Skin Is In

I answered this question on my main blog and I thought I’d put it here, since it really belongs here.

andrewschiver asks: I was going to ask you something on Skin Is In, but I noticed you haven’t done that in a while, so I’m going straight at you with this: I am a dude that knows nothing about makeup, and who doesn’t really want to LOOK like he knows anything about makeup. BUT ALSO, my skin is kind of a splotchy mess right now, and I really want something light that will help to even out my skin tone. Suggestions?

Ohmigod hi! Thanks for pointing out that I haven’t written on Skin Is In in a while. I’m the actual worst, and I’ve honest-to-god just been too busy to keep up on it. There are like, 30 unaddressed asks in that inbox. Le sigh.

I’m happy to help you with your dilemma on my much-more-frequently-updated blergh right here, though. Especially because you’re a dude.

To start, I’m going to ask you some really annoying questions right now:

1. Do you drink enough water? (But really, do you?)
2. Do you get enough sleep?
3. What is your diet like? Do you eat enough raw produce (things that have vitamins) and nuts and fish and the like (things that have oils that are good for you)?
4. Are you super-stressed out?
5. Do you smoke?
6. Do you drink a lot of alcohol?
7. Do you wash your face before bed?
8. Do you moisturize your face before bed and during the day?
9. Do you wear sunscreen on your face when you’re outside for more than, like, 15 minutes?
10. How often do you wash/change your pillowcases?

Yikes. That’s a lot of questions. What I’m trying to get at here is this: before you think about what product you should use to help your skin, you should really think about your lifestyle and habits, because they will have a far greater effect on your skin’s health and look than one product will. You want to make sure you’re drinking tons of water, getting at least 7 hours of sleep per night, eating lots of good-for-you food, not smoking, and not drinking excessive amounts constantly.

That’s all the inside-your-body stuff. Then there’s also the exterior stuff, the environmental factors. So many men don’t wash their faces before bed… because they don’t wear makeup. Which, I get. But when you’re out and about all day, there’s a lot of stuff that gets in your pores. Having dirt, oil, etc. in your pores and then sleeping all night with that in there is going to cause splotchy skin. Also, the dirtier your face is when you go to sleep, the more frequently you need to wash your pillowcases.

Be sure to wear sunscreen when you’re outside. Even if you don’t get a sunburn, the sun will cause your skin to look “uneven.” And, you want to make sure to moisturize your face after washing it, which leads me to this:

After all or some of the above has been addressed, I’d use this after washing your face with a very mild cleanser each night (something like this).

If you change even half of your bad habits (and I’m just assuming you have bad habits because everyone has them), you will be amazed at how different your skin looks. If you’re still having issues, you might want to use a toner after washing your face, before you moisturize. This can help even out your skin tone as well.

I have faith in you! Now go forth and have an awesome(r) face.

sensualwordplay asked: So I've hit 23 and decided it's time to ramp up the skincare with some anti-aging and toner and the like. My question is what to do about the neck? I don't really want a turkey gobbler when I'm old/middle aged but I'm not sure what to do about keeping it looking the way it does in my twenties.

23 is a great time to figure out a skincare routine — you’re way ahead of the game.

It’s important to moisturize your neck adequately, because the skin there is still pretty thin in comparison to the rest of your body. Fortunately, this is simple!

Before you go to bed, after you wash and tone your face, use a night cream. Try something moderately lightweight, like this Neutrogena night cream. You don’t need anything too serious yet because of your age. When you go to put it on, put extra all over your neck and upper chest. That should help keep that skin soft and stall the aging process in that area.

One more thing: When you put sunscreen on your face in the morning (you are putting sunscreen on your face in the morning, right?), make sure to put it on your neck as well. Most people forget this.

surawesome asked: I'm going to be in a wedding in Jan. It's a glamorous/hollywood oldey time themed extravaganza. I need to do bright, bright vintage-inspired lips that will stay on for 8 hours. Any suggestions?! (maybe that lipstick you let me borrow when I exploded in red from that weird shrimp allergy) (and then we kissed) (I don't know what I'm saying).

