Sunday Sunblock: Julep Daylight Defense SPF 30

Time for another installment of Sunday Sunblock!

See? Gross!

Today, I bring you Julep Daylight Defense SPF 30 for hands and face. At first glance, this looks like it would be THE sun protection product for me. It's got a combo of zinc oxide and organic sunscreens ("chemical blockers"), and it smells like citrus. Unfortunately, I've been having issues with it. It leaves little clumps of white if I use a proper amount, and doesn't absorb fully. Because I cannot abide my neck looking like a recently waxed armpit suffering solid-stick deodorant clumping issues, this will not be a repurchase. I'm glad I got it as part of a Julep Maven box instead of coughing up the $28 full price ($22.80 for Mavens) for it.

Deets:
Price: $28
Size: 3oz.
Price per ounce: $9.34

Active ingredients: Octinoxate 7.5%, Oxybenzone 4%, Zinc Oxide 3%, Ensulizole 2%
Inactive ingredients: Butylene Glycol, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Cetearyl Alcohol, Ceteth-10 Phosphate, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Oil, Cyclomethicone, Dicetyl Phosphate, Dimethicone, Glycerin, Heylene Glycol, Isostearyl Isononanoate, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Octododecyl Neopentanoate, Phenoxyethanol, Potassium Hydroxide, PVP/Eicosene Copolymer, Retinyl Palmitate, Tetrasodium EDTA, Tocopheryl Acetate, Triethxycaprylylsilane, Water, Xanthan Gum.

Sunday Sunblock: Origins A Perfect World SPF 25 Age-Defense Moisturizer with White Tea

Hi! I'm back. The first three weeks of school, and also the first cold given to me by the tiny disease vectors students, have wiped me out and made wearing and photographing makeup a lot less important than sleeping and staring at the Internet in complete and utter exhaustion.

Today, I want to talk about Origins A Perfect World SPF 25 Age-Defense Moisturizer with White Tea (that ingredient is underlined at the bottom of the list). I got it for free on Earth Day because I brought an empty lotion thing to Sephora instead of to my local recycling place. It was worth about what I paid for it.

The product is an off-white cream that smells somewhat of salad. Yes, salad. Or grass clippings. I can't decide. It's a chemical-based sunblock, or organic sunscreen, that claims an SPF of 25. It rubs in pretty clear, if a bit shiny. I've been using a half teaspoon or so on my face, neck, and ears, and another half teaspoon or so on my arms.

For the past week or two, as I've been using it steadily, I have noticed a few things:

1. A mild burning feeling upon application.
2. A raw, red feeling on my neck and upper chest, accompanied by itching. Sunburn? Or reaction to the product?

I have a couple theories on this: first, there are a ton of photosensitizing ingredients in this product, so maybe that weakens the SPF effect; second, the third inactive ingredient is chamomile water. Chamomile is related to ragweed, or the archdemon of all Plants To Whose Pollen I Am Allergic, so it's possible I've just been reacting to that. However, my arms have gotten some color recently, and I've been inside more often than not. That indicates some level of product failure - with the same amount of product and frequency of application, I've been better protected by other products.

Needless to say, I do not recommend this product, which, in case you are some sort of masochist spendthrift, is available at Sephora and department store counters.

Product specs:
Size: 1.7 oz/50 ml
Price: $39.50 (I got it free as part of an Earth Day promo)
Price per ounce: $23.24
SPF: 25
Active Ingredients: Octinoxate (5%), avobenzone (3%), octocrylene (2.7%)
Inactive Ingredients: water/aqua/eau, citrus aurantium amara (bitter orange) flower water, anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower water, butyloctyl salicylate, ethyl macadamiate, methyl trimethicone, jojoba esters, butylene glycol, lauryl peg-9 polydimethylsiloxyethyl dimethicone, peg-100 stearate, glyceryl stearate, citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil, citrus medica limonum (lemon) peel oil, citrus aurantium dulcis (sweet orange) oil, cinnamonium camphora (camphor) bark oil, mentha viridis (spearmint) leaf oil, magnolia acuminata flower extract, iris pallida (orris) root extract, rosa damascena (rose) extract, citral, linalool, limonene, camellia sinensis (white tea) leaf extract, pinus pinaster bark/bud extract, arabidopsis thaliana extract, ascorbyl tocopheryl maleate, oryzanol, ergothionene, triticum vulgare (wheat) germ extract, hordeum vulgare (barley) extract, cholesterol, caffeine, mangifera indica (mango) seed butter, butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), potassium cetyl phosphate, cetyl alcohol, ethylhexylglycerin, linoleic acid, squalane, sodium hyaluraonate, caprylyl glycol, dehydroxanthan gum, silica, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/vp copolymer, citric acid, sodium stearate, sodium dehydroacetate, phenoxyethanol, mica.

