Skincare Routine!

Hi beauties!

So my first REAL post for this blog is going to be about my skincare routine! I'm really excited because the current mix of products I'm using is working EXTREMELY well, and I'm seeing very positive results with my dry, sensitive, acne prone skin. Everyone's skin is different so this exact regimen might not work for you, but there's at least one or two products in here that could be used by almost everyone! 

A little history... I got my first pimple when I was 8 years old, and my face has been a downhill mess ever since. I have "moderate-severe" acne (according to the dermatologist), but unlike a lot of acne-prone skin, I'm extremely dry. My skin is often flaky if I go too long without exfoliating, and many foundations dry my skin out and make me look cake-y. My skin is also VERY sensitive, so products that have acne medicines like benzoyl peroxide usually aren't good for me - I find it to be extremely irritating, drying, and it makes my skin fell really tight.

I've tried every over the counter treatment you can think of, (yes, Proactiv, etc.) and tried prescription creams and medicines too. I had an allergic reaction to a common anti-biotic used to treat acne, and I've chosen to never try Accutane due to health risks. In the past couple of years, I've used Lush Cosmetics' skincare almost exclusively, and I was having pretty good results with that but nothing was a miracle worker.

Until... the Clairsonic Mia 2.

I got the Mia2 almost two months ago now, and I can't believe I waited this long. I had heard so many good things about it, but I had been afraid to spend so much money on something that still (like everything else) might not work. My skin has drastically improved in a lot of ways since getting it - I could go on forever, but I won't bore you! If you want a full review of the Mia2, I'd be happy to do one - just let me know!

Here's my routine:

1. Remove the day's makeup and grime with a Yes to Tomatoes facial towelette, (acne fighting ingredients - salicylic acid, witch hazel) all over. Use the Sonia Kashuk eye makeup remover on a cotton ball to eye makeup.
2. Hop in the shower (at night!) and while my hair is conditioning, use the Clairsonic Mia2 with the Aveeno Clear Complexion foaming cleanser (salicylic acid) all over my face - 20 seconds on my forehead, 20 seconds on my nose and chin, and then 10 seconds on each cheek.
3. Right after getting out of the shower, I spritz some Eau Roma Water toner (rose water is soothing!) on my face and wipe it off with a cotton pad. Then, I apply about a quarter size amount of Steam Cream moisturizer all over, plus Lush Enchanted Eye Cream (not pictured) around my eye area. If I have any bigger pimples, I use a Q-tip to get some of the Mario Badescu drying lotion (salicylic acid, calamine, sulfur) out of the bottle and concentrate it on the big spot(s). If I feel like my face is freaking out a lot in general, I use a fan brush to apply the Bare Minerals Blemish Therapy powder (sulfur) to the inflamed areas.
4. In the morning, I use a toner soaked cotton pad to get rid of any leftover residue from the drying lotion, and mix both Steam Cream and the Aveeno Positively Raidant SPF 15 together for my daytime moisturizer. I let that sit on my skin for a bit, and then apply my makeup.
5. Once my makeup is applied, I use the MAC Mineralize Charged Water Hydrating Mist to set my makeup. If there are any spots that might have gotten cake-y  throughout the day, this gets rid of that!

That's my skincare regimen! I hope it was useful for at least someone! If you're like me and have acne but are sensitive/dry and don't react well to products with benzoyl peroxide, try looking for products with salicylic acid, sulfur, and calamine to help sooth the blemishes. :)

Let me know if you have any questions!

"What Makes Me Beauty-full Tag"

Good morning lovelies!

So, I said in my first post that I was going to make a "new blogger" tag of questions that is more specific for beauty-related bloggers. I'm sure there are plenty of these out there already, but I decided to make my own and call it the "What Makes Me Beauty-full" tag. Questions vary from personal to beauty related, so you get a little taste of me (or whoever does this... if anyone does!) from the inside (personality) AND out (beauty-related)!

Let's get this thing started!

1.  What's your first name (and middle if you have one/feel comfortable)? Do you have any nicknames? Show us a picture of your pretty face!

My name is Julia Glenne. A lot of middle school tormenters called me 'Julia Gulia" as a joke from the movie "The Wedding Singer," and some of my friends have called me Jules from time to time. My family calls me Judy a lot - my great grandfather claimed that he couldn't pronounce "Julia" when I was born, so he called me Judy - it stuck! Only my family members are allowed to call me that one though. ;) I mostly just go by Julia.

2.  What was the first make-up product you ever purchased, and what was the most recent?

My first EVER product was (I think) a really old school Covergirl concealer stick that my mom got me - I've struggled with acne since I was eight years old. When I really started getting into make up last year, my first 'real' purchase was the Naked palette after seeing Rachel (87daysbefore / icallitambrosia) rave about it so much. My most recent make up purchases were a Jack Black lip balm (chamomile and lemon... yum!), and the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale NARS blush palette. Yay!

3.   Are you in school? What year/classes/major are you? Do you have a full/part-time job?

I am! I currently go to a local community college and am studying Hospitality Management - I'd like to have a career planning events for a hotel one day. I take a slower course load so that I can do really well in my classes while working a lot - I work almost full-time at the front desk for a local hotel. It's great experience to put on a resume! I'll have finished an Associate's degree after this year, and I plan to go on to a bachelor's program. Community college has a lot of stigmas attached to it where I live, but it's been a great choice for me - I've saved a lot of money, and it really helped me figure out what I wanted to focus my studies on without wasting time!

