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 SKIN NEEDLING ROLLER Looking like an unsophisticated prehistoric torture device, skin needling roller rapidly gains popularity. Why? Because supposedly, by penetrating the topmost layer of your skin with micro punctures, skin needling activates the natural wound healing process that boosts the production of collagen and elastin. The alleged result – rejuvenated, poreless, younger looking, happier you. Unfortunately there’s no consistent data available on this topic – some swear that the claim is legit, others insist it’s too good to be true.
 SKIN NEEDLING First off, skin needling is considered to be a medical procedure, not cosmetic, even though you can easily purchase the spiky roller for at-home sessions. The roller typically has about 200 steel micro needles attached to it. It’s applied directly to the skin with the objective to pierce the top layers and draw blood and lymph. It’s advised to apply a topical retinol or peptide serum right on top of micro wounds to help it penetrate deeper into the skin for better results. Skin needling can be done on any area of the body, including the face, to improve the appearance of wrinkles, scars and stretch marks. But you need to proceed with causion, because if done incorrectly, skin needling can cause a very unpleasant complications like bacterial skin infections, inflammation, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and premature aging. This sure doesn’t sound like a lot of fun.
What’s interesting is that the FDA has neither approved nor established any standards for micro needling yet. Furthermore, all medical micro rollers are required to be registered with the FDA. This means that all the needling rollers that are available online have to be verified for certification. And the “best” part is that you, as a consumer, have to do all the work, because nobody is required to do the inspection to guarantee the quality of the product.
What you need to know if you are considering to try skin needling:
→ Only natural, acceptable for internal consumption products (lotions, moisturizers, serums) are safe to use during the procedure.
→ Skin rollers need to be professionally sterilized, which may not be the case with those available online.
→ Stainless steel is considered the best and safest material for the needles, not titanium.
→ FDA hasn’t approved any skin needling rollers as of today.
→ The results of skin needling may not benefit everybody equally.
→ Skin needling is safer when it’s done under medical supervision; also sometimes pre- and post-treatments may be necessary to ensure better outcome.
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It’s hot and humid here in the South, and makeup meltdowns happen fast and often. We fight steamy weather every which way we can. The easiest move to solve melting makeup problem is to either wear less of it or none at all. But if you are like me, and would prefer to put at least some color on your face, there are little changes that you can make in your summer beauty routine that will help you look presentable in any heat. I’m not a big fan of anything waterproof, so I have to be thoughtful about what to put on my face to avoid streaks and smudges. Here’s what I do to help my makeup stay put all day:
1. I apply primer on my t-zone only ( my go-to one is La Base Pro by Lancome), then slather a little tinted moisturizer on top of it and blend with my fingers.
2. Next step – using concealer on dark circles and other imperfections. Finish with a light dusting of face powder.
3. Then I dip an eye shadow brush in the face powder and apply it all over my lids. Powder works better than primer for me, it prevents sliding and prolongs staying power of any eye shadow or liner.
4. To make an eyeliner last, I usually layer 2 textures on top of each other: draw a line with a pencil first, followed by another layer, applied with a wet eyeliner brush dipped in the same color eye shadow. Works every time.
5. I usually don’t like to change my mascara formula for summer, and the one I’m committed to lately is Diorshow Extase. It volumizes and fans out lashes, and doesn’t flake or smudge on me in any weather.
6. To make eye shadow last, layering matching cream and powder formulas (cream first, powder on top of it) is the best solution.
7. It doesn’t bother me much if my blush disappears from my cheeks at any point; I simply let it go if it happens. But you can also layer powder blush on top of a cream one in the same shade when you need it to stay on for the whole day.
8. As for the lips, it’s easy – lip stain is the perfect substitute for lipstick in the summer. Or you can go for an even better and more hydrating option – gloss and stain in one. My personal favorite is YSL Vernis a Levres Glossy Stain. Although some of it wears off during meals, it always leaves a nice stain on your lips that you can simply top off with a lip balm instead of reapplying.