I typed all of that out for you. Enjoy.

Sunday Sunblock: Kiss My Face Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40

For today's Sunday Sunblock, I am reviewing Kiss My Face Natural Mineral Sunscreen SPF 40. It comes in a 3 oz. tube, and is available at stores like Whole Foods, online, and at various web-based health-foods stores. Above, I made a dab on my hand, and rubbed some in to the right of that. You can see that it's a bit shiny and a little white, but not as much as some others I've reviewed. It feels a little oily to the touch, and it's a little tacky until it sets. I have not noticed any additional breakouts from this, and while it doesn't dry as clear as it states, it dries a lot clearer than some others. I would not wear this alone on my face because of the shininess, but it works well enough for body use. Now, for whole body use, you're supposed to use a full ounce, so this is only good for three shortish trips to the beach, but I have been using it on my face, neck, chest, and arms. It has an annoying tendency (like most physical sunscreens) to gather in white streaks in the creases in my elbows and on my neck, but I can't really feel it on my arms right now, and I applied four hours ago. I was outside in bright sun for about forty minutes during peak sun hours, and I have not burned. 

Active ingredients: Zinc Oxide 10.00 %; Titanium Dioxide 7.50 %.

Inactive ingredients: Aqua, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Oleosomes, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Stearalkonium Hectorite, Propylene Carbonate, Silica, Tocopheryl Acetate (Vitamin-E), Ergocalciferol (Vitamin-D), Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin-C), Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Sodium Chloride, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin.

Price: $16.99

Price per ounce: $5.66

Buy again? - Maybe. Not full price, but as a throw-in to a LuckyVitamin order. I like the SPF 40, I like the fact that it has Vitamin D in it to make up for the fact that I'm not getting it from the sun, and it wears ok under makeup.

Skincare update

I am down to about six remotely angry zits and they're all on my jawline, plus a bunch of scarring and redness on and under the jawline.

Current routine:
A.M.
*Wash face with First Aid Beauty cleanser
*Wipe face with First Aid Beauty exfoliating pads (full of glycolic and lactic acids!)
*Moisturize/boost with Desert Essence Age Defying Pomegranate face serum
*Apply sunblock - right now I'm using up Lavanila The Healthy body sunscreen
Do makeup

P.M.
If face is super gunky feeling, maybe remove makeup with either a self-made oil cleanser, Simple eye makeup remover, or Caudalie cleansing water.
*Wash with CeraVe foaming facial cleanser and a face brush.
Tone if I feel like it - currently using witch hazel beefed up with tea tree oil, but the Thayers cucumber aloe witch hazel I ordered FINALLY came in the mail today. The packaging is still in a heap by my feet, lol.
*Apply Silk Naturals Super Serum (vitamin C, niacinamide).
*Apply Peter Thomas Roth retinol serum.
Moisturize if I feel like I need it with 365 facial moisturizer, Lucy Minerals ambrosia serum, blend of tea tree and lavender oil, or any combination of the above.

* These are things I am doing every day. Nonstarred items I only do if I feel like it.

My skin hasn't gone downhill since running out of the Philosophy Booster C sample, so I'm probably not going to go run out and buy that. I don't personally think that the cleanser is that important. I mean, yeah, you should wash your face, but these specific products aren't Holy Grail items, just things I happen to have - the FAB cleanser came in a set with the pads, and I like to keep my acids for A.M. and my niacinamide for nighttime - both seem to be useful but they don't play well together. When I run out of those, I have roughly 16 oz. left of a fragrance free body wash that also works as a facial cleanser.

The exfoliating pads, Super Serum, and possibly the retinol, have contributed the most to my skin's improvement, I think. The other antioxidant stuff and the sunblock address my other concerns of not wanting to age prematurely and definitely not wanting a repeat of my skin cancer experience.

What has helped you clear up your cystic, hormonal acne? Has anything really helped you with the scarring?

