Drugstore’s Finest: CeraVe

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Recommended by dermatologists everywhere, the CeraVe line of skincare products are all non-irritating, non-comedogenic and fragrance-free. Better yet, they are all available at a drugstore near you.

The CeraVe line was created in conjunction with dermatologists and was intended for use in the treatment of dry skin and other conditions such as eczema, psoriasis, acne, rosacea and atopic dermatitis. CeraVe is the first brand to contain essential ceramides, cholesterol and fatty acids that healthy skin needs. CeraVe uses a patented “multivescular emulsion” or MVE® system that was only available through prescription not long ago. This system consists of a controlled and steady release of various ingredients over time allowing skin to be hydrated longer and more efficiently with one application. The daily regimen of cleansers and moisturizers helps repair, replenish and protect the skin’s barrier to leave it looking and feeling soft, clean and healthy.

The CeraVe line of skincare products are drugstore’s finest. Here is a review of the first few products I have tried and tested:

CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser: Gentle yet powerful, this cleanser removes makeup, dirt and oil like a champ. It leaves the face feeling soft and clean, not stripped or dry. It contains the brand’s signature ceramides and hyaluronic acid – two ingredients that help lock in moisture so your skin will never feel tight or dry.

CeraVe Facial Moisturizing Lotion AM SPF 30: A great daytime moisturizer that feels light on the skin but wards off UVA/UVB rays with it’s standout broad-spectrum sunscreen. It keeps skin hydrated and restores the skin’s barrier with Niacinaminde (vitamin B3) making it less vulnerable to the elements.

CeraVe SA Renewing Lotion: This body lotion does it all – exfoliates, smoothes and softens. Skin can only be truly hydrated when the top layer of dead skin cells are removed. This allows moisturizing ingredients to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin. The Renewing Lotion does all of this for you. Formulated with both salicylic acid (used for epidermal exfoliation) and ammonium lactate (a mild exfoliant and humectant) this lotion gently removes dry, scaly skin. While, vitamin D, glycerin, ceramides and hyaluronic acid smooths, firms and hydrates the skin.

CeraVe, in my opinion, is the best affordable line of skincare products. All of the products are gentle, fragrance-free, non-comedogenic, non-irritating and readily available at mass retailers and drugstores nationwide.

Amateur’s View: T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer

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You have seen your hair stylist use it, you have seen it in magazines and backstage at fashion shows. The T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer is a professional-grade appliance built for speed and heat. But is it worth the purchase?

When shopping for a hair dryer, do you ever wonder what these words mean: ions, ionic, ceramic, infrared heat, tourmaline?

An ionic hair dryer gives off what is referred to as negative ions. (traditional hair dryers emit positive ions) Negative ions are substantially better at breaking down the moisture in the hair and making hair smoother by closing the hair’s cuticle-layer and sealing in the hair’s moisture. This is the reason they dry hair more quickly and efficiently than traditional dryers.

Different brands have different ways to create this ionic charge. Some dryers have an ionic spray coating inside of the dryer’s barrel, and others use ion generators. The T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer relies on the highest quality, tourmaline, a gem that occurs in nature, to generate the negative ionic charge and emit infrared heat. When tourmaline crystals are warmed they become positively charged at one end and negatively charged at the other.

The Amateur’s Opinion: The T3 Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer is exactly that – professional. Yes, it drys your hair in seconds with super-natural speed and noticeably creates less frizz. At 13oz it is comfortably light and ergonomically efficient. If I were a professional, blow-drying a number of clients a-day, this is the necessary tool. As I am not, the main caveat is the inability to use this hair dryer and all of it’s capability. I cannot use on the highest heat setting, for fear of igniting flames and am scared to place on a section of hair for too long because it would be nice to keep my hair. In my novice opinion, it is an expensive hair dryer that I will leave for the talented professionals.