Face Mask Time!

Every day our face takes a beating. No, not a physical beating, but from the simplest things such as the air we breathe! Our skin is like a sponge and absorbs whatever it comes in contact with and unfortunately the air isn't the cleanest thanks to pollution and neither our hands, which are the biggest culprits in clogging our pores. And we all know the sun isn't our best friend either :(

One of my favorite ways to revitalize and cleanse my skin is with face masks. Every week, I grab one of these miracles in a bottle, cake my face and wait for the magic to happen. And the result? Clean skin, small pores...the works! You don't even need to spend your whole paycheck either. Make your own masks at home! I can't wait to mix up some beauty concoctions in the kitchen. You know I'll follow up with a blog post ;)

Mask Time! by pumps-and-lipstick featuring a face mask

GlamGlow facial mask
$38 - debenhams.com

Fresh gel face mask
sephora.com

Eye mask
$11 - nelly.com

Face mask
skinbotanica.com

Eve Lom cleansing mask
bloomingdales.com



Crazy for beauty masks like me? Let me know which one is your fave in the comments!

New Beauty Tool: Neutrogena Advanced Solutions

While chit-chatting with my mom a few weeks ago about Christmas shopping and what were on each other's wish lists, our conversation went like this:

Me: "Hey mom, what do you want for Christmas?"

Mom: (In her Puerto Rican accent) "Ay Xio, I don't know. How 'bout you, baby?"

Me: "I think I want a Clarisonic. You know, one of those thingys that's battery operated that you scrub your face with it and it spins 'round and 'round?"

Mom: "Oh, I have one! I've never used it. You can have it."

Of course, she would own something that she's never worn or used. The woman has everything!

Me: "Really? You've never used it? I'll take it! Thanks mommy!"

A week later she sends it with my dad from Sacramento. I open the bag...and it's not a Clarisonic. As I scratch my scalp in utter confusion,  I take a look at the contraption and read, "Neutrogena Advanced Solutions." OK. This is definitely not it, but I'll give it a shot.

Girl! This thing is the bomb.com! After my first use, my skin was noticeably softer, squeaky clean and pores were smaller. Although, this system is what they call a 'at home microdermabrasion system.' It's definitely not for everyday use-- too much exfoliation can be very harmful for your skin. I read reviews on it as well, and I'm quite pleased to read so many positive reviews.

So, thanks mommy for the gift! Please feel free to send me more items that you don't use! :)

Sunday Ritual: Face Mask

Our skin takes a lot of crap. From transferring dirt and oils from our finger tips with the slightest touch to the smog in the air billowing out of car mufflers, our pores absorb a lot more gunk than we think. By cleansing our skin twice a day, we wash away most dirt and grime, but every now and then a deep, detoxifying mask will vamp up our skin's health and natural glow. I like to apply face masks once a week as my 'Sunday Ritual' and spruce up my home at the same time. Multitasking baby! The list benefits of face masks is ridiculously long: deep cleansing, increases hydration, pore refining, even skin tone, skin firming, acne fighting and more. In the market for a new face mask? Get a list of the best face masks recommended by top beauty experts via Allure, Temptalia, and Daily Glow. Wanna tap into some DIY? Click here for mask recipes from your kitchen cabinets! Make some time for yourself, you deserve it.