If we aren’t being bombarded with news of which (already youthful) celebrity is getting plastic surgery or being injected with Botox, we’re being fed images through beauty and fashion magazines, Hollywood, and most of all these damn filters on our social platforms, that youthful skin is IN and the real you is OUT. So how can we keep up when we certainly aren’t getting any younger, but don’t want to resort to needles and going under the knife?

Five simple tips to help you take anti-aging matters into your own hands:

Wear broad spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30+, 365 days per year. (Yes, even in the winter!) Think of it this way: UVB=burning rays and UVA=aging rays. Make sunscreen a priority in your beauty arsenal not only as a preventative measure against skin cancer, but to prevent age spots and wrinkles. Two places people often forget but show signs of aging the fastest? Your hands and your neck. Favorite: MDSolarSciences Wear sunglasses with UV protectant lenses. If crow’s feet are the bain of your existence, think about all of the squinting you’ve been doing. Whether you are enjoying the outdoors with your children or simply driving to the store, the delicate skin around your eyes takes a beating each time you squint thus deepening the creases and making those fine lines more apparent. Favorite: PolarSpex Schedule a monthly facial. There is nothing like escaping to the spa for a little down time to relax and be pampered, but the most important part of this is seeing a professional esthetician who can address the needs of your skin and give it a deep cleaning on a monthly basis. Your skin will have a more youthful glow, I promise you. Favorite: The Lodge at Woodloch Brightening Facial Use products suitable for your skin type. Think there are only three categories for skincare: normal, oily and combination? Wrong. And chances are, what your friend tells you works great for her, isn’t always best to meet your skin’s unique needs. By using the right products for your skin type, you’ll have a more effective skin care routine that will have people asking you for ID. Favorite: Renée Rouleau Skin Care Get your beauty sleep. 7-8 hours of sleep per night will not only help your overall health, it will also keep your skin radiant (e.g. you won’t look so tired!) Bonus tip: Sleep with your head elevated on two pillows in order to prevent dark circles and under eye puffiness. This helps fluids to properly drain from around the eye area. Another great way to ensure a good night’s sleep? Blocking out all light with a sleep mask. Favorite: Alaska Bear Sleep Mask It’s never too late to put these tips into practice or to share them with your best girlfriends…unless you want to keep the secret to your new younger appearance classified of course! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too! Or check out our natural bath and body line!

I recently visited Morzine, France for a week of skiing aka falling in the snow (as I am still extremely amateur.) For those of you who have been on a ski trip, you will know that a week on the slopes is one of the most special types of trips. It involves good food and wine, great company with friends and family and whilst it is one of the most physical weeks in terms of exercise, it leaves you recharged in a different way. Perhaps it's the positive effect that open space and fresh air brings - an uplifted sense of well-being. In saying all this, a day on the slopes means your skin can be exposed to both the elements of the sun and snow. At the end of the day not only have your legs had a workout, but your skin is tired too! These are my top picks for what to pack to ensure your skin is looked after just as well as your chalet hosts look after you! IXXI Silky Cleansing Balm - Yes, your skin has had fresh air all day in the alps, but remember, you've been sweating and have most probably had a combination of sun, snow, sleet, wind, rain or all of the above against your face. Besides the warm tea and afternoon treats that were waiting in our chalet for us at the end of each day, using this cleanser was what I looked forward to most after a day on the slopes! Rich in consistency and full of essential oils to put the bling back into your skin, this product feels like you've bathed your face in milk. It has a comforting, soothing effect. Apply to a dry face, massaging gently as the gel transforms into oil. Leave on for a few minutes as you would a mask before rinsing off. When in contact with water this oil changes into a milky balm - it's the best feeling! The balm washes off easily, leaves no oily residue and removes makeup effectively. Containing almond and coconut oil, the cleanser leaves your skin nourished and also has anti-redness and anti-aging properties. What's more is that 90% of this products' ingredients are from natural origin. After cleansing, I lathered my face with IXXI Sublixime Anti-ageing Absolute. This is like liquid silk! A few drops of this oil is all that is needed to regenerate your skin. I applied this each evening and the pine extracts (derived from bark, pine seed oil and pine needles) ensure that you wake up with radiant, toned skin. The smell is divine - it has a sweet alpine smell, with hints of violet and jasmine, musk and orchid. Dry, chapped lips are never a good look and unfortunately the wind and dry air on the slopes mean that this nasty look is often highly probable. This is a beauty product that you will probably find in every Australian women's handbag and it's one that since living there I have wondered how I ever lived without it! Lucas’ Pawpaw ointment is made in Brisbane, Australia from fermented Australian pawpaw fruit and is one of those products that seems to work for everything - chapped lips, burns, cuts, rashes, you name it! It has antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and comes in a convenient tube. Pop this in your ski jacket and reapply every few hours to keep your lips plump and smooth. Just because your goggles cover your eyes during the day, doesn’t mean that they don’t need some attention. IXXI’s Eye Contour Treatment is cooling and ideal for night and day. A week of skiing, whilst the best of fun is also tiring, so a treatment that puts puffy eyes and dark circles at bay is always welcome. Creightons Argon Smooth Miracle Oil – my hair is often the first to show a change in climate and washing my hair every day and wearing a helmet on a ski trip can take its toll. After each wash, I applied a few pumps of Argan oil to damp hair to leave my hair smooth, frizz free and shiny. The smell of this oil is incredible, like a sweet perfume, which is very different to the dull smell of other hair oils I have used in the past. If you have any tips for perfect ski skin or any travel beauty essentials that you can’t leave home without, let me know! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Silk Therapeutics for LabGrab. All opinions are my own.

