These Charming Legs

Ok - so summer is here and the hunt for the perfect self-tanner continues. 

At least for me. 

Some of you may still be baking yourselves in the sun - or heaven forbid, the tanning booth - and to y'all I just have to say "Quit it."

I read about the Sephora Tinted Self-tanning Body Mist on another blog (and I cannot remember which one) but the review was good so I decided to try it. 

Here's my breakdown:

THE GOOD:

• The color is very natural
• It is easy to apply, goes on super quickly and the coverage is great
• It dries very quickly and if you take care when you're spraying it on, it doesn't streak
• My 'hard to tan' areas (ankles, toes, knees, etc) look very natural
• Since you spray it on, it doesn't get all over the palms of your hands (washing self tanner off of my hands after application has always been a big pain to me)
• The 'tan' lasts for 3-4 days
• The fade is very natural and your legs don't look diseased by the end
• It may stain a little, but it washes out beautifully
• It doesn't smell 'chemically' (and maybe this should be number one with a bullet).  It smells like suntan lotion but it is not cloying.  I actually enjoy it as I would a nice perfume.

THE NOT SO GOOD:

• The cost:  It's $15 for the can
• I've only been able to get about 3 applications per can
• It gets all over the place when you spray it on - I apply in my stand alone and enclosed shower so it contains the mess - if you don't have a stand alone shower, you may have an issue with it

So if you need a little color you may want to give this a try.  Over all, my pros definitely outweigh my cons.  My main issue with it is really the cost and the cost bugs because you really don't get a lot of applications for the money.  When I have time, I'll go back to my old standby of L'oreal Sublime Bronzer but for a quick tan when I'm running late for work, I love this stuff.

This Charming Face

I've been looking for a stronger over the counter retinol product and this is it. 

It's called Glow by Dr. Brandt and you can get it at Sephora - $85.00.

I've been using it for about a week now and I love it. 

If you're ready to step up the retinol - go get some! 

This Charming Face

So it turns out that despite my fabulous new multi-focal contact lenses, I still sometimes need readers anyway.  

I have problems at work on particularly tiny type and also at night, in restaurants, when the lights are low and my eyes are already tired. 

Thank goodness, Kate Spade makes readers that are so cool and pretty that it almost makes you not care why you need the damn things to begin with! 

I have a pair in my bag and another at my office.  I got these, the Willa in pink/red for the office.  I figure the law will be improved if I view it through rose colored glasses. 

And the other cool thing I found out is that the purchase of readers is covered under your flexible spending account (if you have one).  This really saved me last year because I had about $50.00 left that I had to use or lose. 

This Charming Face

At some point over the last few years I have become a "NARS" girl.

I am really not sure how this came about.  I'm sure it had something to do with the "Orgasm" blush craze of a few years back.  The irony of it is that the allegedly universally flattering "Orgasm" blush doesn't really do that much for my skin - the peachiness sort of blends in with the red hair and the freckles and I feel like a creamscicle.  So I go with the "Deep Throat". 

Ah - who comes up with these names?

But I am not here to talk about blush or about lipstick or about concealer or about lip gloss - all of which I wear and all of which also come from NARS. 

I am here to talk about the foundation I've been searching for for years that I have finally found at the NARS counter - the NARS Sheer Glow. 

Y'all, I love this stuff. It gives me the coverage I need without making me look like a Geisha, it doesn't smell funny and it doesn't cost an arm and a leg, at least in the world of makeup counter foundation. 

I was driven to try it by my annual "It's my birthday, I'm not getting any younger, try to look OK to make myself feel better" kick.  I went to Makeup Alley to read the recommendations before heading over to Nordstrom to get some and the most cogent and convincing review I read was written by a 43 year old MAN. 

Is this what's going on out there now?  Are men wearing foundation and actually writing reviews about it?  Geeze I've been out of the game too long.....

But I digress.....

Anyway if you're looking for a good foundation (or want to try a new line in general) you may want to head to the NARS counter.  I universally like their products for cost, ease of application, staying power and color. 

This Charming Face

I am a little bit hesitant to recommend beauty products here, because everyone is different.  But I thought it might be good to go ahead and mention this - for what it's worth.

I think that moisturizers are hard.  I have combination skin that tends toward the dry side (especially in the winter) and it's also super sensitive.  And once you hit 40 everything changes and all bets are off. 

When I went looking for a new night time moisturizer, I had already run through every over the counter thing out there -without success - but I still didn't want to pay an arm and a leg. 

I found the Silkcoat Balm by PCA Skin while comparing moisturizers on SkinCare RX and since this had a pretty low price point (by comparison) and good reviews,  I gave it a try. 

This stuff goes on thick and then sinks in  - but not completely.  It leaves sort of a film on your face but not in a gross way.  It's not greasy or sticky.

It doesn't smell bad, cause my eyes to swell shut, clog my pores or stain my pillow cases.  And it hydrates my skin wonderfully.  One jar lasted about 3 months and I found it especially nice after my facials or on particularly frigid days when I thought my skin needed a little more.

I have been really thrilled with it and I think its really worth the $36.  Before I started using this, my facialist (Hi! LA) told me my skin was dry when I showed up to have her work her magic.   But she's been much more pleased with it lately.

You may want to check it out if you think you need a heavier moisturizer at night.