Drunk Elephant Reformulated LALA Retro with Ceramides!

GOSH -- guys, when I heard they were reformulating LaLa Retro, I was a bit freaked out! I (along with so many people) loveee this cult favorite product. It's a great staple moisturizer for me during the winter month when my skin needs a bit more moisture and love.

The original LaLa Retro is a whipped moisturizer that is a blend of six African oils and locks in intense moisture. It also has plantain extract (to brighten skin), sodium hyaluronate cross polymer to release long lasting hydration and antioxidant rich fermented green tea and omega acids to combat aging. Personally for me, I lived off of this moisturizer during the winter months. It kept my eczema from flaring up because the texture was lightweight but extremely hydrating.

Now insert my freak out when I heard they were reformulating it. WHY!? I asked. lol. According to Allure, Tiffany Masterson, the brand founder said:

"I believe there is always room for improvement," the brand's founder, Tiffany Masterson, tells Allure. "When it occurred to me that ceramides needed a more prominent place in my line, I decided to add them to a product that was already great instead of making a whole new product. I didn’t know I could like it [Lala Whipped Retro Cream] more, but I do."

Here is the new formulation of the LaLa Retro (with Ceramides) that I received from the Drunk Elephant Pop Up Shop!

So this product apparently is the SAME formula as the original LaLa Retro, but now has added ceramides. According to Drunk Elephant's instagram, they said the new formula has the power of plant ceramides AP, EOP and NP. (I honestly have no clue what that means lol and had to look it up) They further explained:

Derived from plant sources, ceramides are identical to the moisturizing lipids and fats that occur naturally in skin. In [the new Lala Retro], they help sooth and maintain the moisture balance of skin while protecting against water loss. 

Ok. SO.. luckily, I was able to stop by the Drunk Elephant Pop Up Shop  where they were giving out samples of the new LaLa Retro and I was able to try the product out. I tried it for a week. Of course, the last time I used lala was in the winter time, but this formulation seems very similar... maybe, just maybe I would say it's a bit creamier, but even a bit more lightweight than the original formula. Below you can see the left is the new Lala, and the right is the old Lala. I honestly, can hardly tell a difference!

For me, the original product doesn't work for me in the summer time because my skin gets HELLA oily. Last year when I was still trying to finish up Lala, I had to stop because it was too much moisture and made me have to wash my face more often because it was getting too greasy (I was scared to break out!). When I tried it out last week (for a week), although it was still more moisturizing than I need, it didn't cause me to want to wash my face off. I would still save the rest of this product for the winter time when I really need it for my dry skin days, but at least I know that it has an extra added boost to help maintain my moisture balance. Below you can see it leaves a slight sheen but melts right into your skin.

I think for me the best part is that even with the added ceramides, this product is still $60. To me that is SUCH A WIN because they are adding even more great benefits to your skin without any added costs, so THANK YOU DRUNK ELEPHANT! lol!

I noticed that the original Lala Retro is now S/O on the Drunk Elephant website, so I believe this product comes out very soon in early July... keep your eyes peeled! ;) I will update when I get confirmation of the launch date!

Will you be picking this up?! :D

Read more >>

Fresh Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash

Look at Fresh, rollin' out with so many awesome new products and I'M HERE FOR IT!



They recently just launched their new Sugar Strawberry Exfoliating Face Wash. I'm not going to lie, I was skeptical because I love love love their regular soy face cleanser and love their face polish -- but something with fruit? Mmm.... Not sure how I feel about it!

Here's what it says about the product:
It's a gentle exfoliating face cleanser that removes excess oil and dirt without drying. It also states that it refines the look of pores. Some products in this are: a blend of white sugar crystals, strawberry and black currant fruit extracts and grapeseed oil. Also said it's good for normal, dry, combo or oily skin.

How I used this product:
They recommended using the soy fresh cleanser prior to using the exfoliator, so I pre-washed my face (although they say this is a face wash). Then, I put some of this on my damp skin and massaged it into my skin and rinsed it off.

Now here are my thoughts: 

Texture: This product is relatively gentle. I feel like this is a good product you can use more than any usual exfoliator. It's definitely something I could use on a daily basis. Although you can feel small granules of sugar, it isn't overly aggressive on the skin.

Moisture: I would say that this product was pretty hydrating. It didn't make my skin dry after I used it, it felt quite cleansed, but not stripped. Compared to other exfoliators, this was by far more hydrating.