Sunday Sunblock - Josie Maran SPF 30+ Argan Sun Protection for Body

 Last year, I bought and used a bottle of Josie Maran's Argan Daily Moisturizer SPF 40+. I enjoyed it, and it felt like a nice, luxurious item.  I did not enjoy the idea of spending $32 for two ounces of it. So, I asked the nice lady at Sephora for a sample of the less expensive body version, and she gave me two very full pods of the stuff.

It feels like whipped cream and sinks right in - the part on my hand where it's been rubbed in is to the left of the swatch. There's a bit of a white cast at first, but that goes away and covers with makeup really easily. I like this product a lot. I bought a full size, so that should say something. I've also noticed that it's out of stock frequently on Sephora's website, which must mean it's popular.
And, I haven't burned while wearing it.

Details

Size: 4 oz.
Availability: Sephora
Price: $24
Dollars per Ounce:  $6

Active Ingredients: Titanium Dioxide and Zinc Oxide (5% each)

Inactive Ingredients: Argania Spinosa Kernal (Argan) Oil, Butyloctyl Salicylate, Natural Vegetable Glycerin, Arachidyl Alcohol, Behenyl Alcohol, Ethylhexyl (Octyl) Palmitate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla Bean) Fruit Extract, Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Sativus (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantifolia (Lime) Fruit Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Aniba Rosaeodora (Rosewood) Wood Oil, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Ethylhexylglycerin, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyl Dimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Glyceryl Stearate, Sclerotium Gum, Arachidyl Glucoside, Polysorbate-60, Stearic Acid, Cetyl Alcohol, Panthenol (Pro-Vitamin B5).

 

 

Sunblock Sunday - Philosophy Hope in a Jar SPF 30

 This week's Sunblock Sunday is about a product I got as part of the 2011 Sephora Sun Safety kit that is no longer available at Sephora, but you can buy on Philosophy's website. Philosophy Hope in a Jar Oil-Free SPF 30 moisturizer is not a bad product, but I'm still not sure it lives up to its name.

As you can see, it blends out pretty invisibly, which isn't surprising, considering the formula uses a mix of physical and chemical blockers. It's also a pretty great texture and doesn't smell funky. I used it as my travel day cream for several trips to various destinations, was outside for large portions of the day, and did not burn. It's not bad stuff! That said, I've found less expensive products I liked better.


The deets:

Size - 2 oz.
Price - $39
Availability - Philosophy website
Dollars per ounce - $19.50

SPF - 30

Active Ingredients: octinoxate 7.5%, octisalate 5.0%, oxybenzone 4.0%, zinc oxide 4.5%.
Inactive Ingredients: water (aqua), c12-15 alkyl benzoate, dibutyl adipate, neopentyl glycol diheptanoate, glycerin, potassium cetyl phosphate, behenyl alcohol, butyloctyl salicylate, aluminum starch octenylsuccinate, arachidyl alcohol, hydrogenated palm glycerides, dimethicone, behenoxy dimethicone, sodium stearoyl glutamate, hydrogenated lecithin, rubus fruticosus (blackberry) leaf extract, arginine, dipotassium glycyrrhizinate, polyhydroxystearic acid, beta-glucan, tocopheryl acetate, camellia sinensis leaf powder, arachidyl glucoside, maltodextrin, benzyl alcohol, xanthan gum, disodium edta, citric acid, triethoxycaprylylsilane, ethylhexylglycerin, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin.

Thoughts? Input? Anything you'd like me/my readers to know?

Sunblock Sunday: Lavanila The Healthy Sun Screen SPF 30 Body Cream

This week, I am reviewing this product:

 Here is what it looks like straight out of the container and applied to my hand below the blob:

Here is my face, with sunblock on one side and nothing on the other. Note that the sunblocked side is both lighter and shinier than the bare side. This stuff does leave a white cast on the face, which subsides mostly after about fifteen minutes (or can be covered with makeup). On the body and neck, it feels a bit tacky, and the zinc oxide can settle into lines and creases, like where your arm bends. I have not burned with this on, and it's been sunny and hot here. Don't swim in this and then not reapply - it's not designed for that. I think that this is an ok product. I bought it instead of the face cream because, at the store, this one seemed to have a better texture. I wish I'd have bought the face cream instead. I'm not going to repurchase the body cream, but it will get used.

