Que Bella Dead-Sea Mud Mask Review

Earlier in the day I was at Target, and I saw a row of about five different packages, that were masks. They were individual, one time use packages. The brand is Que Bella Bath & Beauty. I was easily intrigued when I saw the price was only $1.99-$2.04 per package! The package says they use "80% natural product", not too bad if you ask me. I purchased the "detoxify dead-sea mud mask". The mix of dead-sea minerals is to deep clean pores and refresh tired skin. I like that this mask contains kaolin clay, bentonite, natural beeswax, and seaweed extract. All great for the skin. If you are allergic to any of these ingredients,please do not purchase this mask.

I had to give this mask a go, I cleansed my skin and I applied the mask.
I left the mask on for 15 minutes, like the directions say to. The mask it self is a very light blue color, thick and creamy texture. It is easy to apply, and it spreads well on the skin. It has a light scent to it, it definitely does not smell like mud or ocean! Once I had applied the mask, I noticed there was still plenty left in the package, so if you wrap it up well you can get one or even two more applications out of it. I rinsed my skin, and I really like how my skin looked after. My skin did look refreshed, smooth and clear. I would purchase this mask again, as well as try the other ones by this product line.

Happily using my dead-sea mask.

I purchased this product at Target, I'm not sure if all Targets carry this line in their stores, if not you can check the companies website http://www.quebellabeauty.com and from there, you can search what stores carry them.


I hope you found this blog helpful and thank you for reading along!

Quick Tip: Don't Neglect Your Neck

Don't neglect your neck when applying moisturizers, serums and masks!!

 The neck is very delicate skin and needs to be taken care of too. This step is crucial when applying your day moisturizer with SPF 15 or 30, the neck needs to be protected as well.

Some women and men as well, will also apply their creams, serums, and masks to the decollete (chest) area. This is up to you, if you would like to take it that extra step. Anytime you apply a product to the neck, apply it in upward strokes , never pulling down on the skin.



Thanks for reading my quick tip!! More great blogs to come!

Quick Tip: Shiny and Strong Hair

A quick tip for keeping your hair strong, shiny, and healthy, is to use  a mix of moisture and protein. Too much moisture alone will make the hair soft and flat, while too much protein will cause the hair to get hard and brittle.

I am currently using two different deep conditioners. I rotate between them, one is for moisture and the other is protein also known as keratin. The problem that I face is that I have very long hair, but my scalp is very oily. I don't want to wash my hair every day, but in case I do, I always use deep conditioners (so my ends do look dry and frizzy). I never deep condition my scalp, I apply the deep conditioner starting at shoulder's and working down. If your hair is extremely dry and your scalp doesn't get oily, then you can apply directly to the scalp.         

I usually leave in on for about 10 min, and rinse with cool water. The moisturizing deep conditioner I'm currently using is by Joico, this one is called K-Pak. The protein deep conditioner I'm currently is using is by it's a 10, with keratin plus. These can be found easily online, and at certain salons that carry them.

This is just a friendly tip for hair care. Thank you for reading along!
                                                                                  

Home Remedies For Extremely Sensitve Skin and Cleopatra Used This

Today I'm going to write about a few home remedies for very sensitive skin. This is going to be for people who have a hard time with most or all products they have tried. Usually the skin is so sensitive that many people give up and just use water, to not irritate the skin. Using water alone is not properly going to cleanse the skin of oils, dirt, and bacteria that needs to be removed.

The main ingredient is going to be milk!! Milk naturally has lactic acid in it, which will gently cleanse and exfoliate the skin.

Cleopatra was know for her beautiful skin, and back then they didn't have products like we do now. She was very well known for her oils and perfumes, and also taking milk baths. Even then she knew the benefits of milk, and how it made her skin glow. Lets all take a lesson from Cleopatra then!

You can use powdered milk or 2% milk as a cleanser and as a mask. Powdered milk can be found at easily at most grocery stores. I would recommend using the powdered milk first, as you can make a consistency you like by adding warm/hot water.

