For Rachel: Removing Makeup

Dear Rachel,
Removing your makeup after a long day can be very relaxing. It is important to give your skin time to breath at night by removing all the makeup. By properly removing everything you will see a great improvement in your skin.

Step 1: Remove Eye Makeup. Whether you use water proof eye makeup or not removing it is a delicate process. You don't want to tung and pull at your lashes or skin. I like using an oil based eye makeup remover on a cotton pad. I use: up & up™ Makeup Remover. Most eye makeup removers are in two parts that you shake together then put on a cotton pad. You should place this on your eye and let it break down the makeup. You can do light sweeping or rubbing motions but nothing to harsh. To save supplies I usually flip the cotton pad over and do the same on the other eye. If you still have some eye makeup left feel free to repeat this step or take a q-tip in the same eye makeup remover and clean up anything left behind.

Step 2: Remove Face Makeup. There are many different ways people do this step. You can use a oil to break it down or you can use a makeup wipe. I personally use: CVS Eye Makeup Remover Pads for All Skin Types but any wipes that are moist and have a little grit work the best for me. I usually take this all over my face and neck in small circular motions. I sometimes go over my eyes very gently to get anything I may have missed. You can also use the same wipe to remove any lip products you have on.

Step 3: Carry on with your night time routine but still wash your face. Even though you skin might seem perfectly clean you should still wash your face after removing your makeup.

And that's it! The great thing is that if you had a no makeup day you can skip this whole process. You don't even have to do these steps in front of a mirror. You can relax while watching some Netflix or in the bath. I was going to do a night time skin care post first but this seemed like a good place to start off. Make taking off your makeup a relaxing process, not a chore.

Love,
Alissa :3

For Rachel: Morning Skin Care

Dear Rachel,
Even if you have nice skin there is a need for a good skin care routine. We are young but keeping our skin young is the challenge. Also, keeping your skin nice is so comfortable and nice feeling. Being able to touch your face and feels the soft, smooth skin is so satisfying.
Knowing your skin type is an important thing to figure out to know what types of products you should use. However, the basic routine is the same.

Make sure you start off with a clean face from the night before. If you still have makeup and stuff from the night before just remove it and maybe give your skin some extra love in the morning.

Step 1: Cleanse. The cleanser you use will depend on your skin type but a gentle cleanser is universally great. My favorites are: Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser, Normal to Oily Skin and CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser. These are great for all skin types. They are gentle and hydrating. Using your hands with these is good but using a tool like a Clarasonic or Olay Fresh Effects Va-Va-Vivid! Powered Contour Cleansing System can get your skin extra clean and can mean you can skip Step 2.

Step 2 (Optional): Exfoliate. You don't have to do this in the morning but sometimes it is nice if you feel like your skin is looking a little dull. Again, the one you use will depend on your skin type, if you are especially sensitive you might want to skip this or use a cleanser mixed with some exfoliates. My favorites are: St. Ives Naturally Clear Apricot Scrub Blemish and Blackhead Control and Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne Wash Foaming Scrub, Pink Grapefruit.

Step 3 (Optional): Face Mask. Sometimes our skin is kinda gross or our pores are really clogged. Using a face mask in the morning is very luxurious if you have the time but not necessary at all. I like: Origin's Clear Improvement and almost the whole Freeman line. If you see a specific problem with your skin get a face mask that claims to fix that. Don't leave it on for too long, they can really dry your skin if you leave it on way longer than the directions.

Tip: Use a white face cloth to dry your face and change it often. Some say to change it every time you wash your face but I think that is ridiculous. I change mine every few days or if I drop it on the floor (Haha!). Also steps 1-3 can be done in the shower! However, if you wash your face in the shower do it last so your shampoo and other hair products don't mess up your freshly cleaned skin.

Step 4: Tone. Toner is a great way to remove anything that got dislodged from your pores from all the other steps. You may think your skin is clean but soak a cotton pad in some toner and sweep it across your face and you will be shocked at what you can pick up. I like: Boots Expert Sensitive Gentle Refreshing Toner with some exfoliating cotton pads. Let this sink in before moving on to the next step.

Step 5 (Optional): Blemish control: If you have some troublesome acne you want to treat do this now. I use: Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment. Wait for this to sink in before moving on.

Step 6: Moisturize. This has to be the most important step. If you are in a rush just do this. This will make a world of a difference to how healthy and alive your skin looks. Makeup looks so much better on hydrated skin. A lightweight eye cream in the morning will also help with puffiness and dark circles. I am currently using: The Body Shop's Vitamin E Eye Cream and Aveeno Clear Complexion Daily Moisturizer. Take some down your neck too. Let this sink in.

