I say all of this to say: Skin beyond the age of 20ish regularly goes through a laundry list of changes. It’s up to you to make sure that the products you apply topically are the cream (pun intended) of the crop and best suited for skin’s changing needs.

Does your skin suffer from diminished vitality? Is it not as plump, smooth, and supple as it used to be? In just four weeks, ANEW Genics Treatment Cream (patented with YouthGenTM Technology – inspired by genetic research on human longevity) is a fairly recent skin care breakthrough that promises to do a Cher (“turn back time”) in as little as four weeks. By boosting specific skin proteins, ANEW Genics Treatment Cream stimulates skin’s Youth Gene and triggers younger acting skin. Momma ThisThatBeauty has been enjoying the benefits ever since I gave her a jar about a month ago. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, I could not help but marvel over mom’s much improved 58-year old skin…Isn’t she pretty?!

Most women first reach for an eye cream somewhere around early 20′s…usually due to the effects of dryness, puffiness, or dark circles. However, as skin matures, the prevention of fine lines, wrinkles and creasing is a primary concern. Newly launched, SK-II Skin Signature Eye Cream smooths the early signs of aging at the corners of eyes and underneath.

The signature complex, a proprietary blend of Pitera™, Oli-Vityl (anti-oxidant protection), Signaline, and concentrated levels of Niacinamide, work in concert to reduce dull appearance, increase hydration, and firm the look of crepe-y skin. SK-II Skin Signature Eye Cream is serious treatment for eyes and an appropriate next step option for those of us in search of an eye cream that does more…much more! (ME!!)

It all sounds so sci-fi…A renewable energy project, turned anti-aging discovery is the real life true story inception of Algenist. Picture it: A team of San Francisco based biotechnology scientists were hard at work developing microalgae-based renewable energy solutions when they uncovered “alguronic acid”, a powerful compound connected to cell regeneration. When tested in clinical trials, younger-looking resulted…in as little as 10 days. Yes, 10 days! Now, who doesn’t have 10 days to put the claim to the test?

Ladies, start your engines…I mean, er, start your infrared LED light. Sure, topicals are effective…but why not work deeper? LightStim helps create collagen (the secret to plump, line-free skin) and improve skin’s elasticity by emitting pain-free amber and red infrared LED light. The wavelengths energize skin’s youth cells and promote radiant, brilliant complexion. The handheld, at-home device is a must add to your routine. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!

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Give your skin the attention it deserves. Take a step back. Look in the mirror. Survey your skin. Now, survey your medicine cabinet? Are you well-equipped to handle the skin care challenges before you? If not, re-read this blog post and compile your shopping list. Thank me later!

Nef recently inquired about my skin routine. Now in stating that she’s a friend, you can infer that I’ve shared my skincare gems with Nef in the past…that’s what friends are for. But because Nef is a dear dear friend and asked for a more focused skincare 101 session, on my next day off — she’ll come over, we’ll sip wine, laugh a lot, and chat skincare. She’ll take copious notes ….she better!

But I have told Nef, if she is TRULY serious about skincare, she has to do the required reading in advance of our 1:1 because I go hard….and it’s important the she has a full understanding of my core skincare philosophy before we start our chat!

Every day, my amazing followers on my various social platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, etc) ask me for skin care tips – the good news is: the book is in the works!! – but until then, my blog is filled to the brim with posts on my skincare musts. Questions from followers range from, what’s your skin routine, to how can I achieve glowy skin, to how do I get rid of dark spots…and everything in between.

Truth be told – the answers are laid out for you in my blog. I’ve been writing ThisThatBeauty for over 5 years now…so the blog is filled with lots of useful blog posts, tips & recommendations on skincare. Using the search box to search terms like acne, eye cream, hyperpigmentation, red lipstick, etc. will yield tons of helpful posts.

But because I am asked these questions LITERALLY every day, I thought I’d take the time to point you to specific posts that breakdown my personal skincare philosophy. Now here’s the kicker – Y’all have to actually read these posts. No, seriously! As much as I would love to chat skin all day on social platforms…Bank of America (my mortgage company) requires that I spend a portion of my day working on things that generate income. No shade at all, y’all….but these posts really will help to answer most of your questions.

So here’s your required reading for clear, even, glowy, enviable skin:

(ps — i’m not wearing foundation in this pic..the sheen is a combo of lighting and natural glow from good skincare!)

