Sensitive Whore

Softer Than A Baby's Bottom - I Think

Ever since high school, when my face blew up from using a face mask which contained sulfa in the ingredients, I’ve steered clear of them. I’ve found most exfoliants contain sulfa in the ingredients. So my face has always been behind the eight ball when it came to seeing the positive results and experiencing the luxury of getting facials. Until now.

The Exfoliating Masque with Thermal Fusion from Arbonne Intelligence skin care line makes a sulfa free product. I figured this was worth testing out. Now I put my entire face on the line, but after reading the ingredients and understanding the commitment I’ve made to doing this Sensitive Whore column, I felt I had no choice but to step up.

Arbonne International claims their products to be results oriented, botanically correct, PH based and allergy tested, yet they never test on animals. All good. They don’t use dyes or mineral oils. Still good. They do use the most sophisticated European skin care treatments and incorporate them into their different lines. These products are formulated in Switzerland and made in the USA. That’s right, I’m going to say it again. These products are formulated in Switzerland and made in the USA. So not only are we helping our skin, we're supporting the United States economy by using their products.

I’ve tried the masque three times this week and my face feels unusually soft. I would say softer than a baby’s bottom, but I wonder whether a baby’s bottom is really this soft? I don’t have one next to me to do a comparison test on right now, so I’ll just say that my face has never felt this nice before and it glows. Check this product out.

Arbonne International sells an entire 6 step facial care Intelligence line which is best for the under 30 crowd that doesn’t need to worry about combating aging skin just yet. I’ve been using the entire line and have enjoyed each product. Even more importantly, I’ve been reaction free. And my face feels amazing. What more do you want from your products? If you’re looking for a new face regimen, give this a whirl. They only distribute products through independent consultants. Should you want to test this product out, contact Heather Kohlhoff, an independent consultant at [email protected] or call her at 818-505-0899. She’s really cool. If you’d like to check out the entire line of products, log on to www.arbonne.com.

Bobbi Brown's Brought Sexy Back!

I know most of you are under the impression that Justin Timberlake is solely responsible for bringing sexy back, but I disagree. After using Bobbi Brown’s shimmer brick compact in Bronze, I’m a new woman. I’m not one who finds the need to sparkle in the daytime, so I recommend using this product in the evening because - as advertised – it does shimmer.

The shimmer brick has five different shades that are in stripes from light to dark. You simply sweep a blush brush across all five colors and apply it over your cheek bones as a finisher. You may also use the different colors as eye shadows. The shimmer brick comes in eight tones, Bronze, Peony, Rose, Pink, Beige, Apricot, Brownie, and Gold. It costs $38.00, but since this product is really a 6 in 1, I feel it’s worth every penny.

The first time I used this product, three men asked for my number. I know what you’re thinking and no, I wasn’t dressed like Britney Spears. For the record, I always wear clean underwear when going for a drive. It’s something my mother instilled in me since childhood. Come to think of it, it may be the best advice my mother’s ever given me.

The next night I went out, I decided not to use the shimmer brick to do a test. Not one man struck up a conversation with me. This may have been a coincidence since we all have our good and bad nights, but I don’t think so.

Last night, I was going to a party that I knew I’d be seeing an ex-boyfriend at. He’s now married with a newborn. So of course, this newly single woman had to look her best, and armed with the shimmer brick as my secret weapon, I believed I could. After exchanging pleasantries with my ex and viewing some adorable and some not so adorable photos of his baby, my ex said to me, “You really look great.” And I replied, “Thank you, I really feel great.” Thank you, Bobbi.

Sorry Justin. I’m taking the sexy crown back. And I’m giving it to someone who really deserves it. Bobbi Brown’s brought sexy back!

