Snapshot September 2013

This is the pared down routine I've employed for the last several months. I had to get off the prescription tretinoin treatment I was on and really keep things simple so I looked at what I had and picked the most basic items that I thought I wanted to incorporate into my face cleansing routine. I grabbed the Pond's facial wash shown here which came with some makeup remover wipes that performed very well, I have to say. The facial wash has the same consistency I remember from years of using older versions when I was much younger and it works well with the Clarisonic too, if I choose to use it with the gadget. I paired this cleanser with the old standard Clinique yellow moisturizer which delivers moisture where needed. Although this does not have any anti-aging or skin renewing properties, I've found it to be quite enough especially since the weather had been pretty warm. It's really a good basic summer moisturizer. I can't wait to try the new and improved version but I haven't yet been able to go through the sample that I've received.

When I don't feel the need to scrub away a lot of dirt, I just use the La Roche Posay Physiological Micellar Solution shown above. I like this product quite a lot. It's refreshing, lightly cleansing (if all you need to do is remove surface oils that accumulated over the course of the night or during the day) and doesn't leave any kind of icky after-feel. There's no greasy film left behind and no odors to contend with. It's as gentle as water with a little something extra. I pour some on to a cotton pad or ball and gently go over my face. I already bought two standby bottles.

For daytime moisturizing, I stuck it out with the La Roche Posay Anthelios SX Daily Moisturizing Cream which I reviewed here. It's a minute amount of sunscreen but if I'm not staying outdoors, I think it's enough for my needs. I even like wearing this under makeup. I can't say enough good things about it, really. Yet another item that I would buy over and over again. Thankfully, it's easy enough to find at your nearest CVS pharmacy and costs a mere fraction of the Lancome Absolue that I had been using prior.

On occasion, I do reach for the Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub that I have also previously featured and I am awed by the L'Oreal EverPure Volume Shampoo. Even if I don't color my hair, I like the sulfate-free formula and I appreciate that whenever I use it, it seems to keep frizz at bay.

As for makeup, the vanity has undergone a complete overhaul from the January snapshot. First, I had to "donate" said vanity to my almost 7-year old daughter because I have now had to make room for a crib, a changing table and other things that I will be needing close by really, really soon (hint hint). I now keep practically all of my makeup stowed away in an Alex 9-drawer unit from Ikea which I acquired last Mother's Day. I had to throw away stuff to be able to keep the items I liked the most and really organize everything so that I could find what I need when I need them. I still have a few Sterilite shoe box size containers and drawers with personal products like sample moisturizers and my nail polish collection. I also had to keep my makeup brushes in a separate place but I highly recommend the Alex. It's the best makeup storage area I've had in years.

One thing I did want to show is what I've done with two tins of Météorites that I previously bought. I finally mixed them up! I'm certain that Guerlain wouldn't recommend following suit because each tin is supposedly designed to achieve a specific effect. But I wanted the Météorites pearls in a larger container. This way, I'm able to use as large a brush as I want and I'm able to really swirl the brush all over the place and get it dipped in each and every little ball. Also, I much preferred the Perles du Dragon Météorites over the Perles d'Azur that I purchased prior. When mixed up, it was all good. Now, I feel like I'm using it more frequently and I'm going through the product more evenly, as opposed to possibly running low on one tin and not touching the other at all. The original tins are lovely and have been put to decorative use. I utilized a much larger, old workhorse tin that I've had for years to store my now-mixed up Météorites and I couldn't be happier.