Honey, I Ate the Banana (Mask)

You could, technically, eat it. I wouldn't...but you do you, girl. 

For a hydrating face mask in just a few minutes, I used Banana (Vitamins C & E and Potassium), Honey (naturally anti-inflammatory and antibacterial), and Olive oil (penetrates into your skin = super-moisturizing, and full of antioxidants). I'm all about everything being simple, natural, and quick! 

Ingredients

1/4 banana

1 tsp Honey

1/2 tsp Olive Oil

Directions

Mash all three together until very smooth. 

Spread on your face and neck. Since it's a little slimy you may want to go over it one more time as it dries, and pack it on with the back of a fork. 

Leave for 15 minutes and wash off with warm water! If you're hairy (like moi), maybe use a washcloth to get it out of your hairline and eyebrows. :)  

To see it made, check out my Instastories. It'll be up on my profile for the next week. 

Did you try it? Let me know how it turned out! 

My favourite moisturizer ATM: Missha Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Cream

Yes, it is a bit of a mouthful, but like most K-Beauty products, the longer name signifies all the good stuff it does...or is supposed to do. 

I've been using this moisturizer for about a year now, and I love it enough to share it with the world! It's light enough for the stiflingly hot summers here in NY, and paired with the ever-revolving arsenal in my skincare regimen, it also does a wonderful job in the cold winter! 

The Deets: 

- This cream is made up of a whopping 70% snail slime (er, "mucin" to be precise) but it's not gooey or slimy to the touch. It actually glides on super-easily and absorbs into the skin very well (although I wouldn't recommend putting makeup over it immediately; you'll need to give it a good 5 minutes or so to sink in.) 

Not kidding about that 70%!

- Why snails? Well, apparently snail slime contains tons of wonderful peptides, elastins, and the big buzz-word in skincare these days: Hyaluronic Acid. All these magical ingredients are thought to smooth out fine lines and brighten your complexion. I have lots of scarring on parts of my face, from a lifetime spent battling teenage acne. Part of why I love this product is because I feel it certainly has helped even out my skin tone, as well as brighten my complexion overall. 

- It has a rather strong cucumber scent (probably to mask the smell of the alcohol.) 

- Wait! Alcohol?! That's terrible for your skin! Well...yes and no. Although my parched skin and I tend to run away from products with alcohol in them, from what I can tell, it REALLY depends on the type of alcohol, the amount of it in the product (in comparison to the rest of the ingredients,) and what those ingredients are...and a whole host of other stuff that I can't explain because I'm no authority on this. I just know what feels great on my skin, and what doesn't make me break out! I assume with a product comprised mainly of snail goo, the alcohol probably just helps it dry a bit so that you're not left feeling sticky all day? 

- I use it in the day and in the evening as the final step in my skincare routine, but you can also apply a heavier moisturizer afterwards, if you need to, or a sleep pack. The sleep pack I use is from the same product line "Super Aqua Cell Renew Snail Sleeping Mask." As for a heavier moisturizer, I find that my skin gets extra dry during the changing of the seasons, or after a flight. I'm *about* to try a new nighttime one I'm really excited for, which is en route to me right now. Stay tuned; if I love it I'll certainly share it with you! 

- Yes, the picture is legit. I really DO buy these 3 at a time! If you're interested in trying this moisturizer, it can be found on the Missha website, at SokoGlam and even at Target! TIP: Check all the sites; I find that Missha US usually runs excellent deals, where they will throw in a bunch of other products to try once you hit a minimum $ amount, or even full-size products that complement what you're buying. 

Does the mention of snail slime ignite your curiosity, or repulse you? Have you tried this? Do you have an even better product to recommend?! Leave me a comment below and let me know your thoughts! 

*N.B. Like all the products I recommend in Posh Beauty, I don't receive any form of compensation from these brands or websites. This is truly what I use, and how I feel about the products I'm sharing with you! 

Hey, Bright Eyes!

Last weekend I paid a visit to a friend and her new baby, and she commented on how remarkably fresh I looked (but sleep was sorely lacking the night before, and every night)! I instantly thought back to a new product I just bought and am loving, and my second thought was that I must share it with you! 

