Ipsy Glam Bag June 2018

Hello Dolls!  Its Ipsy time and this month was a fun one. Previous biases were pushed aside in favor of new experiences.  Boundaries were pushed and beauty prevailed! Okay, that was a little much but you get the idea. 

This months bag was colorful and fun inside and out.

Red Tri Colored Makeup Bag

Blue? Hmm...

Steve Laurant Eyeshadow in Blueberry: I've never been a huge fan of blue eyeshadow. In fact I've been a huge believer that it should have stayed in the 80's and 90's where it belonged. Since dyeing my hair blue I have found a new set of feelings towards blue eyeshadow. It's fun for under the lid or as a pop of color over a traditional black wing eyeliner. This isn't an overpowering blue but my goodness does it have some pigment. 

Liquid Eyeliner? Yes Please!

Jonteblu Felt Tip Eyeliner Pencil in Black: I love me a good black eyeliner and currently have at least 3 in different makeup bags in purses and in my vanity. I haven't opened this one yet for that reason but I'm still very happy to have one for when those run out.

Baby Brush

Luxie Beauty 245 Small Shader Eye Brush: I'm not the kind of person who spends money on brushes or beauty blenders (knock offs are better in some cases) so I love getting brushes in beauty bags. It's pretty small but very soft which is always a plus in my book.

Oh, It's you again

Cotz Natural Tinted Face SPF 40: I've gotten this in beauty subscription boxes before and I never used it. I was concerned it would be too dark on my face or that it would make me break out or something ridiculous. This time I think I will give it a chance though. It swatched out without any noticeable color and will be nice for days out on the boat.

Hello Old Friends

The Saem Natural Acai Berry Sheet Mask and Natural-tox Apple Sheet Mask: Sheet masks and I have a long history together. I buy them or get them in boxes, say I'm going to use them, and then NEVER DO. I mean ever. I mean I still have some from a year ago I haven't used. I swore I would change my ways and break out of my comfort zone and I'm not mad about it. I tried the berry one earlier today and was pleasantly surprised how much it smelled like a blue icee. I will be gifting the apple one because I don't really like apple scented things.

Overall I like the bag. I will use everything I got (sans the apple mask) and am giving some old hang ups a new chance in my routine.

I rate this bag with an A

Ipsy Glam Bag September 2015

 Ipsy this may just be my favorite bag design yet!

Ipsy is one of my favorite monthly bags.  It always has a grab bag feel and I have never went a month without making one product a permanent in my stash.

NAOBAY Oxegenating Cream: Yet another moisturizer that will soon find itself in the hand cream pile.  The smell is inoffensive and citrusy and I like the idea that it's Eco Certified, but I just have too many face creams in my collection to try out before this.  Anything scented on my face tends to be a no go anyways but as a hand cream I think it will work just fine.

NYX Eyeshadow Trio in IPSYNYX01: Love the name guys.  Very clever. Love the shadows guys. Very nice.  Your trio's tend to be the ones I like more than your pallets when it comes to eyeshadows and this has the PERFECT colors for me.  In fact, it's a culmination of the only 3 colors I wear on a daily basis.  Good job Ipsy!

Vasanti BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvinator: I already have this and have used this many a time when I want to manually exfoliate my face.  I'm happy to have another so that I can use the other one up and not feel so guilty.

J. Cat Beauty #MOTD Waterproof Slide on Pencil in Bronze: I swatched this on my hand as soon as I saw it and it was still there the next day.  It takes some serious scrubbing to get this baby off your skin.  Which of course means it's perfect for me and my smudgy eye area. Bring on the Bronze!

Formula X Nail Polish in Ignite: I put this on my nails the same night I got it and I am in love.  The perfect red shade that looks like a candy apple without the mess. The size, while very small, is perfect for someone like me who doesn't switch up her polish often and has a whole bunch of polishes cluttering up her space.

