Lancer: The Method

I don't tend to be a skincare "system" gal. Heck, it's a lot if I use more than one product from the same line in my nightly routine. It's not that I'm against it, but I do love to try various products and mixing and matching from different lines allows me to get a sense of each brand. But after reading about the Lancer method that is designed to transform skin and create the legendary "Lancer glow", I was willing to try it. Who am I to pass up a chance to achieve the ultimate glow? 

There are three products in Dr. Lancer's cult classic Method - the Polish exfoliator, the Cleanser and the Nourish moisturizer. Of course I didn't stick to only the three steps for my entire routine, but I did make these three the main staples of my routine while going through the testing phase. 

1. Polish - This is the first step in the Lancer Method and may seem a bit odd to start with an exfoliator. But Dr. Lancer believes this step removes surface debris while helping infuse the skin with oxygen. Since I was not confident of it's full ability to remove my makeup, I still started with my trusty makeup wipes (currently using these and these). But immediately after, I dove right into the Polish step. As you can see from the above picture, the Polish (right swatch) is a very small granular scrub in a milky, gel base. You only need a drop to cover the entire face, but as soon as you begin working the polish into the skin it wakes you right up. It manages to be an intense yet gentle scrub that really blew most of my face scrubs out of the water. I actually stood in the mirror touching my face for a minute after because it felt as if my skin was transformed - almost as if it wasn't skin anymore. THAT is how soft it felt. I was excited to move on to the next step.

2. Cleanse - Upon initially feeling the cleanser, it has a lightweight gel texture and I was afraid it would be bubbles central (and I am not a fan of too many bubbles on my face). Thankfully, it felt a bit more like a soft milk or balm and hardly foamed on my face. The cleanser made my skin feel extremely refreshed and cool, yet after I had rinsed it off there was no sense of tightness, dryness or discomfort. The Cleanse step is designed to remove any remaining impurities and balance the skin's pH levels. My skin did in fact feel incredibly balanced and clean, and if I was stuck on a desert island with no moisturizer, my face actually would feel fine after these two steps. That's a rare feeling for me since so many times, my face is desperate for moisturizer after cleansing. It was truly a testament to how well these two cleansers worked together.

3. Nourish - The final step in the Lancer Method is the Nourish moisturizer. The texture is incredibly rich, yet oddly feels as if nothing is on your skin from the moment you apply it. My skin soaked it up immediately and what's left is balanced, soft and glowing skin. I didn't think it was possible to really see a difference with using a "system" style skincare routine, but I can't deny the results. My skin really enjoyed the three steps used together. I would still throw in an eye cream daily (currently using this essence followed by this cream) and a serum when I felt like it, but for the most part these three products did the job quite nicely. And boy did my skin glow. Like "what have you done to your skin and where can I get it" kind of glow that everyone seemed to notice. And I was all "oh this? I just woke up like this." *wink, wink* I wanted to keep the mystery going just for a bit, but I figured its selfish to keep the glow getting secrets to myself, I suppose. 

*pr samples included

Have you tried the Lancer Method? What are your thoughts?

My Morning Skincare Routine Gets Two New Additions

My evening skincare routine is where I do the majority of my new product testing. Mainly because in the morning I do not have the time to be trying out new products, possibly having an irritation, or averse reaction thus resulting in my makeup application suffering. No thank you! I will not let my daily full face be hindered. So after finishing both my serum (I was using this one) and my daily face lotion (this one), I needed to find replacements. I tried a few different things that didn't work for me, before finally settling on these two products. So here they are - meet my two new morning skincare additions. The La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift and the Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Emulsion. I have sampled a bit of each below on my hand so you can better see the texture. (the Sulwhasoo is the top swatch and the La Prairie is the bottom one)

