Self Tanning Tips

Hey kids, if you've been following along you know that I've been experimenting with self-tanners since the beginning of this year, really, and I've picked up a lot of tips along the way. I will say that for the most part I didn't have many bad experiences and that the products are easy to use if you're careful.

Of course, if you're just an accident-prone person who does things in a hurry, I would recommend that you use the moisturizers with self-tanners in them, rather than something that's full strength. If you've already bought something that you find to be too streaky, mix it with moisturizer in your hand and see if that helps tone down the streaky effect!

So I hope that most of you already know the basics of self-tanning: exfoliate beforehand, and use on well moisturized skin so that you have a nice even tan.

If you use the tanner long-term, I will say that you can in fact exfoliate in between applications. This will make the wear of the tanner even, and you'll find that there will be less splotchiness. Of course, the tan may wear off a little bit more quickly but that's really a small price to pay. When I'm exfoliating on a regular basis, I like to use a product that's not too scrubby and a good cleanser. Sephora Brand Scrub is great but Skin Milk Body Polish is also excellent. It's got a soft vanilla milk scent and not only does it scrub wonderfully it leaves your skin nice and moisturized. It's cheap too and a big tube doesn't cost must more than $5!



To avoid looking orange, don't use too much and don't use a colour that's too dark because it has too much of the active ingredient.

I think that's it for now! Self-tanners are pretty easy to use if you get the hang of them, and I particularly like the moisturizing ones because they're easier to use. Make sure you let the product dry before getting dressed and if you hate the smell of the, use them at night time so that you don't have to smell it during the day.

Got questions or something to add? Leave a comment!

Get Rid of Blackheads

Someone in the comments asked me how to deal with the blackheads that plague their extremely oily skin. This commenter says that she's tried everything and nothing has worked.

Let me lay it down for you: no product can miraculously get rid of your blackheads. No cream, no toner, no lotion, no potion.

Furthermore: any solution is a temporary one at best. Your pores will keep clogging up and you will have to keep unclogging them, that is just the nature of the beast.

There are solutions though, and the best one that I have found is to have a manual extraction during your facial. One by Dermalogica is excellent, try it once and you will be sold.

You should also exfoliate regularly. The Neutrogena Wave does a pretty good job of vibrating impurities out of your skin. There is nothing like it and it will keep your skin clear after your facial.

Finally, there's the Biore Pore Strips - they're a quick fix and can ruin your skin so use them sparingly.

Those are the only ways to get rid of blackheads, and I have found them to work. I know this is one of those problems that many of you have dealt with, so if you have something to add, leave a comment!

Clear Skin Diet

The Clear Skin Diet is a book that tells you how to eat in order to get better skin. The authors say that if you follow the guidelines, you will be able to get rid of your acne. I have a copy of the book and took the vitamins that come with it.

Does the plan work? I think so.

I don't have bad skin to begin with, and wasn't able to follow the plan to the letter, but what I know that eating healthy is a part of good skincare. In short, you can have better skin if you eat better, and the authors of this book tell you how.

I also noticed that when I took the vitamins my hair and nails grew a lot quicker which means that the Omega fatty acids were affecting my skin, hair, and nails! I was amazed at this and thus think that the authors know what they're talking about.

If I had a serious acne problem, I think I would follow the guidelines in the book and I recommend it to anyone who wants to get serious about their skin. At the end of the day, eating better is going to be good for your health anyways, so there's really nothing to lose!

The Clear Skin Diet is getting a great deal of press and has become pretty popular. I have also seen that a great promotion of vitamins connected to skin care.

If you've tried this system already or something else that gives you clear skin, let me know in the comments!

The Staples: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion, Night

Another one of my staples is a night cream and I have been using Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion Night forever. It exfoliates with AHA's and again, it's at the right pH to actually work. I will be so upset if Neutrogena ever discontinues this.


Once again, it's at a reasonable price and is easily found at the drugstore or grocery store. It leaves your skin so much smoother and I challenge everyone to try a bottle of it and see if your skin isn't better when the bottles empty.

Things to do in 2008

Let this be the year you:

Remember to clean your makeup brushes

Try a daring colour of lipgloss, lipstick, or eyeshadow and keep it on for a day

Try a new brand of makeup

Get your makeup professionally done

Get your eyebrows done by a pro

Wear sunscreen daily

Eat healthier

Try to wear as little makeup as possible

Drink more water

Moisturize!

