My Top 5 Masks for Oily & Blackhead Prone Skin

If you're a regular reader of the blog, you know I typically have very oily skin that is prone to blackheads. My skin changes a bit when cooler weather comes along to a little more dry, yet the blackheads are there no matter what. I have a few of my favorite masks to share with you that help to keep oil and blackheads under control, and I hope they can help you as well!

I'm not putting these in any order, because I love them all equally, but if you want some serious oil and blackhead control, the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay is seriously amazing! It's just this powder that you can add either water or apple cider vinegar to, and make a mask out of it. I tend to use apple cider vinegar, and it does leave my skin a bit red for a while, so if you have sensitive skin, use water instead. I get this from Amazon, and it's super inexpensive, and will last ages.

Another favorite, though expensive, is the Glamglow Supermud Clearing Treatment. I much prefer this mask to their Youthmud mask, since it makes my skin feel so incredibly soft and look nearly poreless. This is a deluxe sample, but the 1.7 ounce is $59. They now have a 3.5 ounce for $79 as well. 

A mask that I've loved for years is the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. Charcoal is amazing at clearing out pores, and feels less harsh to me than other ingredients used to fight acne and oil. 

Paula's Choice is a brand I absolutely adored way before it became popular. Their Skin Balancing Oil Absorbing Mask is incredible at making my skin feel super clean, pores are minimized, and it doesn't irritate my skin like other purifying masks can. 

The last mask that is great for my skin is the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask. I don't know what it is about this mask, but my skin just loves it. It's got Lactic Acid, which was great when I was pregnant, and it cleared up my skin and made it really soft. It does leave some redness, but it goes away after about an hour. 

Do you have any favorite masks?

March 2018 Empties

April is here, which means it's time to share all the products I used up in March. I've been doing really well so far this year, and I'm really excited to share my progress with you all!

For skincare, I used up a Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash. I used to really like this stuff, but I realized it doesn't do anything for my skin.

The Algenist Overnight Restorative Cream was really freaking amazing, and I want the full size at some point. This made my skin look and feel so nice!

I wasn't able to use up the Neocorium Derma Carrier and EGF & Stem Cell Concentrate before it expired. It's a shame because this duo was pretty nice, and it's super expensive. 

I really wasn't a fan of the Derma-Nu Blueberry Cranberry Oxygen Facial Scrub. It smelled nice, but felt way too harsh on my skin. 

Montagne Jeunesse is a brand I'm unsure of, but I did like their Creamy Coconut Hydrating single use mask. It made my skin feel really soft and supple. Four more packets of the Dickinson's Oil Controlling Towelettes done, and just a few more to go. 

I usually don't wear perfumes or body sprays, so this Victoria's Secret Pure Seduction Body Splash took years to get through. I have different scents hanging around, so I'll try to use them more. 

I have another Philosophy Cranberry Medley hand cream used up, which I do like. I think I mentioned before, but this doesn't work very well if my hands are extra dry and cracked, but for a little moisture, it works just fine. 

I really enjoy Serious lip balms, and I used up a Peppermint one. I loved this so much. It makes my lips feel soft, and the peppermint scent is really nice. 

I have little samples of the Exuviance Evening Restorative Complex and the Caudalie Eye and Lip Cream. The Exuviance was nice, but felt maybe too hydrating at times, and I really enjoyed the Caudalie eye cream as well. It felt like a balm, but wasn't too heavy so I used it during the day. 

I had a deluxe sample of the Tom's of Maine Rapid Relief Sensitive toothpaste, so I used this up quickly. I didn't care for it much as it didn't help the sensitivity I have. 

I finally have some makeup! The Miss Mona Lisa Eyebrow Pencil was all dried out, and it fell out of the packaging, so I had to throw it away. I've been a fan of The Body Shop's Lightening Touch pen in shade 01 for ages now. I honestly am not sure if they still make this, but I may have a backup to use. I LOVE the Rimmel Match Perfection concealer in shade Fair. It's such a nice color for my under eyes, and blends in like a dream. 

Products used up: 19
total for the year: 57

I truly am so proud of myself right now! I never thought I could use up this many products so early into the year. I'm not sure how April will go, but I may focus a bit more on using up deluxe and foil packet samples. I have a ton of those to go through and really need to start using them up. 

What have you used up recently?

