the other day, a guy at the office (who i don't really know) came into the kitchen and totally made my life. out of the blue, he said "i sometimes forget that you're a mother because you look so young". out of curiosity, i asked him how old he thought i was and he said "i don't know, mid to late 20s?". i almost kissed him and he's now my bff.
i contribute this mostly to genes (my mom is 64 and looks like she's in her mid-50s) but i honestly believe that a large part of my complexion is due to the insane and neurotic, almost OCD-like way i care for my skin. either that or mother nature is playing a cruel trick on me and i'll wake up in a few years looking like gollum.
behold my secret weapons:
those who know me, know i spend a fortune on my skin. from when i was a wee child, i've watched my mother slather luxurious products onto her face and as she was doing it, she would tell me that it's important to use quality products on your skin in order to help ward off the signs of aging. both she and i believe that you get what you pay for so we've always stuck to brand-name products for makeup and skin care. whether or not that's true, my products have not let me down.
shu uemura cleansing oil. the next best thing since sliced bread. when i first stumbled onto this product, i thought eww, oil to clean my face? bleh! but i've been eating my words since i tried a sample many moons ago. this product is an all-in-one cleanser and cleans so well that you can toss your toner and eye makeup remover because you only need this bottle of awesomeness to have a squeaky clean face. you only need a tiny amount, massage onto dry skin (concentrating on the eye area if you have waterproof makeup on), use a bit of water to emulsify your makeup, rise, pat dry and voila! squeaky clean face that's still soft and supple. i love this product mainly because it doesn't leave my skin tight and dry.
cost: $49 for a small bottle; $84 for the large honking one that will last you forever. both available at holt renfrew.
josie maran argan oil. ok, so i think i jumped the gun on my last review of this product. i should've realized that this was a treatment, not a miracle in a jar. i've stuck with argan oil for several weeks now and i see a huge difference in the suppleness of my skin and its ability to retain moisture. i use this product twice a day (morning and night) right after i wash my face.
cost: $16 for the small bottle or $63 for the big one. both available at sephora.
creme de la mer. i tried this cream many years ago when my old moisturizer stopped working for me and as many times as i've tried to find alternatives (because this is just so freaking expensive), i keep coming back. for those who don't know, i'm plagued with super dry, irritable skin that is prone to eczema flare-ups and gross, disgusting dry patches when the weather gets cold or my when uterus decides to punk my hormone system. this is the only cream that calms my skin and injects the right amount of moisture into it.
i use this twice a day (morning and night) and on top of the argan oil. this luxurious cream lasts all day (when other products used to wear off by 2pm leaving me with leather face) and always leaves my skin soft and smooth. who knows if their "miracle broth" actually works but i've had major skin irritations go away when i apply this cream which earns a thumbs up in my books.
cost: $your first born child or some organs sold on the black market.
bobbi brown eye cream. light-weight yet packs a powerful, moisturizing punch. i dab a tiny amount around my eye area in the morning and at night. it also helps to "prepare" the area around my eyes for makeup in the morning because we all know how terrible concealer looks on dry, flaky skin.
cost: $56; available at holt renfrew
philosophy microdelivery exfoliating wash. every wednesday and sunday, i exfoliate my face with this uber-gentle scrub. made with synthetic microbeads and free of perfums, it's perfect for my sensitive skin. i find it works best when massaged onto dry skin and leaves me feeling smooth and silky. the only thing i don't like about this is the smell.
cost: $26 for a ridiculously giant bottle that should not be that big. available at sephora.
darphin kiwi moisturizing mask. every sunday, i apply this mask after i exfoliate. it's the only mask that has helped inject moisture into my dry skin. i also use it for spot treatments so if there's a gross dry patch on my face, i'll apply this and it'll be gone the next day.
cost: i can't remember how much this is... i want to say around $40 but so worth every penny. available at holt renfrew.
some other things i do:
use sunscreen. protect your skin year round with sunscreen. i should take my own advice but you can be sure i slather this on during the summer.
call it a night. excessive drinking, smoking and partying all contribute accelerating the clock against your skin. i haven't partied in years... hell, i can barely stay up past 10pm!
get plenty of zzzzz's. when i got my wisdom teeth out, i was on tylenol 3's for 1 week straight which meant i slept on the couch for that entire week because the meds knocked me right out. when i woke up on that 8th day, i looked in the mirror and i swear, the heavens shone above me because my skin was so radiant, brilliant and all kinds of gorgeous. my dark circles were gone and my skin looked so good, i wanted to have sex with myself.
drink lots of water on a daily basis. helps flush out all the toxins from your body, fight bloating and helps you retain moisture.
exercise. as much as i hate exercising, the increased blood flow brings much-needed oxygen and other nutrients to your skin. why do you think your complexion always look fab after a workout?
what are some of your tricks to keep looking young?
