The Oil Cleansing Method

I was first introduced to cleansing with oil while I was in Aesthetics school. Before this point, I had never even heard of cleansing with oil, and the mere thought of it made me cringe. I already had somewhat oily skin and was prone to developing breakouts, so putting oil on my face was the last thing I had wanted to do. This was of course until I received my first Babor facial in clinic. Babor was the product line we used for the major of our facials on clients, and their primary cleanser is Hy-Ol, which is a hydrophilic oil cleanser, containing soybean, sesame, and peanut oil. The second part to the Babor cleanse included a product called Phytoactive, which was an activator that was to be put on after the Hy-Ol, and is used to address specific skin types such as those with sensitive or mature skin. These are GREAT products, although somewhat pricey ($36 for the Hy-Ol and $29 for the phytoactive) and they are a GREAT introduction to oil cleansing. (Note: Other oil cleansers do not require an activator, and are usually more affordable.) 

After my first Babor facial, I immediately purchased this 2-step cleanser because of the amazing results I got from just ONE use. My skin instantly looked dewy and healthy, and it felt even better. The usual oil buildup in my t-zone was barely noticeable, my pores appeared much smaller, and my complexion was glowing. From that point forward, I would never go back to cleansing with anything but oil.

Here is how the oil cleansing method works: 

No matter what the skin type, cleansing oil mixes with the preexisting oils already on your face. These oils can either be caused by naturally produced sebum, or buildup from makeup or other products left on your face. When you rinse during cleansing, the “good oil” from the cleanser, takes the “bad oil” as well as dirt/makeup with it. Cleansing oil basically acts like a magnet by binding to surface impurities, and rinsing them away without clogging your pores. Your skin is then left feeling clean, soft and hydrated. (Oil cleansers are GREAT for removing stubborn eye makeup as well, and may eliminate your need to use an additional makeup remover during your daily regimen. The fewer steps the better!)

Many other types of cleansers are often too harsh for our skin, and while they too will work to remove impurities, they also strip skin of all of its natural oils. This leaves skin unbalanced and dry, causing it to then OVERPRODUCE oil, to compensate. This excess oil production causes clogged pores, oily t-zones, and breakouts, which is what we are always trying to avoid! Oil cleansers essentially maintain the skin’s natural pH. Another added bonus – essential oils are also naturally antibacterial, thus helping to prevent future breakouts or infections.

After school (and my free facials and product discounts) had ended, I was back on a budget and had to do a little research on my own to see which oil cleansing product alternatives (to the pricey Babor line) were out there. Oil cleansing is a fairly new trend in the skincare industry, so there aren’t a TON of products out there yet, but there are a few great ones that I’ve tried, that I was very impressed with.

Here are some of my favorites:

Babor Hy-Ol ($36) and Phytoactive ($29)

Murad Cleansing Oil for Face Eyes and Lips – $32, Murad.comBare Minerals Mineralixirs Facial Cleansing Oil – $21 – BareMinerals

Shu Uemura High Performance Balancing Cleansing Oil ($67, Sephora)

Tell Me: Have YOU ever oil cleansed? Do you have any tips or product recommendations? Good/Bad experiences? 

The Best Dry Shampoo EVER

It’s no secret to anyone that knows me, that I have a legitimate obsession with Dry Shampoo. Every time I am in Sephora, a salon, or pretty much any drugstore for that matter, I make a beeline for the dry shampoo selection. I will often pick up two to three different bottles to try at a time because I am always looking for something better.

Due to my complete lack of patience with everyday styling, or even just washing my hair, my obsession with braids (so much easier with dry shampoo!), and my love for textured tresses, I have tried pretty much every single brand on the market. I’ve tried the sprays, the powders, the low-end, and the high-end…you name it, I’ve experimented with it at least once. Unfortunately, I have never been completely satisfied with any of them for one reason or another. Either the scent wasnt quite right, it was too noticeable on my roots, it was sticky, or it just plain didn’t get the job done!
That was until I tried Batiste. I just happened to see this little gem at Ulta, and decided to try it out. The packaging immediately drew me in. The design is super colorful and very retro. The perfectly reasonable price ($6.99!!) was another lovely feature, as I have paid over $30 for mediocre dry shampoos in the past. There are also over ten different scents, but I chose “Blush.”

