2014 Beauty Favorites: Part I - Skincare

Usually I'm an out with the old, in with the new kinda guy, but occasionally I find a product/person/Trader Joe's snack worth holding on to; worth recommending, even! Without further ado, here's the best bits of 2014 according to your's truly.

Cleanser

2014, the year of the oil cleanse. Yes, yes, I know the OCM (oil cleansing method) has been around forEVER, but brands didn't and in 2014 they finally realised that perhaps their eccentric aunt with the penchant for shopping bags and olive oil on ALL OF THE THINGS was, well, maybe onto something. DHC's Deep Cleansing Oil has long been a favorite, and for good reason. It's basic, yet gentle and incredibly effective. Clinique's Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm is my go-to for a facial message and is endorsed by the one and only Caroline Hirons. For a more traditional cleanse, I adore Kate Somerville's Detox Daily Cleanser. Though aimed at blemish-prone skin, Detox Daily is a solid cleanser for all but the most dry and sensitive.

Toner

Toner is important, people! Seriously, nine times out of ten when someone comes to me for advice and they've got the "I've tried it all" pin, toner is what they're missing. Toners have such wonderful benefits and have come sooooooo far. Peter Thomas Roth's Un-Wrinkle Peel Pads are wonderful for congested, stressed skin, though are perhaps a bit much for sensitive skin. Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner is wonderful and a true HG product (if you're adverse to fragrance, just avoid Clarins all together).

Serum

Many still aren't sold on serum, which is a pity because right now the technology in those buggers is extraordinary and they're only getting better. What an exciting time to be alive! Unlike my east Asian brothers and sisters, I haven't the time/patience/dedication for a multi-serum routine, so I need my serums to really be jacks of all trades. Clarins Double Serum relaunched in 2013 and has been massively successful, despite a very vocal backlash regarding one of the star ingredients, Paraffinum Liquidum, aka mineral oil. I've no issues with mineral oil in skincare, and Clarins newest reformulation of Double Serum is, in my opinion, one of the best catchall serums on the market. I also love Kate Somerville's Total Vitamin Serum, but as it has since been discontinued, I apologize for dangling that in front of your face.

The SPF Series: Everybody Loves Radiation

Can you guess which side of the road this guy has been driving on for the last 30 years?

I am sorry that I just unleashed that pun upon you. It is my sincerest hope that by the end of this absurdly long series on SPF, that horrible pun will be but a memory, like Ray Romano's career should be.

Seriously, kids, this is going to be a long ride. Like, watching The Lord of the Rings series in one sitting long. And rightfully so, because oh my goodness is SPF a massively important, albeit complicated, cookie. How so, you ask? Well, according to the most recent estimates, "40-50 percent of Americans who live to age 65 will have skin cancer at least once," and furthermore, UV rays (ultraviolet rays found in sunlight) constitute perhaps the largest extrinsic aging force. Keep in mind, too, that our understanding of skin cancer development and photoaging is constantly evolving - for example, it's only within the last two decades that researchers have come to suspect that UVA rays contribute to the development of skin cancer; previously, it was widely accepted that only UVB rays played a role in the development of skin cancer and -

HOLD UP.

I suppose it is prudent to first provide some sort of framework for whatever the hell it is I am rambling about - please excuse me, I am easily excitable (and I need to get this information in writing before it leaves my brain and is replaced with the Real Housewives of New Jersey's season premiere).

These UV rays, what are they? Why are they divided into two categories?