Fortunately, I answered this question via text message last night, because this wedding happens to be tomorrow! I thought I’d share the wealth with the rest of you, though.

My absolute favorite red lipstick is called Ruby Woo and it’s made by (you guessed it) MAC Cosmetics. I think anyone who wants a red-red (as in, not orange or pink) lipstick should try this. It looks good on almost everyone — plus it’s matte, and it stays on forever.

Have fun at the wedding!

Hi everyone!

I just wanted to let you all know that I’m not dead. I just moved across the country from Chicago to San Francisco, so I’ve been a bit preoccupied with all that. Once I settle in to my new home here, I’ll be back to writing regular posts, answering your questions, and making videos.

Feel free to submit a question in the meantime. I promise I will get to it.

Thanks!

Drugstore products I love right now

I’m all for a makeup or skincare splurge every now and then, and there are some products that I’ll gladly shell out more money for because I know they’re worth it. But for everyday makeup or experimentation, there’s no better place for me to buy products than the CVS across the street from my apartment. Not only is it more convenient and cheaper, but I constantly have $5 off or 25% coupons from them since I buy a lot of other household items there as well. It’s a win-win.

So here are some of my favorite bargain items right now:

L’Oreal Extreme Volume Mascara, $5-10

This is the best mascara I’ve ever used that wasn’t over $20 per tube. My favorite mascara of all time is Estee Lauder, but I’m not going to spend that kind of money on a regular basis for mascara, which goes bad quickly and typically all looks the same to the onlooker. This comes in a couple shades of black, plumps your lashes and lengthens them, and I’ve seen it for as little as $5 at Target. Bonus: Did you know L’Oreal is the same exact brand as Lancôme? It basically is. Don’t buy Lancôme, just buy L’Oreal! Same company, way cheaper.

Sally Hansen nail polish, $2-$8

I love Deborah Lippmann colors as much as the next person, but sometimes I want a bright color that I’ll use three times in my life, and I don’t want to pay $18 a bottle for it. Sally Hansen has two lines that I love: the Xtreme Wear line and the Complete Salon Manicure line. I’ve seen Xtreme Wear colors on sale for 2 for $4 at Walgreens. They last just as long as Essie or OPI and are extremely opaque, so you don’t have to apply a million coats. The Complete Salon Manicure line lasts longer than any polish I’ve ever worn in my life, and is usually about $8 a bottle. They also make my favorite color right now, Black Platinum.

Rimmel Fix & Perfect Foundation Primer, $6-7

I talk a lot about Mac’s and Urban Decay’s primers, but I’m a big fan of this primer as well. It’s under $10, available everywhere, and feels velvety going on your face. It cuts down on oil and acts as a smoothing base for powder, foundation, or tinted moisturizer.

Nivea Hydrating Lip Care SPF 4, $2-3

Have I ever told you how much I hate Chapstick? I hate Chapstick. It doesn’t work, at all. Carmex is also the devil. Carmex contains addictive properties — your lips actually get addicted to Carmex and will continue to get drier and drier unless you keep applying more Carmex. It’s truly the worst. I much prefer Nivea lip care over Chapstick, and it’s around the same price for a larger tube. I see them a lot in 2-packs on sale at the store as well.

Burt’s Bees Nourishing Baby Oil, $6-8

So, I’m not a baby. Nor do I have a baby. But I really like this stuff. In the winter, I add it to my baths to seriously moisturize my skin. In the summer, I use it as moisturizer on my legs instead of lotion. It gives you a nice glow and smells wonderful. That’s all.

Maybelline Eyeshadow Duo (not what you think), I don’t know, it’s like basically free

DON’T USE THIS AS EYESHADOW. As eyeshadow, it’s awful. I could probably make a better eyeshadow than Maybelline. I mean, my god. It’s like they didn’t even try. You’re probably wondering why I put this on here. I’m getting to that.

