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Vapour Organic Beauty Clarity Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil Review

Apr 262012

Vapour Organic Beauty Clarity Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil

Clarity Makeup Remover Made with 95% Certified Organic Ingredients and 5% wildcrafted essential oils
100% Natural
Chemical Free
Cruelty Free
Gluten Free
Made with Wind Power
Biodegradable ingredients
Inner & Outer Packaging Recyclable
No Nano Particles

Ingredients: Organic/Bio Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Oil, Organic/Bio Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Organic/Bio Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic/Bio Camellia Oleifera (Camellia) Seed Oil, Organic/Bio Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Tocopherol (Natural Vitamin E), Commiphora Myrrha (Myrrh) Essential Oil, Eriocephalus Punctulatus (Cape Chamomile) Essential Oil, Organic/Bio Borage Officinalis, Organic/Bio Helichrysum Arenarium, Organic/Bio Equisetum Arvense (Horsetail)

I’m an old hen when it comes to cleansing oils but I hesitate when it comes to trying a new one because I’ve been using the same one for almost 4 years. I decided to give Vapour Organic Beauty Clarity Makeup Removing Cleansing Oil a try and I’m glad I did.

The cleasning oil comes in an airless bottle with a pump that I don’t see much of on the market. The bottle doesn’t have the tiny plastic pipe that allows product (and air) to be captured in the bottle itself. Instead, it uses just the mechanism in the top chamber to dispense product allowing it to be airless. This helps preserve the quality of the product.

I apply 2 pumps and massage it into the skin for a few minutes then remove with a warm towel. The directions say you can just wipe your face when you’re done without using water, but I can’t rest for the night without a war, towel hitting my face before bed. This oil removes everything and I’ve used it wearing some really heavy cream foundation; it just breaks everything down. More importantly is leaves my skin balanced and I’ve noticed some slight improvement in blemishes.

Despite the textured being on the thicker side, it doesn’t sit heavy on the skin. I have oily skin and it works just fine. I don’t use it as an everyday cleanser but on heavy makeup days and when my skin needs extra nourishing, it’s my go-to.

Where to buy: Vapour Beauty, and samples are available on the site

Price: $28.00 (0.98 fl. oz.)

Rating: A

Boscia Soothing Cleansing Cream Pictures and Review

Apr 142012

Boscia Soothing Cleansing Cream

An emollient-rich cleanser. What it is formulated to do: Effectively remove makeup and impurities with this rich blend that replenishes skin as it cleans. A complex of botanical emollients nourishes and protects dry, delicate skin. This skincare essential, along with the entire Boscia line, is free of preservatives. What it is formulated WITHOUT:

Parabens
Sulfates
Synthetic Fragrances
Synthetic Dyes
Phthalates
GMOs
Triclosan

Boscia Soothing Cleansing Cream

I must be getting to that age where your skin completely turns on you and starts acting like you’re in your teens and not pushing 30. Long Deep Sigh. For whatever reason (possibly due to diet..or hormones..or adult acne) I started breaking out on my forehead and overall my skin seemed to be over textured and unbalanced. I decided to start by changing my facial cleanser (something I haven’t done in years) and so far that’s seemed to work.

I went to Spehora (coupon in hand) and after reading labels for what seemed like hours, I went with Boscia Soothing Cleansing Cream. It was one of the few cleansers for sensitive skin that wasn’t filled with a million ingredients. I’m hooked on this cleanser! It starts off looking very much like your everyday cream, but once applied it’s an oil. I’m not new to oil cleansing but this one is unique, as it completely rinses and leaves my skin clean but also a little dry. It’s so odd. It may not even be due to the cream itself but just my thirsty skin. I have to apply my moisturizer within a couple minutes after cleansing my skin. But my skin is looks great so it’s a small complaint.

Where to buy: Sephora and Ulta

Price: $26.00/ 5 oz.

Rating: A+

Old Wives Tales Skin Care Tips You Can Dump for Good

Mar 202012

Don’t do this, do that…no maybe you shouldn’t do that. We’ve all heard it before; old wives tales. And these tales come from all over; young old, single to married. Oddly enough by the time you’re wise enough to know better, you wish you would have known better for years. But it’s never too late to learn and dump old tips.

Don’t pop that pimple

Don’t be alarmed, you read that right. It’s okay to properly extract a pimple when needed. I’m not talking about digging your face out and causing blemishes. But it is okay to extract a pimple with clean skin and hands, prepped & exfoliated that’s had a bit of steam loving it, with a gentle hand…totally okay. After all, that gunk isn’t going to remove itself from your face.

You can’t exfoliate every day. It’s much too harsh for your skin.

