Hi everyone! Just wanted to give you a quick heads up that I have jury duty this week and not sure what the length will be. This coupled with work is taking up most of my time so I will be taking a brief break-sorry! 🙁
Good news though, I will be posting about my giveaway soon so please stay tuned for that! They are going to be great skincare items so I am very excited about that. 🙂
Thank you so much for your patience and understanding,
Stephanie
If you are experiencing dry hands this season, follow these guidelines:
1) Wash with warm water, not hot as this further strips your dry skin.
2) If you’re hands are not cracked, use a mixture of sugar and coconut oil to exfoliate your hands at night.
3) Follow up with your favorite body butter or hand cream and if needed, use gloves to seal in moisture.
Have a great weekend!
Stephanie
Hi everyone! How was your weekend? My week is off to a great start. I was able to attend a special event at the International Dermal Institute headed by Jane Wurwand who is the founder of Dermalogica. Such an amazing and inspirational woman! Her motivational speech was beyond fantastic and she has a lovely sense of humor and heart. Also, I found out I won the giveaway hosted by Maiko from SkinConciergeMaiko! Yay! Check out her blog for other awesome reviews and tips. 🙂
Alright, enough about that. Let’s get right to the topic of today’s post which is alpha hydroxy acids or AHAs.
What are Alpha Hydroxy Acids?
Technically speaking, alpha hydroxy acids “are a group of water-soluble carboxylic acids that work to release the desmosomes that hold skin cells together.” Hmmm. I fear I lost you guys. 🙂 In plain English, they are naturally occurring mild acids used as chemical exfoliants that help shed off dead skin cells. They are hydrophilic (attracted to water) and are pH dependent meaning they require a lower pH to be effective.
Why are they Beneficial?
AHAs are highly coveted and present in many anti-aging products/treatments for the following reasons:
*Note: Overly and aggressively exfoliating the skin can result in sensitive itchy red skin.
What are the Different Types of Alpha Hydroxy Acids?
*A special note on AHAs: Overly and aggressively exfoliating the skin, with or without AHAs can result in sensitive itchy red skin. Also, when using AHAs, you’re more sensitive to the sun and more prone to burning so sunscreen is crucial!
I hope you found this information helpful and as always, if you have any questions, feel free to ask me. 🙂
Have a good Tuesday,
Stephanie
Essential oils are great in aiding relaxation or giving you an energy boost. However, if you’re pregnant, consult your physician if you are planning on using them as their small molecular structure allows them to be absorbed into your bloodstream and may cause problems.
Have a good weekend and I’ll see you next week,
Stephanie
Hi readers! Anyone else excited that it is Thursday? 🙂
Someone recently asked me about what they can do regarding sun spots. What is commonly referred to as sun spots or age spots is hyperpigmentation. Simplified, hyperpigmentation is caused by an overproduction of melanin (brown pigment that gives skin color) that causes the darkening of the skin. Below are causes of hyperpigmentation along with possible treatments.
Causes of Hyperpigmentation
Treatment Options
Remember that these are guidelines and the treatment option that will work best for you depends on a consultation with a skincare professional/dermatologist.
I hope this was helpful. 🙂
Thanks for reading,
Stephanie
Good morning readers! Hope everyone enjoyed their weekend. 🙂
Since a lot of people (myself included) have been sick, I wanted to briefly touch on how I disinfect my makeup/makeup tools when this happens. Now, I try not to wear makeup when I am sick, (it’s usually the last thing on my mind) however sometimes you need to look semi presentable so here’s my scoop.
Disposable Sponges
When I need a little bit of coverage and apply foundation, disposable sponges are my go-to choice because, well they’re disposable. What a concept, right? 🙂 As soon as you are done, any contamination that may linger on the sponge goes straight into the trash.
Brushes
Cleansing brushes on a regular basis is crucial not matter what but I feel it becomes a tad more important when you are sick. I wash them with warm water and a little bit of baby body wash. After I lay them flat and they dry, I like to cleanse them again using a brush cleansing solution. MAC Brush Cleanser and Cinema Secrets Brush Cleanser are my favorites.
Sharpener
An easy way to disinfect pencil-type products (e.g. eyeliner pencils, lip pencils) is to sharpen them. However, if you had something like an eye infection, your best bet might be to just toss it out and get a new one.
