Review: Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub

I got this mini sample of the Aveeno Smart Essentials Daily Detoxifying Scrub in the Target Summer Beauty Bag. It's actually pretty nice. 


Let's get started. 


Consistency: It's white, grainy, and like a softer wet sand. I like how it exfoliates without ripping half your face off. 


Smell: It smells nice, almost floral and clean. 


Result: I really like the results. I had a bunch of little ones between my eyebrows, under my lip, under my nose, blackheads, gross shit. It basically cleared out everything in about a week. It's also good for sensitive skin. My sister didn't get an allergic reaction to it and she gets a reaction to EVERYTHING (Biore, Garnier, Dove, Suave etc). 


Price: 7.49$ at major retailers. 


Recommended: Yes. I like this. I already bought a full size at Target. 

Review: Physicians Formula Happy Booster Glow and Mood Boosting Blush

So I KNOW that i've been posting only reviews lately, but it's because I don't have anything else to post about! I mean, I really haven't been wearing "outfits" besides my PJs and stuff. I haven't done any makeup because I need to still unpack it. I still have to unpack my jewelry and makeup stuff and blehhh. It's going to take a while. I'll get it done by Monday b/c my BF is coming up to see me that day... I also need to wash my makeup brushes and also get a new storage system for le makeup and le perfumes. ugh. 

Anyway. I bought this blush recently from CVS (yay.) b/c it was 6 dollars off and it had a 3 dollar off coupon. Actually, I ripped the coupon off another product (but it's okay because it was still good for my blush!). K, I'm actually a thief and a bad person. Not really. But okay. 

What They say: 

• Ultra-soft and blendable blushing powder features a fresh and vibrant mix of blushing tones infused with a pop of color to create a healthy glow.
• Multi-reflective pearls provide a soft iridescence to highlight contour and add radiance to cheeks.
• Infused with our Happy Boost Blend, featuring Happy Skin and Euphoryl, natural plant extracts which have been shown to promote a feeling of happiness by mimicking the effect of Endorphins and helping protect the skin from environmental stress.
• The sweet scent of Violet provides a feeling of joy each time you apply.

Swatches/Packaging: It's a D/S product so bulky packaging is eminent. I mean, it's a monstrosity. It's like an inch thick while the product itself is like a 1/4 inch thick. The weird "brush" thing is dumb and unnecessary. I mean it's cute, but dumb. It would be really great if they didn't sell the blush with the dumb little brush things. 

built up with 2 heavy swatches

No foundation or powder on. So bottom cheek color near the dimple is my natural skin pigmentation and the pink stuff is my blush. 

Errrr... It's not THAT pigmented. The pink is pretty light. Again, this is a recurring problem with Physicians Formula. Their face products seem to be geared more towards lighter skinned people. I mean, I'm an NC35. Do you think that someone like NC40 or NC45 or higher would be able to wear this? I found that it's pretty sheer on me. 

Texture: The blush is firmly pressed so when you swirl your brush in it, it's not going to fall apart. You do get color (I mean obviously; look at the swatch above) so it's not like you have to use a drill hammer to get some pigment. Excellent. 

Wear: Few hours tops. I find that if I apply this at 10:00 am or so, it'll be gone by 6:00 pm. It does have some "shimmer" but it's not very noticeable. I'm not a glitterazi kinda person. I actually like satin finishes better. It didn't break me out, but I'm also not a breaking out kinda person on my cheeks. I'm not a breaking out kinda person in general. Unless I'm under a lot of stress. 


Weird misc stuff: It smells nice. It also doesn't make me happier when I apply it or use it. 


Price:  An extravagant price for a not-so- luxe product. PF is one of the more "HE" d/s brands. It retails on the website for 11.95 while at CVS, its 14.50 (uhh wtf?) It averages around 12 dollars most places. 14.50 is too expensive for a d/s product. Anything over 10 dollars is too expensive for a d/s product. It's the drugstore goddamnit. This isn't ulta. It's CVS. So I'm glad that I picked it up for 5.50. 


Recommended: If you happen to see it on clearance or at a low low price and your skin is of a vampiric quality, go for it. For people whose skin tends to be more coffee or mocha like, skip it.

Double Trouble Review: Jafra Cosmetics Oil Controlling Makeup SPF 15 & Pressed Power in Medium

Wheeee! So finally blogger got it's stuff together and is now letting us post! I'm also FINALLY home so you know, I'm going to be sewing a lot so you'll be seeing a lot of sewing projects. So I've been meaning to post about this face stuff from Jafra. So let's start with the oil controlling makeup.