Place 1/3 cup of powdered milk in a bowl. Slowly add warm/hot water, stir the mixture as you pour. If you would like to use this as a mask leave the consistency a bit thicker so it can stay on the face. It will be a bit lumpy and that's okay, just mix it to you have it where you like it. Leave the mask on for about 10-15 min. Rinse with cool water and continue with your usual routine.

If you'd like you can add in half a cucumber to the mask. Cucumber is good for very sensitive skin as it will soothe the skin. You can use half a cucumber, slice it and add it to your blender or food processor. Add in a 1/2 cup of water to help liquify the cucumber. You can also be the judge of the consistency you want. Add this to the powdered milk slowly and gently stir together. The consistency will be lumpy. If you have extra you can refrigerate it for 5-7 days.

To use powdered milk as a cleanser mix it the same way but add in more water so it easier to cleanse with. Pat it on the skin in upward circular motions for about 30-60 seconds. Rinse. You can do this with 2% milk as well. You may want to heat the milk up before you put it on the face.

You will need:

1. Powdered Milk

2. 2% Milk

3. 1 cucumber

4. Water

If you are nervous to try this, use in on your jaw and neck first, as a patch test.

I hope you found this helpful. Keep reading along as I blog more home remedies!!! Thank you.

Bee Venom Mask

There is no doubt that this is the year for Bee Venom, especially with the release of information that Camila, Duchess of Cornwall has been using it. There are many products containing Bee Venom, but the product that  Camila's using is by Heaven. This is a mask that is left on for 20 minutes and rinsed off, not washed off. The price of this is $154 for 50 ml and $64 for 15 ml. This product is made in the UK. This product is claiming to be "Nature's Botox".

So what does Bee Venom do??? Bee Venom is anti-inflammatory as well as an antiseptic. Because of the strong properties it relaxes the muscles on the face, therefore reducing lines/wrinkles.  This helps to plump up collagen for better elasticity, minimize lines, brighten and tighten the skin and helps with acne.

Bee Venom has been used on patients with tendinitis and rheumatoid arthritis, to help with inflammation. There hasn't been much research yet on the anti-aging aspect of it.

Another main ingredient in this mask is Manuka Honey. Manuka Honey comes from New Zealand. This honey is healing, soothing and antibacterial. There is no denying the awesomeness of honey, but this is one of the best and mixed with Bee Venom, you get a phenomenal product.

Sadly I haven't tried this product yet, but I will soon! As soon as I try it I will blog about it.

I did come across another product that seems very similar to the Bee Venom Mask from Heaven. This one is called Royal Nectar. They have an amazingly similar mask for much less! The price of their mask is about $69 for 50 ml. Not too bad! I think I might try this one! 


Thank you for reading along. It's easy to subscribe and I also have a language translator on my blog!

Hyperpigmentation Continued

I would like to write more about Hyperpigmentation, and the products that can be used to help treat it. In my previous blog I mentioned Hydroquinone and Kojic Acid.

Hydroquinone is a skin bleach/lightener, and it is the most effective ingredient to lighten skin. Although this is one of the more popular methods, Hydroquinone must be used with caution. Recent studies have shown this to be a carcinogen risk, linked to studies done on rats. Most over the counter creams have a small dosage of Hydroquinone in it, but if you get a prescription cream from your Doctor, it will be a higher dosage.

Kojic Acid is also used in many skin bleaching products. It also is found in many products containing Hydroquinone. These products will be harsh on the skin and cause you to peel and be dry. Kojic Acid isn't linked to be cancerous but it may severely irritate the skin.

I am going to recommend some products to try, some contain Hydroquinone and Kojic Acid, and some will not.

COSMELAN. This is a highly effective peel that does not contain Hydroquinone, but it does have Kojic Acid in it.

RENEE ROULEAU POST BREAKOUT FADE GEL. This is recommended for acne scars, not some much sun spots or Melasma. This does not contain Hydroquinine or Kojic Acid. The key ingredients are Lactic and Glycolic Acids.

