Organizing Clutter - Part II

Part I was about organizing paper clutter, so I thought in Part II I would address how I manage and de-clutter my closet and beauty products. Has anyone out there ever seen Peter Walsh on Oprah? He's the guy that comes on her show and helps hoarders get their homes and lives back in order. He is amazing. Well, I bought his book "It's All Too Much" and it really changed the way I view my possessions and helped me with some great tips.

I'm constantly cleaning out my stuff, but it is not overwhelming because I do it in little ways on a daily basis. I keep a shoe box on the ledge at the stop of my stairs. In this box goes anything that I realize I don't want anymore. Right now that box contains mostly paperback books that I've finished reading and beauty products that were not quite right for me. If I put on a lotion or a foundation and the smell drives me crazy it goes in the box. If I put on a lipstick that is just not the right color for me, it goes in the box. When the box gets full, I put the lid on it and put it in the garage. When the next garage sale comes along, I pull all my boxes off the shelf and price the items. Of course there are items you will just want to toss in the trash, or maybe you want to give your boxed items to charity. The important thing is to get rid of the item right when you decide you don't want it anymore. Don't wait! If you keep this up, there will be no overwhelming task of going through all your things.

I also do this with my clothes. If I put on a skirt and it is too small, it goes in a guest bedroom closet. If I decide I don't like a particular shirt anymore, it goes right into the guest closet. Shoes too tight? Tired of your handbag? Put it in your "reject closet." Never put it back up in your closet!!! Once your "reject closet" is full, go through it and decide what you want to do with the items. I send many of my nicer, newer clothes to a local consignment shop because they can get more for it there than you will get by selling it at a garage sale. Of course they will keep a commission on what they sell, but it is still worth it. My items that are not so new are typically put in a garage sale. I also give many items to charity.

Be aware that consignment shops are very picky, and understandably so. They only want clothes that are in season and clothes that are still in style. Your items will need to be clean and pressed and on hangers. I would recommend calling ahead before you take items in because many of them accept consignments only on certain days of the week or at certain times of the day. Also find out what the commission will be. They usually take 40%-50%. Sometimes they will mail your checks to you, and sometimes you will be expected to pick them up.

Organizing Clutter - Part I

As mentioned before, I am somewhat of a pack rat. Especially when it comes to make-up and beauty products, but my problem also extends to clothes, magazines, papers, coupons, and books. Today I thought I would address one of the ways in which I deal with paper clutter - particularly magazines.

I used to keep stacks of fashion magazines. I had some from the 80s in the attic probably as late as 5 years ago! Well, those have since been thrown away, and I have a adopted a new system.

I subscribe to InStyle and Lucky Magazines and I often purchase People Style Watch. As I look through the magazines, if I see an item I would like to buy or check out in a store, I tear out the page. I also tear out pages for hairstyles or make-up "looks" that I like, decorating ideas, websites I would like to check out, etc. When I am finished desecrating my magazines, I pass them on to my cousin and she does the same for me.

Once I have accumulated my stack of papers, I file them in a pendaflex folder like the one pictured below which I purchased at Target for about $3.50. Each section is defined. This makes it easy to tote around in the car. If I drop by Ulta and I am itching to try some new hair products, I pull the papers out of that section and take them into the store with me. If I purchase the product, then the page is discarded.

Some of the sections in my folder are Hair Products, Hair Styles, Make-up, Skincare, and Clothes. Some other ideas are: Decorating Ideas, Entertaining, Websites, etc. A folder like this could also be used to collect travel articles for different places you would like to visit in the world, recipes, and more. Happy Organizing!

