My complexion is on a diet, too.

About four weeks ago, I got this monster zit on my temple, and freaked out. Partly because this kind of thing doesn't happen to me all that often--it didn't even when I was a teenager, and it sure as hell doesn't happen now. And partly because I couldn't figure out why it had happened.

Was it the workouts? Or was it the products I was using? Was my new hair heat-styling lotion to blame? I had been testing various sample-sized serums and cremes--could it have been one of them?

I decided to pare things down to the absolute minimum. Instead of switching products around, I decided on the bare minimum to keep my skin moist, protected, treated, and clear. I decided for a month, I would only use one foundation, so I settled on a Beauty Balm for  moisturizing, SPF, coverage, and treatment during the day. At night, I was going to use some kind of acid to keep my pores from getting clogged.

Results are in, and my skin has been perfectly happy for the past month.
 This is what I've been using:

Pre-gym, or first thing in the morning

All I do before I head to the gym is cleanse with an Olay wet face wipe.

Post-gym

After my post-workout shower, I apply a silicone-based anti-aging serum as a primer. I'm not trying to do any heavy-duty moisturizing at this point. After I work out, I don't really feel that I need to, what with my circulation being all full of youthful vim and vigor and all. The idea is to get my skin ready for foundation--and if the silicone-based primer also contains wrinkle-fighting ingredients, so much the better.

I'm currently using Boots No 7 Restore and Renew serum, but Boots has apparently discontinued it. I'm sure Olay's Regenerist Regenerating Serum or Boots's Protect & Perfect Intense serum would work as substitutes.

I let the serum sink in for a minute, then apply Dr. Jart's Beauty Balm. Beauty Balm replaces moisturizer, sun screen, and foundation. For it to work, though, you can't apply it too lightly. I use a blob about the size of an almond.

Evening

If bare-faced (and this happens more frequently than you'd believe, considering how much makeup I own) I cleanse with Cetaphil alone.

If wearing a full face of spackle, I double cleanse. First I remove my makeup with DHC Mild Touch Cleansing Oil

Then I wash with some kind of sudsing cleanser--Clearasil, Chanel, or Cetaphil--and Clarisonic Mia.

Then I apply Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Overnight Peel.

This is a glycolic acid peel which claims to

• Fade dark spots 
• Even skin tone 
• Brighten skin 
• Smooth texture

I can't say that I've noticed any fading of my dark spots. On the other hand, my skin isn't clogged or breaking out from the Dr. Jart's Beauty Balm. I believe I have my cleansing routine and the glycolic acid in the overnight peel to thank.

Extras

Now that it's getting colder out, the heat is on. My skin feels much dryer, so I'm adding eye cream

and moisturizer.

But that's it.

Pretty sad that I feel like I'm being this amazing minimalist--and I'm still using about 10 products on my face!

Gym bags for the beauty obsessed

I suppose I could start a month-long series of blog posts devoted to diet and fitness with my stats--how much weight I've lost, how much more I intend to lose--that sort of thing. But I think I should play to my strengths and blog about what I know.

I run into a lot of "what's in my handbag" posts, but I don't read a lot of (read: any) diet/fitness blogs, so I don't know whether people talk about what they keep packed in their gym bags.

But over the past five months, I've kept a bag packed in the car because I've reached the point where I am hit by spontaneous urges to go work out. Yes, really. You never know when the urge to work out will strike! So here's what's in my gym bag--I mean, in addition to workout clothes and clean underwear and flip-flops and such.

Skincare

Even though my skin is, in general drier than it used to be, probably because I am, in general, older than I used to be--working out all the time has a mitigating effect. All that cardio definitely adds a glow, and my skin feels softer and more comfortable. This wouldn't be the case if I were spending two hours a day in a chlorine pool, but since I'm usually working with a trainer or on the elliptical, it's almost as if I'm hitting the steam bath on a regular basis.

Actually, come to think of it, I'm pretty much a walking steam bath. (Yuck!)

Anyway, I've learned that in the morning when I head to the gym, I should be absolutely bare-faced. I really dislike the sensation of sweating off a face full of makeup. I don't even wear moisturizer, since my moisturizer has sunscreen, and when I sweat the sunscreen runs into my eyes and stings. So I do my workout and then go clean up. And finally get around to using some products. But not many!

I always have a package of Oil of Olay wipes

because they're spill-proof, non-irritating, and refreshing.

I carry some Garnier Nutritioniste eye cream

because the eye area is the only part of my face that feels truly dry these days.

And right now, instead of a lot of different skin treatments, I'm just using beauty balm

to see whether it can take the place of moisturizer, sunscreen, and base. So far so good!

Body

I definitely need to put on lotion after a shower, so I've been relying heavily on scented body lotions. They're easier than carrying fragrance and lotion, and they don't break. Right now I'm enjoying Chanel #19.

Hair

Ack, hair. OK, I hate the hair dryers at my gym because they don't have nozzles to concentrate the air flow, and when I use them, my hair ends up a frizzy mess. That means if I really want to look good, I have to pack my own blow dryer. And a brush. And a heat-styling product. And maybe a flat-iron. Which adds up to a second gym bag just for my hair.

So what I really do is check to see how well my hair has survived my workout. If I think I can get away with it, I use a shower cap and skip the shampoo / blowout. Of course, I make sure I have some covered elastic bands. And some Klorane dry shampoo. I mean, I'm not totally without standards.

I can see your eyes rolling from here. Great. The internet thinks I'm gross. FINE.

Makeup

I always pack a stash of makeup in my gym bag, because when I get rushed, I am wont to do things like pack a full-on ladies-who-lunch outfit--and then forget to bring my makeup.

When I'm getting dressed at home, I'll amuse myself by coordinating my makeup to my outfit--say, gray and plum eye shadows when I'm wearing purple. But for the gym, I need to carry a bag of basic makeup that is guaranteed to look good with anything I'm wearing. It should also be non-breakable, leak-proof, and cheap, since it's going to be spending a lot of time in the car.

In addition to my beauty balm, I tend to carry a cream blush in a goes-with-everything shade of pale rose pink.

 Revlon Colorburst Lip Butter in Pink Truffle

Mascara and eyelash curler

Concealer

And an eye quad for when I really feel like putting on the dog.

Nancy needs a new moisturizer

Believe it or not, there are readers of this blog who actually take my opinions seriously. And sometimes, they send me emails.

I got one not too long ago from Nancy, who is looking for a new moisturizer. Nancy tells me she has medium dry skin with some redness in her chin. She had been using Bliss's Youth as We Know It, which costs $80 a jar.

Personally, I look back nostalgically to the days when I could have described my skin as "medium dry," rather than "my own private Sahara." That would have been way back in college, and I was probably using Clinique's Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.

Now, even though I have very dry skin, I'm using so many products on any given day that no single one of them has to be all that moisturizing. I put on some Vitamin C serum,

then Clinique's Even Better Stop Signs spot remover,

then eye cream,

then a SPF 28 moisturizer.

Most days I have so many layers on my face, it's like I'm going out on Halloween as a turtle sundae.

At night, whatever I'm planning to put on top, I always I use my Vitamin C serum, my spot-removing serum, and my eye cream. Then I put on whatever I have around that doesn't have SPF. I'm using up the last of a Murad kit I got last summer, and I always have some GWP products to try, including the inevitable Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion (DDML).

If I'm feeling super dry, I'll use a dab from my ancient jar of Creme de la Mer. Or Eucerin. Or Nivea. These are super heavy, greasy formulas, though.

As you can see, my night time creams are all over the map, from cheap drugstore to la-di-dah Neiman Marcus.

Can you think of something for Nancy to try? Or me, for that matter?

Poppy's Top 10 of 2010: Clinique All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage

For several years, in an attempt to keep my readers stopping by while they were on Christmas break, I did something I called The 12 Days of Blogmas, which, if I remember correctly, had something to do with Christmas songs and random Google images.

But now that I'm a famous beauty and style blogger,  I decided to do a top ten count down where I sing the praises of products and retailers that have surprised me with their wonderfulness in 2010. Because no one has ever thought of doing a year's-end top 10 list before.

Let's start with an eye product. Now, while no one has convinced me that there's a product out there that surpasses Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Eye Cream, which if you click on that link, you'll be pleased to discover is on sale via Amazon for $3.05/jar. (I just ordered three of them.)

For moisturizing without giving me milia, this eye cream is tops. But it does nothing for puffiness.

Which is why I'm giving a Poppy's Top 10 award to Clinique's All About Eyes Serum De-Puffing Eye Massage.

Now, under-eye bags and puffiness are not my biggest concern. My big concern is under-eye shadows. Mine are very dark. I have under-eye shadows as in cue the opening credits to Dark Shadows. And this roller doesn't help with them at all.

But after a night of not-enough sleep, or the Morning After? This roller is a gift from the gods. It's so cool and refreshing and just what the doctor ordered.

I got mine as part of a gift with purchase the last time I stocked up on Clinique's acne products for the teenagers. As far as not-really-necessary beauty products go, at $25.50/15 ml., it's not cheap.

To soften the sting, you could find a Clinique GWP by doing some research on GWP Addict. (Here's a link to Lisa's Top 3 listings: Clinique, Estee Lauder and Lancome GWP.)

You could also look on eBay--lots of eBay sellers resell extra GWP size products--some in sets of three, which is the same amount of product as you'd get in a full-size bottle.

You could also try drugstore alternatives, because there are a bunch out there: Olay Regenerist, Garnier Nutritioniste, and even one from L'Oreal Paris,
which rather hilariously, is marketed for men.


Do these eye rollers make that much of a difference? Maybe not. But when you wake up on January 1st, you'll be glad you have one on your bedside table.

• For more on roll-on eye serums, see Prime Beauty's review.

• Full disclosure: I have an Amazon Associates account, which means that when I link to stuff on Amazon--and I just did, big-time--if someone clicks over from my blog and buys it, I make a small commission. Just so you know, this Amazon Associates deal has so far added up to an $11.52 gift card. w00t!

Ten Things

Blackbird posted recently about ten things that have been good at the office. I'm coming down with something, so at the moment, my office is my king sized bed--but I have 10 good things to tell you about:

1. On the personal front, in the last two weeks, I've survived: a trip to the dentist, two school concerts, three annual meetings, three non-annual meeting-related ladies' luncheons, a Girl Scout's Cadet's flying up ceremony, an engagement party, and Mother's Day. Internet, that is a LOT of irreproachably ladylike behavior from the somewhat loud, obnoxious, and irreverent likes of me.

2. Jen Lancaster's latest book, My Fair Lazy, came out on May 5, and it's already a best-seller. I appear as a character in this book, which means I'm even more famous than I was a month ago. You'll be glad to hear that fame hasn't made some kind of monster of me. I'm pretty humble about the whole thing. But not so humble that I wouldn't want to make sure that the internet realizes Jen didn't actually make me up.

3. Physician's Formula matte eyeshadow quads are rocking my world. They're dirt cheap and the quality is excellent. They're so soft, subtle, blendable, and fun to play with that I'm doing a full-on three-shades-of-eyeshadow dealio every day--even when the only time I see another human being is when I'm wheeling out the recycling bin.

4. Milani has a retractable lip pencil that has stolen the crown from my previous faves, Chanel Nude and Prestige Angora. It's creamier, more of a my-lips-but-better-shade, and I don't have to sharpen it. Mind you, I don't wear it as a liner. I use it all over my lips as a base for gloss. And at $3.49, it's cheap, cheap, cheap.

5. I snagged this pair of Fly London purple Mary Janes on Amazon for something like $50. They are so comfortable! Who cares if my daughter asked me why I always wear such silly shoes? And anyway, it could have been worse. I could have clicked over to Gravity Pope and bought these:

so really, I don't know what her problem is.

6. The Garnier Nutritioniste moisturizer that I love so much that I'm on my fourth bottle? And was afraid had been discontinued? Has NOT been discontinued. The packaging was re-designed. I snagged five bottles of the old design for $2.49 each. (Although the shipping costs were a heinous $14.50.)

7. Lancome's Divine Lasting Curves curling mascara actually works. It is perfect for keeping in my makeup bag, because who wants to carry around an eyelash curler? (This is a rhetorical question being asked by the woman who found three eyelash curlers in her bag the last time she cleaned it out.)

8. Lancome also has an eyeshadow that I got recently as a GWP and just adore. So should you if you have hazel//green eyes. The shade is  called Designer. It's a olive green shade with lots of shimmer--but it's incredibly subtle. I know I'm a strong advocate of a basic, neutral eye shadow, but this stuff goes on sheer and is much more subtle than it looks.

9. Kari at Fabulous Over Forty has called my attention to a root touch-up product that comes packaged like a marker pen. I can't wait to head to Ulta to try it. This sounds like a perfect product for those EEK MY ROOTS ARE SHOWING days.

10. I've accumulated a bunch of neutral eyeshadow quads to tell you about soon. I promise. (When I'm not lying here on my bed of pain, that is.) And some of them are really nice!

Murad's Resurgence, or My New Skin Care Regimen: Let Me Show It To You

At some point last April, I decided to make myself into the internet's guinea pig.

First of all, I realized that I'd stick to a skin care regimen more thoroughly if I was trying to make a point for my invisible internet friends. There would be no more of this deciding I'm too tired to do the full skin care regimen; no sneaking one of my son's Stridex pads to wipe off my makeup; definitely no falling into bed with my makeup on. No cheating.

And so far, it's working. I've been really good about the whole cleanse/treat/moisturize program. (Obviously, I need to bring the internet to the gym with me. And tape a picture of the internet onto my refrigerator. Heh.)

Anyway, this is my current regimen: Dr. Murad's Resurgence night time skincare kit, plus two Garnier Nutritioniste products I really like and don't want to give up: their Ultra-Lift eye cream and SPF28 Daily Moisturizer.*

Murad's Resurgence line claims to target the effects of "hormonal aging," i.e., what happens to our skin as we approach menopause. According to his website, this is what happens:

Low estrogen levels result in weakening of the collagen and elastin fibers. Wrinkles become more prominent, while the skin assumes a dull, discolored, rough, dry appearance. Additionally, women who never had acne in their life may discover unexpected breakouts because of a lack of estrogen in their bodies. You may find that you have an increase in facial hair as well as brown spots and increased sensitivity to skincare products.

Well, thank you Dr. Murad for pointing out all the things to be depressed about, at least when it comes to my complexion. And internet, it turns out I'll make a great guinea pig for you, because all of it is happening to me--except for the unexpected breakouts (knock wood.)

Anyway, since May first, I've been using Murad's Resurgence three step system. It consists of

Renewing Cleansing Cream (4.5 oz/$35) available on Amazon for $25.99

Age-Diffusing Serum (1 oz/$70) available on Amazon for $59.70

Age-Balancing Night Cream (1.7 oz/$80) available on Amazon for $59

I bought the three piece kit on Amazon for $119, when the three pieces purchased separately would cost $185. To find out more details about the products, I checked out Murad's Resurgence website. The website sells the kits, but it also enrolls you into a monthly delivery system, which--no. Just no.

Also, can I just mention how embarrassing it is to buy something and discover, once you've done a little research for a blog post, that it has that "As seen on TV" thingie on the web site? These products have been featured in an infomercial! Shame spiral commencing in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ... entering a shame spiral.

Anyway, so far, I like these products. However, I'm not recommending this kit or any Murad product until I've made it through the entire month, because there's no point in being all enthusiastic about my new toy after only using it for a week, only to find out on day 20 that it breaks me out or gives me a rash.

And I made a video about it! Which I'll embed here. So that you can listen to me ramble incoherently about it in real time.




---
* If you click on the link to the Garnier Nutritioniste SPF28 Daily Moisturizer, you'll discover that Amazon is selling it for $2.49, yay! Unfortunately, that's because it has apparently been discontinued, boo! So I ... um ... just 1-clicked five bottles.

Disclaimer: The products that I'm not reviewing in this not-review were purchased by me by means of Amazon-1-clicking and two glasses of wine. I'm signed up with that thing that supposedly gives me money if people buy something they see on my blog, but I've never gotten a penny from it, so don't go buy this Murad stuff thinking that you're going to help send my son to college, because it's not happening.

Blackbird is unhappy with her neck, or, the tale of the anti-aging drugstore products

Blackbird tagged me the other day with a long, pitiful list of complexion flaws--flaws that I've never noticed, but am apparently wise enough to advise her about. She uploaded lots of ads with pictures of Sarah Jessica Parker rolling deodorant all over her face and said "help me, Poppy Wan Kenobe!"

Now, that's gratifying ... flattering, even. Also, I'm enjoying the mental image of Blackbird in a flowing white robe and a double honey bun hairdo.

But I don't pretend to be able to judge whether such recently-released products are effective. (I mean, sure they sound great, but that's what advertising copywriting is for.) So I'm going to stick to products that have been out for a while.

So anyway, bird mentioned two problems:

• saggy jawline and neck
• puffy eyes in the morning

She also mentioned that she was out of cleanser.

And she wanted her problems solved at the drugstore. No $500 a jar Clé de Peau La Creme for bird. And she reacts to something in Olay.

Here's where I mention that I've always been completely happy with drugstore skincare. Neutrogena, RoC, Olay, and Garnier have some of the best and brightest people on earth working for them. Also, with very few exceptions, (Clinique, for example) I find most department store skincare intolerably perfume-y, and my skin doesn't like perfume.

However, I deeply suspect that department store brand pack more of the expensive and effective ingredients into their formulations. Take serums, for example. Department store serums are always very thin, and two drops will literally spread all over your face. Drugstore serums are bulked up with lots of silicones. They feel less like a wonderfully slippery potion, and more like a regular moisturizer. They leave your skin feeling very smooth, but when it comes to anti-aging, silicones are filler.

The solution is to maximize the number and concentration of active ingredients in the anti-aging creams and serums we use. The active ingredients fight free-radical damage and increase collagen production. I'm not going to pretend to know a lot about science, but I can explain it thus: Free radicals bad! Collagen good!

Look for products that include:

• Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) because it moisturizes and exfoliates
• Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) because it's an anti-irritant, superb exfoliant, improves skin thickness, and increases collagen production
• coenzyme Q10 for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and because sun exposure reduces the skin's supply of it, so why not add more?
• Copper gluconate for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, plus the fact that its small particles may be able to penetrate the skin at the cellular level
• Retinol because it increases cellular turnover and improves skin structure
• Vitamin C because it is an antioxidant that protects against photo-damage and neutralizes free radical damage

Unfortunately, copper peptides and Vitamin C cancel each other out, so don't use them on your face at the same time. Use copper peptides at night. During the day, use a good moisturizing high-SPF sunscreen with as many antioxidants as will fit in a pump bottle. (You want to use a pump bottle because antioxidants like Vitamin C aren't stable when they're exposed to air.)

Blackbird's new regimen

AM:

1. treat eye puffiness, if any
2. cleanse
3. (optional) apply antioxidant serum
4. (optional) apply eye cream
5. apply moisturizer with antioxidants and a high SPF

PM:

1. cleanse
2. (optional) apply serum--use one with retinol
   
3. apply copper peptide night cream
4. (optional) apply anti-puff eye cream

My Recommendations

For puffy eyes

First of all, make sure you're not using too heavy a moisturizer around your eyes in the evening. Watch your sodium/alcohol intake. Make sure the head of your bed is high enough. Then:

1. Try cold compresses made with green tea. You don't need to put a tea bag on each eye: just make a cup of super strong tea, decant it into a clean glass bottle, and leave it in the refrigerator. In the morning, saturate a couple of cotton pads with the solution and sit upright for 10 minutes with your head elevated and the compresses over your eyes. (By the way, cold green tea makes a wonderful toner when your skin is irritated from waxing, sun burn, or over-zealous exfoliation.)

2. Cold spoons, ice cubes wrapped in a washcloth, cold gel packs, or a bag of frozen peas all have their fans.

3. Preparation H. The American version no longer contains the ingredient that made it a makeup artist favorite, but it's still available in Canada. If you don't have a Canadian reader who'll send you a tube, you can buy it on eBay for about $12 a tube. Dab a little over the puffy areas and leave it there for 10 minutes, then wipe if off.

Product Recommendations

Drugstore cleanser


Aveeno Active Naturals Positively Ageless Daily Exfoliating Cleanser, available at drugstores for 9.99. This has mild exfoliating beads in it, but is gentle enough to use every day.

An antioxidant-rich daytime moisturizer with a high SPF



Garnier Nutritioniste Skin Renew Anti-Sun Damage Daily Moisture Lotion SPF 28 has Vitamin C, Lycopene, and Magnesium. This is an extremely light, 99 percent oil-free moisturizer that contains effective UVA/UVB protection, but doesn't clog pores. I'm on my third bottle.

An optional serum to wear under the daytime moisturizer



Neutrogena Ageless Restoratives Antioxidant Booster (I liked Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Serum, but it was discontinued, although it's available at Overstock Drugstore.)

An (optional) evening serum (with a formula won't counteract your night cream)



Boots No. 7 Protect and Perfect Intense Beauty Serum with antioxidants and retinol.

For an (optional) evening eye cream



Garnier Nutritioniste Ultra-Lift Anti-Wrinkle Firming Eye Cream (Don't let the name fool you; it's just a nice, light moisturizing eye cream with a few antioxidants, but it moisturizes, feels cool and light, and doesn't give me milia. I'm on my third jar of this.)

For a night cream



Neutrogena Visibly Firm Night Cream, Active Copper although I've heard a rumor that it has been discontinued. If that's true, I'd go for Neutrogena's Energy Renewal Hydrating Night Cream. Both have copper gluconate to firm the skin.

Sorry this was so long! Please feel free to recommend products in the comments. (Badger, I'm talking to YOU.)

30 Days to 10 years younger--10 minute tips. Tip 3: Triage

OK, the whole thing started because I was working on a video about eyebrows. Yes, like Badger, I was thinking about dipping a toe into the growing field of vlogging.

So I was in the bathroom applying eyebrow powder and talking to myself in the mirror. You know, practicing. Suddenly I realized that I needed to drop off my daughter's lunch at school. And that the lunch bell was going to ring at 12:05. And that it was 11:55. And while my eyebrows were looking particularly fetching, the rest of me was still in my pajamas.

My daughter's school is a five minute walk away. Which gave me one minute to get dressed, two minutes to fix lunch, and two minutes to clean up my act.

The two minutes to fix lunch was easy. I put together a PB&J sandwich, a snack-sized bag of Doritos, a container of chocolate pudding, and an orange.

Then I spent the same amount of time cleaning up my act in case a teacher or another mom snagged me after I dropped off lunch. And I realized that I was just as fast and efficient at getting ready as I was at making lunches. It's because I had the cosmetics equivalent of snack-sized bags of Doritos ready to go.


My first step was to wipe my face with my son's Stridex Daily Care Maximum pads. Despite their tough anti-acne talk, they're actually just little wipes soaked in a gentle salicylic acid solution. There's no Benzoyl Peroxide or alcohol or anything harsh like that. They're a step more thorough than a cotton ball with toner--perfect for a quick clean up.

Then I applied a pea-sized blob of Garnier Nutritioniste Daily Moisture Lotion SPF 28 all over my face

and finished with a fast slick of my beloved Revlon ColorStay Lipglaze in Infinite Rose.
Then I disguised the rest of me with some clothes, my favorite black puffy jacket, black and gray fingerless gloves, a gray wool beanie over my disheveled locks, and a pair of sunglasses.

And shot out the door at the speed of light.

The lesson? We all need to figure out the one or two products that will make us look at least halfway presentable time we're incredibly time-crunched. (I'm aware that the phrase "time-crunched" usually does not denote a housewife talking to herself in the bathroom--but bear with me.) At our age, looking good takes planning. There are products out there that can make us look 100 percent better--and in almost no time at all. For me, the crucial thing is lip color. I'm deeply unhappy when I'm caught without it, so I try to always have something handy, even if it's just Cherry Chap-Stick.

I don't sweat my eye makeup nearly as much, probably because I always have glasses on. Everybody's different. Your first priority might be concealer, mascara, or eyebrow color.

Do you know your first priorities? Have you figured out a three minute system? If not, you should figure it out. Because I'm here to tell you, a combination of fuzzy PJs and impeccably filled brows doesn't cut it.