The Magic Pads and Why Anyone With a Face Should Purchase Them

The Magic Pads

I love when I find a product that does exactly what I want it to do! I have been searching for an AHA/BHA product that is not full of fluff, that is fragrance free and that I don't have to sell a kidney to purchase. Imagine my delight when a celebrity makeup artist that I follow on Instagram recommended this product called The Magic Pads. With a name like that, it really better be good. 

So what are The Magic Pads? According to the website, they are cleansing pads for the treatment of acne. You would use these at the toner stage of your cleansing routine. I clean my face first and then go over it with one of these pads. 

First awesomeness is the ingredients. 6 very identifiable ingredients. Purified water, Glycolic Acid (AHA), Salicylic Acid (BHA), Alcohol, Aloe, Tocopherol (Vitamin E). That is it. No fragrance, no parabans, no unnecessary nonsense. I was a little concerned about the alcohol, however it has not been a problem for me. No irritation or drying out and no alcohol odor either. There is only 2% alcohol in the formulation and it has to be there due to the Salicylic Acid not being water soluble. That is chemistry geek sh$t that I don't understand so I am just repeating what I've been told. 

So these Magic Pads are really magical! They have helped clear up any blemishes pretty quickly and gives my skin a bit of a glow. I've been using them for a few weeks now and I am really impressed. You all know how I love my AHA/BHA Acids! Even though the jar says you can use these up to three times a day, I have been using them once a day at night and I've been sticking to a two days on, one day off routine. Even though these are on the mild side (2% Salicylic and 2% Glycolic), I want to avoid exfoliating my face off. You MUST wear sun protection while you are using these, which really is a no brainer because you should be using sun protection all the time.

I had the pleasure of speaking with the creator of The Magic Pads, Rob Harmon (who besides being a skin care wizard, is also a makeup artist on the hit Broadway musical, Wicked) and when I asked him why he decided to create these, he basically said he wanted a product that worked without all the unnecessary ingredients and was affordable for the people who really needed it.

 "I know how hard it is to get people to trust in a new skin care product. That's one of the many reasons I kept the price as low as it is. I'd like to say they are unlike anything I've ever found, and they are great for everyone with all skin types." 

Which brings me to awesomeness number 2-the price!

This jar of 50 pads only cost $19.95! How great is that!? There are a few really good anti-aging acid products on the market, however they cost a small fortune. This product is great AND will not break your bank. 

So who should purchase these?

• Anyone with a face
• Anyone who has acne/skin blemishes
• Anyone who is looking to put a little glow on their skin
• Anyone who is looking for an anti-aging product
• Anyone who is not looking to bust into their life savings in the name of beauty

The Magic Pads

Run out and purchase these and subscribe to this blog while you're at it!

Your face will thank you! 

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Labels and What Do They Really Mean?

Once upon a time, in a land where rivers flow with perfectly formulated foundations, the sky the beautiful colors of Chanel's Fascination Eye Shadow Quad and the sea as aqua green as MAC's Aquadisiac, there was a decision made by the land's rulers to make labels so all the sensitive skinned Goddesses and the acne prone kittens would know what luxurious lotions and potions could be placed upon their skin. So the rulers requested that the sweet smelling lotions and flower hued blushes that were created in this magical land be labeled hypoallergenic or noncomedogenic to guide the afflicted in their beauty quest. However, the rulers also decided they were not going to keep an eye on the ingredients that went into these specifically labeled goodies and pretty much turned a blind eye. And then a gorgeous (smart, honest and funny too!) Goddess showed up to school the masses so they can truly be informed!

That's right peeps, while I am on a label bender, I figured I should give you a quick lesson about the labels that are placed on some products and what they really mean. I am here to bust up your fairy tale, while educating you in the process. 

Some of you have probably noticed when you are shopping for products, they are sometimes labeled Hypoallergenic, Noncomedogenic, Natural or Organic. Here is a quick lesson on all 4. 

Hypoallergenic: Basically means that the product should cause less allergic reactions than other products. There is no standard as to what makes a product hypoallergenic. The label "hypoallergenic" is not regulated by the FDA (or anyone for that matter) and the manufacturers do not have to test any ingredients to prove they will not cause an allergic reaction. It is impossible to know if a product is going to cause a reaction so your best bet is to do your own skin patch test to determine if it's good for your skin. 

Noncomedogenic: means that the product will not clog pores. Again, another term that is not regulated. I feel the best way to determine if something is going to break you out is to become familiar with ingredients that do not agree with your skin. Even though  a company may be using products that are truly noncomedogenic, it is still best to rely on your judgement of what works and doesn't work for your skin, than relying on a label that is not regulated.

