Some Helpful Beauty Tips for Dealing With Skin Discoloration

This attentive beauty takes her skin care seriously.

Perhaps, your skin has no problem with any discoloration.  However, chances are that at some stage in your life that you’ll probably experience some form of a dark spot or pigmentation issue with your skin such as hyperpigmentation or melasma.

The Difference Between Hyperpigmentation and Melasma

Hyperpigmentation is a common skin condition caused by external factors to produce dark patches on the skin.  Usually these dark areas have irregular shapes and occur on the face, hands and exposed skin for both women and men. The biggest culprit is the sun with how it works against the skin.  In self-defense, the skin releases an enzyme called tyrosinase that produces melanin.  The more exposed the skin is to the sun, the more of that brown pigment floods the skin to eventually cause hyperpigmentation such as age spots from years of accumulated skin damage.

Another type of the same thing is post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation that comes from other sorts of trauma to the skin.  The darkened skin often results from pimples, insect bites, burns to cuts that could cause altered color when healing the skin.

On the other hand, women can only develop melasma.  Commonly, this problem usually shows up on the cheeks and lips with a fairly even shape when compared to each side where it’s located. This skin discolors in areas of darkened skin as a result of internal causes from hormonal changes such as during pregnancy to overproduce melanin.  Any new medication or contraception that you may start or be using can also cause drastic shifts in female hormones to cause this condition.

How to Deal With Either Type of Skin Discoloration

Regardless as to what brought the hyperpigmentation or melasma about, it is crucial to incorporate a broad spectrum sunscreen of least SPF 30 or higher into your life to prevent darkening the discolored areas further.  Wearing a broad-brimmed hat always and sunglasses also help limiting the damage from the sun’s rays.  Sun protection is also the best preventive measure that you can take to keep your skin safe.

Dark spots from hyperpigmentation can be brightened by looking for whitening agents to bleach the skin.  Such ingredients that can help lighten are kojic acid, licorice root, alpha hydroxy acids, and vitamin C.  Hydroquinone is another skin bleaching ingredient that has been used for more than 55 years in the United States, but has been banned in some European and Asian countries due to links to cancer.  Nevertheless, the case to its safety is still being studied here.  

You can also turn to natural ingredients for help whitening the skin.  Raw potato has an enzyme called catecholase that can bleach skin and help with puffy eyes.  Milk and yoghurt have lactic acid that work to lighten skin the same way. Tomato or tomato juice has fading potential with all its vitamin A and lycopene to guard against the sun.  Turmeric has curcumin that has the ability to whiten hyperpigmentation and protect from sun.  Lemon juice with its citric acid is another that can help lighten skin. 

Moisturizing the skin is more important than ever when your skin in under siege.  You might want to look into moisturizers that can also brighten or help speed skin renewal with ingredients like retinol.  When using retinol products, you may experience more sensitivity.  After all, the skin will be extra vulnerable so sunscreen can’t be stressed enough.

What else that you may want to look into is changing your current facial cleanser for one with niacin or any of the above brightening skin care ingredients.  This ingredient is also known to help brighten up darkness.

I hate to break it to you, but hyperpigmentation is known to return.  This is why it is vital to never leave the house without taking precautions with sunscreen.  You need to be on the defensive when it comes to your skin.

Depending on the degree of your hyperpigmentation, you also might look into a chemical peel or visit a dermatologist to get a professional opinion or, perhaps, a laser treatment.  This can help lighten and improve that rougher texture that your skin may have acquired.

Those with melasma are more than likely to find their skin discolorations clear up in time. 

How to Conceal the Dark Spots With Makeup

If you have ivory or beige in your skin tone and have any deep brown areas of discoloration, using a yellow concealer can help counteract the color.  I recommend painting over the discoloration with a brush to best target it.  You can also try taking a sponge and dabbing over the darkness as well.  Still, you get the most accurate results by painting individual spotted areas from the way you can control blending to finish the line.

In all probability, the darker in beige that you skin is, the darker your brown discoloration will be.  Therefore, you need a dark peach or orange concealer to help cancel that color out.  You can even try one of your orange lipsticks for a really deep brown spot against deep beige skin.

If you have ebony skin, I suggest picking up a concealer with gold and orange tones to it.  You can also try that lipstick trick I suggested.

Tell me if you ever had any skin discolorations problems and how you went about solving it.  If you have anything else to add, let me know.                  

Some Reasons for Your Complexion Being Extra Sensitive

Pink is better for snuggling up with, but hardly the color from irritation that you want for your skin.

