Category Archives: care

acne, beauty, best, care, etsy, handmade, oil, oily, scrub, skin, skincare, tea tree, treatment

Marissa’s Pick of the Week! – Tea Tree & Honey Scrub

1 Comment

My New favorite facial scrub is Ayelet’s Tea Tree and Honey Gentle Clarifying Exfoliating Facial Scrub ($10). It’s an all natural, handmade (!) scrub formulated for people with problematic skin. Using this scrub is such a pampering experience. I felt my skin being stimulated, cleansed, and soothed.

Having normal to oily skin, I don’t ever show shine, but I do always have at least one breakout. This scrub is perfect for me because the tea tree oil naturally kills any bacteria, while honey heals and adds essential moisture to my skin. To top it off I was left with a great cooling sensation and the antioxidant protection of grape seed oil.
At first the oily consistency of this scrub scared me, but I knew the ingredients would help me, not clog my pores and make it worse. The Multani Mitti clay absorbs excess oils (and stimulates blood circulation) while pure cane sugar scrubs all the dirt and oil out of my pores . If your skin is sensitive to scrubs, the aloe vera will calm any redness and irritation.
This scrub is so gentle I could use it everyday. However, I would recommend starting at 3 times a week, adding a day every other week.
This product is paraben and formaldehyde free.
beauty, best, care, color, dry, gloss, hair, n', oily, pomps, product, shampoo

Marissa’s Pick of the Week- Dry Shampoo?

1 Comment


I am in love with Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo by Rockaholic! Created by TIGI (Bed Head, Catwalk), this product is perfect for people who don’t shampoo everyday. Sometimes I’ll go 2 to 3 days without washing my hair for 2 reasons: hair color preservation and I like my texture better when it’s dirty. The cons to not washing is the yucky greasy look closer to my scalp. Not only does Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo mattify by absorbing excess oil, it also adds volume. I just spray, tousle with my fingers, then walk out the door. You can find Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo at a salon for about $18.95.

artist, beauty, care, carolina, cosmetics, event, eyelashes, lancome, lash, lengthening, makeup, mascara, north, prom, raleigh, review, wedding, weddings

Marissa’s Pick of the Week – Ocillation Powerbooster


I’m not a “mascara everyday” kind of girl, but when I do wear it, I go all the way. If I’m going to be suffocating my precious lashes, I want to make sure they have the best protection and nourishment. Oscillation Powerbooster (Lancome, $39) protects and enhances your lashes using the best ingredients and technology at a reasonable price. This first vibrating mascara primer separates and coats like no other primer on the market. With just one coat, your lashes are visibly longer and thicker. Another coat boosts the effects of your mascara dramatically. Other comparable products on the market average at $100 per tube, but they can’t boost the effects of your mascara like Ocillation Powerbooster.

Benefits:
vibrating wand – 7,000 oscillations per minute give better separation, wiggles out clumps, and coats lashes 360 degrees so you don’t have to apply a layer on top of your lashes.
Cresentia Complex – Lancome’s exclusive cocktail with ingredients like jojoba oil and Vitamin B5 strengthen and condition lashes. Fragile or damaged lashes are nurtured and protected, and less hair falls out during mascara removal.
How to use:
Holding the button down, start at the base of your lash line and slowly comb upward. Don’t wiggle the wand from side to side (as most women do out of habit) or you won’t achieve the best results. Apply 1-3 coats, then immediately follow with your favorite mascara.
You can also follow this video tutorial on how to apply the Ocillation mascara: http://www.lancome-usa.com/beautyschool/videos/oscillation.aspx
brighten, care, exfoliate, exfoliator, face, facial, organic, origins, rice, scrub, skin, skincare

Marissa’s Pick of the Week! – Modern Friction

1 Comment

Exfoliation and Rice – Origins put 2 of my favorite things together a little piece of Heaven called Modern Friction ($37.50). This natural, oil-free facial scrub is gentle and effective showing a visible difference after the first use. Using Modern Friction 3-4 times a week brightens skin, and evens out texture and discoloration. It also helps to reduce the size of pores and the signs of aging.


