I’m not one to buy products I see advertised on TV. I need to learn more about a product than I can in 30 seconds, so I prefer to research things I see on TV online and off to learn more. Proactiv Solution is one of those products. I’ve been seeing it on late night TV commercials for years, but other than the glowing celebrity endorsements, I didn’t know much about it or how it worked. With one daughter on the verge of puberty, I turned to Acne.com to investigate the claims put forth by Proactiv, and what I read was interesting. I’m actually thinking about sending the link to Acne.com to my oldest, so that she can learn that chocolate and oily foods don’t cause acne, as well as other popular acne myths. Lord knows, it’s hard enough being a middle school kid without your face being wrecked by acne!

I am a huge fan of a waxing technique called a Brazilian wax. For those of you who don’t know what this is, it’s a process, similar to a bikini wax, except ALL of the hair from your nether regions will be removed. And I mean ALL. Your waxing professional will have you in positions that no one has ever had you in before in order to get every last bit of hair from your girly parts. The benefit of this is that you can go for about a month of bikini season without any shaving. The first time I had a Brazilian, I didn’t know what to expect. I had only read about it, and had never seen one done. It’s not for the faint of heart. It does hurt, and you will be getting up close and personal with a stranger holding hot wax.

I came across this Brazilian bikini wax video that shows the actual wax process. It’s for adults only, and it does contain a bare hiney shot. Videos like this are created for us in the spa and beauty industry so that people can learn how to perform the techniques, but I think it’s great for someone who is interested in getting a Brazilian!

Most women wear makeup every day. We consider the price, the color, and how it looks and feels on our skin. A few of us consider the ingredients, or the brand, and whether or not the product has an SPF built into it. Women of color may feel that an SPF product, or special skincare made for pigmented skin isn’t important - but it is! Just because your pigmented skin tans beautifully and never burns doesn’t mean it isn’t being damaged by the sun and UV rays.

The right skin care for pigmented skin is rarely found in the aisle of a grocery store, so if you have pigmented skin, you’ll need to think outside the box when you’re ready to buy your makeup and skincare products.

ORIKI Cosmeceuticals is a line founded in 1984 by American Board Certified dermatologist and biochemist Dr. Tuan Nguyen. Dr. Nguyens philosophy is that there are more than just the skin types of dry, normal, combination, and oily, because pigmentation plays such a big part in how to care for your skin. Because AMO skin types (Asian, Mediterranean and Olive) react differently from fair skin, and can turn a darker color after scarring, or acne, you need a skin care product that will work with your skin instead of against it, like this Whitening Serum.

I’m turning 31 next week, and along with that comes a need to change my beauty routine. Oh, I don’t mean all at once, but there comes a point in your life where you maybe realize that the products you’ve loved and relied on for years aren’t cutting the mustard anymore. As we age, our skin changes, our body changes, and we need new products to keep up with those changes. Sooner or later, I’m going to start seeing fine lines and spots that will serve as a constant reminder of a sunburn I got 10 years ago.

Emerge Skin Care is a new line I’ve heard a lot about lately, and I’m intrigued. The line was created by dermatologists and has several distinct products to combat some of the problems I’m currently facing, without surgery or other drastic measures. But what makes this company really stand out is their commitment to the environment. Emerge doesn’t print catalogs, and they don’t package their products in boxes. They made the choice to do that in an effort to prevent using (and wasting) 15,000 lbs of paper a year on things most of us throw away. Bravo!

I was reading my nephew’s blog earlier this week, and although he’s 24, he was blogging about acne. Join the club, kid. Join the club! I don’t know why I ever thought that acne would magically end once I turned 18, but obviously I was wrong, wrong, wrong! And my oldest, who will be 12 this year, is just experiencing her first breakouts. I don’t know how to tell her it’s going to get way worse, before it will get better. Just like this acne website says, there’s different kinds of acne, and my daughter, my nephew, and myself - well, chances are we’re all experiencing different kinds! The site has some great tips on prevention, as well as acne TREATMENT options, like Proactiv and prescription medications. (I have to say, I think I’ve tried it all at one point or another. The only thing that really worked for me was going on Accutane about 5 years ago. It changed my life! That said, I never tried Proactiv - it wasn’t really as big of a product back then, as it is now.)

Be sure to check out the myths section too. Perhaps you’ll want to read it while eating some chocolate, or after not washing your face. Or while tanning! (You’ll see what I mean when you read it!)

So I started using some new skin care products, and they’re made from seaweed. Yes, seaweed! After all my days at the beach in the youth, I never thought I’d be rubbing the wet goop I wouldn’t even WALK through on my face, but it’s good for you! There are a ton of natural skin care products out there just like the seaweed product I’m using. Another one I saw was made using rosemary, and another contained lavender. This natural skin care podcast, from Whole Foods, really explains how natural products can help you to heal, and why natural products are better for you, as well as the environment. You’ll learn to read labels to see what’s REALLY in that cream you’re slathering on your skin, and how to use natural products to look and feel great. (For example, with my oily combination skin, I could use witch hazel as a toner, instead of buying a pricy product from the beauty counter at the department store. And patchouli can accelerate the healing process when you break out! If you can stand the smell…LOL)

I personally think it’s neat that a grocery store is taking the time to educate consumers about why their products are superior, and how they can help people. Most companies are only interested in making money, and not educating people on how to care for themselves, naturally. This is just one of many podcasts coming from Whole Foods, and I look forward to seeing more! I’m definitely one who would eat better and do things to change how I buy products if I knew how they affected me in the long run.

My husband went to the dermatologist last week and had 3 suspicious moles removed from his back. Since then, I’ve been “nursing” him back to health. The first few days, I had to wash his back so he wouldn’t injure the spots. And of course, my duties included putting on fresh band-aids twice a day, as well as the antibacterial cream the doctor recommended. We took it one step further and bought a tube of StaphAseptic at the drug store to apply it as well. After blogging about this product, I knew that I wanted to give it a try. We bought a small tube and I’ve been applying it daily. The product is designed to kill MRSA skin infections and bacteria before they can cause a problem. It also has a pain reliever, which is a huge plus when you have 3 gaping wounds on your back. (I’m not sure why antibiotic creams don’t do the same thing - if you’ve got a cut or scrape, a pain reliever in the cream is a good thing!)

The StaphAspetic went on easily - no mess, and I covered everything with band-aids. Jim’s back is healing up nicely and he doesn’t even feel anything back there. He’s not completely healed up yet, but we know he won’t be getting any skin infections!

So far, I’ve been on this antibiotic for my skin for a week…and I’m not impressed. I realize I have to take it to get to the Accutane, which I know will work, but I feel like I’m wasting a month of my time. I should have gone back to my other doctor - if I had, because I’d already been through all of this with her, I probably would have been able to go right back on Accutane. Too bad she’s over an hour away - a bit too far for monthly visits.

I’m biding my time til my next appointment on the 28th of this month.

I went to the dermatologist this morning for an appointment. It’s been about 4 years since I’ve seen one, and I went to a new doctor this time since we’ve moved. The reason? Let’s see…I’m 30, I have grey hair, but my face still breaks out. And it annoys me to no end! I was on Accutane in 2003 and it worked beautifully, but for now, I’m going to try a new oral antibiotic to see if I can get things to shape up over the next 4 weeks. If I don’t see results, well, I’ll be taking the Accutane plunge once again.