Bliss





10 Best Ways to Exfoliate




Have you ever felt that your skin is just somehow not living up to its beautiful potential?  It's likely you're right.  The probable culprit?  Old, dead skin cells that are clinging to the surface of your skin, leaving it looking dull, tired and far from its best.  The solution?  Regular exfoliation that will gently lift these radiance robbers off skin's surface and reveal a smooth, fresh glow.  Hastily skipping this step, therefore, is not in your nor your skin's best interest. 


 Here are ten simple yet super effective ways to whisk your skin clean:

MANUAL EXFOLIATORS:  These are among the simplest exfoliators often found in scrublike formulas designed to softly lift those dead cells off the top layer of skin.  Skin is allowed to shed its layers and breathe in new life.  Be sure to look for those formulas containing round, sphere shaped beads designed to be gentle on skin's delicate surface.  Another option?  A really good exfoliating brush that rotates and pulses as it works to thoroughly and effectively cleanse the skin in just one timed minute. Ones to try: Clarisonic Mia  2 ($149), Bliss Pore Perfecting Facial Polish ($30), Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains ($42).

NATURAL ENZYMES:  If scrubbing is not for you, you may want to look to natural enzymes to get the job done.  Fruit enzymes and natural sugars do the work for you here by dissolving old skin cells at the surface.  One quick rinse later and your skin takes on a fresh new life.  Sensitive skin types do well with fruit enzyme masks as they are effective yet gentle enough, even for easily aggravated conditions like rosacea.  Ones to try:  Fresh Sugar Face Polish ($55), Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator ($45), Ole Henriksen Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask ($32), Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Gentle Exfoliating Treatment ($65)

ALPHA-HYDROXY and GLYCOLIC ACIDS:  A third option that's highly effective, would come in the form of a pad or peel soaked with the natural acids (alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy) found in fruits.  These formulas provide more of a pampering feel as they can be left on a bit longer and subsequently penetrate some of the deeper layers of skin below the visible surface.  Ones to try:  Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Corrector Pads ($36), philosophy The Microdelivery In Home Vitamin C Peptide Peel ($40), REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask ($55)


With options so simple as these readily available at your fingertips, you too can make weekly exfoliation an easy part of your skincare routine.  Give it a try....A smoother, brighter more radiant glow awaits!

Have a beautiful Monday!

XO,











Make It Happen Monday featuring...The 10 Best Ways to Exfoliate






10 Best Ways to Exfoliate




Have you ever felt that your skin is just somehow not living up to its beautiful potential?  It's likely you're right.  The probable culprit?  Old, dead skin cells that are clinging to the surface of your skin, leaving it looking dull, tired and far from its best.  The solution?  Regular exfoliation that will gently lift these radiance robbers off skin's surface and reveal a smooth, fresh glow.  Hastily skipping this step, therefore, is not in your nor your skin's best interest. 


 Here are ten simple yet super effective ways to whisk your skin clean:

MANUAL EXFOLIATORS:  These are among the simplest exfoliators often found in scrublike formulas designed to softly lift those dead cells off the top layer of skin.  Skin is allowed to shed its layers and breathe in new life.  Be sure to look for those formulas containing round, sphere shaped beads designed to be gentle on skin's delicate surface.  Another option?  A really good exfoliating brush that rotates and pulses as it works to thoroughly and effectively cleanse the skin in just one timed minute. Ones to try: Clarisonic Mia  2 ($149), Bliss Pore Perfecting Facial Polish ($30), Bobbi Brown Buffing Grains ($42).

NATURAL ENZYMES:  If scrubbing is not for you, you may want to look to natural enzymes to get the job done.  Fruit enzymes and natural sugars do the work for you here by dissolving old skin cells at the surface.  One quick rinse later and your skin takes on a fresh new life.  Sensitive skin types do well with fruit enzyme masks as they are effective yet gentle enough, even for easily aggravated conditions like rosacea.  Ones to try:  Fresh Sugar Face Polish ($55), Jurlique Fruit Enzyme Exfoliator ($45), Ole Henriksen Blue/Black Berry Enzyme Mask ($32), Kate Somerville ExfoliKate Gentle Exfoliating Treatment ($65)

ALPHA-HYDROXY and GLYCOLIC ACIDS:  A third option that's highly effective, would come in the form of a pad or peel soaked with the natural acids (alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy) found in fruits.  These formulas provide more of a pampering feel as they can be left on a bit longer and subsequently penetrate some of the deeper layers of skin below the visible surface.  Ones to try:  Peter Thomas Roth Gentle Complexion Corrector Pads ($36), philosophy The Microdelivery In Home Vitamin C Peptide Peel ($40), REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask ($55)


With options so simple as these readily available at your fingertips, you too can make weekly exfoliation an easy part of your skincare routine.  Give it a try....A smoother, brighter more radiant glow awaits!

Have a beautiful Monday!