4.  What sparked your passion for beauty-related blogging? Do you read other blogs/watch YouTubers?

Well, I developed a pretty intense obsession for Lush Cosmetics in the summer of 2010, and started searching for Lush hauls on YouTube. I stumbled across Blair and Elle Fowler (two of the first two search results) and quickly realized I'd been missing out on an amazing online community! I started watching them, and then found more and more and more beauty gurus that I liked even more. My current favorites are... the aforementioned Rachel (icallitambrosia), Tiffany (MakeupbyTiffanyD), Emily/Beauty Broadcast (EmilyNoel83), Ingrid (missglamorazzi), Fleur (FleurdeForce), Tanya (pixi2woo), and Lisa (lisasz09)... plus plenty of others! I have a bit of a beauty vlogger obsession! ;) I love reading/watching Allison (Amarixe - youtube/blog), plus I often read Vampy Varnish, Temptalia and Nouveau Cheap. I've started finding lesser known bloggers through my friend Jess (her blog is The Mod Mermaid!) and I've been loving those too! Reading and watching so many different lovely ladies (plus a couple men!) inspires me to play with new looks, try new products, and blog for myself!

5.  Who are the most important people in your life?

My dad, step-dad, my sisters (Olivia and Jessica), and my boyfriend (Tim)! That was easy! My family has been there for me through every difficult time in my life no matter what. Tim and I have been dating for about 2 1/2 years, and he's really amazing.

6.  Do beauty products contribute to you having a boosted self-confidence? If yes, what one or two products in particular help you the most?

They definitely do. My skin is very acne-ridden, and I've always been self-conscious about it. I was raised on the idea that what's inside of you matters the most - so I always believed that I was beautiful despite my skin, but I was teased a lot in school for having a "pizza face." My current skincare routine has REALLY started to clear up and even out my skin, but foundation and/or concealer has always been the product that helps me feel less self-conscious. Currently, my favorites for those are the Revlon Whipped Creme foundation in 'Ivory' (I'm so pale!) and the Boots No7 Quick Cover Blemish Stick in 'Fair'. I typically apply the foundation with either a dampened Sigmax foundation brush or a stippling brush, and I use the small angled Sigmax brush for my concealer on blemishes.

 7.  What are you favorite non-beauty related activities/extracurriculars/hobbies?

I love to read! One of the best purchases I ever made was my Nook - I miss holding and smelling an actual new book, but it's extremely eco-friendly and it keeps my purse light! My favorite books are the Harry Potter series, anything by John Green, and Bossypants by Tina Fey. and I also have a soft spot for certain TV shows - Gilmore Girls, Downton Abbey, Parks and Recreations, Grey's Anatomy, and anything on the Food Network. I really like going to concerts, and my music taste is all over the place - I love Ingrid Michaelson, The Civil Wars, The Dirty Heads, Tegan and Sara, Maria Mena, and anything that has a good beat! I also do a fair amount of community service in my local area, and I really enjoy doing that.

8.  What do you already like or anticipate liking about beauty blogging?

Well, I really loved blogging on LushiesUnite - the community of people and the connections you make through the airwaves are really cool. I love interacting with people who share similar interests to me, and I think that blogging is a great way to do that. I don't have a lot of friends/family members who are as in to makeup as I am, so I am hopeful that this space can be a place that I can gush and swoon over products/ideas without being judged.

That's all folks!  I tag everyone - especially new bloggers! I think they're good questions to introduce yourself to your readers. Considering my << reader >> will probably be Jess at The Mod Mermaid, I tag her! I'll post the questions in an easier copy/paste form at the bottom of this post.

Up next... skincare post perhaps?

__________________________

'WHAT MAKES YOU BEAUTY-FULL' TAG QUESTIONS:
1.  What's your first name (and middle if you have one/feel comfortable)? Do you have any nicknames?
2.  What was the first make-up product you ever purchased, and what was the most recent?
3.   Are you in school? What year/classes/major are you? Do you have a full/part-time job?
4.  What sparked your passion for beauty-related blogging? Do you read other blogs/watch YouTubers?
5.  Who are the most important people in your life?
6.  Do beauty products contribute to you having a boosted self-confidence? If yes, what one or two products in particular help you the most?
 7.  What are you favorite non-beauty related activities/extracurriculars/hobbies?
8.  What do you already like or anticipate liking about beauty blogging?

Hello/Welcome!

Hi there!

I don't really expect anyone to read this - maybe Jess (my BIF [best internet friend] and blogger at The Mod Mermaid), if even.

You probably don't know me, but my name is Julia. I created and blogged on LushiesUnite - an entirely Lush Cosmetics devoted blog - for over a year. Sadly (and not so sadly!) my passion for Lush has dwindled a bit... moreso drifted into experimenting with other companies and products. I still use a lot of Lush products, but have started to branch out a lot. This blog will help document that journey and be a new creative outlet for me! I've missed blogging on LushiesUnite ever since I chose to start taking a break, and I think that starting a new blog that is a bit less "brand exclusive" will help fire up my blogging spark again! :)

I read a lot of make-up blogs and watch a LOT of beauty gurus on YouTube. I am by no means an expert... at all! I like to think that my makeup skills have improved a bit in the last year with practice, but I'm definitely still learning. At first, I was a little hesitant to darken up that smokey eye or don a bold lip since makeup had never been a staple in my everyday look - but I've started to in the last few months, and I'm excited about it!!

I hope this can become a regular 'thing' for me. It's certainly become a 'thing' on my bank statement, which I'm sure a lot of you can relate to! My next post will be a sort of "get to know this beauty blogger tag" that I'm going to make up... we'll see how that goes! ;) I'm new to Blogger/Blogspot so I'm still learning how it works (I'm originally a Tumblr girl, myself!) but let me know if you have a similiar beauty blog - I'd love to check it out and follow if I like the content!! (?... is that what we do on here?) ;)