December 2019 Favorites

December 2019 Favorites

(Top to Bottom: Frank Body lip balm, Glow Recipe Sleeping Mask, La Roche Posay Effaclar Adapalene, Bite Agave Lip Balm, Trader Joe's Hand Cream, Curology, Belei Hyaluronic Acid Serum)

Frank Body Lip Balm

This is a petroleum free lip balm. The primary ingredient is lanolin, so it is not a vegan lip balm. There is minimal scent. I was expecting it to smell like coffee given most of Frank Body's products are coffee-based. This does contain coffee seed extract, but no scent. It is slightly tacky and long lasting.

Where to buy: Frank Body (link), Ulta (link)

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask

This is a really nice hydrating sleeping mask. The texture of the cream is nice and thick and it has a fruity smell. It doesn't smell like avocados. I use this on top of my moisturizer and other skincare products at night to seal it all in and provide extra moisture. They also recently launched a retinol version of this mask.

Where to buy: Glow Recipe (link)

La Roche Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel 0.1% Treatment

This is an acne treatment I am using when not using the Curology. It's the La Roche Posay branded version of Differin Gel. The texture is exactly the same as Differin. It quickly absorbs. Need to use sunscreen with this as it can make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. 

Where to buy: Amazon (link)

Bite Beauty Agave+ Daytime Vegan Lip Balm

This is the mini version I got as part of the set. They do sell a larger full size version. This balm is surprisingly thick for a stick lip balm. It also has a nice orange scent.

Where to buy: Sephora (link)

Trader Joe's Rose Oil Ultra Moisturizing Hand Cream

A decent dupe of the L'Occitane shea butter hand cream. This has a lovely rose scent. It's pretty thick, moisturizing, and absorbs fairly quickly.

Where to buy: Trader Joe's stores

Curology Superbottle

Curology is a online dermatologist providing custom treatments for acne. I have been suffering some nasty cystic breakouts in the past few months. Every time one breakout starts to heal, another pops up. And after the breakouts I now have some dark hyperpigmentation on my face. I opted to get the $5 free one month trial of this to see if it would help my acne. My super bottle formulation is 4% azelaic acid/1% clindamycin/4% niacinamide. I've noticed some other people's formulations include tretinoin, but mine does not. It is customized based on your answers to the questionnaire. The instructions indicate applying all over the face but as my breakouts are confined to the chin area, I only apply it there every night prior to my moisturizer.  

Where to buy: Curology (link)

Belei Hydrating Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Belei is Amazon's private label skincare brand. They have a few staple skincare items such as a vitamin C serum, sunscreen, and face wipes. This is a decent hyaluronic acid serum. The one difference with this than other serums is it's more like a jelly than a liquid-y serum. It also feels slightly tacky upon application. This one is the travel size from one of the kits.

Where to buy: Amazon (link)

That's it for my December favorites.

FabFitFun Winter 2019 Box Review

FabFitFun Winter 2019 Box Review

I received my winter FabFitFun box the other day and here's what's inside:

(Clockwise: Ahava Bath Salts, Makeup Eraser, Karuna Sheet Masks, Nails Inc. Thirsty Hands, R+Co Shampoo & Conditioner, Dry Bar Prep Rally, LVMI Pure Nilotica Melt)

This is definitely a great box and I am very happy with what I received. I completely forgot, but the PJ Salvage slippers aren't pictured here.

Ahava Bath Salts

I kind of wish I had gotten one of the other options. This was one was chosen for me. Select members have the option to chose theirs out of 3 choices. I don't take baths so bath salts are relatively useless for me. The other options were Frank Body Coffee Scrub or Vera Mona color changer.

Makeup Eraser

This is a pink cloth designed to remove your makeup with just water. I already have one of these and barely use it. I prefer using cleansing oils and balms and don't really like the idea of rubbing my face with a cloth. To its credit, it does remove the makeup with only water.

Karuna Face and Eye Mask Set

This is a box sheet mask set. I have used this set before in the past. I would rank Karuna sheet masks as average. They are great to use during the winter for a hydration hit.

Nails Inc. Thirsty Hands

This is essentially a sheet mask for your hands. An interesting concept, I can't wait to try.

R+Co Television Perfect Shampoo & Conditioner

This set is worth $64 and was one of the better choices, in my opinion. I have been interested in trying R+Co products. They have been very popular lately.

Dry Bar Prep Rally Detangler

I was sent two of these by accident. That's totally okay though as this was one of the products I was looking forward to in this box. This item comes in every box. It's a lightweight detangling spray. 

