August 2020 Favorites

 August 2020 Favorites

(L to R: Alpha H Vitamin C Serum, Neutrogena Bright Boost SPF 30, Kiehl's Blue Herbal Spot Treatment,
By Terry Baume de Rose)

Alpha H Vitamin C Serum: just started using this recently. Purchased mine from CultBeauty. Alpha H is a beauty brand from Australia, I believe. They are more well known for their liquid gold AHA serum rather than this vitamin C serum. In addition to vitamin C, this serum includes grapeseed extract and hyaluronic acid. It feels smooth and not sticky. Absorbs quickly. I didn't find this to sting my skin at all.  

Where to buy: Alpha H website (link)

By Terry Baume De Rose: I finally took the plunge and got this lip balm despite the high price point, $60 yikes. I did get a discount, so I only paid $45, but still a cringe-inducing price. Its a super thick rich balm that smells like amazingly like roses. Been using this at night for my overnight lip balm and it definitely keeps lips moist and supple. 

Where to buy: Dermstore (link), Verishop (link)

Neutrogena Bright Boost Moisturizer SPF 30: this is a newer moisturizer from Neutrogena. Their bright boost line also includes a gel cream moisturizer. This is super lightweight, almost like a milk sunscreen and absorbs quickly. It has a light fresh scent. I do prefer to layer this with a vitamin C moisturizer. 

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

Kiehl's Blue Herbal Spot Treatment: been using this for awhile. This is my second tube. It's a gentle spot treatment for breakouts. Has an herbal scent and contains salicylic acid as its main acne fighting ingredient. It works pretty well.

Where to buy: Sephora (link), Kiehl's website (link)

July 2020 Favorites

July 2020 Favorites

(L to R: Kate Somerville Bio-Mimicking Peptides Serum, BeautyStat Pro-Bio
Moisture Boost Cream, BeautyPie SuperActive Capsules, Clinique All About Eyes Rich)

BeautyStat Pro-Bio Moisture Boost Cream

The jar for this is a little small at only 1 oz., but the product works well with a light vanilla-y scent. It contains mostly ceramides for moisture. It is a tad expensive at $50, but I got mine for a steal from FabFitFun add-ons for $21. Would I pay the $50 again for another jar? Probably not. 

Where to buy: Violet Grey (link), Skinstore (link)

BeautyPie SuperActive Capsules Pure 3% Resveratrol + Exotic Fruit Oils

These are my second go at the SuperActive Capsules. The other ones I tried were the vitamin C ones. These are the same shape. Price is $65 for 30 capsules, but if you have a BeautyPie membership it is only $13. These have a silicone texture and the capsules are a bit small. One barely has enough product to cover my entire face. I do wish these were bigger.

Where to buy: BeautyPie (link)

Clinique All About Eyes Rich

This is the rich version of the Clinique All About Eyes eye cream. Been using this because my eyelids have been so dry and flakey lately. It has done a great job at moisturizing them. No scent and this cream is thick, thick, thick. There are no other real frills to this cream.

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

Kate Somerville Kx Active Concentrates Bio-Mimicking Peptides Serum

Got this off Mercari from someone who received it from their BoxyCharm.  It was a steal at only $17! Regularly, this is priced at $98. It's an amber colored serum that is pretty watery and absorbs quickly. It contains peptides for the skin. So far, I haven't seen an benefits but no downsides either. 

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

January 2020 Favorites

January 2020 Favorites

(L to R: Thank You Farmer Water Sun Cream, LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream,
InkeyList Q10 serum, La Mer Eye Balm, Trish McEvoy Daily Exfoliator)

Thank You Farmer Sun Project Water Sun Cream SPF 50 PA+++

This is a lightweight gel sunscreen. Applies smoothly with no greasy residue. PA+++ is the highest UVA rating. I would note, I have noticed this product does sometimes pill when layered over other products. Price is reasonable at $22. 

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

LilyAna Naturals Retinol Cream

This retinol cream is an Amazon bestseller. It contains lots of natural ingredients including aloe, hyaluronic acid, jojoba oil, and shea butter. The container is a pump style package and the cream hydrates without being greasy. I haven't found the retinol to be sensitizing to my skin. 

Where to buy: Amazon (link)

InkeyList Q10 Antioxidant Serum

This is another Inkey List serum. It contains Co-Q10. Co-Q10 is an antioxidant that helps the body to produce collagen and elastin. This is a small size at 1 oz and a squeeze bottle. The serum applies smoothly with no greasy residue. It also contains squalane for hydration. It's super affordable at $6.99.

Where to buy: Sephora (link)

(An inside look at La Mer Eye Balm)

La Mer Eye Balm Intense

This is one of La Mer's eye creams. The other eye cream they offer is called the eye concentrate. This eye balm is the thicker of the two eye creams made by La Mer. It's a thickish green hued cream. It absorbs pretty quickly though. It's not shown here but this cream includes an applicator with a metal ball on the end so you can apply the cream and the applicator has a cooling effect. This is pricey though, retailing at $225. I think I'm unlikely to purchase this again as I don't see anything too special about it.

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

(What the Trish McEvoy exfoliator pads look like)

Trish McEvoy Daily Exfoliator Pads

These exfoliating pads are alcohol free and contains mostly BHA in the form of willow bark extract, the natural equivalent of salicylic acid. It also contains witch hazel, aloe, and chamomile for a soothing effect. One side of the pad is textured, while the other is smooth. These are pricey per pad though. It is $67 for 40 pads which comes out to $1.67/pad. There is a larger size retailing for $98 for 60 pads, but that only gets you down to $1.63/pad. To get the most mileage after using this on my face I swipe the pads on my elbows and feet. These are also fragrance free.