Do you have fine lines or under eye puffiness? Lack of a decent amount of sleep will often cause me to get puffy bags under my eyes, and well, my age is showing with fine lines and crow's feet on a regular basis. If you are a regular reader, you know I love the New England-based Silk Therapeutics brand and have reviewed a few of their products (Silk Therapeutics Nurture ++ Moisturizer, Purely Smooth Daily Minimizing Complex, and Silk Renewing Peel.) If you are not already familiar with this great skin care brand, they use minimal ingredients and activated liquid silk in all of their products. Silk protein is what firms and smoothes skin and gives its healthy appearance. Pure liquid silk does the job of a number ingredients and this is why their products can be ultra-effective without a laundry list of fillers. As with most brands, there are a lot of great ideas for other products put forth and formulations that tried and tested. However, most of the time, only one of those products make it to market. It's not to say that the other product ideas or formulations weren't good, it's always just a matter of which one is the best of the best at the time and money to get it from the lab to you. As a beauty brand owner myself, I can't begin to tell you how true this is. I would surely love to launch many items at once, but just to put ONE out costs a considerable amount of money and that's not a pricetag I want to pass onto you, and neither do they. But I love the idea Silk Therapeutics came up with to problem solve this which gave birth to a new line called LabGrab. LabGrab is a skin care line with the same innovative formulations of pure liquid silk, made in limited edition batches at affordable prices. It's no frills naming (the formulator's initials, internal formulation number and intended purpose of the product) with the product in lab glass. While EC-018 may not sound sexy, your skin won't know any better. I had the opportunity to try their Cream - Eye Renewal prior to launch. It's an unscented eye treatment comprised of liquid silk, silk micro-capsules, caffeine, and botanicals. The texture has a whipped consistency - it is lightweight and airy. It's not at all greasy and doesn't feel like it sits atop your skin. It's incredibly concentrated and you only need to use a tiny amount. And by tiny, I mean less than pea-sized for both eyes. I've used it every day for a few weeks now and it looks like I've barely touched my jar. Also - the skin around my eyes looks great! My crow's feet have softened and there's no under-eye puffiness. Now, I know that I won't see miracles only having used it for a short period of time, however, I am beginning to see results and I know with consistent use, the overall results will improve. I'm really excited about the launch of LabGrab and I hope you'll check out the products for yourself! Any questions? Let me know in the comments! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

