Holy Grail Alert: Glycerin as a Moisturizer

Hey everyone! Sorry I've been MIA for the past 2 weeks, I've been extremely busy with school and moving. I wanted to finally post about my new Holy Grail (HG), pure Glycerin! In this post I’ll describe what I use it for, how I use it, and the amazing results I’ve had!  

What is it?: Glycerin is almost always the main moisturizing ingredient in moisturizer. It works by absorbing water from the air or the surface of your skin into your skin. By using pure glycerin, you are just bypassing all the other unnecessary ingredients present in Since it is made of only one ingredient, you don't have to worry about oil/parabens/fragrance/etc.

It says dilute with 2 parts water but that would be WAYYY too sticky!

What I use it for: I mainly use it for my face but I'll sometimes also use it for my body, though the application method gets a little messier that way. It also serves as a foundation primer and eyeshadow primer (like Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy) because it dries down to a slightly tacky finish which helps my makeup adhere better and last longer. Like Pixie Epoxy, this tackiness helps prevent fallout and makes the glitter and shimmer stay truer when applied.

How I apply it:
1. For my face, I put a drop or two in my palm (one for daytime and two for nighttime) 

One drop

A little more than 2!

2. Then I add about 10 times as much water. I never really measure the water out, I just approximate by filling the cupped area of my palm with water. Using at least a 1:10 ratio of glycerin to water helps prevent the glycerin from drying to too sticky on your face.

3. Then I use the index finger of my other hand to pat the water to mix the glycerin and water together. I gently rub my hands together and pat the glycerin all over my face. Your face will be wet and slightly dripping, which is good because you want the glycerin to absorb all that moisture into your skin. 

4. A few minutes later when the water has dried I take another teaspoon or so of just water (no glycerin) in my hands and pat that all over my face again so that my skin can be extra hydrated. Once the water is absorbed you’ll notice that your skin is nice and plump with moisture.

If I’m using it as a body moisturizer I use the same ratio but just redo these steps enough times to cover the rest of my body.

Other Uses: Many of you may use MAC Fix+ and similar sprays, but glycerin can also be used to make a homemade dupe of Fix+! I don’t really have any interest in using it but I know many people who use glycerin this way. Recipes for this can be found here

Results: I used to use jojoba oil as my facial moisturizer, but that wasn’t quite moisturizing enough for my normal to dry skin. I had dry, flaky patches of skin in my T-zone (so counterintuitive right?) that wouldn’t really go away even when I used Vaseline in those areas. I’ve used glycerin for a month now and never once have I had dry patches since I started! No more foundation clinging to flakes! It literally gives my skin a beautiful glow because my skin is sooo hydrated and healthy!

My skin is extremely smooth and never dry or oily. Glycerin has not clogged my pores or caused me to break out, which only usually happens when I use traditional moisturizers (not single ingredient products like oils or glycerin). It does not irritate my skin at all and because there’s no fragrance or other mysterious ingredients, I have no worries that it is poisoning me or anything. I find that it also serves as a face primer because it helps my foundation, blush, highlighter, and eyeshadow adhere better and be more true to color on my face. 

Overall, I am impressed with how simple, easy, and effective glycerin is. I would definitely recommend you give this a try. Of course your mileage may vary as with all skin products.

Where to buy it: Glycerin is available at every drugstore for around $5 in one of the health care aisles. Make sure you buy 100% pure glycerin USP. It is always totally clear and usually comes in a bottle like this one. It lasts FOREVER because you only need a few drops a day.

 Have you ever tried glycerin? Will you give it a try?

January Favorites

A week late, but better late than never! January flew by, and because I was so busy I stuck with some basic staples. I tended to wear cool toned eyeshadow, usually a wash and sometimes with a darker brown or taupe in the crease. For blush I pretty much stuck to neutrals or everyday pinks. Lips were usually a rosy MLBB shade, and occasionally a red lipstick.

Can you spy the PAN?! :D

Do you see that teeny tiny eyeshadow that's showing its PAN?!!?! I know right, a totally unprecedented moment for me. This is the one and only eyeshadow I've ever hit pan on, and I think I might be able to finish it by the end of the month. I've had this (as a part of the Rimmel Colour Rush "Smokey Brun" quad, now reformulated in the Glam Eyes formula) for 6 years (!!!). I used it a lot when I first got it because it was the first eyeshadow I ever owned, but after a while I stopped using it because I had so many other shades. Now I've come back to it because this shade is such a beautiful, easy eyeshadow wash that brightens up my eyes.