Makeup Products
For lip products (i.e. lip balm, lipstick) I like to spritz them down with a cosmetic sanitizer such as Eve Pearl Anti-Bacterial Cosmetic Sanitizer. You can also use this on eyeshadows, blushes, etc. Also, if you need to use a lip balm when you’re sick but don’t want to contaminate it, you can scoop out the product with a plastic spatula. You can then toss the spatula or clean and disinfect it.
Also, in case you missed it, I did write a post on how to take care of your skin when you are sick, so if you’re interested, click here.
Was this information helpful? Please comment below and feel free to add your go-to items.
Stephanie
Using exfoliants that contain lactic acid not only help remove dull, flaky skin but in the long term, they also provide added moisturizing properties that makes this perfect to use in colder weather. Always follow up with SPF and use them 2-3 times per week or as otherwise directed.
*Side note: If you follow me on Instagram, you’ll see I decided on purchasing the Real Techniques blush brush to replace my MAC one. Thank you all so much for your help! I appreciate all the suggestions! Be on the lookout for a review soon.
Have a safe and warm weekend and as always, I’m here for any questions you guys have. 🙂
Stephanie
Hi readers! Thank you all so much for your concern and well wishes- I really appreciate it! I am doing much better than last week, expect for a mild cough.
Anyways, I wanted to share the quote above I came across this week that really spoke to me. I interviewed for a position this week that I felt I would have been perfect for and although they were very impressed with me, sadly I didn’t get it. I was disappointed for sure but with support from my amazing friends and family, I’m able to see that although it wasn’t meant for me this time, it will be someday. Life has shown me (and continues to show me) that everyone’s timing is different. Some people are blessed with wonderful opportunities at an earlier stage while others take a longer road to arrive to where they want to be and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. When I look back at all the obstacles I have faced, and believe me when I say they have been brutal, I am in awe of how strong I have become. I reflect on the exciting and unique opportunities I have been able to live because of them.
So I leave you with this message my dear readers. Everything has a way of falling into place when the time is right. Never stop going after what you want whether it’s in life or love. Move forward with the faith that if it’s meant for you, it will be. And if it’s not, well, just know that something better will come along that will make you see why other things never worked out the way you had hoped.
*Side note: The picture above is courtesy of my talented sister’s photography 🙂
Enjoy the rest of your day,
Stephanie
Hello wonderful readers! Today is a special day because my blog turns 1! My how time flies. 🙂
A little history behind my blog: The thought of starting a blog had always been something I wanted to attempt but I always hesitated because quite honestly, it’s scary to put yourself out there. Would anyone read my blog? What kind of comments would people make? With so many blogs out there, why would mine matter? All these questions and doubts would circulate my head. So, I started writing skin tips once a week on my personal Facebook page when a friend of mine suggested I make a page for it. With her guidance and encouragement, I was able to create my blog and my very first post a year ago and voila! Stephie Estie was born. (Thank you Ms. Sarah!!)
I’ve hit a few rough patches and it took me a bit longer to get the hang of how this all works but I found that I really enjoy writing and sharing my experiences. And, I am happy to say that I have a great group of followers who look forward to reading my posts and have even been considered a ‘must-read blog’ or ‘favorite’ blog from bloggers and readers alike! (Insert overly enthusiastic girlish squeal here) 🙂
Of course, none of this is possible without you! Thank you all so much for taking time out of your busy schedules to read my posts. Thank you for commenting, for your feedback, for your support, for being amazing. It means the world to me as this blog is just as much yours as it is mine. Thank you once again and as you know my blog is always open for you.
*Note: I did have a giveaway planned but because I got really sick and had a few things come up, I’m postponing it for a week or two. I will keep you posted with the details though. 🙂
Let’s see what this year has in store,
Stephanie
Treat your lips to a sweet treat this Valentine’s Day weekend with an easy scrub. Just combine small amounts of sugar (brown sugar also works) and honey, apply the mixture on your lips and buff away dead and flaky skin. Remove with warm water and top it off with your favorite lip balm. The end result? A soft, kissable pout. Bonus: Your lip color will apply more smoothly and evenly.
Personal update: I know I have been MIA for the last few days and I apologize but I was slammed with some kind of variation of the flu. I’ve been battling a stubborn fever, congestion that makes my head feel it’s ready to explode and a painful ear infection. 🙁 I know I have some catching up to do and comments to get back to so please bear some patience-I will get back to you. 🙂
I hope all of you have a lovely weekend and thank you for the support.
Stephanie