Current Skin Care Routine!

My Skin:

My skin is somewhat dry and flaky. I do get some acne around my mouth and chin; nothing major. I would say my skin is on the dryer side of combination skin. Throughout the day the areas that get the oiliest are the areas are around my nose, mouth, and hollows of my cheek bones. The driest areas of my face are my nose, under eyes, cheeks, & forehead. I have been doing this routine for a while now and my skin has been clear for the most part, so if your skin is anything like mine, you might find this post helpful!

Step 1: Masks

Typically, I will do a mask 1-2 times a week. I will do a full face mask on Monday night and towards the middle of the week I will do spot treatment mask. Usually about an hour before i get in the shower, I will apply my mask. I hate washing masks off in the sink because I feel like I make a huge mess. Somehow, a ton of water ends up on the floor. The mask I've been using for my full face mask is the Formula 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox Ultra Mud Cleansing Mask. For spot treatment masks, I use my Peter Tomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Masque. (Click on the link for a review I previously did for the Peter Thomas Roth Masque)

Step 2: Exfoliation
On Monday (along with my facial mask) I also do my weekly deep exfoliation! Exfoliating is probably my favorite part of my skincare routine! Just the thought of removing the nasty skin buildup and gunk is very fulfilling. I also love smooth and supple my skin is afterwards. My all time favorite exfoliator  that I've been using for a few months now is Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion exfoliant. It is, by far, the best exfoliator I've ever used. It is very powerful and it is recommended that you use it only 1-2 times a week separating each use by at least three days.

Step 4:Cleansing
I do this step everyday, unlike my masks and exfoliation. I generally put one pump of the Boscia  Clear Complexion Cleanser on my Clarisonic and cleanse away all the gunk from my face. This cleanser works really well and it lathers up wonderfully! It really makes your face feel super clean and clears up my pimples quickly.

Step 5: Moisturizing
Lastly, I moisturize while my skin is still a bit damp. I feel that it soaks in better at that time. I have been using the Kate Somerville  Oil Free Moisturizer & the Sephora Age Defy Eye  Cream. Both of these product are amazing and I highly recommend them! I originally bought them for my mom and she loved them! So, i tried them out of curiosity and now my mom and I are both hooked!

Lazy Routine:
Sometimes I'm too tired to go through my full skincare routine. I use makeup wipes here and there for quick removal on lazy days. I really like the Clean and Clear Night Relaxing wipes. After I wipe my makeup off I will go over my face with the.

 I hope you you found my skincare routine helpful! I feel like this routine works really well for me and hopefully, if you ever try any of these products, they will work well for you too! I will put the links to where I purchased these products down below.

<3

Formula 10.0.6 Deep Down Detox Ultra Mud Cleansing Mask
 Peter Tomas Roth Therapeutic Sulfur Masque
Dr. Brandt Microdermabrasion 
Clarisonic 
Boscia  Clear Complexion Cleanser
Kate Somerville  Oil Free Moisturizer
Sephora Age Defy Eye  Cream
Clean and Clear Night Relaxing wipes
First Aid Beauty: Skin Rescue Blemish Patrol Pads

Random Health and Fitness Update!

So.... I was doing really well on my diet and exercise... until i went on vacation! UGH! Since I got back I have just really fallen of my diet and exercise regimen and I'm really frustrated. Also, I've been back from vacation for at least a month now, so I really have no excuse for my piggishness! I just want to eat everything. Its really annoying. I still exercise. I walk at least 30 min a day on the treadmill and do yoga, and that's not horrible, but, before I went on vacation I was not only doing that but  also going to the gym a few times a week! I know this is probably something normal a lot of people go through, but I'm just so frustrated with myself. I have less time to devote towards fitness than I did since Its no longer summer and I'm back at school which makes it even more difficult to get back on track. I'm just going to take baby steps to get back at the level I was at. Nothing happens over night. If anyone has any suggestions or tips to make this less stressful, they would be much appreciated! I feel like I'm being super whiny. LOL. But I guess that's one of the purposes of having a blog: to let out your frustration!

<3
Macy

Clinique Acne Solutions Clinical Clearing Gel Review!

My Skin

First off, here is a little info on my skin type. my skin is mostly dry, and acne medications tend to make it flake and itch badly. Medications that i have typically had this reaction to include the Neutrogena Grapefruit products and Proactiv. I  would say i have an average amount of acne. Not too much, but not completely clear looking either. I typically get breakouts on my chin and hollows of my cheekbones. So, hopefully this review will help anyone who has similar skin issues. :)