As one prone to allergies, my complexion can be extra sensitive at times.  Sometimes, a new product can cause redness, itchy skin, bumps or tightness.  Other times, products that you have used regularly can suddenly cause a reaction. Therefore, if you have been having trouble with an extra sensitive complexion lately, let me pass on some tips as to the reason and what to look for.

Consider your cleansing routine first.  Maybe you started a new cleanser or soap that left your face feeling tight and itchy.  The reason could be that the product has a harsh oil stripping agent like cocamidopropyl betaine, which is commonly found in foaming cleansers. This particular ingredient for some people can cause the tiniest  cracks that are hardly visible on the skin to allow irritants and bacteria easy passage.

Another trigger can be antiaging products, scrubs or peels.  Perhaps, you didn’t experience any initial burning, stinging, redness, tightness or itchy skin.  As I mentioned, those symptoms can happen at any time regardless of how many times that you successfully used the same product.  However, the real problem can be overuse of those products in your attempt to force results.  Read product directions and give them time to do their job to avoid this kind of irritation.

Sometimes, I find rotating antiaging products with powerful ingredients like retinol and alpha hydroxy acids with another night cream or serum helpful to minimize irritation. You might want to try this method to see how your complexion feels.   

Something else that may have nothing to do with product sensitivity is battling a red face and flushing from rosacea.  This type of redness especially on the cheeks and nose could  be coming from too much blood to the skin instead of any product.  The amount of flushing could be worse after eating hot and spicy foods.  You might need to check with your dermatologist to make sure this is not the cause of your irritation.  

If after using some products that your complexion is developing tiny, red bumps, this is a common allergy sign that you might want to blame on fragrances, artificial dyes or the preservatives in the product.  Try finding new skin care or cleansing products free of those ingredients can be all it takes to eliminate your sensitivity.

Hopefully, the advice that I shared will give you more insight into the likely causes and possible fixes for your skin’s sensitivity.  

Why You Need to Reconsider How You Wash Your Face

If you want amazing skin like this beauty has, read today's post.

Everyone has their own routine for removing makeup and washing their face.  Perhaps, you find no problem with your method.  However, tweaking your routine just slightly could be all it takes to help your complexion flourish.

Maybe you are one that just rushes in to grab your waterproof makeup remover and a cotton ball or pad to take off your eye makeup.  Before you touch the bottle, cotton or your face, wash your hands first.  Otherwise, you could be transferring bacteria to the bottle and your stash of cotton balls or pads, not to mention your sensitive eyes.

Taking off your eye makeup and the rest of your cosmetics with another form of makeup remover like a cleansing oil is the first step before washing.  This is because waterproof makeup remover or cleansing oils are geared to totally dislodge hard to remove polymers that were formulated to hold up against moisture.  Soaps and the foaming facial cleansers won’t be totally able to penetrate the skin until this first barrier is breached.

Once you finish that initial cleansing, wash your hands again before testing the water temperature because you want it to be lukewarm, not hot before you finally wash with your favorite cleansing bar or a foaming cleanser. The problem with using too hot of water is that it harshly strips your skin’s natural oils, resulting in dryness or even broken capillaries, especially near the nose.  

If you are ready to suds up with a foaming cleanser, you don’t want to overload your face with too much.  One-half teaspoon of the cleanser is sufficient to guard from recklessly stripping your complexion’s natural oils when you take it to your damp skin.  The important thing to remember is technique matters. Instead of just vigorously lathering with your hands, use circular motions while you work, keeping it up for no longer than 20-25 seconds.  The assumption that longer lathering time or more lather will improve your complexion is simply wrong.  All that you’re doing is causing irritation and redness to the skin.

Give the skin a thorough rinsing with cool, not cold water.  A quick splash is not good enough.  After all, you don’t want to leave a residue that can further alter your pH level. 

Check your hairline because grime could get pushed in far corners in spots on the face that you might have missed.  If so, you might want to go over and wash that section again to avoid a possible breakout.

Pat dry with a fresh towel or wash cloth.  Resist the urge to reuse a towel that has made contact with your face and especially your body since it can be a breeding ground for bacteria.  

As I constantly mention, I’m a strong believer in exfoliation because it is the step that catches imbedded makeup and grime from deep within the pores that daily cleansing misses while helping shed old cells to encourage fresh ones to surface.  Still, you don’t want to be excessive by exfoliating too often.  Once or twice a week is a safer way to do the deep cleaning and resurfacing and still get great results.

