Expiration Date for your products!!

Using the right skin regimen for your skin type is important because this will target all the issues you are concerned with. Such as rosacea, acne, wrinkles, skin discoloration, etc. Expiration date is also an important factor to check before buying your favorate moisturizer or eye cream. When a product is decomposed this may cause your skin to break out. All products have an expiration date! It is either displayed under or at the back of the product, and it is printed on the packaging as well.

Products slowly lose their efficacy once being opened or being exposed to sunlight. Those that include an SPF have a specific shelf-life. If the product has a funky smell, changed color or watery THROW IT AWAY!! Many products become ineffective after the expiration date, and some can be harmful.

• Eye cream- 1 year
  
• Face lotion- 3 years/SPF- see date on the box


• Lip balm-1-5 years


• Lipstick-2 years


• Mascara-3 to 4 months


• Perfume-1 to 2 years. To keep them lasting longer, store them in the fridge or away from direct sunlight.


• Wash'n Dri moist wipes -Good until dried out
  
• Anti-aging and acne treatment-3 months to 1 year


• Body lotion-2-3 years


• Sunscreen-Check the package for an expiration date


• Eye and lip pencils-3-5 years


• Lipgloss-18 months to 2 years


• Foundation-one year


• Powder-2 years. It can last longer, but it tends to dry out.


• Concealer-1 year


• Eyeshadows-3 years/Cream shadows-1 year
  

I was on Lara Hill website and was able to learn "MAC production codes are a handy way of working out how old your more perishable cosmetics are, as well as being useful for working out the 'safe' qualities of various pigments (certain pigments made after a particular date are listed as being safe for eyes, lips and face, whereas previous production lots of these same pigments may have been unsuitable for eyes or lips) and being a good indicator of whether a product is fake or not.

The first letter signifies the production run that month - A was the first run, B the second run and so forth.

The second letter or number signifies the month of production:

1=January

2=February

3=March

4=April

5=May

6=June

7=July

8=August

9=September

A=October

B=November

C=December


The final number indicates the year of production.





Using these numbers tells me that this Bombshell lipstick was made in the first production run of April, 2005."

Courtesy of Lara Hill

Bobbi brown's Summer Skincare

Ladies, check out Bobbi Brown's new facial products for the summer. "My philosophy is that with the right skincare a woman's skin looks beautiful." - Bobbi Brown choose the skincare with essential daily sun protection that works best for your skin's needs this season. She introduces her newest moisturizer:

This lightweight, hydrating formula keeps skin looking smooth and shine-free. Seaweed Extract helps soothe while absorbing excess oil. Lavender Extract aids in reducing visible skin irritation.Bobbi Tip: After cleaning with Lathering Tube Soap, pair this daily face lotion with Hydrating Eye Cream for the delicate undereye area.

Just in time for summer. This lightweight, moisturizing lotion hydrates as it helps protect against the damaging rays of the sun. Formulated to absorb quickly, and leave skin smooth and prepared for even, long-lasting makeup application.

This unique soap formula with a rich, luxurious lathering action that lifts off makeup and dirt. Cleanses deeply, yet gently, while hydrating and cushioning skin for an incredibly clean, soft, and refreshed feeling. Dermatologist and Ophthalmologist tested. Apply to damp skin. Gently massage into a lather, avoiding the eye area. Rinse with warm water.

Bobbi's #1 skincare best-seller. This ultra-gentle moisturizer provides three benefits in one little jar: it minimizes the look of fine, dry lines, soothes the delicate skin around the eye, and prepares for flawless concealer application. Dermatologist and Ophthalmologist tested.

Review: Proactiv Solution

How good is Proactiv Solution?! For million of people, it seems to be the perfect product to cure severe, mild or occasional acne. Dr. Katie Rodan and Dr. Kathy Fields, both a certified dermatologist created this product to help men and women heal their acne problem "with just three simple steps a day, you can stop the suffering and start living with the clear, radiant complexion you've always wanted." Apparently this is the #1 acne treatment in America! Does it actually work or it is just a gimmick?! Well to those million of users, it's THE acne cream! They even advertise celebrities that use Proactiv. So here what some of the celebrities said about the product:

"Proactiv not only keeps my skin acne-free, it leaves my skin glowing, vibrant and fresh. I love this stuff!"-Jessica Simpson

"I noticed an immediate change in the smoothness of my skin: fewer bumps, less redness. I've been a loyal customer for the past six years."-Vanessa William

"Once I started using Proactiv, within a week and a half, my skin was completely different. Every day there were fewer pimples on my face. Now I have nice skin!"-Jennifer Love Hewitt

"Now, with Proactiv as part of my daily skin care regimen, I can wake up, shower and walk outside with no makeup on and feel confident and beautiful."-Melissa Claire Egan

"Every time you talk to somebody, you're presenting yourself. When you have acne, sometimes you feel like they're not listening to you; they're kinda just staring at your acne."-Kevin Kasper

"With Proactiv's help, I feel good about myself. And when I feel good about myself, I play better. It's amazing what belief in yourself and a winning attitude can do. It's amazing what good skin care can do, too."- Serena William

How Proactiv work: Even though there's no cure for acne, Proactiv Solution treats acne safely and effectively by attacking it at the source, where a build-up of dead skin cells and bacteria clogs your pores.