The Review

So far I have really enjoyed this product. It is very effective in treating my acne. This has not been drying on my skin at all. I can use it more than once per day if I am experiencing some very difficult pimples and it doesn't over dry them, or make them flaky. It doesn't burn! The fact that it doesn't make my face feel like its being set ablaze is very big pro in my book. Another thing I like about this product is how quickly it absorbs into the skin. It is almost instant. It works pretty fast. It takes about three applications before you start to see a very dramatic result. With the first use, I feel as though it takes out some swelling and just soothes the pimple in a way that makes it much easier to camouflage with makeup. With the second and third uses, it just shrinks more and more till its pretty much gone.Some cons about this product is the fact that it comes in only two sizes, .05 floz and 1floz. The sizes are too small in my opinion. I feel like I'm about out of product and its only been two weeks! At $17-$25, you don't want to have to constantly repurchase it every few weeks. The fact that it absorbs so quickly is not only a pro, but it is a con as well. I feel like a lot of product gets absorbed into my finger tips before i can even apply it to my face. I also wish it had a pump or was in a tube, I hate that its in a squeeze bottle.

Overall

I really like this product, I would recommend this to anyone with acne problems. I'm not sure if it would be as effective on those with worse cases of acne than myself. I feel like this is geared towards people with sensitive/dry acne prone skin which is great! Its hard to find effective products that don't over dry or irritate when you have skin like mine.

My Calorie Friendly Meal: Cheesecake Factory

When you go out to eat, it can be stressful if your trying to count calories like I am. Most places typically have a section of healthier options on the menu, but most of them lack flavor or are just not as satisfying as the less healthy options (obviously). But, when I come across something that actually tastes just as good as something delicious and fattening, I like to let others know. lol Today I went to the cheesecake factory and I was so frustrated. Normally I would be super excited, but I have been doing so well on my eating lately and I really felt like this meal was going to screw up how well I was doing. I always get the Chicken Madeira and I just knew that I was going to fall victim to it's deliciousness again, but I stayed strong! lol I told myself I was going to only look at the low calorie options, and I'm glad I did.I got the Grilled Steak Medallions. What caught my attention is the fact that it was the only item on the Skinnylicious menu served with mashed potatoes (yum). I also noticed that it had madeira sauce and mushrooms like my favorite dish, the Chicken Madeira. The only big difference is that it was served with steak instead of chicken, which I didn't mind because I love steak, and it was a much smaller portion. Anyways, it was DELICIOUS!!!!! I'm so glad I tried it. According to My Fitness Pal, it only has 590 calories, which is very reasonable! If you love the Chicken Madeira, you will love this too.

My New Favorite Exericise!

I have recently added something new to my exercise routine that has given me enough results in a short amount of time to make me want to keep doing this move regularly.  That move is the PLANK! I never ever thought I would be in love with planks....but i am, surprisingly! The past week that I have incorporated these into my routine, i have noticed an increase in my upper body strength, and my midsection seems to have gone down a little bit. I feel some soreness in my upper arm/ bat wing area which I am so excited about! That is one of my worst problem areas. I am overweight and it is difficult for me to do super tough body weight exercises, but I am working my way up to them. I used to try to do planks and i could barely make it past 10 seconds lol so I am glad that i can finally hold it for the basic thirty seconds. I have been working my arms out at the gym and I think that has helped me build up to being able to plank for 30 seconds.

I have been doing each of these planks a couple of times a day for thirty seconds each! On the side plank, i do thirty seconds on each side.

  

I'm not sure if this would be considered a plank, but i have been doing this for thirty seconds as well. :)

<3

My Workout Playlist!

Music is a powerful thing. With the right soundtrack, something that would typically be boring or miserable can actually be enjoyable. Working out is something that a lot of people don't enjoy doing.I ,personally, love working out, but sometimes it can be hard getting in the zone an getting focused. I feel like the only thing that keeps me going, especially on the arc trainer or treadmill, is music. I have compiled some of my favorite tracks that motivate me and make me want to move. These are all various genres and styles. There is even one Christmas song on this list that i listen to year around just because its the perfect song to put you in a sassy, confident mood lol I added a youtube playlist with the songs at the end of this post so you can give them a listen I hope that someone finds this helpful! :) <3

The ones that I will listen to on repeat have a <3 next to them :)

1. Don't Stop Me Now by Queen<3
2. Lay Me Down by The Dirty Heads
3. Boyhunter by Skye Sweetnam
4. Butterfly by Jason Mraz<3
5. Heroes by All Time Low<3
6. Excuse Me Mr. by No Doubt
7. Somewhere in Neverland by All Time Low
8. Problem (ft. iggy Azalea) by Ariana Grande
9. Hollaback Girl by Gwen Stefani
10. The Reckless and the Brave by All Time Low
11. Make me Wanna Die by The Pretty Reckless
12. A Love Like War by All Time Low
13. Merry Christmas, Kiss My Ass by All Time Low <3
14. Famous Last Words by My Chemical Romance
15. Classic by MKTO

I hope some of these jams will help you to get through your next workout, they certaintly help me get through mine! Sorry If i put a lot of All Time Low songs lol They are currently my favorite band!   :) 

<3

motivation!

motivation! by macy-dofash featuring highwaisted shorts