Packaging: is in a standard tube that's squeezy similar to their soy cleanser. Easy to control and easy to use.

Smell: The one thing I was disappointed with. Don't get me wrong, I LOVED the strawberry scent to it, but I did notice that there was added 'fragrance' to the ingredients, so for those of you with sensitive skin, you might want to try a sample of this first to see how your skin reacts. Besides that, it smelled lovely and refreshing.

How did my skin look: It didn't feel overly dry, but it did a nice gentle exfoliation. I would say my skin did feel cleaner, but my pores didn't necessarily look anymore refined. It's possible with daily use that my pores will eventually look cleaner and smaller, however after one week, I didn't notice any other different besides some brightness and cleaner feeling skin.

Overall: I really enjoyed this product. I think this is a great addition to your every day routine. It's gentle enough to use daily and gentle enough to do a great job cleansing your skin without stripping it of it's natural oils. I am definitely going to keep this around in my regimen!

You can get the Sugar Exfoliating Face Scrub for $33 for 4.2 oz at sephora or fresh online.

What do you think? Will you be picking this baby up?!

Read more >>

Fresh Rose Sleeping Mask Review

I've been DYING to try this but it was sold out for the longest time! : ( but thankfully the lovely ladies at fresh HOOKED a girl up and sent one over to me to try. ugh so excited.



So unlike any of Fresh's products, this is a sleeping mask. It's their two step overnight hydration mask. It claimes to lock in hydration for 24 hours, prevent water loss, and increase deep hydration.

Step 1: The Cooling Gel Essence: filled with rosewater, damask rose extract, and hyaluronic acid
Step 2: The Silky Water-Cream Mask: has a time-release technology to form a moisturizing veil and evening primrose root extract to lock in hydration.

How to use:
*I essentially replaced my skincare routine to just use this product, but found it more beneficial to use after my regular skincare routine.
1. After cleansing - apply the apple jelly colored essence to your face and let it absorb.
2. Follow with the silky water-cream mask.
3. Leave overnight.. and wake up feeling awesome.

Now, to let you know a bit about my skin, it's combo/oily during the warmer weather, but it's been pretty temperamental because of the seasons changing and weather being continually strange. It's combo alright, and a bit on the oily side, but I have patches of dry skin from eczema around my eyes and cheek areas. I'm ALWAYS looking for products that will make my skin dewy, but not greasy because I find that even though I have greasy skin, it constantly feels dehydrated in certain areas.

So I tried this baby for about 1.5 weeks so far and used it every other day. (Not sure if it's a daily use item or less?) I cleansed my face, used the rose toner and my vitamin c serum, then used the two step system.

Here are my thoughts:

Packaging: I want to love the idea of the packaging, but it keeps get into each other's sides and I need to get some sort of spatula instead of my fat fingers. I think the dual packaging works... eventually when I use more of the product. However, even though its better for travel because its in a dual container, I need to be a bit more careful using it.

Smell: The smell is pretty strong IMO. I LOVE IT. however, if you're not huge on roses or the "fresh" scents -- it might be slightly overwhelming for you.

Texture: I SERIOUSLY LOVE IT. it's gel-ish, and cooling. This is perfect for the summer time because it feels so nice. I find that as an oily skin girl, it feels great on my skin without feeling heavy or greasy. It absorbed right into my skin, so it didn't leave residue on the pillow.



Moisture: I loved it for my skin. I woke up with plumper skin and with a nice dew. Because of the consistency, I'm not 100% sure how this would be for people with really dry skin, but for me it gave me just the right amount of hydration without it being oily on my face. I think it worked out perfectly that I used it 3x a week. Maybe an every day thing if you have dry skin? (just making a guess lol)

Overall: I REALLY loved this, especially for my face. It gave me the right amount of dew without being too much. It plumped without the extra residue. However, it's $50, so it is quite pricy for a product that has two steps. I could see myself probably going through this pretty quickly. However, if you have a bit of extra cash to splurge, I think it's totally worth it! What a great addition to the beloved rose line!!!

Read more >>

Drunk Elephant - Get Even Kit

Whenever I hear Drunk Elephant is coming out with sets, I'm always one of the first to hop on it! All their sets have amazing value and is always a great opportunity to be introduced to the brand.