I hope you try what I suggest because the littlest changes can often make the biggest differences in what you’ll see in your mirror.  Trust me, but once you do that I promise that you will like what you see!

The Most Effective Way to Benefit From a Home Facial

This beauty knows how to achieve complexion perfection. 

You may think of facials as a luxurious beauty indulgence for pampering the leisurely rich that is beyond your budget.  However, you can still get wonderful skin care results easily enough with a home facial.

A facial is so critical to a beautiful complexion because it involves preparing the skin first through delicate massage to best receive any skin care product.  The reason gentle fingers can do so much is because of how they work on blood circulation and help move trapped lymphatic fluid to promote its drainage that is causing puffiness as well as dullness to the skin.

What I like to do is to take a few drops of a facial oil or serum and warm first between my palms before gently pressing into my freshly washed skin.  Once the oil is distributed, then I divide my face into sections from the forehead, cheeks to the chin.  I usually start at the bottom of my face and work my way up, but you can do it anyway you want.  Regardless of the section that you target first, you need to slide your fingers along working upward while using a circular motion.  Keep the touch light.  Too much pressure can stretch the skin prematurely.  Continue going to a new section until your finish the entire face.

Now that the oil or serum is properly placed in your prepared skin, you need to further work those nutrients deeper into your hungry complexion through a few more minutes of gentle, circular massage.  Give yourself about three minutes using your fingers as beauty tools to deliver those skin benefits where needed.

Your fingers will be getting tired in about that time so rinse the face off and splash with cool, not cold water.  Once you check out your face in the mirror, your skin will feel softer and have a healthy glow that you’ll love.

Why Including More Fruits and Vegetables to Your Diet May Help You Achieve Clearer Skin

Besides taste, there is a lot of value for your skin from fruits and vegetables.

If you’ve tried everything for improving the clarity of your complexion and lacked success, then it is possible that your cells aren’t flushing out the toxins as they should through the water that you drink.  After all, your cells also use those liquids that you drink to perform other normal actions such as breathing, talking, moving, etc. that you might not even realize that you practically exhaust the supply until nearly too late. Promising yourself to drink more water through the day is ideal, but sometimes a challenge trying to remember or to fit in your schedule.  However, there is a simple way to get extra water in your system without forcing yourself to drink it. 

Adding water-containing fruits and vegetables to your diet as well as mineral water can help reverse a  blemished complexion through their detoxifying and healing vitamins, minerals and other beneficial skin nutrients.

Fresh vegetables pack a lot of skin nutrients. 

The best sources of water-containing fresh fruits are watermelon and strawberries at the top of the list with 92 percent liquid.  Grapefruit has 91 percent water while orange has slightly less at 87 percent just like pineapple. Blueberries have a bit less at 85 percent.  Common fruits like apples and pears are about 84 percent water while the banana has about 74 percent water.

When talking about the best water-containing fresh vegetables, you might be surprised to learn that cucumber and iceberg lettuce have 96 percent water.  Celery is a close second with 95 percent water along with radishes and zucchini. Tomatoes have 94 percent.  Broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, eggplant, and sweet peppers contain slightly less around 93 to 92 percent water while others such as spinach have about 91 percent compared to carrots with 87 percent.

The water from the fruits and vegetables will help remove those continually circulating toxins that might be lingering in your system and save you from feeling guilty about not drinking enough water.  At the same time, the nutrients especially in their raw state are the most potent for skin and its beauty.

Try My DIY Charcoal Mask for the Ultimate Deep Clean

Charcoal acts like a magnet for how it pulls toxins from deep within the pores.

For those times when I am wearing a lot of heavier makeup, I find a charcoal mask is exceptional for purging the pores of any traces of grime or impurities that my makeup remover may have left behind with how deeply it can clean.  My complexion feels tingly clean once I finish with how the charcoal manages to pull out the toxins for the freshest skin possible.  

Any skin type can benefit from this DIY charcoal mask.  To counteract the drying effect of the charcoal for someone like myself with dry skin, I added a little honey for help with moisturizing since it is a natural humectant as well as serving an anti-bacterial ingredient.  I also added castor oil to further power this mask due to it ricinoleic acid that helps fight bacteria, unclog the pores and defend against irritation.

I never thought much about the type of water when experimenting with any homemade skin care recipes because usually I didn’t have much to save or kept it that long.  However, the more that I thought about it, the more I decided it might be better to make a change.  Now I have been using distilled water or boiled water as a precaution to limit any possible contamination just in case of any left over product.