1) Renewing Cleanser: "Tiny, smooth beads unclog the pore and help remove dead skin cells. Benzoyl peroxide penetrates deep to attack bacteria."

2) Revitalizing Toner: "A gentle alcohol-free formula helps to balance skin tone and remove dead skin cells, while preparing the pore for the Repairing Lotion."

3) Repairing Lotion: "Finely milled benzoyl peroxide penetrates deep into the pore to attack bacteria, healing existing blemishes and preventing new ones from forming."

Ingredients:

Renewing Cleanser:
"A unique oil-free formula that contains smooth, tiny beads to gently exfoliate dead skin cells and other impurities, plus prescription-grade benzoyl peroxide to penetrate pores, attack bacteria and heal blemishes fast. "

Revitalizing Toner:

"A refreshing, alcohol-free toner that helps balance skin tone and remove dead skin cells to reveal the vital, radiant skin beneath. Contains our special formulation to balance skin's natural acids, witch hazel to refine and purify pores, aloe and chamomile to soothe and soften, plus allantoin to stimulate the grown of healthy tissue. Removes excess surface oil without drying, leaving skin even-toned and soft."

Repairing Lotion:
"A light, oil-free lotion contains finely milled prescription-grade benzoyl peroxide to heal blemishes and helps prevent future breakouts. The advanced delivery system in Repairing Lotion is safe for your entire face."

How Proactiv different: "It's not just a spot treatment like most other acne products. Gentle and effective, Proactiv Solution is designed to be used on the whole face (or acne-prone area) every day. Proactiv leaves your skin feeling healthy and hydrated, not dry and flaky."

So proactiv is a great acne treatment for many people. But for me, that's another story! I have occasional mild acne. I decided to try it since I heard thousands of people raving about this product. Proactiv did not hydrate or make my skin look healthy as stated in their ads. Instead my face was so flaky after just 3 days of using it. Although I have combination skin, this product makes my face so dry! Imagine if using it for a month.....my skin would probably feel like chalk or I'll look a like a mummy! EEEWWWW The moisturizer is light, but you need to wear a bit more than you should so that your face don't feel like a paper sand. It's good that all 3 products come in bottles so that you don't contaminate them when using. The repairing lotion is oil-free, therefore your face will not feel oily all day long. There is no SPF, so you have to wear a sunblock lotion over which result into oily face at the end of the day!

ll give props to how easy it is to use. 3 easy steps: cleanse, tone and moisturize. How easy it that?! The smell....well.... it's fragrance free, so it smells like plants or herb scent. I personally don't like the scent, although I like the fact that it's fragrance free. Basically Proactiv was a total waste of $$, and did not even clear the pimple! All I got was dry, flaky skin!

Au revoir

Review:La Mer Cream

So you all know that I'm searching for an everyday facial cream. For the past 2 months, I was testing La Mer cream. The moisturizing cream cost me $250 CAN! Even though my skin is smooth, the cream made my skin smoother, but the only dilemma is that it is too rich for me. My combination skin produced more oil than usual, and felt so greasy. It was nasty. The cream is very rich and creamy. It has a refreshing feeling with an ocean breeze scent. The scent is not over powering that will make you gagged. La Mer brochure states that after using their products, "skin becomes softer, firmer, looks virtually creaseless. Aging lines and pores are noticeably less visible. Even the driest of complexions are healed. Sensitivities are soothed."

Before leaving with the product, the woman at the La Mer counted showed me how to apply the cream. She did not let me leave until I was doing it properly. By rubbing the cream between the fingers, this will activate and release the algae and other essential ingredients. Afterward pat the cream on the surface of the skin. Do not rub like you normally would do with other moisturizers. Apparently by patting, the algae and other ingredients will penetrate evenly on the skin.

The cream was created due to an accident. "Crème de la Mer was conceived under extraordinary circumstances. Years ago, Dr. Max Huber, an aerospace physicist, suffered a horrific accident — a routine experiment exploded in his face — covering him with severe chemical burns. Neither science nor medicine offered sufficient promise of help, so Huber decided to help himself. Twelve years and 6,000 experiments later, he perfected the Crème that would help give skin a dramatically smoother appearance."

In the end, La Mer cream will better suit a person with dry or normal skin type. It is beneficial for dry and sensitive skin due to the instant soothing effects that it produces when applied.

Oh well, the search continues :(

Au revoir