Overall: A
I loved the products, found three I will be obsessing over this fall, and two I can make work in my routines.  The only reason it's not a plus you ask? Aw what the heck. Here's your +.

Peter Thomas Roth Oiless Oil

I'm a recent convert to the glory of skincare and skincare products.  I spent years using only the St. Ives Apricot Scrub, the Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer, and occasionally a spot gel for pimples.  That's it folks.  Nothing else made it past the first use before being given away or hidden in the back of the medicine cabinet.

As a result of this recent conversion I've been much more excited to try different skincare products, one of which I'm very very excited to share with all of you.

Peter Thomas Roth Oiless Oil

First Impression: Oh goodness, not another oil.  Wait, not an oil?  So it's like water then.   What the heck is squalane?   Only one drop?  Do they know how big my face is?  Jeepers.  Well lets see what this overpriced water can do.

 

After Application: Oh wow that's nice.  A little shiny, but it is more or less "oil" right?  I can't even feel it on my skin.  I hope this won't clog my pores and make me breakout tomorrow.

Overall: "Ding ding ding, we have a winner!"  I love this stuff.  It says it's 100% squalane, which is the stuff in your body that keeps all the moisture in your skin.  (oooh fancy)  It went on smoothly.  You really only need one drop of it and the glass pipette is just too cute.  It's a little hard to keep it on your fingertips to get it to your face, but if you get it right on the pads of your fingers you're golden. You can barely feel this on your face, and it doesn't get your hair stuck in it or leave a residue on things like most "oils" do. It also hasn't broken me out any of the times I used it and left my skin feeling soft and happy after. I have a hard time using another moisturizer in place of this, but for me I find it's really spectacular to use at night so it gets to sink in.  That and it's too darn sunny not to wear an SPF during they day here, and that plus this would be far too much.

 

Repurchase: Yes.  Guaranteed.  It's $38 for a full sized container, but if it replaces all the other moisturizers I have it will be well worth it.  Especially with how little you have to use to cover your whole face it will last quite a while.

B. Kamins Laboratories Vegetable Cleanser

Now, I don't know about you, but after a long day of work all I want to do is take my makeup off, get into some comfy clothes, and relax.  The comfy clothes part I have down to a science, the taking my makeup off without scrubbing my face raw or ending up with crazy raccoon eyes thing?  Eh, Still working on it.  Which is exactly why I'm excited to introduce this cute little bottle of love which I kind of already spoiled for you guys in this post.

B. Kamins Laboratories Vegetable Cleanser

First Impression: I'm liking this pump.  Wait, where are the bubbles?  Why does this not smell good?  I'm skeptical.

 

After Application: I miss the bubbles.  Hold on a second, no raccoon eyes?  No weird left over makeup?  I don't have to wash my face twice?  Yeah buddy I'm liking this.

Overall: I realized I can't judge a cleanser by it's smell alone.  This product doesn't smell particularly good (now it doesn't smell terrible either, just not that "refreshing" smell they're peddling for us ladies and gents lately), it initially turned me off from wanting to use this product, and I have now learned my lesson on judging a book by it's cover, or cleanser by its smell.  It works fabulously.  I've been using this almost daily for a few weeks and it leaves no residue, no makeup, there is no double cleansing to get the left over makeup off my face, nothing.  It doesn't dry out my face, irritate it in any way, and it in fact has calmed down my skin.  I'm beginning to wonder how I ever valued a fragranced cleanser over this one.

 

Repurchase: Yes.  Or a fragrance free cleanser.  But probably just this.  I want the love affair to never end, the breakouts to stay away, and the raccoon eyes never to see the light of day again.

Do you have a favorite fragrance free cleanser?  Are you a liquid cleanser or a balm cleanser person?

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting Liquid

I've always been wary of liquid exfoliants.  Sometimes they say you can use them everyday, sometimes they say once a week, sometimes once a month, and even then it's still a tricky thing.  I'm terrified of doing unseen damage to my face, only to have it look like I got a bad chemical peel a month later.  