The deets:

Size - 4 oz.
Price - $38
Availability - Sephora
Dollars per ounce - $9.50

SPF - 30

Active Ingredient: Zinc oxide 20%
Inactive Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis leaf juice* (aloe, water), Capric caprylic triglycerides (coconut oil), Sorbitan stearate (vegetable), Glyceryl stearate, Polyglyceryl-4 isostearate (vegetable glycerin/palm oil), Jojoba oil*, Salt, Sunflower oil*, Cucumber extract*, Green tea extract*, Morinda citrifolia (noni juice), Butyrospermum parkii* (shea butter), Hyaluronic acid, Phenethyl alcohol and Ethyl hexyl glycerin (plant-based preservatives), Vanilla planifolia extract*. *Certified Organic.

Thoughts? Input? Anything you'd like me/my readers to know?

Sunblock Sunday: DeVita Solar Protective Moisturizer SPF 30+

This was the first sunblock by DeVita that caught my eye, and I mainly tried the other one (for body) to make sure that the larger, more economical one wasn't an inferior product. I bought a sample from Pure Complexions. Last week, I told you that I would probably buy a full size of the Body Block and that I liked everything about it except the potential link to eye-stinging. Who needs that?

I also did not notice any burning or "color" with this, but I didn't really test it, either. 

It's a physical blocker, and the active ingredient is zinc oxide, which blocks everything. 

This has the same light cream/gel texture as its larger, multipurpose cousin. It also wears well under makeup. It's not greasy at all. It's very hard to tell which side of my face I'm using it on. I like it. The only thing I'm not sure of is: do I like it better enough to buy it instead of the Body Block?

The deets:

Size - 2.5 oz.
Price - $25.95 (MSRP) $16.49 (at Lucky Vitamin)
Availability - health food stores, Devita's website, LuckyVitamin (and other discount hippie emarts)
Dollars per ounce - $10.40 (retail), $6.60 (at LV)

SPF - 30+

Active Ingredient: Zinc oxide 19%
Inactive Ingredients: Aloe barbadensis* (aloe vera gel), purified water (aqua), Capric,caprylic triglycerides (derived fron coconut oil), glycerin (vegetable), hyaluronic acid (vegan cource), glyceryl stearate SE (derived from vegetable oil), Stearic Acid, Lecithin phospholipid, Tocopherol (vitamin E), Allantoin, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract

Thoughts? Input? Anything you'd like me/my readers to know?

Sunblock Sunday: DeVita Solar Body Block SPF 30+

I have been wanting to try this for a long time, but didn't want to make a special order on Lucky Vitamin just for it, so I was thrilled to find a place, Pure Complexions, that sells samples. I like that it's relatively inexpensive for a "natural" sunblock and doesn't have a lot of occlusive ingredients. The texture is also really amazing. There are concerns among some denizens of the reviewerverse that it doesn't provide the sun protection that it says it does, but I wonder if they're just not using an appropriate amount, or if they're sweating it off and then not reapplying.

But back to the texture - it's a very lightweight cream with a bit of a gel consistency. I found it nicely moisturizing but not too thick. It seemed to do well under makeup. My main reservation with this stuff is that I noticed that my eyes seemed to water for a little after application. 

 Look at my face - there's not a huge difference in how the two sides look, which is how it should be.

I don't know if I'll buy the full size yet or not - I'm leaning towards yes, but I also think that this will probably be more of a winter product for me. I can't say I really tested it well enough to say that I didn't burn because I used this or I didn't burn because I wasn't outside in bright enough sun long enough.

The deets:

Size - 7 oz.
Price - (MSRP) $27.95 - but you can get it at Lucky Vitamin for 17.49 (plus six bucks shipping)

Availability - hippie marts, Devita's website, Lucky Vitamin (and similar)

Dollars per ounce - $4 (at retail) $2.50 (on LV)

SPF - 30+
Active Ingredients: Zinc Oxide 19%
Inactive Ingredients:Aloe barbadensis* (aloe vera gel), Water (purified), Camellia sinensis (Japanese green tea) leaf extract, Capric/caprylic triglycrides (derived from coconut oil), Glycerin (vegetable), Butyrospermum parkii (shea butter), Olea europeaea (olive) oil, Lecithin phospholipid, Hyaluronic acid (vegan source), Simmondsia chinensis (jojoba) seed oil*, Squalane (olive), Panthenol (vitamin B5), Tocopherol (vitamin E), NaPCA, Rose moschata (rose hips) oil, Retinol (vitamin A), Centella asiatica (Gotu Kola), Copper gluconate, Magnesium ascorbyl phosphate, Fucus vesiculosis (seaweed) extract, Allantoin, Sodium riboflavin phosophate, Chondrus crispus (Irish moss), Lavandula officinalis (lavender) essential oil, Anthemis nobilis (chamomile) flower essential oil, Vitis vinifera (grape) seed extract.