DISCLAIMER: I GOT THE PRODUCTS FOR FREE BUT THESE REVIEWS ARE STILL HONEST. 

What They Say: Provides flawless, shine-free coverage. Contains witch hazel, cucumber extract, aloe leaf extract. Helps provide smooth, even application.

Ingredients: Hamamelis Virginia (Witch Hazel) Extract, Symphytum Officinale Leaf Extract, Chamomilla Recutita (Matricaria) Flower Extract, Cucumis Sativas (Cucumber) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract, Althaea Officinalis Root Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia (Tea Tree) Leaf Oil
A custom blend of special botanicals that collectively address the needs of oily skin with Tea Tree and soothing benefits of Cucumber and Aloe.
Zinc Oxide/CI 77947
Help absorb excess oil and provide a shine-free, long lasting matte finish.
Ipomoea Digitata (Fingerleaf Morning Glory) Extract, Withania Somniferia
(Winter Cherry) Extract, Vigna Radiata (Mung Bean) Extract
A blend of Ayurvedic plant extracts to help moisturize and soften skin. Provides antioxidant benefits.
Silica
Spherical silica microbeads glide easily upon application and provide a smooth appearance. Octinoxate
A pure form of UVB sunscreen.
Cyclopentasiloxane, Acrylates/Dimethicone Copolymer
Silicone grafted copolymer film former to help create a flexible protective film for uniform finish upon application and long wear.
Lecithin
Soybean derived skin conditioner.
Panthenol
Provitamin B5. Provides skin conditioning and helps moisturization.
Tocopheryl Acetate
Vitamin E derivative which acts as an antioxidant and moisturizer.
Titanium Dioxide/CI 77891 and Iron Oxides
Micronized pigments for even application and blendable color.

Shade: Bisque which matches NC35 very very very well. Swatches below: 

 Texture/Smell: It's really smooth but it tends to get a little flaky on my skin. It's because I have dry skin, not oily skin. It's really light and creamy and feels more like a tinted moisturizer. It smells kinda chemical-ey but it's not very strong which is fantastic

Effectiveness:  I use this only as a under-eye concealer because I'm not a kind of girl who likes a lot of stuff on my face. This is SO much better than MAC studio finish for my under eye circles because it's very creamy. Again, it's "oil controlling" so it's drying on my very dry skin. I extrapolate that it will hold your oil back like crazy. I also have a great moisturizer so.. yeah. Cool. I find that the coverage is more like medium-full. It covers very well for me. I mean it looks natural. 

Price: 17.00 for 1 fl oz. Quite expensive. Since i ONLY use this for a undereye concealer, it's not going away anytime soon. If you want to use this for reals, Could get pretty expensive quickly.  

Recommended: Absolutely. I mean the price is expensive, but it's worth considering as a nice under eye concealer or a quick foundation kinda thing. You can buy this stuff on Jafra cosmetics. com but it's like avon, where you need to get a consultant. 

So onto the next product. I changed the color so that it's easier on your eyeballs. I mean this is 2 reviews rolled into one. This is the Pressed Powder: 

What They Say: 

Micro-fine pressed powder diffuses light, minimizes the look of fine lines, wrinkles. Provides smooth silky application, a natural finish. Vitamins C and E fight free radicals.  

Shade: Medium, which is NC35 for me. 

Texture/Smell: NO SMELL YAYY. I hate it when powders smell like... idk, retirement homes or something. Not that they always smell bad... But sometimes they just smell gross and yucky. This has no smell. However, it's very very loose and powdery. When you tap your kabuki or whatever into the powder, like you get powder on your brush, but there's like a little pile of powder in the pan. It's pretty wasteful and there is no way to avoid it. 

Effectiveness: It's pretty thick for a powder. I feel like it has medium coverage and when I layer it over concealer, it feels really... doll-like. My skin looks fantastic, but I don't feel natural. I mean, that's great for some people, but I like it to be more natural, more flawed. So, I use this on my forehead without anything else and it covers pretty well. It also keeps my face nice and not greasy. I sweat a lot and I find that this doesn't run when I sweat! yayyy! 

Price: Damn, 16 dollars for .3 oz. Expensive. 

Recommended: Yes, it's pretty expensive, but if you have the money, go for it. 

Okay ladies, so I'm happy that I finally reviewed these products. Also, I have a BN Jafra nail polish if you ladies want it, so just shoot me an email and I'll get it sent to you!