Natural: This one is my favorite. First, natural is not always better. Lavender is natural, lemon is natural, both can be very irritating on your skin. Natural means the ingredients are derived from natural sources with no synthetic compounds. Guess what? Natural is NOT REGULATED! Again, read the ingredients and run for the hills if there is lavender or feverfew or any other naturally irritating crap involved. I had read somewhere that a company can call their product natural if there is a certain percentage of natural ingredients in it. Spit is natural. Can I spit in my foundation and call it natural regardless of any other ingredients? Doesn't matter because no one is watching. 

Finally, Organic: Again, organic is not regulated. United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and ECOCERT has a system that regulates organic plant claims. If you can meet their very strict standards you can put their USDA Organic label on your product. There are a whole bunch of other private companies that will certify your product organic, however they all have different standards for what they consider organic. So what is truly organic? Who's standards are correct? From what I've read, they will also certify you for the right price. Shocking. 

Ok so that should do it for my label ranting lately and I will be back next week with some new products for you to read about :-)
I'm also on the hunt again for a new foundation. Again. It will be a never ending quest.   

Don't you leave without clicking one of the links below! Thanks!

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My Skin

So this is what's going on with my skin.

I have relatively good skin but suffer from breakouts. I feel as I am getting older, it has gotten worse. The first half of this year, my skin was a bit out of control. I am not sure if it was because of stress, hormones or a product I was using but it was constant and in my opinion, ridiculous. I am well past the age of constant breakouts. So in the middle of June, I decided to get real help and visit a dermatologist. I had also become curious about Retin-A. 

So off to the derm I go! After a thorough, up close and personal examination of my skin, she announces:

Your acne is quite unusual. 

Apparently, teenagers and adults break out differently. Teenagers usually breakout on the upper part of their face (forehead, cheeks, nose), while adults have their blemishes on the lower part of the face (mouth, chin, neck). She was perplexed by the teenage breakout I was having and found it interesting. However, that makes absolutely perfect sense to me, as I believe in my head that I am still a teenager and I act accordingly. Could I have possibly tricked my skin into believing it as well? I believe so! Now I will have to work on tricking the rest of my body.OK, back to the subject. 

The diagnosis was Adult (teenage) Acne and the prescription is Retin-A and a topical antibiotic. 

Two months in and so far so good. I am going to do a separate post on the Retin-A as that is a long term process and besides being a blemish annihilator, it is also the best (some say the only besides sun protection) anti-ager in existence. I also want to tell you about the other changes I have made to my skincare routine. There is definitely a difference in my skin and so far I am very pleased.

Anyone have any Retin-A experiences? Please share!

Until next time~

Jessica

The Awesome Yogurt Mask

Here's a tip: If you want to stay young looking, take really good care of your skin.

It's that simple.

 Besides the obvious like staying out of the sun and not smoking (y'all know who I'm talking to), you have to feed your skin and keep it healthy and supple by moisturizing, and you have to exfoliate!

I cannot stress this enough. As we age, it takes longer for your skin to shed and new, healthy skin to form. It takes longer for cells to turn over and it takes longer to build collagen which keeps your skin plump and young looking. You need to help your skin along by exfoliating. There are a few different ways to exfoliate your skin but I think chemical exfoliation as opposed to manual is more gentle. 

I also like DIY projects when it comes to my skincare, for a few different reasons. First, I can control what goes into the product which means less unnecessary stuff. Second, it is usually cheaper than purchasing some expensive potion.

Now with all of that being said, let me tell you all about the Yogurt Mask. So yogurt contains lactic acid-you know how much I love my acids for keeping the skin young looking! Acids are gentle exfoliators.

Click here to read all about AHA's & BHA's and why you should use them for your skin.

Lactic acid falls under the Alpha Hydroxy Acid(AHA) category, which means it will dissolve and gently exfoliate the top layer of your skin so new skin can form. Some of the benefits of using a Yogurt Mask 2-3 times per week are:

• It will smooth skin.
• It will soften fine lines.
• It fights acne.
• Reduces discoloration
• Prevents premature aging.

The only rule for a yogurt mask is to make sure it is plain yogurt. None of that fruit on the bottom nonsense.

Basically, just take some plain yogurt and apply it to your clean skin. I like to massage it in and let it sit on my skin for 20-30 minutes. Rinse with warm water. I also like to kick it up a notch by dissolving an aspirin in the yogurt and applying. Aspirin is a Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) which means not only does it exfoliate your skin, it exfoliates the inside of your pores, therefore keeping them clean and blemish free! 

This is what you will look like. Puurrttyyy.

So using a Yogurt Mask a couple of times a week will keep your skin healthy and glowing AND it is inexpensive and chemical free!

Try it and let me know what you think. What are your DIY skincare solutions?