Will you be trying this out? Have you tried it? What did you think?

Sunblock Sunday: Lavanila The Healthy Sun Screen SPF 40 Face Cream

Phyrra raves about this, so the (second-to-last) time I went to Sephora, I asked for a sample. Have I mentioned how much I love Sephora's generous sample policy?

Let's talk about sun protection - I didn't burn with this (but I didn't really test it, either), and it seems suited for everyday face use. If you're around sun for more than incidental exposure, this is something you'd want to reapply. I like how it has both UVA and UVB protection in there (zinc's good for both, titanium for all but the shortest UVA rays).

Now, let's talk texture. This is a white-colored cream that rubs in somewhat shiny, but doesn't feel greasy. I like it. One of the pictures shows a blob on my hand, and underneath that blob is an area where I've rubbed it in. Then, there's a part of my face. I've applied this to the right side but not the left. I feel like the right side is shinier and somewhat lighter than the left.

It wears well under makeup, but it's slightly too emollient for me. I swatched this next to Lavanila's body sunblock in the store, and liked the texture of the body product better, so I bought that on my last trip to Sephora. I would wear this to work, but not on field day, and I'd think about reapplying something if I was going outside with the kids at the after school program. If your skin's on the dryer side and you need something with sun protection, don't like silicones, and do like physical blockers, then I'd try this.

The deets:

Size - 1.8 oz.
Price - $28 (available at Sephora)
Dollars per ounce - $15.56
SPF - 40
Active Ingredients - Zinc Oxide 5.0%, Titanium Dioxide 7.5%

Inactive ingredients - Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice* (Aloe, Water), Capric Caprylic Triglycerides (Coconut Oil), Butyrospermum Parkii* (Shea Butter), Glyceryl Stearate, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol (Coconut Oil), Jojoba Oil*, Ethyl Hexyl Palmitate (Palm Oil), Morinda Citrifolia (Noni Juice), Calendula Officinalis (Calendula) Flower Extract*, Panthenol (Provitamin B5), Polyglyceryl-3 Stearate (Vegetable Glycerin/Palm Oil), Alpha Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Allantoin (Vegetable), Sodium PCA (Amino Acid), Hyaluronic Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol & Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin (Plant-Based Preservatives), Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla) Extract*, Green Tea Extract. *Certified Organic

Will you be trying this out? Have you tried it? What did you think?

New Feature: Sunblock Sunday!

Finding my Holy Grail sunblock products is quite a chore for me, but it's a necessary evil (see my post about sunblock and my experience with skin cancer). I need my products to be functional, not horrifically expensive, and not break me out. Cosmetically elegant formulas are also a HUGE PLUS. I prefer my sunblocks to have zinc oxide as one of the active ingredients, lots of fragrances that get put in sunscreen are stinky and headache-inducing, and I'm allergic to beeswax. All of these factors limit my choices.

I've recently acquired a small pile of sunblock samples and a few full-size products, and I plan to review a new one each week until I run out of sunblocks I care to sample.

What's in it for you? A breakdown of the ingredients, a photo of what it looks like squeezed out and rubbed into the back of my hand, and some half-face shots (maybe, if I'm brave!), and my thoughts on functionality and how nice the products are to use.

First up: Lavanila The Healthy Sunblock for Face - SPF 40.
Next up: Devita Solar Body Block SPF 30.

One-year anniversary of Project Use It!

And I've used 200 products total, and 73 of those were full-size products. :D
I will probably be continuing this as a biweekly or monthly thing, but thanks for coming along for the ride on this! I've also bought new stuff, so my collection is still huge, but now I'm not buying anything until October 15th at the earliest.

*Shiseido SPF 60+ sunblock liquid for face and body. Sample size. Would buy again. I like zinc-based sunblocks and trust them to keep me safe.