LVMI Pure Nilotica Melt

This is essentially pure shea butter in a tube. It's valued at $28, but I would never purchase this on my own or pay that price. Shea butter is incredibly moisturizing though and this is perfect for winter.

PJ Salvage Slippers

I forgot to take a photo of the slippers, but I also received these. Photo credit is MySubscriptionAddiction.

The total value of this box is $205. This box has a lot of items I will use so I am very happy. The box is priced at $49.99, but you can save $15 off your first box with the coupon code s2-exam (expires 2/28/20).

Where to buy: FabFitFun (link)

Product Review: Henne Organics Luxury Lip Balm

Product Review: Henne Organics Luxury Lip Balm

Henne Organics is an organic brand creating luxury organic lip balms and lip products. This is the review of their original product, Henne Organics Luxury Lip Balm. The product is housed in a  heavy weight pot. Henne Organics also offers their V2 version, which is a stick form of this lip balm. The balm has a little bit of a gritty texture when you dig it out, however, upon application it melts and smooths out. I attribute this to the high beeswax and cocoa butter content. The ingredients in this lip balm are: coconut oil, beeswax, shea butter, cocoa butter, avocado oil, jojoba oil, and vitamin E. It is a pretty simple, but natural formulation. The balm retails for $22, pricey for the simple ingredients. At this price point, you could actually just make your own and it would probably be cheaper. The product also has a slight cocoa butter scent.  This balm is not tested on animals and is made in the USA.  I would rate this, a 3/5. Would I repurchase? Probably not. 

Where to buy: Nordstrom (link)

Eyeliner Roundup

Eyeliner Review and Comparisons:

(Top to Bottom: Makeup Revolution, ColourPop, BeautyBakerie, Fenty, Too Faced)

Makeup Revolution Renaissance Flick Eyeliner Pen: Purchased this from Ulta and find it to be a decent eyeliner. Price point isn't too bad at $9. This is a felt tip eyeliner and I prefer a brush tip, but the line is very black and dries quickly.

Where to buy: Ulta (link)

ColourPop Eyeliner in Numero Uno: Again, this is felt tip when I thought it would be brush tip. I do like how black it is and the dry down is quick. Lasting power is good.

Where to buy: ColourPop website (link)

BeautyBakerie Lollipop Liner: For some reason every time I use this, my lines are way too thick. I don't know if this is because of the felt tip applicator or what. The felt tip is a stiffer one that isn't too flexible. For comparison, Stila's liquid liner is felt tip as well but its a much more flexible felt tip. This is also very black. Got this at Ulta.

Where to buy: Ulta (link)

Fenty Beauty Flyliner: Love this eyeliner. It's super black, long lasting, and a brush tip, my ideal applicator. The pen is an odd shaped triangular shape. 

Where to buy: Sephora (link)

Too Faced Better Than Sex Waterproof Liner: This is also a brush tip and super smooth in application. The packages indicates to shake before use. This is also the least black of the bunch.

Where to buy: Sephora (link)

Swatches below:

(L to R: Makeup Revolution, ColourPop, BeautyBakerie, Fenty, Too Faced)

Current Lip Favorites Roundup

A Roundup of My Current Lip Favorites

(Top to Bottom: Bobbi Brown Peach n Quiet, Bobbi Brown Hippy Shake, ColourPop,
Haus Laboratories Lipgloss, Hourglass Unreal Lipgloss)

Bobbi Brown Crushed Liquid Lipstick (Peach N Quiet & Hippy Shake): I love this formula so much that I purchased an additional set of crushed liquid lip colors on the Bobbi Brown website. The formula is smooth and pigmented. It feels like a gloss but with the pigment of a liquid lipstick. Featured here are the colors Peach n Quiet, a peachy coral and Hippy Shake, a mauve shade.

Where to buy: Bobbi Brown Cosmetics (link), Sephora (link)

ColourPop Just A Tint (The Strand): This is a relatively new release. It is a tinted lip crayon. It has a nice smooth formula and a subtle tint. It also smells like guava. The price point is great too at $7 a pop.

Where to buy: ColourPop website (link)

Haus Laboratories Le Riot Lipgloss (Blaze): This launched last month. It is from Lady Gaga's new makeup line Haus Laboratories exclusively available on Amazon. The formula is smooth and not too sticky. It has a nice doe foot applicator and the color is a great my lips but better shade. It's pretty much the perfect gloss. I purchased a duo kit that retails for $32.

