Clear Skin, Clean Face

Ever walk into the facial cleanser aisle at your local drugstore and find yourself utterly confused? Why does Clean & Clear sell so many different types of face wash? What if you want to use the Morning Burst at night, is that ok? Or do I have to buy two different kinds of face wash? If this brand is more expensive...does it mean it's a lot better?! Will this dry my skin out?

That’s what goes through MY mind when I’m there. I used to always end up going home with a different product after each visit, and for that reason, I can share some good insight with you all! I have tried Neutrogena, Clean & Clear, Clearasil, Aveeno and many other drug-store facial cleansers, and here is a rundown:

I have rather sensitive skin, so I always have a bit of trouble finding something that doesn’t dry my skin out. It seems everything is too drying for me these days! My dermatologist recommended Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser (about $9 for an 8 oz pump) to me a few years ago and I was really pleased with it. It did a great job keeping my acne at bay and evening my skin tone. I liked the pump better than I liked the squeeze out tubes, and the cleanser didn't leave my face dry.I have always enjoyed the Johnson & Johnson’s Purpose Gentle Cleansing face wash so much more. And who can resist this $4.74 price tag for a 6 oz bottle?! (taken at the Target in Diamond Bar, CA).

Purpose feels like it is doing a better job cleaning my face. I also feel my face is a lot clearer after I use this product and it certainly doesn’t dry out my skin. What’s great about Purpose is it claims to be fragrance free and free of other drying ingredients. It’s a great face wash! It is soap-free, 100% oil free, hypoallergenic, and claims to not clog your pores like other products might. What this means to you is basically this product won't leave stuff behind on your face that might clog your pores and make you look ugly. Good deal.


If you refuse to use drug store brands, I highly recommend The Body Shop's Vitamin E Cream Cleanser. It is pricier--$14 for a 6.7 oz bottle, but it eliminates the need to moisturize after washing your face. It contains Vitamin E (which is a natural antioxidant) soy oil, shea butter & wheat germ oil. I enjoy this product tremendously but I opt to use The Body Shop's Vitamin E night cream to moisturize my face in combination with Purpose Gentle Cleansing Wash.




*photos courtesy Cetaphil & The Body Shop websites

Fun In The Sun!

I am clearly neglecting my blog! I got 200 hits within 2 weeks of launching this thing, so I guess my blog addresses a rather popular subject and I know I should post the posts that I had planned. So, I will post at least once a week about fabulous money-saving tips for you gals!

It's April, and though in some parts of the world it's all about "April Showers," we here in California have only seen rain twice this month and have been otherwise blessed with 70-80 degree weather. We have had weekends where it's been in the mid- to high 80s, which of course allowed for fabulous beach trips.

Because Coachella is this weekend (a 3-day outdoor music festival) and it seems like everyone from LA uproots themselves and travels to the desert, I want you all to be prepared for the extra sun-exposure. I know most girls are super stoked to get their tan on, but can we please just be a bit careful? After all, skin cancer isn't a made up a disease, and if that isn't enough to scare you... you WILL get wrinkles from extra sun exposure.

Now fine, I can hear the complaints now. Who am I to tell you guys NOT to tan? I know, I know I am lucky and I'm all tan and brown and all that fun stuff and that I shouldn't be advising people to slather on the sunscreen when I never have had to worry about looking "pasty" in my life... and who am I to tell you girls to slather on sunscreen and stay pasty? Honestly, I don't like seeing ghosts like Nicole Kidman or Kristen Stewart as much as you girls don't like being super pasty-white in the summer. Those actresses need a bit of color to look un-dead. But there are safer ways to get tan without getting skin cancer à-la Izzie Stevens in Grey's Anatomy. I'll save those tips for another blog post!

For now, I just want to set the record straight that I agree with my melanin-deprived friends who want to look alive in the summer. I just think that girls today have no excuse not to do it in a more healthy way.

So here, for now, I just want to encourage everyone (dark-skinner or not!) to put on sunscreen before you leave your home for prolonged sun exposure.

The brand I am in love with right now is Neutrogena for their Ultra-Sheer Dry-touch line. It is great for your face because it does not leave the skin with an oily or greasy feel like other sunscreens do. I only paid about $10 for mine at Target, and it's a good enough size to last me all summer. I use this on my face and arms, and I'm pretty sure they sell one that is waterproof as well. I tan really easily, and as rare as this is for for someone of Pakistani descent, I actually BURN too. My nose and cheeks are prime areas for sunburns. So, I go the extra mile and actually get the SPF 70. I have no idea what "Helioplex" is so I guess I should ask my Dermatologist cousin what is is for those of you who care.

