My Skincare Routine

skincare routine by fleur-d-elise featuring botanics skin care

The beautiful Katerina from Beauty In Insanity asked me very nicely to write a post about my skincare routine and since I like her so much, I felt I should oblige. 

I've had quite a few compliments on my rosey complexion throughout my life. Sometimes nice, sometimes along the lines of "Were you just running?" I hated my pink cheeks when I was a kid, but now they keep me looking young. That, I'm sorry to say, comes from genetics. I'm as much Dutch as I am French and that side of the family is prone to ruddy complexions. I can't guarantee these products will make your skin as rosy as mine, but they're a start!

The Routine

1. If I'm not struck by a bout of laziness, I use an Aveeno Moisturizing Bar to wash off the day's make-up.

2. In the morning, I use Obiqo Gentle Face Scrub in the shower to wake up my skin. Alternatively, I use the homemade face polish mentioned in this post.

3. If my skin is teaching me a lesson about laziness, I apply lavender essential oil to my Red Badges of Irresponsibility. 

4. Resvology Age Corrective Eye Cream actually helps with puffiness and dark circles. For real!

5. If I'm planning on wearing foundation, I use Clinique's All About Eyes Serum since it soaks in faster. Works great to reduce puffiness!

6. At night, I use Obiqo Restoring Night Cream. I don't usually need moisturizer during the day, but sometimes I use Sibu Hydrating Serum.

Bonus Skincare: Sometimes my skin needs a good, deep cleanse, so I do the 1.2.3. Facial which is basically a simple homemade oil mask, a facial steam to open pores, and a good wash. Simple as that!

♠

Beauty: Back to Basics

My skin has gotten more sensitive as I've gotten older. Even in the past year I've noticed a big change in the way my skin reacts, so I've decided it's time to simplify things. I've been avoiding any makeup or skincare products with perfumes and have started using unscented laundry detergent. I even have to be careful about the lip balm I use! Just in the knick of time, I received this free sample of Hydrating Serum from Lucky Magazine and Seventh Generation.

The new line of Seventh Generation's skin-boosting serums is so natural you could practically eat them! Seriously, there are 12 ingredients in the hydrating serum! It's hypoallergenic, won't clog my pores and contains absolutely no parabens, phthalates or synthetic fragrances.

I apply it after I wash my face in the evening, since it's mostly oil-based. That way it has time to soak in and I don't have to walk around all shiney faced! In the winter, I'll probably mix it in with my lotion to avoid the crazy-dry skin I get in cold weather.

Simplifying your beauty regimen doesn't have to be drastic, and if you're not having problems with rashes, like I am, it doesn't mean you have to throw away everything in your bathroom. Use up the products you have, then invest in some high-quality, earth- and skin-friendly products from Seventh Generation's new line. 

Here are some of my #AllNaturalStyleSecrets :

- Skip lip balms that contain peppermint oil. This is really irritating and can make chapped lips worse!

- Get soft skin with this gentle face scrub

- Having trouble getting smells out of your clothes? Switch to natural fabrics! Polyester and synthetics tend to stay smelly, even after several washes. Plus, they usually make you sweat, and we all know what that leads to!

- Remove heavy makeup by applying a few drops of olive or jojoba oil to your face. Let it soak in, wipe with a tissue, then wash as usual.

Frida's gettin' back to basics, too.

Beauty: Everyday Sun Protection

To start off on a depressing note, did you know Washington state had the 5th highest rate of skin cancer in the U.S. in 2008? Ugh. I'm not totally surprised, but it's still not a pleasant statistic. When it's cloudy most of the year, you kind of forget that the sun's rays are still making their way through the atmosphere. Then there's always that week in May or June where it finally hits 75 and everyone rushes outside to spend the day obvliviously soaking up the UVB. The next day we're like a city of cranky lobsters.

I've been trying to avoid both absent-minded errors by making sure all my make-up has SPF in it, as well as wearing a good lotion with added protection. My one problem I always seem to run into, though, is that most sunscreens make my skin greasy. It may be vain, but I just don't like walking around with a shiny face all day. Luckily, my partnership with SkinCareRx gave me the perfect chance to try out some higher end lotions. 

 My first choice was La Roche-Posay Rosaliac UV Fortifying Anti-Redness Moisturiser (woo, try saying that in one breath!) It's perfect for sensitive skin, soothes redness, and has a built-in sunscreen. I've been using it for a couple months now and I like it quite a bit. I don't notice a huge reduction in redness, but I have noticed that they dry, bumpy areas I attributed to a skin allergy have disappeared. It leaves a bit of a shiny residue, but that seems to soak in after 30 minutes or so.

The second lotion I tried happened to be a lucky occurrence in my first package of samples they sent for me to hand out to family and friends. It emphasizes its non-greasiness right in the name: Peter ThomasRoth Max Sheer All Day Defense Cream. It's packed with ceramides and anti-oxidants and all that jazz, on top of having a sun protection factor of 30. It's also fragrance free and suitable for all skin types. I haven't noticed any problems and neither has my mom, so I can vouch for its suitableness. It doesn't go on as sheer as I would like and takes a little longer to soak in, but it's still a great lotion

This is before I put any foundation on. See! No grease!

