Whole Foods Beauty Week Haul

Whole Foods Beauty Week Haul

Right now Whole Foods is hosting their Beauty Week where beauty care is 25% off with an additional 10% discount for Amazon Prime members. The sale is until April 2, 2019. Here is what I picked up:

Whole Foods Peony Mint & Blackberry Hand Cream: this is the Whole Foods branded dry skin hand cream. It contains 20% shea butter and is enriched with argan and olive oil. It is made in France.

Acure Organics Incredibly Clear Cleansing Stick: this cleansing stick is for acne prone skin. The stick looks like a deodorant stick. The directions say to apply stick to wet face to create a lather. This will be great for travel. The ingredients say it contains rosehip oil and sea kelp for combo and oily skin.

Acure Organics Seriously Soothing Blue Tansy Night Oil: this comes in a nice hefty pump bottle. Blue tansy is really having a moment, as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory ingredient. This one is 100% vegan and made in the USA.

Mad Hippie Antioxidant Facial Oil: this product contains various oils including 18 actives. The primary oil is argan oil and includes goji and camu camu. The bottle is a dark dropper style bottle.

Mad Hippie Eye Cream: this eye cream contains 14 actives with peptides and ceramides. It is in a pump style bottle for hygienic reasons. 

Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum: this contains vitamin c in the form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate, hyaluronic acid, green tea extract, panthenol, and vitamin E. 

Where to buy: Whole Foods (store locator)

Throwback: Nivea Cream

Throwback: Nivea Cream (German Version)

German Nivea creme has a reputation for being a dupe of La Mer. It is also a classic cream and was created in 1911. The made in Germany Nivea cream can't be found in the United States, but is only sold in Europe. The Nivea sold in the US is made in Mexico and appears to differ from the German version. This tin is the German version.

You can see it has a thick consistency. The product contains mineral oil to lock in moisture. I apply it by warming it between my fingertips and pressing it into the skin. It can be used on both face and body. I find it to be non-irritating and works well when my skin feels sensitive or very dry. As far as being  a dupe for La Mer, well I would say the consistency is the same and it does work very similarly for a fraction of the price.

It is hard to obtain a jar of the German version, unless you purchase it while in Europe or online on either eBay or this small retailer that specializes in international products, Smallflower.

Where to buy: Smallflower (link)

Brand Review: Billie

Brand Review: Billie Shaving

So I have been using the Billie Starter Kit for a few weeks now and here are my thoughts. I chose the blush razor handle out of the 5 color options. The kit comes with the handle, a magnetic holder, and two razor blade cartridges. The starter kit costs $9. I also got the shaving cream for an additional $8. After choosing your starter kit, you can choose the frequency of refills depending on how often you shave. Mine is set to every 2 months. Refills come with a package of 4 razor cartridges for $9. Shipping is free.

The razor handle itself is nice and smooth and easy to hold. The cartridge comes with 5 blades and an outer rim of charcoal shave soap. It's less bulky than some of the razor heads out there, including the Gillette Venus.

There is also a magnetic holder that you can stick to your bathroom wall. I really like this touch. It works well.

The shaving cream has a light citrus scent. It dispenses as a thinnish cream, not a gel to foam cream so it does not lather. It does cover the leg well and stays put to when shaving. Compared to Cremo Shaving Creme is it less chunky, but not as thick as Harry's shaving cream (tube version).

Where to buy: My Billie (link)

Product Review: Glossier Solution

Product Review: Glossier Solution

Glossier's Solution is an exfoliating toner. Its marketed towards acne-prone skin. It is the winner of the 2018 Teen Vogue Acne Awards.

This product contains a blend of 10% of AHA, BHA, and PHA. The label specifically states it contains 0.5% BHA (salicylic acid). These acids together help chemically exfoliate the skin. The product also contains niacinamide, an all around good ingredient for acne and anti-aging.