This Get Even Kit is packed with so many of my favorite products, that I HAD to (lol always have to) pick it up. This is a great set to get your skin back in line -- for smoother, hydrated, even, healthy looking skin.

This kit is worth $100 and here is what the Kit has:
- 0.33 oz/ 10 mL A-Passioni™ Retinol Cream 
- 0.5 oz/ 15 mL C-Firma™ Day Serum
- 0.5 oz/ 15 mL T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum 
- 0.5 oz/ 15 mL Protini™ Polypeptide Cream 
- 0.5 oz/ 15 mL Umbra Tinte™ Physical Daily Defense SPF 30 

This set has a bunch of midi and travel sized products. Below are the prices of each full sized product. And lets take a look to see if the cost is worth it!!!

Full Size Product Breakdown 
$80 for the full size C-Firma (1oz)
$74 for full size Retinol (1oz)
$90 for full size Glycolic Night Serum (1oz)
$36 for full size Daily Defense (2oz)
$68 for full size Protini Cream (1.69oz)

This set, the products are worth $136.12
Retinol Cream - $22
C-Firma -$40
Glycolic Night Serum - $45
Protini Polypeptide Cream - $20.12
Umbra Daily Defense - $9

Now if you even KNOW ME!!!! You will know I ADORE drunk elephant products. The Protini, Glycolic Night Serum and Retinol cream are some of my favorite products in their line, so you knew I wasn't gonna hesitate to pick this up!

My skin is combination oily in the warmer weather and combination dry in the cold weather and here are my thoughts on the products so far:

Glycolic Night Serum: I will purchase this maybe til I die! Although I do have more combo skin, I've had friends with more dry skin that love this. This is super effective with their AHA and BHA products that exfoliate your skin to give you super smooth, radiant and even skin. If you have more sensitive skin, I would recommend patch testing it on your skin!

Protini Polypeptide Cream: I've gone through like 3 or 4 of these and its my favorite gel formulation moisturizer! It's hydrating but does not make me oily. It does keep my skin bouncy!

A-Passioni Retinol Cream: I have a whole post on this and I think its the first retinol cream that doesn't dry out my skin. I saw that it definitely made my skin brighter. Definitely check out my post if you are interested!

C-Firma Day Serum: I've tried a small sample size of this, and used it a couple years ago since I do have a bunch of Vit-C products that I love, so I haven't felt a crazy need to try this. However, when I finish up my Vitamin C product, I may opt to try this one again!

Umbra Daily Defense: I think out of all of the products, I was least interested in this one. I am always weary of products that are tinted only one shade. It was a bit hard to blend on my skin and for some reason kept pilling on my face no matter what I did. Although I can see it would work okay for my skin during the cooler weather, it is a bit heavy and greasy for my skin for the warmer weather.

Overall this is such an amazing set for anyone to try, especially if you're looking to brighten and even out your skin. And with the price point, you are definitely getting a great value!!! Another amazing set, Drunk Elephant! <3

You can purchase it at Sephora or at drunkelephant :)

Read more >>

Drunk Elephant Littles Set -- with price breakdown!

OK DRUNK ELEPHANT! I SEE YOU!! ;) They've recently (well not that recently) come out with a brand new littles set and I'm loving it! If you've never tried Drunk Elephant these are the best little sets for you to test out their products. Although the products are small, they've lasted me 2-3 months to finish all the products. You are able to truly test them out to see which products are right for you.

Their cute sets are always a great value and deal, but the problem is, many times they don't stick around, so snag them up when you still have the opportunity!

Below are the products it has:
-30ml Beste™ No. 9 Jelly Cleanser

-8ml C-Firma™ Day Serum

-8ml B-Hydra™ Intensive Hydration Serum

-8ml T.L.C. Framboos™ Glycolic Night Serum

-8ml Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil

-NEW! 15ml Protini™ Polypeptide Cream

-NEW! 15ml Umbra Tinte™ Physical Daily Defense SPF 30

-NEW! 5ml C-Tango™ Multivitamin Eye Cream

-NEW! Bright Aqua Waterproof Travel Bag

The major differences with this and the last Littles set was that this one has Protini Polypeptide Cream instead of Lala Retro, C-Tango Eye Cream rather than Shabu Complex Eye Serum, Umbra Tinte Sunscreen rather than the regular sunscreen, and a blue bag instead of pink. 

