Juggling Work and Blogging - This Week's Losing Battle.

So I completely over estimated my ability to start back to school and post within the same week -- yeah, that so did not happen. Basically I came home every night after work and fell asleep on the couch by nine pm. Week one kicked my ass. My apologies all, but better late than never!! On a side note -- don't even talk to me about my diet and/or excise plan either, that was also not happening last well as well. And, despite an unfortunate finger injury yesterday (see my instagram @lovelyincolumbusblog) we will have a blog post today.

Going back to work after an extended absence (ie, summer) is always tough. I have never been good at doing 0 to 60 -- fast -- and heading back to school kinda hits me in the same way. Thats why, at the end of the day, coming home and removing my make up is a essential for my transitioning process. Continuing with our talk about the numerous options out there to remove one's make up, I would like to feature a stand by in and a new friend.

So I have been wanting to try a Micellar Water for like, ever. The problem is, is that you can't seem to locate one in the greater Columbus area. While shopping at JAvenue off of Kenny Road, I stumbled across the well known and well loved Bioderma Micellar Water, however it was like $36! Given that I had never tried the product before (and there were other, cheaper things I wanted to buy there that day) I passed on the Bioderma. Trust me, I wanted to get it, but for some reason that day my typically silent voice of reason showed up and was like "no way". However, if you are in the Columbus area, and are hard up for your Bioderma Micellar Water this is the only place I have ever seen it.


Still on the hunt I managed to run across Simple Skincare's Micellar Cleansing Water at Ulta -- and since it was only $7.99 I figured it was worth trying out. So by now you are probably asking, what the heck is Micellar Water? Micellar Water is a solution to remove make up from the skin and it is particularly popular in Europe (especially in France, hence my harping on the Bioderma thing...). Micellar Water is just becoming trendy in the U.S. and because the ingredients in the water, or more specifically the micelles (yes, that's a thing) in the Micellar Water are supposed to be non irritating to sensitive skin, people are seeking it out as an addition to their beauty arsenal.

The micelles (tiny microscopic spherical liquid crystals) are also very good at trapping oil, which is why they make such good make up removers. Essentially, it is kind of like a cross between a toner and a cleanser that removes make up but doesn't strip the skin. After using the Micellar Water this is what I have found. I like it to remove my make up. It takes it off easily and my face doesn't feel greasy. It does not irritate my skin in any way or make my skin feel tight and uncomfortable. It also pretty much has no scent so I am not put off by any cloying perfumey smell. In the Simple Skincare formula in particular, the Micellar Water solution also contains B3, which softens the skin and Vitamin C for it's brightening boots and antioxidant properties.

However, Micellar Water does not seem to be a substitute for cleansing. Period. To remove all traces of make up from your skin you have to follow your Micellar Water with a cleanser. The Micellar Water, does NOT remove all traces of your make up. Most of it? Yes. All of it. No. But at $7.99 a pop, if you are dying to try it or want to add it to your regime Simple makes a pretty decent version. But in my opinion it isn't the end all be all product it has been hyped to be.

So what cleanser do I use after my Micellar Water? If you are a reader of my blog you know that Bioelements is one of my favorite stand by lines. So it will come at no surprise that I recommend Bioelements Flash Foam Cleanser . This product retails for $36 however I found it from $21.53 @ Amazon. I really like this cleanser for summer skin (summer only oily or combination skin) or oily skin but it works well on normal skin as well. It also lasts a long time -- two pumps of foam works to clean your whole face. It is also not overly scented with perfumes but has a nice light "orangy" scent. The Flash Foam Cleanser contains papaya and pineapple extracts that act as a mild exfoliant, green tea extract (an antioxidant) and orange oil for toning properties. This product is one of my old stand by products that I keep coming back to over the years, regardless of how many other products I try.

Until next week! I promise!!
Stay Lovely, Columbus!!
XOXO - Ann