West Coast Wives

I'm talking about your skin ladies. It finally happened, the seasons did shift. My glow is gone, my color is a sallow gray and no that is not snow falling, it's my ashy skin drifting off my face. The colder weather with less sun and more use of heaters completely changes the quality and condition of my skin. Have you seen The Little Mermaid? Remember when Ursula would turn the mermaids into those shriveled little gray ocean worms? It's kinda like that. Ok, maybe that is a terrible analogy, but my point is the shift of the weather means glowing, moist (yeah I said the word), fresh, summer skin is in hibernation. UNTIL NOW, here are a few of my go-to products that bring me back to life and make me feel like i can be "part of your world!" (ha! like how I brought that back????)

Alba Hawaiian Facial Papaya Enzyme Mask

As much as I would love to afford the SK-11 Facial Treatment Masks ($138 for 10 masks!!) my big ol' face can't justify that luxury. You might wonder "How can you drop a month's mortgage on a Chanel and not $138 on your face?" Well, the answers are: my priorities are all out of whack and I found the Alba Papaya Enzyme Mask. This product is the skin steal of the century. This drug store mask in most places costs less than $10!! You do the math on that huge savings. I apply this mask 2-3 times a week for 5-10 minutes and my pores feel like they are breathing again. It's made with all natural ingredients and comes in a gel texture that you apply by rubbing a quarter sized amount over your face and avoiding your eyes. Don't mind the tingle and mild burn; that means it's working. I get a high from imagining all the dead skin cells burning off my face. I sometimes like going an extra step by removing the mask with a Clarisonic once over before rinsing. The result is a visibly fresher face with less flakiness and dullness. My clueless husband has even commented post exfoliation that i was looking brighter and tighter. Who knows what he might have been referencing but trust me this product WORKS.

Neocutis Lumiere Bio-Restorative Eye Cream

In the warmer months I am not diligent with eye cream. Because I'm significantly oilier in the summer months, adding eye cream to my regiment ends up being just moisture over kill and I end up getting clogged pores in the under eye area. My daily moisturizer and serum usually suffices my skin's replenishment needs, but during these colder months it's a totally different story. It probably doesn't help that holiday parties have me on a Champagne and Grand Marnier diet or the fact that despite partying hard I still got a toddler alarm clock at 7am. The Neocutis Eye Cream is the pick me up my eyes need. It's light enough that it can layer on top of your moisturizer and doesn't feel heavy or clogging. It also absorbs nicely and adds a soft glow. I use this mainly before bed or the occasional rough haggard mornings that need a little more love. I usually buy it here where there are often coupon codes so i can get it for a small bargain. SCORE

Hydroquinone 6%/Retinol Treatment

Most dermatologist-prescribed treatments come with the caveat "Stay out of the sun!!!" Thus the winter months are a perfect time for me to get disciplined and start a skin boot camp. I'm predisposed to melasma aka: skin discoloration that can appear in the form of cute freckles or in the form of a 5'oclock shadow. NOT CUTE. Most skincare companies market products boasting "lightening" and "brightening" but that don't mean diddily squat if it doesn't have these two ingredients: Hydroquinone and Kojic Acid. Hydroquinone is the Grand Puba of skin lightening and if you are trying to rid age spots, or hormonal skin shading with organic oils from your local Whole Foods you're in for a loonnnnnngggg ride till results. The most effective hydroquinone treatments are prescribed through the ol' skin doctor. My little skin cream cocktail lasts three months and also includes a mix of Kojic Acid and Retin A for maximum results. As always no matter the weather wear your SPF and stay out of the sun!

So that's my little winter skin refresh. What are your favorite skincare must haves?

-Tuyen