I knew I was onto something last year when I proclaimed my love for Dermalogica skincare products (I think I cried a little when I finished my Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 30 lotion in May). Turns out I’m not alone because two stars from “New Moon” are also feelin’ the love.
As you can imagine, trying to be a vampire is no joke! All of that makeup can do some damage on the skin (hello clogged pores!) Unfortunately real vampires don’t perspire, don’t grow facial hair, don’t get lines & don’t get BLEMISHES! Lucky bastards.
Norma Hill-Patton, Makeup Designer for Twilight: New Moon, tells us that Dermalogica’s Active Moist, which was used on most of the cast, was key since it is universal & suits most types of skin. According to Norma:
“The Pre Cleanse was invaluable for cleansing off the body make up, especially because we had to apply a make up fixative & it was difficult to remove. But we didn’t want anything that was harsh or might induce a reaction.”
And with all of that squinting R. Patz does homeboy needs to make sure that he wards off fine lines (so Dermalogica’s Intensive Eye Cream came in handy). The teensiest amount was patted under the eye for “final checks” (on top of the make up) and diminished the lines for close ups 😉
“And finally,” Norma tells us, “the Shaving Regime was used on all of the guys with great success! Again, it was really important to be sympathetic to their skins as they had to have a REALLY CLOSE shave. I’m a great fan of the shaving oil and it can be used for ‘wet’ shaves or electric shaves! We even had to shave some of them in the middle of the day to maintain the smooth look to their skin!” She also loves the Renewal Lip Complex to keep their lips smooth during the cold days of filming.
Ashley Greene’s product of choice
Turns out Norma isn’t the only Dermalogica fan, Alice Cullen (that’s Ashely Greene for you non Twi-hards) says, “My daily makeup regime includes Dermalogica sunscreen. They also have a really great “special clearing booster” for spot treatment on blemishes. It’s a little more involved on set with hot towel treatments and Dermalogica pre-cleanse to get all that white makeup off. We use a lot Dermalogica products…I love the Microfoliant!”
So there you have it. Even vampires know that you have to take care of the skin before looking good with the make up
As an avid and passionate YouTube makeup channel geek, I’ve taken it upon myself to do the same thing some of my fave YT gurus do at the end of each month. From now on, at the end of each month, I will let you in on my favorite products of the month. I would do a video but I get camera shy…and my camera sucks. So here goes…
May was really about skincare for me. I had a serious breakout situation starting at the end of March and I was getting really frustrated. I did use Kiss My Face Potent & Pure Start Up Exfoliating Face Wash for a bit and it did work. But I was still having breakouts and the Start Up Exfoliating face wash had a slight fragrance to it that made me really uneasy. If there’s one thing I know about skin care is that products that contain fragrance in it is normally a no go.
Mario Badescu Seaweed Cleansing SoapMario Badescu has been around for years and if you remember correctly, this brand changed my life last summer. After getting a couple of products from them at The Makeup Show, I decided to give it a go once more. Seriously glad I did. The Seaweed Cleansing Soap is super gentle and creamy. It’s definitely a mild and gentle exfoliator that contains mineral-rich, anti-inflammatory seaweed. Since it’s a non-soap product (which is weird ‘cuz the name has “soap” in it), it doesn’t produce a mega lather and is easy to rinse off rinsing. No greasy after effect. Loves it.
Dermalogica Dynamic Skin Recovery SPF 30 Dermalogica has been a favorite brand for me ever since I first discovered the brand last September during Fashion Week. The Dynamic Skin Recovery moisturizer with SPF 30 is honestly, not meant for me. But that’s only according to the label. This product is geared towards women with “mature or prematurely- aging skin” and at the age of 21, I don’t think that would be me. But I used it anyway and I am loving it. L-O-V-I-N-G! It’s non-greasy and doesn’t contain any fragrances. I love it because unlike most moisturizers with SPF, it doesn’t make me look ashy or make my already oily skin seem oilier. I don’t care how old I am, I am sticking to this moisturizer.
Mario Badescu Vitamin E Body Lotion (Wheat Germ) Since the weather in NYC has been acting really funky lately my skin is majorly confused. One minute it’s cold and I’m wearing layers and the next minute I’m cursing my sweater and crying for some cold water. And my skin is taking notice because it would get really dry and ashy. This lotion is lightweight AND moisturizing. Most lightweight lotions do absolutely nothing for dry skin but somehow this has manage to take care of both of my needs. Vitamin E Body Lotion is formulated with antioxidant Wheat Germ Oil and Peanut Oil to moisturize dry, scaly and rough skin. It also contains Honey Extract which locks in skins moisture and gives the lotion a light, fresh fragrance.
Boots Skin Balm This product has actually been in my purse for several months so I have no idea why am just now sharing it with you. Pure selfishness on my part really. This skin balm is an intensive skin softening balm designed to soften areas of dry skin. So on days I forget hand lotion when I’m out of the house I use this. I also use it as a lip balm. And hair pomade. It’s like the 2009 version of Vaseline (you know you had a tube of Vaseline in your house growing up that was used for just about everything BUT the original purpose). Boots is a British brand that came stateside and is available at Target. This giant tub of product is $9.99. Doesn’t get any better.
