My Favorite Things 2013

Hope everyone had a wonderful 2013!  It was certainly a great year for the beauty industry.  Some really innovative cosmetics launched in 2013.  Here are some of my some of my favorite hot and healthy new products from this year:

1.  DERMAdoctor DD Cream 15-Benefits-In-1 Dermatologically Defining BB Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($38 at Sephora)  
DD creams have been getting more and more beauty buzz everyday.  If you were impressed by the multi-tasking abilities of BB and CC creams, you'll love DD creams.  They combine the best of both worlds...the anti-aging qualities of BB creams with the color correction of CC creams.  And of course, they still have the protection, hydration, and coverage of both products.  I think we'll be seeing tons of DD displays at Sephora and Ulta pretty soon, but the first major DD to hit the market is made by DERMAdoctor and launched a few months ago.  It provides good coverage and has mineral-derived SPF (always a plus!). 

2.  Murad Essential-C Sun Balm Broad Spectrum SPF 35 PA+++ ($25 at Sephora)  

The first rule in skincare is sunscreen, sunscreen, sunscreen!  Unlike traditional drugstore sunscreen sticks, the Murad Sun Balm is really light-weight and non-greasy.  It also contains vitamin C, which provides antioxidant protection against the sun and evens skin tone as you're wearing it.  Plus, the vitamin C gives the balm a refreshing citrus smell, rather than the heavy sunscreen smell that you find with a lot of drugstore sunscreen sticks.  For days on the beach, stick to sun products that are lotions with physical sunblocks for optimal protection against the sun.  However, the Murad Sun Balm's convenient size and application makes it great for throwing in your purse...perfect for retouching your sunscreen on a sunny day or applying sunscreen on the go. 

3.  Philosophy Total Matteness Oil-Free Mattefying Pore Eraser ($40 at Sephora)
One way to make skin look firmer and more even is by minimizing pores.  In addition to your toner, the Philosophy Pore Eraser can help!  Natural bamboo extracts help mattify excess oil, and lentil seed extract helps refine pores.  Overall, it's tough to find a good mattifying product that isn't necessarily geared for those with acne, but the Pore Eraser seems to do the trick.  Additionally, this product is unique from other oily-skin treatments because it does not dry out skin and will even leave it soft to the touch.


4.  Ole Henriksen Perfect Truth CC Eye Creme Broad Spectrum SPF 15 ($26 at Sephora)
Most CC products available are for your face, but Ole Henriksen makes a CC creme for your eyes too.  Like a typical eye creme, it works to firm, hydrate, brighten, and depuff.  It also contains SPF and pigments to provide coverage around the eye area, making it ideal for day wear.  In fact, every woman should be wearing an eye cream - morning and night - in order to most effectively protect the delicate eye area.  And a little under eye concealer goes a long way, making your entire complexion appear more even, awake, and radiant.  Definitely a daily makeup must!  So, now you can combine applying your eye creme and your under eye concealer into one, easy step.  

5.  Boscia Konjac Cleansing Sponge ($18 at Sephora) 
It's not only about what cleanser you use to wash your face, but also how you wash your face.  Clarisonic brushes have gotten popular recently, but sometimes they are a little too harsh to use every day.  Instead, try pumping your face wash onto Boscia's new cleansing sponge.  It is super soft and gentle enough to use daily, even around the eye area.  At the same time, it provides very mild exfoliation.  Infused with Japanese konjac root, this sponge will help detoxify, soften, and brighten as it cleanses.  Much more effective than your average drugstore sponge!

Those are some of my favorite things from 2013.  I'm super excited to see the products to come in 2014.  Happy New Year everyone!

Are you a part of the BB bandwagon or CC crew?

Beauty for Life wouldn't be a beauty blog without at least 1 post about BB and CC cremes.  So here it is:

If you haven't heard, BB's have been the latest buzz in beauty within the past few years. Although they've been around in Asia for a while, they made it over to the Western world around 2 years ago.  Companies ranging from Palmer's to Chanel have branched out to make these facial products.  Overall, they offer a few more benefits than tinted moisturizers do.  Like tinted moisturizers, BB's and CC's are hydrating and may provide SPF protection. How are they different?  First, BB's and CC's provide a slightly heavier coverage than a tinted moisturizer, which offers a sheerer coverage.  They also combine multiple skincare products - moisturizer (hydrates), primer (protects and smoothes), serum (repairs and protects, foundation (blurs imperfections and evens skin tone) - into one, easy step.  

