I consist of flesh and citrus and lots of words.

A few posts ago, I mentioned my Khaleesi-worthy dragon skin and how it was ruining my life. Basically. Although those shiny scales make her baby dragons look fierce, they don't do the same thing for me. The skin around my mouth, nose and chin was so dry and stiff that I felt like I was wearing a mask constantly. Blame the weather all you want, but something had to be done about it. I don't know where I began seeing Vitamin C moisturizers in conjunction with repairing dragon scales, but all of a sudden I just knew that I had found the cure for my woes. And I did indeed. 

Snooping around CVS, I stumbled upon a little pot of moisturizer by the name Lumene that just so happened to also have the happy little phrase "Vitamin C+ With Arctic Cloudberry". Now, I do not know what a cloudberry, let alone what an arctic one is, but I knew it was coming home with me. According to Ulta's website, "the plant sterols in the Arctic cloudberry seed oil rejuvenate the skin's natural protective layer". Okay, whatever. Sounds good, let's give it a try. There were two sizes (one regular and another miniature) and seeing as the price of the full size pot was around $20, I went ahead and said hello and thank you very much to the mini ($4). 

YOUR SKIN WILL SMELL LIKE DESSERT AND YOU WILL SEE RESULTS IMMEDIATELY. 

Am I selling it yet? How about when I tell you that Jonathan (who fears cleaning his face as much as a cat fears a lake) willingly offered to test it out because he said it smelled so good? Really, it just smells like a lemon cake and an orange had a baby after getting it on in a really clean bathroom. It smells fresh and clean and everything you could ever want in something that goes on your face. Not only does it smell nice, but it actually works. I think everyone who knows me knows that I'm a freak for St. Ives Timeless Skin Collagen Elastin Facial Moisturizer (it is clean, soaks into your skin within minutes and leaves your face/wherever feeling plump and hydrated) but I think this Lumene is replacing St. Ives...at least for night time use.

I bought the night cream, you see. As you can imagine, it is thicker than a day cream and hangs out on your face for quite a while. Within an hour or so of using it for the first time, my skin felt human again. I could noticeably see my skin becoming smoother and alive. When I finish my little pot (I'm about a third of the way through in a week's time) I will definitely suck it up and go spend the money on the full size one. I just wish I had known about this miracle worker ages ago, when winter made my skin want to hide. Now I know, and now YOU know. 

Lumene isn't the only citrus I'm embracing! 

^swatches shown left to right, starting with Rendezvous and ending with Tutti Fruity

Corals and oranges are colors that I have always enjoyed. On other people. I've always found them hard to wear and have always been so self conscious when they're on my lips. However, with the changing of the season, I have finally embraced the lighter lip. Move over orange pop sickle, I'm here for the real thing. I'm currently fangirling over:

-Revlon Just Bitten Kissable Balm Stain in Rendezvous.
This isn't as long lasting as the other Just Bitten stains, but it sure is beautiful and gives a nice foundation for my favorite orange-y lip glosses. Plus, the minty scent makes your lips wake up and makes you feel refreshed.

-Almay Color + Care Liquid Lip Balm in Cantaloupe Cream
For a long time I avoided Almay's Liquid Lip Balm line for fear of an allergic reaction that ended up being caused by another product. I had put blame on these poor things an

d now I deeply regret it because the whole line are my absolute go-to's now. Cantaloupe Cream is a lovely little shear pop of orange without making commitment to the color. No stickiness and all the shine!

-NYX Butter Gloss in Peach Cobbler
Like the Liquid Lip Balms, the Butter Glosses have turned into a go-to to put over my Balm Stain. It's juicy, smells like childhood and doesn't break the bank. What's not to love?

-Revlon Color Burst Lip Butter in Tutti Fruity
These puppies have received so much love it's almost silly to try and convince you to love them, too. You probably already have a stock pile of them in every shade. It goes without saying that this little number is well worth a go. It is moisturizing and a lovely pop of color once again without too much commitment. My only issue is that it picks up on any dry patches my lips may have. Solution? Glide on Cantaloupe Cream or Peach Cobbler and you're good to go.

Back to St. Ives. You know I can't go more than a few paragraphs without giving a shout out to perhaps one of my favorite product lines. As a long standing lover of the Apricot Scrub, when I saw this (is this new) new product, I had to give it a try. The promise of a pink lemon and mandarin orange scent was enough to get me to toss it into my cart, let alone the "even and bright" bit. 

After having played with it for a few weeks, I do believe it has replaced my apricot scrub, at least on a more regular basis. For a deep deep scrub, I would still reach for the apricot, but this pink lemon and mandarine orange scrub has weaseled its way into my nightly routine. The exfoliating bits in it are unlike any I have ever tried. Have you ever played with that fake sand stuff? If so, you'd know what I'm talking about. I am of half a mind to suggest that is what this is made of. Either way, this gives the perfect amount of exfoliation. The little beads do not dissapear a second after rubbing yet they are not rough and scratchy. Your face smells great and feels clean and you didn't even have to sit through an awkward and expensive session with an esthetician! As far as evening and brightening...eh...that is rather subjective, isn't it? My skin is always in a state of change, for better or worse. Sometimes I wonder if it is controlled by the moon. Regardless, this puppy won't be leaving my shower anytime soon and I will continue to walk around smelling like an orange.

And there's nothing wrong with that. ;)

xoxo

*I used the photo of Lumene Bright Now Vitamin C Cream found on Dermstore.com*

http://www.dermstore.com/product_Bright+Now+Vitamin+C+Night+Cream_23886.htm