Jack & Hill: A Beauty Blog - make-up, cosmetics, perfume, and the substance of style

The skin you're in

Someone asked in the comments here what I use on my skin to avoid crows' feet.

The conclusion I am coming to is that for me, specific products don't make a huge amount of difference. Cleansing well, rinsing very well (at least fifteen times), and making sure my skin is moisturized as needed seems to produce consistent results, regardless of the specific products.

(Do not consider leaving even the smallest amount of eye makeup on your face. I read recently that dermatologists are stunned at the amount of makeup residue that they see under their patients' eyes when they look at them under magnifiers. These traces contribute hugely to an old, tired look. Why spend tons of money on treatments and products if one of the easiest ways to look fresh is so cheap and easy?) 

Also, I don't smoke, I eat fairly healthfully, and I use at least SPF 15 every day, while not spending much time at all in the sun. (I also stopped drinking alcohol almost five months ago, since which time I have received lots more compliments on my skin and overall looks.) I could stand to drink more water, I'm sure.

But for what it's worth, here are some products that I use regularly.

Dove SkinVitalizer

I have to admit that my first assessment of the Dove SkinVitalizer is that it was created for women who are too shy to buy a vibrator - a Hitachi Magic Wand "neck massager" for a new generation. Because who on earth needs a vibrating handheld machine just to wash her face?

I'm still very dubious of whether or not this whole vibrating thing makes much difference in the longterm look and feel of skin. I suppose an argument could be made for it increasing circulation, which is never a bad thing, as most women have very poor circulation. But it all just seems overly complicated to me: the cost and chore of having to buy special dual-sided pads (which Dove calls 'pillows'), the obscene excess of plastic packaging involved, and the whole gimmick all did much to dissuade me against this product before I'd even tried it. (As you may have guessed, I got mine for free, from Dove PR.)

That being said, my skin did feel pretty soft and smooth after using both the cleansing and exfoliating sides of the pillows (though the products I applied afterwards - none of which were Dove brand - probably also contributed to this). I also found a way to get more use out of each pad, by using the SkinVitalizer to scrub my feet after I'd done my face. And with all of the foaming going on, I think feet are probably the only place where the cleanser embedded in the pads should really be used. Check out the ingredient list: water, Glycerin, Decyl Glucoside, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Silicone Quaternium-8, Sodium Lauroyl Lactylate, Phenoxyethanol, Polyquaternium-10, Polyquaternium-4, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Methylisothiazolinone. Let me have a cheaper, plain pad with which I can use my own cleanser of choice, and then we'll be talking.

Dove's website for this product is another horrible Flash monstrosity, so I won't link to the front page, which would only annoy you anyway. But they do offer a $3 off coupon on the purchase of a new SkinVitalizer with a 14-count refill of the cleansing pads. And all you have to do is fork over way more personal information than you should.

Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser: Quickie Review

I'm afraid this was far too drying for my skin. The texture of the cleanser was similar to the Cosmesis Self MicroDermabrasion that I tried and liked several months ago, but that product never left my skin feeling dry. I'm not a big fan of granular scrubs in general, as I prefer to let acids eat away at my face on their own. If you're interested in the Murad line, you might like to check out Paula Begoun's take on some of their products:

At the beginning, Murad's products were all about AHAs and his products were indeed well-formulated in this regard. But Murad also had poorly formulated products (now there are even more) that contained alcohol and other irritating ingredients, ranging from arnica to citrus oils.

Well, my boyfriend - who is the least hippy-dippy person you could ever wish to meet - swears by the all-natural arnica for making bruises go away, and a friend of ours even used it to help her recover from the soreness of childbirth. So perhaps take Paula's reviews, as you would any others, with a pinch of salt. (I've also found that exfoliating products for the face can successfully be repurposed as foot scrubs, always to be followed by a very emollient cream applied at bedtime and covered with thick socks.)

Glytone Rejuvenate Facial Cream

So, skin woes. Mine is combination - tends to shine, but with occasional dryness. And I guess it's a bit sensitive...but then most skin is sensitive when you're irritating the hell out of it.

Until recently, I felt like my skin was a nightmare that would never end. The dry patches were really getting me down, because despite the fact that no one else (said they) could tell they were there, I knew. And sometimes they'd be itchy, which drove me crazy, because I couldn't do anything about it unless I wanted red raw dry patches.

