Friday, July 8, 2016

Serum Series: Vitamin C



Over the years, I have been guilty of riding the waves of numerous fads...BB creams, blue mascara, glitter eyeshadow, Noxzema (remember that?)...you get the picture.

However, I have finally found a new obsession that will not only stick but will leave me thanking myself years from now. I have stopped being lazy about my skincare regime and started making the investment in preventing my potential future saggy and wrinkly face.

I can say, with some certainty, I will be a bag of bones and wrinkles if I don't actively start working towards some type of preventative anti-aging movement. 28 years of sun exposure and several of those years living in Florida equals bad new bears.

Lately, I've noticed my concealer gets caught in my fines lines under and around my eyes. I blamed it solely on my concealer. So, back to Sephora I went...numerous concealers later and I had to face the facts. My skin has lost a bit of elasticity around my eyes.

So, naturally I started frantically Googling what my favorite celebrities are doing to make their skin look like they just hopped out of the fountain of youth. I mean, is Jen Aniston 21 or 41? No one would know. So, after probably 75 different articles and interviews read, I knew I had to add to existing routine some Vitamin C (and other serums...to come in future posts).

I'm not trying to just think something is going to do miracles for me and waste money and then in a month from now notice that the bottle has collected dust. This is the new "anti-clutter" Kacey speaking, of course. Plus, when I step into the skincare aisles of Sephora, I'm overwhelmed by the immediate over-stimulation of what seems like millions of products and price tags that I'd have to hide from my husband (oh yeah, forgot to mention... I got married).

So, let me make this simple for you. If you don't have Vitamin C in your current face product rotation, step up your game. Here's why...as we age, our body's collagen breaks down and the collagen production minimizes. This is where the the devil's work (wrinkles) come in. Vitamin C serums pack their biggest punch by increasing the production of collagen, which means increasing your skin's elasticity. And boom, we are fighting wrinkles before they start OR helping to decrease wrinkles that have already formed.

If you're like me, you enjoy researching a gazillion products before making a purchase. I like to make sure I'm getting a good product at the right price. I won't overspend just for a certain brand name. It HAS to work. So, on to Amazon I went after scouring Sephora's site. Along came Eve Hansen products. I'd, personally, never heard of this brand but with hundreds upon hundreds of reviews, I felt confident giving it a whirl. For a 2 ounce bottle of Vitamin C, you're looking at a price tag over under $18 on Amazon. Compare this to the $60-$80 you could be spending elsewhere.

Bottom line...you can't argue with the science. This product is 100% vegan, fights free-radical damage, sun damage (YES!), improves pigmentation issues, improves skin tone AND texture and is good for all skin types. A few drops massaged and patted into your skin twice a day!

Call me when you're 65 and you can thank me then.

Thursday, July 7, 2016

Need a reason to ease up on the drinking? I'll give you five.

Ok, so college is over. Didn't get the memo? I'm not surprised.

I am a rare breed. I have nearly quit drinking alcohol entirely. It is a rare occasion that I'll let my hair down and have a glass of champagne (or maybe a tequila shot, depending on my crew at the time). I have a list of reasons I nearly eliminated booze from my diet but easily say it was one of my better choices.

Here are the top five reasons laying off the booze is great...

1. You sleep better - and not the dead-to-the-world drunken sleep.
2. You notice a reduction in stomach fat (after a month of sober living)
3. Your risk of mouth, liver and breast cancer reduces (WHAT?!)
4. You'll quit throwing so much money down the drain (think about it...$30 at a happy hour three times a week....around $5000 a year...that's a lot of shoes and rent)
5. You'll quit having to experience the mind-numbing 3-day hangovers (because let's face it...you're not 22 anymore and invincible and Pam from finance is starting to worry that you're always face-down on the desk trying not to throw up).

With that said, cheers to tomorrow being Friday!