The other products here are:

• Tarte Exposed blush -- This is THE perfect neutral pink-brown eyeshadow that literally goes with everything. It is almost impossible to mess up!
• Rock & Republic Call Me blush -- This and Exposed are my favorite blushes ever, so it's no suprise that during my lazy January I reached for these the most. It's a beautiful, albeit discontinud, pink blush with gold shimmer.
• Revlon Rich Sable matte eyeshadow -- This is a rich neutral dark matte brown that is perfect for deepening the crease and outer V in natural looks and for lining the lower lashline. It is one of my favorite eyeshadows and pairs well with both cool and warm eyeshadows.
• MAC Copperplate matte2 eyeshadow -- This is a cool/neutral grey-taupe that is also a great option for emphasizing the crease.
• Wet n Wild Stoplight Red megalast matte lipstick -- seen in my FOTD here. This is one of my favorite reds -- a blue-based red that is completely matte and wears sooo well. The coolness of it brightens up my skintone.
• Chanel Mademoiselle rouge coco lipstick -- this was my go-to everyday lipstick in January because it is rosy enough to give my face some color but is natural enough for a my-face-but-better look. Love this shade but the formula can be a bit drying.

My two other favorites this month:

• Glycerin -- I will probably be doing a separate post about the near-holy grail status of glycerin soon. It is an ingredient in almost all moisturizers. I have started using pure glycerin mixed with water as a SUPER hydrating but lightweight moisturizer. In terms of moisturizing power, you literally can't get better than this.
• Stella perfume -- This is my everyday perfume. I used up a bottle (UNHEARD OF!!!) in December and repurchased this in January. I normally like orientals but this rose-amber fragrance is so beautiful that I can't resist. My other fragrance favorite recently is Guerlain Shalimar, which is wayyy heavier and deeper.

What were your favorite products in January? 

Skincare and Makeup for Sick Days

So it's the start of the quarter which of course means I have once again come down with a bad cold. When the tissues start overflowing in my trashcan and I just want to crawl in bed and watch Netflix all day, here are some of the things I do to make myself feel look healthier.

Vaseline, generic Cetaphil, Nivea Creme, and Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil

 Skincare:
I'm a keep-it-simple person when it comes to skincare (we're talking single-ingredient products like jojoba oil). When I'm sick and my skin is really dehydrated and is raw from blowing my nose, I love using good old Vaseline (or generic petroleum jelly). I take a dab of it and warm it up between my fingers then apply a thin layer wherever my skin is feeling dry. Vaseline doesn't clog my pores or break me out either, unlike other thick and creamy moisturizers. Nivea creme is also a good alternative if you don't like petroleum jelly.

Because my skin is already so dried out I try to use a more gentle face wash once a day, like Cetaphil or an oil cleanser.  I definitely stay away from any exfoliators or other harsh cleansers.

My hands also get really dry from washing my hands dozens of times a day so I love to keep a small bottle of lotion with me.

Makeup: 

MUFE F&B, NYX Natural cream blush, BB corrector, Revlon Rosy Nude, CG Lashexact WP

My skin looks more flat when I'm sick so I like applying a light coverage foundation and a good undereye concealer to brighten up my eyes and make me look more awake and refreshed.

A touch of natural pink cream blush and highlighter also adds a healthy glow, but don't go overboard otherwise you'll end up looking more sick!

I keep eye makeup simple because my eyes get watery and itchy when I'm sneezing so I just stick to a waterproof mascara and some waterproof gel/creme liner. If my eyes are less irritated I'll apply a soft wash of eyeshadow to brighten my eyes, especially in the inner corners. I make sure to define my brows to give more structure to my face and draw attention towards my eyes instead of my inflamed nose.

Applying a warm rosy MLBB lipstick also helps add color to my face and make me look healthier.

I hope these tips help, and to anyone who's sick --  I hope you feel better soon! :) In the meantime I'll be faking it with makeup, obsessively using my neti pot, and using enough tissues to stimulate the logging industry.

What are your tips for looking/getting healthier when you're sick?