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Trending—Glowing Skin: ‘C’ Spot Run-5 Vitamin C Serums for Radiant Brown Skin

October 30, 2014 / No Comments

Vitamin C, when used topically, has the ability to break down hyperpigmentation from the top layers of the skin. This happens because Vitamin C inhibits the production of the enzyme tyrosinase. Tyrosinase production is the first step in melanin production in the melanocytes. For the layperson, all you have to know is that Vitamin C is a topical melanin buster.

In addition to using Vitamin C, strict adherence to a sun protection regimen is necessary. Using a Vitamin C treatment without using an SPF is a waste of your hard-earned dollars. Over the years, we have road tested several vitamin C products, specifically with the end purpose of “lightening” hyperpigmented layers of skin.

These are our top 5 Vitamin C serums to get ‘Spot’ out!

1. Lumene Bright Now Vitamin C+ Beauty Drops $21.99

See review here.

Wild Arctic Cloudberry & Encapsulated Vitamin C
For All Skin Types, Vitamin C brightens skin

2. Kate Somerville Mega-C Dual Radiance Serum $90

High-tech radiance serum is packed with 10 percent vitamin C and youth-enhancing bioactive omegas 3, 6, 9, and 7.

3. YBF Restore Vitamin C Serum $120

See my review here.

Advanced brighteners, vitamins and top antioxidants work to even pigmentation, diminish dark spots and reduce inflammation for a refreshed look you’ll love.

4. Ole Henriksen Truth Serum® Vitamin C Collagen Booster $48

See my Truth Revealed review here

Formulated with a proprietary five-source vitamin C complex to support natural collagen production, brighten, and minimize fine lines.

5. Obagi Professional C-Serum $79

See my Obagi C Lotion review here.

Adding this product to your routine not only creates a beautiful tone and texture, it also protects your fragile skin structure. Vitamin C defends the skin against damaging free radicals that cause fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots.

Shop:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

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Baby It’s Cold Outside: Best Moisturizers for Winter Skin Care

Every woman needs a go to fur (faux) and moisturizer for these winter months. It’s cold outside. We wrap up, blast the heat and even stoke the fire to keep warm. But the fact is that indoor heat as well as outdoor cold can all wreak havoc with our skin. Protect your skin from the harsh ways of winter by keeping moisture level in balance; perhaps bumping up your moisturizer a notch. Even oily skin benefits from the protection of hydrators that keep skin nourished and balanced. My moisturizer picks: 1. Best Anti-aging Moisturizer NeOvadiol Gf Day Densifying Re-Sculpting Care $48 Benefits (to which I can attest) Refined jaw line, toned neck, plumped cheeks, skin is nourished with features appearing smoother and a subtle green tea fragrance. The feel is nothing less than luxurious. 2. Best Moisturizer for Combination Skin Ole Henriksen Herbal Day Creme SPF 15 $35 This moisturizer combines grape seed oil and antioxidants that gives skin a luminous glow while it protects against environmental aggressors. 3. Best Moisturizer for Acne Prone Skin Go Clear Moisturizing Sunscreen SPF 15 $33 A fast-absorbing, oil-free, moisturizing sunscreen that provides UVA / UVB sun protection, complexion-enhancing botanicals, and a matte finish. 4. Best Moisturizer for Oily Skin Kinerase Lotion $63 This rich, gentle daily hydrator offers phenomenal antiaging effects courtesy of Kineten (0.1% N6-furfuryladenine), a plant-derived ingredient that helps delay signs of aging, delivers improved tone and texture, and visibly minimizes the look of lines, wrinkles, dark spots, blotches, freckles, and uneven skintone. 5. Best Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin First Aid 5 in 1 Face Cream SPF 30 $38 This blend is allergy tested, fragrance free, and dermatologist recommended; it excludes harsh chemicals and colorants. Photo of Naomi Campbell courtesy of huffingtonpost.com. Shop:Face Anti-Aging by KineraseSkin Care at drugstore.com
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Simply Saturday: Comfort Makeup — Organic Style

The weather is crisp and it dictates that we take care to nourish our skin. The word comfort comes to mind. Wrappingup in a warm coat, or slathering a luxury cream on our bodies are applies to our faces too. Makeup can be comfortable. So get comfy with these skin-saving tips for Simply Saturday makeup. And to increase your comfort level — try using organic makeup that's über good for your skin. The best way to apply comfort makeup? With your God-given digits! 1. Skip Matte Makeup Instead, try makeup that nourishes your skin and offers double-duty benefits. Look for soft glow and low-level gleam. 2. Use products that multi-task. Double duty makeup is our friend! 3. Keep it simple. As difficult as it may be, pare down to only 3-4 products for your simple, comfort makeup application. Start with Josie Maran Tinted Moisturizer $38 This triple-duty comfort cream is a protective and preventative lightweight moisturizer, sheer foundation, and sunscreen (SPF 30) in one. It contains Argan Oil, which has many benefits such as softening the skin while also toning and firming. Flush cheeks with Vapour Organic Beauty Blush-Stain $28 This multi-use tube of gorgeous color can be used on lips and eyes too. Formulated with a therapeutic base of light, dry plant oils with natural mineral pigments and vitamins. After you apply to cheeks, use the remainder on your eyelids for a pop of natural color. Don't forget your lips! Finish eyes with Tarte Lash Hugger Natural Mascara $18 Seal the deal with Alba TerraGloss $5.95 Simply apply over your freshly stained lips for a touch of shine. Shop: Lip Gloss by Alba Mascara by Tarte
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Editor’s Picks: Winter Skin Care Tips & Best Moisturizers for Cold Weather