CLARITE  SKIN BLEACH STEP 4. This product does contain 4% Hydroquinone in it.

DDF FADE GEL #4. This product does not contain Hydroquinone. The key ingredients in this product is Kojic and Glycolic Acid.

LUCEDERM. This product does not contain Hydroquinone. The key ingredient in this product is Kojic Acid and Alpha-Arbutin.

These are just some of my recommendations. There seems to be a never ending supply of products to choose from, but I think these products stand up well next to their competition.

Thank you for reading along!

Great Inexpensive Fade Cream

Concha Nacar de Perlop #3 is a wonderful bleach cream. I chose this product because of the great ingredients it contains as well as it's effectiveness to work. This product is very affordable, at under $6 per jar, and you can easily purchase it at Target and Walgreens I believe. This product does not contain Hydroquinone. This is a "natural skin lightener". I would still recommend a patch test of this product before you put it on your face, on the neck would be fine.This product is great for clearing acne, lightening dark spots, and is a great deep pore cleanser. The mix of these ingredients help to moisturize, exfoliate, lighten the skin, create cell turn over and draw out impurities.

This product contains: glycerin, zinc oxide, ground barley, water, oyster shell powder, lemon juice, honey, witch hazel, betonite, papain, Irish moss powder, salicylic acid, and fragrance.

This product is a mask and must be applied to clean skin. Apply it by gently rubbing it into the skin and leave it on for 45-60 min. Rinse and moisturize as normal. Apply this at night.

Do not use this product if you are allergic to any of the listed ingredients.

To get the best results out of a product typically you need to use it for 8 weeks, so please do not expect a miracle in one try. Also you may experience a minor breakout while first using this, as it is drawing out impurities in the skin.

Thank you for reading a long!! More product recommendations to come.

Hyperpigmentation

I want to blog about Hyperpigmentation today. Hyperpigmenation is pretty much a harmless skin condition that causes certain areas of the skin to get darker. This is caused by the over production of melanin in the skin. It also has many names age spots, liver spots, acne scars, and the "mask of pregnancy" for some women.

If you have acne or get a pimple you usually notice once it has gone away it leaves behind a dark spot. Usually over time your skin will go back to normal and the dark spot will shrink and be gone. Most people want this process to speed up and need some help. That's where using something topical can help such as Retin-A, AHA and BHA's will work.

If you are starting to get sun spots you will notice it on your forehead and cheeks first. Your skin will not go back to normal with sun spots on it's own, this does require a topical treatment. Depending on the severity of it, you can get a prescription from your Doctor or purchase an over the counter product. Typically Hydroquinone is used to lighten the skin. If you are allergic to Hydroquinone, you can use Retin-A or Kojik Acid.

Also, with using these products do not for get to wear sunscreen!!

Pregnancy can also cause hyperpigmentation in some women. This is called the "mask of pregnancy". During pregnancy hormones are out of control and this can cause an increase in melanin for some women. Usually it happens on the face or it can happen on the stomach too. After birth the skin should go back to normal.

In my next blog I will recommend products for Hyperpigmentation.

Dry Skin and Hair? Try a Silk Pillow Case

I don't have dry skin or hair, I'm pretty much oily, but I have heard the benefits of using a silk pillow case for a long time. I decided to try it out about six months ago, and I'm so happy I did! The silk pillow case feels amazing against your skin, it's cool and soft. I also stopped waking up with crease lines on my face, which I would get from cotton pillow cases.

The main benefit from using a silk pillow case is that it does not draw moisture out of your skin and hair the way cotton does. Which means less frizzy hair and moisture left in your skin while sleeping. Also silk pillow cases are hypoallergenic. Since silk pillow cases are smooth they do not bundle up like cotton will, so less wrinkles and creases on the face. Silk does not retain body heat, so the pillow has a nice cool feel all through out the night, and helps with a better nights sleep.

