Favorite Friday: Source Naturals Skin Eternal DMAE Serum

When you think “serum,” you think, “I’m going to have to spend a small fortune at the department store that I should be using to pay my utility bills.”  At least that’s what I think. Typically, buying a serum at the department store is going to cost anywhere from $50 to well over $100. They have all sorts of fancy schmancy ingredients in them that have been hand-gathered from The Red Sea or The Great Barrier Reef. Whatever. Anyways, I found a serum that I truly love and that doesn’t break the bank! It was recommended to me by my Mother (kudos to her!), she always suggests the best stuff. She recommended my favorite product last Friday to me, too! Here is the serum that gets voted as my favorite thing this Friday:

Source Naturals Skin Eternal DMAE Serum, $18

This product is from a company called Source Naturals. They are a health and wellness company that sells beauty products, vitamins, supplements, and much more. I bought this product at a local health food store, but you can also purchase it online. DMAE is short for Dimethylaminoethanol. No wonder they shortened it up! This is an antioxidant that helps to firm, brighten and tighten the skin.  DMAE actually helps to tighten the cell membrane, helping to protect the skin from free radicals.  We encounter free radicals on a daily basis from smoke, pollution, etc. This serum also contains Vitamin C, which is essential to collagen production and also helps to firm and tighten the skin. It has Alpha-Lipoic Acid which is one of my favorite things. Alpha-Lipoic Acid is another potent antioxidant that helps to improve the texture of skin and prevents lines and wrinkles from forming.

This product retails for $29, but you can find it here and on many other sites for only $18. For only $18, this product is packed full of wonderful ingredients for the skin. I use this product in the morning and evening and have noticed quite the difference in the overall texture and appearance of my skin.  My makeup seems to go on much smoother, too! It is very lightweight and has a light coconut fragrance. It feels very moisturizing and it’s also paraben free. Here is my morning skincare routine:

My morning essentials: Burt’s Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser, Source Naturals DMAE serum, Mario Badescu Oil Free Moisturizer

Who ever said you can’t find quality skincare products that won’t break the bank?

What’s your favorite thing this Friday?

What’s the secret to great makeup? Great skin.

Your skin is the foundation you build upon when you’re applying your makeup, therefore you need to do your best to take great care of it. Without a smooth foundation you won’t achieve optimal results from your makeup. There are 3 key steps you need to take in your skincare routine every single day:

1. Cleanse:

Cleansing your face is of the utmost importance. It’s essential to wash away all of the oil and impurities your skin has accumulated during the day, allowing your skin to breathe. Make sure you do not use a cleanser that is too harsh or drying and always use a cleanser that is chemically balanced for the face. Currently I’m using this cleanser & I love it! It completely removes all of my makeup, eyes included! Not only does it remove my makeup but with four weeks of continued use you will notice your skin looking much more radiant and feeling smoother.

Burts Bees Facial Cleanser $10 at Target

2. Exfoliate:

Exfoliation rids the skin of dead skin cells allowing your moisturizer to penetrate deeper into your skin. Make sure you do not over exfoliate. Some skin types only need it once or twice a week, while others can benefit from a gentle exfoliation daily. You can use an exfolating scrub such as Clinique 7 Day Scrub Cream or this handy-dandy tool that I could never live without.

Clarisonic Mia 2 $149 at Nordstrom

3. Moisturize:

I cannot stress this enough, moisturize! Moisturizing is absolutely a must. In my time as a makeup artist I have seen the effects of a lifetime of not moisturizing. Trust me, you do not want to go there. I always say that no one is too young to start moisturizing or using eye cream. Not only does moisturizing help quench thirsty skin, it also prevents lines and wrinkles and retains your skins natural moisture balance. I’m currently using coconut oil as my moisturizer. Not only do I use it to moisturize, I also use it to cook with. The health benefits and uses for coconut oil are endless. I only use this as my nighttime moisturizer but you could also use it during the day. This also comes without the hefty price tag of most moisturizers you will find at the department store. You can pick this up at Whole Foods or my favorite local store, Natures Pharm.

Dr. Bronner’s Magic “All One!” White Kernel Unrefined Coconut Oil $11 at Natures Pharm

Cleanse, Exfoliate, Moisturize. Goodnight!