OK. So PERSONALLY --- I picked this one up because it has SO many of my favorite products. I personally (because of my oily combo skin) like the Protini better than Lala. I'm also a huge fan of the C-Tango Eye Cream. And I've never tried the tinted Daily Defense, so I was interested in trying it. 

It comes at a hefty seeming $90, but honestly, each product packs SO much product, it's well worth it. Let me break the prices down for you from full size to these travel sizes:

Jelly Cleanser $32 150mL // $6.40 30mL

C-Firma Day Serum $80 30mL // $21.33 8mL 

B-Hydra Serum $52 50mL // $8.32 8mL 

Framboos Glycolic Serum $90 30mL // $24 8mL

Marula Oil $40 15mL // $21.33 8mL

Protini Cream $68 50mL // $20.40 15mL

Umbra Tinte $36 60mL // $9 15mL 

C-Tango Eye Cream $64 15mL // $21.33 5mL 

SO -- with the cost of all of these products broken down, it should be $132.11, saving you over $42 worth of product. (!!) So although the cost seems expensive, it's actually saving you so much money to test and try the products to see if they are worth it for your skin! 

Highly, HIGHLY recommend picking up Drunk Elephant sets when they come out!!!! 

You can purchase these at drunkelephant.com or sephora.com

Read more >>

Fresh Soy Face Cleanser Review

I had a couple questions about what my favorite cleansers are. Some of you say that yours doesn't get rid of all your makeup, others say that your cleanser seems a bit too stripping and dry out your skin. I've been using the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser on and off for over 10 years now. I finish one, and use something new, and then when I come back to it... I'm like wait, why did I ever use something different?

If you've never tried this product -- here are some of the details:
A gel face wash that gently removes dirt and makeup. It is filled with amino acid-rich soy proteins, soothing cucumber extract, and balancing rosewater to tone, sooth and soften skin. It's formulated for all different types of skin - I use it (combo oily), but when my skin is at its most sensitive, I always go back to this as well.  It leaves you with a radiant, healthy looking complexion. It is free of sulfates SLS and SLES, parabens and phthalates.

Cost: $38 / 150mL or $15 / 50mL

My thoughts: 

Packaging - it's a very standard plastic tube that you squeeze.. similar to toothpaste (or any other product that comes in a plastic tube lol). Because of it's thinner formula, you won't have a hard time getting out every last drop. This is one of those - let me give it one big shake and all the product will naturally maneuver its way to the bottom.

Texture - The texture is a gel formula and it doesn't become foamy in any way. It's kind of strange because when you squeeze it out, it kind of looks like allergy snot (lmao), but it's cooling and lovely and although it seems like it wouldn't be so effective because it doesn't foam up, it really does do a good job! I found this gentle enough to use day and night.

Effectiveness - I don't tend to wear too much mascara, but they said it even gets off mascara! I have had many stubborn makeup products on my face. And although I still use a makeup wipe before (it's my standard), it gets rid of the last traces of all my makeup that the makeup wipe didn't get off. It leaves my face feeling soft and cleansed and non-irritated. I found that if my skin was super oily and clogged, because its more of a slippery consistency, it's most effective when I used a clarisonic or some sort of cleansing device to really get the product to work deep down into the depths of my skin.

If you are thinking about getting this product, I say - don't hesitate! They have so many purchasing options with sizes, you can always get a travel size to try first.

You can purchase it at sephora.com, fresh.com, or nordstrom.com

Read more >>

NEW! Drunk Elephant Slaai Make Up Melting Cleansing Balm

As a double cleansing queen, I live off of a good oil cleanser or cleansing balm. I'm always in the market for good, affordable ones, despite me having ones that I swear by. So... when Drunk Elephant came out with their new Slaai Make Up Melting Cleansing Balm, I did not even hesitate to purchase it.

For me, after using a makeup wipe, my second step is always to use an oil cleanser or a cleansing balm. Generally speaking, I tend to stick to oil cleansers, but then when I'm traveling or on the go, I always use cleansing balms. One of the only reasons why I stick to oil cleansers is because i hatttte sticking my finger into a balm (getting under my nails and knowing its not at hygienic), but I mean, those are just my little things. My step after that, is I use a foam cleanser to really wipe all the residue clean.

Along came this Slaai Makeup Cleansing Balm, and I swear it's like Drunk Elephant read my mind because this product is so intricate details that totally make it easier for a consumer to use a product. Details that you wish you had in other products, but you just began to accept that it was going to be this way. lol.

