Early Summer 2014 - New Products

Through spring and early summer, I've been trying multiple new products.  A quick review of just a few:

Lush Shampoo Bar

My sister bought me one of these for my birthday, and I was really pleasantly surprised!  Lush's Shampoo Bars are preservative-free and environmentally friendly, with no harmful packaging (mine was a travel size so it came in the tin), and are made to last as long as three bottles of liquid shampoo.  They come in different formulas, but this "Squeaky Green" is made to deep cleanse scalp and hair.  It smells like tea tree oil and rosemary - very nice.  I'd definitely try the other versions of this - they make them for softening, oily hair, volume/shine, de-tangling, dandruff, thinning hair, etc.  $12

 Lancome's Rouge in Love Lipsticks

I don't wear many lipsticks - they generally feel too heavy on my lips. However, these new lip colors from Lancome are definitely cool.  They come in the very in-style bold shades, but they are a VERY lightweight matte finish, so they wear a bit more like a lip stain - and they are 6-hour wear! A light sweep of color gives me a good base shade for long wear, and I can pop a little gloss over it if I want more shine. They've been very popular at Macy's so far. $28.50

 Guerlain Lingerie De Peau - Invisible Skin Fusion Foundation

In my search for a light-weight foundation with a lovely finish, I found this on Sephora's website, with extremely high ratings. It has SPF 20, and is a light to medium coverage formula.  Goes on really smoothly.  The color is not a perfect match for me, but since I like the feel, I've been blending it with just a little foundation in another shade to add a bit of pink undertone.  Goes on well with a blending brush or a blending sponge.  At $61, it runs higher in price than some counter brands, but it's a little nicer, too.

Dirty Works Supreme Cream Body Butter

You all know about my love affair with body butters. I grabbed this one on the cheap at TJ Maxx - the brand is sold mostly overseas, but at $7, it seemed like a good buy.  It's more whipped-feeling than other body butters - more like a light cream.  It smells great (shea butter and sweet almond oil) and leaves the skin silky.  It's not a product I can grab at my local store, but I'd buy it again.  Plus...the retro packaging is a bit fun.

Murad T-Zone Pore Refining Serum

I've had this product for a couple of months and have been putting off blogging about it, because I simply can't tell if it's working or not.  I bought it at the recommendation of an aesthetician who gave me a facial.  I rarely break out, but occasionally get some trapped oil in the larger pores on my cheeks, or near my nose.  Even if they don't turn into actual breakouts, they annoy me. This serum is supposed to tighten pores, dissolve oil, and prevent excess oil production.  It doesn't smell bad, but doesn't smell good like some of my other serums.  I don't use it every night - maybe twice a week?  I will say I seem to have less trapped oil in pores, but I'm not sure if it's due to this serum.  It runs $42, and doesn't seem to hurt anything, but I'm just not certain what I can attribute to its use.

What about you, ladies?  Tried any new products this spring/summer?

Cleaning My Act Up - Cleansers, Spring 2014 Edition

Since my winter cleansing write-up, I've continued trying new cleansers to find a product with the right balance of cleansing power and benefits for the skin. 

(1) My sister gave me a bottle of DDF's Brightening Cleaner, which I used both with and without my Clarisonic for several weeks. 

Without the Clarisonic, it didn't seem super effective, but with the Clarisonic, I was much more pleased. It's a clear gel that doesn't foam much at all. After using, my skin was clean, and, yes, actually a bit brighter. I don't know if it's powerful enough to lighten dark spots or correct any discoloration (as it claims to do), but it definitely left my skin looking bright and awake. At $39, it's not a bad price, but Sephora doesn't carry the brand anymore, so you have to buy from BirchBox or Amazon, or DDF directly. 

(2) When Dior came out with the new DiorSnow White Reveal Melt-Away cleansing balm, I was excited to try it, since cleansing balms seem to be all the rage. 

It is super creamy, and you massage it into skin to break down makeup, then wipe off the excess. I was admittedly a little disappointed. It may be great for just a makeup remover, but not as a full cleanser. Can't use it with the Clarisonic, and at $50 I'd rather have an actual cleanser. 

(3) I moved on to Dior's (also fairly new) Instant Gentle Cleansing Oil. 

Cleansing oil? Seems counterproductive, right? Nope! This stuff is lovely. It's a silky mid-weight oil, and you rub it into your face to let it melt away makeup and dirt. After massaging it in, you rinse your face, and it becomes a tiny bit foamy/lathery. Not really for use with the Clarisonic either, but I didn't really need it - this took off all my makeup and left me really clean, without feeling dry or tight at all. For winter or people with drier skin, definitely a win at $36! 

(4) My last Dior cleanser test was the DiorSnow White Reveal Gentle Purifying Foam. 

The DiorSnow line is formulated for brightening skin, and so far I mega-love this cleanser. It's perfection with the Clarisonic! Texture is super creamy, and with whatever, foams up beautifully. Unlike the case with some foaming cleansers, my skin doesn't feel the least bit dry or tight after rinsing. Lovely balance of clean and comfy! The tube is $45, but it's pretty large and lasts quite a while. Possible new favorite? 

(5) Birchbox sent me a couple of samples of the NUXE Reve de Miel cleanser, which I've been trying this week. 

I am torn on this product - it seems to do the job of cleansing my skin, but it doesn't remove eye makeup well, and I do not enjoy the smell.  It's made with honey and sunflower extract to leave skin soft after cleansing, but the smell is SO sweet - it's a bit cloying. Then again, the bottle is only $19, so it's on the cheaper end of French products. Overall, not BAD, but not great, either.  