 

Review: Reviva Lab Products *Super Long*

LOL that's what she said!

.. Sorry. Couldn't refrain. How can I? It's so glaringly obvious! Well, today I bring you a triple review of Reviva Lab products. This seems to be a new-ish skin care company. I have received these products for free, but my opinions are still 100% honest and by mememe. You can access their site here. You can click on their names to get to the product itself :)

1.  Sun Protective Moisturizer SPF #25

What they say: Beautifully sheer, greaseless facial cream moisturizer that's also a beautifully effective SPF #25 protection against sun's damaging rays, wind, heat or cold. When you are outdoors, although you are not sun bathing, your skin still needs protection. But the usual suntan cream is either too heavy or it's not a beautifying moisturizer. So, here's a superb moisturizer that softens, makes skin look dewy fresh, leaves no oily residue and has a special sunscreen. Ideal daily use for the outdoor type, male or female. Light Cream Sun Protective Moisturizer provides many hours of protection. 

Lets get started with the nitty gritty. 

Price: I'm starting with price today, because I'm fickle like that. 11 dollars for 1.5 oz. Okay, that's not bad. It seems to be price-wise, a little more expensive than well known drugstore brands. 

Packaging: I have problems with this. I like the jar formation, but I don't like how it doesn't close all the way. Don't get me wrong, its closed, but when its all the way closed, the lid doesn't touch the bottom jar. It's like a few millimeters of space away. I don't like that. It's terrifying. Also, I hate the "Reviva Labs" font. I like my fonts to be more "sturdy" like so it looks more professional. Also, I don't like all the little flowers and the green decor. I'm more of a classic, keep it simple kinda girl. But this is all really personal preference right?

Smell/Texture: Super light in texture (yay) and it doesn't feel heavy on the face. My face feels super velvety during the day. I have been using this predominately in the day b/c of the SPF. It doesn't really keep all the flakies away, but it does keep them at bay. It smells like sunscreen. I mean there is no getting around it. However, you do have to like shove your nose into the product to get it. Super Super Super plus mania. Cans I have this in the body lotion form, k, thanks. 

Effectiveness: I don't know how much the SPF works because I'm not going to make little patches with this then go tanning. As much as I love blogging, I'm also not walking around with white patches on my face. Just saying. But, it says it has 25 SPF. I'll take that for granted. I haven't had breakouts (yay!) from this. I do have more dry skin, so it isn't the most moisturizing thing in the world. It's much better for normal/oily skin. Aka, it's good for my T-zone/cheeks (normal) but not as good for my eye bags and former acne-d place (super dry and gross flakes). 

Recommended: Yes. The price may be a little steep for some, but besides that, it is a good product. I like how it doesn't smell gross and disgusting, how my skin feels and such. yay for life. 

2. Vitamin E Oil Stick w/ SPF #15

Price: 4 dollars for a lipstick tube amount. It's expensive considering how fast I go through these things. 

Packaging: Okay, really Reviva Labs? I love the lipstick thing, but there is no flat edge which I don't like. It's a pure bullet shape. I like to have a flat edge on my tub like things. Also, I don't like the whole Maybelline concealer stick packaging with like writing on the clear plastic thing. It cheapens the whole thing. Maybe just a more "chapstick" packaging would be nicer. Just saying. 

Smell/Texture: It smells like vitamin E oil. It goes on clear. It sinks in well. Nothing to say in this department. 

Effectiveness: This is a miracle product. I'm not even joking. Dear Reviva Labs, I can have a carton of this, k thanks because my left eye flakies are GONE. GONE. GONE. okay. Underneath my eyes, I have such dry skin. I honestly don't even know why. It's just gross there. So, one day, I woke up and saw that my skin there was flaking off. 

Not even just crepey. That would actually be a step up. But it was like a blizzard. It's like dandruff. It's gross. I can't even wear makeup because of it. So, I used the stick thing for a week, and it has healed. FINALLY. (note to reader who wanted my previous moisturizer, i will get it sent out this week!!!) It also doesn't give me acne. Also, it's good for your lips. Case Closed. 

Recommended: Go out and buy some now. Seriously. Now. 

