Benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid. Sulfur. BHAs and AHAs and PHAs. We’re used to hearing all these ingredients when it comes to breakouts. But there’s one buzzy new acne treatment that has everyone talking: succinic acid. It’s on the newer side in the beauty industry but it’s been used medicinally in European countries for years. Now, brands such as The Inkey List are using the ingredient to help acne sufferers get their clearest skin yet.

First, let’s start with the good stuff. Succinic acid has been shown to reduce inflammation (great for those red cystic zits) and excess sebum, while also de-clogging pores. Unlike other acne treatments, it doesn’t dry out the skin which can sometimes make a breakout worse. It helps balance pH levels so dehydrated skin is a thing of the past. It can even help hydrate the skin. Know what that means? Not only does it help with breakouts and dark spots, but it can also plump pesky fine lines and wrinkles. Succinic acid is naturally found in amber or sugar cane and fermented for use.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

One of the first big brands to incorporate succinic acid into its products is The Inkey List. The Succinic Acid Treatment works so well, it keeps selling out. (It’s probably also thanks to the affordable price tag.) Not only did The Inkey List put 2 percent succinic acid in its spot treatment, but also 1 percent sulfur powder to help absorb oil and salicylic acid to exfoliate. The combination of these three ingredients makes this one powerhouse product.

Although this is a more gentle acne treatment that works overtime, you’ll still want to use a hydrating moisturizer and/or serum after application. It’s safe to use during the day and some fans even use it under makeup. A skin-clearing primer? Sign me up.

Because this best-seller keeps flying off the shelves you’ll want to check back here and see if it’s back in stock. Don’t worry—Sephora does keep restocking it. In the meantime, try some other favorites from the brand to keep your skin in tip-top shape.

Retinol Anti-Aging Serum

This non-irritating, line-smoothing formula uses 1 percent of what the brand calls “RetiStar stabilized retinol” as well as .5 percent Granactive retinoid to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as squalane for hydration.

Salicylic Acid Acne + Pore Cleanser

Oily, acne-prone skin doesn’t stand a chance against 2 percent salicylic acid, anti-inflammatory zinc compound and soothing .5 percent Allantoin.

Niacinamide Oil Control Serum

This lightweight serum kicks shine, as well as reduces blemishes, redness, and hyperpigmentation, with 10 percent niacinamide.

Benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid. Sulfur. BHAs and AHAs and PHAs. We’re used to hearing all these ingredients when it comes to breakouts. But there’s one buzzy new acne treatment that has everyone talking: succinic acid. It’s on the newer side in the beauty industry but it’s been used medicinally in European countries for years. Now, brands such as The Inkey List are using the ingredient to help acne sufferers get their clearest skin yet.

First, let’s start with the good stuff. Succinic acid has been shown to reduce inflammation (great for those red cystic zits) and excess sebum, while also de-clogging pores. Unlike other acne treatments, it doesn’t dry out the skin which can sometimes make a breakout worse. It helps balance pH levels so dehydrated skin is a thing of the past. It can even help hydrate the skin. Know what that means? Not only does it help with breakouts and dark spots, but it can also plump pesky fine lines and wrinkles. Succinic acid is naturally found in amber or sugar cane and fermented for use.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

One of the first big brands to incorporate succinic acid into its products is The Inkey List. The Succinic Acid Treatment works so well, it keeps selling out. (It’s probably also thanks to the affordable price tag.) Not only did The Inkey List put 2 percent succinic acid in its spot treatment, but also 1 percent sulfur powder to help absorb oil and salicylic acid to exfoliate. The combination of these three ingredients makes this one powerhouse product.

Although this is a more gentle acne treatment that works overtime, you’ll still want to use a hydrating moisturizer and/or serum after application. It’s safe to use during the day and some fans even use it under makeup. A skin-clearing primer? Sign me up.

Because this best-seller keeps flying off the shelves you’ll want to check back here and see if it’s back in stock. Don’t worry—Sephora does keep restocking it. In the meantime, try some other favorites from the brand to keep your skin in tip-top shape.

Retinol Anti-Aging Serum

This non-irritating, line-smoothing formula uses 1 percent of what the brand calls “RetiStar stabilized retinol” as well as .5 percent Granactive retinoid to reduce the look of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as squalane for hydration.

Salicylic Acid Acne + Pore Cleanser

Oily, acne-prone skin doesn’t stand a chance against 2 percent salicylic acid, anti-inflammatory zinc compound and soothing .5 percent Allantoin.

Niacinamide Oil Control Serum

This lightweight serum kicks shine, as well as reduces blemishes, redness, and hyperpigmentation, with 10 percent niacinamide.

We would all like to be creative. Perhaps it is not so hard.

“Curiosity about life in all its aspects, I think, is still the secret of great creative people,” noted the late Leo Burnett, outstanding advertising executive and founder of the firm that bears his name. If so, then by encouraging our own curiosity, we can become more creative.

Former journalist Harry W. Hoover’s little book Born Creative maintains that we all are born creative, but some of us don’t believe we are, and so we don’t exercise that skill.

Hoover cites a Harvard Business Review (HBR) study that found that those who think they are not creative, are not, and those who think they are creative, are. Inventor Henry Ford is credited with saying, “Whether you think you can or think you can’t, you’re right.”

Perhaps your opinion correctly summarizes past experience, but Ford’s implied urging toward positive thinking supports Hoover’s view that however much we are innately creative, we can all do better.