Then I got this little bottle in my March Blush Box and after two days of staring at it on my dresser I decided to put it to the test.  Move aside fears it's product testing time!

First Impression: I'm nervous.  Don't peel my face off.  How much do I use?  Wait, I can use this daily?  Please don't peel my face off.

 

After Application: Welp that was anticlimactic.  I don't know if I used enough.  My skin doesn't feel like it wants to fall off, good sign.  I'll try this whole "use daily" thing and see if it helps.  

Overall: I like it.  I've been using it for about a week now and I can honestly say my skin is in much better condition.  Aside from the current blemish on my chin (thank you work phones) I've had no breakouts, my skintone is more even, I don't need a full face of foundation and can get away with only concealer, and my skin is smoother than before.

 

Repurchase: Yes.  If not this than something similar.  I was so afraid I would peel my face off I've been missing out on the benefits of a good exfoliator.  I can honestly tell you guys that this is the missing step in my skincare routine that never was that made me want a skincare routine.

Go buy this!  Or... something like it!  It's worth it.

Deep Cleansing Oil

I wear a full face of makeup to work.  Concealer, foundation, powders, eyeshadows, liquid liner, mascara, the works.  So after 8+ hours of having a face full of products, the first thing I want to do when I get home is take it all off and relax.

Most girls have an arsenal of products lining their bathrooms to remove, exfoliate, and renew their skin, and I am no different.  Whenever I get a new product I put it right in the lineup with the rest and give it a go when the time feels right.  Except in the case of the Deep Cleansing Oil from DHC which I was so excited to find in a beauty box that I bumped it to the front of the line like a girl in a skin tight dress at the club. 

First Impression: Face oil that takes off your makeup?  I like this idea. Okay, this is a little hard to get out of the bottle, and pretty thick.  I need more than I thought I would to get this all over my face.  This is harder than I thought.  Is this stuff even working? 

After Cleansing:  Successfully removed my makeup, good.  My face doesn't feel oily, also good.  My skin doesn't feel tight and dry at all.  Why does this smell like olive oil?

Overall: Okay, so I like this product.  It's not perfect, it smells like olive oil and reminds me a lot of the olive oil/castor oil mixture I was using to wash my face last summer.  It's thick, which makes it a little hard to get out of the bottle because it isn't completely open at the top, and you use more of it than you're probably supposed to.  But it works.  It took all of my makeup off, it didn't irritate my skin, and I'll definitely use this until it's gone.

Repurchase: No.  If I wanted an oil cleanser that smelled like olive oil I would revert back to the concoction I used over the summer.  That's really the only reason why.  The smell of the products I put on or near my face is a huge factor in whether I will ever use it again or whether I just can't give it up.  You hear that skincare people?  Some of us like their skincare products to be scented, even if only slightly.

 

Do you have any favorite face washes?  Are any of them an oil? 

Sample Society February 2014

Spoiler Alert: This month's beauty boxes are ah-mazing!

As you all know by now I am a huge fan of beauty boxes.  I get four subscriptions, and one of those subscriptions is to the Allure Sample Society Box.  This month's box is choc full of awesome goodies, which I have split up into two categories: Skincare and Haircare.

 

-Skincare-

 Murad Intensive-C Radiance Peel- I have always wanted to try this, but have never wanted to spend the money on something I wasn't sure I would like.  I guess you put this on like a mask, leave it on for a few minutes, and wash it off.  I'm excited.

AHAVA Dead Sea Osmoter Concentrate- This smells so good.  So very good.  I am almost regretting saying I like getting serums in boxes because they just keep coming, but this smells so damn good I don't care.  I'm looking forward to using this.

Murad Intensive Radiance Serum- I have this, I like it, I use this every morning.  It smells like oranges.