May, June & July 2017 Empties

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I fell incredibly behind on updating you all on the products I've used up. Being a mom has, of course, taken precedence in my life, and my daughter has had a ton of appointments. She's also been wanting more attention, so I try to get things done during naps, but she doesn't seem to like sleeping either. Anyway, I have three months worth of empty products to share with you, and I'm quite proud of what I have!

I'll start with skincare, since that's what I have the most of. I used a When Glamour Base sheet mask, which I was a fan of! I feel like it did brighten up my skin and helped it feel more hydrated. 

The Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Cream took me a while to use, considering it's a deluxe sample size. It has SPF in it, so I would only use it on days where I would leave the house. It seemed like it was fine, but nothing special. 

The Body Shop Tea Tree Toner used to be one of my favorite toners to use, until I discovered it has a high concentration of alcohol in it. This was my last bottle, thank goodness, so I won't repurchase again. 

I LOVED the Dermalogica Skin Hydrating Booster! I would put just a couple drops into my morning moisturizer, which really seemed to help with some dehydration I was having. I doubt I'd repurchase, since Dermalogica is quite an expensive brand. 

I had the Michael Todd Pumpkin Nutrient-Rich Facial Mask in my stash for quite a while, so I'm glad I was able to use it up. It was very tingly on my skin, and left it a bit red once I rinsed it off. It did, however, make my skin feel super soft. 

The Boscia Luminizing Black Mask is a love/hate for me. I love how incredibly soft it makes my skin feel, and it grabs any little baby hairs that are annoying. I hate how hard it is to remove. Seriously, if you get this anywhere near eyebrows or hairline, oh man does it hurt! I think I may have one more of these deluxe samples, but I wouldn't buy a full size. 

Origins is one of my favorite skincare brands, so it was no surprise I enjoyed the Make A Difference Plus Rejuvinating Treatment. I used it mainly as a serum before moisturizer, but it could be used by itself for very oily skin. I would consider buying this once my stash runs low. 

I used the Clinique Spot Healing Gel on any blemishes I may have gotten. Most times I only had to use this once, and the next day my skin was clear. I'm not too fussy when it comes to spot treatments, I just can't use benzoyl peroxide. 

I'm completely horrible with using body scrubs, but I adored the Tree Hut Shea Sugar Body Scrub in the Coconut Lime scent. I have so many scrubs to use, but I will likely buy this brand again when I use up what I have first. 

I go through lip balms like crazy normally, but I only have 1 I used up. I love the Badger brand, and their Lime Rocket scent of their Cocoa Butter Lip Balm is fabulous! Very moisturizing and kept my lips soft throughout the day. I have many different scents in my lip balm stash and don't think I'll run out anytime soon!

There's a sad story to the OXG Anti-Breakage Keratin Oil, since I didn't get to use it. I was cleaning up around the house and found the bottle laying on the floor, empty. I have no idea what happened to it, because my carpet is fine. I really wanted to use this too! My hair breaks easily, so I thought this would be great to use. Maybe one day I will purchase one for myself. 

I don't wear my contacts often, so it took a while to use up the Opti-Free Pure Moist contact solution. I surprisingly liked this, since most solutions burn my eyes, but this didn't. 

With how often I wash my hands, you would think I'd have more than one hand soap. Lemon Meringue Cheer from Bath & Body Works smelled amazing! Plus, I love these soaps with the scrubbing bits, although I think they end up drying out my hands more. 

Only one hand cream as well, also from Bath & Body Works. I absolutely adored this Island White Pineapple scent and would consider buying again. This is a great Summertime hand cream as it's not too heavy or greasy. 

We must've loved brushing our teeth the past few months! There's the Colgate Cavity Protection, Tom's of Maine Rapid Relief Sensitive, and a mini Crest that I had from when Olivia was in the hospital. The Colgate one my husband mostly used, and I always need a sensitive toothpaste. I was not a fan of this particular Tom's toothpaste, though. It made my teeth feel clean, but the taste wasn't very good, and I felt like I had bad breath really fast. 

I gotta include the baby products! So my daughter has fairly sensitive and dry skin. Because of that, her doctor recommended baths no more than twice a week, so we only used up two mini sizes of the Johnson's Head-to-Toe Wash, as well as a mini Johnson's Baby Lotion. I gotta admit, I'm not the biggest fan of Johnson's, but we have a ton of products we were given, plus I was able to take home what was used in the hospital, so we're likely set with body washes and lotions for the next year. 