Why I love Modern Friction:
The vegan formula is made without parabens, phthalates, propylene, glycol, mineral oil, PABA, petroleum, paraffin, DEA, and fragrance.
The cushy, plush consistency is made with all natural ingredients that each have a little job of its own. The rice starch gently sweeps away dead skin cells, brightens dullness and evens out skin tone. Lemon oil illuminates lack luster skin and has antiseptic benefits. This is great for oily and acne prone skin types. Comforting aloe soothes and calms inflamed skin, preventing post scrub redness. Bergamot was added to stimulate your senses, but it also has the ability to fade scars and marks. Peppermint, a natural stress reliever, brightens dull skin, helps balance oiliness, stimulates blood circulation, and keeps you bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. The icing on the cake…recycled packaging!
acid, aloe, alternatives, avoid, care, instead, pregnancy, pregnant, retinol, salicylic, skin

Skincare Safety for the Pregnant Ones

1 Comment

Swollen ankles, blistering back pain, restless nights, and bad skin. If it weren’t for the over ecstatic joy in my heart, I would’ve have never gone out in public. The best attribute to my physiology was that glow. No, it’s not a myth. Pregnant women actually glow. Okay…HAPPY pregnant women glow. Glowing made it easier to look in the mirror despite the acne and bruised bags under my eyes. I wish I knew about skincare what I know now. I knew what I needed to avoid (salicylic acid, retinol, most herbs), but I didn’t know what I could use instead.

The following information is simply suggestive and based on personal experience. While these ingredients are usually topically safe, I am not a doctor so please consult yours for more specific details and recommendations.

What to stay away from and why:

Salicylic Acid –
 What it does: In skin care products, this ingredient is added because it is strong enough to penetrate the skin’s natural oils and clean out pores, exfoliate dead skin cells more proficiently than an abrasive, and reduce redness and inflammation.
 Why to stay away from it: Being a form of aspirin, high doses can cause birth defects and complications. Most doctors will give the okay to use as a topical treatment as in face toners and cleansers. However, most first time mommies to be will take the extra precaution to avoid this ingredient.
 What to look for on the label: Sometimes salicylic acid will be identified as beta hydroxy acid (BHA) on the list of ingredients
 Substitutes: Tea tree oil, witch hazel, patchouli (Pogostemon cablin), and benzoyl peroxide are great for oily and acne prone skin. Use a manual exfoliant (facial scrubs, buffing bars) 3-5 times a week to keep skin uncongested.

Retinol-
 What it does: A common ingredient in anti-aging skincare products, retinoids speed up cell renewal and prevent the destruction of collagen. In other words, super rapid exfoliation guarantees that your newest brightest skin is always at the surface, and protected collagen slows down the inevitable forming of wrinkles.
 Why to stay away from it: In large doses, this form of vitamin A can cause birth defects and complications. Some doctors will give the okay to use retinol in over the counter products that contain retinol.
 What to look for on the label: retinal, retinoid, retinyl, retin-A, Retinoic acid, retinyl ester, adapelene, tretinoin, Tazarotene, Retinyl palmitate, and Retinyl linoleate
 Substitutes: Stay out of the sun as much as possible. Use an spf of at least 15 to keep your skin protected from sun damage. Use a manual exfoliant 3-5 times a week. Great anti aging ingredients include; beta carotene, vitamin a, zinc, vitamin e, neroli oil, green tea, rose hip, and patchouli (Pogostemon cablin).

Aloe Vera-
 What it does: Medicinal Aloe is used to soothe cuts and burns. Aloe Vera extracts have antibacterial and anti fungal qualities to help speed up the healing process. In skin care, aloe vera is used to moisturize as well as kill acne causing bacteria.
 Why to stay away from it: This strong purgative can cause serious birth defects including (although not proven) abortion. Topicals are fairly safe in moderation, but DEFINITELY ABSTAIN FROM ALOE VERA JUICE.
 What to look for on the label: aloe barbadensis, curacao aloe and lily of the desert
 Substitutes: rubbing alcohol, witch hazel, peroxide, tea tree oil, honey, grapefruit seed extract pineapple and eucalyptus

Soy-
 What it does: With vitamin E as a natural component, soy protects skin from free radicals, boosts collagen production and is an anti inflammatory. Skin appears brighter, more even toned and more radiant.
 Why to stay away from it: Soy will not cause birth defects or complications, but it does make cases of melasma worse. Melasma, also known as the “Mask of pregnancy,” is identified by dark discoloration of the skin. It usually goes untreated until post delivery due to the use of retinoids.
 What to look for on the label: Lethicin, Phosphatidylcholine, soya, soya bean, glycine

Substitutes: If you have melasma, just avoid soy all together. Other that that, it’s ok to use. Rice and milk are other great ingredients that help with radience and exfoliation.