3.  Organic Day Cream with Alpha Lipoic Acid

What They Say: An antioxidant complex featuring Alpha Lipoic Acid. Nourish and soften normal-dry skin and smooth, silkify skin texture ... all as you defend against future damage with our Alpha Lipoic Acid, Vitamins C, E and Green Tea Antioxidant Complex. Certified organic oils and a wealth of natural nutrients also help fight past damage as they contribute to a healthy glow. Benefits: Promotes elasticity and clarity; helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles; unique defense against future skin damage; for ultimate results supplement our day cream with our Alpha Lipoic Night Cream.

Price: Too expensive at 23 dollars for a few ounces. 

Packaging:  Again, same complaints for the jars blahblahblah as before. However, I like how this has this little smaller lid thing that covers the product (inside the big lid). Total approval. 

Smell/Texture: It has a really strange consistency. It's like a more liquid petroleum jelly. It smells like fake chocolate and I don't really like it. 

Effectiveness: It feels like it should be a super moisturizing cream (too moisturizing for the day), but its not. It feels light, doesn't clog pores, but maybe not moisturizing enough for the driest of dry skins. It doesn't heal flakies, but it does paste them down and keep them at bay once you have conquered them. I actually like this as a night cream because I like my skin to feel velvety at night :)

Recommended: If you have the money, I would think that you are going to spring for a department store brand. But if you want something natural, then I guess you can go for this. For us, normal, not so rich college students, skip this, and go for the other two products mentioned above.  

I hope you like these review :) 

Review: The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Cream

Hey Ladies! I have YET another review for you. I actually have them all lined up! I will be doing a review on Reviva Labs products next week and Jafra Cosmetics a little bit after that and i have two swaps coming in!!

What they say: The Body Shop® difference: Our Vitamin E Cream works with any skin type. No wonder it’s one of our best-selling products worldwide. Because your skin is constantly being bombarded with environmental aggressors, such as the sun, pollution and smoke, it is important that it is defended every day. Free radicals can react with the proteins in the cell’s collagen and lipid membrane, resulting in loss of elasticity, slackness, lines and wrinkles. The antioxidant power of vitamin E in this moisture cream helps prevent premature aging and damage from free radicals when used as part of your daily skin care regime, protecting your skin’s future. For more effective, longer-lasting hydration, use our Vitamin E Moisture Serum first.

Ingredients: Water, Isopropyl Palmitate, Sorbitol, Lanolin, Glyceryl Stearate, Cetyl Esters, Steareth-2, PEG 100 Stearate, Ceresin, Triethanolamine, Tocopheryl Acetate, Steareth-20, Carbomer, Fragrance, Methylparaben, Butylparaben, Ethylparaben, Isobutylparaben, Propylparaben, Red 4.

 I got three travel sizes from a swap. I still have 2 more. 

Smell/Texture:  It has a really watery texture. It smells nice, fresh. Because of the watery texture, I was worried that it wouldn't be too moisturizing. 

Packaging: It is in a pink plastic jar with a black top. Standard screw top. Nothing more. 

Effectiveness: I have a lot of problems with this. So i have really really dry skin. My left undereye lid is so dry right now, that it flakes. It's really gross. It says that this is good for all skin types. Well, its not. It's really watery so it's not really moisturizing. It doesn't give too much moisture at all to my very dry skin. By like 2 hours after application, my eyelid starts flaking again. When i work out, the sweat STINGS my skin because of the dryness. 

Price: 1.7 oz 16 dollars. It's kinda expensive. 

Recommended: Only to people with normal to oily skin. To people of dry skin? No. Also, I have 2 more travel sized BN jars. Email me if you want them!

Review: Freya Arctic Cleansing Water and can someone do a review for me?

Hey ladies! I'm going to do a quick review on this! 

What they say:

• Rejuvenate your skin, leaving it youthfully clean and refreshed.
• Our proprietary blend of Arctic Antioxidants, sea salts and minerals protect and re-energize the skin while providing calming moisture.

Using a cotton ball or cosmetic pad, gently massage Freya Arctic Cleansing Water on to the entire face and neck, removing dirt, oil and makeup. No rinse necessary. 

So I guess it's a makeup remover and  I will be treating it as such.

Let's go through the basics:

Smell/Texture: It smells strange, like chemically. My skin feels a little sticky after I use it, which is not appreciated.
Packaging: The packaging looks and feels luxe. The bottle isn't plasticky. It actually almost has the feel of velvet. The top is a screw thing that opens and liquid comes out. NO its not like a bottle cap.
Effectiveness:Lets use some pictures.