Olay Quench Therapy Skin Repair Concentrate

You know what I'm going to use to help my feet get ready for summer sandals? Of course, it's a never-fail product from the Quench line, this time the Quench Therapy Skin Repair Concentrate. I love every body care item from this line and this one is no exception. Now, if you're using this on your feet don't expect a miracle. It can help dryness but it's not going to take off a whole winter's worth of callouses. You're definitely going to need a foot file too (the one on the right is from the Body Shop but you can really get them from anywhere). Just scrub away all the dead skin after showering or soaking your feet in warm water for about 10 minutes, and keep the dead skin away by using the Olay Repair Concentrate. Try it. It works and you'll soon be ready for your flip-flops.

Olay Radiance Ribbons Body Wash

I've mentioned that I love the Olay Body Wash with Body Butter Ribbons, so when a new version came out - with Radiance Ribbons - I had to try it. This version may just be a little more moisturizing than the other. It's hard to tell when they're both leave your skin so soft. This body wash does seem slightly thicker and has the same thick rich lather that all the Olay Body Washes have.

Now, I've read other reviews and it seems that some people have trouble getting the most out of this body wash. I use a loofah mitt much like the one to the left (from the Body Shop). You can find these mitts everywhere and I use them so that I can exfoliate, clean, and moisturize my skin all in one shower. I squirt a loony-sized amount (Americans, think larger than a quarter) on to the mitt and that's all I need. If you haven't tried using the body wash this way, give it a go - I think you'll find that you get tons of lather and no gloopiness.

Canadian Beauty News: January 19, 2007

Lets start this week's edition of Canadian Beauty News by talking about Black (or dark) nail polish. Chanel's introduction of Ceramic Noir pretty much seals the deal - this trend is around for another season.

A full six months after the trend began, Canadian Retailers are saying: "Hey! You know what we need to stock? Black nail polish!!!" The result is that we are (finally!) spoilt for choice when it comes to picking that perfect shade of black. Why choose plain black when you can have OPI's Lincoln Park After Dark which is a lovely eggplant colour. Some stores (Trade Secrets, for example) are even carrying the whole OPI Deliciously Darks collection, which also includes Black Onyx (a black shade) and Espresso (a beautiful purply brown colour - my favourite from the collection). I've even seen Essie's Wicked (sort of like Chanel's Vamp or Rouge Noir) in some stores as well as an array of dark shades from other brands (including Orly). If you haven't been able to find some dark polish yet, chances are that you will be able to get some now so go out and grab it while you can.

Black lacquer marks the return of nail polish. How many of us just didn't bother with nail polish at all because it chipped so easily? It was so much easier to just get a french manicure because you couldn't see it growing in. All that has now changed. Turns out, when there's a fashion statement to be made, we can be bothered with topcoats and base coats. Black nail polish isn't just a polish. It's a fashion accessory as essential as your purse or boots. Black nail polish is ubiquitous now - forget about the celebs or university kids; dark lacquer is seen on everyone from bank tellers to school teachers to high level professionals. If they can pull it off, you can pull it off. Just don't forget the primer and topcoat. Oh, and this is not a look for long nails. Going black is daring enough - the last thing we want to see is black talons.

Noir Ceramic also marks another trend: metallics which are in for spring. But don't go rifling through your 80's makeup for that silver eyeliner just yet. The key is to blend it into your everyday look. Bronze eyeshadow or a blush with gold in it will do the trick and keep your look updated.

In other news, this Saturday new Cargo products will finally be available in Canada! The best of the new products is a portable version of Cargo's popular (and absolutely not sticky) lip glosses. Aptly titled PurseGloss, this cult favorite can now be taken everywhere you go. I got a sneak peak of these glosses and my personal favourite was Montreal which even had the Cargo representative oohing and ahhing as I tried it on.