We all know consuming fruits and vegetables are essential to our overall health, but what about the benefits of applying them to our skin? If you have normal to dry skin, you may need hydration and exfoliation in order to brighten or if you have combination to oily skin, you may need a detox of the skin to bring your dull skin back to life. Either way, Acure Organics has an at home facial peel for you! As I've gotten older, my skin seems to be more sensitive to the change in seasons. It's now normal to dry for a longer period of time, with it becoming combination to oily only in the Summer. A few years ago, this wasn't the case, as it was combination to oily all year round. It's no secret that fruit and veggie enzymes are great exfoliators and have the antioxidants skin needs to fight free radicals. It's what's called a "chemical exfoliator" even though there are obviously no dangerous chemicals involved. The other type of exfoliator is a physical one and that involves ingredients that would scrub the skin manually (microbeads, sugar, salt, etc.) Brightening Vegetable Peel: This skin treatment is for normal to dry skin. It's a light green colored gel with a slight odor when you squeeze it out. The scent goes away rather quickly, though. While this peel has sugar cane in it, you definitely do not feel any granules. It's simply a gel that you smooth over the skin (vs scrubbing.) The other exfoliant in this peel is apple cider. Kale, spinach, and chlorella provide your skin with vitamins and hydration. Purifying Fruit Peel: This skin treatment is for combination to oily skin types. It has a slight orange hue to it and is also a thick gel consistency. I didn't really notice a scent with this peel. Papaya enzyme, bitter cherry and blue agave are the exfoliants that reveal the healthy skin underneath. This peel is chock full of fruit to get your skin glowing, like mango, raspberry, cranberry, bilberry and many more. To combat your oily skin, there's witch hazel, lemon and orange. The word peel is kind of tricky because the gel doesn't dry to the point that you peel it off your face, but it does peel away the layer of dead skin by dissolving it. For each peel, you leave it on for about 5 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water. If you have sensitive skin, then leave it on for less time. I did notice I had to rub my skin a little to get the gel off and had an easier time if I used a cotton washcloth. My skin always looked refreshed after using this peel. The tubes are only 1.4 oz, but you really don't need much product to apply as the thick gel thins out as you smooth it over your skin. Additionally, you only need to use this peel 1-2 times per week. So that tube should last you a good while. Acure Organics are vegan, sulfate and paraben free and Leaping Bunny certified cruelty free. Have you tried any of their products yourself? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

Disclosure: Thanks to RoC® Daily Resurfacing Disks, I'm getting taking care of my skin as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars #WomenWhoRoC

Are you looking for a simple way to cleanse and exfoliate your skin all in one beauty product? Do you have fine lines, wrinkles and sun damaged skin? Then you may want to consider the Daily Resurfacing Disks from RoC®. I've been using it daily for the last few weeks and found it an easy product to incorporate into my skin care routine. RoC® Daily Resurfacing Disks are gentle enough to be used everyday and are intended to help diminish the look of fine lines (after one week), diminish the signs of photoaging (after 4 weeks) and over time reduce the appearance of wrinkles and pores (12 weeks.) One side of the disk is smooth and the other side is textured with little bumps to exfoliate the skin. The exfoliation isn't rough, but I LOVE using it on my nose and chin area where I have blackheads. I've definitely noticed a difference with my blackheads becoming less noticeable... which means my large pores on my nose are less noticeable because they are not filled with gunk. (Eww.) The Daily Resurfacing Disks can also be used as a makeup remover, however, I have only used it to remove the makeup on my face and not my eye makeup due to how foamy the disks are. I do use it *around* my eyes, though, where my crows feet are (very carefully.) The disks are self-foaming, but soap free (and oil free, hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.) They are fragranced, but not any more so than other facial cleasers I've used. In this pic I am not wearing concealer or primer so that you can see just how sun damaged it is. The spots on my nose are not pores, but hyperpigmentation (although I do have large pores, but you can't see them because this stuff works really, really well!) If you read my blog regularly, I am always saying that I am paying for the skin sins of my youth when I didn't wear sunscreen on my face. This is the proof. You guys. Wear sunscreen. I do know that fading sun damage does take some time, especially to the extent that I have it. I'm looking forward to seeing a difference. I haven't used it for 4 weeks yet (just 2.5), so hoping that consistent use will render visible results with that issue. Like I mentioned earlier, I do see a difference in the appearance of my pores due to the exfoliation and the really fine lines have softened a bit due to the moisturizing nature of this product. Would love to know if you've tried them or have any questions! Leave a comment! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

