The Pond's Experiment- My Results

I started out the Pond's Experiment with lots of hope and excitement.  Unfortunately, after two weeks of using Pond's daily, I have to change my tune.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised when the first ingredient listed is mineral oil.  The first week of using it, my skin was looking glowy and clear.  I ignored the weird film that Pond's left on my face, usually getting my skin squeaky clean with toner.  I used a washcloth to get Pond's off, and then switched to cotton pads, thinking it would be easier instead of using a new washcloth every night.  I think that transition made a big difference; the towel helped to exfoliate and remove the film, while the cotton pads just kind of removed my makeup.  Initially using Pond's felt kind of glamorous and old-school, but soon I found it tedious...and trust me, sometimes I get too lazy to make a big production out of washing my face.

On to week two of using Pond's.  I tried to blame the breakout I experience on the Ole Henriksen mask, but when more and more pimples were popping up, I thought Pond's had something to do with it.  And then the flaking!  Because Pond's is so oil-heavy, it didn't do anything to help my already oily face.  So I was SHOCKED when my face suddenly got really dry and flaky; maybe I was overcompensating for the oil by using too much toner.  All in all, my skin was acting wacky.  And I didn't feel like dealing with it anymore.

But not all is lost!  I do sincerely think that Pond's is an excellent makeup remover or pre-cleanser, something I can use to get all of my makeup off when I do dramatic or makeup-heavy looks.  I just think a cleanser that comes off with water is the best thing for your skin.  So during my weekly waste-money-on-who-knows-what trip to Target, I spied this cleanser by Neutrogena.  It's called Visibly Even Foaming Cleanser, and it's supposed to help with dark spots (which I definitely have from being a serial skin-picker) and dull skin.  Before I jump the gun and tell you I love it or hate it, I'll give it a few weeks.  Here's hoping!!

After a long night out...

While I hope everyone had an amazing time last night, I bet I know what everyone is dealing with this morning.  Personally, I didn't wake up until well past noon...I guess that's expected when you get home at 6 in the morning. :(  Not that I'm a party animal or anything, but seriously, when the party is only getting started at midnight, what do you expect?

So I know some of you may be tired, hungover, or let's face it, just feeling rough, here are some tips to ensure that your morning will be as fabulous as it can be.

ALWAYS, and I can't stress it enough, wash your face the night before.  No matter how tired or beat you are when you get home, there is no excuse for going to bed with your makeup on!  And honestly, I'm not crazy about makeup-removing cloths either.  I feel like they leave a weird film on your skin, and they are no replacement for water and cleanser.  Getting all that makeup and pollution off of your face will feel so good, and you'll be glad you did it in the morning.

The night before, and when you wake up in the morning, apply a nice eye cream.  This will help keep your eyes bright and refreshed, and helps to get rid of dark circles and shadows that are bound to appear after a long night out.  Using an eye cream regularly will also help with any puffiness.  I like All About Eyes from Clinique.  It's got a nice consistency and feels pretty luxurious on my eyes.  Make sure to moisturize your face in the morning to keep your skin from looking dull.

If your plans don't require a full face of makeup, I would avoid eyeliner and mascara.  You want to keep your eyes as bright as possible, and mascara and eyeliner might give you unwanted shadows.  Use some concealer (bonus if it's also an "eye brightener", like Touche Éclat from Yves Saint Laurent or Active Light concealer from Jane Iredale).  Rub some cream blush on your cheeks to give you a nice glow- I like MAC Blushcreme in Posey.  It looks bright in the pan, but it is a pretty pink color that will help you look alive.  Use a moisturizing lip balm and you're good to go.

Make sure you drink LOTS of water to keep your skin from looking dull and ashy.  Just because you partied hard the night before doesn't mean you have to sacrifice the next morning!  Have a wonderful day, and an even better year!!