Going Back to Basics: Best Moisturizers After Chemical Peel

A few weeks ago I went in for my monthly facial, which I'm starting to do now because I still have the hormonal skin of a 13 year old girl, and my estetician (whom I adore and trust) decided to have her way with my face and applied a salicylic acid peel.  For the most part my face took it really well, but the skin around my chin reacted strangely to say the least.  It frosted within seconds, and I came out of the spa with dark splotches all over my chin and jawline, which were so bad that I had to take an uber home to avoid ogling subway riders.  These splotches were actually burns that turned into tight feeling scabs, and I knew that the only thing that would keep my skin from getting worse was lots of sunscreen and to moisturize around the clock. 
That's when I turned to my go-to moisturizers below:

CeraVe Moisturizing Lotion
Most of us know about this staple moisturizer, but if you don't have this already, please get yourself a bottle to keep around the house for those just in case moments.  The CeraVe moisturizer is a light, water based solution, but it sinks into the skin quickly, and works well under makeup. It's also non-irritating, so it's great to use for eczema, or sunburns, and in my case as chemical peel aftercare. It's also non-comedogenic, which is always a good thing, so you can pile it on, and not worry about clogging pores.

Dr. Jart + Cermidin Cream
Oh baby baby baby.  That's how I feel about this cream- if that even says anything to you.  This  Korean moisturizer has been my favorite cream to use with my retinol treatment because it's so calming on my skin that it minimizes a lot of flaking, and dry patches that occur with this strong treatment.  My skin seems to love cermides, which is the main component of this cream, because it always looks and feels better when I'm apply this.

Skinceuticals B5 Gel
I got this at the recommendation of my esthetician, and at first I didn't really know what the big fuss was about, but once I started using a few drops of this before my regular moisturizer it really helped with alleviating the chemical burns I had (sounds so horrible, doesn't it?).  It's quite an expensive product, so I like to save it for extreme dryness- AKA winter time.


Hope this helps any of your dry skin problems!

Bring on the Shine

Gel nails have special place in my heart.  Their longevity and shiny crystal finish make me giddy, but the UV light process, and the ordeal of wrapping each finger in pure acetone to remove gel polish is enough to keep me from doing it often.  I usually save gel nails for special occasions, but I was on the hunt for that glossy finish of gel polish that I could use everyday. And, let's all take a deep breath, I think I've found it with Nails Inc. Gel Effect polishes and Essie's Gel Setter top coat. 

I picked up the Nails Inc Gel Effect in Black Taxi at Sephora a few weeks ago, and it's just too good.   This British brand makes a mean nail polish with high pigmentation, and luxe shine. The polish itself is thin, so each coat glides on effortlessly, and dries a lot faster than other polishes I've used. Black Taxi is pretty shiny on it's own, but being the glutton that I am I topped it with Essie's Gel Setter, which boosted my nails with extra shine.  This combo made my nails look as if I had wrapped them in patent leather.  I tried capturing the glossiness in my photos, but you might have to go to Sephora and sample it.  

Please do, and experience this joy for yourself.

Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution

Ever since I got into skincare it's been very rare for me to repurchase products after finishing them.  There are so many new skincare products that I usually just bounce around from product to product, trying out new things.  The Kiehl's Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution ($49.50) is the rare unicorn that I can't seem to replace.  I purchased my first bottle a year ago, and used it daily for a few months until one day I looked at my face, and noticed that those darks spots that had been plaguing me had disappeared. This I can tell you is a great feeling, and one we should all enjoy.

This serum is not going to erase all of your dark spots overnight, but what product out there will do that? If you have the answer, please let this girl know, thnx. This silky serum made with activated C, white birch, and peony extracts feels light and refreshing on the skin, and is instantly absorbed.  In fact it absorbs so quickly that sometimes I will do a double layer just in case I missed a spot. I put this serum on after washing and toning my face, and before my topical retinol solution. I purchased a new bottle a few weeks, and am testing it out all over my body on any old scars that could be lightened.  I think this is a great product to add to any skincare regime, and though it does take time to see results, there are results with this product, which is inspiring.