1. La Prairie Skin Caviar Liquid Lift -After loving both the Foam Cleanser and Cellular Eye Essence Platinum Rare, I have been interested to try more and more La Prairie products. This serum is part of their ever-famous skin caviar line and is designed to help lift and firm the skin. While this is not my primary concern right now, I was curious as to whether I would see any benefits for myself. Well, I should have known not to doubt La Prairie. Not only did I begin to see immediate tightening and smoothing effects on my skin, which made the biggest difference in how my makeup wears on my face, I also began to see any lingering blemishes heal faster and my pores have consistently appeared smaller with each use. The Liquid Lift also helps to rejuvenate new cells and diminish past damage, and I have been using this serum for just about 28 days now (the amount of time it takes skin to regenerate), so I am excited to notice further changes over the next few weeks. One final note with this product - since it is a pricier product, it is important to note how much is needed for daily use which is often a factor in justifying the splurge - I use only one pump each morning. And that one pump covers my entire face, neck and upper chest. If you see me slowly beginning to look younger and younger over the next few months, you will know why. *wink*

2. Sulwhasoo Essential Balancing Emulsion - I always have an added layer of excitement when testing a skincare brand I haven't used before. I've walked by the Sulwhasoo counter a million times in Bergdorf Goodman, scrolled past it on the Neiman Marcus website but never had the chance to try anything. I was excited when the Sulwhasoo team sent this over for me to review, and knew immediately I wanted to incorporate it into my morning routine. My requirements for a daytime lotion are mainly centered around maintaining the moisture levels in my skin without adding any additional oil. And this Sulwhasoo Balancing Emulsion fits the bit perfectly! I imagined the texture would be a bit thinner and more runny like a lotion, but was intrigued to find it a mix between a lotion, cream and gel all in one. The texture is quite unique but the way it wears on my skin sealed the deal. It immediately gave me a natural finish (not too shiny or dewy) while still managing to keep my skin looking plump and hydrated. I was still hesitant because until I see how it wears under makeup, I am not completely convinced of its efficacy. I was happy to see that it complimented my foundations nicely and kept my skin balanced throughout the day. Looks like I found my next morning lotion.

*pr samples included

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The 3 Products I Am Adding To My Skincare Routine To Transition It To Fall

Even though I am constantly trying new skincare products for the blog, I do tend to have a few transitions that I make twice a year. I think if I lived in a warmer climate with year-round consistent temperatures, I would keep many of the same products. But living in NYC, our winters can be brutal and summers almost unbearable, so I do need to switch out/add in a few products to help my skin deal with those changes. For the winter that means adding in richer, more nourishing products that help to heal, hydrate and protect. Since the temperatures haven't plummeted just yet, I am easing into these slowly so my reviews for these are  going to be more from a first impression stand point, and  I will give more detailed updates as the months go on.

1. Chantecaille Rose de Mai Cream - I enjoy adding in a rich cream to my routine for the colder weather, but frankly I can only go so rich. Being that I have oily skin, some thicker moisturizers just sit on the surface and never absorb. Bleh. So when I received this Chantecaille cream, I hesitated for a second. Then when my skin was particularly irritated recently from a cold I was getting over, I threw this on last minute to help give my face some relief. Welp. That's all she wrote. It was magic on the skin. Super hydrating, incredibly rich but disappeared right in. Since it is infused with rose petals, I figured it would have some soothing and healing properties, but this took it to a whole other level. My skin felt so relieved after that I knew this would be my chosen winter face cream. And the fact that it's supposed to help stimulate the skin's natural immune system is just what I'm going to need when the winter's unrelenting weather kicks in. *shudders* 

2. Dr. Jart Ceramidin Liquid - I know you are beginning to see a theme here with my picks - hydration, hydration, hydration. Even though my skin is incessantly oily, it can become dehydrated so quickly - especially in the winter. The Ceramidin Liquid is one of the thinnest serum textures I have ever tried, which surprised me immediately. Most serums have some slip to them or tackiness that can remain on the skin. Not this Ceramidin Liquid - it felt like I was applying water to my skin, it was that thin. Almost thin enough to be layered with another serum, which is great for those that love to layer. *raises hand* And for all you sensitive skin gals and guys, I've read this Ceramidin Liquid is a sensitive skin savior.