Pay attention to your skin. For me personally, I have to exfoliate once a day; even if it’s something gentle like a fine scrub or the addition of alpha hydroxy acid or glycolic in my face wash. Just anything. I have blemish prone skin and flawless skin is all about skin cell turnover, my cells turnover slow as frozen molasses. I have to give it a lil push. It always helps to be proactive when you know you’re going to get a blemish.

Oily skin? Skip the moisturizer.

We all have to moisturize our skin no matter what our skin type may be. If you have oily skin and skip this step it can cause your skin to go into over drive to produce the moisture its lacking. Instead of skipping the moisturizer, opt for an oil-free moisturizer and nourish your skin nightly with light oils.

MAC Cosmetics Lightfully New SKin Care Collection Spring 2012

Jan 192012

M·A·C LIGHTFUL CLEANSER ($25.00 U.S./$30.00 CDN)
M·A·C LIGHTFUL SOFTENING LOTION ($30.00 U.S./$36.00 CDN)
M·A·C LIGHTFUL ESSENCE ($40.00 U.S./$48.00 CDN)
M·A·C LIGHTFUL MOISTURE CREME ($40.00 U.S./$48.00 CDN)

LIGHTFUL MARINE BRIGHT: A NATURAL
UPGRADE TO THE ORIGINAL LIGHTFUL, OUR UNIQUE
MARINE-BRIGHT FORMULA FEATURES THREE
SEAWEEDS HARVESTED FROM THE WORLD’S OCEANS.
NOURISH, HYDRATE, DE-OXIDIZE AND FORTIFY THE SKIN
AGAINST KEY AGGRESSORS – EXCESS MELANIN AND
FREE-RADICALS – WHILE PROGRESSIVELY SHIFTING THE
COMPLEXION TOWARD A MORE EVENLY PIGMENTED RADIANCE.
ADDING TO THIS TRIO’S POTENCY: OUR OWN SUPER-DUO
CHARGED WATER, LIGHTFUL CLEANSER, ESSENCE, MOISTURE CREME,
AND SOFTENING LOTION. YOUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT!

Neutrogena One Step Gentle Cleanser Pictures and Review

Jan 112012

Neutrogena One Step Gentle Cleanser

Neutrogena One Step Gentle Cleanser - Ingredients

One Step Gentle Cleanser does double-duty as a cleanser and makeup remover.

This rich, silky foaming formula combines the cleansing power of a face wash with the effectiveness of a makeup remover. The single-step approach shaves minutes off your bedtime beauty routine.

Rich, silky formula cleans skin without stripping moisture
Rinses completely clean
Dermatologist tested
Hypoallergenic

As annoying as I find it that Neutrogena has 416,733,971 facial cleansers, I’m glad I found one that I love. I’m a firm believer that a facial cleanser is supposed to be 3 things; a makeup remover (I don’t waste money on makeup remover anymore), gentle, and a great cleanser. One Step Gentle Cleanser did it all, but best of all its affordable and who doesn’t like a deal? The lather was very rich and almost cream-like. It removed all traces of my makeup, cleansed my skin with not residue or tightness, and left it baby soft. It took the same length of time to cleanse my face with this cleanser as it would had I used a baby wipe, which isn’t as quick as you make think since I wear a lot of mascara. Even though the product wasn’t difficult to remove at all, I do feel that it was the pump dispenses too much product. I could use a little less and still achieve the same results.

Availability: Mass Market Retailers and drug stores, I found this one at Target

Price: $6.49

Rating: A

Nude Skincare Cleansing Facial Oil Pictures and Review

Dec 092011

I’ve had my eyes on the Nude Skincare Cleansing Facial Oil for months. It comes highly recommended by Carm of Lipstick Fashion Mascara and I was even able to try a sample that came in a gift bag, so I was able to try it before committing to the full size. I bought the full size bottle during the Sephora V.I.B. event for 20% off. I’m not sure what went wrong because the sample was awesome; it removed makeup and cleansed my skin while providing moisture. It even removed my makeup with any issues. As with any oil cleanser I use, I did a nail test and it passed. I lightly ran my nail down my cheek and checked to see if any residue was left behind and it wasn’t.

As I had done previously with the sample packet, I applied the oil to dry skin, massaged for 1 minute, emulsified it using a small amount of water, and rinsed and used a hot towel to remove the rest of the cleanser. My skin was left with a heavy dirty residue and it didn’t feel clean. I considered a few factors; two pumps was too much product, I didn’t use enough water to emulsify the cleanser in-order for it to be completely removed, or the water wasn’t hot enough. The second time I used it I made the following changes: used one pump of product, more water to emulsify the cleanser, and warmer water during the removal process. For three nights in a row I tried this and found that the issue was that no matter was it wouldn’t emulsify which meant is would never breakdown enough to be removed completely. It seems as though I may have purchased a bad batch because it performed poorly compared to reviews I’ve read and the sample I used. I don’t have the patience to exchange it for another bottle as it would be coming from the same Sephora location but I will be exchanging it for something different all together.