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 DIOR It looks like you were snacking on something, but forgot to reapply your pretty lip color afterward. Enter the dramatic faded lips trend: the soft stain, concentrated mostly in the center, with blurred edges. The idea comes from (where else?) fall 2013 runways, where models strutted around with bright, leftover lipstick looks.
 RACHEL ZOE If you like what you see, you can totally try this at home, beware though that the concentration of darker color in the middle of your lips makes them seem smaller. Start with applying a bright colored lipstick straight from the tube, then blend it all over lips with your finger. Don’t forget to forget about precision. Blot the lips with a tissue, and repeat. To fade the edges even more, dip a thin brush or a Q-tip in face powder and go around the edges to make them disappear.
For a more dramatic, a la Rachel Zoe, effect, layer a richer, darker shade of lipstick in the center of both lips on top of the existing pigment. And leave it there, don’t spread it around. When your lips take center stage drawing all the attention, it’s critical to keep the rest of the makeup muted. Add a coat of black mascara and a touch of blush or bonzer to balance out those loud lips.
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 SNAIL FACIAL It’s amazing how far beauty industry is willing to go with inventing anti-aging treatments to get us all interested. Every year millions of dollars are spent on fish pedicures, snakes massages and face-slapping for beauty sake, to name a few, and now there’s a new thing in town – snail slime facial to fight aging. Rumor has it that snail slime’s anti-aging properties were discovered by Chilean farmers who noticed that their hands were getting smoother after picking up snails from crops. There’s a speculation that snail mucin extract restores, hydrates damaged skin and fights inflammations with a blend of glycolic acids, proteins and elastin. But there are no scientific studies available today to prove this claim.
Snail treatment is available in some spas as a facial, meaning that you get snails crawling over your face depositing their slime. Snail slime, aside from its yuckiness, is claimed to reduce wrinkles, regenerate skin and diminish scars. Don’t know how you feel about it, but this treatment makes me think of dangerous infections and parasites snails often carry that will end up on your face together with their mucus.
If you are not mentally prepared for snail facial, but still believe in the anti-aging benefits of snail slime, there is a cream version for you with snail extract, a.k.a. mixture of their slime and guts. You can try one of these: Dr. Jart+ Premium Time Returning Serum ($54), Labcconte Premium Nourishing Snail Cream for Ladies ($64.99).
NARS Pierre Hardy Blush Palette ($41)
Inspired by his 2013 shoe collection, Pierre Hardy’s blush looks like an ultramodern work of art. It has a fine, silky texture that creates a natural, healthy flush on your cheeks. The powder is very light, soft and blendable – a real breeze to apply. Once the gold overlay wears off, you are left with a very bright matte shade. It’s highly pigmented, you need only a tiny bit to give your cheeks enough color, which makes it a good value for the money spent.
Pierre Hardy Blush Palette comes in 2 colors: Boys Don’t Cry (coral or salmon) for lighter skin tones, and Rotonde (tiger lily) for darker complexions. My personal preference is Boys Don’t Cry, a pretty coral with pink undertones, great summer color for my medium skin. It goes with most of my lipsticks and glosses, eliminating the need for matching lip product.
Pierre Hardy Palette costs more than the usual NARS blush ($29), but the palette is almost 3 times bigger in size: 0.45 oz versus 0.16 oz of regular blush. My guess is that it will easily last for several summers in a row.
→ Products sent for review ←
 DR. DENESE SKINCARE I was really excited when Dr. Denese’s office contacted me with an offer to review her skincare line. I’ve seen their products on PBS and QVC, but never had a chance to try them. Dr. Adrienne Denese, M.D., Ph.D. is a medical doctor and a scientist who became one of the first doctors in the US to specialize in anti-aging medicine. She developed a scientifically proven system that helps your skin look its best. I certainly want my skin look its best, so I jumped into the opportunity to try some of her potions and report results to all of you. I was sent 5 products that I enjoyed testing, as well as her book Dr. Denese’s Secrets for Ageless Skin. I used all products together as a daily routine, and my skin absolutely loved it.
