Instant Fresh Face with Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 & SkinceuticalsPhysical Fusion SPF15

See? Glowing.

In this part of the world it has been very hot this summer. So taking my make up look from day to night without hosing down first can be a challenge. I am always improvising and trying shortcuts (so you don't have to!) that can refresh and freshen my look easily and effectively. And I love Off Label uses of proudcts that perhaps no one else has thought of. Before I share my secrets, I will share one more. I reviewed a scrub I am loving lately here. FYI- nothing will look good sitting on top of dry dead skin. It looks crepey and papery and never smooth or glowing. So before you try what I recommend and complain you still look blah, please remember to do your weekly exfoliation. Now, we are ready.

Magic trifecta for fresh glowing beauty...

Rather than applying more concealer and powder on top of a face that's been melting all day, I try to keep it fresh. First, I apply a gentle mist of rosewater all over my face. After it soaks in, I dab several drops of my Vichy LiftActiv Serum 10 where there may be dullness and where make up may have melted or settled. Usually under and around the eye area, the neck, and around the mouth and nasal labial folds. Let the serum sink in - you will notice a lovely glow feel your skin hydrate right before your eyes. You are already looking refreshed.

I hate adding make up to more make up, as I wear so little to begin with. It doesn't take much for me to feel, well,  spackled. So I was digging around my make up drawer, looking for something to mattify, even tone slightly, and add a bit of radiance. Seems like a tall order. Even though it was 7pm and I was heading out for dinner, my bottle of Skinceuticals Physical Fusion SPF15 caught my eye. I like to experiment and thought "what the heck". If you read this review of the Physical Fusion you know that it has a tone to it. Super sheer, but still a tone. Nowhere near a foundation, and not even as thick as a tinted moisturizer. But I know it matttefies and that the texture is light as a feather so I grabbed it. I dabbed it under my eyes, on my eyelids, on the inner corners of my eyes, on the tops of my cheeks, and around my nasal area. Right away I noticed an immediate brightening effect, sort of a more wide awake  effect. It also has a mattefying effect, and acts somewhat like a primer in that whatever make up you apply on top sticks to it. So I added a light dusting of translucent powder, a little bronzer, lipstain, gloss and mascara and TA-DA! I looked refreshed and polished without looking like I had layers of make up on. It actually didn't even look like I tried. And, it lasted all through dinner and drinks on a patio, on a  hot summer night. 

Mission accomplished.

Cheap & Cheerful Beauty - Nivea Q10 Firming Body Lotion

This is just a simple “love this” review for Nivea Q10 Firming Body Lotion. Anyone who knows me well, knows I am a moisturizing fiend. I cannot bear the feel of dry tight skin, and usually apply body lotion at least once a day. Don't even get me started about hand lotion....I keep small bottles in my purse and scattered around my house. I'm usually happiest in humid climates like Florida and beach communities where there is water in the air and everything feels moist and plump.

I used this years ago then somehow ended up migrating to Palmer’s Coco Butter lotion. Which I ADORE and is unparalleled for moisturizing but I do NOT want to walk around smelling like it. Which I do. The scent is tenacious and totally messes with my perfumes. Why oh why does it have to be so strong? The cream is pure genius and I know it would be effortless for them to make an unscented version as there is NO WAY that coco butter scent is natural. Anyways. So then I switched to Kiehl’s Crème de Corps (so excellent it needs its own post…stay tuned) but its rather dear at $30+ a bottle.  After a recent chat about beauty products with a beauty addicted friend, she reminded me about Nivea Q10. Funny, I used to use it religiously as it is just so darned good- not sure why I stopped but perhaps my ADD beauty product tendencies had something to do with it.

This lotion is effective and offers lasting moisturize with a gentle-but-disappears-in-minutes scent, Nivea Q10 body firming lotion delivers. I am perhaps a bit dubious of the “firming” claims, but whatever it does, it penetrates deeply and the moisture is retained for a decent amount of time. It apparently contains twice the amount of Q10 as the previous formula I originally used, but I don’t detect a difference other than the packaging and the scent, which, while still benign, is different than the original. It is not greasy but does give a lovely glow to the skin. It is not a thick or goopy as the regular formula Nivea lotion so application is a breeze. If you need a simple, gentle and effective body lotion, give this a try.

...from this...

...to this...