My DIY Charcoal Mask

2 teaspoons of powdered activated charcoal
2 teaspoons of distilled water or cooled, boiled water
2 drops of tea tree oil
½ teaspoons of honey
½ teaspoons of castor oil

Stir the charcoal and water first in a small bowl until mixed.  

Add the tea tree oil, the honey and castor oil next and mix with the charcoal mixture to form a smooth paste.

Apply this mask to your freshly washed face and leave on for about 9-12 minutes before rinsing off with warm water. 

Close the pores with cool, not cold water.

How to Multitask Your Beauty While Showering

You can still catch up on your beauty and save time in the convenience of your shower.

We all are so busy these days between juggling work and home that it can sometimes limit how much time is devoted to some important weekly beauty tasks.  Instead of falling into this trap, let me suggest a way to multitask those beneficial beauty treatments at the same time while in the shower.

Once I take off all my makeup with an oil cleanser or makeup wipe and step into my shower, I wash my face with my facial soap and pat dry before turning to a mask. After several minutes of letting the warm water soothe and open up the pores, it’s time to apply the facial mask.  

Usually, I apply one meant for dry skin.  However, I wanted to use a charcoal mask this time after the holidays and wearing heavier makeup since this variety goes deeper into the pores from its ability to draw out any imbedded grime that may be lingering.  If you happen to suffer from acne or an oily complexion, I suggest trying a charcoal mask for how thoroughly it cleans the impurities away and tightens the pores. 

Next, I soaped up the rest of me before shampooing, rinsing and gently patting to dry my hair with a towel.  Once I got that out of the way, I reached for the deep hair conditioner that I brought with me and treated my hair before placing my towel turban fashion.

While giving my conditioner time to work, I brought along another product to accompany me to the shower with my exfoliating scrub such as a salt or sugar scrub.  What I liked about either was how much softer it left the skin after rubbing it all over your body.  It also really does help lessen cellulite when you use your fingers kneading over your bad sections like the hips and thighs when done regularly.

By the time I finish kneading my body, several minutes pass.  This five minutes or so is enough time for my deep conditioner to work before I need to rinse it out.

One tip that I want to share is if you have coarse, thick hair or curly hair with a lot of frizz to it you might not want to rinse that conditioner out all together.  Leave just a little still in to tame the hair more, which I do.

Afterward, all there is left to do is follow up with usual body and facial skin care products.  This method really speeds up the beauty treatments that you just might neglect due to lack of time.

DIY Beauty: Try My Cocoa Anti-Aging Mask to Clear and Renew Your Complexion

Your kitchen is loaded with beauty ingredients such as cocoa powder.

I love experimenting with ingredients in my kitchen for beauty purposes, especially when they sometimes can outperform their commercial counterparts. My cocoa anti-aging mask recipe that I have for you today is truly a winning one for its complexion benefits to clear and renew aging skin.

For one, cocoa is full of antioxidants that help the body internally as well as externally due to its flavonoids for protecting the complexion from free radical damage and aiding the skin's density.  

Another ingredient in this recipe is honey.  With its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it can heal and calm  while also holding in the skin’s natural moisture being a humectant as well.

Sour cream is also what you’ll notice that I put in here for its lactic acid, a natural alpha hydroxy acid, for doing its part in gentle exfoliating and stimulating new cells to emerge.  You also can substitute with plain yoghurt, if you care to.

I also turned to oatmeal because it also has wonderful antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties.

Finally, I used a bit of a ripe avocado for its rich storehouse of fatty acids, antioxidants and minerals.

I hope the next time that you’re in the mood to indulge your complexion that you’ll try this mask because it erases dullness and brings out a remarkable glow.


DIY Cocoa Anti-Aging Beauty Mask


1/3 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder (the darker the powder the better)
1/4 cup of honey
2 tablespoons of sour cream or plain yoghurt
2 teaspoons of finely ground oatmeal
1 tablespoon of mashed avocado


You will need to take out your food processor or blender to grind the raw oatmeal into a fine powder.

Once done, measure the rest of the ingredients into a bowl or container along with the oats and mix together.  

Apply to your clean face and relax in private.  You will want to be alone because your family will mock your face.

Give the mask about 15 minutes before rinsing with lukewarm water.

Close the pores with tepid water, then dry.

Review: Treets Traditions Bath Tea and Shower Cream

These bath products offer a soothing escape from holiday stress.