-Haircare-

Phytokeratin Ultra Repair Mask-  I actually put this in my shower so I could use it. This winter weather is making my hair limp and sad and yet frizzy and the ends are fried.  Fingers crossed this works miracles.  Oh, and I like the metal tube. 

Alterna Bamboo 48-Hour Sustainable Volume Spray-  I love this brand, so when I saw it in this month's box I was really excited.  You're supposed to put this on wet hair and blow dry it, but I don't blow dry my hair.  I might just use this on wet hair and not blow dry it and see what happens.

I am thrilled at the contents of this month's box, and I will use everything in here.  I cannot wait until next month.

Willa Face Towelettes

I love me some face wipes.  Main reason, I like to stay up late and I can be pretty lazy if it's my day off.  

During the week, after a full face of makeup, I of course wash and tone and moisturize and oil up my face like the next crazy blogger.  The weekends or my days off are a completely different story.  

Insert face wipes.  Facial towelettes.  Wet wipes.  Whatever you want to call them.

Perfect for wiping off mid day glow, excess makeup, and of course for the quick swipe and go after one too many drinks.

Willa is a brand I have never heard of before, but the words gentle and lavender on the package intrigued me.

I can officially say I'm disappointed with this product.  

The wipes were far too dry to do anything. 

It took two whole wipes just to try and clean my whole face. 

It made me sad.

Not even the nice smell could overcome the lack of moisture in the wipes and how poorly they performed.

I hate writing a negative review, but I can't not review something just because it didn't send me into happy fits.  Not every product will tickle my fancy, or perform well with my skin.

Although these weren't for me in any way, I'm not saying they won't get use.

I have plenty of fingers and mirrors and lids that need cleaning.

Plenty.

Do you use facial wipes?  Are you part of the beauty blogging world that hasn't completely written them off?

Neostrata Exfoliating Wash

Lately I've been sticking to strict three product routine.  I went from having terrible bumpy acne skin to dry almost clear skin, and decided that it was time to add some new products to the rotation.

Enter Neostrata Exfoliating Wash

First Impression: Ooh foam! Huh, this is getting a little thinner on my hands than I thought.  Where are the beads/sand/exfoliating things?  Why does this stuff smell like chlorine?  Is this even doing anything?  Where did all the foam I just put on my face go?

After the Shower:  Sweet Jesus my face feels amazing and soft.  My cheeks aren't nearly as flaky as they were before.  Uh oh why is my face feeling tight?  Damn I need some moisturizer.

Overall: I really love this product.  I would not recommend this to anyone with sensitive skin, or someone sensitive to any odors.  It makes my face feel tight after I use it, but it has actually made the dry patches on my cheeks smoother and happier, so I'll take it.  I can see this bothering sensitive skin though.  It doesn't have any sort of "traditional" exfoliating beads in it, so I'm guessing it's more of a chemical type of exfoliation.  Which could explain why it smells strongly of chlorine, which I will never get used to.  

Repurchase: Probably not, I just can't get over the smell, even if it does work like a dream.  I would much rather find another exfoliating wash/scrub that doesn't have the smell and works just as nicely.  I will use this until it is gone though. 

Philosophy Hope In A Jar Night

Winter skin is my current nemesis.  Along with learning how to highlight and contour, my dry cheeks are the bane of my existence right now.  They are flaky, nothing sits on them well, and it makes it uncomfortable to smile.  All big no-no's.

Then this stuff came along in a subscription box and I swear I heard the angels singing the morning after I put this on.

 

Philosophy's Hope in a Jar Night lotion is a medium weight lotion that is supposed to help your skin retain moisture at night. Theory is you slap this stuff on your face, go to sleep, and wake up with moisturized plump happy skin.  Does it work?  I think so!

Alone this stuff works amazingly.  My cheeks were less dry in the morning and the rest of my face really felt smooth and happy (Read: No weird bumps/rough patches on my face., and no oil slick on my pillow.)  It sunk right into my skin and didn't leave it feeling oily and slick, just smooth and moisturized.