Waterproof Mascara, lipstick, eyeliner, eyeliner, eyeshadow with TFSI and cream base, cream base, concealer

One swipe through

Major rubbing

So it's not that effective. It takes a lot of rubbing and my arm is a little red after.

Price: 45 dollars for 200 mL. Ouch. This brand is really really expensive. I don't mind this really. I mean if you have light makeup it works well. The price isn't justifiable.

Recommended: If you have cash to burn, yeah, sure. If not, no.

Quick note homies! I also got the Intensive Anti-Aging System. It retails at 130 dollars! If you want it, it's yours! Just send me an email! If you can do a review for me, it would be appreciated as well!

Review: Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub

AH! I haven't posted in what seems like forever! Sorry ladies. I've been in such a funk of "I HATE MATH OMFG" to "UGH MY THROAT I WANT TO SLEEP FOREVER" state. But I'm back and I will be (trying) to post more regularly. Although right now I'm at once a week which seems pretty reasonable!

Today's review will be for the St. Ives Naturally Clear Green Tea Scrub. Picture from google. 

As taken from their site: Clears breakouts and reduces redness Salicylic Acid Acne Medication With 100% Natural Green Tea

Product Description

This dermatologist-tested scrub can actually help to clear and soothe your skin as well as reduce redness. An active blemish-fighting ingredient fights the flare-ups, while 100% natural exfoliants encourage healthier, clearer skin.

What I say: I like this product, but let's get into the nitty-gritty details.

Product Packaging: It's a stubby, squat tube of green cleaner.

Product Feel/Smell: It looks like it's going to be smooth, but no. It's actually really gritty. It's like beach sand really. Well actually it's more like... no. It's like super super super fine sand in a green gel-like solution. And I don't know what it is, but it smells BAD. Like when you first sniff it, it's okay, but when you put it on your face, it's like "...*sniffsniff*... something smells like chemical and fake green tea". I think that it's the salicylic acid. It has 1%. Biore pore cleansing scrub also had salicylic acid and it smelled kind of gross. You get used to it after a while. But saying that is like how when you get used to the garbage smell in Chinatown after staying there for an hour or so. 

Effectiveness and such: It's pretty good! It doesn't really clear out acne as fast as it says it does, but it does clear them. I believe for me, it takes maybe 4 days for the acne to shrink and become flaky skin. It doesn't do much for redness really. I still need some concealer for that. And about the flaky skin (I know some girls right now are so leery of that) it's so drying. I mean like. REALLY drying. Get yourself a moisturizer. A thick one while you're at it. If you do have a good moisturizer, then kudos because your skin will feel so good after it. It's pretty decent at exfoliating. That is, if you have a moisturizer to glue your skin back together. Then your face will feel like a baby's butt cheek.

Price: Your wallet will thank you because it clocks in at a mere 6-7 dollars at major drug stores. Faaantastic.

Recommended: For those who have oily skin, or if it's the summer and you sweat buckets (like me), or if you have some thick moisturizer that might as well be cake frosting. So in short, yes.

Yay! Have a good weekend ladies!

Review: Biore Pore Unclogging Scrub

You know, I've been completely stressing out lately. My skin has been suffering a constant breakout on my forehead for 3 months. 3. Fucking. Months. I'm not joking. The same breakout. Its not like it ever cleared for 2 seconds. Lovely. My skin has also changed from really dry to more oily in my T-zone. I used to never have to blot my skin, but now I have to blot by the time 11 am rolls around. So, I bought a new cleanser- this one. Lets review!

What they claim:

A single use of this powerful but gentle exfoliator gives you visible results you can feel as well as see.

• Goodbye, flakiness and dead skin cells; get ready to welcome a softer, smoother complexion.
• This effective cleanser is a great pre-treatment before applying your Pore Strip (smooth skin is easier for a pore strip to cling to).
• Gentle enough for everyday use, or use several times a week in combination with your favorite Bioré^® cleanser.

