I never ever thought it would happen but I kind of with the masses right now – I’m more interested in skin care right now. I never thought it would happen and that I’d be somewhat bored with makeup. Don’t get me wrong, I still love trying out new liquid lipsticks but otherwise, I’m bored with it. Not sure how long it will last but it is a woman’s prerogative to change her mind!

So with that said, let’s talk about some skin care --

I was recently sent SKIN RESEARCH LABORATORIES Complexion Kit ($120 @ skinresearchlabs.com) to try out and wanted to share my thoughts with you on it.

This kit contains neuREFLECTION Complexion Perfecting Polish and two masks - neuINFUSION Contouring DRY Face Mask and neuINFUSION Contouring DRY Neck Mask. Mask are all the rage these days and I see so many of them when I visit ULTA and Sephora. I like that not only are they full of concentrated ingredients to help boost what ails skin but it’s also a nice me-time treat.

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I’m all about the PAULA’S CHOICE line these days! Here are two that have won my heart!

I’m very particular when it comes to my SPF and I think brands are getting better with the formulas. Not too long ago, the high ones seemed to be chalky and didn’t blend well. These days, I have not even been able to tell one from the other, they sink in so well. One I’m giving praise to is Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50 ($28.05/2oz @ paulaschoice.com, dermstore.com). Not only does it contain a high SPF that protects from UVA and UVB rays but the formula is light and milky. And there is no greasiness left behind. I apply this one each morning before applying my makeup for the day.

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Do you have a particular feature that your eye gravitates towards in photos? For me, it’s my neck. As I get older, I see it’s been losing its firmness. IT COSMETICS calls their Confidence In A Neck Cream shapewear for your neck. What a great description and exactly what that area needs.

I’m lucky that I’ve already trained myself to treat my neck and décolletage when cleansing, applying SPF, moisturizer and even when it comes to exfoliating. So products made just for that area are always on my list to hear about.

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With all the crazy to-do over the component used in physical exfoliators, and rightfully so, I’m really liking this one that uses the power of both the chemical and the physical to remove dead skin. It’s the Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash ($33/4.2oz @ fresh.com, sephora.com) from FRESH. Like makeup primer, a good face scrub is essential these days, not only to keep skin looking and feeling great but also to help makeup sit right on the skin and for skin care to be able to do their magic without having to make their way through dead skin cells.

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I love when a collection comes out that’s made just for my skin. And this is the case with BLISS’s ‘What A Melon’ skin care collection for combination complexions.

These three contain watermelon extract (to keep skin hydrated), hyaluronic acid (moisturizer known for being able to hold 1000x’s it’s weight in water!) and cucumber fruit extract (for soothing), which will all heel and sooth those with combo skin. Let’s look at the three products!

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Remember when the BEAUTY BLENDER brand was just about that teardrop shape of sponge? Well they’ve expanded the offerings over the last few years into makeup brushes, cleansers and even a highlighter.

Good prep products are needed when it’s hot out, like a primer and setting spray. Lately, I’ve been using their 'Selfie Shield' Broad Spectrum SPF 38 Dry Oil Primer ($32/1oz @ beautyblender.com). This is the second primer oil I’ve tried and I think I’m in. It’s clear, lightweight, quick-absorbing and helps protect the skin as well as get it ready for anything you put on top of it. It also contains vitamin C and E, so you’re doing some attack on lines and wrinkles at the same time.

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Is PIXI BEAUTY turning into the MAC of skincare in that they are just coming out with releases left and right? I just received their latest Vitamin C Collection and was going to write it up and just noticed they have a new retinol collection. Now I’m a huge fan of retinol and just recently went back on it after getting my brows bladed again. It’s really the only thing that has evened out my skin tone and kept acne away. This one on amazon is called the French Retinol and has received a lot of praise.

Anyway, let’s take a look at this latest collection from Pixi. First, why is vitamin C (also known in ingredient lists as L-ascorbic acid) in skin care and why should I care? It has been proven to help your skin produce collagen and it contains a lot of antioxidant properties so it will fight free radicals in the environment and damage from UV rays. It also works on reducing fine lines and scars as well as overall dullness. If you have sensitive skin or Roseacea, you may want to do a patch test of any vitamin C product or consult your derm.

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When I first started seeing CBD products and now hemp and cannabis, I thought it would just be a blip on the trend o’ meter but it’s really lasted longer than a blip. With more and more states legalizing it, it’s becoming more than a trend. And with products coming out with it inside and major beauty retailers like Sephora, Neiman Marcus, Barneys and ULTA getting on board, I’m interested. I mean, I don’t think the ingredient is a stranger in beauty but it’s literally exploded in the last year.

And it’s not just in a few things, it’s in edibles like gummies, tinctures (oil you take sublingually), makeup and of course skin care, the latter of which I’m most interested in.

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You gotta love the rise of the cleansing balm in the world of beauty. I’m pretty sure it started with this one back in 2014 (I first saw them at a trade show) and now, so many lines have them, and I’m delighted by that fact! The latest I’ve tried is the ELEMIS Pro-Collagen Rose Cleansing Balm ($64/3.7oz @ elemis.com). It contains extracts of English Rose Oleo, the key ingredient. Their oleo is made of 17 different varieties of English roses. Why so many types and why rose? Rose is a big ingredient in skincare not only because of its antibacterial and astringent properties but also for the way it calms skin and help with redness and acne.

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What kind of facial exfoliator do you use? Do you have a preference of physical over chemical ones or vice versa? I’ve been mainly using chemical ones in the past few years because of the whole micro plastics catastrophe. It absolutely breaks my heart and it’s pretty hard to know if what you are using or buying is safe for our environment or not. Here is a list you can compare to the scrubs you have to see if you should be using it or not.  

One that’s aware of the issue is PAULA’S CHOICE and their The UnScrub ($29/4oz, $9/travel size @ paulaschoice.com, nordstrom.com).

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