After a long day at the computer, I look forward to a leisurely bath with my relaxing salts, fragrant oils, bath gels and creams to cleanse and soothe. Usually, it is hard to get me to budge from my tub too soon once I close that bathroom door and spend time soaking with my collection of body pampering bath products.  

Two new bath products that joined me the other night were from Treets Traditions with their Relaxing Chakra’s Bath Tea and Shower Cream. This company’s formulas have Asian roots centered around ceremonial bathing rituals and contain no SLS, SLES, parabens, silicones, colors or mineral oils.

Their Relaxing Chakra’s Bath Tea in Rose & Ricebran Oil ($12.00) was a new experience for me.   Inside the package, I found three giant, heavenly scented tea bags. 

Let me tell you that once I put one bag in my tub and ran a hot bath, the scent of roses filled the room. However, once I settled into my bath, I found how silky that fragrant water felt, which was not surprising considering the formula has rose petals and hibiscus as well for their hydrating skin benefits.  Honestly, I lost track of time after a while but was quickly brought back to reality when a member of the family knocked on the door to see what happened to me.

Feeling guilty that I was indulging too long, I reached for the tube of the Shower Cream in Nourishing Spirits ($12.00).  The product has African Marula oil and Kalahari melon oil for pampering the body with its sweet melon scented moisture.  This provided a creamy lather that was a pleasure to wash with.  

Besides softer skin, I loved how the fragrances clung to my body with a mix of roses and melon that didn’t fade after a few minutes.  If you’re hoping to find products to revive your mood, you should try Treets Traditions, particularly Relaxing Chakra Bath Tea in Rose & Ricebran Oil.  

How to Prevent Splitting Skin and Heal Cracks on the Fingers From Dry Winter Skin

Left untreated extreme dryness can lead to painful cracks and possible infection. 

This is the time of year that our hands are more prone to developing splits and cracks of the skin due to more dryness in the air, which can be extremely painful and a problem to heal if not treated properly.  However, there are several options that you may want to try to remedy the situation.

Before the skin opens enough to bleed, you need heavy lubrication with a greasy moisturizing cream.  At this stage, a thinner hand lotion formula won’t be sufficient enough for your needs.  Look for a moisturizing cream that has emollients and humectants such as petroleum jelly, lanolin and coconut oil, which is harder to wash off as fast as typical hand lotion.  Reapply often.  

A few simple changes can make all the difference for the health of your hands.

For those difficult spots between the fingers and their tips, you might even want to try a diaper ointment.  It is geared for extra sensitive skin, provides a water barrier and packed with healing power, especially if you look for one with vitamin A, D, and E in the formula.  

Another helpful tip before those rough lines turn into cracks is applying a thin coat of petroleum jelly to the hands before covering them with a pair of gloves upon turning in for the night.  

Once that skin starts to split, crack and bleed, you need to prevent infection with an antibiotic ointment.  My dermatologist recommends Polysporin because it is less likely to cause contact dermatitis having just the Polymixin B Sulfate (antibiotic) and the Bacitracin (to handle the bacteria) over something like Neosporin that has an extra ingredient that your skin could react too.  Apply as directed and always cover with a bandage. Keep lubricating the uncovered areas as well.

If your skin still doesn’t respond, a fungus could be responsible for the problem.  You might want to try using Vicks VapoRub.  With camphor, menthol, eucalyptus oil, cedar leaf oil, nutmeg oil, petrolatum, and proven fungus fighting ingredient of thymol, it could be the solution that ends your misery. 

Something else that you should think about involves the type of soap that you normally wash your hands with.  Try changing strong antibacterial soaps for something milder for washing your hands. A bar that has lotion built in the formula could help reduce irritation.

Washing dishes manually also contributes to increasing the likelihood of drying out our hands.  Though it is clumsy to use rubber gloves, they can help defend the hands from harsh, drying detergents and water better than going without.

Since the air inside your home is extra dry, which increases your chances of this problem, you may want to get a humidifier to put more moisture in the air.  Then again, you can always put some water in a dish by your heating vents to help accomplish the same thing, if price is a factor.

Finally, you might want to increase your vitamin C intake for your overall body’s health.  Being deficient in this vitamin could be another cause of the skin cracking.

Hopefully, the information that I shared will help prevent or bring you relief because suffering is not beautiful!

Josie Maran Cosmetics Argan Beauty Canvas Limited-Edition Holiday Collection Review

Beauty gifts sets are always the best way to experiment with new products.