Ahhh, the blog post that started it all….ThisThatBeauty vs. Hyperpigmentation is EPIC. . It’s THEE most popular post on ThisThatBeauty! I originally wrote this post in 2009 but I republish it often. In this post I detail my skincare routine from A to Z. No stone is left unturned. This is a must read: http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2012/04/thisthatbeauty-vs-hyperpigmentation/

Peel thy Skin, Heal thy Skin: ThisThatBeauty’s Favorite at-home Peels: After sun protection, the second most important area of skincare, in my opinion, is proper exfoliation….i.e. chemical peels, alpha hydroxy acid, glycolic peels, etc. This read will empower you with what you need to know to help maintain smooth texture: http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2012/05/thisthatbeautys-favorite-at-home-peels/

If asked the “stranded on a deserted island” question – I would respond “sunscreen”. It’s my beauty non-negotiable. I’ve worn it every day since about age 20…and had I known better, I would have started before then. This blog post is a must read for protecting and maintaining perfect skin: http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2010/06/innovative-spf-products/

I never go a night without doing this little glowy skin trick (except when I’m on my Retinol kick)! Click to read!

MORE:

Eye Creams under $20

Caring for Dry Skin

A snippet of my hair care routine

More personal bests for hair care

]]> http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2012/05/required-reading-for-clear-glowy-skin/feed/ 0 http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2012/05/destination-beauty-nars-bleecker-street/ http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/2012/05/destination-beauty-nars-bleecker-street/#comments Wed, 16 May 2012 15:00:46 +0000 Felicia http://www.thisthatbeauty.com/?p=10497

NARS Flagship Boutique

413 Bleecker Street

646 459 2323

Plainly put — If you’ve never been, you simply must go. Immerse yourself in all that is pigmented, glossy, and bright. From perfect reds (hey, Dragon Girl) to that iconic haughty naughty blush that fellow editors cannot seem to get enough of — the sleek, aesthetically pleasing West Village boutique is a beauty bucket-list must.

During Fashion Week I got my fill. If you go, ask for Janice (@NARSjanice — she’s sort of major, trust me!). During a fun evening of swatching shades and sampling products, I fell all sorts of in love with “Torrid” — my blush crush du jour — but NARS describes it as a warm coral with golden shimmer. When it comes to blush, peach tones are generally my thing…so it’s not surprising that I was drawn to “Torrid”, but here’s the kicker: golden shimmer. Uhm, I don’t really like shimmer on my cheeks. I don’t have particularly large pores but, still, shimmer and cheeks rarely end well. Well, “Torrid” breaks the mold. The matte texture balanced with micronized, finely milled shimmer gives a soft, healthful glow. Kudos to Janice for directing me to this stunning shade. I wear it and feel oh so pretty. Now go get your pretty!

 Me modelling “Torrid”

Posing with @NARSjanice. . . while wearing “Torrid”

Hamming it up with @arterberry (of Glamazons blog) at NARS Bleecker Street

Need more NARS inspiration: Well, Lianne at The Makeup Girl highly recommends NARS’ new tinted moisturizer. Danielle at The Style and Beauty Doctor breaks down the best NARS blush for all beauties from light to dark. And, My dear Belle Belle Beauty shares her fav NARS lippies and a cheerful pink blush.

. . . something for everyone!

The collections get a bit repetitive. And back when I used to cover lots of MAC on my site — the collections were churning out like every 6 weeks…a girl could barely keep up!

But recently, I was looking to backslide on my classic red pout and had nude on the mind. I dug deep into my stash and pulled out MAC Touch Lustre. . . and just like that, it’s all love. This is totally going to be my go to nude for summer. What’s yours?

I was literally speechless to learn that Erno Laszlo’s new line contains original formulas once used by the iconic beauties Marilyn Monroe, Katherine Hepburn, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly and Greta Garbo.  Each formula was created specifically for each individual starlet and has been updated to fit the needs of today’s modern woman.  The glossy black box includes a series of five moisturizers that will rejuvenate, revitalize, and restore skin’s natural glow.  Perhaps I was most impressed by the Marilyn Monroe “Morning Beauty Rescue” whipped gel. . . created from a blend of semi- precious gems and liquid pearls, it serves as an instant “pick me up” to skin — leaving it vivacious and sensual looking.  To think you can apply the modernized element of Marilyn Monroe’s once daily beauty regimen is as incredible as having a piece of history on your vanity.  This extraordinary collection celebrates not only the past achievements of Dr. Erno Laszlo, but the future success of the brand. The Hollywood Collection presents a phenomenal opportunity to acquire the timeless beauty of your favorite big screen icons.

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I started out 2011 convinced that I was going to slowly transition out of my relaxed hair into a more natural state. Boy, was I wrong. During the course of the year I cycled through conditioners as I tried to find the one conditioner that would work for the roughly four different hair textures occupying my head. Let me break down the textures:

Texture 1 – Chemically relaxed with Organics Root Stimulator Relaxer
Texture 2 – Chemically relaxed with PhytoSpecific PhytoRelaxer Index 1
Texture 3 – Chemically relaxed with PhytoSpecific PhytoRelaxer Index 2
Texture 4 – My natural hair, which is kinky and dry (mostly 4c and 4b in the back)

Loreal Mega Strength Fortifying Deep Treatment – I’ve never been disappointed with a Loreal product and this is no exception. I do have a love hate relationship with this particular conditioner. When my hair was mostly natural, it did an amazing job of detangling, when it was mostly relaxed the tangles went on for days. I’d recommend for thick naturally wavy or curly hair. Loreal Mega Strength Fortifying Deep Treatment is available at Sally Beauty and retails for under $11.