(6) Last, but not least, I picked up a deluxe sample of Murad's Essential-C Cleanser after a recent facial.

This cleanser is made with a lot of antioxidants to cleanse and re-hydrate skin.  It has a fresh citrus scent.  It doesn't foam much, but it does the job.  Another mid-price ($36) cleanser that works, but didn't amaze me.

After all of the recent weeks of testing, my FAVORITES are:

DiorSnow White Reveal Gentle Purifying Foam

-and-

Philosophy's Purity Made Simple

Facial Moisturizers: 2014 Winter Edition

I've been on a mission to evaluate moisturizers lately - since it's something we should all be wearing every day AND there are thousands of options on the market.  It's taken me a couple of months to try all of these.

So, let's get right to it...

1. Boscia, Self Defense Vital Antioxidant Moisture, with broad spectrum SPF 30 (for combination skin types)

Two words that describe my reaction to this: not moved.  Or, one word: meh.  If you're looking for a basic protective moisturizer with UVA/UVB protection, this isn't bad.  It's lower to mid-priced, at $36. Other than that, there's not a lot that's special about it.  It doesn't feel particularly great, i.e. it feels like any drugstore-brand moisturizer.  The SPF is nice, and Boscia's products are more on the natural side, but I am not driven to buy this again.


2. Dior, Capture Total Multi-Perfection Emulsion

If you're willing to pay bigger bucks for your moisturizer and your skin isn't dry, this is a great one.  It's pricey at $145, but the bottle is enormous.  I've been using it for months and am not even halfway through the bottle.  It's VERY lightweight, almost a liquid, but the moisture quality is lovely.  The best thing about this product is that it's a total anti-aging product as well - helps with wrinkles, firmness, uneven skin tone, pore size, etc.  Even if I didn't work with Dior, I'd use this.  The only drawback is that it doesn't have SPF in it, you need to use another sunscreen.


3. Dior, Capture Totale Multi-Perfection Creme

 

This is the creme version of #2, for all the same benefits, plus some extra plumping and moisture for drier skin. Also, fabulous.  Absorbs and makes your skin silky smooth and very much improved after a couple of weeks of use.  


4. Murad Illuminating Day Moisture, SPF 30

 

I was very pleasantly surprised by this one. I have tried Murad products over the years and never loved any, but this one I actually might purchase during summer when I am in the sun more.  It's an "illuminating" moisturizer, so it's made to brighten the skin while moisturizing and protecting it.  The SPF is UVA and UVB protection.  Sometimes products with sunscreen tend to make me oily, but this one goes on smooth and creamy, and almost has a matte finish. It lasted throughout the day.  No major scent to speak of. Overall, good experience.


5. Chanel Le Lift, Creme Fine

I was pretty excited to try Chanel's new line of skin treatment, the Le Lift cremes.  They are made to be used night and day (no need for two separate products), and they have a version for oily skin, normal skin, and dry skin.  I used it for about a week and have mixed feelings.  It is made to tone and firm the skin, and I think it probably delivers on those.  It smells and feels lovely. It runs $165, which is only $15 more than the Dior equivalent, but the Dior felt better on my face.


6. Josie Maran, Pure Argan Oil Light

Another pleasant surprise. I love Argan oil - it's amazing on the body.  Jose Maran came out with this lighter version of the oil for the face, and it's a great addition to the line.  It's (duh) lighter in texture and has a more matte finish on the face.  It hydrates and makes the skin calmer, more even-toned, and generally better textured.  At $48, it's super affordable, and something I'd consider using in the future.  The only small drawback is that it doesn't contain specific anti-aging ingredients, but it still improves the skin.


7. Algenist Regenerative Anti-Aging Moisturizer, SPF 20

Despite this product looking perfect on paper (moisture, SPF, anti-again, good ratings), I was completely underwhelmed when I tried it.  I didn't love the texture, or the way it wore - my skin did not keep looking nice throughout the day. I can't say it's a bad product, but it wasn't effective for me, especially at the $90 price point.


8. NUDE Skincare, Cellular Renewal Moisturizer

Basically, see the notes on #7 above. I wasn't wowed, which was disappointing, because I love NUDE's Pro-Genius oil! Boooooooo.


9.  Ole Henriksen, Pure Truth Vitamin C Youth-Activating Oil

Bit of a long name on this one, and at first I wasn't sure if it was a moisturizing oil or a treatment oil. After using it, I think it falls into both categories, but definitely takes the place of another moisturizer, so I've included it here. This is made with pure rose hips seed oil, making it a bit more natural than some options. It smells citrusy, is a very thin oil, and when I first put it on, looked a tad orange-tinted.  But as it absorbed into the skin, the color and texture became normal and quite nice.  It's brightening, hydrating, and high in vitamins A and C. Also affordable at $45.  Pretty good product.


10. SK-II Essential Power Moisturizing Cream

I have to be honest - the SK-II is really great, but at $205, I am not likely to buy in the future.  I received a gift of this that lasted me about 3 weeks. It's solid product, but not different enough from the Dior line to convince me to spend $50 more.  Sure, I want to look like Cate Blanchett and Kate Bosworth, but $205...it's not cheap. (Although SK-II's toner is the best and worth every penny. But that's another post.)


11.  SHISEIDO IBUKI Refining Moisturizer

This is made to make the skin more even in tone and texture, but it was a bit too sticky for me. It's possible that I just don't need the evening as much as other benefits, but I wasn't sold.  Decent price, but not my favorite.


After all the trials, I am more likely to use the Dior and Murad options going forward...they are, for me, the best mix of benefits and price. 

Stay moisturized, ladies!