Jun 20, 2011

Summer Foot Care

June 20, 2011 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

Get The Perfect Flip Flop Feet for Summer

For many people, summertime means showing off their feet in strappy sandals and comfortable flip flops. It can also mean the potential for more foot-related problems. The hot temperatures, dry air and increase in outdoor activities can do serious damage to your feet. There are some extra steps you can take to pamper your feet and keep them healthy and beautiful throughout the summer.

Keep Your Feet Neat and Clean

One of the easiest steps toward achieving flip flop feet is daily washing. Feet sweat more during the summer months, and keeping them clean and dry can prevent moisture-loving bacteria from growing. You can use a scented foot powder to soak up excess moisture as well. Wearing sandals or shoes that have adequate airflow will also keep your feet dry. To prevent your skin from becoming chafed, you should always wear shoes that fit properly.
Many people have problems with dry, cracked skin on the bottoms of their feet. This often worsens in the summer weather, especially in areas of low humidity. You can repair your damaged feet by using Philosophy Soul Owner Foot Cream from Nordstrom. This powerful moisturizing cream softens skin and reduces roughness.

Smooth Calluses

Summer feet do a lot of walking. Many people go barefoot in the warm weather. This can create blisters and calluses on the feet. The Dr Scholl’s Callus Reducer is a great tool for easily removing calluses and rough skin with no mess or irritation. You can also use Exuviance heel repair cream to smooth calluses and heal blisters. Vitamin E and other foot-friendly nutrients in the cream condition skin and gently exfoliate rough patches.

Use Foot Refreshing Lotions and Gels

Summertime activities can cause your feet to become sore, tired, and achy. You can refresh your weary feet by using peppermint-based lotions and gels. One of the best foot refreshers is Bliss Foot Patrol, which contains peppermint oil to revitalize feet. It is also rich in aloe which keeps skin silky soft.

Get a Pedicure

While basic foot care is important, it is not the only essential to having beach-worthy feet. Your toes are the most noticeable part of your feet, and they need extra attention during the summer. Dirt, chlorine and exposure to the elements can cause toenails to look unhealthy. The Sephora French Tips & Toes Manicure Pen can keep your toes looking pristine all summer long.

It is not difficult or time-consuming to take care of feet in the summertime. If you want to have silky skin and toes that sparkle, follow these basic steps daily. Creating a beauty regimen to spoil yourself and your feet can make a significant difference. Your feet will be healthy, feel energized and look beautiful for the entire summer. Take care of your feet now, and you will be flip flop ready in very little time.

Disclosures: Beauty and Fashion Tech at times reviews products provided by a representative of the company. When we do so, we specifically state so. We also use affiliate links. For more, please see the disclosure page

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Bliss, Dr Scholls, Exuviance, Sephora

Jan 4, 2010

The Best Makeup Primer

January 4, 2010 By Carleenp 5 Comments

The best makeup primer is a multi-tasker. Makeup primer should smooth the skin, fill lines, absorb oil, and allow makeup or foundation to last longer. The magic ingredient for all of this is usually silicone, which is why the makeup primers on this list all have that as an ingredient. I find that most silicone makeup primers work pretty well, but a few stand out for me. So here are the top three silicone makeup primers based on those that I have tried. With any of these primers, a tiny bit goes a long way. One good way to apply it is to spread a dab across your fingertips—skin heat helps it thin out, and then apply it. It doesn’t take much to cover your entire face.

(1) DHC Velvet Skin Coat (read previous DCH Velvet Skin Coat review): DHC skincare makes a number of excellent products, including my favorite DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. Velvet Skin Coat is also my favorite primer. This primer is a bit thicker than the others on my list, which I like, because it fills in fine lines and wrinkles better that way. It provides a nice smooth surface for makeup, and I find that it makes a great base for both liquid foundation and mineral makeup. The one downside to it is that the tube is rather small for the price. However, this makeup primer thins out rather well, so only a very small amount is needed at any given time. DHC Velvet Skin Coat is the primer that I have repurchased the most often.

(2) Per-fekt Skin Protection Gel (read previous Per-fekt Skin Primer review): Per-fekt primer has a great combination of anti-aging ingredients and makeup priming properties. It also is tinted, so it can be used alone for a light cover or under makeup for a more finished look. It too comes a bit on the small side, but covers well with only a small amount. I particularly like this one as a mineral makeup primer. The full size is pricey, but there is a mini size that is cheaper if you want to test it before committing to the full size version (see the shopping boxes below for both). Per-fekt is available in translucent and in a number of tint shades.

(3) Exuviance Matte Perfection (read previous Exuviance Matte Perfection review): Exuviance primer is the absolute best for oily skin. While other silicone based primers tend to do well on oily skin, the Exuviance makeup primer is specifically formulated to absorb oil, and it does so quite well, leading to perfectly matte skin. Like the other primers, it also fills in lines and smoothes the skin nicely.

My review of the Per-fekt primer is based on a product that was given to me by a representative of the company. For more, please see my disclosures page.

Filed Under: Makeup Primer Tagged With: DHC, Exuviance, Per-fekt, Primer

Aug 7, 2009

Murad Acne Kit

August 7, 2009 By Carleenp Leave a Comment

When I was having a particularly hard time clearing up an adult acne breakout, I gave the Murad Acne Complex Kit ($97 Value!) a try. This is a highly rated kit, but I had mixed results with it, although I have seen rave reviews from others on it. Personally, I would just buy the treatment gel and spot treatment, which I like quite a bit, and use other products in place of the cleanser and lotion.

The kit contains the following:

Clarify Cleanser: This is a basic no frills cleanser that has Salicylic Acid to help exfoliate and fight acne. I found it a bit drying, but otherwise it is a decent enough cleanser. I like using something much cheaper though, such as a Neutrogena cleanser.
Exfoliating Acne Treatment Gel: With Retinol, Glycolic Acid, and Salicylic, this gel has a nice ingredient mix. It is light and non-irritating. I do really like this one for daily prevention/treatment, and would consider buying it separately.
Skin Perfecting Lotion: This is an oil free lotion with Retinol. I don't think the Retinol amount is very high. At least my skin didn't notice it the way it would with a high concentration. It is a good basic light lotion, but I prefer using a light drugstore brand or Exuviance Sheer Refining Fluid (read review).
Acne Spot Treatment: Murad's spot treatment has 10% sulfur, which is a good antibacterial agent for treating individual areas. The product has a bit of an odor, but any sulfur treatment will. I liked this one, but I also like using sulfur masks as spot treatments, especially on the more difficult to treat cystic type of acne. DDF makes a great sulfur mask (read review).

Overall, this is a decent enough kit to give a try. I ultimately only really liked two of the four products enough to consider repurchasing them, but the other two were OK. I just prefer other brands.

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