Proclaim Argan Oil Intense Hydrating Masque – I’m mad at this one because the labeling made it seem like Argan oil is a major ingredient in the formulation. Dimethicone is listed before argan oil, that suggests to me that the argan oil is less than 2% of this formulation. I’m guessing this because Dimethicone is generally 2% or less in conditioners. The Proclaim Intense Hydrating Masque did a great job of moisturized my hair but only a fair job of detangling. I’d recommend for a once or twice monthly use on relaxed or natural hair. Proclaim Intense Hydrating Masques is also available at Sally Beauty, it retails for about $7.50.

Ion Moisture Solutions Intense Moisture for Dry and Chemically Treated Hair – At first, this product confused me. It didn’t do a lot to detangle my hair, but once I managed to detangle it, dried and styled it, my hair had a really great shine and was very light and full of movement. I think this would be great for someone with lighter hair that doesn’t want the hair weighed down too much. Ion Moisture Solutions Intense Moisture for Dry and Chemically Treated Hair retails for under $9 and is available at Sally Beauty

Pantene Relaxed and Natural – This conditioner is simple and straight to the point. No matter the state of my hair I can always go to Pantene for a quick three minute condition and detangle. Though I like this conditioner, I have to break up the routine and do a deep conditioner about once or twice per month. Pantene products are available at your drugstore, Walmart, Target and many other locations. Pantene Relaxed and Natural Conditioner retails for under $5.

Surya Brasil Intensive Restorative Mask – This conditioner is formulated to work on color treated hair, which means it is loaded with amazing conditioning ingredients like Babusu Butter, Cupuaçu butter and so many more! I used this product after I had already given up the natural hair quest and was dealing with textures 1 to 3. It did a great job of conditioning my hair but I had to use another product to detangle. This product is formulated for color treated hair but I think it would also works for tightly coiled, kinky, curly, natural hair. Surya Brasil Intensive
Restorative Mask retails for $9 and is available online

Sidenote: From my own observation, products formulated for color treated hair will always provide more conditioners and smoothing agents than other conditioners. If you have hair that is chemically straightened (or curled, gasp!) and it also has been permanently colored, the hair is weaker and more prone to breakage and dullness, therefore it needs more help to look its best.

Joico K-Pak Conditioner – Formulated with Keratin Silicone Complex, the Joico K-Pak has become one of my go to conditioners. When I first tried it, it reminded me a little of Pantene but it after repeated use, I realize it packs just a bit more conditioning punch than Pantene, especially on my natural hair. This is a good weekly conditioner. For those folks that work out, Joico K-Pak Conditioner is also good for the mid week no poo conditioning rinse. Joico K-Pak Conditioner retails for about $14.

Curls Coconut Sublime Conditioner – I had to save the best for last. This conditioner is amazing! It is formulated for the driest, kinkiest and most unruly tresses, which I clearly have. This conditioner does a fantastic job of not only conditioning and detangling the chemically process portions of my hair but also my natural hair. Made with certified organic ingredients, Curls Coconut Sublime Conditioner retails for $16 and is a must try if you have natural kinky, curly hair and/or if you are transitioning to natural hair.

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I know the average person doesn’t have to contend with four different textures of hair on their head, but with this roundup I’m hoping to give you some options.

I honestly remember the first time I used a dove beauty bar.  I was in the homeland (Jamaica) and a my dad had come home with a large amount goodies.  My dad does nothing in a small way, so, we literally had Dove Beauty Bars for about a year. When I first used Dove Beauty Bars, I didn’t like it because it didn’t give me that tight feeling on my skin that I had come to associate with being clean (don’t judge me, I was only 11, maybe 12.) However, I noticed that I didn’t have to use as much lotion afterwards and soon realized that the dry, tight feeling my skin got after a shower was not the best way to clean. I think my mom also realized the same thing because she soon started using the beauty bar exclusively on her face.

Fast-forward  20 years and Dove Beauty Bars and more recently, moisturizing body washes, are among my favorite body cleansing products. Dove products leave my skin feeling clean and soft and I now know that retaining moisture in my skin is the first step to making it beautiful.

“Dove is committed to helping women realize their personal beauty potential by engaging them with products that deliver superior care. Dove Body Wash and Beauty Bar give women beautifully soft and smooth skin that they will want to show off.” In celebration, Dove recently launched the “Show Us Your Skin” campaign. The campaign features real women. Any woman with the confidence to show off their skin and take and upload a picture to Dove.com/ShowUsYourSkin or Facebook.com/Dove will appear in a Dove ad – including online ads and a dynamic billboard in the world-renowned Times Square.