But a month or so ago, I started getting some treatments for certain problems at a skin clinic. I described my skin nightmare to the nurse, and she could see for herself what was going down, and she told me in no uncertain terms to ditch my Eve Lom cleanser and steer well clear of any granular scrubs. Instead, she advised me to use a glycolic acid cream every night (easing into it with twice a week usage to start), which would exfoliate away the dry skin without irritating the rest of it. For daytime, she insisted I use a 30+ SPF sunblock, which functions as my moisturiser.

I bought from the clinic a pot of Glytone Rejuvenate Facial Cream, and have been using it faithfully ever since. I don't know whether the improvement my skin has seen is due to that or the Avene Gentle Cleanser (which the same nurse recommended and sold to me), but the difference is dramatic. The itching is gone, as are the dry patches, and I've not had any sort of breakouts or other annoying/gross skin issues.

...Until, that is, I tested a toner for the purposes of this blog. It may just be a coincidence, but the morning after using the toner, I woke up with a blemish. Toner ditched, everything's back to normal.

I'm quite pleased with the Glytone cream - it's not cheap, but after using it for a month, I've barely skimmed the top layer. At this rate, it will need to be thrown away for freshness reasons before I've actually managed to use it all. And it doesn't irritate my skin, despite the alpha-hydroxy acid content.

Now that I've got a skin routine that seems to be working for me, I'm now faced with a whole new set of circumstances: I may just have no real reason ever to try or buy any new skincare products. The prospect of that fills me with horror, boring as it would be, but it would also be a nice problem to have.

Bluebasins make beautiful body products

Last week, I was the lucky recipient of a sample pack of products from Bluebasins, a Canadian bath and body products company. Makeda Paul is the owner of Bluebasins, and the company originated with the knowledge that was passed down through her family's matriarchs, from her great-grandmother, who was an herbalist in the Caribbean. All of the products are created from all natural ingredients, from scratch, in small batches for maximum quality control.

And the quality is what it's all about for me. I've written previously about the toxicity dangers of herbal products, and the general, incorrect assumption that something that is 'natural' is unquestionably good for you. So it takes a lot more than a mere label pronouncing that something is natural or herbal to impress me.

Bluebasins, on every count, did impress me. Here's a rundown of what I tried.

Mango Madness Whipped Body Soufflé: My first or second favourite Bluebasins product, I'd definitely buy this. (Indeed, I tried to buy some as a gift for my stepmother, but the Paypal system wouldn't let a UK account holder - that is, me - purchase products to be shipped to the US. I emailed Makeda about this, and she's looking into it for me.) The texture really is properly whipped; it's cool to the touch and you will want to feel it on your fingertips for eternity. Even better, it absorbs into the skin very quickly and smells like a dream. (My boyfriend wasn't crazy about what he called the 'afterscent' of this one, but I have no idea what he's talking about. I wear this during the day, when he can't really smell me from his office miles away, and slather on Palmer's Cocoa Butter or another more emollient moisturiser at night.)

Sensual Radiance Body Polish: This one is tied with the Mango Madness Whipped Body Soufflé for my favourite. I've been trying to work out what makes it smell so damn good - slightly spicy, but fresh and clean - and haven't been able to put my finger on it. The ingredients? Sea salts, mineral salts, dead sea salts, sweet almond oil, soya bean oil, avocado oil, macadamia nut oil, jojoba oil, aloe vera juice, crushed rose petals, red clay, vitamin E and essential oils of ylang ylang, patchouli, orange sweet, sandalwood, and jasmine. This polish is also moisturising, but doesn't leave you feeling slick or oily. Again, the smell is amazing.

Organic Energy Body Shampoo: Another Bluebasins product that has a wonderful scent - and one whose origin I cannot identify. Although there's eucalyptus in here, I wouldn't have guessed that without looking at the ingredients list. (I first received this when I was very sick last week, and was a bit foggy-headed, which meant I tried to use this to shampoo my hair two times before I realised it was a body shampoo. Don't use it on your head; it dried out my scalp, inexplicably so; on the body, it's moisturising.)

Ultra Rich Hand and Body Butter: Does what it says on the label, and is especially great for elbows and knees. Smells like a very inviting kitchen that has seen its share of baked goods, without being overly sweet or cloying.