The holidays are a prime time to grab some great values on beauty gifts sets to give as well as buy for yourself to test before buying larger sizes.  Argan oil-based makeup and skin care brand, Josie Maran Cosmetics, is offering quite a few enticing options. Today, I want to fill you in on her Argan Beauty Canvas Limited-Edition Holiday Collection ($45.00 USA) that has a $79.00 value!

To start, you get a full-size Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm that retails for $36.00 alone as well as a travel-size (0.18 oz.)!  This hydrating, anti-aging product is a cross between makeup and skin care because it follows your makeup or moisturizer.  It smooths over the face, giving it a dewy quality.  However, the second most prevalent ingredient the formula

The Argan Beauty Canvas set is a $79.00 value for $45.00 (USA).

has is dimethicone, which can trap bacteria, grime and oils and cause skin eruptions for some people due to the nature of this sand-based molecule that can embed itself in pores.

You also get a 0.4 fl. oz. bottle of Argan Moonstone Drops.  A drop or two before foundation or alone really helps the complexion glow from its beneficial mix of oils such as argan, lavender and lemon grass along with the mineral, mica for its contribution of a shimmer.

Still, there is more to this kit than just skin care.  You also get a 0.06 oz. tube of Argan Lip Sting Plumping Butter in Boysenberry.  This berry shade  appears darker in the tube until you apply it.  It is on the sheer side that is easily built up to darken.  It does slightly sting, but does manage to volumize somewhat and treat lips like a lip balm.

If you’re thinking it’s time for new skin care and makeup and never tried Josie Maran Cosmetics, then the Argan Beauty Canvas is something to look into.  This limited-edition holiday collection also makes an ideal holiday beauty gift for those on your list.  Check it out at the company’s website.

Pure by Rachelle Parker! Natural Handmade Essential Oil Soap Bars with Shea, Coconut & Jojoba Oil Gift Set Review

You'll feel extra special after using these essential oil soaps.

Some of us are fans of a liquid body wash or bath gels while others prefer cleansing with a solid bar of soap.  If you happen to think more highly of well-made bar soaps, then a set that has pure essential oils in the formula for aromatherapy benefits in addition to moisturizing qualities would be a better choice.  One that you might like is the six bars that are in Pure by Rachelle Parker! Natural Handmade Essential Oil Soap Bars with Shea, Coconut & Jojoba Oil Gift Set.

Each bar is 4-oz. and suitable for all skin types. The scents include Lavender (for relaxation), Peppermint (for stimulating the senses), Tea Tree (anti-inflammatory), Lemongrass & Orange (for exfoliation), Ylang Ylang & Rose (mood booster for feeling beautiful), and Patchouli (for soothing and help with chapped skin).

You’ll love spending time  in the tub or shower with these beautiful, scented bars. This Natural Handmade Essential Oil Soap Bars with Shea, Coconut & Jojoba Oil Gift Set is now $15.95 over its regular $19.99 price at Pure by Rachelle Parker! and would make a fine holiday stocking stuffer gift!  Check it out.

SofTOUCH Purifying Complexion Brush From Earth Therapeutics Review -- For a Better Clean

This brush has microbial properties in its bristles!

Something amazing about charcoal infused bristles is that they do more than what you may expect from a makeup or cleansing brush.  These treated bristles like the ones in Earth Therapeutics Purifying Complexion Brush have microbial properties for added complexion benefits over plain bristles.

Here is what this brush looks like.

Due to this technology, this brush is specially designed with ultra-soft bristles to gently exfoliate away the outer layers of dead skin to unclog pores. The embedded infusion of medicinal bamboo charcoal enhances the cleansing process by drawing out impurities and helps remove excess surface oils and bacteria that may dull the complexion for deeper cleansing without irritation than your typical cleansing method.

If your complexion has breakouts or is excessively oily, I really think this brush could help. You might also want to try their Pure fx Charcoal Cosmetics Brush Set ($15.99), which I reviewed earlier because it really is an awesome set that I keep turning to ever since it arrived that can also keep your makeup application more sanitary.  

At $9.99, the Purifying Complexion Brush also makes an ideal stocking stuffer.  Check it out at Earth Therapeutics website.

Pure by Rachelle Parker! Aromatherapy Top 6 Essential Oils Gift Set – A Holiday Gift of Well-Being

Well-being is a gift all can appreciate.

Aromatherapy has a long, distinguished history as far back as 3,500 BC. However, it was officially recognized and titled in 1937 by French chemist, Rene-Maurice Gattefosse after treating a burn with lavender essential oil.  