Super Shopping Secret #6

This week's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.thetopsecret.com/. The Top Secret offers designer sample sales daily. Just like the previously recommended shopping websites, if you subscribe, they will e-mail you daily with the current sales they are running. Each designer sale runs 1 to 3 days and they offer up to 75% off retail. Of course everything is available in limited quantities so it is important to act fast if you see something you like. Some of the sales coming up this week include Michael Kors, Kenneth Cole and Missoni. They just sold out of Jimmy Choo sunglasses on Saturday. They retailed for $330, but The Top Secret was offering them for $99. My last purchase was a few London Fog handbags that retailed for $149.95 each and I got them for $69 each on this site. The black one is my favorite!

Living Proof No Frizz Styling Spray

One thing people don't really know about me is that I have wild and crazy hair. Oh, I blow dry it, straighten it, spray it, and tame it, so people don't see the big, frizzy, wavy, poof ball that it really is. Every day is a fight. This is a new product that I found that really works quite well. I initially read about it in Lucky magazine. They talked about how it utilized this new technology to block humidity from penetrating your hair. Then I got an InStyle magazine with Jennifer Garner on the cover and they said the only styling product they used on her hair for the photo shoot was Living Proof. So I went to Sephora and bought a bottle. It costs $24 for 3.4 oz. They recommend that you spray your damp hair with it liberally, then blow dry. They have 3 different formulas for straightening depending on your hair type: fine, medium, thick & coarse, etc. They also have curling products and just now came out with shampoo and conditioner too.

Let me know if you give it a try!

NEUTROGENA TRIPLE MOISTURE CONDITIONER

Today I would like to recommend Neutrogena Triple Moisture Daily Deep Conditioner. This conditioner was recommended by users on a website I was checking out one day. I decided to give it a try and I absolutely love it. It is very rich and moisturizing, but doesn't make your hair feel heavy. And the smell is divine! It smells like those sweet little smarties candies. The label says, "treats extra dry, over-processed and color treated hair." It has olive extract, meadowfoam seed extract and sweet almond extract in it. Sounds good to me!

Super Shopping Secret #5

Today's Super Shopping Secret is http://www.shopittome.com/. This website is awesome! I've been using it for a couple of years now. They shop all the online sales for you and send them to you via e-mail. Each day, I receive an e-mail from them. When I open it up, they have shopped every store and designer I love and sent me all the items on sale in my size that I might like. If you see something you like you click on it and it will take you to the website to purchase it. For example, my customized e-mails include items from Ralph Lauren, Nordstrom, Macy's, Bloomingdales, Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy, Victoria's Secret, J. Crew, Kate Spade, Bluefly, Overstock, and more. You simply go to the site and click "Get Started" on the home page. They will ask you what kind of items you are interested in such as women's clothing & accessories, men's, children's, etc. You check off everything that interests you. Then they will take you to a page that lists so many designers your head will spin. You choose the ones you like and check them all off. The next page will ask for your sizes. You may pick more than one size like a 10 & a 12, etc. They ask for your shoe size, lingerie sizes, etc. Then they will ask you how often you want them to send you sale information. I encourage you to give it a try. It's really a lot of fun and there are some great deals out there!

p.s. It is Clinique Bonus Time at Dillards. With a purchase of $21.50 they are offering a makeup bag with a keychain lipgloss, full size lipstick, blush stick, mascara, Even Better Skin Tone Corrector, and a travel size Mild Liquid Facial Soap.

What to Take in your Carry-On for a Long Flight

Since I have a trip coming up soon and needed to pack, I thought I would write about what I take with me on the plane. Now these are my recommendations for a long flight. When nighttime comes, I have been known to wash my face and brush my teeth on the plane. I put moisturizer on to keep my skin from drying out. In the morning I wash my face and brush my teeth again, reapply my makeup and get off the plane feeling tired but fresh-faced.

If I am going to be on the plane overnight, this is what I take:

1. My favorite Vera Wang travel bag I bought at Kohls. It is a large nylon bag that holds a lot of stuff. It is easy to wipe clean and has strong shoulder straps.

2. I carry my travel wallet which contains my license, passport, cash, insurance cards and credit cards.

3. Small moleskin notebook. It is very light and gives me a place to jot down ideas and make lists. I am an avid list maker!!!

