Out of touch…

It’s been a few weeks since I’ve written anything; life gets busy and distracting sometimes; for me, the last week has been somewhat intense; I moved out of that god-forsaken house I shared with my otherwise retarded roommates, got my own place, and slowly, am making the transition. Having lived on my own before, I welcome the mornings where I wake up alone in an empty place; I love it. Also, there’s been some trouble in paradise; relationship issues. Martin and I are having a difference of opinion on an important subject which I’ll disclose at a later date; we’ve been together 1.8 years and this is our first big argument…so, I guess we’ve been doing pretty good all this time. We will work it out, the important thing is that we can talk about it. So, within the last few weeks, lots has changed and developed, and I’m just trying to take it all in; this is life, ever changing…write soon.

Skin savvy…

Four years ago I was a relentless fake n’ baker and somewhat in the dark as to what a good skincare regimen consisted of. Of course with youth, no one really thinks about the reality that one day, the vitality one enjoys in the mirror today will eventually diminish tomorrow.

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve embraced a good skincare routine, nixing the tanning beds. Now that I live in Florida, it’s pointless to pay for a bed when you could go out and enjoy the natural sun at the beach, as well as some waves. Nowadays, I stay out a maximum of 2.5 hours, that’s it. I used to bake in the sun…4-5 hours worth. I’d come back from a day at the beach, skin red and hot. I used to think a tan was sexy…not so much anymore.

With all the cases of skin cancer popping up, one has to be mindful of the danger of the sun’s rays. I never used to pay attention to sunblock either. I’d slather it on sparingly, and only invest in one that had a low SPF so I could be sure to get a deep, dark tan. But now I realize it doesn’t take long to get a little color, even with an SPF of 15 or 20. So many women believe that an SPF prevents a tan…it doesn’t, it just protects you from the UVA/UVB rays. Now, paying closer attention to my skin, I’ve realized one can get a nice glow even with SPF.

As years have passed, maturing more, learning more, I’ve taken better care of my skin, starting with exfoliants and moisturizers, and of course, that trusty SPF. When it comes to selecting one’s unique skincare prescription, a few key elements come into play: condition of the skin (oily, dry, normal, sensitive), if they’re a smoker (smoking constricts blood flow, giving smokers dull skin), and nutritional status. I’ve come to love Pond’s skincare line. Affordable and effective, I’ve definitely noticed a positive difference in the appearance of my skin since using it.

Some people scoff and say, “Oh you’re young, only 26, what do you need to worry about skincare for?” I always tell them it’s all about prevention, it’s never too early to start taking care of your skin. After all, you only get one integumentary covering you know!

At night, I remove my eye makeup first with plain old Vaseline (I think it works the best for gently removing eye makeup and moisturizing at the same time), then after washing, rub in the Pond’s Cold Cream. Just a thin layer is all you need. It removes residue and makeup, and replaces the moisture in the skin with emollients and other ingredients, such as Beeswax, Glycerin and Mineral Oil- all good stuff for the skin. What I like best is that it doesn’t leave the skin dry and taut, but moisturized and supple.

For day, I wash my face with normal soap and water, then apply Pond’s Rejuveness moisturizer. What I like best about this cream is how wallet-friendly it is; around $8 a jar, can’t beat it. And the ingredients are impressive. It boasts Lactic acid, which is found in nearly all facial cleansers and moisturizers. Lactic acid is effective in sloughing away dead skin cells and generating cell renewal, thus giving you a more reformed, bright and healthy look to your skin. It also includes Collagen, helping to retain the skin’s elasticity and prevent wrinkles, and Vitamin E that helps to fight free radicals from the environment. In a word, love!

To look good in your own skin, one doesn’t have to break the bank to take care of your skin, just be a label reader like me. I always scan product ingredient lists, it’s the only way to truly know what you’re slathering on your face. An educated consumer is a good consumer. Just don’t assume because it says ‘Collagen’ that it actually contains Collagen. You know what happens when we assume right? You make an ass out of u and me. 😀