cleansing/foundation

Snow White...

I've always been extremely fair skinned.  I hate the sun (mainly because of the heat) so I knew natural tanning  was out.  Nowadays, the only sun I get is from running outside.   The sole advice I was given from a dermatologist when I asked about anti-wrinkle-was to wear sunscreen, besides that fact that melanoma is a dangerous form of cancer that can easily go undetected.  I am extremely vigilant about getting my yearly skin check.  

Putting on list of things to do now...

I've always had problem skin.  Not so much oily, but acne prone.  It typically presented itself on my chin.  Since sixth grade I was a regular at the dermatologist.  Eventually, I asked about the possibility of my redness being due to rosacea.  

Rosacea is redness on the cheeks, nose, chin and forehead and it can be accompanied by little bumps and pimples.  According to WebMD, rosacea is caused by an irritant, but it is not bacteria.  It typically affects those with lighter skin. For me, my rosacea is very mild, but the redness on my cheeks has gotten worse and I have begun having pimples/bumps on my cheeks.  

I don't remember how my skin was for the majority of both of my other pregnancies. I was used to acne, if it increased a little, I was used to it.  I've never had clear skin for more than a day at a time. 

But holy pregnancy acne!  I have pimples in places I never knew possible!  

So what do I do?  

I've done some research on the best products for sensitive/red skin.  And I have some mixed opinions.  I read that MAC and Bobbi Brown offer excellent foundation options.  Real Simple recommends Armani silk foundation- at $65 a bottle! But...it might be worth it.  

I know that skin care is tricky.  Too harsh of a cleanse increases oil production which then increases acne.  I found out last pregnancy that the trick to good skin is to be less harsh and moisturize more. It was then that I fell in love with the Clarins alcohol free toning lotion.

These are the products I currently use

I alternate between the 3 cleansers- I typically use the calming cleanser in the morning and at night.  If I shower, I use the cetaphil.  One to two times a week I'll use the grapefruit wash.  It's a little harsher on the skin because it's an exfoliant.  

In the morning I will either use the Mary Kay purple moisturizer (shown is the pink intense moisturizer) or the Olay SPF 20 moisturizer.  I have found these two are comparable in the way they feel on my face.  I've used plenty of SPF moisturizers that are just too heavy and leave my skin oily.  The Mary Kay does not have SPF, so now that I think about it, I'll continue with the Olay.  It can be bought at Costco in a 2 pack and is relatively cheap.  At night I slather on Vaseline.  I know it sounds counter-intuitive, but for some reason-it really works.  I wake up with refreshed skin, my acne is less red, and the new pimples that appear the day before are on their way to being healed. Plus, I have a major problem-I can't keep my hands off my face, so I do a lot of pimple popping.  I know it's bad, but the ones that actually do come in that hurt-feel much better once their popped, but then it creates an open wound on the face, which vaseline helps it heal.

One thing I just remembered as I'm typing this:  I used Mederma scar treatment on my face in the past, and it definitely helped reduce the scars and redness!  

My current concealer is by smashbox.  I loved it at first, but I'm finding now that because I need a more intense coverage, it isn't up to snuff. It begins to look too dry and cakey if I really pile it on.  I use the Mary Kay minerals foundation-which I love.  It's easy to apply, fool proof, can provide little or intense coverage and does not look or feel dry and cakey.  However, I also wonder if it's good for me now-with my current pregnancy breakout.  

I read an article on Real Simple, and they claim that some beauty products are worth the splurge:

foundation

 (they didn't mention concealor, but I think they're in the same ball park so I'll say yes to splurging) 

blush

eye shadow

So-this is what I'm thinking I'm going to try.  

I'm going to pull out the trusted Clarisonic and Cetephil. I want to add in the Clarins alcohol free toning lotion. I'll moisturize with Olay in the day and vaseline at night.

The question is: what do I do about makeup?   At the end of the day, I swear it looks like I have no makeup on!  

I read another article online that said the most important parts of a skin care regimen are the "foundations"  

I think I need to invest in a good primer. 

I'm going to switch up the concealor and foundation-just to see if I get better coverage. 

I'm going to get an eyelash curler and see if that helps with my eyelashes.  

I have long eyelashes, but I think they've gotten thinner and therefore, just applying mascara isn't enough.  

I'm going to get a new blush. 

 I'll see what they recommend, but I wonder what color I should be wearing when it seems that a pink blush just exasperates my already red cheeks.  

I have a Mary Kay micro dermabrasion  kit, which is great-so I think I'll aim to use that once a week.  

I'll let you know what new products I find!

Do you have any skin-care tips or advice?

What products do you love?