Ingredients: 

ACTIVE INGREDIENT:

SALICYLIC ACID 2.0%

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS:

WATER, SODIUM COCOYL ISETHIONATE, GLYCERIN, SYNTHETIC WAX, GLYCOL DISTEARATE, PEG-6 CAPRYLIC/CAPRIC GLYCERIDES, ETHOXYDIGLYCOL, CETYL ALCOHOL, PEG-12 DIMETHICONE, SODIUM LAUROYL LACTYLATE, MENTHOL, BENZOPHENONE-4, PROPYLENE GLYCOL, XANTHAN GUM, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, DIAZOLIDINYL UREA, IODOPROPYNYL BUTYLCARBAMATE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, FRAGRANCE, BLUE 1 LAKE, YELLOW 5 LAKE, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1

Smell/Texture: The product claims to be an "exfoliating" but I almost don't feel it. Is that a good thing? I feel like I'm so used to the harsh scrubby stuff like St. Ives Apricot scrub. I don't really see my skin being smoother because its so acne ridden. So... I don't know. It also has these green beads which I guess are the "exfoliating" part. I don't know if I like them or not. They don't melt or do much. I do like the pastel green part though. I personally like the smell. It's not too bad. However, my boyfriend hates the smell and always comments "Ew you used the face cream again..." It does smell a little chemical-like.

Fighting Power:  I have really stubborn acne. Meaning it takes over a week to clear one pimple. However, it has made more progress in my skin in 2 weeks than the st. ives moisturizing olive oil cleaner has made in 2 months. It is going away, slowly, but surely. The first day I used it, some of my pimples became white on the tip, meaning it's going to burst soon. It's a gross image. Sorry. Sigh. It doesn't clear out blackheads however. That is something to consider. It is supposed to be used in conjunction with the pore strip because the strip works better if you wash your face before hand.

Price: Its a normal price at around 7-8 dollars.

Recommended: Yes. It's not too drying but it is a bit slow on combating the acne. Good for people who just have acne sometimes. not like chronic stuffs.

Review: St. Ives Fresh Skin Moisturizing Olive Oil Cleanser

Yes I know, I put the ENTIRE name of the product in the title header thingie, but it's just so that people don't get confused you know? Just a quick update on my life (AS IF YOU EVEN CARE) I have been very busy with college. The workload can be a bitch and I am very involved with other stuff, so that's why I basically update like once a week hehe. But at least I am updating!~

Today we have a review of the St. Ives Olive Oil Cleanser! I didn't take my own pictures becuase it's not really necessary. Plus I'm a lazy person. I'll do my best to describe in detail.

Type of Skin I have: Combination. My skin dries out easily, but my nose can be oil city and does need to be blotted in the summertime.

What they say:

Deep cleans and leaves skin feeling moisturized. This cleanser deep cleans to gently remove dirt and make-up and helps maintain skin's moisture balance.

Vegan/Animal Testing: This is a new thing that I'm going to start to include. If i can find it, I will let you know if it is because I know that it is important to some of my readers. It is animal product free and it is not tested on animals. It says so on the label.

Ingredients: They have a popup picture on the website and here is the link

Smell/Texture: Have you guys ever played with olive oil before? Like just dripped some in your hands? No? Yes? *silence* I was a strange child. Not going to deny it. But i have and this cleanser looks like it, feels like it (without the greasy residue) but doesn't smell like it. I actually am not a fan of the smell. I would like it to smell more like Biore stuff. It has a more light artificial olive smell. I don't like it but it's pretty easy to ignore. You can't smell it unless you foam it up and like shove it up your nostril. But I'm hoping that people here don't have a habit of shoving facial products in various orifices (spell check?) of thier faces.

Foaming Capability: It foams about the same amount as a conditioner. Hair conditioner doesn't really foam a whole lot. It bubbles a bit then thats it. This is the same thing. It's not like AHHHHH FOOOAMMM IS ALL OVER MY FACE I CAN"T SEE ANYTHING. It's more of a "heh, this thing is just making small bubbles and it's turning white, but besides that I can't tell that it's on my face really"

Aftermath of Using It: My face doesn't feel dry. Before I was using St. Ives Apricot Scrub (I still love that stuff anyway becuase it exfoliates my face) but it was always like "MY FACE IS GOING TO FALL OFF BECAUSE MY SKIN IS SO DRY". Now, if the epidermis of my face could talk, it would say "sigh, I can wait for this girly to finish putting on her clothes and putting on body lotion before putting on face lotion". I do consider this to be moisturizing.

As for dealing with acne, I don't find that it just blasts through blackheads or powers through pimples. I think that it deals with it on a slower basis, which I don't really like. However, it does seem to keep new ones from popping up which is surprising for me. Usually if I don't use something a bit harsher, I get pimples everywhere. But for this, it's pretty light compared to what I'm used to and I think that I like this. I would still prefer something to power through my gross acne though.