An overview of the product:
DE Cleansing Balm - 3.88 oz of product (they say about 120 uses)
Bamboo Booster - .10 oz of product (they say about 80 uses)

Packaging: It is a standard twist off cap cleansing balm... but you will not believe this. (lol because I nearly fell over with this one) It has an applicator spoon... that is MAGNETIC TO THE CAP. I can't tell you, how many times I lost applicators to cleansing balms and then had to dig my finger into it. This is just perfection.

Ingredients: As usual with Drunk Elephant products, it is all clean - no suspicious 6 products (essential oils, drying alcohols, silicones, chemical screens, fragrance/dyes and SLS) It also says to have a Fruit Salad Blend - which is a mix of non-fragrant fruit extracts and fruit oils from blueberry, strawberry, kiwi, cranberry, watermelon and acai. It also has a nourishing oil blend such as marula, baobab, kalahari melon, mongongo, and ximenia.

Extra Exfoliation: This is so innovative though.... instead of needing to use a completely different product, you can occasionally add in your bamboo booster into your cleansing balm which is bamboo and charcoal powder to gently exfoliate dead or dry skin. Creates a whole new, amazing product! (although I do wish this was magnetic too lmao!)

How I use: The way I use it, is I take a spoonful and apply it on my dry skin. I massage it around my face and then around my eyes. It's such a relaxing, therapeutic feel to be able to sit and massage this thick, luxurious oil all over your face (til you look in the mirror and see how crazy you look because all your makeup came off and is all over your face lmao). You then add water and it turns into a beautiful milky, creamy product that allows all the dirt and what not to come off. You can use a cloth (I do with all my cleansing balms), but unlike the other cleansing balms, I feel like my face is already clean without needing it. I still follow up with a foam cleanser, because that's what I'm used to, but my face feels beautiful, supple and cleansed already.

When using the bamboo booster, I was worried about it being too harsh, but the pieces are so fine that it was such a lovely exfoliation. It felt like it was so fine that it was really working deep into my darkest pores lmao. They say that if you use retinol, to try and rotate between these two as using both may be too harsh.

Upon first use: So I've only had this for 2 days and used it twice - but I'm already loving it so far. I have combo oily skin with a bit of dry patching, and I think no matter what skin my skin is in, this product will still work nicely. Although not an incredibly unique product, I feel like the fact that it is CLEAN, I feel more safe knowing that this will take better care of my skin. With the amazing packaging, magnetic spoon and the innovation of having the exfoliation added in, I feel like this will be a staple in my rotation of skincare products.

This product is $34 on sephora.com and on drunkelephant.com

Will you be picking this baby up??

Read more >>

Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist

OKAY. a new lil baby was emerged from the Glow Recipe Watermelon family and I am LIVING FOR IT!!!! Their new Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist has arrived and it is the cutest little member of the fam!



What is it: They claim that this is an "ultra-fine, hydrating mist formulated with a juicy blend of 84% watermelon, hyaluronic acid, and hibiscus to refres skin and enhance makeup."

Details of the product: 2.53oz of product for $28

Packaging: Comes in a little, compact bottle that is easy to hold and carry in your purse. There is a cap that unveils a nozzle that sprays the finest of all sprays. It's literally the thinnest mist I've ever used (really does almost produce like a "fog")

Ingredients: Watermelon to sooth and hydrate skin with essential vitamins and amino acids, Hyaluronic Acid to hydrate skin, Hibiscus Flower AHA to smooth look of texture, soften and hydrate skin for optimal makeup application

Before you shake it up! 

How I used it: You definitely have to shake the product really good to get all of the goodness mixed together. I give 2-3 spritzes on my face. I used it alone when I wanted to just give my skin a refresher (like this is DEFINITELY a product that is amazing in the fridge and then use it when you need a boost!), I've also used this before I began makeup application and also sprayed afterwards to see how it would work as a makeup setter.

Skin Refresher: This was the BEST! Mind you, I have combination/oily skin, but my skin in the winter is a bit more dehydrated. It added such a lovely feel to my skin. I've heard reviews saying that if you have SUPER dry skin, this doesn't hydrate as much as other mists, however, for me, it was just enough. It wakes you up and livens your skin.