4. I have to have a pen & a highlighter.

5. Reading material. On this trip I will be taking one classic paperback, a small devotional book, a fashion magazine and a sudoku puzzle book. My husband is packing the travel guide.

6. Sunglasses

7. Bandaids. You never know!

8. Toothbrush in a case.

9. Hair band and/or clips.

10. A small fold-up travel hair brush.

11. Travel size Kleenex packet.

12. Borba or Airborne that you can dissolve in water.

13. Small tin of Altoids.

14. Throat lozenges.

15. Sleeping mask

16. Cotton Rounds

17. Q-tips

18. Make-up bag with all my non-liquid makeup.

19. An extra pair of undies! (Just in case your luggage gets lost. It happens!)

20. Quart size bag of liquid products

This is what my quart size bag contains:

1. Eye drops because the dry air on the plane really dries out your eyes too.

2. Clinique Moisture Surge moisturizer. I've recommended this on my blog before. It is a cool gel moisturizer. Feels great. No smell. And I'm not a big moisturizer fan, but the dry air on the plane really makes it necessary.

3. Lip gloss or balm to keep your lips from drying out.

4. Allergy nasal spray or saline spray because your sinuses will get dried out too.

5. Tide To Go stick - just in case.

6. Travel size toothpaste so you can brush your teeth.

7. A small travel size spray bottle filled with water. This is one of my favorite things. I spritz my face - with or without makeup on, just to moisten it and feel refreshed. It really helps keep it from drying out. I even convinced my mother-in-law to let me spritz her on our last flight!

8. My Smashbox Primer for when I reapply makeup.

9. Travel size hand sanitizer. You could buy the little bottles or the little paper packets.

10. Travel size eye makeup remover. I keep the little sample bottles I get with the Clinique giveaways and just keep refilling them.

11. Travel size toner - ditto above.

12. Travel size cleanser. On clinique.com you can order a box of 3 travel size cleansing gels. I pack these or free sample bottles they give away with purchase.

13. Concealer

Happy Travels Everyone!!!

FACE WASH / BODY WASH

Today I would like to recommend Neutrogena Pore Refining Cleanser. The funny thing is, I rarely use it to wash my face which is what the product is made for. I use it as a body wash every single day. It is a white cream with tiny microbeads in it. I squirt it onto a shower scrunchie and wash away. It smooths your skin like crazy. Makes it feel really silky. Great for elbows, knees, upper arms and your thighs and rear. It smooths them all. But it has less to do with the microbeads and more to do with the Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids that are in it. When my face gets kind of dull, I do use it to wash my face, and it does reveal more glowing skin. I think that's what made me decide to try it on the rest of my body. The back of the product reads: "...visibly reduces the appearance of pores and refines skin to be clear, smooth and more even toned...it sweeps away dead surface skin and smoothes over rough, uneven patches." It is non-comedogenic and soap free. It does have a slight fragrance which is kind of hard to describe, but does not smell like perfume. Like I said, I don't use it on my face daily because the acids would irritate it, but once a week probably wouldn't be a bad idea. If you try it, let me know how it worked out for you!

Lypossage and Neckline Slimmer Update

Well, it just so happens that I'm ending my lypossage sessions and my neckline slimmer exercises on the same day so I decided to give you a report on the results of them both as promised.

The lypossage regime recommends 12 sessions a couple of days apart. Then a follow-up session once a month for maintenance. The brochure said they recommend you drink lots of water and do aerobic exercise during your treatment period. I already drink a decent amount of water, and I walk on a treadmill 3 to 5 times a week. I did not change my eating habits or increase my exercise because I wanted to be able to report the actual results from the treatment alone.