Where to buy: Amazon (link)

Hourglass Unreal High Shine Volumizing Lipgloss (Canvas): This one came out in the past few months as well. The doe foot applicator gives the perfect application. Coverage is good. Not too sticky. It's definitely more pigmented than the Haus Labs lipgloss. This one comes with a bit of shimmer. No scent. 

Where to buy: Sephora (link)

Swatches of the products below: 

(L to R: Bobbi Brown Peach n Quiet, Hippy Shake,  ColourPop Just a Tint, Haus
Labrs Le Riot Lipgloss Blaze,  Hourglass Unreal Lipgloss Canvas)

Olay VoxBox Review

Olay VoxBox Review

I was lucky enough to be chosen for an Olay VoxBox and received the Olay Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Serum and the Olay Serum Stick in Refreshing. Here are my thoughts:

Regenerist Retinol 24 Night Serum (Fragrance Free): The Retinol 24 line is new to the Olay Regenerist line of products. This serum is housed in a opaque plastic dropper style bottle and comes out as a milky white texture. It is lightly fragranced. The serum absorbs really quickly into the skin and leaves your skin feeling smooth. The primary ingredients in the product are Olay's signature niacinamide and retinol. This product in fact contains two forms of vitamin A: retinol and retinol propionate. It also contains palmitoyl pentapeptide-4. Overall, I really liked this product and am glad that Olay is now offering retinol products. This one is a A+ for me.

Where to buy: Olay (link)

Pressed Serum Stick in Refreshing: This is a one of three new serum sticks launched by Olay. The other two are brightening pressed serum stick and cooling hydration pressed serum stick. The refreshing serum stick contains sake kasu as an ingredient. It has a white pearlescent sheen. Swiping the stick on the face it glides easily, but I don't experience much hydration. Honestly, if I hadn't been sent this product for free I would probably return it. This is a thumbs down for me.

Where to buy: Olay (link)

FTC: I received this VoxBox for free from Influenster. All opinions are my own.

August Favorites

August Favorites

(L to R: Good Molecules Vitamin C Booster Powder, Sand & Sky Pink Clay Mask, Derma E Vitamin C Concentrated Serum, 

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Treatment, Hourglass Arch Brow Gel, Revlon Vinyl Lip Polish)

It feels like August flew by. The temperatures for August were a bit better than July and much more pleasant. Anyway, here are my August favorites.

Good Molecules Vitamin C Booster Powder

 

This white powder is pure vitamin C also known as ascorbic acid. It is intended to be mixed into serums or moisturizers. It includes a small scooper for measurement. Good Molecules is the Beautylish answer to The Ordinary. The powder retails at $8 vs $4.90 for The Ordinary. I mix this in with the Derma E serum because while that contains vitamin C it's in the form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate. Mixing it with the serum, it is a little bit gritty but doesn't affect absorption.

Where to buy: Beautylish (link)

Sand & Sky Australian Pink Clay Porefining Mask

This brand Sand & Sky hails from Australian and this is their pink clay mask. It includes a small brush. It applies pink and dries to white. I definitely felt it tightening my pores and detoxifying.

Where to buy: Sephora (link), Cult Beauty UK (link)

Derma E Concentrated Vitamin C Serum

This serum contains a plethora of great ingredients for skin. Aside from vitamin C in the form of sodium ascorbyl phosphate it also contains hyaluronic acid, green tea, aloe, and vitamin E. It has a fresh citrus scent and I mix it with the Good Molecules Vitamin C powder booster. It sinks in fast.

Where to buy: Ulta (link)

Lanolips Lemonaid Lip Treatment

I love this lip balm. It smells just like lemonade and is hydrating. It contains the Lanolips signature ingredient of lanolin. Comes in a hygienic squeeze tube and is affordable to boot.

Where to buy: Nordstrom (link)

Hourglass Arch Brow Volumizing Fiber Gel

Picked this up at the Sephora Summer Bonus event. It's a tinted brow gel and I got the darkest shade. The bristles on the brush are of varying sizes with one side being longer than the other. I find it builds volume and keeps my brows in place. An A+ brow gel.

Where to buy: Sephora (link)

Revlon Vinyl Lip Polish in Act Natural

(Revlon Vinyl Lip Polish in Act Natural)

This lip polish is super moisturizing and applies like a liquid lipstick. The shade act natural is a my lips, but better shade. It's pretty long lasting too. 

Where to buy: Ulta (link)

That's all for my August favorites.

FabFitFun Fall 2019 Box Review

FabFitFun Fall 2019 Box Review

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

I am a seasonal member so I got to customize three of my choices.