Before Makeup Application: I didn't see too much of a different when I spritzed this before my makeup application. I want to say it was a smoother application but I feel like it was just my imagination lol. My makeup application didn't really feel different or smoother.

As a makeup setter: I'll be completely honest with you, my makeup doesn't run that much - and I definitely didn't go out for a night of dancing to test it lol. So my makeup seemed to set just fine. I will say though, what this product did do was provide me with a STUNNING dewy look. If you want that glass skin, this did it. I didn't even need to wear a highlighter or anything because my skin was like WHOA. I LOVED that!

Smell: THIS SMELLS SO GOOD - kind of like watermelon jolly ranchers. It was just the perfect blend of sweetness -- but don't open your mouth like i did, because it tastes disgusting lol.

My thoughts: I love the idea of this! I love that it's such a special little treat. If you are crunched for money, is this a necessity? No. It's an extra little booster treat that makes life so much more fun, but it's not a necessary staple in your every day makeup or skincare routine. Also, I'm worried that with the crazy ways I'm spraying this (because I love this, and it reminds me of back in the day when I used to spritz Evian water on my face), that the $28 of product will drain very quickly, making this an expensive investment. HOWEVER - if you have the money to splurge on an extra little treat, this adds SUCH a fun little addition to your routine! It's definitely one of those items I would buy as a gift for a friend, but may not splurge on myself!

You can purchase this $28 gem at sephora.com or glowrecipe.com

Read more >>

Clinique iD Custom-Blend Pop-Up Shop!

I remember that I used to always be obsessed with the Clinique Dramatically Moisturizer, and now it's got a completely new revamp! You can now pick your own base moisturizer and customize a booster on what your skin concern may be. This way no matter what kind of skin you have from dry to combination.. and what ever concern you may have - whether its pores, dullness, uneven skin tone, fine lines and wrinkles or redness.. there is something for YOU.

Clinique has their first ever Pop-Up Shop for the iD Custom Blend Hydrator! Here's a sneak peek into the shop itself!

The first thing you do when you walk in is you can get your skin analyzed. You take a picture of you face and it tells you what your skin concerns should be (lmao). Each concern correlates to a different cartridge/booster that targets the concern. You can also choose different bases for three different type of moisturizer. 

There are five booster cartridges to choose from: blue to target pores and uneven texture, green to target irritation, orange to target fatigue, white to target uneven skintone, and purple to target lines and wrinkles. 

At the pop up shop you can even CUSTOMIZE your own bottle. OMG! How cute is mine! You can choose from plenty of designs and even put your name on it. They even have a station where you can further decorate it with stickers. Lastly, the pop-up has a green screen area to take a picture and a VR station (which i forgot to do!) 

One of my favorite parts though..... this little photo op!

You can check out the pop up which is open today at: 132 Prince Street, NY NY

You can purchase the Clinique iD hydrator here :)

Read more >>

Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum

Oh man, you guys know i LOVE my Vitamin C- so I was so excited for the Tatcha Violet-C Brightening Serum (20% Vitamin C + 10% AHA) to arrive. I picked it up right when it came out! 

So what is this: It's a lightweight, clean serum with 20% Vitamin C, 10% Mild Fruit AHA and Japanese Angelica Root Extract. This product says its good to soften, smooth, brighten and even out skin tone. It's great for all different skintypes that are worried about dullness and uneven texture, fine lines, wrinkles and dark spots. 

I've been using this product for about 2 weeks now and here are my thoughts:

I only needed about 1-2 pumps on my face. There is no strong particular smell, which I liked (usually Vit C products smell like burning or strong citrus). Another thing I found interesting was that it was super lightweight and almost essence-like. It felt almost like I was putting water on my face. This means that it absorbed straight into my skin without extreme tackiness or other heavy feelings! This did not sting my face in any way. It was extremely gentle and pleasant. I would use this product after toner and before I put on my moisturizer. 

After 2 weeks for my combo skin, I didn't notice major differences. I did notice that my skin was smoother and a bit more radiant. Some of the dark spots and hyper pigmentation on my face became ever so slightly lighter, but not enough for me to really notice a difference. I'm interested to see down the line how this might affect my skin more.

As you can see in the picture above, you can see the very watery, texture. It is quite lovely and easy to pat into your skin!

Overall I'm liking it so far. I haven't seen major differences, but I am seeing them. I'm looking forward to seeing how this may change my skin!

You can purchase this item on sephora or tatcha for $88. Will you be picking it up?? 