Smooth as silk... that's one way to describe how I'd like my weathered skin to feel. But what if you want to accomplish that without an ingredient heavy product (some of which include chemicals that I can't even pronounce), is that even a possibility? I've used Silk Therapeutics before, so when they asked if I wanted to try their Purely Smooth daily firming complex, I didn't hesitate to say yes. And by the way, Purely Smooth only contains 5 ingredients. Unscented is: water, silk, Vitamin C, rosehip oil and sodium anisate (a natural emulsifier), while Lemongrass swaps rosehip oil out for lemongrass essential oil. I received the Lemongrass, which has a very crisp, clean and lemony aroma. It reminds me of getting a facial at a spa. It comes in a glass jar with a small spatula to scoop the product out with. Avoid using your fingers, as this will introduce bacteria into the jar. One thing I noticed about Purely Smooth in the jar, other than its invigorating scent, is that it looked to have the consistency of tapioca, much like the Renewing Peel I've previously reviewed. While it looked kind of thick and bumpy when I scooped it out, it spreads very thinly on your skin. This product should be applied prior to moisturizer so that there is no barrier between it and your skin. You will literally feel this product working. It's a cross between a light tingling and a sort of "fresh" sensation on your face. It wasn't painful or intrusive and isn't long-lasting, but you are aware of it for a few moments while it sinks into your skin. Also, don't layer it on thick - more will not amplify the effects of the product, in fact, it may cause your skin to flake if you apply too much. You only need a dime-size amount spread evenly to your face and neck. Then apply moisturizer after applying Purely Smooth. Since my hand is a wrinkle-fest, I thought it would be a good way to demonstrate how lines are quickly smoothed using Purely Smooth. It's pretty clear that where I applied Purely Smooth, my skin looks smoother and less "aged" versus where I didn't apply it at all. I hope Silk Therapeutics can make a hand cream like this for old lady hands like mine. This daily firming complex quickly absorbs and dries to a matte finish (which I am grateful for with my combination skin.) What I like about this product is that it contains Vitamin C, which works to boost healthy collagen, as well as fade pigmentation that often creates uneven skin tone. Their pure liquid silk also aids in the smoothing of skin by working with collagen.

(That's not me super-imposed in front of a nice setting, it's actually the view from a large boulder in my front yard!)

What's most noticeable to me after using Purely Smooth is that my forehead is not fraught with fine and deep set lines. The lines between my brows are still there, but I expect that when I'm squinting a little (it was pretty bright out.) I'm happy with how my skin looks after, and like most people, when you see a noticeable difference when you use a product, you're basically assured that it works. I'm in the process of trying out Silk Therapeutics Nuture++ Moisturizer and will have that review in a few weeks. Have you tried anything from Silk Therapeutics? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

I'm trying to be OK with this aging thing. I'm trying not to care about every new wrinkle that emerges (which literally feels like it happens daily.) I'm trying not to notice the loss of elasticity in my face when I see drooping in places that didn't droop yesterday. But here's the thing - with social media basically demanding selfies, it's hard NOT to notice. Especially over time. We're all used to looking at ourselves in the mirror daily, but when you suddenly have a papertrail of photos that basically full-on detail how you're aging, all I can say is UGH. So when new "revolutionary" products come to market that claim to combat the signs of aging, I'm always intrigued. Skeptical, but intrigued. The latest being collagen drinks and supplements. I mean, it makes sense... loss of collagen contributes to the wrinkles, fine lines and sagging skin, so why not drink it to replace what you've lost? Oh if only that was how it works. First and foremost, you should know that the supplement industry is unregulated... so they can make claims without providing proof. Yes, yes, much like the cosmetics industry, but less so which makes it a little bit scarier. According to an article in the New York Times regarding the Attorney General sending a cease and desist letter to major retailers carrying supplements, "The F.D.A. requires that companies verify that every supplement they manufacture is safe and accurately labeled. But the system essentially operates on the honor code. Under a 1994 federal law, supplements are exempt from the F.D.A.'s strict approval process for prescription drugs, which requires reviews of a product’s safety and effectiveness before it goes to market." This cease and desist stemmed from a finding that many supplements don't contain the ingredients they claim to have, such as collagen, and that many unlisted ingredients were fillers (many of which were in the legume family - something that would be deadly to those with a peanut allergy.) Of course, I'm not saying that all supplements do not work or that all supplement brands mislabel or mislead. I know that probiotic supplements work for gut health, but do probiotics work in skin care? Not so much. So I again reached out to trusted friend and fellow beauty blogger, Perry Romanowski for his insight... because I really wanted to delight in some of these collagen drinks that have been sent to me in an effort to look much younger.

"There is no evidence that drinking collagen will have any impact on skin or joints. It doesn't even make sense from a biological standpoint. When you ingest something like collagen your body has enzymes in your digestive system that breaks down the molecule to component amino acids. So from a chemistry standpoint eating collagen protein is no different than eating a hamburger patty. It's just marketing smoke and mirrors. While the manufacturer claims collagen is in the product the consumer has no way of knowing whether it is in there or not. Often, what is claimed to be in a supplement is actually not in there. I would never recommend taking one that wasn't specifically prescribed by a doctor." - Perry Romanowski, The Beauty Brains/Chemists Corner