The container is a flip top with a pump inside that you press your cotton pad. Two pumps is enough for the whole face. I generally use the product at night before applying my night creams and serums. It keeps my skin smooth, soft, and helps unclog pores. It does sting if applied to broken skin. It's like I will repurchase. 

Where to buy: Glossier (link)

Brand Review: Raw Sugar Living

Brand Review: Raw Sugar Living

Raw Sugar Living is a natural beauty brand that recently became available at Target (January 2019). The brand offers personal care products, beauty, haircare, and lip care. I picked up a set during the holidays that came with the hand wash, body wash, body lotion, and body butter. Also, not pictured, is the lemon sugar bath soap that I purchased separately.

The hand soap comes in a pump style bottle with 16.9 oz of product. The scent I got is lemon sugar. It dispenses as a yellow translucent gel and smells really fresh. The lemon sugar scent reminds me of Fresh's Sugar Lemon products. I haven't found this hand soap to be drying despite washing my hands frequently.

The body wash is similar in color to the hand wash and the scent is the same. It lathers well and leaves no residue.

The body lotion also has the same scent. I do feel like this lotion takes a bit of time to be absorbed, but it does moisturize well. It moisturizes with safflower oil, hyaluronic acid, grapeseed oil, jojoba oil, and shea butter.

The body butter is slightly thicker than the lotion, but absorbs quickly. Its not the thickest body butter I have ever used. This one contains shea butter, coconut oil, olive fruit oil, jojoba oil, and of course lemon extract for the scent.

I also purchased their 2-bar pack of bar soap. It includes to lemon sugar scented soap bars. The bars have massaging nubs on one side. I found the soap to clean well, but not leave that squeaky clean feeling. It also does not leave a residue. This is probably my favorite of all the products.

Where to buy: Target (link)

Brand Review: Blossom

Brand Review: Blossom

I picked these Blossom products up the other day at Nordstrom Rack. They are really cute and cheap. I got the roll on lipgloss trio, duo lipgloss trio, and cuticle oil in rose.

All of Blossom's products come infused with dried flowers inside. Also, they all have a great fruity or flowery scent.

I have used the roll on lipgloss before and simply picked up more. This set includes watermelon, strawberry, and bubblegum flavors. The glosses are made in the USA. The colors of the flowers inside vary based on the flavor. This is a simple non-sticky yet satisfying lipgloss. It also tastes great! It's tempting to lick my lips.

The duo lipgloss is a new product to me. It includes three lipglosses in this trio. The kit includes a brush so you can apply it to your lips. All three have shimmer.

Lastly, the rose scented cuticle oil. This is so cute with the flowers inside the oil. The brush is perfect for applying to cuticles and the oil has a natural rose scent. 

Where to buy: Riley Rose (link), Bikini.com (link), Urban Outfitters (link)

FabFitFun Spring 2019 Box Review

FabFitFun Spring 2019 Box Review

I just received my spring 2019 FabFitFun box and here's what's inside:

Deux Lux Demi Backpack

This backpack is made with vegan leather and canvas. It is pretty roomy and the vegan leather has a nice suppleness. I chose this out of the three choices: flower robe, Deux Lux backpack, or oil diffuser. This one will be more useful for me. 

Quay "My Girl" Sunglasses

I have plenty of sunglasses, but this is a welcome addition to my collection. I have been wanting to try Quay sunglasses and the choice of style is so chic. Definitely a must for spring and summer.

The 2Bandits "Athens" Necklace

I'm a bit disappointed in this selection as I was hoping for the S'ip by S'well bottle, but as a seasonal member, this one was chosen randomly for me. I received the 2Bandits "Athens" Necklace. I will probably not wear this one so it is up for sale on Poshmark. 

TULA Purifying Face Cleanser

I have yet to use this, TULA Purifying Face Cleanser, but I have heard good things about the brand TULA. TULA's brand centers around using probiotics in its skincare.