3. La Prairie Cellular Eye Essence Platinum Rare - Now that I've sufficiently covered the bases for my face, the final skincare addition is for the eyes. The fact that this is an essence that can be layered under any eye cream (currently I am going back to this for the winter) makes it more appealing to me because I know I can get stronger results. I frankly couldn't wait until winter to begin testing this so I have already added it into my routine, and first impressions are quite impressive. The texture is thin but rich and gives the eye a soothing effect while tightening at the same time. It's truly unique. After the first few nights of using this essence, I noticed a remarkable difference in the way my eyes looked when I woke up. Fine lines were barely noticeable, eyes were hydrated and a lot less puffy. Hallelujah! And then I began adding it into my morning routine as well and that's when I saw the strongest difference. My eye area was brighter (the essence itself has an iridescent finish), smoother and more hydrated which made it almost unnecessary to wear concealer. If this is how I feel after just a few weeks, I can only imagine what my eyes are in for this winter. For reference, this is a .3oz sample size they sent to me, and the full size is .5oz. It should also be noted that I barely use a full drop for both eyes so I can imagine a full size bottle would last me a very long time, which is an important point when deciding to invest in a pricey skincare item.

*pr samples included

Do you transition your skincare routine from season to season? Why or why not?

Beauty Bits: Rich Face Creams

This. Weather.  For those of you outside of the US Northeast, we are experiencing a blizzard/snow storm here in NYC.  And to be honest, this entire winter has been quite rude to say the least.  Coldest days on record, inches and inches of snow and then bam!  A mild day mixed in there.  My skin seems to be all over the map, but the comforting texture of richer creams are quite welcome during this time.  Even though I am oily, a gal needs her moisture and my skin can suffer from dry patches and irritation especially in the colder months.  Here is a look at some  of the creams I have been trying out and using the past few months and my thoughts on each:

1. Tatcha Moisture Rich Silk Cream (c/o) - Surprisingly the name of this cream sounds a tad frightening to someone with oily skin, but this has become a great staple for me this winter.  The texture feels like a gel but moisturizes like a cream, and unlike other ones leaves my skin matte which I simply love.  Though I typically use in the evening, I have begun using for day when my skin is particularly dry and makeup wears beautifully over it.

2. L'Occitane Creme Divine - Richness personified.  A delightful scent and buttery like texture makes this pleasurable to use, though I only need a small amount for my entire face.  It does tend to make me a tad oily the next morning when I wake up, so I often need to balance it with a oil minimizing toner.  For those with much drier skin, I think this would be an exceptional cream for the evening.

3. Lierac Hydro Chrono - Again, it is always a gamble when I try a product with "balm" in the description because it can be delightfully nourishing or way too heavy.  This is an extremely unique texture that resembles both a gel and balm.  For me, I found this worked wonders on those pesky dry patches I often got after trying to treat a blemish.  Using acne products can be great at getting rid of my blemishes but can leave my skin dry and flaky occasionally, and a few dabs of this on those spots immediately banished any of that irritation.  

4. Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer (c/o) - I have three words to describe this moisturizer - Ah. May. Zing.  I had high hopes for this one as the reviews were stellar to say the least, and I was relieved when the results matched my expectations.  Moisturizing yet not too thick, rich yet not too heavy, it is just perfect.  I prefer to use it at night but have found that my skin looks so smooth and supple the following morning - allowing for flawless makeup application.  My only concern now is how many jars can I begin to stock pile?

5. Tammy Fender Antioxidant Creme Neroli and Orange - I began using this early last year and at first was quite impressed.  The ingredients are designed to help soothe and nourish the skin, while also helping to balance overactive sebum glands.  The soothing aspect was a definite plus and I continued to use when my skin was feeling exceptionally irritated or chafed from the cold weather, but sadly I did not see any reduction in oil production.  In fact, I found that I was quite oily the following day unfortunately.  From reviews that I have read, it may be more of a fit for drier skin types and those who prefer a more natural skincare range and ingredient composition. 

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