Amika Strand Perfect Ceramic Styler

This a mini ceramic straightener worth $80. Amika is a great quality brand and I was happy to be able to pick this one. I used it once and it heats up very quickly, up to 450 degrees. The other choice I debated between this was the Anthropologie Travel Yoga Mat. I am glad I chose the styler.

The Better Skin Co. Lava Magik

I've heard good things about this brand. I first heard about The Better Skin Co. from Mixed Makeup on Youtube. This is a combination cleanser/scrub/mask. I can't wait to try it.

NassifMD Detox Pads

I'm always looking for new AHA/BHA toners/pads to try out so this was a no brainer for me. There are 60 pads in the container and the ingredients list includes salicylic acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, ascorbic acid, and even bakuchiol, the new hyped up alternative to retinol. 

As a seasonal member, I get two items chosen for me by FabFitFun. Annual members get to choose their item.

Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Roller Ball

This roller ball is designed to be applied to help you relax. Unfortunately, I would have prefer one of the other two choices over this. The Wander Beauty eye masks or Skin & Co. toner would have been better in my mind. This item is likely a give away for me.

Skinvolve Body Boost Gel

Same for this item, I am probably going to give away this item. It is a boosting gel used prior to workouts. Again, I would have preferred the hair towel wrap over this.

Here are the items that are included in every box.

Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes in Juice Cleanse

These smell so good. Very fruity. I haven't heard of this brand before so this will be interesting to try.

AVEDA Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair

Definitely looking forward to using this product before blowdrying my hair. I've used lots of Aveda products before and have had good experiences so I am expecting the same from this.

Human + Kind Body Soufflé

I have heard of this brand before, but have not used their product. I may or may not keep this. I have a huge collection of body lotions. This product is vegan and cruelty free.

Along with my box, I purchased two add-on items. 

Loli Plum Elixir

I've seen this on Instagram so I was interested in trying. It's a facial oil containing plum kernel oil, tea seed oil, pomegranate, and sea buckthorn. I got it for approximately 65% off so it was a steal. 

Saturday Skin No Bad Skin Days Set

Another upcoming brand, I got this set to try. It contains the rise + shine cleanser, wide awake brightening eye cream, and featherweight daily moisturizer. I paid $14, but this set retails $39 on Sephora.com.

This box's total value is: $295. You pay $49.99 for the entire box so each item comes to $6.24 per item. Use coupon code co-i24v for $15 off your first box.

Where to buy: FabFitFun (link)

July Favorites

July Favorites

(L to R: Secret No Alumninum Rosewater Deodorant, Tony Moly Peach Hand Cream, Aveda Heat Relief, 

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream, REN Ready Steady Glow AHA/BHA Tonic)

July was a hot month with temperates reaching sweltering degrees and a heatwave across the country. Nonetheless, here are my favorites for the month.

Secret No Aluminum Rosewater Dew Deodorant: Secret finally joined in on the aluminum free game. I haven't used a Secret deodorant or antiperspirant since high school I think. After Dove came out with their deodorants, I've been exclusively using them. But I picked this up to try because it was aluminum free and it's summer so of course, deodorant is a must. Now, this is not an antiperspirant so it doesn't stop sweat, only masks odor. It's a gel stick and has a nice light scent. It works for me!

Tony Moly Peach Hand Cream: This comes in a cute little peach-like container. Because of that, it's not very travel friendly. It has a very strong peach scent. Moisturizes well. A+ for me.

Aveda Heat Relief Thermal Protector & Conditioning Mist: This is a new Aveda product. I got it during their F&F sale. I mist this on the ends of my hair before blowdrying to protect my ends. Only thing is, don't use too much or I find my hair feels sticky after.

Murad Retinol Youth Renewal Night Cream: This is part of their Youth Renewal line which includes a serum and eye serum. Both of these I reviewed in a previous post. The primary ingredient is retinol - the gold standard for anti-aging. The cream comes in a jar that has a pump top. Pump distributes the exact amount for your face. This cream works as well as a the other products in the line, but I do think I prefer the serum.

REN Ready Steady Glow AHA/BHA Tonic: This is an exfoliating toner. REN is a clean beauty brand so this doesn't include any of those controversial ingredients. It has AHA as lactic acid and BHA as willow bark extract to exfoliate. It also has a citrus scent which I love. And a pump top too. I will probably repurchase this.

June Favorites

June Favorites

COOLA Makeup Setting Spray SPF 30: I received this as part of my Summer 2019 FabFitFun box. It is a setting spray for after you apply your makeup. It helps to make the powders look less matte and adds an additional SPF 30. I think this is great for touchups when you want to refresh your makeup or reapply SPF.

