Spring is almost here…and spring leads to summer, and it all means much more time outside! It’s certainly not too soon to start looking for some great fun-in-the-sun vacation deals.
Anyhoo, if you are planning to spend any time at all in the sun, you need some sort of sun protection. I don’t mind using sunscreen lotion on my arms and legs, but I HATE using it on my face, it always feels so greasy and makes me break out. I have come so far with the Proactiv solution products to put anything on my face that will undo it all. But more on my experience with Proactiv in a bit…
Nearly a year ago, I started using Bare Escentuals mineral makeup. I can’t say enough good things about this stuff, it is by far the BEST makeup that I have ever used. But right now, I want to talk about the sun protection that some of these products offer.
The foundations are SPF 15, which is important, this protects your skin from harmful UV and other rays that can cause sunburn and even skin cancer. But for some people, like me, this is not enough. That’s why I love Multi-Tasking Summer Bisque. There are several shades of Bisque, but please keep in mind that only the Summer Bisque is SPF 20, the others have no SPF at all.
Using these two products, the foundation and the Summer Bisque, together, has turned out to be the best sun protection my face has ever had. What I do is apply the Summer Bisque all over my face with the Full Coverage Kabuki Brush. This is the first layer of sun protection. Then I apply the foundation with the same brush. The Bisque also serves as a concealer, and can also be applied to trouble spots with the Maximum Coverage Concealer Brush. This could be done either before or after the full coverage, I prefer before.
Then, I follow up with Mineral Veil and then Soft Focus Glee. Actually, I put my eyes on after the Mineral Veil, and then apply Glee at the end, using the Soft Focus Face Brush.
I know it looks wicked expensive to buy all of this stuff, especially the brushes I suggest…but there ARE cheaper ways to do this. If you are new to BE, start by getting the Introductory Kit, the offer that is on the TV infomercials. It has all you need to get started, including several expensive brushes. Only $60…if bought separately, this would cost you a LOT more! And you get a great instructional DVD, which you’ll watch over and over while you’re still learning to use the products. You do have to sign up for an auto-delivery thing, but it’s easy to change or even cancel if it’s not for you. I like the auto-delivery, though. And I think you can buy the same kit at Sephora without having to sign up for auto-delivery.
The next purchase you make should be the Beyond the Basics kit. This includes the Multi-Tasking Bisque (two of them, regular and Summer), the Soft Focus Glee, and other products. Two brushes, as well. Once again, way cheaper than buying this stuff separately. The only brush I bought separately was the Full Coverage Kabuki, but even that comes as part of some other kit.
Anyhoo, my routine with Summer Bisque followed by foundation WORKS for me as not only a great foundation, but great sun protection. I have worn this to many baseball games last summer, and nary a sunburn did I get on my face. That is saying something, because I burn very easily. But how great is it, that I’ve FINALLY found sun protection for my face that is not heavy and greasy. When you first try BE, it might seem hard to believe that it will provide enough coverage, and protect your face from the sun…but trust me..it really does!
As for Proactiv…it really does work for me. You don’t have to use it twice a day if your skin is sensitive, I use it just once a day, and it’s working. I was easily able to change my shipping frequency to reflect this…very easy if you set up your account online. You can add and remove products as you go along, as well.
Whatever you do, DON’T buy Proactiv from the mall kiosks if you can avoid it. WAY overpriced. If you like the product and use it regularly, join the Clear Skin Club (auto-delivery), and you can order additional products whenever you want to, at big savings. In fact, the kiosks jack up the prices higher than the online prices for non-Club members.
Anyhoo…Proactive and BE do work very well together, at least for me. My skin has never looked better!
