Viviscal Update

Hi Beauties,

I am on my second month using Viviscal and wanted to give a quick update on how things are going. First, Viviscal is damn expensive! It retails for about $49.99 per box however, if you buy 3 months/boxes at a time from directly from  the Viviscal website you get a discount. I am going to have to buy in bulk the next go round because trying to find it for a price lower than $35.00  is next to impossible and I have been stalking both Amazon and Ebay faithfully. Second, I am really pleased with my results thus far; my hair feels stronger and dare I say it my edges are growing/filling in. Party over hair indeed! I didn’t really notice if Viviscal is giving my growth rate a boost. I have been in yarn braids for much of the past three months so I haven’t really had a chance to measure however, my intention in using Viviscal was more to fill in the thin areas than to grow my hair faster. However, going forward I will try to pay more attention to growth. One more thing, I have added  a new set of vitamins to my vitamin/supplement, inside out healthy skin, hair, healthy living regimen, Nature Made Skin Beauty & Wellness Pack. I really like these vitamins but they have been discontinued and you can only get them on Amazon so I doubt I will be using them for long. That being said the wellness pack contains five different vitamins that help with skin, beauty and wellness: Green Tea & Alpha Lipoic Acid, Biotin, Lycopene, Vitamin C and a multivitamin.

Do you use supplements?

New Skincare Regimen

Hi Beauties,

I was perusing the aisles of Sephora the other day in search of a new bronzer (seriously Guerlain your bronzer seems awesome but $50.00 US dollars! UGH!) and somehow got roped into purchasing some new skincare products. In all honesty it was the combination of the sales associate, a coupon, a store credit, those damn flourescent lights and my bare face that roped me into purchasing the Perricone  MD Prescription for Youthful Skin skincare set. My skin has been a mess, dry patches,  breaking out constantly and because I scar easily I have some wonderful new spots that surely ain’t freckles. The set consists of 4 products: Citrus Facial Wash, Firming Facial Toner, Advanced Face Firming Activator and Face Finishing Moisturizer for $75.00 (thank goodness for that coupon and that credit).  I am going to give this set ago for at least a month and then do a full review so stay tuned.

Per Perricone: Scientifically formulated to help treat fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores and skin imperfections. Primary Concerns: Fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores, loss of hydration, loss of radiance. Solution: Prescription for Youthful Skin, a customized assortment of powerful anti-aging products especially designed to address the visible signs of aging and impart healthy, youthful, radiant looking skin. Features & Benefits: Erases the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and diminishes enlarged pore with Alpha Lipoic Acid. Encourages collagen renewal and brightens skin’s appearance with Vitamin C Ester. Helps to firm and tone skin with DMAE. How is it different: Re-texturizes and refines skin’s texture, imparting a radiant and youthful appearance. Delivers powerful antioxidants and anti-aging benefits to ensure the future health of skin. Provides new customers an opportunity to sample an assortment of top selling products at a great price. Convenient and travel friendly. Citrus Facial Wash (2 fl oz / 59 ml) – Gently washes away impurities and purifies skin without stripping it of its natural oils. With DMAE. Advanced Face Firming Activator (1 fl oz / 30 ml) – Minimizes the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, enlarged pores and refines skin texture. With Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE. After 4 weeks of use: 82% reported improvement in the appearance of skin tone 73% reported improvement in skin texture, radiance and overall quality of their skin Firming Facial Toner (2 fl oz / 59 ml) – Soothes and helps firm skin’s appearance while restoring its natural pH balance. With Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE. Face Finishing Moisturizer (1 fl oz / 30 ml) – Hydrates and imparts a natural glow. With Alpha Lipoic Acid and DMAE. Paraben Free Made in USA

Out, Damned Spot(s)…

Okay, so maybe Lady  Macbeth wasn’t talking about post inflammatory hyperpigmentation when she said, “Out, damned spot!”,  but hey it’s my blog and I’ll reinterpret literary classics however I see fit! Post- inflammatory hyperpigmentation is the bane of my existence. Apparently my skin ain’t about that life and when I say that life I am referring to the life of clear, smooth, envious perfection. Seriously, whether I dry out or pop the pimple (I know TMI) it almost always leaves a scar.

 

Le sigh, why won’t my skin let me be great? I must confess however, some of those pimples may be warranted. In truth, I don’t always properly remove my makeup and I could definitely be a little more diligent in my skin care practices in general (see previous post) and I must also eradicate these damn spots. Enter my new skin care regimen!

Face Wash: Cetaphil

Toner: Clinique Clarifying Lotion (not pictured)

Moisturizer w/SPF: Neutrogena Oil Free Moisturizer

Exfoliation: Olay Pro-X system  and occasional 15% glycolic peel (purchased from Makeup Artists Choice)

Dark spot correctors:  Kiehl’s Clearly Corrective Dark Spot Solution (use in the AM underneath moisturizer) and Murad’s Rapid Age Spot and Pigment Lightening Serum (in the evenings)

I will also use bareMinerals Active Cell Renewal Night Serum post peel.

I intend to dedicate at least one post  per month keeping updating you guys on my skin’s progress. Here’s to great hair and beautiful skin to match!

A Letter To My Skin

Dear skin (specifically on my face),

It’s me, Barbie. I know my new obsession with all things Lola and natural hair in general I has caused my to neglect you and you in turn have been acting out for attention. Therefore, I promise to do the following and maybe you can promise to STOP BREAKING OUT!

1)     I promise to wash my face every night no matter where I am or  how tired or tipsy I am  or whether I am trying to be sexy (okay if it’s sexy time it will have to wait until after it’s over but  still I promise to do it).

2)    I promise to use a  toner.

3)   I promise to use my Olay Regenerist  Pro-X (bootleg Clarisonic) to exfoliate you twice a week.

4)  I promise to never leave the house without sunscreen.

5)  I will increase my water intake and eat better.

6)  I will also clean off my work telephone and my cell at least once a week.

7)  I won’t pick at you or at least try not to.

*Hi  darlings- I am going to chronicle my quest  for beautiful skin. If you have any tips please do leave them in the comments.