Whish Exfoliating Foot Mask Coconut Milk + Verbena: I also received this as part of my Summer 2019 FabFitFun box. It is a foot mask. Apply before bed, leaving on 8-10 hours before washing off. And voila, smooth baby soft feet. I tend to apply this after a shower and after pumicing my feet so it is hard to say how exfoliating it actually is, but it definitely made my feet softer. It has a nice tropical scent.

OPI Chiffon'd of You: Part of OPI's classic bridal collection, this is a sheer white shimmer.

L'Oreal Revitalift 10% Vitamin C Serum: Been using this for a few weeks. This product best reminds me of the Kiehl's Powerful Strength Line-Reducing Concentrate. The ingredients are very similar although this has a lower concentration fo vitamin C at 10% while the Kiehl's clocks in at 12.5%. The texture is virtually identical though and I suppose it makes sense given both brands are owned by L'Oreal. Anyway, I find this doesn't burn my skin and it makes my skin feel very smooth owing to the silicones.

INKEY List Collagen Booster Serum: A competitor to The Ordinary's serums, this serum comes in a 1 ounce plastic squeeze bottle. At $10.99 a bottle, it is very affordable. Despite the "collagen" in the name, the product doesn't actually contain collagen. It contains hyraluronic acid and various peptides for firming the skin. I use this every other day when I am not using retinol.

TULA Hydrating Day & Night Cream: TULA is a brand utilizing probiotics in its skincare line. The cream is intend for both day and night use. I find it light and nicely hydrating for the summer weather. It is fragrance free too.

That's it for my June favorites. 

Product Review: Eve Hansen Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum

Product Review: Eve Hansen Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum

I purchased this Eve Hansens Hyaluronic Acid as part of a three piece set on Amazon. It included a Vitamin C + E serum and Retinol serum for $30. Link for the set is down below.

Eve Hansen Naturals is a brand I discovered through Instagram. They are a brand geared towards being natural.  This serum is housed in a dropper style bottle and is a milky liquid. Like many other hyaluronic acid serums, it works well. Hyaluronic acid acts as a humectant to draw moisture back to the skin. Perfect for winter, but also for any season. I generally mix and combine this with other serums. I look forward to trying other products from the line. 

Where to buy: Amazon (link), Eve Hansen Naturals (link)

Product Review: Bobbi Brown Concealers

Product Review: Bobbi Brown Concealers

Bobbi Brown makes some of the best concealers on the market. I picked these up at the Cosmetics Company Outlet at The Mills at Jersey Gardens a few days ago. For those who don't know, Cosmetics Company Outlet is the outlet for Estee Lauder. They sell discounted Estee Lauder branded cosmetics.

Anyway, I picked up the Instant Full Cover Concealer and Corrector. I chose sand for the concealer and light peach bisque for the corrector. Below, you can see the swatches. Left concealer, and right corrector.

(L to R: Concealer in Sand and Corrector in Light Peach Bisque)

The Instant Full Cover Concealer is a full coverage concealer. It comes in a tube with a doe-foot applicator. I do find it to be quite thick and full coverage. It covers hyperpigmentation and acne scars well. I did not use this on my undereye area so I can't speak to that.

The Corrector I bought expressly for undereye concealing. The peach hue is to counteract bluish undereye circles. This is a repurchase for me. I use a concealer brush to apply and fingers to blend it out. The corrector is much more creamy than the concealer and melts into the skin easy. 

Gilt City is still running a voucher for Bobbi Brown Cosmetics, $30 off a purchase of $100+ with a gift with purchase. Available here until June 5, 2019. 

Where to buy: Bobbi Brown (link), Sephora (link)

Product Review: Persona Cosmetics Season One Lipgloss

Product Review: Persona Cosmetics Season One Lipgloss

(L to R: Honey, Peach, Toffee)

I purchased these Persona Cosmetics lipglosses from Ulta.com. For those who don't know, Persona Cosmetics was started by beauty influencer and Youtuber Sona Gasparian. Right now, they are sold exclusively on the Persona website as well as Ulta.com. The set retails as $36, but individual lipglosses are $16 a piece.

This is the brand's first foray into lip products. The 3 lipgloss set includes the colors Honey, Peach, and Toffee. They all contain a small amount of shimmer. It's a non-sticky lipgloss with a medium coverage. They also have a vanilla scent. These are the perfect nudes for summer in my opinion. Below are the swatches.

(L to R: Honey, Peach, Toffee)

Where to buy: Persona Cosmetics website (link), Ulta.com (link)