INGREDIENTS: glycine soja (soybean) oil, polyglyceryl-4-oleate, squalene, tocopherol acetate, fragrance (parfum), benzyl benzoate, linalool, eugenol.

Availability: Sephora.com and NudeSkincare.com

Price: $36.00/ 3.4 fl. oz.

Rating: Inconclusive

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser Pictures and Review…yes girls you need it!

Nov 282011

My Aunt Toni (a recovering beauty addict) was at the house rummaging through my bag of un-tried beauty products, when she personally pulled out the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and requested a review. This product was probably towards the bottom of my list because I can smell the eucalyptus and it’s very reminiscent of that other cleanser that sounds like “oz-zema”. I was also have second thoughts about using a muslin cloth but then it dawned on me; I use a hot cotton face towel everyday when I wash my face so there’s no harm at all…it was all in my mind.

This cleanser is a creamy decedent whipped cream cleanser that you massage into dry skin. I used it after the shower and got fantastic results. I massaged it into my skin for 2 minutes and when removing makeup from the eyes or lips I focused on just that immediate area instead of circulating it all over my face. While testing the temperature of the hand-hot water, I was pleasantly surprised that it didn’t turn into slick on my skin and rinsed well in lukewarm water. I placed the muslin cloth in hot water, rung it out, and proceeded to remove the cleanser in medium-sized circular motions. It removed easily and I didn’t feel a thick coating of moisturizer on my skin. I then finished by splashing cool water on my face (it was recommended but I wouldn’t do it in the future).

My skin was thoroughly cleansed and it was easy to see any leftover areas since I was using a white muslin cloth. Despite the product being white and the cloth being white as well, you can see a color variation when cleansing. It was gently polished and I had a nice glow and after day 2 my pores didn’t have any noticeable whiteheads even in the chin area. Keep in mind this won’t replace regular exfoliation since it’s very gentle to the skin; so it makes it perfect for all skin types, even sensitive. The cleanser has some pretty impressive ingredients and it isn’t filled with oil or junk. My skin was clean, smooth, hydrated, and my pores were tight without my skin having that tight dry feeling. The price point is wonderful; the starter kit (shown in the photo) includes a 3.3 fl. oz. bottle of cleanser with a pump and a machine washable muslin cloth (my kit came with 2 cloths but this isn’t specified on the site so I’m still waiting on confirmation. I actually gave my best friend the rest of my bottle and a cloth to prep her skin for wedding in 7 days and I’ll be placing my order online in the morning. I can’t wait for Liz Earle to take the U.S. by storm and be sold in stores like Sephora. Maybe if I put it out there it’ll happen.

Ingredients:

Availability: www.us.lizearle.com

Price: $24.50/ 3.3 fl. oz starter kit with cloth and various other sizes and ranging from $9-$114

Rating: A+

Ask Krissy: What type of chemical peel do you use?

Nov 272011

I saw you mentioned you get chemical peels. What type do you get or suggest?

-JH

Have a question for Krissy or Angelo (the stylist)? Send it here!

First consult your dermatologist about getting a chemical peel. something I can say I’ve never done because I’ve always got them done in the treatment room or did it myself at home. To select the right chemical peel you have to have a good understanding of your skin type, what issue you’re targeting, and the level (for the sake of this post I’ll rank them high, medium, and low). My first peel was with a low grade glycloic acid and it didn’t do anything. Weeks went by and I never peeled, just some redness on the first day. I’ve mentioned this before but I have tough stubborn skin. I did have good results with a lactic acid peel and it help with the overall tone of my skin (not so much with the hyperpigmenation). I used a TCA peel (I believe it was mid grade peel) and I frosted almost immediately and my skin was peeling in 1-2 days. It was far too aggressive and my skin looked great but the they weren’t as long-lasting as lactic acid. I don’t have any plans to do another peel anytime soon. I want microdermabrasion

I purchase my peels from Makeup Artists’ Choice and here’s their guide for selecting the right at-home chemical peel

How to choose the at home chemical peel that is right for you (via MakeupArtistsChoice.com):

Mandelic Acid: An alpha hydroxy acid derived from the bitter almond nut. This is a gentle acid which exfoliates the skin with very little topical discomfort. Excellent for inhibiting the formation of brown spots, and hyperpigmentation. Will not cause unwanted lightening of the skin in darker skin tones. Treat acne, melasma, sun damaged skin, large pores, blackheads, wrinkles, dull, sallow skin.