Mechanics of the Packaging: That was a really awkward label thingie, but whatever. I hate the pump. I think that the spout is way too short. You can't just use one hand to pump it out into the same hand becuase it'll just drip down the bottle, and that wastes product. You need to tilt it into the other hand. I don't like that at all. Also, I hate how to unlock the top, you need to turn it to the side. I'm used to it locking on the side and then unlocking by turning the spout towards you. However, I like the clear bottle becuase I can see when I'm almost done with the entire thing. You need one pump per face and there's a lot.

Price: Expensive for St. Ives but average compared to other brands face washes. On drugstore.com, it retails for 6 dollars but can go up to 8 dollars at other places like CVS.

Recommended: Yes, I do. Get it ladies, if you have drier skin.

Review: Biore Deep Cleansing Makeup Removing Towelettes

I'm going to put this out there right now. I was a makeup wipe hater. Seriously. I thought of them as wasteful, not economical, and just pretty useless. The makeup wipes are HUGE and usually I never USE them all on a face. Usually I find that liquid makeup remover lasts longer, although you do need the buy the cotton pads, but they're cheaper than dropping 8 bucks on a pack of 30 every month right?

So why did I ever pick this up? I was really low on cash, it was on sale (2 dollars off) at CVS and there was a save 1.00 NOW so, I bought it for 5 bucks. It can tide me over right?

Right to Left: Eyeshadow with UDPP, L'oreal HIP eyeliner, MAC studio finish concealer, Almay Light Interplay Mascara, Sephora Brand Flashy copper eyeliner.

What It Claims:
Want a quick, thorough and effective clean that instantly dissolves dirt, oil, and makeup? NEW Bioré® Makeup Removing Towelettes remove waterproof mascara better than the leading towelette, and with no nasty residue.

What I Say: HELL YEAH! This stuff POWERS through everything, seriously! I used to use Pond's cold cream and I usually need to like glob it on my face to get off my 100000 layers of mascara, but this, just pop it on for 15 seconds, and most of it comes off. I also like the toilet paper consistency of the wipe becuase i can kinda grab my lashes and wash the mascara off. Don't try this at home, or be careful! LOL you don't want to rip out your lashes. But I find that I still need a second makeup remover to get the stuff like eyeliner in my lower lash line becuase it's not really small enough. I like my q-tips there.

Also, I have pretty dry skin around my eyes so it gets pretty irritated if I have to do a lot of wiping and scrubbing. My skin was starting to burn with Pond's. For this, my eyeskin stung a tiny bit but it quickly went away. Also, my eyes felt CLEAN. It wasn't like "AHHHHHHH I'M BLINDED BY THE OIL!!!" or "AHHHHH MY SKIN IS FALLING OFF!" I felt okay just walking around without formally washing my face with a face cleanser.

I don't find the smell offensive, but some people might. I kind of like the Biore signature green tea ish smell. It smelled like the dual moisturizer, but the moisturizer was less chemically.

Pricewise, it's almost the same as the MAC bulk wipes which retail at 100 for 26.00. This is 30 for 8 dollars.

Quick Tips:

• Cut the wipes in thirds. That's what I do to save!


• The package says to use by 45 days, but I think that it's because the product will dry out. You can again maximize usage by storing it upsidedown so the makeup remover won't evaporate.

Will I buy again? Probably yes, if it's on sale. I wish that they made this in a liquid form because I stilll favor the liquid stuff, but this is a good alternative. Also, I still need a second makeup remover to get the bits in my lower lash line.

Toodles

Review Time: Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation SPF 50

That's right you skin care freaks. SPF 50. Powder Foundation. That's bascially the reason why I picked it up. I've been meaning to look for some powder sunscreen and powder to even out my duo toned faced. I need the powder sunscreen because I am so lucky that I need to walk home in the sun and I hate using sunscreen over concealer. My concealer just moves then. Also, duo toned face? 2 shades? 'Nuff said.

According to PF:
Delivers maximum SPF 50 broad spectrum UVA/UVB protection and full coverage with a soft-matte finish.
Protects- SPF Boosters and Mineral-based sunscreens provide SPF 50 protection without residue or greasiness.
Prevents- Potent antioxidant blend helps prevent future UV damage and premature signs of aging.
Restores- Licorice Extract & Tomato Derivatives help brighten skin and diminish the appearance of sun spots.

Let's break it down... packaging: Lovely! It's bright orange and hot pink! It reminds me of summer. I usually hate orange but this isn't puke inducing. If it were, I'd probably see if it fit into the bamboo refill case. Probably not but you know. Better than a gross orange. Also, the sponge feels gross and rubbery. Don't use it. It just soaks up powder like no other and well, this stuff is expensive for a drugstore brand. Also, it feels like something you'd use to wash dishes. I like how it kinda looks like a donut. Remember, pictures on the bottom of the post!