Since I always feature expensive counterparts (for the style-snobs and for kicks) I will share with you a $34 bottle of sunscreen. I just came across this in a magazine and was a bit intrigued by it. It's La Roche-Posay Anthelios 60. I read one review on it and was unable to find much more info about it. It has some chemical called "Mexoryl" that apparently protects against short UVA rays and thus prevents wrinkles. If anyone is interested (or if anyone has used it) leave me a comment, I'd love to see how this product is and if it indeed is worth the extra $20+. They have a whole line of skin care that I'm interested in trying, since Allure magazine rated their daily moisturizer as one of the best of 2009. I'm a bit intrigued by them and will have to check their stuff out.

For now, be safe in the sun!

Cakey make-up is out, flawless effort is in!

Caked on, overly noticeable makeup on anyone’s face is not at all attractive. I prefer soft foundation doing what it is supposed to be doing—evening skin tone and concealing blemishes, while looking effortless. I cannot stand girls who have caked on foundation, and what bugs me more is women who have a one colored face and a different colored neck….ladies, find someone to assist you in the search for foundation!!I’ve tried MAC foundations and found them to be a bit heavy. While MAC offers many different shades and one is sure to find an ideal match, oftentimes MAC leaves women looking overdone. What’s worse is I’ve noticed in some photos that you can see how much foundation I have on! Flawless, effortless beauty is what we should strive for on a day to day basis.

I tried Dior Skin AirFlash Spray Foundation last year, and this product is just amazing. The AirFlash delivered a great even skin tone while providing me with a healthy glow. I only ever used this product while getting my makeup done for events and always wanted to purchase it. It comes in a little spray can, and you can either spray this directly onto your face (don’t recommend it) or onto a disposable makeup sponge and apply to your face. It’s nice and moisturizing too, leaves my skin feeling soft and healthy. This product comes with quite a steep price tag--$60 for a 2.3 oz can. Another set back--it only comes in 5 shades which can be quite limiting. Their darkest shade would not even accommodate dark chocolate African American skin tones, which I think is just shameful on Dior’s part!

A good friend of mine introduced me to Laura Mercier’s Tinted Moisturizer just last year, and this product is absolutely fabulous and a good alternative to Dior. It’s just $18 less than the Dior Skin AirFlash Spray Foundation (for those who are arithmetically challenged--$42), but the Laura Mercier product boasts twice as many shades and even has an oil free alternative. The Laura Mercier tinted moisturizer is equally as fantastic and I definitely recommend this product as a suitable alternative to the Dior Skin AirFlash Spray Foundation. I know the $42 price tag is a bit steep, so I assure you I will try and find another less pricey foundation. While I was on a budget, I used the MAC Studio Tech foundation, which was just $29. Oh but I forgot to add--the Laura Mercier has SPF20!!!! Awesome skin and UV protection! I have never tried a drug store brand foundation though I fully intend on it just for the sake of this blog and for my readers. I am quite intrigued by the Maybelline True Match makeup line because they claim to give you an effortless look. I’ll make myself the test dummy and show you all how it compares to the Laura Merciers and Diors of the makeup world!

*photos courtesy Sephora.com

Meet Me

I was inspired to begin this a year ago, when I quit my job and had a bit of trouble landing a new one (thank you recession). My savings was depleting and I refused to go out in the world looking like a mess. I had to cut costs without cutting my beauty regimen, and I thought I might share my experiences with those who might be looking for great alternatives for otherwise overpriced products.

There are many blogs about dressing chic in this economy, but far too few about personal care in this economy.

I overheard Ryan Seacrest on KIIS FM one morning and he was suggesting we women cut down on our Sephora shopping trips. And you know what, I was absolutely appalled just like you readers probably are. But then I realized that I've been frequenting my favorite store a lot less lately, and it's because I've found comparable products with far lower price tags!

I used to be a hair care product JUNKIE! Just like I swore I would never give up my designer jeans (and still have not!), the thought of giving up Enjoy hair products and my favorite Bumble and Bumble hair serum was far too depressing that I balked at the idea of buying--gasp!!--hair care from Target. True story.

My hair still looks pretty darn good, and I've been maintaining the flawless skin I've been complimented on for ages. My blog will detail some of the things you SHOULD do, and some things I absolutely recommend leaving up to the professionals.

Enjoy!