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One of the most important and oftentimes overlooked items to have handy is a great eye primer. I forgot about how essential this is until I re-discovered Benefit’s LemonAid in my drawer (don’t you hate it when you have so much stuff you forget that it exists?!).

The re-discovery reminded me of a product by Clinique called Touch Base for eyes that I used to swear by in college, when my roomate was working for them part-time at Macy’s and we lived off the gratis.

A few weeks ago on a trek through Sephora I picked one up and alas have already run out.

It comes in several shades (my favorite is ‘canvas’) and what I love most about it is the texture. It blends smoothly and provides adequate coverage without appearing cake-like or creamy. Check it out and let me know what you think!

I’m noticing that people seem to be willing to spend money – buckets of it – in search of the latest and greatest skin care product or technology. I’m certainly one of these people; an addict to creams, treatments, and procedures, I’ll do anything to get rid of a blemish or erase a potential wrinkle (yet I still have mediocre skin!).  I don’t want to spend a ton of money – and you shouldn’t either – but I believe we both have the right to smooth and flawless skin. So what to do for a babe on a budget?

Go elemental.

I’ve been thinking about the elements we’ve been taught since we were little in living an ideal lifestyle. Eat right, get enough sleep, drink enough water, and get some exercise. Right? I’ve found that a few specific foods help in the pursuit of this and give you smooth, supple skin too. Below find a few of these to get you started. 

Elements for Perfect Skin

•drink at least 8 glasses of water per day

•include fruits and veggies in your diet including lots of dark, leafy greens

•consume food items that are rich in protein like egg whites, beans, and seeds

•avoid overly-processed foods

• include garlic in your diet

• substitute coffee for green tea, a powerful antioxidant

• cook with oils like omega-3 (fish oil), flax, and olive oils (extra virgin)

• snack on almonds – they have vitamin E which is great for the skin

What has worked for you?  Post your feedback below!

-NC

I recently moved to a space in Santa Monica that I love (which is why I haven’t written lately- woops!). But if you’re like me and also love product, it’s sometimes difficult to find space to store it all.  My previous apartment was accommodating enough to have a huge bathroom, but now, not so much. I’m learning how to keep all of my samples, jars, and containers without feeling like a pack-rat. More on that to come.  How about you – how do you store your makeup, hair products, and facial care? 

I love this moisturizer. The sheer color is great in the summertime when you don’t feel like wearing foundation and it smooths the skin without leaving too much of a shiny glaze on my face. Plus it has an SPF of 15 which is required of a moisturizer by my book. There are two major downsides – the first is that I don’t really enjoy how the plastic tube dispenses the product as I can only get a small bit at a time. Which is probably a good thing leading to my second point – it’s kinda pricey.

My skin had started to break out on the side of my face so I naturally went looking for the culprit. That day I changed my pillowcases and minded what I ate and drank more water. But after noticing that I’ve had a few of my larger makeup brushes for quite some time, I figured they could be to blame for my breakout and decided they were due for a cleaning. I asked a makeup artist how to clean them properly without the brushes losing shape.

I discovered that very best way to clean them is with hand soap and warm water. Dry them off with a towel, lay them on their side on the towel so the brush hangs freely over the sink or counter. Try to reshape them when they are still wet. You don’t want to stand them up because the water will go into the brush part and loosen the glue. FYI- you clean paint brushes the same way! You’ll have them forever…unless they’re cheap!

I’m 27 so I think this cream may be a little too strong for me. As preventative as I’d like to be with wrinkles, this cream left my skin really dry and I didn’t see any results after 2 weeks of use.

Lancome High Resolution Anti-Wrinkle Cream, $68.00 at Amazon.com

I was given a few samples of this everyday exfoliator by Sisley and just love it. The granules are fine enough to use on your face but not too fine like some of the powders on the market that don’t really do much.  After a few days of use, my skin appeared brighter and was incredibly smooth! I just wish it wasn’t so expensive.

9/10

When I try a new product I generally ask for the “sensitive skin” version as a precaution against breakouts and adverse reactions. When I asked the woman at Kiehls for a sensitive-skin friendly eye cream, she recommended the creamy eye treatment with avocado.

In general I’m not a huge fan of the Kiehl’s line. Something about the texture and density of their products is difficult for me to incorporate into my everyday routine. For example, the eye cream is really thick and if your fingers or eye area are even the slightest bit damp, the cream will not spread.

However, after sticking it out for a few weeks I noticed that the eye area did appeared plumper and the lines had diminished.

Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado, $24.50 at kiehls.com

I love this astringent. It’s a must-have for morning and night use or even to clean up after a workout. It eliminates oil completely and is an everyday product for those like me who are prone to breakouts. The best way to apply is via those cotton squares you can buy in packs.

Neutrogena Clear Pore Oil-Eliminating Astringent …………….$5.69 for 8 OZ