Let's Talk About Skin, Baby!

Okay, lets talk skin.
I have always had problem skin and very (and I mean VERY) sensitive skin. Around the middle school/high school days is when my skin started to change (like everyone else). I would get pimples, break outs and the worst thing BOILS. UGH, boils (to me) are the worst. The get very large, red, irritated, extremely sore, and take forever to go away. I had pimples and boils all thru high school and into my twenties. I tried everything, over the counter remedies, homemade remedies, all natural remedies. My favorite for years was from The Body Shop, the Tea Tree Oil. Gosh, that worked great for me for a few years then my skin changed again and it stopped working, I was so bummed. Finally I decided to give Proactiv a try. At first it was a little harsh for my face. I got really red and my skin was even more sensitive. I called the company and they told me how to go about easing my way into Proactiv. So happy I called cuz' it did end up working. I've been using Proactiv for over 8yrs now and my skin has really cleared. When a boil or pimple come up I use the mask or their pimple zapper cream (can't remember the name but it works) and it clears it up in a day or two.
7 months ago I tried (for the first time) Bare Minerals Blemish Therapy. Oh my, I fell in love. At the time I happened to have a nice whopper of a pimple (but I think it was going the boil route) and I was at a Bare Escentuals Boutique. They were giving me a make-under and asked if I had ever used Blemish Therapy before? I said no but I'm interested. So they put it on my pimple. It killed the redness immediately. So with just that to show for the product I bought it. The next day when I got up the swelling was down and the redness was gone. I was completely shocked. So now, when a boil or pimple arise I slap some Blemish Therapy from Bare Minerals on it and it's gone. :)
When washing make-up off my face I like to use The Clarisonic with Philosophy's Purity Cleanser. You really get a deep cleaning which helps to prevent black heads and white heads.
Okay, also along the skin line, I've always (I can't believe I'm going to admit this) had a problem with back acne (head hanging down in shame). Now I know I shouldn't be ashamed. It's not so much of shame as it is embarrassment. You never want to have low cut dresses in the back, you don't want to wear bathing suits in the summer, you're just very self-conscious of that area. When I started on birth control pills that is when my back acne cleared up. I couldn't believe it. I seriously cried with happiness. I had no clue that that one pill could help me in that way. So for years I've been back acne free.
Just over one year ago I started going thru some health issues and my docs didn't know what was causing it and it could've been my birth control, so I had to get off of it. Well, within 3 months, BOOM, it was back (I seriously cried again but this time in sadness). :( The last year has been trial and error of products to help me in this area. And nothing has really helped. I've been stressed, which made it worse. I've been working out ALOT, and that of course made it worse. About 2 months ago I went by my Proactiv kiosk in the mall and they now had a 3 step system for the body. I thought, why not give it a try, it works for my face. I'm happy to say that YES it does work. My back is getting better. It's slow but it is working. I'm trying to get past the embarrassment of it and just accept me for me. Look, it's my body, this is what it does and I'm working on helping it.

I also love Philosophy body washes. All the fun scented body washes. I use them as well. They are light in fragrance and don't irritate my skin.

What do you use for facial cleansing? What do you use for body cleansing?

Wow, look what we go thru to look pretty and feel good about ourselves. But I do feel better about myself with clear skin. I think we all feel that way.
~Lady O