Read more >>

Glow Recipe Avocado vs. Watermelon Sleeping Mask

I got a lot of questions about which one is right for you. People are wondering if they should pick up the Avocado or the Watermelon sleeping mask (UH... I would say, get  both if you can ;P)

Similarities: 
These are BOTH products for hydration and work overnight to help give you a nice exfoliation your skin glow in the morning. They are both great for uneven texture and dullness of skin.

Now for the differences: 

The Watermelon Sleeping Mask - for me, is best used during warmer weather when I have oily skin. This is more of a oil free, gel like formula that is more lightweight and bouncy. It provides AHA to gently exfoliate off your dead skin cells to give you the glow you want! It is packed with hylaronic acid and watermelon extract to add hydration to plump up the skin! Your skin will be hydrated, soft & smooth, and brighter.

The Avocado Sleeping Mask - is good for all skin types, but best for more dry skin. For me, this is the perfect mask for the wintertime! This is a more creamy texture, that adds a bit more thickness and depth into your hydration. It adds avocado to add that dense hydration (and collagen). This also exfoliates, but instead of AHA, it has PHA (which are larger in molecular size, so it works more closely to the surface of your skin rather than the deeper layers of your skin). It also has kaolin clay and manuka honey to help pull out impurities of your skin while providing soothing properties for stressed out skin. Your skin will be hydrated, smooth, brighter, but also firmer (since it also helps with the elasticity of your skin)

---

So for me, it depends on how my skin is. When it's oily, the Watermelon sleeping gel provides a better hydration without my skin feeling greasy in the morning. The Avocado one is way more creamy and intense in the hydration and does a more gentle exfoliation on the surface on my skin to help with my eczema that might flare up during the cooler weather.

You can purchase both products at sephora here or here or on the glowrecipe site :) Will you be picking any of these products up?? :)

Read more >>

Drunk Elephant A-Passioni Retinol Cream

OOOOOK - this new highly anticipated retinol cream from Drunk Elephant arrived as a fun little gift the day after Christmas .. and I've been testing it out for a couple weeks and I'm ready to give you my thoughts!

First off, I want to mention, I've tried some retinols in the past and it has been a disaster for me. So much that I feel scared to try retinols! I must've also been young and dumb, because anytime I've tried them my face would peel and get very sensitive, so I'm always weary of how much I put. Mind you, I have combo oily skin (sometimes combo dry in the winter), and it is not sensitive (except for my eye area).

So insert the DE A-Passioni Retinol cream! I've been into Drunk Elephant for some time now and I legitimately get excited any time they come out with a new product. So this new product is a Retinol cream that is a CLEAN product that has 1% vegan retinol to diminish fine lines, wrinkles and sun damage.

According to the website, here are some of the highlighted ingredients in this product:

- 1.0% Retinol: Improves the look and feel of uneven skin tone and texture and addresses the damage from daily exposure to UV rays, pollution, or other free radicals.- Triple Peptide Blend: Helps visibly firm and strengthen, boosting the visible results of retinol.- Vitamin F: Works to improve the appearance of texture and suppleness and calms signs of sensitivity.

Also, to go over what these ingredients do:

 Retinol and supportive peptides restore bounce, resilience, and clarity to skin while helping to even tone and texture without redness and irritation. Vitamin F and a curated blend of oils replenish lipids and moisture while antioxidant-packed ingredients defend against environmental stressors.

Now for my experience:

They said to start 1-2 times per week and then increase from there. It also says to use a pea size amount, so I also started with less than that. In addition, they recommend mixing with an oil or serum if needed - I did, because it allowed a bit more of a 'buffer' for when I was putting the retinol on my face. (Can you tell how worried I was to try this? LOL)

On the first day, I put half a pea size with the B Hydra Serum and the Marula Oil. When I placed it on my face, it gave a slight tingle, but nothing my face wasn't used to. When I woke up, my skin did not feel dry or peely like past retinols, but I didn't see any visible differences in my skin.

Here's the mix of products I tend to use: Marula Oil, B Hydra (white bottom right) and a tiny pea size of the retinol. When I felt like I was putting more retinol, I added the protini peptide cream.