Step 7: Apply your makeup.  Now your face if the perfect canvas for makeup.

All the products I mentioned have worked great for me but they might not do the same for you so feel free to experiment and try out different things. Once you find something that works great for you you'll know. As you can see a lot of the steps are optional, do them on a lazy Saturday morning or the day of a big event, so this routine won't take up too much time. Between steps you can brush your teeth or style your hair or whatever else needs to be done.

Hope this helps. I'll do a night one soon and let me know if you have any other questions.

Love,
Alissa :3

Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go Bars Review

     I have been on a health kick recently and this has helped me along with that. I've been searching for a more filling, yummy snack bar. I was so happy when Influenster sent me this Skinnygirl Daily On-The-Go Bar in Greek Yogurt Blueberry Crisp. Now, I don't like greek yogurt but this was really good and I liked it a lot. It was tasted indulgent with the yogurt drizzle and base. The blueberry bits added some soft, sweet and sour that balanced great with the crisp of the rest of the bar. I like this much better than the Special K bars that I have been eating for years. They are also gluten free which is great for people who are allergic. 

     The bar is a great size and is very filling for only 180 calories. I get really hungry after my afternoon class so instead of reaching for a bag of chips and ruining my diet, I reached for this and it made me feel great about myself.
     The only downside is that it had a bit of a strange after taste and I think the yogurt part upset my stomach just a bit. I think that if I tried a different flavor I wouldn't have this problem. They have many other flavors so don't be afraid of this flavor, try others. 
     They are kind of pricey but there is always a sale on the Skinnygirl Daily website. If you use InfluensterFEB at checkout you can get 25% off. You can also find them in store in certain areas but check the website to check if they will be in your local store. I know that they don't sell them in my local stores so be careful. I hope I can get my hands on these sometime soon because I miss mine already.

Skinnygirl Daily website: http://bit.ly/Z82f6r
Skinnygirl Daily Product Page: http://bit.ly/W2l6g1

Secret Clinical Strength Stress Response Review

     Ladies deal with every kind of stress on a daily basis. Stress causes acne, sweat, and so much more. All the things that stress causes just makes you stress out more! Thank Secret for coming out with something to help you with your stress sweat, leaving you with one less thing to stress over. When you're in a stressful situation the last thing you want is to sweat it out.
     I have used this deodorant almost everyday since I got it and I am enjoying it a lot so far. I have always used Secret deodorants but I always got the powder solids. This one is similar, but like a gel it comes out through holes and is a but more like a liquid. Instead of rubbing it on your arm pit you crank it up and kind of use the head of the package to spread it. It takes a while longer to dry than my usual deodorant but it lasts all day through the heat, stress, and exercise. There is the occasional sweating but it isn't enough to get on your clothes or anything like that.

     The smell is also very nice, it doesn't smell like a normal deodorant because it is more sweet than fresh smelling. I like it a lot because I can only smell it if I am sweating and it masking the smell of sweat nicely. They also have many other scents if citrus isn't your style.
     The only thing I have to complain about is that you use of product very quickly since you use a crank of product per arm pit every day. A normal powder solid will last much longer. If you can look past this, the product is great and will help if you have a slight sweat problem. I hope it works just as well in the spring and summer months.

Secret website: http://bit.ly/XSlF9h

Not Your Mother's® Beach Babe Review

     I craze I have seen every where is heat free hair styles. Everyone wants the look without causing damage to their hair. I for one have always been an advocate for using amazing products and skipping the curling iron.  Not Your Mother's Beach Babe spray has been heaven. I have been trying a lot of techniques to get the lovely beach waves and this has been there with me through my trials. No matter what I try the spray gives my hair what it needs to hold the style and make my hair look and feel amazing. 

     It has easy to follow instructions on the back and is so versatile that it can be used to create many looks. Even with a little research you can find many girls posting tutorials that work with a sea salt spray. I found a few on Pinterest and this helps me look just like the girls in the picture. It even works with my stick straight hair like a charm.
     It does have a slight fragrance but nothing over powering and it doesn't linger. It kind of smells like coconut, which is perfect for that beach vibe. The packaging is also very nice and the product gets equal distribution all over your hair. It also doesn't get all messy within the cap like some products, a plus. If you haven't tried a sea salt spray yet and the thought of spraying a homemade one in your hair frightens you (like it frightens me) I would try Not Your Mother's Beach Babe, its always on sale somewhere so keep an eye out. 

Not Your Mother's® website: http://bit.ly/X9D4gH
Beach Babe page: http://bit.ly/14G5TDQ