Hey everyone! I know you all probably thought I died or something, and I felt like I did at one point, but I'm still here! I was actually just really, really sick. I probably had bronchitis or an upper respiratory infection. I've also had some other health issues going on and to make a long story short, I'm doing physical therapy three times a week right now for my back because of a herniated disk and pinched nerves. Needless to say, I've been in alot of pain lately so the blog took a backseat so I can focus on feeling better. Anyways, enough of me rambling, here are the products I had used up in May!
The first product I used up is the Sephora brand Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner. I love using this after every makeup application because I do have oily and acne-prone skin, plus my eyes are sensitive so cleaning all the brushes I use after every use is essential for me. I deep clean about once a month because I do spot clean with this daily.
Next up we have the Bath & Body Works Mango Paradise foaming handsoap. I'm obsessed wit the B&BW hand soaps and I typically only buy them when there's a good sale. I have so many backups of other scents so I'm set for a while.
Then we have The Body Shop's Cocoa Butter Creamy Body Wash. While I loved the smell of this, I didn't really feel like it cleaned very but it did make my skin feel super soft after using it. I have so many different body washes and shower gels in my closet that I probably don't need to buy any for over a year. I'm thinking once I use up everything, I may go drugstore because it's cheaper and I feel like my skin is extra sensitive to scented products lately.
The Body Shop's Coconut Body Scrub is one of the most heavenly scented products I own. Its not the most effective scrub ever but I'm just obsessed with coconut. This is in the old packaging before they changed it and I bought it for I think $5. I'm pretty sure I have another one of these but I might not repurchase since I like my body scrubs to have more grit to them.
I did a review here on this Yes To Tomatoes Daily Pore Scrub, and I still don't like it. I used it up because I hate being wasteful, but I didn't like this. It left a weird film on my face and it was too harsh on my skin. I have no idea why anyone would want to use this daily because of that. I will never in a million years repurchase this.
I absolutely loved the bareMinerals Renew & Hydrate Eye Cream. I also did a review of this product here. This eye cream was so hydrating and felt amazing around my eyes. I'll have to repurchase this once I use up my other eye creams.
Another amazing eye cream I used up is the Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream. I used this in the morning because it has a tint to it to help with dark circles. I noticed a little bit of a difference with my dark circles, but not enough to completely wow me. I mostly loved this because of how good it felt and that it wasn't heavy feeling at all, but still moisturized well.
An odd mix of products here, but I'm throwing away the Soap & Glory Sexy Mother Pucker lip gloss in the color Candy Gloss. I went to use it one day and it burned like acid on my lips. Had to take it off right away because it hurt so bad! I understand plumping glosses have that tingly effect, but I never remember this burning so bad. I admit, I've had it for quite a while, so it probably just went bad.
I'm also throwing away 2 of the E.L.F. Eyelid Primers because they just suck. I started using one after I used up the rest of my Urban Decay Primer Potion (which is my favorite) and this one does not compare at all. My shadow lasted only about 2 hours before it started creasing and by the end of most days, I barely had any eyeshadow left on my lids. It was crazy so I dug through all my primers and found only one extra one, so they're both going in the trash!
I also used up the Wet N' Wild Megalength Waterproof Mascara. I didn't like this at all when I first started using it, but it grew on me after a while and I liked the effect it had on my lashes. They looked natural but this did give them some decent length. At the end of it's life, it started making my lashes look a tad bit clumpy and it didn't deposit enough color on them either, so it was time to say goodbye.
I used up a packet of the Barefoot Spa Professional Exfoliating Polish because I did a review of it here. I got two of these packets in an Ipsy bag and I wasn't a fan of this really. The scrubbing particles were so tiny it felt like nothing on my skin. Afterwards, my skin felt softer for some reason but I have no idea why. I'll use up the other packet but I probably won't purchase this myself.
I'm also throwing away this little palette from The Body Shop. It's just called the 01 Eye & Cheek Palette and I purchased this when I started working at The Body Shop about 5 years ago. I had to buy some of their makeup to use when I was working there and at the time, this was great. I used it basically everyday when I was there. I took it out of my stash to use one day last month, and I'm not sure why, but the pigmentation was awful and it blended horribly on my eyes. I never remember that happening back then, but hey, this little guy is almost 5 years old! I'm gonna keep the sentimental side out of this and just throw it away. It was good to me while I needed it.
These E.L.F. brushes have to be thrown out! They're so old and rough and basically not useable anymore. The top one is the Bronzing Brush and the bottom one is the Total Face Brush. I think these came in a kit or something with some face products, but they're so old that I honestly have no idea when I got them. If I can remember, my mom actually got them for me when I was a teenager. Yeah, time to go! I have so many brushes that these won't be missed.
Well, if you made it to the end, you're awesome! I know this was a super long post, but I sure did go through alot of products! I feel like I'm making a good dent in my beauty stash which makes me really happy! What did you use up in May?
Hey guys! Remember me?! I know, it's been way too long since my last post. 10 days, if you want to get technical. I honestly am not sure why it's taken me so long to write up a post. I think part of me is feeling a bit blah in general, I've been exhausted from work, and when I get time to relax, all I want to do is just sit on my butt and do nothing. And with the holiday's coming up, my work schedule might be getting a bit crazy in the next couple weeks, so posting may be sporadic. I'm just warning you now! Anyways, sorry for the long intro, but today's post is going to be my current nighttime skincare routine. I did a post earlier this month on my morning skincare routine here if you want to check that out.