Dr. Denese SPF 30 Defense Day Cream ($34 for 1.5 oz)
The SPF 30 Defense Day Cream is a UVA/UVB broad spectrum tinted sunblock that has a “self-adjusting melanin technology (Pro Melanin Technology™) for instant, sheer coverage that’s flawless, hydrated, and even.” Active Ingredients include Zinc Oxide (7.5%) and Octinoxate (7.5%).
The Day Cream is a great multitasker, it combines 3 products in one: sunscreen, tinted moisturizer and primer. It gives you a light coverage that evens out skin tone, fights shine, hides pores and prepares skin for makeup, thus eliminating the need for any additional product. It comes out of the tube with an orangy tint, but quickly adjusts to your skin color, melting into skin upon application. I figured that the best way to blend it is with my fingers, starting in the middle of the face and going outward and down to the neck. I usually give it a couple of minutes to settle before applying makeup. It feels weightless, stays put all day in the heat and hydrates skin at the same time. I’m completely impressed by this product and also very much in love with it.
Dr. Denese Advanced Firming Facial Pads – 60 ct ($35)
Advanced Firming Facial Pads deliver exfoliation, smoothness, radiance and clarity of skin tone. The pads are infused with “peptides, high percentage glycolic acid and alpha lipoic acid to address lines and wrinkles, uneven skin tone, large pores, and lack of radiance”. “Innovative and proprietary Actizone Firming Factor™ works to deliver the skin that you want under the skin you have.” Consider them your at home professional glycolic peel.
I started applying facial pads every other day in the evening after cleansing, then gradually switched to everyday use. All you do is simply wipe your face with the pad, avoiding eyes and neck. They give a slight tingling sensation upon application, but it goes away quickly. Each pad has the right amount of product to cover the whole face several times, and I usually save a little to apply on the backs of my hands. I wait for it to dry up and then pat on serum and moisturizer, as it was recommended. The daily use of pads truly transforms skin by eliminating dullness and unevenness without drying it out.
Dr. Denese HydroShield Ultra Moisturizing Face Serum ($65 for 1 fl. oz)
HydroShield Ultra Moisturizing Face Serum is a ”supercharged hydrating serum that locks in moisture to drastically reduce the look of dry lines and wrinkles. It intensely moisturizes skin for a soft, supple, luminous, more youthful look”. Suitable for all skin types, the serum locks moisture in and visibly improves the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles with a combination of ingredients like ceramides, soy, vitamin E, retinol, linoleic acids, EFA (essential fatty acids), and glycolipids. The serum is meant to fight the consequences of cold weather, extreme dry heat and air conditioning.
I was using HydroShield Serum twice a day: in the morning, after cleansing and at night, after Advanced Firming pads. After 5-7 minutes of waiting time it turns matte on your face, which means that your skin is ready for moisturizer. The serum is a light, clear fluid that spreads evenly and absorbs quickly. One pump is usually enough to cover both face and neck. It gives my combination skin enough hydration to allow me sometimes skip moisturizer completely. The serum softens the lines and adds subtlety to skin, improving its elasticity. And dryness… What dryness?
Dr. Denese HydroShield Hydrating Dream Cream ($39.50 for 1.7 oz)
HydroShield Hydrating Dream Cream was developed with an ” Intelligent Hydration Technology that is able to find your dry patches on its own and knows how much hydration to deliver to each area of your face”. This means that my dry-to-normal skin gets more hydration delivered to dry areas and less to normal. I’m not exactly sure how it’s done, but I can attest that it works. Dream Cream also increases skin’s moisture retention, giving it smooth, firm and youthful appearance.
Dream Cream brings the best results with twice a day application - in the morning and at night, following the Face Serum. And it is truly dreamy. It has a soft, creamy texture that sinks into skin quickly, making it feel smooth and supple. It feels light and comfortable on skin, and works great under makeup. It adjusts well to both chilly and hot weather, you just need to use a bit less when the temperatures climb up. Dream Cream fills in fine lines, making them less noticeable, and gives you fresh, dewy complexion. At first I was uncertain that it would be able to take care of all my dry areas due to its light formulation, but it delivered superb results regardless.
