It wasn’t until recently that I’d heard of the Japanese skincare line SK-II, via Cate Blanchett. How could you resist skincare endorsed by Cate Blanchett’s creamy visage? Girl’s gotta be doing something right. SK-II opened a pop-up studio in San Francisco where you can stop by and receive a complimentary digital skin analysis and try out their Facial Treatment Mask. I took one for the team (women everywhere) and stopped by to check it out after work Tuesday night.
I was greeted at the door by a friendly SK-II skincare professional who offered me a beverage and took me to a have a seat at one of their stations. She asked what I like about my skin and what I’d like to improve. I told her that overall I’m pretty happy with my skin but would like to work on texture refinement and dryness. She recommended a few different products like the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, which is a moisturizing facial treatment that you apply like a toner. The main ingredient in their products is Pitera. Derived from a strictly controlled natural fermentation process, Pitera is a clear liquid rich in vitamins, amino acids, minerals, and organic acids. This combination of nutrients work to dramatically improve the skin’s natural surface rejuvenation process.
The coolest part of the whole experience was the digital skin consultation. She snapped an image of the left side of my face with her fancy camera. The left side statistically gets more sun/weather exposure (driving habits, etc.) than the right side, so there’s usually more damage. She pulled up my photo on her tablet and the computer analyzed my skin. Surprisingly, even though I’m only 23, the computer concluded that I had a “skin age” of 29! This was determined by a combination of factors such as skin hydration, sun damage, firmness, and prevalence of wrinkles. I was able to see both the visible and invisible sun damage on my skin, my visible and invisible pores, and micro-fissures where wrinkles were starting to form (scary!). The whole process was definitely enlightening and made me want to proactively care for my skin.
Lastly, I got to try SK-II’s Facial Treatment Mask, which is 30 days worth of Pitera essence in one treatment. It felt cold and wet on my face, which was a refreshing reprieve from the California heat wave we’ve been having this week. The mask makes you look like The Mummy, but at least I wasn’t the only woman there with one on! She removed the mask after 10 minutes and my skin instantly felt more refreshed.
I even snapped this CUTE selfie after leaving (don’t mind the smudged eye makeup – this photo is not retouched…) to see for myself. I definitely felt my skin looked healthier and more radiant. These masks are very pricey for us twenty-somethings, but they’d be great to use before special occasions. The Japanese like to use these Facial Treatment Masks as a bridal skincare ritual 90 days prior to the wedding day.
Singing Satellites necklace by MJXL Jewelry.
I also walked away with a goodie bag of free SK-II samples and a voucher for a free deluxe sample of their products at Sephora. Everything that they did was completely complimentary and free of charge.
If you’re in the San Francisco area, you should definitely check it out! The pop-up studio runs until May 23rd, 2014. For more information, check out their website.
Your symptoms: flaky face, raw nose, chapped lips, and cracked hands. The culprit? You make be suffering from… winter. Even before the snow flies, winter weather is taking its toll. Amp up your usual skincare regimen and you’ll be glowing even when it’s snowing (I’m corny). Keep reading for my recommendations!
There’s nothing worse than dry, cracked lips! Every night before bed, exfoliate your lips with a damp washcloth. Then, apply an emollient lip balm like Aquaphor Lip Repair. It also works wonders on a raw nose!
Before showering, dry brush your entire body with a natural bristle brush. Brush the skin on your arms and legs up towards your torso, and the skin on your back down towards the floor. This promotes circulation, rids your body of dead skin cells, and stimulates your lymphatic system. After showering, apply Kiehl’s Creme de Corps to damp skin.
You gals know how much I love my Clarisonic! Use it to keep your face clean and smooth and to exfoliate dead skin cells.
Winter weather calls for a heavy-duty eye cream like Mario Badescu Ceramide Herbal Eye Cream. The eye area does not have any of its own oil glands, therefore, the area needs to be supplemented with a rich eye cream so that it doesn’t dry out! Every night, apply three dots to each brow bone and under eye area and lightly tap to blend.
Even during the winter your skin still needs to be protected from the sun. Use a light, yet emollient moisturizer like Mario Badescu Collagen Moisturizer SPF 15 during the day. It protects the skin from moisture loss without the use of heavy oils.
After washing your face at night, apply a thicker, richer moisturizer to your face. I like Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream because it leaves my skin soft and silky without clogging my pores.
What are some of your winter skin regimen recommendations?
There are a lot of seriously good deals going on lately. Today’s deal is brought to you by Groupon, who is currently selling Clarisonic-compatible replacement brush heads at a serious discount. Those of you who use the Clarisonic know that the replacement heads don’t come cheap ($25 each!). This Groupon deal is offering a two-pack for $9.99! As you know, Groupon deals don’t last forever so take advantage while you can and stock up!
Unless you were blessed with otherworldly genes, pretty much every person struggles with skin problems at least once in their life… I know I did! I started getting acne in fifth grade (!) and it continued throughout high school. Most of the time my acne and skin problems were manageable, but I longed for a smoother complexion than the one I had. I finally figured out the secret, though. Get ready, because I’m going to share with you my skincare regimen that finally gave me flawless, problem-free skin.
Meet your new best friend, the Clarisonic! Many of you have probably heard of it, but for those who haven’t, the Clarisonic is a skin-cleansing brush that is designed to cleanse your skin 6x better than your hands alone. Does it live up to those claims? Absolutely. This device has revolutionized skin care and has revolutionized my skin.
Breakouts? I haven’t had a bad one since I started using it. Blackheads? Completely eliminated. Dry skin? Gone. My skin is 100% healthier-looking, brighter, and more radiant all because of the Clarisonic (I’m not a paid sponsor, I’m just really enthusiastic about it). My pores have shrunk, my skin emits a dewy glow, and I never have to worry about how my skin looks without foundation.
I want every woman and man to feel as confident in their skin as I do. If you’re hesitant about the price, ask for it as a gift. I guarantee you it’s 100% worth every penny, though. Go buy it right now and tell all your friends about it.
Oh, and if you’re curious, these are the skincare products I use daily in addition to my Clarisonic:
