Recent discoveries

Being the last by whom the new is tried, I'm sure my savvier readers will roll their eyes and think "Seriously? She's just gotten around to trying it?"

But here's the thing: the fashion/beauty press is an ever-moving stream of information. When the hot new thing is new, everyone is blathering away about it. You can't get away from people nattering on about Creme de la Mer or Tory Burch flats or Sevens jeans and then, all of a sudden, the chatter dries up.

(Except for Maybelline's Great Lash mascara, which still gets press. I don't know how Maybelline does it, because it sucks. But mark my words, that smeary, goopy crap in a pink-and-green tube is on somebody's Best of list even as we speak.)

Anyway, here are some things I've been liking:

Bioderma Cráline H2O Solution Micellaire 

I mostly don't watch the beauty gurus on YouTube. I mean, I like conspicuous consumption as much as the next girl, but those teenagers with their haul videos sicken even me.

I also find them almost maddeningly inefficient. I mean, if I tell you that this stuff is a cleanser that you use on cotton pads like a toner, and it's cool, soothing, and gets your face beautifully clean without stripping or irritating your skin, you know everything you need to know, and I didn't just waste eight minutes of your life.

And yet, I have to give the YouTube gurus credit: they know their stuff. This particular video was about French drug store products, and being the world's biggest Francophile, as well as someone who delights in discovering great drug store products, I sat up and took notice. Unfortunately, I can't remember which video taught me this. Sorry, beauty guru, whoever you are. (The 250 ml size is available for $25.00 on Amazon.com--here's a link to all their Bioderma products)

Embryalisse Lait-Creme Concentré

The same beauty guru also turned me on to Embryalisse Lait-Creme Concentré, which is a very plain, very gentle, slightly fluffy-feeling moisturizer. It's like a fluffier, less greasy version of Eucerin. It's great when my skin feels super dry or when I've been testing its patience with too many retinols and acids. A good-sized tube goes for $25.00 on Amazon; here's a link.)

Benefit Dandelion

See what I mean about my lag time? This stuff came out a decade ago! My friend Wendy turned me on to it. She said she'd used up three of them. I love it. It's blusher for the blusher-challenged--at least if they're pale. It's such a pale shade of pink, it probably wouldn't show on medium or darker complexions. But porcelain types can sweep it on lavishly with the big white brush and never be afraid of developing 80s disco cheeks. It's $28.00 at Sephora. Thanks, Wendy!

30 Days to 10 years younger--10 minute tips. Tip 24: Stay hydrated

And I'm not talking about that ridiculous canard about drinking eight glasses of water a day.

I'm talking about applying water externally.

When you drench your skin in water, it plumps up and look gorgeous. Think about the way you look when you walk out of a steam bath--rosy and glowing and smooth.

This happens because the outer layer of the skin--the statum corneum--is designed to absorb water. Get enough water into it and your skin will look younger and fresher--temporarily. The trick is to lock the moisture into the skin.

That's what moisturizers are for. Pretty much all moisturizers are emulsions of oil in water (the light ones) or water in oil (the super heavy ones like Eucerin.) They also tend to contain various waxes. The oils and waxes are there to create a barrier. They keep the moisture from evaporating from the stratum cornea. Without them, the evaporation will start within seconds of leaving the bath or shower.

If you've ever had a pedicure at a really top-end salon, and a pedicure at an inexpensive walk-in salon, you'll notice that the overall procedure is pretty much the same. The main difference is that expensive salons soak your feet for a long time. They don't start working on your calluses until your feet have been immersed in water for 15 minutes. The time in the water moisturizes your skin and softens your cuticles and calluses. Walk-in nail salons are fine--I'm not knocking them; I use them all the time--but they're like a fast-food restaurant. Their goal is to get you in and out of the chair as quickly as possible, so they skimp on hydration.

As often as possible, I'd like you to treat your face as though you were an operator in a luxury salon. When I have the time, after massaging in my cleanser, I rinse my face at least 20 times with handfuls of warm water. I can really see the difference when I towel dry--the skin on my face is plumped up and dewy. Then I seal in all that water with my regular moisturizer.

I do the same when I bathe. As soon as I get out of the water, I blot myself dry, then immediately massage in a rich lotion.


Or sometimes I have a cabana boy do it for me.

When my skin is really thirsty, I use a mask. I don't use anything heavy or complicated; I use pure aloe vera gel. If you've never tried it, you've got to try it. Run out and buy a tube. It's dirt cheap, and it's wonderful--water's leap towards immortality. (Either that, or it's what would happen if mineral water and Jell-O got married and had a baby.)

At any rate, I cleanse, apply the aloe vera gel, rest for 10 minutes, then wipe off the remainder with a damp washcloth. Then I ... wait for it ... seal in all that wonderful hydration with moisturizer.

Frankly, in this politically-correct age of diet police, fitness fanatics, and everyone being all PETA about the way we get fois gras, it feels good to force-feed something--even if it's just stuffing my skin cells with water!