Clearly Amazing...

Okay so all I have to say is - YES PLEASE to this device.

Recently my lovely fiance treated me to a facial (the man knows what a girl wants!) and during the wondrous event the facialist pulled out a contraption that I have heard about a TON and have been super curious about.

The Clarisonic Skin Cleaning System - $149-$225
I had seen this baby advertised everywhere and recommended by all the mags and stores as a major breakthrough in skin cleaning. But I was skeptical by all these endorsements...did I really need it? Did it really work? And holy cow that is a lot of money for a face cleanser!!!


I was not disappointed.
This tool is FANTASTIC. Made by the same folks behind the Sonicare toothbrush...think of this as the ultimate cleaning tool for your face. It gently and smoothly works your cleanser deeply into your skin but does so without irritating, hurting or damaging a thing. It reduces the look of fine lines and wrinkles, gently exfoliates, allows your moisturizers and serums to absorb more effectively, reduces the appearance of pore size, helps with acne and dry patches alike- this baby does it all. It can be used with any cleanser or any exfoliant with spherical beads (this is important- they must be the round exfoliating beads otherwise you will damage your skin.)

So what convinced me that this brush was a wonder to be appreciated?
Well - The facialist started the gently buzzing brush towards my face and the moment it touched my skin I was seriously impressed. I was so blown away by the sensation, the exfoliation and the soothing nature of the brush that when I saw what my skin looked like after the facial I headed straight to Sephora to check one out in person. Then when three days after my facial my fiance said- wow your skin is still really soft- I was sold.

Now this does have a hefty price tag but there are Clarisonic options for everyone. You can buy the base model (1 speed), waterproof (2 speeds) or the one that can be used on other body parts other than the face. I will be buying the waterproof for myself in case I want to use it in the shower. I think the body Clarisonic is a bit much- I don't need to spend that much more just so I can scrub my elbows and knees. But if you want one of these and you don't want to spend too much I think the base model is also great.

Anyway, I wanted to share my love with you all and perhaps you can give your family or significant other a holiday gift idea?

Keep looking fabulous!
BGND

Budget Swap

As all you BGNDers know- I love me some face scrub. I consider it to be one of the best ways to not only keep your skin healthy, but to make it glow with less lines and younger texture all around. Well today, I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of a scrub that I have heard loads about.

Aveeno Skin Brightening Daily Scrub - $7.49 (Drugstores nationwide)
This scrub is fantastic. Not only does it smell wonderful, it has the small microbeads that are so hard to find in the less expensive scrubs. I found this scrub to be more runny than my favorite Clinique scrub but to have the same essentials- tiny, tiny microbeads that polished my skin just enough. A great exfoliator but definitely gentle enough for everyday use.

I would highly recommend this product to anyone who loves the Clinique scrub (like I do) but needs something for less money (who doesn't) and is sick of the St. Ives (who isn't). St. Ives makes a great product but sometimes you just want something new.

Go get this- totally worth the money!

Have a great Monday and keep looking fabulous!
BGND

Scrub-less in Seattle

Dear BGND,

I do not know what to do...I am absolutely at my wits end. I take care of my skin. I wash, I moisturize, I protect but there is one thing that plagues me like no other... My skin is so flaky and uneven and just in need of a good scrub!!! The problem is I have tried so many and they are either too harsh, too mild or just do nothing. Please help a struggling woman just trying to have smoother facial skin then her stubble-loving boyfriend! Is that too much to ask?!

Hoping you won't flake,

Scrub-less in Seattle

Dear Scrub-less in Seattle,

I feel your pain my friend. Sometimes it feels like we are supposed to have this smooth complexion automatically. Little do people know what we do to get our cheeks to the level of baby softness we desire. Well you have come to the right place in your scrub search woes. I have a few candidates for you to try that will fit anyone's complexion and budget.

Without further ado....

1) St. Ives Apricot Scrub - $3.22 (Drugstores nationwide and online at drugstore.com)St. Ives is a classic and for a reason. They are accessible, they get the job done and they are easy on the wallet. I personally am a fan of the Apricot Scrub for sensitive skin (does the scrub work with micro-beads instead of apricot shell) but the classic Apricot Scrub cannot be beat for most ladies and for those of us with problem skin, there is now a St. Ives with blemish and blackhead control. In short, there is a St.Ives for everyone. I have been using their scrub since high school.

2) Clinique 7-Day Scrub Cream - $17.50 ( Clinique counters and Sephora nationwide also at Clinique.com)

In many ways Clinique wrote the current book on skincare. As a department store counter they are accessible enough for even the faint of beauty heart to be interested. However, as more brands have arrived on the market, Clinique has lost some of it's trendiness. Yet they are still around because they know what they are doing. This scrub cream is a great example of that consistency. This cream makes your face feel beyond smooth and it's name tells it like it is- you can use this each and everyday. I am a girl with a budget so I don't buy this scrub as much as I would like but that does nothing to diminish my love for it.

Now you will notice next to the Clinique picture, that lovely little Best of Beauty Award Winner stamp from Allure. This scrub (as well as St. Ives) were both 2008 award winners from Allure's readers. So if my obsession with these two products isn't enough to make you try one, perhaps Allure's readers can sway you.

Now, these are just the two scrubs that I know and have used for years. Each and every girl needs a different kind of scrub and perhaps you have tried one or both of these scrubs before to no avail... In that case, I offer up one suggestions that I call a "popularity pick". Meaning, I have not used it myself but I have heard over and over again how fantastic it is. So if you would like to venture on your own, try the following and let me know what you think!!

Aveeno Skin-Brightening Daily Scrub - $7.49 (Apparently fantastic for aging and acne)

Well Scrub-less in Seattle, hopefully I have made your path to clear skin a little easier.

One last thing about exfoliating to leave you with:

Unless you have a seriously problem skin, you probably do not need to exfoliate everyday. I recommend every other day or every few days. I shave my legs every other day so those are the days when I scrub as well. (Helps me remember!) If you have had lots of irritation in the past with srubs, you could simply be scrubbing too much.

Keep looking fabulous!

BGND