*First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream (sample packet). Eh. I think there are cheaper ways to cover myself in oatmealy goodness.

*Milani Eye Tech liquid eyeliner pen - black. Fine product, now I'm onto the Physicians Formula one. Liquid eyeliner pens are the best form of black eyeliner for me, because I can get the line down really really thin and precise.

used it! (skincare, conditioner)

*Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner. This is either the third or fourth of these that I've gone through. It seems to be my go-to drugstore conditioner. Cheap and works - who can complain?

*100% Pure foaming cucumber face wash. I got this in a swap, and it was nice and gentle for morning, but not nearly strong enough to get makeup off.

*Supergoop everyday spf 30 sample. This came in the Sephora Suncare kit. It was ok. Nothing special. It had some strange white chunks in it that I didn't like.

*Supergoop sunblock swipe. This is also from the Sephora Suncare kit. It was also ok, nothing special, and kind of annoying to use because I had to go into the packet to squeeze/scrape out the rest of the product so I could actually get both arms. Just the liquid by itself would be better.

(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
180 items gone
65 full size items gone

Used it!!!!

* Crazy Rumors Vanilla lip balm - good, basic stuff. I think I like Susan's new Darling Girl formula better, though.

* UDPP Sin sample decant - I really kind of want this in full size. It's perfect for a quick look that's somewhat more put together than nothing, and a little shadow in the crease makes it look like it's a lot more complicated.

* TFSI Candlelight sample decant - I'm on the fence about this - it's a bit yellowy for my taste.

* DDF mattifying oil control moisturizer spf 15 - I'm not sure how "mattiying" this was, but it was ok. If they'd ramp up the spf to at least 30, I'd be more interested.

*Cover Girl Lash Blast Luxe mascara - black platinum. Full disclosure, there was still some left, but it was dried out and yucky, and I wasn't getting my lashes coated as nicely anymore. I could either do a light coat or end up with clumps, so I gave up. It lasted about 5 months of daily use before I threw it out this morning. When it was new, it was a lot nicer. I think I like the orange tube better - I don't remember that having dried out as much.

ES project pan - 15/20
Lip project pan - 7/10

(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
166 items gone
62 full size items gone

Used it! (goodbye, frankenfoundation)

*Murad essential c day moisture spf 30vitamin C spf 30
Got this (sample size) in the Sephora suncare kit. I don't like that it doesn't protect against all UVA rays, but I did really like the texture and the creamsicle scent. Probably will not buy again because I'm not sure if it's as effective as I want.

*Frankenfoundation
This was a mix of three Physicians Formula Mineral Wear products that didn't work great for me on their own: pressed power in Soft Green, translucent facebrightener, and powdered concealer (the one that comes in a little pen brush) . I was having trouble with the two pressed powders, so I broke them up and mixed them with the concealer in a jar. It actually worked ok, but I'm not sad that it's gone or anything.

*Silk Naturals Argan and Goji moisturizer
I very well might buy this again in the winter. It's a nice, basic cream, and a little goes a long way.

(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
161 items gone
60 full size items gone

In other news, I'm on Day 9 of a no-buy forced upon me by utter brokeness, because the training program I'm in doesn't give me my stipend until I'm done.

Used it - The good, the bad, and the ugly. And also the "meh."

The good:
SN Beach Bunny bronzer sample
This actually worked pretty well on me. I'm learning that bronzers don't work for contour, because they're usually sparkly and warm toned, and contouring products should lean cool and matte. But if I try this as bronzer, it warms my face up pretty nicely without looking orange or dirty. I still have minis of a bunch of pressed bronzers, but it's on my short list.

The bad:
Pantene volumizing shampoo for fine hair sample.
I got this in the (in)famous Target sample bag. First off, it's floral. Second off, volumizing usually means "roughs up the cuticle to make it fluffy." Third off, it (again) seemed to only work when diluted or when I used an entire palmful (this stuff is thick). I'm not sad to see it go.