I ended up doing only 10 sessions because I have a vacation coming up and won't be able to get to the spa for 8 days. I typically stretched my appointments out to 3 or 4 days apart. I have to tell you that my last 2 sessions were the easiest because I had become accustomed to the abuse, and I took a Tylenol about a half hour before I arrived. The treatments are extremely painful. Your skin is literally twisted, pulled, slapped, and beaten. You get bruises. It is hardcore. And the results were not quite what I was hoping for. I have seen some improvement, but for the amount of money you spend and the pain associated with the treatments, I would not recommend it to anyone hoping for a big change. I do however believe that the massages have benefited me through improved circulation which has equaled more energy, and a reduction in congestion and allergies.

My friend Marlene told me about a laser treatment called Zerona which is supposed to melt fat. You simply lie on a table and they point the laser at different parts of your body and it goes to work. It is not a hot laser and you don't feel a thing. It can even be used to get rid of a double chin. Of course once the fat is gone, it will come right back if you eat fatty foods. I went online and looked up some news stories about it and some clips from the show "Doctors." It looks completely legit, but in Houston it costs about $2500. I will have to save up some serious cash before I can try that one, but I will definitely put it on my list of things to do!

As for the Neckline Slimmer, it came with 3 different springs that you insert into the contraption. Each spring increases in resistance. So I started with the easiest one and did that for a week. Then I used the medium one for a week, and finally worked my way up to the most difficult one for the last week. I did 30 reps of neck exercises and 30 reps of chin exercises daily. Well, I got absolutely no results whatsoever. So guys and girls, save your money on that one too! Mine is going back to the store!

Super Shopping Secret #4

My super shopping secret for today is GILT which is another discount luxury shopping website. Now when I say luxury, I mean luxury. We are talking Dolce & Gabbana, Vera Wang, Burberry, Tory Burch, and Cole Haan just this week! Prices are typically 50% to 75% off. For example: I purchased a Badgley Mischka cocktail dress that retailed for $598 but was sold on GILT for $198. I realize $198 is still not cheap, but there are affordable items to be found on this site regardless. And the packaging is just beautiful! My dress came on a hanger with the Badgley Mischka retail tag still attached. It was in a Badgley Mischka plastic sleeve, then folded to perfection and wrapped in black tissue paper with a black thank you card written in gold. My dress did not fit well, so I went online and printed out the return label to ship it back. It was so easy. Just watch the daily postings and you will be surprised what you find. Some days you may not find anything you like or can afford, and some days you will hit the jackpot! This week they will have Too Faced cosmetics on sale for all you other product junkies out there. You must submit your request to shop via this link: http://www.gilt.com/invite/janicez. They usually respond with an answer by the next day at the latest. Then you will be ready to shop to your heart's content. They will send you an e-mail daily letting you know what sales are going on. Enjoy!

p.s. One of my previous "Super Shopping Secrets" was Hautelook. Today they have LORAC products on sale. There is also a link for "Decades Two." If you click on this they are offering many designer label clothes plus Manolo Blahniks and Stuart Weitzman shoes. Click on this link http://www.hautelook.com/invite/253093.

Cargo's One Base, Fashion's Night Out

I purchased Cargo's "One Base" at Ulta last weekend. It is a foundation and concealer in one. In comes in a large tube with a large wand kind of similar to a lip gloss wand. I think it is okay as a concealer, but if you use it as a foundation it is not easy to apply with the wand and you would have to use a lot of it which just seems pretty wasteful. So I will be returning this product also.

Attended Fashion's Night Out at Neiman Marcus last night. Enjoyed lots of good food. The best item in my goody bag was a Bobbi Brown blush that I'm looking forward to trying. They also offered samples of Glowelle which is a skin nourishing drink similar to Borba which I wrote about previously. I was glad I got an opportunity to taste it, and I have to say Borba tastes so much better! It's not even close!

Monday I will post my next "Super Shopping Secret." Next Tuesday is my last lypossage treatment so I will update you on the outcome of that experience. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Fashion Night Out + Product Reviews & Updates

Tonight is Fashion's Night Out at Neiman Marcus. It is my understanding that this event is taking place all over the world. Our Neiman's in Houston promises lots of free cosmetic samples, great food, music, and fashion shows. 6pm to 9:30pm. Should be fun!

