Tuesday, January 17, 2012

My Beauty Resolution


Thanks to Walgreens for underwriting this post. I was paid as a member of the Clever Girls Collective, but the content is all mine. Visit http://www.discoverbeautywithin.com/.


 As a woman, mother and wife about to hit her fourth decade this year, I am finding maintenance becoming more and more of a sensitive issue.  From rogue hairs showing up where they shouldn't, to sags, wrinkles, and dreaded sun spots adorning my face. 

Time to grow old gracefully?  No way.  I am fighting.

In my twenties and brand-conscious, I would have bought expensive products at department stores.  However, now the good thing about being almost 40 years old?

I've discovered expensive does not always equal quality. In fact, some of my favorite products have come at crazy reasonable prices and rave reviews:

My favorite cleanser?

This is it!  If any of you have the indignity of having both fine lines and breakouts like me?  This takes care of them both!

From Neutrogena:

"Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Anti-Blemish Cleanser fights blemishes and the signs of aging every time you cleanse.

This unique anti-aging cleanser is formulated with a combination of the #1 blemish-fighting ingredient and a wrinkle-fighting ingredient to help give you clear, younger-looking skin. Salicylic Acid treats and helps prevent blemishes by penetrating deep into pores to remove dirt and oil.

Alpha-Hydroxy Acid works to help smooth fine lines. Formula rinses clean, with no pore-clogging residue.

Skin is clearer, softer and smoother. Fine lines and wrinkles are visibly reduced.
My favorite night cream? 

I found this cream a year ago and have never looked back.  Super impressive. Olay's says:

"This luxurious cream has the highest concentration of our signature amino-peptide + B3 complex infused with intracellular fortifier and a touch of precious marine proteins. Intercellular hydration regenerates volume and shape across skin's 10 million surface cells, progressively lifting and micro-sculpting to help:
  • Firm sagging-prone areas, even the jaw line
  • Smooth skin's surface
  • Restore elasticity"
I am not alone in loving this one. Good Housekeeping Magazine blind-trialed it against other prestigious (read: pricey) face creams and Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream outperformed them all, even the $350 one! It beat its pricey competition, keeping skin more hydrated, and for a longer time, than the fancier creams--even the $350 one!


Now for my favorite daytime cream and sunscreen for my face:

When we move into daytime and Olay has a purty cousin to the Regenerist Sculpting Cream to do the job. Yep, we love Regenerist DNA Superstructure UV Cream with SPF 30.  I like that it combines a daily moisturizer and stronger sunscreen in one because I can be super forgetful about doing both, but we will get to that later...

I also bought a bottle of this for my daughter  going through puberty since sunscreen is not even on her radar.  However, most studies show the majority of the damage done to our skin happen in our childhood.  This just gives me the peace of mind that we are protecting her skin now and she'll thank me for it later!  Better yet, it does not break her out like other creams have done in the past.  Win-win!


So, yep, you guessed it.  All these products are readily available at your local drugstore and inexpensive enough to by a second bottle for your daughter. That said,  knowing the right products, does not exactly translate into using them in a daily regimen.  

Even with the best of intentions, I am horrible at washing off my make up at night.  I am even worse at hydrating my skin with a nightly skin cream. The death knell?  While I remember to put daily sunscreen on in the summer, I admit Seattle's dark winters make me lazy, lazy, and more lazy.  What sun I lament, but we all know that sunshine or not, UVA and UVB penetrate cloud cover and add to the dreaded brown spots congregating on my forehead.

So, my friends? It's a new year and I am making a beauty resolution to do better.  To be better. Skin care is part of the resolution. Nothing makes one feel better than healthy, clean, bright skin to put your best face forward.

How about you?  What are your beauty resolutions this year?  Better yet, share some of your favorite drugstore finds!  I need all the help I can get fighting forty!


2 comments:

  1. Hah! How timely. I turned 40 last Friday and, in looking at the pictures from the big day, realize I look pretty awesome for 50. But too bad I'm just 40! My husband suggests it is time for Retin-A. But I was researching more affordable options. Thanks for your extrememly timely post and recommendations! I was just about to head out to CVS to search the aisles in hopes of the magic stuff.

    Julia @ http://notlikeacat.blogspot.com

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  2. I like Alba products! I'm loving their oil free aloe moisturizer in their Hawaiaan line. Perfect for my dry skin.

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