This little miracle jar is Becca's Under-Eye Brightening Corrector. It's creamy, moisturizing, and really easy to apply. The pearly shell-pink blends down to a really subtle light-reflecting shade, lifting sallow, tired skin tone and making it look a little more...alive. A small swipe is all you need on bare skin, before applying concealer, or even going makeup-free. You already know nude-eyeliner is my all-time must have for tired eyes - I'm so happy to have added this to my arsenal as well! 

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Also - extra points for being travel-friendly. I won't be on a plane without it! It's a mommy + travel essential! Becca is a relatively new cosmetics brand from Aussie, and I have been LOVING everything I've tried from them so far! Available online (I like Dermstore since they usually have some sort of deal going on), or at Sephora.

Do you have any tips for faking that bright-eyed glow when you just didn't sleep last night?   

5 Beauty Products for the Sleep Deprived New Mom

After reading 5 Beauty Tips for the Sleep Deprived New Mom, a lot of people reached out inquiring about which products I use for each tip in the post. Read on for my go-to brands and products...

Tip 1 - Flesh-toned Eyeliner: Many people use white eyeliner to line their lower lash lines, but this just looks really odd. A skin-toned liner pops just enough to brighten, but not enough to fake you out.  I LOVE Nars Larger Than Life Eyeliner in Rue Bonaparte. Yes, paying $25 for an eyeliner that looks like your actual skin seems a bit stupid, but a.) it works, and b.) I just replaced mine after 3 years of almost daily wear, so it is WELL worth it!

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Tip 2 - Eyelash Curlers: Since I first found out there was a contraption to prettify my short, stubby lashes I have used Shu Umuera's eyelash curler. It's available worldwide and lasts a really long time. It comes with 2 pads (supposedly to use for 6 months each but I've had each one last for years before having to buy a new curler.) I literally will not leave my house to walk my dog in the dead of night without curled eyelashes. Seriously.

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Tip 3 - Dark Sunglasses: I like wearing the shaded versions as much as the next stylista, but my absolute GO-TO sunglasses are always the darkest of the lot. I can't handle my morning drop-offs without my pitch-black Chanels. Hey, If Karl Lagerfeld won't be seen without them, neither will I. Plus, like I mentioned before - I need them to check out what everyone else is wearing on the school run, Duh. Does it make me seem standoffish, and keep people away? Yes. Just what I want early in the morning. Save the "Hi, how are you's?" for your barista at Payard. Just kidding, talk to me! I'm actually super-nice usually sometimes if I'm in the mood. Mine are about 5 years old and due for retirement, so I'm currently crushing on these MiuMiu ones.

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Tip 4 - Bright Lips: Just stop reading, go to Sephora or Barneys or Saks and buy just about every color of these Nars Lip Pencils. I could write an entire post solely on how much I love these. There are tons of shades in 3 different finishes (Satin, Velvet Matte, and Gloss) and they are UH-MAZING. Easy to stash in your pocket, diaper bag, or wallet. The only thing that would make me love these more is if they came with a built in sharpener, like the eyeliners do. My all-time favourite is Dragon Girl. It's a wearable poppy-red which - no joke- suits ANY skin tone. I have at least 3 at home. Other colors in my daily rotation are Mexican Rose, Yu, and Hopi (a glossy tan; very unlike me and my love of bright lips but very flattering for those sun-kissed, just came back with great colour from the French Riveria, days). I only wear that one during or immediately following a sunny vacation, like when wearing bright lips with a deep tan would look a little...Miami-Geriatric-chic. Not the look we are going for.

Tip 5 - Dry Shampoo: Klorane all the way, baby. It's soft, smells good, and I like that it also comes in a dark version so it doesn't look powdery on my hair. Sometimes I forget to use this, and when I catch sight of my greasy mane in the elevator mirror I am fully mortified. But at least my eyelashes are curled and my lips are painted. And I'm wearing shades so you can't see the panic in my eyes when you try to talk to me.

I'm kind-of invisible. Maybe I'm Batman.

Probably not, but in re-reading this post, I do seem terribly vain! Whatever, get-up-and-go has never been my style! And I prefer to look like I really belong in the world outside, even though I spend a fair amount of my time in my apartment, playing with Hot Wheels and trying to stop my toddler from itching his butthole right after I wash his hands. See? You can't blame me for wanting to remember what I looked like B.C.!  

Do you have any products you can't leave the house without using? Share! 

*Please note that these are products I actually use. I haven't been compensated for my recommendations, nor am I paid for the links included in the post above.*