Pretty by Elizabeth Arden I first introduced you ladies to Pretty by Elizabeth Ardenin February. I haven’t seriously started wearing until now only because Pretty is such the perfect fragrance for warmer weather. It’s light enough to just sit on my skin without choking me yet powerful enough to deliver a beautiful floral scent throughout the day.
So there you have it, my favorite products during the month of May. What have been some of yours??
My Holy Grail of skincare Dermalogica has launched Clean Start, their first ever skincare line for teens. This collection features products that are easy and do not contain the harsh ingredients some other skincare lines have.
[Sidenote: I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE Dermalogica. My skin seriously hasn’t looked better in a looooonnnggg time. I swear by this brand so I’m semi excited about this skincare system. Even if it is targeted to those brats who insist on being loud on my train ride home during the hours of 2-4pm every weekday.]
Consisting of eight products, Clean Start offers teens and adolescents products that are for them (no more picking between anti aging and wrinkle removers). The system stays true to the same strict specifications all Dermalogica products follow: no artificial fragrances or colors, no mineral oils, no S.D. alcohol, and no comedogenic (pore clogging) or allergy-causing ingredients.
The products are:
Wash Off ($20.00 for 6 oz): a foaming wash that clears away dead skin cells and extra oils to clean deep, banishing breakouts from your face, back…or wherever. Contains no artificial fragrance or color. —-Key ingredients include salicylic acid (dives deep, clearing trapped oils, wiping out breakout-causing bacteria and helping prevent future breakouts), botanical extracts that help regulate oil production and orange peel oil (revives, energizes and refreshes).
All Over Clear ($18.00 for 4 oz.): This toner instantly cools and revives. This refreshing mist splashes over skin to control shine and keep breakouts away. —-Key ingredients include sesame seed extract to help control surface oil and shine (especially in the T-zone), licorice, burdock and argan extracts that hydrate, calm and shield skin from environmental exposure, and lemongrass that revives skin while toning.
Ready, Set, Scrub! ($21.00 for 2.5 oz.): Both a masque and a scrub, this breakout-fighting, pore-refining duo delivers smoother, clearer and fresher skin. Purifying clays soak up excess oils and debris hidden deep in your skin, while a blend of plant extracts soothe and cool. Then scrub all over, letting the Silica granules polish away those skin-clogging, dull dead cells. —-Key ingredients include cooling menthol to ease redness while refreshing skin, clay to purify and deep clean pores, and silica to polish and scrub skin.
Welcome Matte SPF15 ($24.00 for 2.0 oz.): a lightweight lotion that is meant to fight shine without drying out the skin (actually sounds like something I need). Use it daily to keep skin clean and shine free while providing coverage against UV rays. —-Key ingredients include oil-controllers to help minimize shine, while moisturizers keep skin hydrated, salicylic acid to exfoliate and sunscreen
Brighten Up SPF15 ($24.00 for 2.0 oz.): This multi-tasking lotion with UV-shielding SPF contains a natural tint and shimmer to keep skin looking even and fresh (never shiny!) for an all-day glow. Skin-smoothing, non-greasy, streak-free formula. —-Key ingredients include birch leaf which helps refine and purify pores while willow bark clears congestion for your best-looking skin. Also contains sunscreen to provide critical defense against UV rays without a chalky, heavy or greasy feel.
Bedtime for Breakouts ($22.00 for 2.0 oz.): This super stealth treatment absorbs quickly, delivering a potent blend of botanicals to wipe out future breakouts lurking below the surface. Use at night to wake up to breakout free skin in the a.m. —-Contains salicylic acid, cucumber, plant extracts and licorice.
Hit the Spot ($22.00 for 0.30 oz.): This concentrated spot treatment absorbs without a trace, minimizing breakouts while controlling future breakout activity. —-Contains benzoyl peroxide, soothing plant extracts, and zinc sulfate
Smart Mouth Lip Shine ($16.00 for 0.30 oz.): a super-smoothing, glistening lip shield that both moisturizes and conditions lips to deliver the softest lips you’ve ever had. —-Contains Vitamin E, Cocoa Seed Butter and Shea Butter ensure a super soft pucker.
Don’t want to take the plunge with this skincare system but still a bit curious? Want to save some moolah? Get the Clean Start Kit ($35.00). This travel size kit provides mini sizes of Wash Off, All Over Clear, Ready, Set, Scrub!, Welcome Matte SPF15, and Bedtime for Breakouts.
Having left my teenager status 2 years ago (I’m bragging now) anything with the word “teen” attached to it kind of makes me cringe. But being that it is Dermalogica and I have developed such a loyalty to it (have you tried the skin refining masque…heaven…) so I wouldn’t hesitate recommending this to teens (heck young adults alike). Visit the collection’s new website at cleanstart.dermalogica.com to find out more!