The Hydraguard Phytoplex Silicone Cream is what was used on Olivia's diaper rash while she was recovering in the hospital from open heart surgery. Guys, THIS STUFF IS AMAZING! I kid you not, this cleared up her diaper rash so fast, and made her butt so soft! I went on a hunt for this because I had never heard of it, and I found it on Amazon. When I run out of other diaper rash creams, this is what I will be buying. It's a miracle! Plus it smells like cake batter. 

Number of products used up: 21
Total used up for the year: 43

I probably mention this in nearly every empties post, but my goal for the year was to use up 150 products. That includes full size, deluxe samples, foil packet samples, and now Olivia's products. Considering we have about 4 and a half months left to the year, I'm not quite sure I can make that goal. I'm doing well so far in August, and have a bunch of stuff nearly finished. I also want to start doing my makeup again, and I know I need to clear out some old stuff that hasn't been used since before Olivia was born! So maybe I will make my goal, who knows? 

What are some things you've used up recently?

June 2015 Favorites

Hello everyone! June was a long month for me, but July definitely seemed to creep up at the same time. Weird, I know. I wasn't in the mood to wear a ton of makeup last month, but I do have some favorites to share with you!

My first favorite is the L'Oreal La Palette Nude 2. I've done a full review of this here, and since using it more, I really love this palette alot! I find it to be a great drugstore palette, and while it's a little on the high-end retailing for $19.99, you can find sales quite frequently, and also Walmart sells it for about $16. I just think this palette is really nice quality and I love these cooler, purple shades.

My next favorite is the Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel. I had ran out of my nighttime cleanser and was looking through my stash for something that was gentle, yet helped to get rid of any makeup residue left behind from a makeup wipe/cleansing oil. This cleanser is most definitely my answer to that! It's so incredibly gentle that I can use it on my eyes to help remove mascara, and it doesn't burn one bit. I love how this gel turns into a slightly foamy/milky consistency and it does get rid of every last trace of makeup, dirt and grease. Absolutely love this stuff!

Next up we have the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask, which I reviewed here. In my review I raved about how this has changed my skin, and I still mean that. When I don't use this for a while, my skin starts feeling more rough and textured. This mask totally cleans out my pores, evens out my skin, and gives me such a nice glow. It is a bit pricey, but it's worth every penny!

My last favorite is the e.l.f Therapeutic Conditioning Balm in the scent Orange Cream. I just checked their website, and they do still carry this lip balm but it's under a different name, and it looks like they no longer have this scent. That's such a shame because I've been obsessed with slathering this stuff all over my lips at night before bed. I do find this to be hydrating, but it doesn't last very long on my lips. I also tend to go through this pretty quick as there isn't a whole lot in the tube. I just started using it about a week and a half ago, and I already see myself using it up in the next couple weeks, if that. It's only $1, so it's not that big of a deal. 

That's everything! Might not be too exciting, but like I said, I haven't been in the mood to wear much makeup, plus I haven't been feeling well. Hopefully July is better! 

*Remember I still have my Summer Blog Sale going on!*

What were some products you were loving in June?

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Review: Caudalie Instant Detox Mask

Hello everyone! It's been a few days since my last post, and I'm sorry for that! I haven't been feeling too well lately and have just been downright exhausted. I'm trying my best to write up as many blog posts as I can, but it's proving difficult when I can only seem to manage taking pictures before I poop out again. Anyways, today's post is my review on the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask, which has been getting quite a bit of hype since it came out. 

Here is some info on the product taken from Sephora:

What it is:
A detoxifying mask that draws out accumulated toxins from clogged pores to revitalize and invigorate the complexion.

What it is formulated to do:
True rehab for the skin, this Instant Detox Mask brings life to dull, tired skin. It clears the pores of impurities and toxins, purifies from pollution, and invigorates lackluster skin. Great to use before a night out or after a stressful week, it is enriched with grape marc to detoxify, pink clay and coffee to clarify, and papaya enzymes for a boost of immediate radiance.

What it is formulated WITHOUT:
- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Phthalates

What else you need to know:
This product does not contain animal ingredients and is not tested on animals. Formulated without phenoxyethanol, mineral oils, and sodium laureth sulfate, it is non-photo sensitizing, noncomedogenic, and for all skin types.