Now while it didn't completely take care of my dry cheeks it helped immensely.  Paired with Vitamin E over the top this really worked to help relieve the patchiness.  It worked great on the rest of my face all by itself though, which is still a major plus for me.  

What products from Philosophy would you recommend?

Skin, Why You Do This To Me?

Hello Dolls,

Lately my skin has been an awful weird mess.  It started out really oily and awful this summer, to the point where any and all face makeup would slide off without an overzealous powder sesh.  At that point there was really no point in me wearing foundations at all (even a BB cream), so I went for a natural face with the main focus being on my eyes.  

Then the seasons changed and the fall was approaching and I have had nothing but breakout after breakout.  There has not been one day since fall hit that there has not either been a pimple, crazy blackheads, or an under the skin pimple thing happening on my face.  Even without me wearing a lot of makeup it has been a nightmare.  Thankfully with my new (and extremely minimal) skincare routine they have subsided. Thank you to the products below.

Buy The Face Wash, Buy The Moisturizer , Buy The Vitamin E Capsules

 

 

 

 

 

When winter sprung up my face went from the oily combination mess it was to this dry flaky awful monster of a thing.  Even my oily t-zone has seen the light and dried right up.  I'm seriously considering wearing night time face lotion to keep my cheeks in check.  My skincare regimen is not made for this sudden and severe change in condition.  No makeup looks right, no amount of moisturizer can break through the dryness.  Even writing this I have just taken my makeup off not fifteen minutes ago, a full face to hide the insanity happening underneath it, washed and toned my face, and put on night moisturizer with vitamin E over the top and STILL my cheeks are dry and laughing at me.

I am currently on the hunt for anything to even out this dryness and make my skin a nice plump moisture filled heaven for makeup.  Any suggestions?

Quick Little Review: Japanese Agarwood Body Wash

I posted yesterday about the Japanese Agarwood Body Wash by Lisa Hoffman Beauty that I received in my Blush Mystery Beauty Box and could not stop myself from writing this review about my thoughts on it.

I love love love the smell.  It takes me right back to being in a Spa with all the relaxing smells.  I first thought this would be really overpowering but it ended up lightly perfuming my skin and turning my bathroom into a relaxing oasis.  Think of warm woodsy smells like bergamot and amber, and light clean essential oils like eucalyptus and ginger, and you have the perfect combination for an at home spa shower experience.  They should make a candle of this stuff it just smells so amazing.

You don't need a lot of this product to get a really nice lather, which doesn't dry out your skin after like a lot of body washes.  It is a light creamy white color when it comes out of the tube which was much to my relief.  I honestly thought this stuff might come out green.

Overall I am so happy I got this in my Blush box.  I'm really picky when it comes to body washes, and only use liquids that are creamy and not highly scented (damn you sensitive skin).  It left just the right amount of fragrance on my skin after getting out of the shower and will be my go to body wash from now until it runs out.

What are some of your favorite shower products?

Blush Mystery Beauty Box December 2013

If there's one thing I've noticed about Decembers subscription boxes it's that they're geared towards skin care.  Now, since I'm a total skincare / lotion newbie I don't mind at all, and actually enjoy the break from lipglosses I won't use and my seventh mini mascara.

I can say with absolute certainty that this is the oddest and best combination of products I have ever received in a subscription box.  You'll see why.

 

When you first open the box you see a black cloth bag and a strange long box.  When you open the bag you get a little card detailing all the products inside (Love these! I keep them all).  

The first thing I pulled out was the NYX Love In Paris palette.  This is perfect to slip into a handbag and all the shades are completely wearable nudes which are great for winter.  I can't wait to start using this.  

In the box is a hair extension from the brand Sultra in the Ultra Pink Cheetah style.  It's hot pink/magenta and has black dots all over it.  I will probably never wear this, and I only say probably because there's always Halloween and punk theme parties that may happen. 

 The next part of the bag was lotions/body things.  