Manna Kadar Champagne Charcoal Body Scrub

This is the Manna Kadar Champagne Charcoal Body Scrub. Charcoal seems to be everywhere nowadays for its detoxing properties. I will definitely give this a try.

OUAI Leave in Conditioner

I have used a sample of this OUAI Leave in Conditioner before and I did like it, so I am happy I received a full size to use. This conditioner has the best scent.

Dr. Brandt No More Needles No More Baggage Eye De-puffing Eye Gel

Dr. Brandt's product seem to be rather popular, but they have never done much for me. This is a full size of the No More Needles No More Baggege Eye De-puffing Gel, but this likely a giveaway for me.

Giadzy Copper Plated Measuring Spoons

These copper spoons will be super useful for when I am baking. I love the copper plating as it looks so chic.

The total value of this box comes out to $287.95. Well over the $49.99 I paid for it, even with the items I decided I will not keep. FabFitFun offers a seasonal as well as annual membership.

Where to buy: FabFitFun (link)

Product Review: Sachajuan Leave in Conditioner

 Product Review: Sachajuan Leave in Conditioner

I have been using the Sachajuan Leave in Conditioner for a few months now and I would say it is doing a decent job of conditioning my hair. It has done a good job of preventing damage to the ends. I spray this on the ends of my wet hair right after the shower and then comb through with a detangling brush. It isn't marketed for detangling but it does a good job of this. The pump is non-aerosol and dispenses the product evenly. It also has the signature Sachajuan scent that all their products have. One improvement would be making the bottle slimmer so it's easier to hold as you spritz. Overall, I would probably repurchase this product. 

Where to buy: Dermstore (link), Barney's (link)

Product Review: Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum & Eye Serum

Product Review: Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum & Eye Serum

The Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Serum is $89 and contains the gold standard for anti-aging: retinol. Retinol is known to help with acne, smooth wrinkles, and even skin tone. The serum is lightweight yet potent. It includes time tested retinol as well as a retinol booster. Other ingredients include ceramides, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and amino acids. All great ingredients for skin. Two pumps is enough for the whole face. As far as smoothing wrinkles, I use this primarily as a preventative measure. My one complaint with the packaging is it is hard to tell when you are about to run out. 

The other product in the collection is the Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Eye Serum which is $85. This serum is lighter than the facial serum and one pump is plenty for both eyes. I like to layer this with a thicker eye cream to keep my eyes from getting dry.

I use both of these products at night to maximize effectiveness as retinol is light sensitive.

The Murad Retinol Youth Renewal collection also includes a cream, that I have not used but you can buy the entire collection for a discount on the Murad website. Additionally, there is also a mini kit with trial sizes.

Where to buy (Serum): Murad website (link), Sephora (link)
Where to buy (Eye Serum): Murad website (link), Sephora (link)
Where to buy trial kit:  Murad website (link)
Where to buy collection set: Murad website (link)

Hand Cream Rotation

Current Hand Cream Rotation

(L to R: Brandless Citrus Bergamot hand cream, Neutrogena Norweigan hand cream, 

L'Occitane Cherry Blossoms hand cream, Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Honey & Coriander hand cream)

Hand creams are a must for winter. Pictured above are my current go-tos.

Brandless Citrus Bergamot hand cream: I briefly reviewed this in a previous post, along with other Brandless products. This cream has a refreshing citrus bergamot scent. The product includes hydrating shea butter and jojoba seed oil for hands. The ingredients are also clean and non-toxic.

Where to buy: Brandless (link)

Neutrogena Norweigan hand cream: a holy grail product for me, this product never fails to hydrate my hands when they are scaly and cracking. When it gets bad, this will fix it. Neutrogena produces this version as well as a fragrance free version. This contains over 40% glycerin, a humectant that will ensure hands are soft and smooth.

