DTox and Brighten Facial

This routine definitely leaves me with tighter, younger feeling, brighter skin.  The DTox mud stripper works wonders over time to lessen blackheads and tighten the pores on my nose.  The Vitamin C serum removes discoloration and dark patches, and the Caffeinator stick reduces puffiness and dark circles under the eyes.

Step #1: Delish face wash- use a very small amount of this gently fruity foaming wash with warm water to cleanse face.  I avoid exfoliating cleansers in this routine because the mud mask will cause newly exfoliated skin to sting more.  Gender Bender is another good choice for this step.  Rinse and pat dry.

Step #2: Stripper- spread a thin layer of this vanilla-scented mud over face and let dry for up to 15 minutes.  The stripper can be used up to 3 times per week.  I most often use it on my T zone (forehead, nose, and chin- sometimes just nose) and once in a while over my whole face.  It's aggressive and may burn slightly at first.  Be sure to test first or substitute if you have sensitive skin.  Another option to use for step 2 is the Seawitch kaolin mask.  Both can cause skin to redden temporarily so don't do this routine directly before going somewhere important.  Your skin will need an hour or so to recover, but it will feel great!

Step #3: Vitamin C Fairy- use just a drop or two of this serum on areas of discoloration and under eyes to promote elasticity and brightness.  If you'd rather have an anti-aging serum to treat and prevent wrinkles and creases, use the Sweet Young Thing serum instead for this step.

Step #4: Caffeinator Stick- just one swipe under each eye is all it takes to boost tightening and brightening of the fragile skin in this area.

Step #5: Moisturize 911- this subtle-citrus scented moisturizer is loaded with caffeine to perk up your face while giving it the moisture it needs after DToxing.  Use as much as you feel you need.  A large pea-size drop is just right for me.

Step #6: Make-Out Magic Lip Scrub- DaMintcha, Oh Peaches, or Tree Hugger will work here, just don't forget to pamper those lips.  These sugar lip scrubs will last forever because it only takes the tiniest bit to do the job.  Rub in to exfoliate dead skin and make lips incredibly smooth.  Let any extra sugar dissolve or you can lick it off.  No rinsing.  This one happens to have a subtle sweet grapefruit flavor.

Easter Candy

Easter is April 20th!  Still a few weeks away so there's time to order a few fun things for your older kids (or yourself!)  Some ideas for teen Easter basket stuffers are:

 BFY hand creme, lip scrub, lipshot lip balm, cuticle cutie, a chunk, a skin stick, fragrant bath salts, Call Me Candy slather, the Rubby Scrubby or face wash and moisturizer.

Wakey Wakey!

 I used the Wakey Wakey stick to help get my tired self out of bed and go on a run this morning.  I know if I don't get up and exercise first thing in the morning (and I mean FIRST thing- like roll out of bed, tie my shoes, and get out the door before anyone sees me) my chances of actually doing it that day drop dramatically. 

I liked this.  I'm a big fan of peppermint oil- the way it smells, the way it eases stress and tension headaches, and the bold clean scent.  The smell of this stick wasn't overwhelmingly strong (I wish it was stronger, personally) but I liked the way it made my skin feel, except for the fact that it's greasier than the Healer stick.  I rubbed it on my temples, behind each ear down to my neck, on my lips and around my nose so I could smell it more.  The slightly cool feeling lasted while I was outside the next hour, especially with the breeze blowing on me.  It was really refreshing in combination with the warming morning sun.  The black pepper oil in it is supposed to help dilate blood vessels and ease headaches.  I might need this for my kids (and myself some days!) during homework time.

Key ingredients are shea butter, peppermint oil, and black pepper oil.

(It's a beautiful day, by the way.  I'm so glad I got out there in the fresh air and took time to notice and inhale the scent from all the blooming citrus and acacia trees at their peak!)

The Healer Skin Stick

 

 The healer is my favorite product from Posh because I've never seen or used anything like it.  It's a simple idea... a shea butter body stick, but it has SO many practical uses!  Living in the desert, it's become my best friend.  My favorite use for the healer is swiping it under my eyes before bedtime.  It keeps that area nice and supple the entire night.  Using it in combination with the Sweet Young Thing Serum the last month or so, I've noticed BIG improvements in the fine lines and creases around my eyes.  

I've also seen it work great on my 2 kids who have eczema-like dry skin on the backs of their hands.  It can be used on chapped lips, mild burns, including sunburns (think of how easy it will be to swipe on and help heal that occasional red nose during the summer!) dark spots or discolorations, scars, irritated skin including abrasions, and chapped lips.  At the start of a cold or allergy season, use it often around your nose area to protect that skin from getting red and sore.  There are some who buy a separate stick to use solely on baby diaper rash because it works great for that too.

The Healer contains pure shea butter, and just a touch of orange and vanilla essential oils. It smells very light and soothing, faintly of an orange starburst candy. Another bonus is that because it's so gentle, you can use it as often as you need.  You don't have to worry about it clogging pores either. I'm stocking up on this one so I never have to be without it (even though it seems to be lasting an awfully long time for how much I use it). When your skin needs a little extra soothing, it's wise to put the very best ingredients on it.  There's a reason this is the company's #1 product.  Try it!