The Japanese Agarwood is a full sized body wash from Lisa Hoffman Beauty (the featured curator of this months box).   This stuff smells ah-mazing.  If you've ever been to a spa, it smells just like that.  Woody but clean and oh so relaxing.  Not only is the smell amazing, but I am in love with the packaging. (I'm sensing a green theme for the body products ay?)

 Then came the Eminence Stone Crop Body Lotion.  This lotion is the travel sized version and comes in a very pretty little pot.  The smell is very clean and yet again reminds me of something you would find in a spa or salon.  I will probably be using this as more of a hand lotion as opposed to a body lotion because the scent is very strong and it's not a huge sample.  

The last body care item is an Avocado foot cream by Nailtiques.  The scent reminds me of Ponds Cold Cream and older scented lotions my mother used to use.  Being that it's not a super girly smell and won't bother anyone's nose I can probably get my boyfriend to try this out for me.  

 This next part of the bag is really what I'm most pleased with.  Especially since my face has been breaking out and being generally rude lately I know that some of this stuff will have to wait until it calms down, but i'm excited nonetheless.

The look on my face when I pulled out the  Murad Advanced Active Radiance Serum must have been pure joy.  I have been wanting to try it for a while but couldn't bring myself to fork out the money on a serum I'm not sure will work or not. It claims to improve brightness, clarity and radiance by 60% in less than one week.  Big claims I hope are true because this winter is gonna be a cold one and I for one don't like sad winter skin.

The Neova Makeup Remover will definitely be getting a lot of use from me in the near future.  I have been using the Chamomile makeup remover from the Body Shop and it's time to switch it up.

I am a huge fan of moisturizers so when I pulled out the Ren Hydra-Calm Global Protectin Day Cream I was thrilled.  This product is made for sensitive skin that comes in contact with pollution like a city or smoke.  I live near the Capitol and my skin is super sensitive lately so this little gem will be my go to in the morning before heading off to work.

The last thing I pulled out of the bag was a cleanser.  This Exfoliating Wash by Neostrata claims to stimulate cell renewal and enhance texture and clarity of the skin.  I have been looking for an exfoliant that isn't harsh and can be used in place of my St. Ives facial scrub so if it can exfoliate and keep up to the claims it makes this may just be a repurchase for me.

Overall I love this months box.  I think it is the perfect thing to get your skin prepared for winter, and all of these products can really give you the full spa experience.  If you're not subscribed yet, you should head on over to the Blush site and get yourself signed up.  That's not an order, only a very strong recommendation.

Happy Saturday All!

Bath and Body Works

I have recently become a big fan of hand lotions.  I have them in my purse, by my beside, by my couch, and in my bathroom.  (I blame beauty boxes for this btw).  So when I was out at Bath and Body Works the other day looking at candles I discovered these cute little body lotions in Sleep and Stress Relief which I quickly grabbed up and trotted up to the register.

Stress Relief is a scent I already have in the massage oil from Bath and Body Works so I was really happy to add this little liton to my collection as well.  It smells really strongly, so if it's the smell you're after you only need a little amount.  It says it smells like eucalyptus and spearmint, but to me it smells a lot like a mans cologne.  I personally love the smell, and the smell lingers for a long while.  It is also quite moisturizing which is a plus for  me this winter.

The Sleep scent is perfect for falling asleep.  It is lavender and vanilla and my favorite thing to do is put it on my hands, glide my hand over the top of my pillow, and fall asleep.  It acts as a pillow smell and a lotion!  Probably not the best for my skin, but as i'm not putting any real amount of lotion on my pillow and only really transferring a scent I think it's okay.  The lotion itself is moisturizing and will last on my skin for a while, but it is not greasy which is a huge plus for me.

I would definitely get more of their hand lotions, and these being only $5 a piece I think it's a great deal.  

Have a great Saturday everyone!