Where to buy: Amazon (link), Target (link)

L'Occitane Cherry Blossoms hand cream: I have used various iterations of the L'Occitane shea butter hand cream, including this cherry blossom version. The scent is a delicate cherry blossom scent and the cream is rich a hydrating like all their shea butter hand creams. This is a favorite for me.

Where to buy: L"Occitane USA (link)

Crabtree & Evelyn Citron Honey & Coriander hand cream: this is the Crabtree & Evelyn ultra moisturizing hand therapy hand cream in the citron honey scent. I've also tried the rosewater scent. Key ingredients include macadamia seed oil, shea butter, ceramide 6, hyaluronic acid, vitamin E, and squalane.

Where to buy: Crabtree & Evelyn (link)

Those are the hand creams in my current rotation. Which is your favorite?

Throwback: NIA24 Skin Strengthening Complex

Throwback: NIA24 Skin Strengthening Complex

The NIA24 Skin Strengthening Complex is a product I have been using on and off for nearly a decade now. It is one of my standby products and I have purchased several tubes of this over the years.

The product's key ingredient is nicotinic acid. Additionally, it contains evening primrose oil, ceramides, apple fruit extract, green tea extract, hyaluronic acid, and vitamin E. In other words, it contains a whole host of beneficial ingredients for skin.

It's technically fragrance free although I can detect a scent, I'm not sure what I would compare it to. I find this cream to be rich and hydrating which definitely helps for the winter months. Its hard to tell if it has an anti-aging effect since I've been using it for so long and so young, but based on the ingredients if you are looking for something to combat wrinkles, this would be it. The product in general helps to repair the skin barrier so almost anyone can use it. It be can pricey at $93 a tube, however, often websites such as Skinstore and SkincareRx run promotions which include the brand, so search for coupons and promo codes before purchasing. 

Where to buy: Dermstore (link), SkincareRx (link), Skinstore (link)

Brand review: Brandless Roundup

Brand Review: Brandless beauty products

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Brandless is a website offering private label products including a full line of beauty products at a price of $6 or less. Previously, all the products were offered at $3, but the prices of some products have recently been hiked up. This post will review the Brandless beauty products I have tried.

The Green Tea & Aloe Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner are both lightly scented. The shampoo cleanses hair well and leaves it smooth and moisturized. The conditioner is leaves hair silky and isn't too thin which can sometimes happen with cheaper products.

They also produce a matching body wash in the same scent - Green Tea & Aloe Body Wash. This body wash also has a light scent and includes aloe vera as an ingredient. It lathers well and is non-stripping.

For me, the biggest miss of the products I tried is the Green Tea & Aloe Shave Gel. This product contains a lot of aloe vera as an ingredient. It has the same light green tea scent as the others. The trouble with this is, I find the product too slippery. It slides right off my leg when shaving! I would not repurchase this product. I think I prefer shave cream that adheres to the skin better.

My favorite of what I've tried is the Grapefruit Facial Cleanser. This has a nice refreshing grapefruit scent. It too is a translucent clear gel that lathers easily. It's non-drying and cleanses well. The product is also reminiscent of the pricier, Malin + Goetz Grapefruit Cleanser. 

The website offers three choices of lip balm flavors Coconut, Acai Berry, and Cranberry Spice. I chose the Acai Berry. The lip balm is petroleum free and contains coconut oil and shea butter as primary ingredients. It is non-waxy. It's decently long-lasting.

The site also sells hand soap. I have used both the moisturizing Lemon Verbena as well as the Lavender Eucalyptus. Both lather easily and leave a lingering scent on the hands. I did not find to be too drying despite washing my hands many times a day.

Lastly, is the Citrus Bergamot Hand Cream. This too has a nice scent. The cream contains shea butter, olive fruit oil, and vitamin E. It's a decent hand cream, but probably not thick enough for the driest of hands.

Where to buy: Brandless (link)

Product Review: L'Oreal Revitalift Cica Cream Face Moisturizer

Product Review: L'Oreal Cica Cream Face Moisturizer

The L'Oreal Revitalift Cica Cream is billed as an anti-aging moisturizer containing pro retinol and trendy ingredient centella asiatica or cica.