I wanted to try again after 2 days, so on the third day as I looked at my skin, it looked smoother.. seems to continue to heal as the days go on! So on the third day, I tried again and mixed it with B Hydra, Marula Oil and the Protini Peptide cream, but I used a little bit more of the Retinol. Still a bit of tingling, but no burning or worrying sensation. I woke up the next morning, skin looked good! smooth and a bit more radiant.

I continued this routine for 2 weeks and I will say that I have had NO peeling (because I was very careful and really started with a little bit to work my way up.) I want to try and use it more because I know that this is a WAY effective product... however, I also know if I increase too quickly, my skin won't be accustomed to it and it may peel and be dry.

The only thing that I've had trouble with is the packaging. I know that the foil packaging was designed specifically to help the product keep better and what not, but even with squeezing from the very top, I find that the product starts to come out of the tip. Because of that I'm scared as I continue to use it, I might end up wasting product because I use such a small amount at one time.

Long story short -- a little bit goes a long way, but this stuff has been ROCKING so far! Not sure if it's because of the mix of products, or because this has more hydrating ingredients or because this is Drunk Elephant, but this is the first time I've used retinols for more than a week without it peeling on my skin. <3

This product costs $74 for 1oz and you can purchase it at Sephora or Drunk Elephant. (And mine even came with a mini B Hydra to get ya started!!!)

Have you ever tried Retinols? What are you thoughts!?

Read more >>

Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask

With winter in full force, my skin's a mess! It cant handle the weather changing and my skin has been patchy and oily and dry and all sorts of strange things. When I heard about the Glow Recipe Avocado Melt Sleeping Mask, it sounded like a great item to try.

The new Glow Recipe Avocado Sleeping Mask is a creamy mask with avocado, honey and PHA to moisturize dry, dull skin overnight! It's a super rich cream that helps with dryness, dullness, uneven texture and loss of firmness and elasticity.

From sephora.com - here are the ingredients in product:

Highlighted Ingredients:- Avocado: Helps provide hydration and support natural collagen.- Manuka Honey: Provides antioxidants and soothing properties to refresh stressed out skin.- PHA (Polyhydroxy Acid): Provides a gentle exfoliation while you sleep.- Kaolin Clay: Pulls impurities from the skin without causing redness or irritation; and absorbs excess oils, decongests pores, and diminishes shine. 

Ingredient Callouts: Free of sulfates SLS and SLES, parabens, formaldehydes, formaldehyde-releasing agents, phthalates, mineral oil, retinyl palmitate, oxybenzone, coal tar, hydroquinone, triclosan, and triclocarban, and contains less than one percent of synthetic fragrances. This product is also cruelty-free.

To me, it sounded like the perfect thing for my skin - it encompasses everything I needed for my dry but oily skin. It has products to help hydrate and plump (avo and honey), but also had products to exfoliate and pull out impurities (PHA and Clay).

I've tried it about 4 times. This product is to be used about 2-3x per week. After my whole skincare routine (double cleanse, essence, serum, moisturizer + oil), I used the spatula to scoop out some product. They say to use just a dime size (and do just use a dime size, because the first time I used too much) and I tap it onto my skin. This product was so thick and creamy and didn't slip and slide on my face.

It melted into my skin and absorbed pretty quickly, so I knew I wouldn't have a problem with the product getting all over my pillow. I could feel a slight tingling sensation which I supposed was the PHA (YASSS). When I woke up and washed my face, the first thing I noticed was that my skin did not feel dry or tight (hydration centrallll!). I also noticed that my skin patches had diminished a bit and were smoother. My skin also felt smoother and brighter. I will also say, that I saw some teeny "pimple" looking things around my chin area, and my guess that it was helping to purge out impurities. This did not scare me because this tends to happen to my skin a lot when I try new products that help to "clean out" my pores. It also clears up within a couple of days. 

By the 3rd use, my skin patches were still visible, but also visibly smaller. My skin had no more break outs and seemed plumper (although sometimes its hard to tell because my skin is always plump in the morning because I'm probably all swollen from all the drooling and sleep lmao). My favorite part of this product was seeing my hydration levels increase and seeing my skin looking brighter. It seemed less uneven and dull, which is my biggest problem in the winter.

Overall, I really enjoyed this product! I think that it's definitely worth trying. If you have sensitive skin, I would definitely get a sample to try on a patch of skin because if the PHA tingled on my skin, chances are someone with sensitive skin's reaction will be stronger.

You can purchase it here at sephora or on the glow recipe site for $45 for 80ml of product.

Read more >>