I Need A Cover Up

HEY, KELLY'S KORNER...

My skin is albino and my hair is curly.  Beauty products are obviously a necessity in my life.

But because of my odd skin color, and my horrible skin composition, I have to be really careful about what I use on a regular basis.

Skin Care Routine
I have to admit that sometimes I get a little lazy and forget to wash my face.  *Collective Gasp from the audience*  I read somewhere that little acts like that actually age your face 2 weeks.  So instead of my mere 30 years, I'm like 60.  The days add up when you're a rebel.

I also have really sensitive skin.  Not only is it sensitive, but due to the joy that is PCOS, I get adult acne, AND, in my late 20s, noticed that it was getting drier.  So what do you use for such specialty skin?

1.  I wash my face with Cetaphil and occasionally mix up that routine with the three steps in ProActive.  I can't use ProActive every day because it irritates my already sensitive skin.  Cetaphil is a mild alternative that still gets my skin clean without drying it out.  Generally, I use a little scrubber sponge with the Cetaphil.

2.  Moisturizer.  It's a must ladies.  Skin that is oily benefits from moisturizer because your skin will overproduce oil in an attempt to balance itself.  I'm a big believer in MK moisturizer and I use it religiously.  Occasionally, if my skin is really dry, I'll also use the MK Intense Moisturizing Creme.  Makes a huge difference in the way my skin looks and the way my make-up goes on.

3.  Eye Make-Up Remover.  Please tell me that you are not taking your eye makeup off with soap and water.  Vaseline?  Even worse.  Your eye lashes need to be conditioned JUST LIKE YOUR HAIR.  So you need something that will take care of your makeup AND offer that conditioning.  I use Mary Kay's eye makeup remover religiously, too.  It's awesome.  And my eyelashes look great :)

Adding Color
Is now the time I should tell you that I love makeup and Sephora might be my mecca?  Seriously.  I see bright and shiny lights every time the black and white sign comes into view.  So here are a few of my favorite things.

Foundation.  I have tried just about every foundation known to man.  I have problems finding one that works because HELLO?  Sensitive skin that is the color of paper.  In fact, I had a lady at the Clinique counter make fun of me when I asked for foundation in the color albino.  ANYWAY...I like Bare Minerals, but I can't use it with any consistency.  After a while, it starts to dry my skin.  Then I found a foundation I LOVE.  It's the Make Up For Ever Mat Velvet +.  There's great coverage, but it doesn't clog my pores.  In addition, I found a color that matches my skin tone but doesn't make people wave and say, "Hi, Casper.  Heard your last movie was a flop."  Occasionally, I will add the Bare Minerals mineral veil over my foundation.  But sometimes that's more effort than the day deserves ;) 

Concealer.  I don't use it.  I don't like it.

Foundation Primers.  Ew.  I have yet to find one that doesn't make my makeup peel off in what looks like kleenex residue.  It's gross. 

Blush.  I prefer cream blushes and stains.  I don't really have a favorite.

Eye Make Up.  Oh, girl.  This is where things get nuts in my house.  I LOVE eyeliner and have become a whole hearted convert to all things Urban Decay.  First of all, their Eye Potion (eye primer) is awesome.  My eyeshadow never looked better.  Secondly, their 24/7 Glide on Pencils are UH-MAZE-ING.  They are easy to use without being super greasy.  Oh, and they dry a few minutes after application.  Go get one.  If you hate it, I'll eat my words.

For eyeshadow, I truly believe in Urban Decay.  Their colors are true and they go on nicely.  But, on a whim, I decided to try the Bare Minerals shadow honestly believing I was going to make a big mess in my bathroom.  In two words?  Worth it.  The color is true.  They blend really nicely and they are easy to use (provided you have a nice set of makeup brushes).

For mascara, I will only use Buxom.  In the name of experiment, I did try the DiorShow and it was awesome.  But I constantly felt like a stripper because my eyelashes were just a little TOO much.  Know what I'm sayin'?

My Hair is a Mess
Hair is a big deal for me.  My hair is fine, but I have a lot of it.  It's also curly and I color it every so often.

Cleanliness.  I prefer sulfate free products because 1.  they preserve color and 2.  they make my hair lighter so the curl isn't weighed down.  My favorite is Prevana, but I'm willing to give others a shot.  In the past, I've also used the orange BedHead (I can't remember the name of it).

Volume.  Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Plus.  No competitors.

Curl.  I use cremes and mousses because I don't like a lot of crunch in my hair.  Right now I'm a fan of the Brocato line.  Tomorrow, that may change.

Set.  Always Sebastian Shapers Plus.  Always.  It keeps things together without making it so stiff it won't move.

It sounds like a crazy routine in the morning, but I've gotten it down to a science.  And I'll occasionally skip a few steps or add a few depending on what is ahead of me that day.

If you drop in, leave me a comment and let me know your thoughts :)  Oh, and welcome.