The ugly:
Neutrogena Mineral Sheers undereye concealer.
This is one of those things where my inner packaging whore got the best of me. It comes in a pan built into the lid of a jar for powder. In theory, you're supposed to be able to dot the cream concealer on your undereye, then set it with the included powder. Well, that didn't work. The concealer was almost the right color (too yellow, but right lightness), but the powder part was way too light. So I tried the powder as a light dusting all over my face, see if I could get rid of it that way. Nope. Chalky ghost face even with a fiber optic brush. So then I decided that the trash can was the best way to get rid of the powder. I used up a bunch of the concealer as a sticky eye base. Mostly, I think that was an unnecessary additional step to the routine. So then I mixed the dregs with some Monistat anti-chafing power and used it up as a "tinted primer." I will not buy this product again. Now, I'm using the part where the concealer was for a depotted eyeshadow that's just the right size, and I'm keeping powders I do like in the bottom. Eventually, it'll make its way into a travel/after gym type kit.

The meh:
Peter Thomas Roth Max Sheer spf 30 sunblock sample
I got this in the Sephora Sun Care kit. This stuff was ok - not great, not bad. I probably won't buy it again because I'm not convinced that the avobenzone is photostable.

(Since Sept. 2, 2010)
145 items gone
52 full size items gone

Detox Day 29

Ok, so if my no-buy is technically "makeup only," then I'm still ok. I went to CVS yesterday because I needed a few things, and came home with a Wet N Wild nail polish, a facial scrub/cleanser, and a waterproof spray sunblock (which I actually do need, as I just found out that I'll be chaperoning weekly field trips in June and July's Midwestern heat and humidity).

And I don't have a polish problem - this is only bottle 27.

Yesterday I also ordered some stuff from Garden of Wisdom, I'm expecting some lemon eucalyptus essential oil, a cedarwood essential oil, meadowfoam oil, a hair serum, a face mask, and some cromollient. The first three are going into an aromatherapy rollerball for when I have migraines, and the cromollient is going to be really good for making my own cleansing oils, and if I add a little bit to my shaving oil, maybe it'll stop gunking up the tub so much. The mask and hair stuff were throw-ins, really.

Then I decided to take a few things off Liza's overstock - her blotch-be-gone is really worth it.

So as a "no beauty products whatsoever" no-buy, I totally fail. I definitely have new skincare stuff, but stuff I know I'll actually use. Stuff to keep my face clear, sunblock, and something I hope will help with migraines (my preferred medication has been discontinued!) all kind of count as more health-related than anything (well, except the nail polish).

As far as what to buy when the no-buy was over, I thought about getting some stuff from the Korres warehouse sale, but then I decided against it. The I thought about getting a Tarte value kit from Ulta, but decided that the only thing I really wanted was the mascara. Then, I thought about doing an All Cosmetics Wholesale order, but now I think supporting Darling Girl would be better - especially since she has lip balms I can use now.

Then next month, Shiro. I'm going to let her get her website up and running really well before I splurge on kawaiishadows and longcat intertube.

I guess this was useful. Thinking that a smart buy is a better option for me long term.

used it! (mostly samples, ergh)

SN Cosmic blush baggie sample - bright, cool pink - Too bright and cool for me, but an excellent texture!

Brazen Cosmetics Courtesan sample (warm, dark bubblegum pink, shiny) - I did like this, but I'm not sure it's the sort of color I HAVE to have, because I already have some more pinks I like - this did also make a nice blush (duo-fiber brush, of course) as well, so it's multi-purpose.

Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition shampoo sample - About the only shampoo I've ever tried that actually works better lathered twice, which leads me to believe that it's not quite strong enough - I think the first wash gets off the dirt, and the second wash reduces the buildup from the shampoo itself? I might buy it in a pinch, but it's not my favorite ever.

Garnier Nutrisse Skin Renew Anti-Sun Damage SPF 28 - This was my second bottle of this. There are things that drive me NUTS about it - mostly how the last 20% of the product stays stuck in the bottle (I had to use a tiny spatula to get that last bit into a jar where I could use it), and I'm not overly fond of its pine-sol aroma, but it has the right amount of sun protection for the late spring months when I'm starting to be outside without clothes covering all of me all the time. And, since it's frequently on sale, and Garnier keeps having coupons on their skincare, I will probably keep buying it every March or April. At 2.5 ounces, it's big enough to use on my neck, chest, and arms and lasts the couple months I need it to before I ratchet up the sun protection. I haven't burned yet, but I have been out for several hours at a time in short sleeves.

