Winter Skin Woes, Dry Skin Solutions

So, with the winter weather finally arriving, my skin is taking a turn for the worse. I already have dry skin but it's a constant battle trying to keep my face from falling off once the thermometer drops. And it got me thinking that maybe my Pigment readers might struggle with similar winter scales. I have a lot of tricks up my sleeve both high end and shoestring that help keep skin fresh in the cold.

Let me start with lip balms. I have trouble getting excited about lip balm. They all seem to work. But people love the Jack Black brand because it is thick and rich but not shiny or sticky. It's very soothing and just a wee minty. But I'm a fan of cherry Chapstick too...

When it comes to face creams, obviously, Creme de La Mer is a gold standard for deep moisture. I mean, it was invented to help heal burns so our skin issues seem puny in comparison. But if the price tag has you giving me the stink eye, I found this amazingly emollient cream when I was in northern Michigan this summer made in Traverse City of all places (NY snob alert). Creation Pharm Skin Renewal Cream with Wild Yam is all natural, unprocessed ingredients with skin regenerating Evening Primrose, Borage OIl, Cherry Kernel Oil, and Wild Yam extract. When I put it on at night I come to bed and my husband says "mmmmm, yams". But in a good way. The best part is the price: $15 for a big yammy jam jar.

My newest obsession comes courtesy of Arthur's nanny, Angela who recommended NeoStrata Problem Dry Skin Cream. The website description makes it seem like it might be for knees and elbows but sometimes that's how dry my face feels. The cream isnt super pricey and it's got a 20% alpha hydroxy formula so it is not for the squeamish but it peels your skin off in the best way to reveal your baby skin underneath. But don't forget sunscreen with this puppy.

As far as cleansers go, I trust good old Pond's Cold Cream like Grandma used to use which makes my skin feel really well taken care of. And its like $4.50. But if you don't want all those parabens, which are anti-microbial preservatives that are getting called into question for their potential toxicity, you could use a cleanser like Epicuren Apricot Cream Cleanser.

And my favorite trick of all is probably the cheapest. On the days when my skin is feeling desperate, I take a scoop of my least used/cheapest moisturizer - does everyone have like 5 leftover jars of moisturizer like I do?? No? Ok, then use olive or grapeseed oil - and a fist full of sugar and scrub your face with the mixture until the sugar dissolves and your skin is smooth and glowing. You will taste and look delicious!

Stay tuned next week I will have some insight into the fabulous and overwhelming world of Awards Show Makeup!

Lipstains Continued: Josie Maran & Returning to Work

Just an update after yesterday's blog on lip stains:
Full Disclosure...I am a lip-licker. I have been accused of this by my friend Liz who can put on lipstick and it is still on 4 hours later. That is never gonna happen for me. I bite and lick my lips on an unconciously regular basis. So that is another reason, in addition to being a bright, sheer summery look, why stains work for me. But my habits have been known to take down even the most sincere attempts at tinting my lips. If a lipcolor can last the length of a subway ride, it gets a C+. If it lasts the whole commute and an extra hour, B+. If it can last past a cocktail, A.
Yesterday, I wore Josie Maran's Magic Marker lip stain in Mambo to my sister in law's apartment. It indeed lasted the entire commute and after checking on it post-glass-of-wine, there was still a little bit left although much faded. So I give it an A- for effort. The color was beautiful and it wasn't sticky or drying.

On a completely different note, I am getting ready to head back into work at SVU. It seems that we will be moving stages from our 11-year home base in glamorous North Bergen, NJ to the old Mothership Law & Order stages at Chelsea Piers. It should be different and interesting to shake it up, so we'll see! And it will for sure save on bridge and tunnel tolls - for me at least!
It is interesting, however, how used to having down time I can get. When you do movies for a living, as opposed to TV, they tend to be shorter periods of work and then shorter periods of downtime. That downtime, however, is fraught with the anxiety of "finding the next job!". Our show crew works 10 months straight of 15 hour days and then we get a substantial break. Because we have the show to go back to (for now) it decreases the anxiety of losing one job and having to go find another every few months. Especially in this economy, that is a real gift. But going from being able to see family, friends, movies, and museums to work work work is an adjustment! So I am trying to get into a work frame of mind...I'm even doing a commercial with my friend Dina this week to get my head back in the game. I'll keep you posted.

Ok, anyone reading have some lip stain advice for the rest of us?