Hair

My hair suffered for many years. Ash blonde, almond blonde, light and dark red, brunette, long, short, medium, curly and straight, sun and rain, freezing temperatures and salted water, the wrong food, air polution, sleepless nights… my hair took it all! Finding the right shampoo or detangler had been a quest throughout.

I made the (wise) decision to become friends with my hair.Two years ago, I cut my hair short and renounced my ash blonde. I decided to give my hair time to grow and shine again. I had an urge to feel my hair soft and strong again, and I realized that I could not remember my natural hair color without looking at an old picture.. and that was wrong.

For two years now, my hair did not feel a drop of dye; I have not used styling gels and sprays, and I have only used the flat or curling iron ever so rarely. I avoided the blow dryer, and I used pure argan or shea oils, in lieu of commercially available protecting serums, oils, or detanglers.

In other words, I instituted a whole new philosophy on hair care. The easy, normal and natural way. I am happy I did. My hair is stronger, shinnier and softer than ever. It feels healthy and it looks healthy. I realized how much I missed my natural color, a soft chocolate brown, that no hair color could compete against.

Natural is beautiful. Later, when aging will show on my hair, I will mistreat it again, in an attempt to rejuvenate. Until then, I will let my hair be, respect it, and be proud of its youth, health and fabulous color.

I hope you will too…

 

 

I know they say it should be done twice daily…

We all tried tens or hundreds of skincare and make up products. Our skin hated some, was indiferent to many, and became friends with very few. No product does magic- maybe except for one. Read below.

I have made a selection of the products I use the most. Please keep in mind that of the many thousands of brands, I only tried a small percent. I am sure I am missing on some very good ones!

From the start, I want you to know that my skin is sensitive; and especially sensitive to hot, cold, dust, sun. While I do not have breakouts or blemishes, all the above factors may irritate my skin (redness, mild itching, small bumps). Thus the products I use are formulated for sensitive skin, are fast to apply and very gentle.

I will start with skincare products. Posts on make up, hair care, body care will follow.

The basics I use daily are very few, but I am happy with the results.

1. Bioderma Sensibio, Micelle solution.

http://www.bioderma.com/en/nc/product-tests/sensibio-h2o-sensibio-light.html

I have used Bioderma for the past 7 years or so. It is the mildest cleanser I have found. I was unable to find it here in the United States until recently. It is very popular in Europe.  A 500 mL bottle lasts for at least a couple of months, thus even though it is more expensive than average, I think it does a thorough cleaning and very gently so. It needs no washing after cleansing.

2. Mario Badescu, Keratoplast cream soap

http://www.mariobadescu.com/Keratoplast-Cream-Soap

This is a very good, soft and gentle cleaning soap. I use it mostly in the shower. It doesn’t leave the skin dry. I started using it 3 years ago and I am still buying a new bottle every six months or so.

3. Mario Badescu, Chamomile cleansing lotion

http://www.mariobadescu.com/Chamomile-Cleansing-Lotion

Again, a very mild cleansing lotion. It leaves the skin fresh and hydrated. It is basically chamomile tea in a bottle. I often follow with a spray of Ivatherm or Avene thermal water http://www.aveneusa.com/thermal-spring-water/.

4. Apidermin, royal jelly cream

This cream does magic. It is unfortunatelly hard to find outside Romania. This wonder cream costs about two dollars but it is by far, the best I have found for a very strong night repair, and I cannot survive the harsh winters in Chicago without it. It is basically royal jelly in emolients. It is greasy, so I apply only a small quantity before bedtime, and by the morning, my skin is hydrated, fresh and feels soft and elastic. I have compared it against many other expensive night creams that claim to repair and redo. None even came close to Apidermin. My mom uses Apidermin for many years and at the age of 60, she barely has any wrinkles and her skin is always so fresh and new. She inspired me and I will continue to use this magical night cream for years to come. I hope they will never stop making it, or I will personally become a beekeeper!

Unfortunatelly, I could not find a link in English, but you can google search it.

5. Neutrogena, vitamin A face lotion, or, Mario Badescu KeraMoist cream.

http://www.neutrogena.com/product/healthy+skin+face+lotion+with+sunscreen+spf+15.do?sortby=ourPicks

http://www.mariobadescu.com/Kera-Moist-Cream

You can find Neutrogena at any drug store. I order Mario Badescu online. Those are my two go-to day creams, and I also use them as a make up base. Neutrogena leaves a thin film on the skin, whereas KeraMoist penetrates skin very quickly. I have used both for a few years; I think if I had to choose between the two,  I would choose Mario Badescu, but Neutrogena has proven itself over the years as well.

As you can see, my frequently used skincare products are very few, but I have remained loyal to some. The prices are very reasonable. I have tried much more expensive products, as well as luxury brands, but I think I will stick to my 2 dollar Apidermin.

Please share your experiences too.

More to come on other products..

…thanks for reading…