You know that eyebrow brand, Anastasia? Well, that stuff is a big scam. To me, anyway. I’m very fair and have light hair and eyebrows, so I don’t need serious eyebrow pencils or kits. What I do instead is use this terrible eyeshadow duo from Maybelline with a stiff eyebrow brush to fill in and shape my brow. And it works wonders. When I want an everyday look, I use only the lighter color. When I’m going for a more dramatic look, I mix in the darker brown. It looks natural and cost me about zero dollars.

Also, once you buy this, do yourself a favor and throw away the crappy applicator that comes with it. Those things should be illegal.

Suave Dry Shampoo, $3 or something ridiculous

There are a lot of expensive dry shampoos out there, and some of them earned their price, but most didn’t. However — and I can’t speak for all of us here — but when I’m skipping a wash, the last thing I’m thinking about is being fancy. That’s why I like this dirt (ha HA, puns!) cheap dry shampoo spray. The last can I bought lasted me two months and I use it probably 3 days per week. That’s like a .000001 cent cost per use rate right there. It smells decent, and works better than the John Frieda equivalent, which is about 4 times the price.

So there you have it. Go forth and spend as little money as you possibly can. Don’t forget your coupons!

Lip service

I’ve received a couple questions about lipstick lately, so I’m here to answer them.

You too can look like Anne! Ok, maybe not. But your lips can.

ilikeitinmymouth asked: “I’m starting to get back into lipstick. My main issue with lipstick is that it’s not as easy to take off as say, eye makeup is. Any product/method suggestions?”

Good news! It is just as easy to take off as eye makeup is. Just use eye makeup remover. Yes, I’m serious. Take a cotton ball, put a small amount of eye makeup remover on it (don’t forget to shake it first), and swipe over your lips. Rinse it off with water before you lick your lips again. Don’t forget to put on a balm or healing ointment after you take it off, before you go to bed. Lipstick is very drying. Which leads me to our next question…

oldtobegin asked: “i’m finally coming around to lipstick. so many colors! so many finishes! but now that i’m putting product on my lips more regularly i notice that my lips are drier than they used to be - also it’s that time of year. i’ve heard people talk about “conditioning” their lips or otherwise caring for them so that mattes look matte, frosts don’t clump, and all the little lines in your lips disappear. what’s the process for this?”

Here’s what I suggest:

Use lip balm, lip conditioner, or healing ointment whenever you can. I like Nivea for lip balm, Mac for lip conditioner (bonus: it kind of looks like lipstick anyway!), and Aquaphor for healing ointment. If your lips are well-conditioned when you’re not wearing lipstick, lipstick will go on much more evenly.

Exfoliate your lips before putting on lipstick. It will help remove any dry skin and even out your skin so the lipstick will go on more smoothly. I really like C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Buffer and Befine BeLips Lip Exfoliator.

Use a lip primer. Can you guys tell I really like using primer for things? That’s because it works really well. Mac Prep + Prime Lip is incredible. I used it the other day before applying Mac Ruby Woo (my absolute favorite red-red matte lipstick) and not only did the matte texture stay matte, the color went on evenly, and lasted all night.

Finally, use lip liner. Make sure to use something that matches the color well, and isn’t too dark. I’m not vey picky about lip liners — I think drugstore brands are fine — but it really makes a difference. Try Cover Girl or Rimmel to save some money here. Lip liner will define your lip line and ensure the color extends all the way to the edges of your lips, which will make everything look smoother.

Ask a question about makeup, beauty, or skincare here.

Weekend project: Wash your makeup brushes

I asked on Twitter a few minutes ago: “Serious question: When was the last time you washed your makeup brushes?”

Most of the responses sounded something like “never”.

I’m not surprised. In the realm of household chores, washing my makeup brushes usually falls somewhere in between dusting my baseboards and mopping the area under my couch. It’s just not something you think about all that often.