Cold winter weather can wreak havoc on our skin. Not only does heat from indoor sources zap the moisture from our skin, but so does outdoors cold air and wind. Unfortunately, indoor heat and the winter cold can leave skin dry, dull, irritated and itchy. If you suffer from eczema or psoriasis it may be exacerbated by winter weather. Try these tips for keeping your skin’s moisture level up to par all winter: Use a body wash instead of bar soap. Limit your time in the shower, using warm, not hot water, then pat dry skin. Drink more water. Moisturize, moisturize, moisturize. Moisturizer works by keeping the moisture in the skin and preventing moisture loss. Also consider using a hyaluronic serum to boost the benefits of your moisturizer. Additionally, be sure not to skimp when applying your moisturizer. And, the richer your moisturizer, the better. We rounded up some of our favorite moisturizers for winter skin care that have our seal of approval. First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair® Cream Intense Hydration $30 (Ideal for eczema and extremely dry skin) An all-over moisturizer that provides instant relief and long-term hydration for dry, distressed skin and eczema. First Aid Beauty’s Ultra Repair Cream’s whipped texture is instantly absorbed with no greasy after-feel. Safe for sensitive skin, the cream can be used by all members of the family, even children and babies. Suitable for all skin types, especially dry, flakey skin, this hydrating moisturizer leaves your skin feeling smooth, hydrated, and comfortable after just a single use. Formulated with colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, ceramide 3, and the First Aid Beauty Antioxidant Booster, it provides immediate relief and visible improvement for parched skin, and it is clinically proven to increase hydration by 169 percent immediately upon application. OzNaturals Super Youth Retinol Moisturizer $19.95 (Read our review here) A powerful cocktail of antioxidants combine with Vitamin A to diminish the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and premature aging. This results-oriented formulation fights free radical damage as well as restores and renews firmness, elasticity. Vitamin A boasts a long list of anti-aging skin benefits to restore your skin to a more beautiful, youthful look. Try our natural retinol cream and experience the results for yourself! Murad Hydro-Dynamic® Ultimate Moisture $75 (read our review here) Hydro-Dynamic® Ultimate Moisture is clinically proven to lock optimal moisture levels in the skin while delivering instant comfort. This super-hydrating antiaging formula is moisture rich, yet light and non-greasy. Collagen support complex helps restore youthful resilience and plumpness to dry skin while avocado, sunflower, and olive fruit oils enhance skin’s ability to retain maximum levels of hydration. Retinyl palmitate and shea butter improve texture and tone while restoring natural smoothness and softness. This gentle formula is safe for sensitive skin and is ideal for use with any Murad regimen as a step three moisturizer. It comforts and restores youthful hydration to dry skin as part of Dr. Murad’s Inclusive Health® System of care. Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare C+ Collagen Deep Cream $72 A rich, fast-absorbing cream that energizes and deeply hydrates dry, uneven, tired-looking skin without leaving it greasy for a visibly firmer, brighter, dewy complexion. C+ Collagen Deep Cream features 3-O vitamin C technology that quickly absorbs into skin to correct the appearance of dark spots and wrinkles while helping prevent the formation of future damage. An advanced form of vitamin C is combined with a proprietary energy complex to recharge skin’s battery while targeting damaged skin for accelerated improvement of a dry, tired, uneven complexion. An intense concentration of nourishing oils extracted from camellia japonica seed, sunflower seed, and rice bran provides rich moisture to replenish skin’s barrier and reduce trans-epidermal water loss. When nature’s most powerful vitamins and nutrients are boosted with modern science, the result is deeply nourished, supple skin with a dewy glow. Caudalie Vinosource Intense Moisture Rescue Cream $39 (read our review here) This ultra-nourishing cream is here to save dry, cracked, uncomfortable skin. Grape seed oil and olive squalane nourish and soothe irritation, while shea butter and borage oil repair and replenish cracked, damaged skin. Often times people with dry skin have a thin hydrolipidic layer, and this formula works to strengthen it. By rebuilding the hydrolipidic layer, it fights the dryness that results from harsh weather conditions. The formula also contains grape seed polyphenols to protect against free radical damage (pollution, stress, and sun exposure). This product is vegan, non-toxic, cruelty-free, noncomedogenic, hypoallergenic, safe for sensitive skin and pregnancy, and free of all fillers, gluten, GMOs, and synthetic chemicals. SHOP:
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The 7 Beauty Products You Need for Winter—Budget to Luxe