Sigh. While a healthy diet is still important for your overall health and an abundance of vitamins and minerals do have an effect on some hair and skin care issues, it appears that the best way to tackle anti-aging (temporarily) is still from a topical standpoint. Have anything to add? Leave a comment and let me know! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

Disclosure: Thanks to RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer With Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 I’m getting my skin ready for the holidays as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars #WomenWhoRoC

The holidays are finally here, which seems a bit unreal, especially here in the Poconos where it hasn't had accumulative snow yet, making it still feel like September. (There's something about snow that really gives you that holiday feeling.) As everyone reaches for their camera to capture the season's memories, now is the time to have a winter skin care regimen going in full force. Did you begin back when we began talking about holiday skin prep? Since I know my family will be snapping lots of photos, especially since it is my youngest son's first Christmas, I really want to look my best. And to be honest, I'm super self conscious about those photos going up on Facebook and my friends from high school secretly judging how I'm aging. (Admit it, it's something you think about, too.) In addition to the RoC® Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream I mentioned using in my last post, I'm also incorporating RoC® RETINOL CORREXION® Deep Wrinkle Daily Moisturizer with Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 30 into my skin care arsenal. The moisturizer contains an exclusive combination of pure retinol and the latest sunscreen technology that is specifically engineered to deliver very broad and photostable UVA and UVB protection with an SPF 30 (which is the minimum SPF you should be using on your skin at all times.) Since exposure to light is known to degrade the effectiveness of retinol, I like that RoC's stablized retinol is kept intact with the addition of broad spectrum sunscreen. Sunscreen should be part of your daily skin care regimen anyway, since what's the point of using anti-aging skin care if you're going to let the sun continue to age you? (Am I right?!) This moisturizer is clinically shown to visibly diminish wrinkles after 8 weeks of use and after 12 weeks of use, even deep wrinkles are visibly diminished. I've only been using it about 4 weeks so far and my wrinkles have definitely softened in their appearance. I especially dislike this one deep set wrinkle I have that is between my eyebrows.  As you can see in the photo, it is still visible, but it's not all in your face. (Do you see what I just did there?) At least not to me. It looks softer and more like a fine line than a wrinkle. The fine lines I do have are less noticeable. Retinol is said to be drying, but I haven't found that to be the case so far. I do have combination skin and I've found that it has a mattifying effect for me. Do I look 41? (You can say no.) I'd love to hear about your experience if you've used this product! Leave a comment! Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

Disclosure: Thanks to RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream I’m getting my skin ready for the holidays as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars #RoCRetinolResolution #WomenWhoRoC

I feel like this year has flown by. Don't you? We're quickly approaching what is prime photo season - the holidays! The holiday season (October through the beginning of January) is my frenemy for many reasons. I look forward to the warmth and fun of enjoying family get togethers and parties, but loathe the stress (which shows on my face) and all the photos I'll soon be tagged in. Having our 5 boys plus a newborn means many sleepless nights and sometimes chaotic days. I definitely don't want that to come across in pictures. For most things, I am a procrastinator. I simply wait until the last minute to do anything, but one thing I have learned when it comes to my skin? Undoing years of damage, as well as creating a flawless canvas simply doesn't happen overnight. I absolutely have to begin my anti-aging regimen months in advance. Right now setting aside time for myself is difficult, but oh so necessary (if momma ain't happy, ain't nobody's happy.) One way I am pampering myself while treating my skin, is with an evening dose of me time. (You deserve it, so gift yourself with it daily!) That includes a detoxing soak in the bathtub (San Francisco Salt Company) with the fragrance of a ridiculously soothing candle (I LOVE the Geranium and Lavender candle from Root Candles), contrasted by the invigoration of my favorite coffee scrub (Fig+Yarrow) followed by RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream. Taking the stress level down a notch helps more than you may think when it comes to your skin. And that relaxation helps to promote a more restful sleep when you steal away time for yourself at the end of each day. Looking well-rested means less concealer. When it comes to combatting wrinkles, especially those deep wrinkles on my forehead, I love that I can do it in my sleep while my skin is regenerating. RoC Retinol Correxion Deep Wrinkle Night Cream's main ingredient is retinol, which is the #1 dermatologist recommended anti-aging ingredient. As we age, we lose 1-2% of collagen each year, which results in a sallow and sullen appearance. Retinol improves collagen-depleted skin treating fine lines and deep wrinkles. Give yourself a good 4 weeks of consistent, nightly use and you'll begin to see a difference. Minimized wrinkles means less time spent photoshopping...or in my case, making my husband take about 100 photos until one meets my approval. Oh c'mon, you know exactly what I am talking about! I'm looking forward to my husband's annual Christmas party at work and won't be cringing when friends break out the camera! How far in advance do you begin getting your skin holiday-ready? Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Paula's Choice.  All opinions expressed in this post are my own. Who can resist Paula's Choice in their skin care routine? Sorry, I couldn't help but make that joke, although I have to say that now that I've tried this skin care line, I'm pretty much hooked. Prior to this review, I hadn't tried any of Paula's Choice skin care, although I am very much aware of Paula Begoun, the founder, as the Cosmetics Cop who is all about truth in beauty, skin care, ingredients and proven research. In fact, I had the chance to interview her when Beautypedia launched several years ago. Her website has a full encyclopedia of advice for every type of skin care concern. She is a wealth of information! I am a true skin care junkie. I absolutely believe that it doesn't matter how much contouring and concealing you do or how much makeup you wear - if your skin is a mess, there is no hiding that! Besides, the better you treat your skin, the less makeup you'll have to invest in to fix your flaws.