Dr. Denese HydroShield Eye Emulsion ($49)
HydroShield Eye Emulsion was designed to plump up crow’s feet and lines with Dr. Denese’s unique proprietary AcquaCell technology with Ceramides and Sodium PCA . “It helps to hold water in the skin, to induce skin hydration, to reduce Transepidermal Water Loss and to deliver Ceramides and Sodium PCA to your skin. Sodium PCA is a critical moisturizing element present in young skin, that we lose as we age”.
HydroShield Eye Emulsion firms the delicate eye area and makes lines look less prominent. It has a texture of a thick gel, which helps it to sink into skin fast. Eye Emulsion nourishes and refreshes eye area with a blend of plant extracts, vitamins and humectants. Eye Emulsion helps me look awake and rested even when I’m not, which is very significant for me during the torturous allergy season. It is working long-term to brighten and hydrate the eye area without irritating it. It can be applied either after HydroShield Ultra Moisturizing Serum or on its own; you’ll see improvement either way.
Dr. Denese’s Secrets for Ageless Skin book ($14)
I also received Dr. Denese’s Secrets for Ageless Skin book in the mail and yes, I read the whole thing. It’s an easy yet informative read where Dr. Denese manages to talk about healthy anti-aging diet, skincare essentials, skin problems and how to deal with them, and the latest in-office procedures and breakthroughs in a breezy, non-boring manner. It covers pretty much everything you may want to consider doing to look and feel your best.
→ I got samples ←
Moroccanoil Treatment Light for Fine or Light Colored Hair ($43)
I usually try to avoid various hair treatments, especially those containing oil, because they often weigh my fine hair down and make it look greasy. So when I was offered samples of Moroccanoil Treatment Light at my hair salon, together with a 100% guarantee that I’d be back for more, I was skeptical, but decided to give it a chance anyway.
What it does: hydrates and fortifies fine hair with argan oil (for conditioning) and linseed extract (for shine); heals week and brittle hair; fights frizz and eliminates flyaways.
The treatment feels very lightweight and non-greasy. My hair never gets frizzy, but I get flyaways and sometimes dry ends, especially in colder months. Using Moroccanoil Light every other day eliminates both problems for me. I apply a small amount of product mostly on the ends, then style my hair as usual. As a result, my hair looks smooth, shiny and healthy, feels soft to the touch, smells divine, and holds style better. Straightening it with a flat-iron enhances shine even more. I definitely did not expect to like the product as much as I do.
Moroccanoil Light is not cheap, but you need just a tiny bit to make it work for you. And it is equally effective when applied on dry or wet hair. I tried both ways and didn’t see any difference. I also noticed that I get better results with this treatment when the weather is cooler and humidity is not very high. My hair tends to get greasy faster when I apply it on hot and humid days. For that reason I’m thinking of delaying the purchase of a full size bottle until mid-fall.
There’s one thing I’d like you to know about me: I don’t tan. Ever. And that includes all kinds of tanning: spray tan, self tan, sun tan and tanning beds. My skin is pretty light, but it doesn’t bother me a bit. And what genius came up with the idea that all pale skin tones look unhealthy anyway? I smell marketing trick here. So when I get an occasional comment on my pale skin, I usually encourage the person who made it to feel free to look away.
I did try self-tanners for reviews, but it turned out to be a bigger commitment than I was able to handle. Tanning is a matter of personal choice, and I choose to hate doing it. Here’s why:
1) I look older with a tan, like ‘been there, done that’ kind of older. Say all you want about ‘sun-kissed’, luminous skin and pretty glow, but I have a set of eyes and a mirror that help me stay realistic. And that reflection in the mirror kept screaming right in my face “Stop this nonsense!”
2) Tanning is a hassle. No really, how do you keep up your tan looking nice and even with taking two showers a day, once in the morning and then in the evening, after a workout? Because doing a tan upkeep after the shower and then wait for it to settle seems like a waste of time for me.
3) Almost all self-tanners stink, which means that I’m going to stink too. No thank you.
I think self-tanners are very impractical products that don’t do much for my skin, except for giving it a darker shade. That’s why I gave up on them completely. And I have no regrets about it.
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