Update on the Sally Hansen nail polish. Today is day 6 and I barely have a few chips around the edges on my right hand. Left hand still looks great. And I have not added any more top coat since the day after my manicure on Sunday. Could be touched up but I will probably switch colors today.

As promised, I tried the Infallible powder that the Loreal website recommended as being the closest thing to the Quickstick they discontinued. Well, the Infallible powder is nothing like the Quickstick. It is simply a powder and I wouldn't recommend it for use as a foundation. It is going back to the store.

I also tried Benefit Playsticks in "Spin the Bottle." It is a cream to powder foundation stick. It is much creamier than the Quickstick. I personally prefer the drier texture of the Quickstick. The color looked kind of orangey when I first opened it, but once I put it on and blended I loved the color and the appearance it gave my skin. Kind of a dewy look and provided good coverage. I did not however enjoy the smell. It smells kind of medicinal or herbal when I first put it on. Fortunately my allergies didn't react and the smell faded, but it was a little annoying at first. Today I noticed my face is a little broken out and I can't help but wonder if it was from the creamy formula being on my face all day. So the Playstick will be returned also. Still looking for that perfect replacement!

315 Lipsticks

Yes, I have 315 lipsticks. First of all, let me say that I am not posting this to brag. I am actually very ashamed of myself and am hoping that exposing my weirdness will somehow make me feel accountable to change.

Over the Labor Day weekend, I decided to tackle some organizing projects around the house. At the top of the list was organizing and cleaning out my lipstick collection. This collection has obviously grown to ginormous proportions. How did this happen? I have given it a lot of thought and this is what I came up with:

1. I blame my Mother. You know how your Mom always told you to clean your plate? Well she brainwashed me into not being wasteful and apparently it took really well because I have lipstick that I've had since High School! Sure they may smell funny and include colors like foil pink ala 80s Valley Girl, but they are perfectly full tubes of lipstick and it would be a shame to throw them in the trash!

2. It's my Dad's fault. My Dad is a well-known pack rat; therefore, I am genetically predisposed to hoard things.

3. Avon is Evil! The majority of my lipstick is from Avon - a whopping 93 tubes! If you hand me an Avon book I'm going to order something. Lipstick for $2.99? Give me one in every color! It's way too easy to order things you don't have to pay for at the moment.

4. Free Samples are from the Devil! Okay, I have 14 Clinique Lip Colors and I've never actually purchased a Clinique Lipcolor. Going back to number one, my Mother wouldn't like it if I carelessly tossed out a perfectly good lipstick I got for free!

Okay, so I got rid of 22 lipsticks over the weekend and am down to 293, but that is obviously not near enough. So here is my proclamation. I hereby promise that if I purchase another lipstick, I will get rid of 5 lipsticks. I will continue this process until I get down to 100 lipsticks. I will not falter or deviate from this plan. You are my witnesses. So help me God! Seriously, God help me!

Nail Polish & Remover

Today I thought I would write about my new favorite thing: Sally Hansen Insta-Dri Fast Dry Nail Color. I went to get a manicure at the salon spa Saturday morning, and as soon as I left I smudged a nail trying to put my keys in the ignition. Then I smudged another nail trying to put my seat belt on! By the time I got to my next stop at Ulta, I had smudged half my nails and my manicure was ruined. While shopping at Ulta I came across Sally Hansen's new polish which has some great features: 60 seconds to dry, wide applicator brush that claims one stroke will cover the entire nail, and complete coverage with one coat. I am one of those people who hates to wait for nail polish to dry so I hardly ever paint my own nails. But I went ahead and bought about 5 different colors thinking that if I tried one and didn't like it, I would return them all. At home I painted my nails myself and they really did dry in 60 seconds and really did only need one coat. As far as one stroke covering the entire nail, I haven't mastered that technique yet, but the wide brush was so much better and easier to use than the skinny ones most polishes have. As far as wear is concerned, I am on day 4 with no chips. On day 2 I did apply a top coat to help preserve my polish so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. But I have to say, I swam in chlorinated water, washed dishes, typed, straightened up the house, etc. I am very pleased. This product has seriously taken the dread out of doing my own nails. Polishes left to right are: #04 Petal Pusher, #11 Sonic Bloom, #13 Racey Rouge, #09 Rapid Red, #20 Pronto Purple, #18 Cinna-snap.