Paula's Choice Skin Care Consultation

My relationship with Paula's Choice began with a personalized skin care consultation. Paula’s Choice is committed to customer advocacy, education and helping people find the best products for their skin. In fact, everyone can receive a FREE personal skincare consultation by calling this number: 1-800-831-4088. I spoke with Moniqua, who asked me to briefly explain my skin and routine to her. She asked follow up questions to further clarify my skin type and changes I am seeing in my skin. Over the years my skin has changed a lot. In my youth (or back in the olden days, as my kids would say), my skin was oily. Throughout most of my adult years, it transitioned into combination (normal to oily.) When I moved to the Pocono Mountains in 2003, it became dry in the Fall and Winter and then back to combination for Spring and Summer. (Where you live can have a major impact on your skin.) However, during my recent pregnancy and post-partum AND now being considered to have "mature" (UGH) skin, it has again transitioned to normal to dry. Trying to find products that work well have been close to impossible. Trying to figure out the circus that is my skin has become incredibly frustrating, so I appreciated having a skin care expert to chat with to get a customized skin care regimen in place for me. Paula's Choice offers a 100% money back guarantee (within 60 days) - so I liked that safeguard when choosing products. Paula's Choice is also cruelty free and does not contain irritating dyes or fragrances. Their product line includes something for everyone, acne, rosacea, aging, pores. They treat it all. On their website, you can choose from a menu of skincare concerns you’d like to treat and for me that was sun damange (hyperpigmentation), uneven skin tone, balancing my skin so that it was not dry yet not oily, treating the occasional blemish, the always annoying blackheads and diminishing the signs of aging (fine lines, wrinkles.) You could say Moniqua had her work cut out for her to find me Paula's Choice products that could meet all of my needs.

Paula's Choice Skin Care for Mature Skin

The Paula's Choice skin care regimen that was suggested were products from the Resist line. One of the major standouts for me about this line is the texture. I am not a big fan of heavy creams and serums, and the Resist line is very lightweight. From the toner to the serum, BHA and moisturizer, I am thrilled at how each product applies and despite all of the layering, it doesn't feel that way. In total, my morning and night skin care routine contain 6 products: Resist Perfectly Balanced Foaming Cleanser, Resist Weightless Toner, Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA, Resist Moisture Renewal Oil Booster, Resist 25% Vitamin C Spot Treatment, Resist Daily Fluid SPF 50 (day), and Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator (night.) Once a week I swap out the 2% BHA for the Resist Weekly Retexturizing Foam 4% BHA. Right now I'm using the Oil Booster, but once my skin has finally balanced out, I plan to use the Resist Hyaluronic Acid Booster, which is for all skin types. Now you may ask, are all of those products really necessary? Here's my stance - most people will try to skip a product or two in order to save time and money, but then end up spending it on cosmetics to conceal whatever issue wasn't addressed. When those cosmetics aren't enough, they think it's the skin care products they're using and go onto try something else. By the time it's all said and done, you've spent more money than you've intended and more time trying to fix a problem that could've been easily solved to begin with. I encourage you to give Paula's Choice a try and set up a consultation so that you get the right products in your hands. www.paulaschoice.com Have you tried Paula's Choice? I'd love to hear about your experience in the comments. Subscribe to A Girl’s Gotta Spa! beauty blog. Watch our reviews on YouTube, see our pins on Pinterest and check us out on Instagram and G+. Got a Kindle? We’re on Kindle too!