Silk pillow cases will run between $18-$25 per single case. It is an investment, but silk pillow cases hold up well with regular washes. The only down side might be that silk pillow cases do not come in a wide variety of colors, so it might not match your sheets and covers. For some it might bother them, but hopefully not!

I found mine on Amazon, they have a great selection.

Quick Tip

Don't forget to exfoliate your lips!! Preferably with a scrub. This will help smooth the lips and remove any build up from lipstick, lip gloss, lip stains, etc. Also, if you suffer from dry flaky lips exfoliating will help remove the flaky skin. Immediately after apply
to damp lips a conditioning lip cream or balm.

These are currently my favorite two. I purchased these at Bath and Body Works.

Exfoliants Worth Trying

In my last blog I wrote about exfoliating. There are many to choose from and I want to list a few that I think are worth trying. It is easy to get overwhelmed by the never ending variety that is on the market, but I'm here to help!!

My picks are:

First Aid Beauty: Facial Radiance Pads. Retail $28. These pads can be used daily, twice too, once in the morning and once at night. These pads contain a light amount of glycolic and lactic acid. They are free from parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrance, petrochemicals, phthalates, and triclosan. Great for sensitive skin.

Oil of Olay: Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System. Retail $22. This kit includes derma-crystals microdermabrasion cream and the peel activator serum. You will notice a warming sensation on your skin after applying the peel activator serum. This can be used once a week.

Jan Marini: Papaya Enzyme Mask & Clean Zyme Cleanser. Retail Skin Zyme $28, Papaya Enzyme Mask $44. The Skin Zyme Cleanser is recommended to use with the mask. Cleanse the skin first and then apply the mask. It should be left on for 15 min. Can be used 3-4x in a month. The mask works to digest dead skin cells and not irritate the skin. Great for acne, acne scars, and hyperpigmentation.

Epicuren: 5% or 10% Glycolic Peel. Retail $22-$39. You can choose between a 5% or 10% formula for dry and oily skin. This is applied at night directly after cleansing the skin. It is left on the skin and you do not apply a moisturizer after. The 10% does sting. Can be used 3-4x a month. Great for smoothing the skin surface, acne, acne scars, and fine lines.

Renee Rouleau: Triple Berry Smoothing Peel. Retail $85. This peel should be left on for 10 min and used 1-3x a month. This peel contains a mix of antioxidant-rich berries and skin refining AHA's and BHA's. Great for acne, acne scars, large pores, fine lines and hyperpigmentaion.

Renee Rouleau: Mint Buffing Beads. Retail $41.50. This scrub should be applied to clean damp skin and rubbed in an upward circular motions for 30-60 seconds. This is great to give skin a nice healthy glow and smooth the surface of the skin. Can be used 2-3x a week.

An at Home Treatment: Lemon juice and Granulated Sugar. Retail $3. Mix lemon juice and granulated sugar together. Apply to clean damp skin and rub in an upward circular motion for about 30-60 seconds. This really stings but it works great. Can be used 1-3x a week. This helps with acne, acne scars, and fine lines.

These products were listed in a random order. I hope this helps and thank you for reading along!!

Don't forget to Exfoliate!!

Exfoliating is one of the most important steps in skin care. Exfoliating helps remove dead skin cells that build up on the skin, which gives the skin a dull appearance. Exfoliating also helps to smooth out rough patches on the skin, unclog pores, and help fade acne scars.

There are a few different types of exfoliants, such as a scrub, a gel or cream that is left on the skin, a mask that is rinsed off, exfoliating pads, and serums.

I just want to take some time out to discuss the importance of using sunscreen while exfoliating. SPF 30 is recommended in your moisturizer. Exfoliating works to remove dead skin cells in order to show new brighter skin. The new skin must be protected with sunscreen or all the exfoliating is pointless. The best example I can give to best visualize this is, if you remove the skin of an apple the flesh (the part we eat) starts to turn brown. Now, if you leave it in the sun it starts to shrivel up and darken even faster. Think of this happening to your skin, of course the apple oxidizes much faster than our skin would. Sunscreen is the barrier you need to protect your new skin!

