Sharing my faith and my life one day at a time.

Friday, June 11, 2010

First of Two Parts: Favorite Skin Care Products

About a month ago, I found myself in complete enjoyment sharing with you my favorite makeup products that can be brought from the drugstore. And you know what drugstore brands mean: affordable!

Who doesn't love an inexpensive product that works really well ?

When it comes to skin care, I do not mind investing a bit more if it means I can rely on it for fantastic results. I am loyal to a lot of drugstore brands but I also have favorites that require me to save up and set aside some of my hard-earned paycheck.

No makeup can ever replace the glow of a clean and healthy complexion. That is why taking care of our skin is worth every penny.

Today, I am excited to share with you some products that I have come to rely on throughout the years. Not only that, I have also asked some of my female friends (who are all beautiful inside and out!) what their skin care favorites are.

Disclaimer: I have very oily skin. What might work perfectly for me might not work for other skin types. However, you can look for other stuff in their product lines that match your skin type.

1) Neutrogena® Oil-Free Acne Stress Control™ Power-Cream Wash ($7.99)
Robert and I both rely on this facial wash to keep our complexion in check. I tend to break out a lot in the chin area during times of stress. It has always been that way since I hit puberty. Using this wash helps out a lot in this problem area.

There is a debate out there whether this is good for us or not. Legitimate sources claim that absorbing oil from the face makes our skin produce more sebum -- making it a whole lot oilier. 

It's probably true; and to tell you the truth, I never wanted to verify it. My reasons are very superficial. I just don't like an oily face in photographs. I just can't stand it. Therefore, I will always rely on these sheets to mattify my skin without adding any more pressed powder.

Has it made me break out more? I haven't really experienced a facial attack that makes me question my blotting habits. That's just me!



3) RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Deep Wrinkle Night Cream ($15.44)
Something I wish I knew when I was way younger: start using an anti-wrinkle night cream as early as possible. I started in my late 20s when I could have been doing it for ten years. RoC makes the neglect much more bearable! I'd like to think I still look okay for my age (34)!




4) Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips ($7.99)
This is a product that I completely rely on when I live in Manila. I walk around a lot in this congested city (read: heavy pollution) which makes my pores prone to blackheads. Ugh! Thank goodness these strips get the job done.



















5) Noxzema Deep Cleansing Cream ($4.99)
Nothing beats a classic! I use this when I need to take off a fully made-up face. It takes it all away! I will always love its minty smell and the tingly feel.



















6) L'Oreal Eye Makeup Remover ($6.59)
Everything I want and need in a product that removes thick, waterproof mascara: effective, very gentle, clean, and non-oily.

Yes, I have a cleanser to beat acne in humid weather. Another one to take off makeup completely. Here is another one that I use for daily general cleaning of my face. It's gentle on the skin, not masked with with some weird fragrance and it leaves everything soft.

















8) Neutrogena® Age Shield Face Sunblock ($8.24)
The most important thing of all! You probably hear this all the time and I will say it again: we must use sunblock at all times :-)

Here are some reasons why this particular product works so well. It is a broad spectrum UVA-UVB sun protection. It works really well under makeup. It has antioxidant vitamins that our skin needs. Never clogs my pores (so important to me).


















That wraps up the first part of the skin care series! Up next: favorite products by women I love!

How about you? Please share products that have worked well for you throughout the years :-)

12 comments

NABelle said...

Hi Sam! I use witch hazel for toner, and when I miss the suds from Cetaphil, I alternately wash my face with the original, amber Neutrogena bar. Feels pretty good.

--Annabelle Rasco

"L" said...

Hi happysammy!

I found your blog from web surfing (am an avid blog reader) and absolutely loved your drugstore make-up list (among other posts). I've been on the lookout for this list. I use #2 and #4, and I really like using them.

For removing make-up, I use http://www.amazon.com/Neutrogena-clean-makeup-removing-wipes/dp/B002IR3QJ0, which I noticed after a few weeks of usage that it doesn't cause me breakouts.

For a daily cleanser, I use http://www.sephora.com/browse/product.jhtml?id=P12978, which I got from Sephora. I also tried some DermaDoctor products (sunblock and cleanser), but those caused me to break out so I returned them. The Caudalie cleanser works great for me - it really is gentle, makes your skin feel soft, and gives you a "glow" as the beauty consultant suggested. It doesn't leave your skin feeling dry and has this wonderful, fresh scent. I believe it also works as a toner, so I currently don't use a separate toner.

I will definitely give the RoC deep wrinkle night cream a try. Do you use that for eyes as well, or do you have a separate eye wrinkle cream? I use Boscia, but it has a weird smell so I'm on the lookout for a new one.

Anonymous said...

Great selection! You should start your own Youtube channel for beauty advices. I use 3 out of the 8 that you listed.

Samantha Johnson said...

Hi Annabelle! Thank you for your recommendations. My sister told me about witch hazel as a great product to use to minimize shaving bumps.

Thanks for reminding me about the original Neutrogena bar. Classic!

Samantha Johnson said...

Hi L!

Thanks for reading this blog! Do you have one too? I would love to check it out!

I am currently in search makeup removing wipes (since I travel a lot) and I am grateful for this recommendation. Will pick this up on my next trip to Target!

RoC has excellent reviews and you might want to Google it. They can be used for the eyes and you might stumble upon "before" and "after" pictures on the net! Let me know if you get to try it!

Samantha Johnson said...

Hey Ms. Anonymous!

I am still a bit "shy" about doing video. I need to get over that soon and just start doing that :-)

Any product recommendations that you have for us?

"L" said...

Yes I do, but I blog intermittently, and sort of all over the place since my blog doesn't really focus on one area of expertise or interest as blogs typically do. But feel free to browse it or linger.

Neutrogena has several cleanser/makeup removing wipes and I've also tried the one with the purple packaging, but it made my skin feel oily so I wouldn't recommend that. The Korres wipes are also great. They smell fruity and fresh. The only downside is that they're twice as much ($12) for the same amount of wipes (25).

'Will definitely let you know how RoC works out for me!

-L

admin said...

sam, can you recommend where in manila I can find some of these products? i've been trying to look for RoC products :)

admin said...

sam, can you recommend where in manila I can find some of these products? i've been trying to look for RoC products :)

Samantha Johnson said...

Hi L! I woould love to check out your blog today. Thanks for sharing it :-)

Samantha Johnson said...

Hey Kookie! There is no "official" retailer in the Philippines for most of these products. But I do stumble upon the local mom & pop stalls found in Market Market or Shoppesville.

Liz said...

this skin care blog made me realize that i hardly have any beauty regimen. haha. too lazy! :p
... however it inspired me to blog about my fave baby skin products. :D

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