Research results:
In a clinical test conducted under dermatological control over 21 days with 21 volunteers:
- 100% saw purified skin
- 100% saw a detox effect
- 95% saw tightened pores
- 90% saw refined skin texture  

I'm not really sure what to say about this mask, other than it's completely changed my skin. For the better! When you apply it and wait for it to dry, you can literally feel it pulling all the gunk out of your pores. This mask makes my skin glow like no other, my pores are significantly shrunk, and my skin just feels better overall. It costs $39 for 2.5 ounces, which is a bit pricey, but it's worth every penny to me. You don't even need to use alot of the product to get the job done. The vast majority of reviews on the Sephora site are positive, and if you have skin like mine (oily, acne-prone, large pores, sensitive) you would like it. Even with my skin being sensitive, this does not irritate me at all. There is a slight tingly sensation when it's applied, but it goes away after a minute or two. 

I can't recommend this mask enough! Definitely give it a try if you feel your skin needs a good deep clean.

Have you tried this mask yet? If so, what do you think of it?

Also, remember to check out my Summer Blog Sale!

Sephora HAUL!

Hi guys! I'm not sure if I mentioned in a previous post, but a couple weeks ago, before my last day of work, my husband took me out shopping. He said I should treat myself a little before I left work since I most likely won't be buying anything for a while (it's not like I really need anything, but ya know, I'm hopelessly addicted). I went to a few different stores that day, but did some damage in Sephora, as usual, and of course I have to show you what I got! I also may have made an online order as well...

Alright, this is the stuff I bought in-store. Yeah, it's alot, but it's all products I've wanted to try for a while! The first product is the Peter Thomas Roth Irish Moor Mud Purifying Black Mask. I've already tried this, and I definitely plan on reviewing it, because it's simply amazing! Expensive, but totally worth it. This mask is supposedly purifying, refining, decongesting and hydrating, so it's great for a bunch of skin types. Keep your eyes peeled in the coming weeks for a review. 

Next up is the Bobbi Brown Corrector in the shade Porcelain Bisque. I've never tried anything from Bobbi Brown, but have been dying to try something of hers for years. As you may have heard me talk about before, I have really bad dark circles under my eyes thanks to genetics. Of course not being able to sleep well most of the time doesn't help either, so I always need help in covering them up. I'm so excited to be able to finally try this out!

I also purchased the Boscia Charcoal Pore-Minimizing Hydrogel Mask, which I already reviewed here. I bought this because I read about them online and thought they looked interesting, so I had to try it out that night. To shorten up the review, I just wasn't a fan, but I did like that a sheet type mask finally fit my face right! 

I also decided to pick up the much talked about Laura Mercier Translucent Loose Setting Powder. I hear about this so much on YouTube and wanted to know what the fuss is about. I have yet to try it, and I will do a review on it if you would like one!

The last two products I picked up in store are from Make Up For Ever. The first one is the Step 1 Skin Equalizer Smoothing Primer, which I have heard pretty good things about. The second one is the Mat Velvet+ Matifying Foundation in the shade 15. I was so torn on shades 15 and 20 and I wished there was something in between. I ended up going with the lightest shade which I can probably darken a bit with setting powder or mix it with something else. 

This is the online order! I actually did 3 separate orders because there were some really good coupon codes for deluxe sized samples, and you can only do 1 code per order. Not to rant, but being a VIB Rouge, I wish they let us do more than one code because obviously we spend enough money, but doing separate orders is kinda annoying. Anyways, the products I purchased are the Tarte Limited Edition Amazonian Clay Eyeshadow Palette V1, the Urban Decay Afterglow Blush in the shade Quickie and the Caudalie Instant Detox Mask. I wanted the Tarte palette because there were a ton of Tarte items on the sale page and this was only $26. The Urban Decay blush just seemed like such an interesting color, but I have yet to try it. The Caudalie Mask has gotten a ton of awesome reviews, and I always love a good mask. 

Now for the samples, I got the Belif The True Cream - Aqua Bomb, a Make up For Ever Artist Plexi-Gloss in the shade 202 (a 100 point perk), a L'Occitane Divine Youth Oil, an Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Mask (one of my all-time favs!), an Origins Original Skin Renewal Serum with Willowherb and a Fresh Sugar Lip Polish.

Well that was a good haul if you ask me! It's pretty obvious now that I don't need anything else beauty wise, so until I find myself another job, the hauls are going to be at a minimum (if there are any at all!). If there is anything specific here you want to see a full review on, please let me know!

Is there anything recently you picked up?