I shower at night, so I wash my face in the shower and I start out with Philosophy Purity Made Simple One-Step Facial Cleanser. I really love this cleanser. I featured it in a past favorites post and I just love how well it cleans my skin. I remember I used to hate this stuff but now that I'm older and my skin has changed, it's an amazing cleanser.
Next up, it should be no surprise that I use The Body Shop Aloe Calming Toner. I've talked about this product about a million times and it's still my favorite toner to use at night. I just started using it during the day as well because my skin is starting to get drier due to the colder weather. This toner really is so calming and when I feel like my skin is being sensitive, it just helps so much.
Then I use the Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Gel for all skin types. I was using the lotion version of this for years and decided to try this one instead once I ran out, and I'm in love. Even with my skin getting drier, this product helps my skin feel soft and keeps my blackheads in check. I have incredibly large pores, so dirt and oil love them. When I don't use this, I start noticing my pores looking larger and my blackheads getting darker. This stuff is a miracle worker!
Now my moisturizer changes depending on my mood and how my skin is feeling, but the one I've been using regularly is the Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture for Combination Skin. This moisturizer is incredibly light, but still hydrating enough to help with any dryness I may have. I've had this particular bottle for a really long time too since a little product goes a very long way.
The last part of my routine is an eye cream. I've been using the Own Lifting Eye Cream that I received from iFabbo. I did a full review on it here. I'm really loving this product alot. It's really hydrating but it still feels light. I'm not the biggest fan of heavy eye creams because they always seem to make my eyes puffy and sensitive. For me, this product is the perfect consistency for an eye cream.
Now these are products I switch out or use occasionally. When I mentioned above that I switch out my moisturizer depending on my skin, the next two products are what I use. The Own Firming Silk Concentrate is an awesome serum that I'll use by itself or I'll mix a couple drops in with the Neutrogena moisturizer for some extra hydration. If you have incredibly oily skin all year round, this would be a great moisturizer to use on its own. That's what I'd do in the Summer. I also did a review of this product here.
I'll also use the Hydroxatone AM/PM Anti-Wrinkle Complex SPF 15. Now even though this has SPF in it, it's too heavy for daytime use for me, but it's awesome as a night cream. I'll use this moisturizer after I've used a mask or some other treatment on my skin. After I use masks or other treatments, my skin can get dry at times, and this helps give me the hydration I need in my skin. Full review here.
For exfoliation, I tend to use a bunch of different products. I just ran out of a different scrub, so the one I fully switched over to is the Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Daily Pore Scrub. I did a full review of this here, and while I was reading it over again, I still agree with what I wrote about the first time. It's quite abrasive, which doesn't make for a good daily scrub. I'll use this 2 times a week tops. It leaves a film on your skin, so definitely follow up with a toner. I don't think it does much in helping with acne, but it does smooth out the skin. I probably won't repurchase this because it's too abrasive for my liking.
I use a mask about once a week or so and I've been loving the Queen Helene Mint Julep Masque. This mask is incredible if you have breakouts and oily skin. I notice if I have a few spots on my face and I use this mask, they're gone the next morning. I don't know what they put in this to make it so effective, but it's amazing, especially since it's so inexpensive!
Two to three times a week, I'll use my Clarisonic when washing my face. I used to use it every single night, but I started feeling that it was doing more harm than good, so I cut back. Since Ive done that, my skin feels alot better and less sensitive. Currently I'm using the Deep Pore brush head with it. I typically use either the Sensitive or Delicate brush head, but I can buy these where I work, and I wanted to try out something different when I got an extra discount. To be honest, I can't really tell the difference between the brush heads, but I'll probably end up buying the Delicate ones again since I do like those.
That's my nighttime routine! Let me know if you've tried any of these products! :)
I also am sorry again for my lack of posting, I really hope to get into a decent schedule soon!
Hey guys! Today I'm going to be reviewing a face scrub that I've been testing out, and it's the Yes to Tomatoes Acne Daily Pore Scrub.
I've been trying to be really good about exfoliating my skin because it's getting way warmer here and I'm turning into a big greaseball, which means I tend to break out more.
I always have to make sure my pores are as clear as possible so I don't break out, which is why I like scrubs like these!
My first gripe about this is that it says it's a DAILY pore scrub, but I find it way too harsh to be used everyday! Seriously, this contains little bits of bamboo stem as the exfoliator which to my skin it pretty harsh. I've only been able to use this once or twice a week at most. My second and last gripe about this is that it's a bit hard to rinse off. It leaves a bit of a film on your skin if you don't rinse it off very well, but I always follow up with a toner after using this, and that helps quite a bit.
Now onto some positives! This contains 2% salicylic acid, which helps to clear your pores and fight acne. Also, there is tomato extract in it, and the lycopene in the tomatoes helps block pore clogging impurities, which is a big plus! I've read reviews that people don't like the smell, and I'm no different. Come on though, it's made of tomatoes. Tomatoes smell awful in their normal form! I can't stand how they taste either, but that's beside the point. Overall, it just doesn't smell great.
Has this product helped my skin? In all honesty, no. I'm still very oily, I'm actually going through a few nasty breakouts right now and I don't really notice this clearing out my pores. I do, however, notice that my skin feels a bit softer after I use this, but that's about it. I don't really like that it leaves a film on my skin either. I'm not super sad about this not working because I bought it at Walmart and I had a $2 off coupon for it, so it only cost me a little under $5. No big deal. I'd love to try out more products from the Yes to line, but I definitely won't be repurchasing this scrub.
Have you tried this scrub before?