Here are the Official Photo Guidelines 

Photos will be accepted at Dove.com/ShowUsYourSkin or Dove.com/Facebook from 12:01 p.m. on April 11, 2012 to 11:59 p.m. on August 1, 2012. Women are encouraged to wear a towel, tank top, pair of shorts, or a dress in their photo – anything that tastefully shows off their skin. Photos must meet the requirements outlined in the program rules, and women must be 18 or older to participate. Please note, photos taken at the Real Beauty Photo Studio will be approved on-site and uploaded in real-time while photos submitted outside of the event will be viewable within 3-5 days of submission due to the moderation process. Visit Dove.com/ShowUsYourSkin for more information and to view the complete terms and conditions. No purchase necessary.

I’m celebrating my beautiful skin!

Here is my  photo in the Dove “Show Us Your Skin” Campaign

Here is how I appeared in Time Square.

Don’t want to show the world your skin? You can still participate! Celebrate your #BeautifulSkin!  Join the Dove “Show Us Your Skin” Campaign!

Here’s how:

1. View the digital mosaic of all photo entries at Dove.com/ShowUsYourSkin

2. Searching for photos of friends and family at Dove.com/ShowUsYourSkin

3. Tweet @Dove telling the brand when your skin feels its most beautiful. Use hashtag #BeautifulSkin

@christinecarr shares the deets on Alexandre Herchcovitch for HP notebook. . .

A notebook, is a notebook, is a notebook, right? Hmmm…not so much. Outside of the technical specs like processor speed, battery life, screen resolution and all the other little programs on a PC (that I am pretty sure only about 20% of PC owners use) what will set a PC apart? I dare say the design will. When you mix technology with design there is almost always awesomeness. Pair Alexandre Herchcovitch with HP and you get the ultra stylish Pavilion dm1.

Herchcovitch’s design for HP is inspired by a gold lace dress (shown to the left) from his fall/winter 2012 collection. The black casing of the computer is embossed with gold lacing details. Each laptop comes with a similarly embossed wireless mouse and a gold sleeve that is sure to stir envy amongst your stylish friends.

Product Description

Weighing only 3.5 pounds with up to 9.5 hours of battery life, the ultra-portable special edition Pavilion dm1 is perfect for browsing the internet or accessing files, photos and video while on the go. The stylish PC features an 11.6” LED display, AMD processor, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections, USP, HDMI, RJ4 and VGA ports and Windows 7 Home Premium for a fashionable yet functional experience. Loaded with Beats Audio™ for quality sound, HP TrueVision HD Webcam for quality images in even the lowest lighting and HP CoolSense technology that automatically adjusts temperatures for a noticeably cooler PC, the Pavilion dm1 by Alexandre Herchcovitch is the latest “must have” fashion accessory.

For photo and video editing, the special edition PC comes equipped with Arcsoft Perfect 365 instant makeover, Adobe Photoshop Elements 10 and Adobe Premiere Elements 10. The notebook installed with the online game It Girl by Crowd Star allows users to become virtual, professional fashion designers, creating their own looks and attending mainstream fashion events. The stylish PC also includes HP ProtectSmart and one year of Norton Internet Security for the ultimate protection to data and files

The HP Pavilion DM1 by Alexandre Herchcovitch will be available in the United States, exclusively at QVC . You don’t have to pay a hefty price tag to own this beautiful design…the starting price is $629.95 (and you know QVC will offer some kind of payment plan). The special edition Pavilion dm1 will also be available in Brazil, Mexico and Argentina.

If you are looking for a fashionable, ultra portable, fully loaded PC or if your computer is on its last leg (back-up all your info) and head over to QVC to check out the HP Pavilion DM1 by Alexandre Herchcovitch.

My newest love affair is the runway inspired Elle Cosmetics collection. The line offers product for eyes, lips, face and nails, not to mention a phenomenal set of brush applicators.  Each aspect of the line features an incredible array of colors and textures to choose from (including 24 shadows and 28 nail lacquers to name a few) making it ideal for us girls who like to switch it up.  The lasting coverage is true of all the products and I was delighted to learn that the shadows were not only dermatologist tested, but also live up to the promise of no creasing! The polishes are formaldehyde free and cover pretty evenly.  In wearing the pale, sea foam green polish I noticed I could probably get away with only one coat, and saw no chipping for almost a week. 

Without a doubt the oil free bronzer is a must have. The faint shimmer leaves a truly natural glow and doesn’t feel heavy on my skin.  Available exclusively at Kohl’s, Elle Cosmetics achieves runway appeal on a totally affordable budget.

Retail $10 – $16