I quickly rushed home, eager to try this new product (especially since I hadn’t washed my hair in two days at that point)! I followed the directions on the bottle…shake vigorously, spray on roots, and massage product into scalp. I then added a little more to the rest of my hair for added texture, and brushed through to the ends.

Right off the bat, the scent caught my attention. it smelled like baby powder, but not overwhelmingly so…just a nice subtle refreshing, clean scent. (This would be perfect for those who smoke, or for times when you want to disguise the fact that you were just at the gym, and didn’t have time to shower before work.)

I then noticed my hair. It literally looked like I had just gotten a blowout from the salon, which was mind-blowing to me being that I hadn’t even showered that day! I threw a few quick braids in my hair, straightened the ends, and went off to work.

Eight full hours later, my hair still smelled fresh, and looked even fresher. The dry shampoo lasted through my ENTIRE workday.

Never before had I discovered a dry shampoo that met ALL of my criteria- cheap, effective, and most importantly, not obvious to others.

This product will change your life!

Ulta- $6.99

Monday Quick Tip: INSTANTLY Whiter Teeth

Here’s my Monday quick beauty tip, cause ‘ain’t nobody got time for time consuming projects on Mondays! Amiright?!   

  These three ingredients are literally life-changing!

 
 If you want instantly, (yes I said instantly) whiter teeth, combine these ingredients (as instructed below), brush like usual, and repeat 3 times a week! The end. 
“Instantly Whiten Up” Recipe:

Add 1tsp of baking soda into a small container, then slowly add just enough Hydrogen Peroxide to make a paste. Add a small amount of your usual toothpaste. Combine. Add mixture to your toothbrush, then brush as usual. (Mixture May last for up to two uses.) 

 
Have YOU tried this yet?? If so, did you notice results? Did others?! Let me know! 

Bare Minerals ‘Round the Clock 6 PM – My New Favorite Eyeliner.

I attended a Master Makeup Class at Bare Escentuals this week with some of my favorite fellow Esti graduates, and not only did I score some sweet free Bare Minerals loot-

But I also discovered my new absolute favorite eyeliner, ever: ‘Round The Clock 6 PM’ (Violet).

I happened to choose violet because I have blue eyes, and purple pigments make blue stand out, but this amazing cream liner also comes in all of these fun, highly pigmented colors as well:

The reason I love this liner so much is because it’s actually waterproof, and when I say waterproof, I mean waterproof. I actually went swimming with this liner on and I swear to you that it literally did NOT budge. I also have pretty watery eyes (due to allergies and contact lenses), and on a typical workday, most “waterproof” eyeliners would be smudged under my eyes like a raccoon before lunch.

This liner, however, consistently stayed put, both on my actual waterline and my lid, from about 8 AM until well-past midnight. For me, the only time this stuff will come off, is with an oil-based makeup remover!! Each liner also comes with a sharpener, which is always a plus!

I would NOT recommend this product to those looking to do winged liner, or to anyone who likes a very thin, precise application along the lash line, as it is very creamy, and may turn out thicker than desired.

$16 – Bare Minerals

DIY Pink Peek-a-Boo Highlights

Lately I’ve been obsessed with dying my hair pink. I’ve always done blonde highlights, since I was about 13-years old, but I decided recently that I wanted to switch things up a bit, and jump on this trendy bandwagon of super girly candy-colored highlights. I didn’t want to spend anymore money on my hair than I already do for my regular go-to platinum highlights, so instead, I decided to be brave and try some drugstore box dye to see if I could create something myself at home.

So I ventured out to Target (my own little personal Heaven) and picked up a box of SPLAT, in Pink Fetish.

I then pulled a few random strands of my already bleached hair from underneath, and slathered on this almost obnoxiously-colored fuscia mixture. I let the color develop for about 30-minutes, washed it out until the water ran clear, and I ended up with this initially terrifying result-

…UNTIL I put the rest of my hair down to reveal some perfectly pink-ish peek-a-boo highlights, all in less than an hour, AND for less than $10.

My overall review: I would highly recommend this stuff if you’re feeling brave, of course! At first glance, this intense color can be quite shocking, but gets less bright after only a few washes!

If you’re looking for a less permanent alternative, try:

This product produces similar results, although the color turns out less fuscia and more like an actual hot pink. This color rinses out in just one wash (but lasted even less than that for me).