over the past six months is the Obagi Clenziderm system. I purchased this set from a trusted Amazon seller for about $75. These products can be super pricey if bought from a dermatologist or spa, and one of my mom's doctor friends said that going for the cheaper price on Amazon would be just fine. So I picked the system for normal to oily skin, and it came with the Daily Care Foaming Cleanser, the Pore Therapy toner, and the Therapeutic Lotion. Overall, I liked this line.. but it never cleared up my acne. It kept the overload of pimples at bay, but that's about it. I would go back to it though... especially if my current regimen doesn't start working in the next month. Oh, and for reference, I used the system for about 3-4 months and the only thing I was starting to run out of was the toner!


Three products I have used in the past year and completely despise? Lush's Ultra Bland, Lush's Grease Lightning, and Lush's Herbalism. Back in February and March I thought I would switch it up and start trying some more natural products as opposed to the harsh chemical filled ones I have always used. While that route may work wonderfully for some people, I personally thought it was completely terrible. My skin was SO bad, and the products themselves were hard to use and smelled horrendous!


My current skincare routine is cleansing with Obagi Nu-Derm, treating with prescription Epiduo, exfoliating with Dermalogica Clean Start's Ready Set Scrub, and moisturizing with Purpose's Dual Treatment Moisture Lotion with SPF 15. The Obagi Nu-Derm... not a fan. The only reason I am using it is because my doctor gave it to me for free and you have to use a gentle cleanser when using Epiduo. I LOVE my Clean Start Exfoliator! I could (and probably will) do a whole post on the stuff! It's a mask and scrub.. and it smells like fruit loops! As far as Epiduo goes, it isn't such a great prescription acne treatment .. I've used almost everything there is and it's probably my least favorite.. but my derm insisted I use it for now. Purpose moisturizer is a dermatologist recommended lotion that I have used for years and years now. I really like the product, but I'm starting to want to test out the moisturizing waters again. If you have any suggestions let me know!!!

So that's it for my current routine.. and a few products I've used over the past 6 months. If you have any products that you just love, feel free to comment and let me know! I'm always up for trying new stuff if there are good recommendations behind it!


                                               XOXO,
                                               Lullabell

Friday, July 13, 2012

New To The Makeup World? No Problem! - PART ONE



 
  Knowing where to start with makeup these days can be a very daunting task! When I started wearing makeup there weren't Sephora's on every corner so I had fairly limited product access. Now there are so many brands that I couldn't come even close to naming them all. Most of the magazines list their favorites or what is the best of the best for the current time.. but that all changes so quickly and the brands they choose tend to be expensive- not what you want as a newbie for sure! Even now as an avid makeup connoisseur I find myself always drifting back to drugstore favorites! This my friends, is the best place for makeup beginners to.. well.. begin!

 
You probably know that you need to get some eyeshadow, but before you do that you need to pick up an eyeshadow PRIMER! Primers are all the rage now, and they are one of the few hyped about products that I actually think make a huge difference. ELF Eyelid Primer is amazing.. and it's only $1!! Lightly rub this in across your lids before applying shadow for mega staying power and a look that is going to last all day long!


 Eyeshadow is probably one of the most plentiful products out there. You will find so many different shades and such that you won't know what to do with yourself! This is when you make a trip to WalMart and pick up Wet 'n' Wild's Walking On Eggshells eyeshadow trio. This is only $2.99, and has all three colors you will need.. and tells you where to place them! I have re-bought this mini palette numerous times, and I love the natural eye it gives! 

Next comes eyeliner.. probably the scariest product to actually apply. When it comes to eyeliner there are two things that I find most important.. staying power, and easy application. Pixi's Endless Silky Eye Pen's are perfect for both of those! You can find this brand at your local Target, and one liner will set you back $15. Yes, that isn't the cheapest.. but good eyeliner is a must! Start out with Black Cocoa, the perfect dark brown! Only use this on your upper lash line.. if you want to apply liner to your lower lash line buy an angled eyeliner brush and dip it into the crease color from the eyeshadows above!
 
Lastly on the eyes is mascara! Mascara is a pretty easy thing to use. I would recommend buying a cheap eyelash curler from the drugstore and curling your lashes at the base. Then sweep on a black mascara and you're good to go! My current favorite is Maybelline's The Falsies Volum Express in the Flared version! 


I hope this helped any of you that might be new to the makeup world! I am going to follow up this post with a part two dealing with face products (blush, foundation, etc). If you have any questions about different brands or how to apply certain products feel free to ask!  :)  



XOXO, 
        Lullabell




 
Image Sources: www.eyeslipsface.com, www.pixibeauty.com, www.vinnakatz.com