I also wanted to recommend these individual nail polish remover felts. I bought mine over a year ago at Kroger. When I was in the grocery store the other day, they did not have the brand I have, but they did have a Kroger brand and a Cutex brand. The nail polish remover comes in a box full of individual packets. Each packet contains a large, thick piece of felt type material that is already saturated with polish remover. Each felt removes polish for 10 nails, so you can do both hands or both feet with only one felt. They are perfect to keep in your purse or in your desk at work. I can't tell you how many times I've gotten to work and noticed my nail polish was way past its expiration date and looked horrid. It's just one of those things I keep putting off thinking I will do it later then I forget. These are great for little emergencies and only cost about $2.99 for a box.

Super Shopping Secret #3

As promised, today I'm sharing my favorite discount shopping site. Drum roll please... it's Rue La La. If you go to their website and sign up for free, they will send you an e-mail each day with the new sales that are starting. Nicole Miller and Kenneth Cole are on sale today. Here is a link to get to it: http://www.ruelala.com/invite.jzalesnik The sales usually last 2 to 3 days and items are limited. So if you see something you really like you need to jump on it before it is sold out. They are really good about letting you know up front what items are returnable and which ones are not. Everything is always packaged very nicely. I have posted some pics of some of the items I've purchased from Rue La La. Among these items are Havaianas flip-flops which were on Oprah's favorites list in the past. I also purchased some beautiful Cole Haan shoes as well as a bag. I haven't worn any of my shoes yet, but I have received a lot compliments on my bag. The shoes all have the Nike air technology in them which make them extra comfortable. I love Cole Haan, but it is not cheap. I usually purchase items at their outlet in Katy or San Marcos. My favorite bargain I bought through Rue La La was my Kitchenaid mixer. This particular professional series model retailed for $420-$450 and I purchased it through Rue La La for $229! I can't wait to get baking this Christmas!

Laura Mercier Haul

The Laura Mercier makeup I ordered through Hautelook.com came in. Wow! Nice stuff. I had never purchased Laura Mercier before and I am very pleased. And I received half-off of retail which pleases me even more! I posted a pic of the entire haul, then individual pics of some of my favorites in the bunch. The three glosses are actually lip plumpers. I don't really need my lips to be plumped, but I ordered them anyway because I loved the colors. The first one from the left is "pink grapefruit." The second one is "opal" which is a nice neutral. The third one is "persimmon." I loved all of the eyeshadows. The third pic above features pearl, topaz, and celestial which is a beautiful grayish blue. The last pic features pearl again, pink oyster, and twilight grey which is really more of a smoky purple color. I received a "stormy grey" kohl eye pencil with one of the sets and I love it. It is a nice dark grey which is great when you don't feel like going all-out black with your liner. They sent me a free sample of foundation primer, but as soon as I screwed off the lid I could tell I wouldn't be able to wear it. VERY STRONG FLORAL SMELL! So if you are sensitive to fragrance I definitely wouldn't recommend it. I was back on Hautelook.com today and purchased a massive amount of Rock & Republic cosmetics at 40% off. I will report on it when it comes in. Don't forget to check out Hautelook.com. It was my first ever "Super Shopping Secret."