King of Cocoa Butter Soap: "Somebody has my number," I said to my boyfriend when I opened this. Mint chocolate is one of my favourite flavour combinations, and although this soap is not to be eaten, I appreciated the mint chocolate fragrance in this product. I am not down with using soaps with oils on my face (long story), but I use this to wash my hands every morning and every night. It's a pleasurable product.

Makeda also sent me some Seaweed, Chamomile, Green Tea & Herb Polishing Facial Scrub, but for various boring reasons, I've got to stay away from facial scrubs right now. I've passed this to my boyfriend's mother for her to try.

All in all, I was extremely pleased with all of the Bluebasins products. The best part? They're downright affordable, especially with the exchange rate (a Canadian company, Bluebasins charges in Canadian dollars). Go there now, buy lots of products, and thank me later.

Cosmesis Self MicroDermabrasion

I've never had microdermabrasion before, though my best friend back in the US, Karri (we've been friends since freshman year), and I used to always half-jokingly talk about how badly we needed it. This was before we were old enough to work, and so had no money, and even after we were working, but didn't have parental approval to do such things. (Karri now works as an RN in a cosmetic surgeon's office - you can guess whether she's had that dermabrasion yet or not. All I'm saying is, she really needs to guest blog here.)

So you can imagine my intrigue and delight when I received a jar of Cosmesis Self MicroDermabrasion amongst a package of lots of other Cosmesis goodies from Dr Gary Goldfaden, the dermatologist who created the red tea-based line. Of course I had to rush to use it, and have now done so. I loved the feeling of such tiny particles rolling across my skin - so much nicer than big chunks of walnut shell, rocks, and whatever else some cheap-o lines use in their exfoliating scrubs. But I need to wait until tomorrow and see if my skin seems raw or otherwise sensitive before I can register more of a verdict. So far, so excited...

Eve Lom Starter Kit

This week was a good one, for many reasons. One such reason was an unexpected windfall; it's a modest windfall, but surprise money? It's all good.

"I am tempted to spend all that money on some really fun stuff - a treat," I said to Antoine, my boyfriend. "I know I shouldn't, but I want to."

"I think you should spend at LEAST some of it, if not all of it, on whatever you want. You deserve it," he replied.

I wasn't looking for permission, but I was certainly open to affirmation of my urge. With it granted, the matter was decided.

Yesterday, after a work meeting in Soho, I wandered past the Space NK shop in St Anne's Court. And then I walked in and bought £122 worth of products. A small splurge, the majority of it accounted for by my new Eve Lom Starter Kit, which cost £100.

I first tried Eve Lom's cleanser about four years ago, and really liked it. You have to complete a seven-step process to use it, one that is supposed to encourage drainage of the lymphatic system and boost skin circulation, and it certainly seems to do a good job on one's skin. The essential oils smell like a dream, too, and the cleanser is so exfoliating that it quickly whips skin into smooth shape.

The starter kit also comes with Eve's eye serum and moisturiser, both of which I tried for the first time last night. I'll report back on those, but so far I'm liking them, especially the fast-absorbing eye serum (my stand-by, from Molton Brown, takes about fifteen minutes to absorb completely; my back-up, from Guinot, is better, but not as good as the Eve Lom serum).

The oddest thing about yesterday's shopping trip was that I didn't feel as guilty as I'd expected - as guilty as usual - after spending the money. Whether that's a good or a bad thing remains to be seen...

Rubber ducky, joy of joys

Yeah, that title is a Sesame Street shout-out. And, heaven help me, I don't even have kids.

As my boyfriend and I prepare to move out of the flat where we currently live, I'm taking as many opportunities as possible to enjoy our delightfully retro (now that I've stopped thinking of it as shamefully dated) bathroom and its avocado green sink and bath. I've spent hours on end in that bathroom - most of them in the bath itself.

I know full well that taking baths in scalding hot water depletes skin's moisture and is just an all around bad idea. But as with tanning and wearing 28-year-old eye shadow, sometimes one feels the risk is worth taking. I get more pleasure out of a boiling bath on a frigid winter's evening than I could ever get out of having skin that didn't need moisturiser. Indeed, a life without hot baths is no life at all.