Cargo is a Canadian brand which helps explain why their colours are always spot-on. Multiculturalism is an integral part of Canada's national identity, and I'm sure that the creators and developers of Cargo colours are subconsciously inspired by that fact. The result is that they make foundations and concealers for all skin tones. Definitely check out their amazing line of blushes which include matte and shimmery colours. There's something for everyone. Even their bronzers come in skin-true shades and have become hits with makeup artists. Saturday will also see the launch of their new SuedeBlush which has just the right amount of shimmer and leaves your skin with a lovely glow.

Cargo is also pledging a commitment to the environment and is launching a series of lipsticks that are available in biodegradable containers. Now usually when I think biodegradable, I think icky cardboard containers which decompose in your purse or a steamy bathroom. Well, these are completely different. The containers actually look and feel like plastic! I almost couldn't believe that they were environmentally friendly. It turns out that the containers are made out of corn and decompose in 47 days if they're left in a compost! Cargo is the only company that makes these containers and they're hoping to inspire other brands to do the same. Oh and the colours? Five of the lipstick shades are designed by celebrities, including one by Evangeline Lilly!

You can buy Cargo Cosmetics at select Bay stores or at Sephora.

Another new debut is Giorgio Armani Beauty's spring 2007 line which is focused on berries. The winner of this collection is the berry lip palette. Unlike most palettes, this one does not feature glosses or lipsticks. The products are actually more like stains that feel super-comfortable on your lips. As you can see from the picture, the palette features a reddish colour, a medium pink, and a white. When I first saw it I didn't think it would work for me but I let the makeup artist do his thing. It turns out that the colours are beautiful. The red goes on quite sheer and the white layered on top adds more depth to the colour and just a hint of shimmer. I should have guessed that the palette would be wearable - Armani always delivers perfection. The new eye shadow colours are nice too and feature shimmery beiges and taupes that are signals of the metallic trend and happen to work well on a variety of skin tones.

Giorgio Armani cosmetics can be found at Holt Renfrew stores nationwide.

Did you know that Sephora stores have skin consultants who are trained to diagnose skin problems? You can make an appointment with one of these consultants and they will help you choose products that match the needs of your skin. Just call your local Sephora store and tell them that you'd like to make an appointment!

As a final note, I should say that most new collections at Sephora and your local department store aren't in yet but will be launched in the first couple of weeks of February.

Johnson's Baby Oil Gel

The winter season is upon us and although it hasn't been too cold here in Canada until recently, indoor heating can lead to dry skin. For us darker girls, that means visibly flaking skin which, if left untreated, looks horrible when you're wearing those black tights that are so popular these days. Finding a moisturizer that lasts all day is a tough job - almost as tough as making time to moisturize daily. Lets face it, some days you just can't be bothered to get out of the warm shower and stand in a cold bathroom slathering moisturizer on. On those days (or every day if you like) here's what you do: use Johnson's Baby Oil Gel right in the shower.

Now, if you haven't heard of this or seen it, just look for it in the baby care section of your local supermarket or drugstore. It's basically mostly baby oil with the addition of a couple of other ingredients to make the baby oil into a gel. Works the same way as the original baby oil.

The best way to use this gel is to use it in conjunction with your soap in the shower - not only does this method cut down on time spent in the bathroom but it also ensures that you're not left with an oily residue that wipes on to your clothes. Lather yourself with your regular soap or body wash and then, before you rinse, slick on this gel. Finally, rinse off the soap and excess oil and get out of the shower. Dry yourself as usual. Chances are that you won't need a moisturizer after you use this and if you do decide to use one, it'll go a lot further. I use this every single winter and it really works and once you get the hang of it, you'll love it too.

Oh, and the Lavender scented one is my favorite - it smells wonderful.

(Picture from drugstore.com).

I Read the Ingredients on the Bottle (And Why You Should Too)

When I was in India, I came across a brand of cosmetics that claimed to be chock full of natural ingredients. Intrigued, I perused some of the offerings for their body care line and saw a sunscreen lotion. Like I usually do, I turned the bottle over and scanned the ingredients list. Would you believe it, there wasn't a single UV-fighting ingredient in the lotion - no titanium dioxide, zinc oxide, or avobenzene to be found. The bottle should have actually been labelled "Melanoma in a Bottle" for giving its users a false sense of security that they were protected against the sun. Can you imagine slathering this on before spending a day at the beach and returning home looking like a cooked lobster? I don't think so. Interestingly, the lotion also lacked an SPF rating and the directions stated that, if you wanted, you could even put the lotion on at bedtime! (Oh yes, the sun that shines in India is so potent that you need a sunscreen lotion even whilst you sleep!)