Shade Selection: Horrid. Seriously. I estimate that they go from an NC15 (with Translucent Light) to NC35 or a NC40 (Creamy Beige). I have Creamy Natural which is a bit dark for my NC25 lower face but perfecto for my NC30 forehead. If you have super dark skin... maybe the try the bronzer as a powder sunscreen/ light foundation. Seriously. The line is really more directed to lighter skinned people.

Coverage: I'm not 100% sure because I don't have MUCH to cover really. I use concealer for some minor booboos. It does even out my skin so that it looks even. I'm going to say Sheer to medium?

Price: It's 15 bucks at CVS. At CVS they didn't even have that stupid 5 dollars off NOW that they have at Rite Aid. Luckily, I found the 5 dollars off now stuff on the floor and it was 2 dollars off sooo, it came out to around 8 dollars. Nice no? I might look for this at Target or Walmart instead considering it's so expensive for a drugstore product. It is cheaper than getting a powder foundation from Sephora or the Jane Iredale one.

Overall, it's a nice product. I wasn't lookin for some miracle. I can't comment on the SPF because well, I'm not going to put some on half my face and then go tanning. The price is iffy, but hey! With coupons it becomes a great deal! Do I recommend it? Sure! If it were on sale 75% off at CVS, i'd snap them all up.

Toodles

Biore: Dual Moisturizer Review

So today, I went out to CVS and bought a new moisturizer. Since, I had a coupon for 1.50 off anything (CVS Extrabucks) and a 2 dollar off any Biore Skin Preservation Dual Fusion Moisturizer + SPF 30. Phew, that's one long name. So, as I was waiting in line, a CVS person came up to me and was like "free sample"? I was like HELL YES. I love free samples. And this sample is actually kinda large for a "free sample". It's not like this one time use thing, but this 5 time or so usage thing! It was the Caress Evenly Gorgeous body soap. It's kinda caramel-y in color and has a lot of scrubby beads. I've used this before, and let me tell you, I couldn't use this on my lower back for some reason. It just hurt too much... but on the rest of my body, it was okay. Perhaps I just have really dry skin there? It's okay now... LOL.

Anyway, back to my ridiculously long and convoluted story. Notice how I made a separate paragraph so you won't feel like you're reading wayyyy too much? Nice. Anyway, I was on line and I gave the cashier dude the mosturizer/ whatever else I was buying. It turns out that the box of my moisturizer had a 1 dollar off coupon. Yay! More money off! I gave him my 2 dollars and 1.50 off, but it turns out that I couldn't use the 2 dollars off becuase you can only use 1 manufacture coupon per item. Awwww darnnnn. You know, it only seems like very little, 2 dollars off, but at CVS this thing that's 1.7 fl oz (or as big as my hand) costs 15 dollars. Ugh. It's 14 dollars at Target, 18.99 on Amazon (but currently on sale for 12.37), and 14 again at drugstore.com. Is it pricey? Well, kind of. I'll have to see how long it lasts... Perhaps an update 1 month from now? I'll try to remember. ONWARDS to the review.

Claim:Double benefit, exclusive formula.
Dual Fusion™ Moisturizer gives you exactly what you want: a nourishing moisturizer in one chamber and sun protection in the other. Together, they strengthen & defend your skin without ever making it feel greasy.

What I say:Hm, I'm not sure becuase well, I've only used it for one day. But it feel so nice. Like not greasy, absorbs easily and smells amazing. It's so calming. Before, I used the Neutrogena 15 SPF one, which was supurb, but sometimes I felt like it sat on my face instead of soaking in right away. This thing is like BAM it's gone. Whoa. I like the dual chamber thing (green for moisturzier etcetcetc), but it doesn't work too well. I read about stories where one chamber would pump and the other wouldn't. Since this is so expensive, i decided to take matters into my own hands and make that not happen. First, I popped the lid part off. You kinda just yank it off. Then there are two pole like things where the liquid comes out. You just pump each side until the product is up to the top! Note: It takes FOREVER. LIke 20 pumps for me. Ugh. But now, you'll always get an equal amount!

You only need a very little bit.

Will I buy it again? Sure, if it's on sale. My skin feels great, not oily. I'll check back in a month if I see any acne popping up...

Toodles<3