To exfoliate or not to exfoliate: That is the question

I think by now we can agree that no two faces are alike. While one face may be oily, one combination, one may thirst for moisture, while the other needs some oil blotting sheets. Get the point? No product is going to work the same for every skintype. However, most experts agree that exfoliating is a big part of mainting healthy, beautiful skin.

Personally, I used to hate exfoliating, but the problem was that I wasn't using the right exfoliator for my skin. It's important, in my opinion(which some strongly will disagree, I'm sure) to minimize the amount of chemicals you use on your beauty regimine. This is something I will continuously preach. If you can find something that works without the chemicals, go for it! I stopped using products with acne medication because, although I'm breakout prone, they made it worse. Same goes for my exfoliator, I switched to something a little less harsh.

Now, my routine is pretty simple. If I have makeup on, I use my Clinique take the day off balm at night before bed, and when I wake up, I exfoliate to get my day started off great. I found this method of exfoliation, and I am IN LOVE! My skin is super soft and actually really clear. Mark Go With The Grain Exfoliating Beads.

This stuff is super awesome! It's basically ground up oatmeal. It's like superfoods for you face! The best part is, you just add it to your facial cleanser. It lasts forever, too. I usually add it to my Mark That's Deep Purifying Soap Free Cleanser. It's really neat, because the bottle sits right on top of the cleanser! Like this:

So cool!!!! :) I know, I'm like a little kid when I find stuff like this. When I add the beads to this cleanser, it rubs on the skin perfectly. The only downside is, it takes a while to get it all off. But, not a biggie, once I get it off my skin is glowing. I've started going out of the house without makeup on a lot more frequently after discovering this stuff!

If you're interested in buying any of these products, let me know. I have my own store and I almost always have a promo code going on! In fact, I have a really awesome one right now, but you have to comment to get the promo code.

http://jessicaford.mymarkstore.com/

xoxo

Worst Facial Cleanser I've Ever Tried!

So thus far I have had the opportunity to share some awesome products that I love with you. Well, that's not entirely the whole point of this blog. I want to make you aware of terrible products as well, to save you money! As a girl with constant breakouts, I am always on the lookout for some great acne products.

So, I came across this cleanser when I was looking for something cheap while traveling.

The label looks great, the ads look awesome, and it was like about $4. In the commercial, a beautifully clear skinned model is using this cleanser and talks about how it has an amazing tingle and continues to work all day long to fight breakouts. Great, right?!

So the first thing I notice when I get home and try it out is that it really does tingle. It actually feels great on my face. It's really creamy and makes my skin feel really clean. I throw a little moisturizer on, and off to bed. When I woke up I had a whole new batch of pimples! I was so confused! Well, I don't like to judge by one use, since it could have been a number of things causing my breakout. I continued to use this cleanser for 7 days, and it was the WORST THING EVER! My skin was red all the time and had several different breakouts. I couldn't WAIT to throw this stuff in the trash! 

This fiasco got me thinking about the marketing of some of these products. First, why does a girl with ZERO pimples advertise a product like this? I want to see a girl with zits just like me using this product, and I wanna see results! Also, the girls are covered in makeup while washing their face. Really? That's not realistic. I decided for my next cleanser post, I'm going to post pictures of me actually using the product. Flaws and all. Be proud of your flaws, because it makes you real. Being real is what makes you beautiful. 

I'm so thankful everyday that I log on to see how many views I am getting. I am glad that I can help people through the blog. I'm having so much fun posting, so keep the comments coming!

xoxo