Liquid Gold

When I turned twenty-one, I determined that since I was old enough to drink alcohol, it meant I was also old enough to need a face regimen. So over two hundred dollars later, I purchased a full facial line from Clarins. Clarins claims their products are 99.9 percent allergy proof. I was in the .1 percentile. After only three days of using my new products, my face looked like I had the measles, mumps and a severe case of elephantitis. I had a face that even a mother couldn’t love. Mine shuddered at the sight of me and drove me to a doctor, which really made me worry since this is a woman who treats driving into Manhattan from Brooklyn as though she were driving to Beirut by way of Baghdad. The dermatologist offered to put me on steroids. I couldn’t help wondering if she was going to fix my face, or make the rest of my body swell up to match the size of it and hope I didn’t realize. I declined the steroids and asked for another option. She said, “The swelling will go down in time, but stop using the Clarins products.” No shit. I didn’t need to schlep to the Upper East Side for that advice. Then she prescribed Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser and told me I could pick it up off the shelf at a regular drugstore for approximately ten bucks. Now I was in really bad shape, so I was willing to try anything. I couldn’t believe that a product sold over the counter at a drugstore was going to be the answer to my woes. Boy was I wrong. Cetaphil is liquid gold. This product is not only a gentle cleanser, it doubles as makeup remover. That’s right, I put this solution on a cotton square, rub it directly on my eyes and it doesn’t burn. Then I wash my face. Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser comes in a 20 oz. pump container and also can be found in travel size bottles. This product is perfect for those who have sensitive skin and those who are blessed with resilient skin. It’s approximately $10.99 a bottle and sometimes goes on sale. I swear you won’t break out in hives from it. Trust me, I would know.

Buyer Beware

In an effort to save time in my daily getting ready process (DGRP), I spoke to my hair stylist about ways to cut back on style time. I wash my hair daily, dry it, and then style it. This is about 45 minutes of DGRP time. She told me to wash my hair once a week. It’s better for your hair. I was shocked. For my whole life, I’d been washing and conditioning daily. She claimed the washing makes your hair dry. If I don’t wash my hair, I find it looks a little greasy. She recommended the Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder claiming it’ll cover the oily patches and if you spray it on roots you can go longer between color touch-ups. Both results -- very desirable. So I decided to try this.

The Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder comes in a regular hair spray canister in a variety of colors, White, Blondish, Red, Brown, and Black. I bought the 4 oz. size for $34.95 in Brown, figuring I’d be using a lot of it. It also comes in a 2 oz. size for $18.95. The instructions say to spray the product directly onto your head.

Day one without washing, it seemed to work fine. There was no hint of grease anywhere. However there was a chalky smell, but I hid that with perfume. Day two without washing, I was kind of feeling itchy. It may have been all in my head. After a few days, I began to notice the spray was all over my bathroom. It stained my white tile floor (I’ve been washing it for a week now and still haven’t been able to get all of the brown powder color off.) It got all over my walls. And even after shampooing and conditioning, it stained my towels.

All I can say is, buyer beware. The time I’ve spent cleaning up after using Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder, has exceeded my 45 minute DGRP savings. And I would’ve been better off washing and styling my hair daily. On a positive note, I didn’t break out in hives.

I'm In Love With Kiehl's Deodorant

I never in my life thought I’d utter this sentence… I’m in love with Kiehl’s deodorant!

Suddenly, I became super sensitive to the smell of my reliable deodorant. The scent was making me gag. I was using Arrid XX Maximum Strength Regular scented anti-perspirant & deodorant. You see, I need a hard core deodorant because I’m a sweater. I sweat when I’m happy. I sweat when I’m anxious. I sweat when I’m cold. I sweat when I watch someone else play sports. What’s odd is, I don’t sweat when I play sports, but that’s an issue I’ll deal with at a later date. So I was traumatized when I had to search for a new product to keep me dry without making me nauseated from the scent.

I tried every scented and unscented deodorant on the market -- sprays, solids, crystals and creams. Nothing could keep me dry and at the same time prevent me from wanting to escape the smell coming out from underneath my armpits. Did you ever notice that deodorant scents are very similar to the scents of Glade air sanitizers? I don’t want my armpits smelling like a bouquet of wild flowers or morning dew. But that could be just me. I know I have a very sensitive nose. Then one day, a close friend of mine asked me if I’d tried Kiehl’s. I hadn’t. I didn’t even know they made deodorant. I tested it out and have been using it ever since. Kiehl’s Superbly Efficient Anti-Perspirant & Deodorant Cream with Orange, Lemon and Linseed Extracts is unscented and succeeds at keeping you dry and smelling clean. It also keeps the skin underneath your arms soft and smooth. It comes in a 1.7 fl oz. tube and sells for $10.50 a tube at any Kiehl’s counter at a department store. My only complaint is they don’t make a larger size. I love it so much I buy three at a time. I never want to be without it.