Hair, hair, hair

Let's talk hair. I've always found it interesting how everyone wants someone else's hair. We're never happy with our own hair. I wonder why that is? I have to admit, it took most of my life to be happy with my own hair.
When I was a kid I had long hair down to my ankles. Of course from the ages 5-8 I really couldn't appreciate my hair (too young). I do remember being annoyed with it at times. To me it was too long. I can remember my mom would set up my pink beauty chair in the living room in front of the TV after my bath and comb my hair (we called it playing beauty parlor). I would sit and watch cartoons while she brushed the knots out. That was a really smart way to get me to sit still and let her work on my hair. My mom always put in me in cute pigtails or one long ponytail.
When I started school we cut my hair to shoulder length and noticed I had quite a bit of curl in my hair. It wasn't tight curls but some waves. I really didn't like my hair to much in grade school (but what kid does, right?) It had some layers and I had bangs.
Then in middle school I wanted it cut short and I mean short. We cut it to chin length. It was an adorable cut for anyone that didn't have a round face and chub cheeks. LOL!!! Such a bad choice. Once we cut it we realized just how curly my hair was. It was poodle curly. Tight ringlet curls. I hated it and I mean HATED IT. I had to deal with it til' it grew out and let me just say, my hair grows EXTREMELY slow. LOL!! Took quite some time to grow out and I've never cut my hair that short again. I actually have a fear of cutting it that short again.
I pretty much kept my hair at shoulder length thru highschool but I didn't like my curls so I would straighten it. Oh yea, that pretty much destroyed my hair. I got major split ends.
Well after school I finally thought to myself, why not let my hair do what it wants to do naturally. So now I let it be curly however, I keep it no shorter than shoulder length. I try to keep up on trims (I'm a little over due right now).
So after all these years, I'm finally happy with my hair. I love that I have curls, I love my hair long, I love my color of hair (I've never colored it), I accept my hair the way it is. I don't want someone else's hair (amazingly enough).

Now the question is, what hair products do you use? Gosh, I'm so scattered with with this. I switch products alot. Shampoos: Aussie, Suave, Herbal Essences, Ojon, and just recently WEN. Recently I noticed my hair breaking. Like I said, I'm over due for a trim so I'm gonna get that done and hopefully that will help. Now I'm using Herbal Essences. I use Frederic Fekkai curling conditioner. I really like it. Hydrates great. :)
For Styling, I use Herbal Essences curling mousse. I've been looking for years for new styling mousse or spray. Any suggestions? Could use the help.
Alright, there is my "long" hair story. What's yours? Are you happy with your hair?
~Lady O

Let's Talk Beauty

Hey there!!! I'm very excited to start this blog. I'll be posting pics. of looks you can do for your eyes and face. Also, discussing face washes, shampoos/conditioners, body washes, nails, tips and tricks for make-up that I've learned, you know just fun make-up/beauty talk. If you love a product and want me to give it a try please give me suggestions and I'm more than willing to give it a go too.
A little about me, if you met me or talked to me about 7 or so years ago I never wore make-up. Just didn't see the point, didn't want to take the time and I didn't know the first the thing about it. Then I saw a make-up line on QVC called Smashbox. Loved the lady Holly that was selling it on there and loved the look that women got from it. However, I didn't want to go as far as wearing foundation. So I decided to buy a kit from Smashbox from QVC, it had blush, liner, shadow, mascara and eye brows (no foundation). I would just wear a little of everything. It made me feel prettier and people were noticing. So I thought I would stick with just that and I did for about a year.
Then the next year for Christmas my mom bought me "Meet the Plums" kit (3 different shades of plum/purple colors from light to dark) from Bare Escentuals/BareMinerals. I fell in love with it. The plum colors were a great start to wearing eyeshadows. Very simple shading and coloring but it made my eyes pop. I kept playing it safe for eyeshadows for a year probably. I would buy "Meet the Browns" or kits that were "stupid proof" for mixing colors. I did that for another year or so. I finally felt confident to start branching out and mixing colors on my own and wearing "outside the box" shades. I also decided to try Bare Escentuals/BareMinerals foundation. It was amazing. You couldn't feel it, it didn't look like I was wearing heavy make-up at all, yet covered. Then I branched into, primers, finishing powders and of course lip glosses/Buxoms. Now I'm hooked. I have a rainbow of shades for eyeshadows. Lots of different shades of blushes as well. I'm completely hooked on make-up. I have to say (it may sound weird) but my daily routine of swirl, tap, buff really relaxes me. I genuinely am excited to put my make-up on in the morning. I change my eyeshadows everyday. I feel I get to play everyday.

I hope you'll join me in the fun of make-up and beauty on my blog. Let's have fun making ourselves feel pretty.
~Lady O