Lactic acid: Derived from milk, milder than glycolic acid, and typically better for working on hyperpigmentation problems. Our formulation contains licorice extract, an effective skin lightening additive. Appropriate for dry skin or oily skin. An alpha hydroxy, this peel penetrates the epidermis-only. A great “first peel” for oily, dry, normal and sensitive skin types. The inherent properties of this peel make it ideal for clients with uneven skin tones and general hyperpigmentation.

Glycolic acid: A bit more aggressive than lactic acids, this is also an alpha hydroxy peel and will penetrate the epidermis. Glycolic acid is a good all-around acid for normal-oily skin types to exfoliate and rejuvenate the skin, as well as addressing the issues of acne, acne scarring, wrinkles and fine lines.

Salicylic Acid (beta hydroxy): Oil soluble, thus making these acids perfect for oily/acne skin that needs deep pore cleansing and loosening of blackheads. Use this as a “first-step” when using alpha hydroxy acid peels to remove all oils from the skin, or use alone 3/4 times per week for oil/blackhead control. A beta-hydroxy, this acid penetrates the upper layers of the epidermis only. For a stronger treatment, use our 15% salicylic acid peel once a week.

TCA: Deeper peeling class of acids excellent for acne, lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, stretch marks, sun damage, lip lines, age spots and general scarring. Longer lasting results, more intensive. This peel penetrates the epidermis, into the upper layers of the dermis, thus producing a more effective peeling experience.

Jessner’s: A peel that is layered until it frosts, it contains alpha and beta hydroxies along with resorcinol. This peel is ideal for clients with cystic acne.

Non Acid Enzyme Peels: All natural enzymes safely dissolve surface skin debris and leave skin feeling soft, cleansed and refreshed. Our enzyme peels are professional strength, exactly what you would get in a very high-end salon. Use enzymes if you have sensitive skin that is non-tolerant of acid usage.

Tips for Keeping Your Décolleté Forever Young and Getting Rid of Blemishes on Your Chest

Nov 172011

If you own the Clarisonic Plus or Clarisonic Pro use the Body Brush Head with the cleansers of your choice. I told you guys the option to have the Body Brush Head would come in handy

If you don’t own it and want to save money use a gentle body brush or even a baby hair brush with your cleanser

Invest (and I’m not talking monetarily) in a good exfoliating facial cleanser; I use Alpha Hydrox Foaming Face Wash. It contains a small amount of alpha hydroxy acid to get rid of dead skin cells and enhance skin cell renewal. It can be found at most drug store for around $6. If you’re already using a facial cleanser, run it all the way down to your neck and chest area. The line of demarcation that no one wants to talk about can often be caused by using your facial cleansers in only the immediate are of your face, causing a noticeable variation of skin color.

Exfoliate once a week. Again, if you’re already exfoliating weekly run it down to the décolleté. If you’re not, grab Freeman’s Superfruits for only a few bucks.

For an intense exfoliation try Murad Intensive Resurfacing Peel (which may be too aggressive for more despite not seeing any peeling when I used it on my skin), or better yet try the Murad's Rejuvenating Lift for Neck and Décolleté.

Always moisturize at night and use sunscreen during the day

Photo

Things to Consider Before Purchasing a Clarisonic

Nov 152011

Speed limitations – You can’t predict the level of aggressiveness your skin will need now or later on down the road, so don’t limit yourself. Also consider that what you may think is good with the normal setting may be just okay or even too aggressive. I have some facial cleansers that somewhat aggressive and work better with lower settings.
All models travel well…plus in the name of good skincare you’ll sacrifice a few inches. Size isn’t a huge issue. But I will admit, it’s great traveling with a friend that has a universal charger…but then again I’ve left my Clarisonic off the charger for a week and it still ran perfectly.
I went with the Clarisonic Pro and only use my 4^th setting once a month; it’s too aggressive to be used daily.
The body brush is a luxury, most of the time you’ll just use a body scrub. If you’re boo’d up maybe it’ll be great if you have your spouse use it on your back before the back rub.
Don’t be sold on the trial-sized cleansers. I personally didn’t like them, but also feel that if I’m spending that much money on a tool you should be more than happy to toss in a few samples of your cleansers, not list it in a way that makes it seem like its bargain. I’m sure stores like Sephora or Ulta will be more than willing to give.
The color options and personal engraving options for Mia, Mia 2, Normal and Plus models are cute, no doubt about it.
Look at the warranties. The Clarisonic isn’t a fly by night tool so you want something that’ll last and they range from 1-3 years.

More clarisonic…

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