As it happens, rules and regulations outside of Europe and North America (and especially in India, it seems) leave much to be desired. I'm not saying that one should stay away from all foreign lotions and potions; I'm simply saying that one should always always read the label before purchasing anything and know what to look for.

Face Care Tips

Recently I've run into a few people with pretty serious looking acne. What made me write this post was that none of these people were going through puberty - in fact they were all in their 20's, a time when your face care regimen should be established to take care of anything from dry skin to rashes to the odd pimple. Now I realize that for some people there's just no solution and nothing they try seems to work - life's like that sometimes. Science can't solve everything. But when it comes to skincare products, the problem is that too many lotions and potions make claims that are simply untrue. Furthermore, regardless of the facts that companies have at their fingertips, the products that they make are often problematic for skin rather than soothing. That being said, I think I've found a few things that really work and I'm going to pass them along here.

The thing is that to see a change you have to be consistent. You have to make sure that you use the products daily (though skipping a day here and there won't kill you or your skin). First things first - be kind to your skin. If something feels like it's burning (a minty mask, perhaps?) or makes your skin turn obscenely red, then don't use it. In the long run, it's just not worth the damage you're doing to your own face. Stay away from products that have alcohol in them - mainly toners. You might look at the cotton ball and think how amazing it is that it comes back from your face an ugly brown colour, but the fact of the matter is that it's just not good for your skin just like it's not good for your body. Chances are that if you're suffering from repeated acne that you're just irritating your pores even more. Furthermore, the alcohol dries your face out which is never good.

This brings me to my second tip: don't dry your face out. I know how much it sucks to have oily skin. My skin is very oily as well, so believe me, I feel your pain - but drying your skin out is not the answer. Chances are that the skin will compensate by releasing more oil and that's not good. Wash with something gentle and in the long run you'll notice a difference. Don't waste the money on drying potions and the like. Just treat your skin well and it'll behave. While we're on the topic of washing your face, let me just tell you that there's no need to waste money on cleansers that have salicylic acid in them. Firstly, the acid isn't on your face long enough to do any good - much like whitening toothpaste isn't on your teeth long enough to work. Secondly, for the acid to work it has to be in a formula that has a pH of 3.5-4. Chances are that once you've mixed the cleanser with some water, which has a pH of 7, it's not going to work on your face anyway. I personally like Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser which removes makeup thoroughly. Another fav, which was introduced to me by a friend, is Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser which is really gentle but pretty terrible at removing makeup. Regardless, working it in and washing your face twice will do the trick without any sort of dryness.

My main tip is exfoliate your skin regularly using a lotion or toner that has salicylic acid in it. Now the way that this is different from a scrub is that while the effect of a scrub is more immediate, it's also more damaging to the skin and can make little tears and scratches on the surface of the skin. Also, you can't necessarily use a scrub everyday precisely because it's so damaging, so a chemical exfoliant works so much better and once you get into the habit of using it you will notice a difference. One of the best exfoliants for people with acne is something with salicylic acid in it since it's the only thing that's lipid soluble which means that it can cut through any oil that might be in your pores and on your skin and it can exfoliate from inside out. My favorite product is Clinique's Mild Clarifying Lotion and I stock up whenever they're having a bonus. Another equally good option is Neutrogena Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Gel or Neutrogena Oil-Free Anti-Acne Moisturizer. What makes me so sure that both of these have a pH that will work? Because Paula Begoun says so. She actually tests the pH of all the products to make sure that they work. You can also buy her brand of products on her website and they are equally good options for skincare.

OK, so that's it. Cleaning your skin well and using something with Salicylic Acid on it. You can also use something with AHA on your skin on alternate days or at night and my favorite product for that is Neutrogena Healthy Skin Facial Lotion Night which is a great product for the price. A

nd no, Neutrogena is not paying me in any way to promote so many products - they're just a great company and their products really work (even if they do discontinue the ones that I really love). So good luck. If you don't have a problem with your skin, I'm sorry I bored you, but if you did find any of these suggestions helpful, then you're welcome.