Regardless of how often you think about it, it’s really a very easy task to do, and doesn’t take very much time. So, in honor of the long weekend we have, you should do the following this weekend:

1. Take out all your makeup brushes (powder, concealer, eyeliner, blush, bronzer, ALL) and lay them on your bathroom counter.
2. Grab the mildest shampoo you own from your shower.
3. Start with any brush you’d like. Run it under moderately warm water and then rub a small amount of shampoo into the brush. Lather it up a bit and rinse the shampoo out. Don’t rub it too hard or you might lose some bristles. Repeat with every brush.
4. Lay the brushes on the edge of your sink (brush side facing the inside of the sink, handle resting on the counter) to dry overnight.

This should take under five minutes, and in the morning, you’ll have dry, clean brushes! Your face will thank you. You might even notice less breakouts, too. And you’ll feel more like an adult human in no time.

snoozefestival asked: My face is dry. I just keep putting lotion on it and it just keeps you know, getting flakier and flakier and what am I doing wrong and how can I fix it? PS. I do not want to go to the doctor! HELP.

I am going to start this by stating, very emphatically, that I AM NOT A DOCTOR. I am not a replacement for a doctor. I hold no medical degree, and have no expertise in any sort of official capacity for this sort of thing. All I have is personal experience.

Before we move forward, I’d like you all to take this quiz:

1. A doctor
2. A dermatologist
3. A replacement for a doctor or dermatologist
4. A medical expert in the field of skincare
5. Just a person who likes to read about makeup and cleansers and has been to some dermatologists in her life and they have helped her so she thought she’d write about it only for fun and not to be sued by anyone reading who thinks this is official medical advice

If you answered #5, congratulations! You can now move on. If you answered 1-4, I hate you, and please never procreate.

So, our skin tends to freak out at this time of the year. The humidity is gone from the air and the temperature is dropping, both of which are a recipe for disaster, face-wise. This time last year I went through a complete overhaul of my skincare routine with my dermatologist because my skin was so dry it was painful to take a shower. Yeah.

Anyway, here are some things you can do:

Sleep with a humidifier. You can find a decent humidifier at Target for about $25-30, and they will help you. Put it next your bed and run it the whole time you’re asleep. You’ll only need to refill it once per day.

Use only dermatologist-recommended products on your face. Yesterday, I wrote about basic skincare and talked a lot about Cera Ve lotion and face wash. These things seriously saved me last year. They are mild, noncomedogenic, and fragrance-free. Try using these for 2-3 weeks without using other products and see if that helps. You might want to only wash your face at night with cleanser, and in the morning, splash some water on it instead of washing it.

Take shorter showers and try to run less-hot water. I know, this sounds horrible. I’m not here to deprive you of a hot shower. But water dries out your skin (I know, right? What?) so the less contact you have with it while you’re trying to fix your face, the better.

A lot of people get dry and flaky around their lips as well, so I suggest Aquaphor healing ointment for that. My doctor had me switch to using only this last year (no chapstick, no lip gloss, no lipstick) and it helped, immensely.

Wherever possible, switch to fragrance-free products. Fragrances can irritate your skin, and they’re in almost everything. Switch your laundry detergent, dryer sheets, fabric softener and and anything else that touches something that touches your face. Also, keep in mind that unscented =/= fragrance free.

If you are still having problems after overhauling some of your products, you might want to try oil-based cleansers. There is a lot of information online about using castor oil, sunflower oil, coconut oil, and even olive oil to help cleanse and moisturize. In the winter months, I take baths with Burt’s Bees Apricot Baby Oil and water, and it softens my skin and calms down eczema like no other bath/shower product I’ve used. It sounds strange to “clean” your face with oil, but a lot of people swear by it.

Keep in mind, you don’t have to do this stuff forever — the idea is to get your skin back to normal so you can start using your regular products again. And please don’t forget that if you are still having problems after several weeks of making a serious effort, visit a dermatologist. A good one will know exactly what to do, and it can save you a lot of discomfort in the end.