Beauty Product Reviews | Page 8

Perfect for intensely dry and sensitive skin

Wow! What a miracle cream this is. It’s thick in texture but does not clog my pores or make me feel like I have a ton of product sitting on my skin. I try to exfoliate regularly but sometimes my severely dry skin gets the best of me and I’m left with flakes all over my face. It’s quite embarrassing to say the least and if you live with extremely dry skin you know what I mean. But this cream is different. It’s my pick-me-up on bad skin days and my go to for deep hydration.

I prefer to use this in the morning and evening because it’s so hydrating but if you wouldn’t consider yourself having chronically dry skin I would only use this in the evenings.

This also doubles up as a primer for me. I like to mix my VDL Lumilayer Primer with this and voilà! It’s the most beautiful skin base I’ve come across.

I’m not quite sure if this would agree with oily skin because of the beautiful glow it adds to the skin but if you have sensitive skin this is a product you cannot pass up.

A “touch up and go” type of concealer

For years I’ve been using the Boi-ing Concealer to clean up my brows. I know the packaging has recently changed and I’m not quite sure if the formula has been updated also but I have a feeling it has.

The Boi-ing Concealer I’m used to was much less creamy and more thick. This is way creamier and blends better. I’ve switched from applying this on my brows to now applying it under my eyes when I want to appear more awake and better rested. Sometimes I’ll grab this, mascara and a lipgloss and I’m out the door. When I’m on the go, instead of setting this cream concealer underneath my eyes, I’ll use a paper towel to blot away any excess shine to prevent from creasing.

I’m giving this concealer four stars instead of five because I miss my old Boi-ing concealer but I also love the creaminess of this updated Boi-ing.

Perfect for all needs

Ah, my one and done brow palette. I adore this palette so much, mostly for its shade variety, size and efficiency.

I love using this when I’m traveling and also when I’m at home doing my everyday makeup. Don’t let the shades fool you, the powders blend superbly with each other and you can make the quickest gradient brow look by combining the lightest shade with the shade that matches your brows closest.

Another thing: I’m a "sweater" and that means my eyebrows have a lower chance of staying on throughout the day but not with this palette! There’s something in the powders that make them apply effortlessly and stay put all day long.

I love priming my brows with whatever eye primer I’ve got on for the day. I’ll then apply the lightest shade and middle shade for a softer brow and I love using my Chikuhodo T-9 to do so.

I’m a former makeup artist and had I found this when I was actively in the field, this would have been a true staple in my kit.

All of the above

My mother and I tried this product for six weeks just so we could compare the changes. My mother religiously applied this every night and I was not as committed so I would say I used this 2-3 nights a week during the six weeks.

This serum took my skin from average everyday Alexis skin (dry, dull and blemished) to Super Alexis! It was such an invigorating experience watching my skin transform throughout the cell turnover process. I wasn’t looking dull and tired which actually upsets me a little because now I’m trying to imagine what it may have been like had I used it daily, as my mom did.

My mom’s results? Let’s just say it was a face lift in a bottle for her (and those are my mom’s words!). She mostly appreciated how gentle and firming this serum is.

My mom and I thoroughly enjoyed this product and if you’re wondering if there was any leftover product after our six weeks, yes there was plenty, a little over half the bottle.

Side note: This isn’t an instant miracle serum. This product works throughout your skin’s cellular renewal process which takes about 45 days to complete. Stick with it and you will see results.

Sunscreen from Heaven

I’m just gonna flat out say it—there is NO scent to this sunscreen. Imagine actually enjoying putting on sunscreen because it doesn’t smell or apply like traditional sunscreen. Yeah, it blew my mind too and I still can’t get over it. This is the type of sunscreen you want to introduce to your kid at a water park so they don’t have awful memories of applying sunscreen throughout their youth.

When I apply this it blends so effortlessly and is not greasy nor does it leave any residue on my hands. It just blends right in like a high schooler you drop off at school and they just jump out the car and say, “Ok, love you, bye mom!” That’s what this does for me, it here one minute and gone the next. But that's the thing I love--I can't feel it but it's still there protecting my skin.

I’m proud to report my years of negative feelings toward sunscreen (because who really likes OG sunscreen?) are now over and it's all thanks to this product.

I also prefer classic sunscreen over mineral and if you’re into mineral sunscreen they have Mineral Sport Sunscreen. There’s also no flashback which makes it 10 out of 5 stars for me.

What more could I ask for?

Great for everyday use

I came across these lashes when I was searching for a more natural-appearing lash that didn’t look too dramatic. Don’t get me wrong, I love my fuller lashes but I like to take a break from them every once in a while. N°17 is so light and flirty and they feel like you’ve got nothing atop your natural lashes!

