This year's Profashional Makeup Review is designed for lean purses.
With the advent of the economy, I haven't reviewed as many high-end products for one purpose as in the past but I will re-affirm some of my previous selections and offer some alternatives at a lower price point.
This year I will highlight what I think is essential first.
Teeth:
No matter what, buy a Sonic Toothbrush. The vibrating toothbrushes aren't quite the same. The Sonic technology vibrates/removes the majority of plaque from the surface as well as the gum line and between the teeth. The initial investment is about 100 dollars but it lasts for years. While replacement heads are necessary and more pricey than a traditional toothbrush, it is a lot cheaper than cavities, scaling beneath the gums and other expensive dental procedures that could all be avoided with the correct toothbrush. Don't be fooled by imitations!
Vitamins:
I have grown fond of the Emergen-C packets over the years because I like the flavors and they do offer a good morning boost of B and C; however they don't offer much in the way of minerals and anti-oxidants. An affordable option that I think works better for me than some of the more well known brands is Just Once Women's One Multivitamin and Mineral. One thing that I like about this product is that it never seems to upset my stomach or give me a headache. I bought this at a local chain pharmacy.
Just to name a few supplements that I always keep on hand and take almost every day: Iron, Dandelion Root, Milk Thistle, CoQ10, Viactiv Calcium chews, Omegas, SAM-e & Probiotics.
A few months ago, I took about 3-4 weeks to change my diet completely. The effects were profound. No matter how many supplements I take now with my current eating habits, there is nothing better than the pure diet which consisted only of whole foods and was wheat, gluten, alcohol, caffeine, sugar, dairy, meat, and all processed things free. I can't tell you that I was always satisfied with brown rice, oatmeal and miso soup but I learned to add fresh pico and avocado to my rice and make it extremely tasty. What I learned is that I was obsessed with food and the accessibility to it. It took a few weeks to create a delectable table with only fresh ingredients. But even so, I could chomp all day and never get above 1200 calories.
If you want the information that I was given from a Doctor as it was the same diet he offered to my friend with Chrons disease I will be happy to share that with you if asked.
Body:
Shea Butter...I still swear by it after all these years. I use straight shea butter from the tin and it keeps my skin extremely soft but I have always had skin reactions and as long as I use that I don't get dry skin in the winter or allergic skin on bare legs in the summer. Plus, I think it has some sort of natural sunscreen although that is not documented.
Jergens Natural Glow with Firming is the other daily body moisturizer that I use. I like it a lot for keeping a believable color. One thing to be mindful of in any body creme is that one of the main ingredients is alcohol. The same is true for Jergens but it seems to work for me because of all of the other essential extracts and I think their claim to visible firming is fair. I have used a lot of other lotions and they don't seem to work as well as Jergens if I run out of Shea Butter.
Shaving:
Well, it all goes back to Shea Butter...If you can find a cream that has this in the mix with less of the alcohol and menthol products, women are likely to get a closer shave. Follow that with Shea Butter and your skin will be so soft, you can skip a day. 'Nuff Said.
Skincare:
I recently found a few product lines that I like but I don't really have a favorite. If you are used to spending about 500-1000/year on skincare products, invest it in treatments and buy the less expensive products in the drugstore. If you don't have an aesthetician, go for Kate Somerville. It is a product line you can buy in Neiman's, Bliss Spa or at her website. Her products are less than Department Store Brands and most are just above the price of the High End Drug Store Brands; however, I really think that you should take advantage of a facial event if you can get to one. If not...Don't fear. That is why I am here.
The 3 Kate Somerville Must Have's In My Humble Opinion: ExfoliKate, Vitamin, & Quench. But don't be afraid to buy the entire line as you won't be disappointed.
If you or someone you love has really clogged pores, pimples, and or fine lines but also needs a simple regimen and you can help them with that, I have another favorite recommendation which is SkinAuthority. They have a beginner set with the cleanser, pore/anti-bacterial treatment with a vitamin C chaser followed with a really nice Sunscreen/Moisturizer with SPF 30. The starter Kit is about 100 dollars and last about 4 months. I like this solution a lot because it works!
Foundation:
I still use Armani Silk Foundation although I have tried nearly everything including mineral foundations on the market. I never liked Bare Minerals but also tried Bare Essentials because my Mom gave gave it to me. Truth is, it looks FABULOUS on her! She is very pale and if she gets flushed her cheeks and nose get red but not with Bare Essentials. I am so happy because she enjoys wearing makeup again.
Hate it but Love it Category:
Maybelline Dream Liquid Mousse advertises very correctly. This is the closest an average consumer can get to a true airbrush finish. It works BUT you can't even wash it off of your hands after application. Imagine how deep it gets into your pores? Yes, I still use it for events, holidays and photographs! Are You KIDDING ME? I like flawless, but if I strived for that every day, I would create more flaws than even the best foundation could hide.
Hair:
There was never any need to spend a lot of money on hair products. The most simple of ingredients which are likely in your household will sooth and smooth EVERY type of hair. There are two recipes but I recommend the second:
1. Olive Oil (1- 2 TBS depending on length) & (1 Cup) Real Mayonaisse. Apply to hair, wet or dry and use the warmth of the hair dryer to bind the oils to the hair shaft. Rinse Repeatedly to remove the mayo smell.
2. Olive Oil (1-2 TBS depending on length) & One egg or two egg yolks. Avoid heat unless you want to become a meringue. Some people add a beer rinse and others like simple room temperature water. In the beauty pageant days, my friends and I collected rain water because it was supposed to make you hair more shiney. Fun.
Other fun facts about hair: Girls with long hair can brush it with corn starch and it is more shiney, healthy-looking and full of body than ever versus washing it every day. Although I don't recommend doing this in your bathroom it is an easy fix especially if you are a blonde and purchase the same pure corn starch that is on the shelf for babies because the white powder is intended to be brushed out. A person with any other color hair could do the same however some of the powder might be noticable on the scalp so there are a lot of colored products that offer similar effects with the power of a aerosol can to boost the roots..
Ooh La La.
I hope you enjoyed my post. Let me know if you have any questions. I would love to share that diet that I mentioned from a Chinese Physician if there is enough interest.
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