Winter chill is upon is and that means our we need to take extra care to hydrate our skin and hair. From the harsh weather to inside heating, the elements — natural and artificial — can deplete our skin of moisture. That’s why we have rounded up our favorite, (tested) winter-worthy beauty products to help you make it through the next couple months. 1. A bomb Lip Balm Why sacrifice color for utility? Stock up on tinted lip balms for your most moisturized pucker of the seaxon. Try: Laura Mercier Stick Gloss $24 This ultramoisturizing lip color is a cross between lip balm, lip color, and lip glace. It cares for your lips while delivering color in a sheer and sophisticated finish. Or Try: Burt’s Bees Tinted Lip Balm $6.99 Adds a Hint of Sheer Color, Nourishes with Shea Butter, Super Conditioning 2. A Mega Moisturizing Night Cream Your skin rejuvenates at night, so feed it extra moisture during these cold months. Try: Jurlique Nutri-Define Rejuvenating Overnight Cream $110 A luxuriously rich, multitasking overnight treatment with Biosome5, a breakthrough liposomal technology, to provide deep, lasting moisture and a softer, youthful-looking complexion. Or Try: Lumene Time Freeze Firming Night Cream $24.99 Helps to reinforce your skin’s firmness and restore it’s elasticity during the night, while smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles. 3. A Deep Conditioning Hair Mask Hair needs to be kept moist for ultimate health and shine. Incorporate a weekly deep conditioning treatment to keep hair properly hydrated for winter. Try: Kerastase Maskeratine $62.50 Daily deep conditioning mask,Provides maximum frizz control, extreme softness and suppleness. Seals ends to help prevent future blowdry damage. For Fine to Coarse, Unmanageable Hair Or Try: SheaMoisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque $12.99 SheaMoisture’s Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque deeply moisturizes and repairs dry, damaged or over-processed hair. 4. Luxurious Body Lotion Your skin deserves to be pampered with the best body lotion in frigid weather. Keep ashy skin at bay with the a rich body lotion. Try: MOLTON BROWN London Oudh Accord & Gold Body Lotion $44 This soothing body lotion hydrates your skin while leaving behind a beautiful fragrance you can revel in all day long. Or Try: Nubian Heritage Goat’s Milk & Chai Body Lotion $11.99 Goat’s Milk, high in protein, vitamins, and minerals, help soothe and nourish skin. Organic Shea Butter, Chai and Rose Extracts blend to create a luxurious and aromatic skin conditioning moisturizer that will leave the skin feeling soft. 5. A Creamy Blush Ditch your powder blush and opt in for a creamy blush that gives your skin a fresh look. Try: Kevyn Aucoin The Creamy Glow $26 A sheer, dewy wash of color for skin that glows with vitality! Or Try: Maybelline Master Glaze Glisten Blush Stick $7.99 Makes cheeks go dewy and gently glazed with sheer blush color. 6. Hydrating Lipstick Try: Marc Jacobs Beauty Le Marc Lip Crème $30 A rich, velvety, ultra-hydrating lipstick that delivers a dramatic punch of vivid pigment and endless hours of luxurious wear. Try: IMAN Luxury Moisturizing Lipstick $10 It glides on smooth to condition and moisturize. It provides full-coverage, long-lasting wear. 7. Ultra Rich Hand Cream Try: Clarins Hand and Nail Treatment Cream $30 The nourishing formula absorbs quickly to deeply invigorate and tone skin. Shea protects skin against the drying effects of external factors, while also minimizing the visible signs of aging. Or Try: Yes to Carrots Nourishing Intense Repair Hand Cream $8.99 Intense Repair formulas target extra dry or itchy skin with intense ingredients to make your skin breathe a big ol’ sigh of relief! Shop:
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Editor’s Picks: Use These Products to Fight Dry Winter Skin

Winter is no excuse to have dry and flaky skin! Combat the rough winter skin with these staples that will keep you hydrated all year long. Lavanila Laboratories The Healthy Body Butter Collection packs pure shea and cocoa butters with skin saving essential oils to deliver instantly softer skin. While other Body Butters use synthetic preservatives and chemicals including parabens, silicone & mineral oils that can clog pores, prevent absorption of beneficial ingredients and accumulate in the body, we pack our natural formula with smart, natural ingredients that that allow for faster absorption of body beneficial vitamins and immediate hydration ($19; Lavanila.com). Korres Moisturising Hand Cream with Almond Oil & Calendula will relieve dry hands with rich yet non-oily botanical extracts. Calendula, combined with almond oil and aloe, helps retain natural moisture of the skin, leaving hands smooth and supple. A blend of natural butters and antioxidants provides additional comfort. Use the 91.9 percent natural formula daily for immediate and long-term relief ($14.50; Sephora.com). Christie Brinkley Authentic Skincare Recapture Day + IR Defense Anti-Aging Cream SPF 30 is formulated with a bio-copper complex that helps correct the most visible signs of aging. It uses three effective technologies to revive, improve and protect your skin while recapturing a youthful appearance ($69; Kohl’s). Shop:
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