ON GOOD LEGS AND BAD SKIN

Here's how the gene pool went for me: I inherited good legs and bad skin.

I usually convince myself that it's a pretty good trade off, since long and lean legs are a little harder to come by than new makeup, but, I'm also in my 30s now and I still break out occasionally (thank you, postpartum hormones) and I'm also starting to get wrinkles early. So, there you go. Good legs and bad skin. We all have our things.

To help my skin a little I'm trying out a few ideas, like the common sense skin care regime (drinking more water, finding my sunscreen, taking vitamins) but I wanted a little more backup without the Botox and have a few discoveries to share.

SKINCARE

My general rule here is less is more. I use a very basic cleanser and hardly anything else on my face. When I want backup for a beakout or wrinkles, Derma-E has an Anti-Wrinkle line I like and Spot Treatment, and I like that it's available at Whole Foods, which I generally use as a benchmark for more "natural-ish" products.

MAKEUP

Esmi is a line from Australia that I recently discovered and am loving. It's SPF, mineral based, and has excellent coverage and staying power. I like flat brushes for mineral based makeup application, and this one is vegan and works great. I wear color II-III in the winter and III-IV in the summer. If you're similar in skin tone to me and debating between the two I'd recommend III-IV.

TOOLS

First, at home microdermabrasion with ReVit. There's plenty of science and technology behind micoderm, but it's basically just sloughing away the outermost layer of the skin so that new skin beneath is generated faster to promote healing. I like this one because it uses diamond exfoliation as opposed to aluminum oxide crystals (technical terms, just do your research there) and overall I prefer this method to a chemical exfoliate.

Second, red light and heat therapy with FaceFx. Red Light Therapy aids in elastin and collagen production, similar to blue light therapy for seasonal depression. This little device feels kind of light saber, Star Wars-esque, in that it's this wand with light and heat on your face. It's pleasant and spa-like, and it seems like my fine lines have improved. Both this and the microderm tool can be used together and while pregnant and/or nursing.

COLLAGEN

I consider myself generally well versed in supplements and natural health, but this was a new one for me. When I'm unsure on a health product I check with Wellness Mama, a podcast and blog I discovered when pregnant. She has this and this to say about collagen and since my hair/skin/nails have taken a toll post-baby, I was game. She recommends grass-fed varieties like Vital Proteins. The way I take it is I mix Collagen Peptides or Marine Collagen Sticks in my latte each morning. I love that it has no taste and gives a protein boost to slow caffeine absorption. If I make a green smoothie I'll add Collagen Beauty Greens since this one can only be mixed with cold liquids. If I was just choosing one product I'd go with the classic Collagen Peptides for the hot/cold mixability option.

While these things all can be fun to try, with any beauty product I share I also want to mention that I know that real beauty is more than just skin deep. Surface level beauty can only take us so far. I value kindness, strength, and compassion more than any wrinkle-fighter out there.

Shared in partnership with Derma-E, Esmi, SkinFx and Vital Proteins. Cheers to real beauty.