ES project pan - 8 gone - 5/8
Lip project pan - 5 gone - 1/5

134 items gone
47 full size items gone

Sunblock info, and why it matters so much to have good sun protection

This started out as more a "I'm gonna post this to my blog so I can always find this info" sort of post than anything else, but then it ended up turning into a longer story about my experience with skin cancer. Because I also have allergies and sensitivities to a bunch of stuff, this makes finding a good, truly broad-spectrum sunblock super important for me. Almost all of the Neutrogena stuff is out, because it contains beeswax. Then a lot of things don't have good UVA blockers. Then there's the debate about how effective avobenzone really is, and whether it degrades other sunblocks or not. It's all a real mess. If I need to shell out tons of money after I finally find my Holy Grail of sunblocks, then this is a cause that deserves it.

Anyway, I have a bottle of Garnier sunblock sitting upside down in a container because I've reached the point where the pump doesn't work anymore (Hello? Garnier? Can you please maybe package the stuff in a squeeze tube?) Until that drains completely into the jar, I'm on to other stuff. Next up is a Peter Thomas Roth sunblock I got in the Sephora kit. It has an active ingredient I wasn't familiar with - meradimite. Turns out it blocks UVA II rays and maybe isn't quite as effective as some other ingredients.

I googled it and found this helpful info, a list of commonly used sunblock ingredients with all their pros and cons.

Then, I wondered what the difference between UVA I and UVA II rays was. As far as I can tell, UVA II rays are longer, and closer to UVB rays than UVA I rays, which are shorter. The Skin Cancer Foundation has another informative section on their website about which chemicals block which types of UV rays.

This is what UVA rays do to the DNA in your skin: Yikes!

Skin cancer sucks. I know, because in July 2009, I had a basal cell carcinoma removed from my forehead at the tender young age of 26. Now, I am very fair, and my sunblock habits have not always been the greatest, and I also had family history of skin cancer. It turns out that the UV rays entering the atmosphere are stronger than they used to be, and all of this conspired to produce the "zit" that showed up when I was 24 and never healed. Well, it would start to, but the center never did, and it would create a small crater that kept filling itself in. Eventually, my mom made me promise to talk to a doctor about it, and I was referred to a dermatologist.

The dermatologist took tons of pictures of it, injected my forehead with a bunch of lidocaine (pain reliever), and scooped out the center of the spot with a really tiny blade shaped like an ice-cream scoop. A few days later, he called back, saying it was basal cell carcinoma - skin cancer - and I had a subtype that was particularly aggressive.

Six weeks later, I sat down on a surgeon's table for Mohs skin cancer removal surgery. In other treatments, they cut out a rather large area and test segments of it to make sure they got it all - and sometimes they don't, which means a second trip to surgery. Also, since this was ON MY FACE, they wanted to cut as little away as possible. In Mohs, they cut out what they think they need to, patch you up temporarily, and slice the removed bit into slices, and look at each of them though a microscope to determine if they need to go back for more or not. In my case, they needed to go back again. After they looked at that and determined it was all out, they started to deal with the round hole in my skin that needed to be closed up. They cauterized it to stop the bleeding (by the way, burning flesh smells awful, especially when it's yours), did a bunch of internal stitches, and then sewed me up with nine external stitches. Oh, and all these are shitty webcam pics, so they're mirror image, and I didn't feel bothered to flip them.

This is what I looked like the day after the procedure, right before I removed the huge dressing to change the bandages for the first time. I was in a bit of pain and felt pretty shaky:


This is what I looked like about 10-12 days later, after I'd had the stitches out and removed the steri-strips that replaced them:


A few weeks after that. Finally, the internal stitches have all made their way to the surface, and there's no more scabbing:


After about a month:


A year after surgery - finally mostly faded. I still have a whitish line slightly raised above the rest of the skin (you can kind of see the shadow of the bump in the pic), but I'm no longer self-conscious about the scar and don't wear my bangs down every day anymore. (I cut the bangs specifically so that I could hide the scar. Turned out I kind of liked them.) Bonus rainbow eye look:


Skin cancer is caused by UVA rays. There are a lot of ingredients that block the longer UVA II rays, but only two approved by the FDA that block UVA I rays: zinc oxide and avobenzone. And avobenzone is only stable in the presence of octocrylene. Depending on the formula, it can also be stable mixed with some other ingredients: Enzacamene or 4-Methylbenzylidene camphor, Parsol SLX, Tinosorb S, Tinosorb M, and Mexoryl SX.

Protect yourself. Yes, basal cell is easily treated, but as the pictures show, it wasn't a fun process.