I love hearing stories of individuals who become successful despite a misfortune. And I love skin care tips and tricks. That’s why I think Clark’s Botanicals story is such a great one that can teach us so much.

Francesco Clark worked at Harper’s Bazaar at the time of his accident. In 2002, he suffered an injury to his spinal cord that left him paralyzed and even took away his ability to sweat. Because of this his skin did not have the ability to fight breakouts and he needed something more than what traditional dermatologists were offering him. He looked to his physician father, who went on to help him develop a botanically-based skin care line that officially went on the market in 2005.

Today, Clark’s Botanicals is a successful skin care company that has been recognized by Allure Magazine and has found all of its success via word of mouth. Using natural products, like Jasmine Absolute, this skin care line is good for your skin. It’s supposed to work for all skin types, too. The line is meant to reflect Clark’s personality and journey, as he says on his website: “Everything about this line has a purpose and reason for being, from the ingredients to the packaging to the contribution to medical research. It’s an expression of who I am in its purest form.”

And to make a good thing even better, part of the profits from the line go to benefit research at The Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which is working to help those who have been paralyzed due to a spinal cord injury.

-Amanda Fornecker

Routines. They are very much a part of our everyday lives. From brushing your teeth to cooking a meal to even going to bed at night, there are certain things that you just do every day. A few weeks ago, I proposed a little riddle to all my estheticians out there. Today, I sit here and write to you about my very own solution. I had been having serious issues with my face again – the worst it had been in about four years. But I’m no longer a teen so I was extremely frustrated. Here, I learned a little something about routines and why you should (or shouldn’t) stick to them.

A long time ago, when I first encountered my first real pimple, I started using a well-known product called Proactiv. It worked great for a while. And then one day it stopped working. I can’t even tell you why this is. I tried many things and finally found that products with high contents of benzoyl peroxide worked best for me. I switched that routine up after years of having it work because I wanted to try new products. And for some reason I refused to acknowledge this change as my problem.

It has now been a few weeks and my face (although not perfect) has gotten so much better. My lesson here has been to continue on a routine that has proven successful over time. It is also great to have the occasional esthetician or dermatologist weigh in on your face from time to time. They have professional experience and training that can help you along the right path.

I know it’s not much but I think it’s very important to stick with what works for you. Everyone is different so what works for me may not work for you. But once you find the right solution, you’ll feel so much better!

-Amanda Fornecker

I’m certainly not made of money so getting a facial (although I love them and my esthetician) can sometimes be hard to do on a regular basis. In between, however, I can be sure to take care of my face in just the right way to help the maintenance of what the facial has already improved. I can definitely vouch for Bliss products, as I use them quite often and have seen a definite difference in the quality of my skin.

While I doubt I’ll ever get over the oily characteristic of my complexion completely, I do think these products have helped me zap zits, get rid of any dry patches (I know, who would even think I have those?!), and keep my face clear and clean in general. My fave products include the Steep Clean Deep Pore Cleanser and the Steep Clean Pore Purifying Mask.

I’m pretty certain that most Bliss products work well – I have no complaints as of yet. See below for some tips and recommendations by the Bliss Spa professionals!

-Amanda Fornecker

Summer weather—being high on heat, humidity, and UV rays—puts skin at risk for clogging, breakouts, and pigmentation. A regular routine of removal (getting rid of keratinized dead cell layers and pore-clogging lipids) and UV-defense (to keep the melanocytes from over-reacting and overproducing pigment) are key to keeping clear skin.

Bliss Spa clients keep their complexions under control by exfoliating twice as often, using a cleanser that promotes emulsification, and diligently applying sunscreen to prevent UV radiation.

Keep summertime sebaceous levels on the lower side of the ‘dermo-meter’ with:

bliss steep clean pore purifying mask which exfoliates dead skin cells, brightens skin’s surface, refines pores, and just might put our facial tables out of business.  The next best thing to ‘being there’ this 15-minute facial in a tube will transform t-zones into a scene of extreme clean.

laboratoire remède matte therapy cleansing gelée a water-activated gel-to-cream cleanser that ditches the day’s debris while taking a swipe at sebum, for skin that’s beautifully balanced and remarkably matte.

bliss best of skintentions our mission-driven moisturizer that protects skin with SPF 15 for UVB (burning) protection plus a UVA (aging) rating PA++.