My Skin Care Stash: Face Masks Pt. 1

Hello Everyone,

I am going to try to fit in a segment every week of products you can find in my skin care stash.  One type of product that completely overwhelms my collection is face masks.  Some for hydrating, some that exfoliate, and some that promise to unclog my pores.  This week's edition of my skin care stash is all about face masks that aim to clear the blemishes from my skin.

Now, keep in mind, these are not all of the masks I have in my collection for this purpose, but these are the ones I find myself reaching for more and more as the season changes.  I just finished up my last packet of one of my favorite masks, the Montagne Jeunesse Dead Sea Anti-Stress Mud Masque, so I won't be showing it here until I can get myself a few more.  I usually use two of these in succession, after exfoliation, and as my skin is very oily in the T zone and dry-ish on my cheeks, I tend to use one all over and the second on my T zone area to clear out the blackheads.  

H2O Sea Mineral Mud Mask, Formula 10.0.6 Deep down Detox. Formula 10.0.6 No Time To Shine, Formula 10.0.6 Pores Be Pure

Swatched

As you can see the H2O mask is really that bright blue color the tube is.  It has a really nice clean smell, with a hint of "mud", which is very earthy and pleasant.  It is not as thick as a clay mask, and you don't need a lot to cover your face.   It doesn't dry out your skin, and leaves it feeling really soft.  At about $7 it is definitely worth the money if you are looking for a non harsh pore clearing wonder.

The Formula 10.0.6 line is one of my absolute favorites for facial masks. The Deep Down Detox smells like oranges, and applies like a clay mask.  I like to use a brush to smooth it on my face as I feel it gives you mor control than your fingers do. This is normally the first mask I put on when I start to feel my skin having an uproar.  It sucks all the bad stuff out of your pores and leaves you looking smooth and soft and noticeably clearer.  This was about $6 from Ulta.com, which I would highly recommend to people who are still unsure of deep cleaning masks, and don't want to invest in high high priced masks.

The Formula 10.0.6 No Time To Shine mask is one that saved me a lot of hassle in the summer months.  It took that greasy oil slick that tends to crop up in the southern heat and calmed it right down for the rest of the day.  It wasn't huge on clearing out my pores, so if you're looking for something to curb the oil and clear out your pores you might want to look into a two step process, or just a whole different product.  It does contain clay, and applies very smoothly when applied with a brush. Overall the smell wasn't great, and smelled a lot like mud, but worked for its purpose. This was about $6 from Ulta.com.

The Formula 10.0.6 is the first mask I tried from the brand.  It smells like strawberries, and helped my blackhead situation immensely.  It applies like a clay mask, which I like to apply with a brush, and you can feel it working immediately.  This mask does get a little warm so beware if you have very sensitive skin, but I'm left, like with all of the 10.0.6 masks, with clearer smoother happier skin. This was about $6 from Ulta.com, as is the whole line of masks, so for beginners who want immediate results and want to love their skin again, this is a definite go.

What masks do you see yourself reaching for more and more to clear troubled skin?

Lemon Bubbles

When it comes to exfoliating my face, I recently have started to branch out a little.  For the past three years it's been solely St Ives Apricot Scrub and nothing or no person could make me budge on the subject.  Since moving down South it has become apparent to me that things in my life needed to change.  Majorly my skincare routine (or lack thereof).  Enter in this super sweet citrus smelling joy:

Look at the bubbles!

Suki Exfoliating Facial Cleanser! A 4 oz tub sells for $32.95 at Birchbox.com.  It has sugar crystals in it which melt as you start to rub this into your skin (soft exfoliation?).  While it lathers, it's not overwhelming but it is noticable.  I am a fan of a bubble beard when I wash my face so while I wasn't swimming in bubbles, this made me one happy lady,  It smells like summer and lemons which I absolutely love about this product. (even the boy was impressed)  Definitely a repurchase, definite recommendation.

Has anyone else tried this product? If so let me know what you thought about it :)

Love and laughs,

Care