I recommend exfoliating 3-5 nights out of the week. This is if you are using a scrub or exfoliating pads (which also depends on the instructions from the company). If you are going to use a exfoliating mask, gel or cream, or serum, I recommend using it 2-3 nights out of the week (also depends on the companies instructions).

When looking for a scrub, it's best to find one with refined beads as to not irritate the skin. Also you want to use gentle circular motions when applying it.

If you want to use a gel, cream, or mask exfoliant it is best to find one with AHA or BHA in it.

My next blog I will recommend products as well as a great home made exfoliant.

Top 10 Luxury Skin Care Products

This is my top 10 luxury skin care list. I based this list off of ingredients, effectiveness, and potency. The majority of these products come with a hefty price tag, which means you better see some great results if you are going to purchase these products again. I believe these 10 products stand up to their price tag and are worth giving a try. This list is based off of my preference, not by most expensive or vice versa.

Okay, so lets get stared with the list.

10. FIRST AID BEAUTY

9. PHILOSOPHY

8. ORIGINS

7. JAN MARINI

6. SUNDAY RILEY

5. NUCELLE

4. DERMALOGICA

3. EPICUREN

2. ALGENIST

1. RENEE ROULEAU 

This is my top 10 list of luxury skin care products. Most of these items can be found at Sephora, except for Nucelle (which is great for acne prone skin), Dermalogica, Epicuren, and Renee Rouleau (which is currently my favorite). These products can be purchased online, from the company store, or at a spa that carries them.

I hope you find this list useful and helpful when choosing your next product to try!!!

Follow my blog as I get more in depth with each product, from both of my lists.

Quick Tip: Best body wash under $5

This by far is the best body wash I have used, and it's only $3.99 at Trader Joe's! My skin feels tingly and refreshed after washing with it, I don't feel dry at all after (I do apply a cream all over my body immediately after showering).

It is certified organic, no animal testing and amazing ingredients. Again it's only $3.99!!! Love it.

Quick Tip

My favorite facial cleansing wipes are by Burt's Bees. It has white tea extract which is a great anti-oxidant.

This is great for after a workout or a day at the beach!

Great to have on hand.

Top 10 Drug Store Products

I put together a list of drug store products that are easy to find, and that are easy on the budget. I chose products based on their ingredients, and effectiveness. There really is a great selection now for drug store products than ever before. Consumers are more aware of ingredients, and companies have taken notice.
I have tried many skin care products from very inexpensive to very expensive, and I get results from both. You may see this list as a stepping stone to use certain products and eventually try a more expensive product, it just depends on your skin care needs at that moment.

 As I've gotten older I find my self looking for products that are free of synthetic perfumes, dyes, harsh sulfates and parabens. I put some of these products on my list, but not all of the products I list are free of these ingredients.

Lets get started:

10. TRADER JOE'S SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

9. AVEENO

8. OIL OF OLAY

7. CETAPHIL

6. SKIN EFFECTS BY DR. JEFFERY DOVER

5. BURT'S BEES

4. BOOTS

3. AVALON ORGANICS

2. LUMENE

1. SAY YES TO CARROTS,  TOMATOES, CUCUMBER, BLUEBERRIES AND TOMATOES.


These are my top 10 drug store products. I hope you find this list useful. Most of the products can be purchased from Target, CVS, and Rite Aid. Except for the products from Trader Joe's, those must be purchased directly from them.

Tomorrow I will list my top 10 Luxury Skin Care Products!

Ultimate Moisture Cream Lavender - 2 oz (Google Affiliate Ad)Vitamin C Renewal Facial Cream - 2 oz (Google Affiliate Ad)Vitamin C Revitalizing Eye Cream - 1 fl oz (Google Affiliate Ad)CoQ10 Wrinkle Defense Cream - 1.75 oz (Google Affiliate Ad)