Creative Mindset Test

Hoover offers HBR’s five-question test to gauge our “creative mindset.” It asks yes/no questions about:

Associational Thinking: Do you solve problems by drawing on diverse ideas or knowledge?

Questioning: Do you often ask questions that challenge assumptions?

Observing: Do you get innovative ideas by watching how people behave?

Idea Networking: Do you frequently interact with a diverse set of people?

Experimenting: Do you try to create new methods?

HBR would rate you as “creative” if you answered “yes” to a majority of these questions, but even if you did not, Hoover proposes some approaches to exercise and improve your creative muscle. Hoover reports that a study found that the average adult thinks up two or three alternatives for “any given situation,” but the average child thinks of 60. No wonder kids find so many ways to get into trouble!

Embrace Change

A comment by David Norris helped Hoover realize that his time was more precious than his income, especially when he was spending a couple of hours a day commuting. He altered his career trajectory and now works from home.

Generate an “I Am” List

Hoover recommends this clever exercise: Leaving the first entry blank, write down 30 things you are good at. When all done, put as #1 “I am really creative.” Re-read it frequently, as auto-suggestion, or self-hypnosis.

Don’t Be Like this Big Fish

Scientists ran an experiment with a big fish, Hoover relates, a fish that was initially given all the minnows it could eat, while it swam in its aquarium. Next, they encased minnows individually in strong, transparent containers, where they could swim, but the big fish could not get at them.

Soon, the big fish gave up trying. Next, they released the minnows from the containers, but the big fish did not try to eat them, having “learned” it couldn’t. This did not end well.

Make Creative Weather: Brainstorm

You are probably familiar with brainstorming, which Hoover praises. In an informal meeting, solicit ideas, and keep pushing for more ideas, while shielding each participant from criticism. Crucial elements are: proper preparation, a skilled facilitator, generating without denigrating, suspending judgment, quantity not quality to start, going “beyond reason” and piggybacking one idea on another. Capture the ideas in writing.

Use SCAMMPERR for Creativity

To come up with novelty, Hoover uses SCAMMPERR to suggest the following approaches: Substitute, Combine, Adapt, Magnify, Modify, Put to another use, Eliminate, Rearrange, Reverse.

Steve Jobs has been quoted as saying that creativity is often the joining of disparate elements to make something new.

Psychologist Edward de Bono, author of multiple books on creative thinking, emphasized the value of comparing and contrasting dissimilar items to generate new ideas. De Bono also maintains that creativity helps make life more fun and more interesting.

Harness Your Creative Courage and Judgment

“Creativity is allowing oneself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep,” wrote cartoonist-author-entrepreneur Scott Adams. By being brave, we can risk making mistakes. “Art” may largely be a matter of taste.

You won’t know until you try.

How do you express your own creativity? What do you do to stimulate it? What would go on your “I am” list? Please join the conversation.

Gina Kirschenheiter’s Season 15 Reunion Jumpsuit

Real Housewives of Orange County Season 15 Reunion Fashion

Wow Bethenny Gina! Wow! Although she may have received some flack from fans about her outfit and hair choices in the past, we’re pretty sure that there’s absolutely nothing bad anyone could say about Gina Kirschenheiter’s Season 15 reunion LEWK (which has totally earned her the title of best dressed in our books). Well, maybe other than the fact that the chair she’s sitting on is too small and sad, because this amazing jumpsuit and glam is totally deserving of a full-a*s throne.   

Fashionably,

Faryn

Click Here to Shop Her Stella McCartney Jumpsuit on Sale

Click Here For Additional Stock

Jewelry: @GlynnethB 

Styling: @SisterStyling 

Photo & Info: @GinaKirschenheiter

Originally posted at: Gina Kirschenheiter’s Season 15 Reunion Jumpsuit

Valentine’s Day is one of those holidays that it’s best to gift yourself even if you’re partnered up. Sure, your S.O. might get you a necklace or new perfume but there’s nothing wrong with grabbing what you really want: Bath & Body Works’ Valentine’s Day goods. As usual, the retailer is going all out for the romantic holiday with fragrance mists, shower gel, body lotion, body cream, body wash, bath foam, lip scrub, hand soap and 3-wick candles in 15 new fragrances. Phew! We told you it was a lot.

The collection is sugary sweet with scents like Coconut Cream Pie and Strawberry Pound Cake. The packaging is seriously cute, as expected from Bath & Body Works, in shades of red, pink and gold. Pick up a few for yourself (you deserve a night of self-care!) and grab some for your friends, work wife and mom. There’s so much to choose from, with even more fragrances online than you can find in the store.

Shop a few of our favorites below and visit Bath & Body Works for the rest of the Valentine’s Day goodies.

Our mission at STYLECASTER is to bring style to the people, and we only feature products we think you’ll love as much as we do. Please note that if you purchase something by clicking on a link within this story, we may receive a small commission of the sale.

Bath & Body Works.

Raspberry Jam Donut Shower Gel

With scents of wild raspberry jam, powdered sugar and donuts.

Bath & Body Works.

Pineapple Pancakes 3-Wick Candle

With pineapple, pancakes, banana, and brown sugar essential oils.

Bath & Body Works.

Coconut Cream Pie Ultra Shea Body Cream

With scents of toasted coconut flakes, caramel custard and pie crust.

Bath & Body Works.

Chocolate Covered Cherry Super Smooth Body Lotion

With scents of milk chocolate, cherries and sweet liqueur.

Bath & Body Works.

Bubble Rosé 3-Wick Candle

With rosé, blood orange and cranberry juice with essential oils.