XO,











DIY lovely Manicure





Whether you're a career girl, busy mom or fashion design student, chances are your are days full throttle, leaving little chance sometimes to make room for the little yet big things like a fresh and pretty manicure.  Well, here are some key steps that can help you put prettiness at your fingertips while saving you time and money.  Let's take a peek at the five fast fixes:

1.  Shorten & Smooth ~ Before you do anything else you must take a moment to make sure that your nails are in tip top shape literally and figuratively.  When going shorter, keep frays at bay by using a nail clipper to trim away excess length.  Smooth off any rough or misshaped edges with a fine finished nail file, moving gently in one set direction.

2. Get Sticky ~ To ensure that the pretty polish you'll be sporting stays put, you need to anchor it to the nail bed via a super strong base coat.  Doing so adds life to your mani, helping it to last through typing, texting and using your nails as tools {which we all know we should never do yet somehow we still can't completely avoid}.  

3. Choose Hues ~ Now for the fun part, choose a polish hue that is in season, complementary to your wardrobe and flattering to your skincare.  Another point to consider...deeper, richer tones tend to lengthen and elongate the appearance of the fingers and hands while brighter, punchier colors wakeup darker skin tone colors.  Use your polish color choices to enhance appearances in the same way you do so with wardrobe colors.

4. High Shine Sealer ~ After taking your nails to the point where they look amazing, be sure to keep them shiny and bright by sealing in the color with a good top coat.  Those that are touted as no-chip, long-lasting or color extending are preferred over quick drying formulas as the latter can leave a dull finish rather than a patent quality high-shine.

5. Soften & Hydrate ~ So you've shortened and smoothed, prepped and painted and gave your manicure a dazzling gleam.  Now you'll want to pamper your hands and nails to ensure that your skin is soft and perfectly hydrated.  Many hand and nail products on the market can help you do just that.  Look for those that contain ingredients whose properties exfoliate dry patches, attract and hold water in the epidermis and have anti-aging properties.  These most commonly include alpha-hydroxy acids, lactic acid and retinol.  Want to really give these powerhouses a hand?  Slather them on before bedtime each night and slip on a pair of soft cotton gloves to ensure your skin soaks up the complete benefits.  Don't forget to add SPF for daytime to protect your hands just like you do your face.



Here are some of my favorite DIY nail product picks:





Here's to a wonderful Wednesday of DIY beauty.  Enjoy and thanks for reading!
XOXO


DIY Lovely Manicure

DIY lovely Manicure





Whether you're a career girl, busy mom or fashion design student, chances are your are days full throttle, leaving little chance sometimes to make room for the little yet big things like a fresh and pretty manicure.  Well, here are some key steps that can help you put prettiness at your fingertips while saving you time and money.  Let's take a peek at the five fast fixes:

1.  Shorten & Smooth ~ Before you do anything else you must take a moment to make sure that your nails are in tip top shape literally and figuratively.  When going shorter, keep frays at bay by using a nail clipper to trim away excess length.  Smooth off any rough or misshaped edges with a fine finished nail file, moving gently in one set direction.

2. Get Sticky ~ To ensure that the pretty polish you'll be sporting stays put, you need to anchor it to the nail bed via a super strong base coat.  Doing so adds life to your mani, helping it to last through typing, texting and using your nails as tools {which we all know we should never do yet somehow we still can't completely avoid}.  

3. Choose Hues ~ Now for the fun part, choose a polish hue that is in season, complementary to your wardrobe and flattering to your skincare.  Another point to consider...deeper, richer tones tend to lengthen and elongate the appearance of the fingers and hands while brighter, punchier colors wakeup darker skin tone colors.  Use your polish color choices to enhance appearances in the same way you do so with wardrobe colors.

4. High Shine Sealer ~ After taking your nails to the point where they look amazing, be sure to keep them shiny and bright by sealing in the color with a good top coat.  Those that are touted as no-chip, long-lasting or color extending are preferred over quick drying formulas as the latter can leave a dull finish rather than a patent quality high-shine.

5. Soften & Hydrate ~ So you've shortened and smoothed, prepped and painted and gave your manicure a dazzling gleam.  Now you'll want to pamper your hands and nails to ensure that your skin is soft and perfectly hydrated.  Many hand and nail products on the market can help you do just that.  Look for those that contain ingredients whose properties exfoliate dry patches, attract and hold water in the epidermis and have anti-aging properties.  These most commonly include alpha-hydroxy acids, lactic acid and retinol.  Want to really give these powerhouses a hand?  Slather them on before bedtime each night and slip on a pair of soft cotton gloves to ensure your skin soaks up the complete benefits.  Don't forget to add SPF for daytime to protect your hands just like you do your face.



Here are some of my favorite DIY nail product picks:





Here's to a wonderful Wednesday of DIY beauty.  Enjoy and thanks for reading!
XOXO


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