Now I just need to focus on my laziness when it comes to applying to the rest of my skin.

♠

Handmade gift: Bath Salts

I make little jars of bath salts almost every year. It's easy and cheap to assemble, and a lot of fun to customize! I use coarse "ice cream" salt, baking soda, and olive oil for my base, then add natural fragrance oils and herbs. Salt draws out toxins and helps soothe soar muscles, while baking soda is great for itchy, dry skin.

Here are some fragrance blends I like:
- Lavendar, clove, and tangerine (great for soothing headaches)
- Tangerine and clove are very festive
- Eucalyptus and mint for circulation and cedar is anti-fungal (great foot soak!)
- Lavender and extra baking soda for someone with sensitive skin

I find most of my essential oils at Super Supplements and a great store in Ballard called Danelion Botanical Company . They have great products at reasonable prices (note: Rose oil is NEVER reasonably priced, no matter where you get it)


You will need:
1+ cups of coarse salt
1 to 2 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp dried herbs (your choice)
1/2 tsp citrus zest (optional)
6+ drops essential oil
1 tsp Grapeseed or Olive Oil

A bowl and spoon for mixing
A jar, plastic bag, or other grease-proof container



Add the herbs (here I use peppermint tea) to the salt.


Now add citrus zest, if you are using it. I would recommend chopping it into tiny pieces so it's less likely to clog your drain (forgot to do that in the pictures!)


Stir the herbs and zest together, then add the grapeseed or olive oil. Mix until evenly distributed. Now add the drops of essential oil. You can add more or less, depending on your preference. Mix well.

Sprinkle the baking soda over the mix and stir to combine.


Lastly, spoon the mixture into your bag or container. I like these little decorative cellophane bags, especially since they won't shatter if dropped in the shower!

Note: If you choose to use peppermint oil instead of tea, limit it to 2 drops. I have ruined many baths by putting in too much peppermint oil. My! Does it burn!

Reviews and Favorites

And now for installment #2 of my reviews. In this post, I'll focus on beauty products.

I was hoping to cover beauty and services in one post, but it got too long. Actually, it got so long that I'm going to have to split my beauty reviews into two separate posts, and then I will have a final post covering service reviews.

An important note: I have moderately sensitive skin, but I always have such a hard time figuring out what product caused which rash, that it makes it hard to know which product to stop using. None of the products in this review have been connected with rashes (for me personally), and I will try my best to properly warn you if I have experienced any reactions to any products I ever review. (Ex. One time I made this linen spray with a perfum oil I had, and ohmigod, I thought I had the measles, but it was just the worst rash ever.)


My favorite products of the moment:

Revlon's Super Lustrous Lipstick in "Ravish Me Red" ($4.99 to $7.99)
Personally, I think I look awful in "purple" or cool reds, and most classic red lip colors are just that. They look heavy and awkward; I end up looking pasty and puffy. I need warmer colors and I've finally found a red that leans more towards orange-red, but isn't quite as bright as the MAC lipstick I have. I nearly bought a very similar version at the Estee Lauder counter, but everyone else had had the same idea and so all the Washington Nordstroms were sold out. I'm happy it worked out that way, because I ended up finding this Revlon color and saving $15! Another good option is MAC Lustre Lipstick in Lady Bug, which costs around $14.


Clinique Redness Solution Powder ($33)
What do you get when you combine Dutch, German, Scottish, and Scandinavian genes? One very red-faced offspring. I've had random people ask me "Were you just running? Your cheeks are so rosy!" "No, ma'am, just cursed." On top of that, I have very spacious cheeks (They are like the Great Plains), so downplaying at least one of these things is always a goal. Reducing redness is easier and cheaper than reducing size, especially thanks to this loose powder from Clinique. It's one of the few products that is marketed as having instant effects AND actually delivers said effects. Another plus: it didn't make me break out in a rash.




All-Time Favorites and Standbys:

Essie Nail Polish ($8)
Essie always has the best colors. For those of you who are very particular about your french manicure, they have about a zillion different pale pink and beige shades made just for french manicures. I find that Essie lasts longer than OPI, as well (But only about 10 seconds longer. I chip my nail polish almost instantly). The color shown here is the newest shade in my collection. It's a lovely rusty, brick red by the name of Alligator Purse.


L'Oreal Studio Secrets Face Primer ($10-$12)

I can't tell you how much I love this stuff. It's a great primer, but also works wonders when worn alone. It's mattifying, but not so much that your skin looks like a piece of copy paper (I've experienced this with other products). It also magically perfects you skin! It evens the tone, minimizes pores, and can even erase fine lines. At around $12, this product can't be beat. Like with the Clinique product above, I was super thrilled when I didn't break out in a horrible rash.