Centella asiatica is an herb used in traditional Chinese medicine for wound healing and treating skin conditions. It has been popping up lately in many skincare products as cica or tiger grass. Other popular products including this ingredient are Dr. Jart+ Cicapair Tiger Grass cream and serum, Kiehl's Cica Balm, and the CosRx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream I reviewed in yesterday's post.

Ingredients: Aqua/Water, Glycerin, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sesamum Indicum Seed Oil/Sesame Seed Oil, Glyceryl Stearate, Butyrospermum Parkii Butter/Sheabutter, Peg-100 S Tearate, Sorbitan Stearate, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter/Cocoa Seed Butter, Cetearyl Alcohol, Phenoxyethanol, Methyldihydrojasmonate, S T E Ar I C Ac I D, Carbomer, Tocopheryl Acetate, Palmitic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Caprylyl Glycol, Ceteareth-20, Xanthan Gum, Polysorbate 20, Sodium Hydroxide, Dimethicone, Pentaerythrityl Tetra-Di-T-Butylhydroxyhydrocinnamate, Retinylpalmitate, Di Sodium Edta, Madecassoside, Myristic Acid, Faex Extract/Yeast Extract/Extraitde Levure, Dimethiconol, Centella Asiatica Extract, Ethylhexylglycerin, Tocopherol, Bht, Citric Acid, F.I.L. # D197637/1

As you can see from the ingredients list, this cream contains glycerin, shea butter, cocoa butter, vitamin E, vitamin A, and finally the centella asiatica extract. The centella asiatica is fairly low on on the ingredient list.

The cream contains out as white. While it is dense and hydrating, I find the product to really offer no other benefits than hydration. It doesn't even skin tone or reduce hyperpigmentation. There is no fragrance.

As a general rule, L'Oreal products are the least effective for drugstore products. I find they rarely include good active ingredients though I have noticed they recently stepped up their game with the L'Oreal Revitalift Hyaluronic Acid serum and Revitalift Vitamin C serum.

Would I repurchase this product? No.

Where to buy: Amazon (link), Ulta Beauty (link)

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream vs CosRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream

Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Cream vs CosRX Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream

The Dr. Jart+ and CosRX ceramide creams are two ceramide creams available on the market now. Best for dry skin looking for skin repairing ceramides, these cream are similar K-beauty staples.

The Dr. Jart+ cream is my preferred one of the two. A light yellow hue, it is a bit richer in texture than the CosRX. It is incredibly hydrating and offers ceramides to help strengthen the skin barrier. This cream is also part of a "ceramidin" collection which offers a liquid format and sheet masks. The collection is available at Sephora, but I have found the items to be offered on eBay shipped directly from Korea at a lower price.

Where to buy: Sephora (link), eBay (link)

Below, see the difference between the CosRx cream (top) and the Dr. Jart+ (bottom).

CosRx (top) and Dr. Jart+ (bottom)

The CosRx Balancium Comfort Ceramide Cream is available exclusively through Amazon Prime for $26. The cream has a light scent and aside from ceramides also includes the trendy ingredient centella asiatica aka cica or tiger grass. This cream is a smidge less rich than the Dr. Jart+ and the scent is longer lasting.

 Where to buy: Amazon (link)

Product Review: Whamisa by Glow Recipe Green Tea Foaming Cleansing Gel

Product Review: Whamisa by Glow Recipe Green Tea Foaming Cleansing Gel

This foaming cleansing gel is part of the Whamisa by Glow Recipe collection that was available at Target. Available for $20, this product has a light natural green tea scent. It is a translucent green gel with flecks of green tea that foams up quickly when lathered. It leaves skin feeling fresh, but not stripped. Comes in an easy to use squeeze tube.

Where to buy: Glow Recipe (link)