-Bliss Spa

Welcome to the second edition of the carnival of Beauty Smarts! Did you watch the Oscars on Sunday night? Did your faves take home the coveted award? More importantly, what are your picks for best- and worst-dressed celebrities?

After a long night of watching the Oscars, this edition examines the concept of dressing to impress and really taking beauty to the next level. Take note of some of the following techniques in order to hide the fact that you were partying it up all night long! And see our award-worthy picks in each of these beauty categories…

For Excellence in Makeup…
Sometimes makeup can define a whole character in a movie. The Joker, anyone? So it’s absolutely paramount to get just the right person with just the right amount of beauty experience and makeup training to work on such Oscar-nominated films. But in everyday situations, we can all use a few tips on getting what we want and need out of our makeup applications. Below, I present to you some interesting techniques that you may not have thought to try before.

And our nominees are…
Camille Kruse presents Under Eye Circles and Puffiness, posted at Skincarelogic’s Blog, giving us “easy-to-understand information and news in the world of skin care!”

There are lots of things that can cause puffy eyes. It happens at all stages of life, according to Aparna, who presents us with Puff out puffy eyes in Beauty and Personality Grooming.

And for a trick you may not have thought of before, check out A’s My Latest Eye Combo at Makeup Lovers Anonymous.

The Oscar for Hair Goes To…
Hair is oh-so-important, especially at the Oscars. Those celebs are certainly critiqued from head to toe, so hairstyles are oftentimes paramount to the success of a best-dressed actress. There are lots of ways to style hair, but what’s the best way? For some tricks-of-the trade, check out the following hair blogs.

And our nominees are…
At our very own blog, A Minute with SpaBeautySchools, I talk about the importance of my hairdresser. She’s just amazing and a very important person in my life! Read more in Ode to a Hairdresser.

Terry presents a similar sentiment toward building relationships with your hairdresser in Beauty posted at New Hair Styles For Women.

Did you know that using eggs in your hair can help your appearance? Bri’anne Smith does. In Brianne’s Blog, we learn how to Be An Egg Head (Its great for your hair!). This comes from a professional hairdresser!

Blonde can often be a difficult color to go to, depending on your hair type. Karen Marie Shelton writes about how to Banish Blonde Hair Brassiness at HairBoutique.com.

Everyone Can Be a Skin Winner…
One of the most important aspects of beauty, to me, is skin care. Some people need to work at skin care more than others, depending on their skin type. Others may have it a little easier. In any case, the possibilities in this field are endless for both estheticians and for those performing self-remedying treatments at home. Learn how to get flawless skin in some of the following blogs.

And our nominees are…
Got the wintertime skin blues? Rachel Ferrucci presents us with How to Deal with Winter Itch in Touch’d. Here, she explains a variety of methods to nix that nasty dry skin!

What are AHAs and why are they particularly good for your skin? Sheena explores the answers to this topic in The Benefits of Alpha Hydroxy Acids at Spa Girl Beauty Tips.

Moisturizing, cleansing, and using natural remedies to keep your skin as healthy-looking as possible are all important subjects that Julie takes on in her blog, Healthtrition Beauty and Health. Daily Skin Care Tips will help you in your everyday routine.

Do you love strawberries? Then you might really enjoy Julena’s blog on Make Your Own Organic Skin Care — With Strawberry! posted at Organic Makeup and Skin Care.

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We think all these blog entries are stellar, but which is your favorite? Go check ‘em out now and pick up a few tips along the way. Get your dose of Beauty Smarts to learn what you need to know to stay fresh.

-Amanda Fornecker

• Are you a blogger? We invite you to contribute to the next Beauty Smarts carnival: Submit here.
• Readers: Let us know your favorite post here, and what you’d like to read more about in the future. Comment below!