Sometimes when I want to go for a more natural look with a bit more oomph, I’ll double stack them. DUO’s Eyelash Adhesive in Dark always does the trick for me.

N°17's also don’t go straight once you remove them from the set, they stay in their slightly bended form and they’re a bit tacky from the residue that keeps them in place inside the box so you can easily apply it to your eyes to get an image of what they look like before gluing them on. I’ve also found that these are very easy to measure onto the eyes. If you’re new to falsies I would definitely recommend these because they’re just enough.

The essence of essences

This is probably one of the most underrated products from La Mer. Never have I found an essence more soothing, brightening and retexturing as this one. I’ve used SK-II for years and although I don’t like to compare products, I’m happy to say I’ve switched over to this one.

After the first use my skin was visibly more bright, firm and deeply hydrated. I also found myself using only one pump rather than 1-2 (but that’s probably because I want to make it last as long as possible) and one pump did the magic trick for me. I’ve been using this consistently with my skincare routine for about 6 months now and I am still not finished with the bottle! I am however only using it in the evenings so if you’re using it in the mornings and evenings it may be a different story.

I have moderate hyperpigmentation around my mouth and mostly spotted throughout my face because of acne scarring. That was six months ago. After using this for about 3 months all my acne scarring had disappeared. I still have the moderate hyperpigmentation around my mouth but I’m almost certain that will never go away (genetics) and I’m okay with that.

Another way I’ve been experimenting with this essence is adding it to my moisturizer for a 2-in-1 on the evenings I just want to hurry to bed. But I never skip this essence because, well, it’s pretty darn amazing and why would I want to skip something that does wonders for my skin? La Mer has definitely won me over with this one!

Plumping and firming

This is an oil that feels more like serum rather than an oil. It’s insanely lightweight and almost instantly plumps and firms the skin.

I love to use this before I apply makeup and it’s perfect as a base instead of a traditional primer. You can also use this in the evening but I’ve noticed it performs best in the mornings.

One dropper is enough for the entire face and décolletage but sometimes I get carried away by the heavenly scent and apply two pumps. I have dry skin but I can also see this working very well for those with more oily skin because it quickly absorbs and gets to work immediately.

I’ve also tried this on days when I don’t wear makeup and I still notice the firming effect and even more so around my eyes where I have fine lines.

I don’t know how I’ve been living without squalane oil for all these years

Okay, so here’s the backstory about me:

I have insanely dry, sensitive skin and I’m always on the hunt for something that will hydrate without clogging my pores or breaking me out. I’m always excited but skeptical to try new products because if you’re like me and have sensitive skin, you know that you run the risk of breaking out if a product doesn’t agree with you. Fast forward to my discovery of this. A colleague of mine was ranting and raving that I should try this Squalane Oil and my first thought was, “Eh, what if it breaks me out?” She insisted I try it and since I always trust her skincare recommendations I finally did—and I am so very glad I did!

This is by far one of the most rebalancing and soothing oils I have ever used. The formula is an extremely lightweight oils that does NOT clog my pores or break me out but best of all, it keeps me hydrated all day long. I couldn’t ask for anything more. I’ve been searching for an oil like this for so long and I’ve finally found it! This oil gives your skin what it needs and doesn’t look or feel greasy, just hydrated.

I like to follow up with my Caudalie Vine[activ] 3-in-1 Moisturizer after using this and I have the most beautiful glow that lasts all day long. And don’t get me wrong, this isn’t my first experience with Squalane oil but it certainly is my best. I find other Squalane oils too greasy or not balancing enough.

I also appreciate that this bottle is tinted to better preserve the oil inside. I’ve tried mixing a drop or two in my foundation and it prevents my makeup from getting cakey.

Hands down an A+ for me.

Hydrating and lightweight

I’ve been using this eye serum for about two weeks now and I love the texture of it. It’s an extremely thin and lightweight cream-type serum that applies onto the eyes so lovely.

I have milia around my eye area and while I don’t mind it I don’t want more to form. I’ve noticed that thicker eye treatments will cause more to form so light and refreshing is all I need. Ive been using this as an eye treatment then following up with my Caudalie Vine[activ] Energizing And Smoothing Eye Cream and the two layer very well together.

There’s a metal applicator tip at the end of this product which is perfect if you’re like me and suffer from chronic puffy eyes in the morning. The metal applicator tip and the tube dispense just the right amount of serum so I never feel like anything is getting wasted.

I would say I have moderate dark circles which I’ve come to accept are probably hereditary at this point. But this does so much more than brighten for me. It de-puffs, hydrates and most of all gives my eye area a beautiful refreshed look in the mornings. I look like all my worries have disappeared when I wake up in the morning. Okay, okay, of course all my worries haven’t disappeared but the way this brightens your eyes it makes me feel like they have!