take good CARE of yourself

I have become quite the skincare geek. I am constantly flipping through my newest copy of VOGUE right to the beauty news section, where I ingest each and every article about the newest, trendiest complexion solutions available. It has become quite an obsession.

I recently became interested in organic beauty products, yet I never had the courage to try them. They just seemed too "crunchy" to me. I mean, a crushed almond scrub sounds amazing, yet does it really work? Is it just like slathering food on my face?

Before I was about to rule out all natural mystery products, I stumbled upon CARE by Stella McCartney. I am a huge fan of Miss McCartney; her runway collections are beautiful, her Adidas by Stella McCartney line actually makes me want to work out, and her perfume, Stella, is like meandering through a garden of English roses. And on top of that, her products are animal-cruelty-free, which makes me love them even more.

So when I heard that she was on the verge of pioneering a new outlook on natural skincare, I couldn't wait to try it. I recently read an article on McCartney, and in it she described the intensive process that her team of scientists went through to perfect the line. All of her products are Ecocert-certified, and according to Sephora:

"Ecocert, an internationally recognized certification program, takes into account not only the composition and the origin of the product's ingredients, but also covers the entire development process from conception to packaging. The Ecocert label can assure consumers of both the quality and sincerity of Care by Stella McCartney, making it one entirely trustworthy assortment."

This the real deal, a sophisticated skincare line that is both natural and beneficial to the skin. And did I mention the gorgeous packaging? McCartney's fresh aesthetic is evident through the beautifully simplistic design of the bottles, which would no doubtfully elicit "oooo"s and "aweeeee"s when gracing a bathroom counter.

Even though I try not to spend too much money on skincare, I will be saving up my money to try the Discovery Kit, which is a great way to find a powerful elixir to brighten your complexion.

Thank you, Stella McCartney, for satisfying skincare geeks everywhere.

A Spoonful of Sugar

Mary Poppins got it right. Sugar can cure everything. It has the power to momentarily cure disappointments, a bad grade on a test, even a broken heart. What would we be without sugar?

And so when my skin began to look and feel like the Sahara Desert, I knew I needed some sugar therapy. I crept into my mother's bathroom and borrowed her Fresh Sugar Face Polish, hoping that perhaps her swanky skincare would cure my skin. I looked at the label and saw that some of the key ingredients included brown sugar, grapeseed oil, vitamin C, and wild strawberries. This masque/exfoliant hybrid looked promising, so I was curious to see if it lived up to its sleek product marketing.

As I massaged the exfoliant onto my skin, I was first struck with how wonderfully delicious the polish smelled, like a mixture of strawberries and lemon. The sugar particles were finely ground, not course like the usual exfoliants that I have tried. After leaving the masque on for ten minutes and then rinsing it off in warm water, I was shocked. My skin felt smooth and silky to the touch. It looked almost poreless. And the best part was it had restored some of my lost hydration. My skin was no longer a desert, but instead a silky flower petal.

Just a spoonful of sugar helps your skin look great
In the most delightful way!

Fresh Sugar Face Polish $55

The Power of Pink

There is nothing like being a teen. You are young and have a little taste of freedom, yet none of the burdening responsibilities of being an adult.

The only downside: pimples.

These nasty boogers especially seem to come up whenever you don't want them, like on the night before a dance. There is something so awful about the sight of a red little eruption beneath the skin that lingers for days, ready and waiting to explode the moment you least want it to. Hello Mt. Vesuvius.

Well I have found an extinguisher to tame this fire. And its pink! Quite unexpected don't you think? Mario Badescu Drying Lotion is a spot treatment that minimizes your pimple overnight. Like that.

All you have do do is the three d's: dip, dab, and dot. First you dip a q-tip into the bottle all the way down to the pinky residue that settles to the bottom of the bottle. Next, you dab around in the bottle gently to collect the residue without mixing the sediments with the oil. Finally, you dot the pleasantly pink residue on all offending pimples. Left on overnight, the lotion makes a significant difference and sometimes dries the entire pimple, all without robbing your skin of moisture.

I have finally found a reliable treatment that works before a dance. Now if only I could find an equally reliable date...

Mario Badescu Drying Lotion: $17 at http://www.mariobadescu.com/productDetail.asp?ProductID=151&CatId=14