If you’re looking for a great introductory set of #aromatherapy oils without destroying your budget, then Pure by Rachelle Parker has a wonderful option with their Aromatherapy Top 6 Essential Oils Gift Set ($19.99).  The oils are all premium therapeutic grade without fillers. 

The #essential oils are Tea Tree (disinfecting and healing), Peppermint (indigestion and pain relief) and Lavender (stress aid), Eucalyptus (decongestant and antibacterial), Lemongrass (microbial and to help relax), and Sweet Orange (anti-inflammatory and another stress aid).  Each of these oils can also be used for a variety of other ailments.

There are no carrier oils added to their formula so it is important that you remember to mix with a carrier oil first.  Without diluting, you risk developing a severe allergy problem that you may never get rid of.  Therefore, do your homework about each particular oil  and the ratio of that essential oil to that carrier oil.  Keeping this in mind, you will get the best results for healing and stay safe at the same time.  

Sometimes, it can be hard to find the right gift.  Yet, I think a gift such as The Pure by Rachelle Parker Aromatherapy Top 6 Essential Oils Gift Set for well-being would make a thoughtful one.  Check it out at the company’s website.

Josie Maran Cosmetics 3-Step Argan Makeup Prep Holiday Gift Set -- The Ideal Way to Test What Skin Care Works for You

*Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Smaller sizes are a great way to discover the perfect products for your complexion.

Keeping the complexion young and supple is every beauty’s goal.  Quality skin care products matter when you hope to look your best. Of course, what formulas may work exceptionally well for some may not perform the same way for others, depending on skin type, texture, etc.   Being the case, it is always beneficial to test a skin care system in smaller sizes first to see the difference those products may or may not make for your complexion.  Josie Maran’s 3-Step Argan Makeup Prep Holiday Gift Set is one wonderful option.

This is a nice skin care set to get acquainted with Josie Maran’s argan oil-based skin care.  You get a bottle of her 100% Pure Argan Oil (0.5 fl. oz.), which I’m loving from all the nourishing and healing its rich infusion of vitamin E and fatty acids does for moisturizing my dry skin without over saturating it with heavy oil as the complexion takes it in.  Only two drops were enough to do my entire face.

The second product inside was the Whipped Argan Oil Face Butter (0.34 fl. oz.).  This is another concentrated anti-aging moisturizer that is rich in nutrients from skin energizing ingredients such vitamin E, watermelon seed oil, shea butter, aloe nectar, and cucumber extract.

The third product is the Surreal Skin Argan Finishing Balm (0.18 fl. oz.).  This is fantastic to help the complexion glow whether you use it before makeup to prime or just to finish your skin care. 

This 3-Step Argan Makeup Prep Holiday Gift makes a great gift.  This natural skin care set retails for $25.00 and is a $42.00 value.  You can find this set and other holiday gift sets at Josie Maran Cosmetics so do check it out!

Pure by Rachel Parker! Spa in a Basket Deluxe Fresh Pear Gift Set for Women Review

If you're searching for a practical gift anyone would appreciate, this Deluxe Fresh Pear Gift Set is all ready to give.  

An easy way to avoid stress when trying to think of what to buy your friends and family this holiday season is to give them some natural pampering body care with aromatherapy benefits like what Pure by Rachel Parker has to offer.  This brand has a wonderful assortment of spa gift sets, aromatherapy candles, essential oils, organic soaps, bath bombs, scrubs, and body butters that can easily solve your gift buying dilemma from what I have tried such as their Deluxe Fresh Pear Gift Set for Women.

This Fresh Pear Spa Bath Gift arrived all wrapped and packaged in a lovely decorated tin, complete with ribbon to adorn.  Inside, I indulged my senses with six fresh pear derived natural skin care products. There was a 400ml Shower Gel, 200ml Bubble Bath Tub, 120ml Body Scrub Jar, 60ml Body Lotion Jar, Bath Crystals (3.4 oz.), and a mesh bag sponge.

However, if you don’t care for fruit scents, the company has a number of other tempting spa gift sets such as herbal or floral-based scents, ranging in various sizes, prices (from $24.99 and up) and assortments.  Check out Pure by Rachel Parker’s website because they really do have a great selection like this Pear Gift Set that is currently on sale for $34.99 from its regular $59.99 price like many of their others.  

I will be sharing more of this company’s gift possibilities with you soon so stay tuned!  

Earth Therapeutics Pro-Organic Purifying Body Wash and Purifying Exfoliating Gloves Review: A Clean You Can Count on

These two products offer a thorough, invigorating deep clean.