Mascara & Tweezers

I've been a long time devotee to Maybelline Great Lash Mascara. I have somewhat thick lashes and I think their brush works really well for me. I love the "blackest black" but I also use "brownish black" on occasion. I've noticed that every year InStyle magazine lists them as the best budget mascara, if not the best mascara period. There is a reason it's been around a long time.

I've tried some of the new mascaras that have the rubber brushes and they don't work for me at all.

Lately I am loving Clinique Lash Doubling Mascara. The formula is thin enough to get into your lashes really well to coat them, and I like the brush too. It reminds me of the Maybelline brush. I got a couple of samples with purchases I made last year and I've decided it's time to purchase the full size. It costs $14 and I noticed it was rated 4 out of 5 stars on Clinique's website.

I never thought tweezers were that important until I lost my Tweezerman tweezers for about 5 days last week. I searched everywhere in my bathroom 2 or 3 times and even had my husband emptying out drawers to help me find them! We have special rules about him borrowing my tweezers. He knows there is a particular place that they belong and he must put them back where he found them. I have had so many tweezers that didn't grip well, or just broke hair off when you grabbed it. My Tweezerman tweezers are the best I've ever had. I had been reading about them in magazines for years. They always made InStyle's "best of" list. I just couldn't imagine spending $20 for a pair of tweezers! So I got the petite size and spent only $12. I mean, why do you need full size tweezers? They accomplish the exact same thing and I think the petite size are much more manageable and easy to use.

ZIT ZAPPERS!

As someone who has battled acne since the age of 12, I have tried just about every product out there. I am now 40 years old, and still have frequent breakouts. I have tried accutane, antibiotics, and every kind of topical product (prescription and store bought) you can think of. Add to that the fact that I have sensitive skin and allergies and can't tolerate benzoyl peroxide, I have a dilemna on my hands.

These are 2 outstanding products I would recommend to anyone. I first noticed an ad for Mario Badescu's Drying Lotion in the back of several different magazines years ago. Then I read an article in which Liv Tyler was raving about it and I finally decided to give it a try. Wow! This stuff is awesome! It's famous for "drying up pimples overnight" and that's pretty much what it does. The Drying Lotion seriously shrinks whiteheads overnight. It contains calamine, salicylic acid, camphor and sulfur. When the bottle is left sitting, the pink calamine collects on the bottom and a clear liquid sits on top. You are not supposed to shake it up and mix it, you are supposed to leave it separated. Then you dip a q-tip in it and dot it on your whiteheads. It will dry and you leave it on overnight. You will see a big difference in the morning.

Mario Badescu's Buffering Lotion is made to "stop deep cystic pimples in their tracks." Boy does it ever! I've used this several times this week, and it is very effective overnight. I had one of those hard bumps that you can see under the skin. It was a little smaller than a dime. The next morning it was the size of a pinhead! And I had absolutely no allergic reaction to it over the course of the week. I am very apprehensive to put things on my face before I go to bed because I tend to roll around and rub my face in my pillow during the night. If I put something aggravating on my skin I will typically wake up with red, runny eyes and nose. This product has no smell at all and is a milky liquid that goes on clear.

Mario Badescu has a spa in New York and specializes in skin solutions. They address everything from ezcema to scars. They have an extensive skin care line. They do absolutely no animal testing. They have been featured in numerous magazines such as Lucky, Elle, Glamour, InStyle, Women's Health, Family Circle and Martha Stewart Living. Their celebrity clients include: Jennifer Anniston, Ashley Judd, Live Tyler, Charlize Theron, Gwyneth Paltrow, Courtney Cox, Martha Stewart, Eva Longoria, Natalie Portman, Kate Moss, Naomi Campbell and Oprah.

You may order these and other Mario Badescu products at http://www.mariobadescu.com/. And if you want to save shipping costs, Ulta just recently started carrying Mario Badescu in their stores. The items I have featured here are $17 each which is quite a good deal for such effective products. And they both last quite a while. If you have a teenager who is battling acne, or you are battling it yourself - please give it a try!