The amount of coverage as well as the finish (dewy, matte, natural, satin, etc.) will vary based on a brand and/or product.  In addition, both the number and types of skin benefits such as anti-oxidant protection or radiance boosting, which you would get from a serum, will vary by brand and/or product. For example, the REN Satin Perfection BB Cream Sunscreen ($38 at Sephora) has photo-rejuvenation technology to diminish the look of fine lines, while the Dr. Brandt CC Glow Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($39 at Sephora) has brightening ruby crystal complex and vitamin C. 

Then, how are BB's different than CC's?  Essentially, BB or beauty/blemish balm, and CC or complexion correcting creams are very similar.  The only differences are, compared to BB's, the focus of CC's are on color correction for issues like redness or dark spots, meaning that they often have slightly heavier coverage, a lighter feel, and contain more vitamin C than BB's.  On the other hand, BB's have a little bit of a lighter coverage and generally have the advantage when it comes to antioxidants and age-slowing ingredients.

Here are some of my recommendations broken out by skin type.  Just FYI all of these products are toxin-free and are formulated with physical sunblocks.

Unfortunately, there aren't a ton of healthy BB's and CC's on drugstore shelves currently.  The ones that I do really like are the Physicians Formula Super BB All-In-1 Beauty Balm Cream SPF 30 ($15 at Ulta) and the oil-free Maybelline Dream Fresh BB 8-In-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector SPF 30 ($9 at Ulta).  For a CC cream, try the Yes to Grapefruit Correct & Repair CC Cream SPF 18 ($16 at Ulta).  

Recently, some new types of CC products have launched on the market:

• Try a BB in powder form with the Physicians Formula Super BB All-in-1 Beauty Balm Powder ($14 at Ulta) or in a creamy compact with the Too Faced Air Buffed BB Creme Complete Coverage Makeup Broad Spectrum SPF 20 Sunscreen ($39 at Sephora)

• Try a creamy compact CC with the  Dr. Jart+ CC Essence Balm ($42 at Sephora), Perfekt Skin Protection CC Creme SPF 30 ($42 at Sephora), or the Amore Pacific Color Control Cushion Compact ($60 at Sephora)

In addition, BB/CC's have been branching out to other products besides just creams.  Tarte makes a BB Tinted Treatment 12-Hour Primer Broad Spectrum SPF 30 Sunscreen ($34 at Sephora), and Physicians Formula makes a Super BB All-In-1 Beauty Balm Concealer ($14 at Ulta). One thing to watch out for is the use of the terms, "BB" or "CC."  Usually, when we throw these terms around, they refer to a tinted facial moisturizer product.  However, sometimes these terms are slapped on products to describe their complexion correcting benefits even though they may not actually be providing coverage.  For example, the Ole Henriksen Perfect Truth CC Eye Cream is a sheer cream that simply eliminates dark circles under the eye area.  So make sure the label says pigmented!

I think that BB/CC creams are a must-have for every girl.  Why?  Well, moisturizers with SPF are a must in the mornings.  For those of you, who use foundation on top, a CC will combine the moisture and coverage steps into one.  For those of you, who don't wear facial makeup, replace your regular moisturizer with a BB.  Just make sure that like with all sun protective creams, you apply an adequate amount.  BB/CC's are often healthier for your skin (allow it to breathe and offer protective benefits) and easier to apply (no brush or sponge necessary).  Plus, a hint of color never hurts!  

Personally, I opt for a BB for daily wear and foundation for special occasions because even though BB's offer good coverage, I find that they still don't cover as well as a traditional foundation.  And hey!  I don't forget about tinted moisturizers.  They're great for layering under foundation or as a light-weight moisturizers with sheer coverage on a hot day.

In the end, by merging the worlds of skincare and makeup together, BB/CC's are a part of the recent growing trend of makeup that's good for your skin.  And watch out!  DD's, which stands for dynamic do-all, are coming next with even more benefits in 1 tube.  By combining the anti-oxidant power of BB's and the color correction of CC's and adding even more powerful anti-aging technologies, they bring you the best of both worlds.  Brands like Dermadoctor ($38 at Sephora) and Pur Minerals ($35 at Ulta) already produce a DD cremes.

Are you a BB, CC, or DD kind of gal?