Where to buy: BlueMercury (link), Nordstrom (link)

Those are my favorites for January 2020. 

Product Review: Puristry Restorative Facial Oil

Product Review: Puristry Restorative Facial Oil

I discovered this brand at Anthropologie although it is no longer sold there. This product can be purchased at the brand's website. This product is USDA certified organic. The Puristry Restorative Facial Oil costs $55 for 1.7 oz. It's a nice heavy weight glass bottle that looks nice on the vanity. It has a pump. The oil contains a blend of fruit oils and has a fruity scent, slightly reminiscent of pineapple. I would say the oil is medium weight and it absorbs  pretty quickly. Based on the ingredients below, it has a lot of antioxidants because of the fruit oils. It is cruelty free and vegan.

Ingredients: Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Rosa Moschata (Rose Hip) Seed Oil, Organic Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Seed Oil, Ribes Nigrum (Blackcurrant) Fruit Oil, Organic Euterpe Oleracea (Acai) Fruit Oil, Organic Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E), Organic Nigella Sativa (Black Cumin) Seed Oil, Organic Bergaptene Free Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Organic Cedrus Atlantica (Cedarwood) Bark Oil, Organic Vetivera Zizanoides (Vetiver) Root Oil, Organic Salvia Officinalis (Sage) Oil, Organic Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil

Where to buy: Puristry website (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)

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)

Clarisonic Mia 2 vs Foreo Luna

Clarisonic Mia 2 vs Foreo Luna 2

I have had both the Clarisonic Mia 2 and Foreo Luna 2 for a few years. Here is my review and comparison.

Foreo Luna 2 (Sensitive)

The Foreo Luna 2 is priced at $169. This is the 2nd iteration and lavender color for sensitive skin. You'll notice this one has the fine silicone nubs. It plugs in with a usb charger. Foreo has several iterations of their Luna product now, including minis that are more budget friendly. One side has the silicone nubs for cleansing your face and the other side has ridges for massaging the face and eye area. I never use the ridge side so I can't speak to its effectiveness. The silicone nubs cleanse well and I use it with a gel cleanser and it lathers nicely. The device also vibrates and includes various speeds. And the silicone is antimicrobial so it won't grow bacteria. My only complaint is the device is difficult to maneuver around the smaller areas of the face like the nose. 

Where to buy: Sephora (link)

Clarisonic Mia 2

I have had another Clarisonic prior to this one. It was the Clarisonic Pro from when the Clarisonic brush first debuted. This is my second clarisonic and it is much lighter weight and more compact than the pro brush was. All clarisonics feature a changeable brush head and they offer a variety of brush heads: delicate, sensitive, normal, acne-prone, deep pore, and revitalizing. I generally use the delicate and sensitive brush heads. It is recommended that you change brush heads every 3 months. The Mia 2 has a magnetic attachable charger. It also features 3 speeds and a timer that beeps to signal when to move to the next area of your face when cleansing. The brush is know for oscillating to help loosen debris when cleansing. I generally use this with a gel cleanser. This definitely makes my face feel really clean and I use it once a day. I also find the brush much easier to maneuver around my nose.

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

Winner? I prefer the Clarisonic for it's ability to clean and maneuver around my nose. 

Product Review: Lavanila Healthy Deodorant Vanilla Grapefruit

Product Review: Lavanila Healthy Deodorant Vanilla Grapefruit

I've been using the Lavanila Healthy deodorant in vanilla grapefruit for a few weeks now and here at my thoughts. This deodorant mainly uses corn starch to absorb sweat. It is an aluminum free deodorant. It is a little less smooth to apply than my previous deodorant, which was the Taste Clean Queen deodorant. It also contains tea tree oil for its antibacterial properties. This deodorant is baking soda free, so if that baking soda usually irritates your skin, you can give this a try. The scent of this actually reminds me of Avon's Skin So Soft. So far, it has held up well to sweat and odor. Two thumbs up.

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

Brand review: Kylie Jenner Cosmetics

Brand review: Kylie Jenner Cosmetics

(L to R: Skin Concealer in Ivory, Koko Collection Gloss in Damn Gina, Ultra Gloss in Daddy's Girl, Ultra Glow Powder in Santorini)

Here is my review of the items I got from Kylie Cosmetics. I got these a few months ago.

Skin Concealer in Ivory: this is a nice concealer that comes with a doe foot applicator. The coverage is medium and it lasts pretty long. I used it mainly to conceal under the eyes.

Koko Collection Gloss in Damn Gina: this is a nice mauve color with gold glitter. It is a little gritty on the lips. The applicator is a brush and it similar to the ColourPop lipglosses. Lasting power is average for a lipgloss.

Ultra Gloss in Daddy's Girl: super sheer and smells like birthday cake. This has an oversized doe foot applicator and is non-sticky. It works best as a topper over other lipsticks.

Ultra Glow Powder in Santorini: this is the loose powder highlighter. There are a few shades and I selected Santorini, a champagne highlight. The pot is pretty small for the price. It is $14 for 0.14 oz. Because it is a loose powder, the highlight looks very fine.

Below are the swatches. All products are made in the USA. To get $10 off, sign up for the Kylie Cosmetics newsletter.

Where to buy: Kylie Cosmetics (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)