Something delightful that I was sent lately was the Pro-Organic Purifying Body Wash and Purifying Exfoliating Gloves from Earth Therapeutics to bathe with.  This bath gel has a light fruity-floral fragrance while offering deeper clean from the medicinal bamboo charcoal to draw out toxins from the pores along with other certified organic botanical ingredients such aloe, shea butter and sunflower seed oil, etc. to lovingly tend the skin.

This product also never mistreated our animal friends for testing.  Furthermore, this body wash has no parabens, laurel or laureth sulfate as well as artificial colors to compromise its healthier formulation.

The consistency of this body wash is more gel like that squeezes from a tube.  It lathers well without needing to use very much.

The #Purifying Exfoliating Gloves were especially nice to use with this body wash.  The feel of this fabric on the skin wasn’t as rough as a loofah when using, but provided more of a gentler exfoliation.  It was wonderful for smoothing the skin and stimulating circulation while the medical charcoal imbedded in the fabric helped to further pull out the toxins and impurities as I scrubbed. 

When I emerged from the tub, I felt clean and more refreshed with softer skin.  I did like both of these products how they left the skin and gave a boost to improve circulation.  Anyone looking for new, more invigorating type of clean that can benefit the circulation should visit Earth Therapeutics and try the Pro-Organic Purifying Body Wash ($9.99) and Purifying Exfoliating Gloves ($7.99).  These also make great holiday stocking stuffer gifts for anyone on your list. 

Yasou Natural Skin Care Vegan Cellular Day Cream and Cell Renewal Night Cream Review–For a Complexion to Celebrate

This is a thicker cream that you use very little of.

I truly believe in the difference that organic skin care can make to improve a complexion.  Why feed the skin of diet of man-made chemicals when you can deliver those beneficial ingredients in a healthier way?  Yasou Natural Skin Care uses Greek traditions and culture along with science and technology in their organic skin care formulations like their Vegan Cellular Day Cream and Cell Renewal Night Cream that I have been using over the past weeks.  

Yasou Vegan Cellular Day Cream is 99.6% natural with certified organic extra virgin olive oil, a MFA complex and the brand’s proprietary Calityl-O-Complex for anti-aging firming, elasticity, moisturizing, brightness, cell regeneration, and stimulating collagen with grape seed and apple extracts.  The formula has natural alpha hydroxy acids, vitamins, fruit extracts, cucumber extract, green tea extract among others to boost complexion renewal.

The Day Cream is luxurious, but a thicker cream than you may be expecting.  Therefore, you only need a small amount to do your face.  In fact, this cream makes a wonderful primer before your makeup.

The night cream is not as thick as the day cream.  

The Cell Renewal Night Cream is 99.2% natural with certified organic extra virgin olive oil, their revolutionary Hyadisine, sourced from the ocean and proprietary Calityl-O-Complex for anti-aging.  In addition, other skin-loving ingredients are aloe, organic fruit oils and extracts, shea butter, vitamins, and more.

The Night Cream is a bit thinner in consistency than the Day Cream.  Both also have a slight fruit scent, not a distinct one that will overpower or be easy to recognize.  Furthermore, these vegan creams are cruelty-free and Leaping Bunny certified.  They also are made in the United States!

Unlike their chemical counterparts, organic skin care takes a bit longer before the complexion responds.  This is because it takes the skin some time to purge the impurities deep in the pores.  Afterwards, the nutrients have true access for repairing, healing and optimally supplying the skin with only what it needs instead of stuffing it with silicones and other ingredients to plump up lines and smooth as well as a host of other chemical ingredients and preservatives.

What I noticed at first was mostly how extremely soft my face felt when I touched it.  The more days that I used these creams, the more my complexion took on a glowing radiance.  I can’t say all wrinkles are gone now, but they appear less prominent, even my laugh lines. Maybe the reason is because the texture of my skin is smoother with fewer visible pores in addition to an inner glow that is shining from the skin to the surface that makes me feel this way.

You have but one face so why not take care of it in the same way you do for your body in how you nourish it?  I am very impressed with Yasou Natural Skin Care Vegan Cellular Day ($70.00) Cream and Cell Renewal Night Cream ($80.00) and definitely love my results.  

If want to do my complexion a real service, I highly recommend visiting Yasou Natural Skin Care and trying these Vegan Creams (now $135) for you as well as anyone on your holiday gift list because they and you will be thrilled with what you later find in your mirror!