Beauty Product Reviews

My holy grail summer moisturizer

I received a deluxe sample of this months ago, and by the time I emptied it, I’d fallen in love. It has the lightest, non-greasy formula, perfect for dry skin in the summer months. It still packs a moisturizing wallop, thanks to the golden cupuaçu butter beads that float throughout the gel cream. It took my a very long time to purchase this, because I kept debating with myself that it’s pricey, and I already owned quite a few lightweight moisturizers...obviously, I eventually broke down & bought it. It’s not necessarily SO earth-shakingly different from other products, but it’s just a bit better. The ingredient list is no joke, it absorbs quickly, keeps my skin soft -but not greasy- and is 100% perfect for daywear. At night, even in the summer, I usually pair it with facial oils or a second, lightweight cream (like Bioderma Cicabio).

The magic of fermentation...

I’ve never thought too much about Boscia in general; never really tried more than a single product, nor heard any real rave, gotta-try-that reviews of products from other skincare addicts. But I picked this essence up some months back, while ordering something else. I love fermented ingredients, so..why not? I surprised myself by LOVING it, and finding a permanent slot for it in my nighttime routine. It’s so lightweight, and it layers over & under other products without any issue. It contains some powerhouse ingredients, including several different types of ferments, caffeine, sea whip & beet extracts, and rose oil. The thing about ferments is this: they’re amazing because they help other ingredients work harder, and absorb better. They also help neutralize toxic ingredients in other products, that might’ve otherwise caused irritation. Think of them as turbo-chargers for your skincare routine🤯 The bottle has lasted me since summer, using a half dropper’s worth of essence every night. I can’t speak to it’s brightening abilities, but I definitely think it’s helped fortify my skin in the Great Hydration Battle this fall/winter. A definite repurchase; yes, the price is steep for an “essence”, but I tend to think of it & use it like a serum. It’s packed with rockstar ingredients, and a little goes a long way.

Not as voluminous as expected..

I have fine, flat hair. I’m always looking for a low-effort (aka: lazy) way to give it some volume & LIFE, especially since I wake up for work before 4am, and just want to get ready & out my door in 40 mins. So, volume/texture shampoos. I’ve been disappointed by 99% of the offerings out there, but R+Co’s Cactus Texturizing Shampoo is my holy grail shampoo. I use it every other day, and it gives my hair some much needed “grit” & grip. I can’t skip too many washings, because fine hair gets greasy & even flatter when dirty, so faux-dirt is my jam. So, I was hoping Dallas would work as well as Cactus does. Unfortunately, it just...doesn’t do much. It leaves my hair too soft, and flyaway. I didn’t expect the gritiness of a texturizing formula, but I expected SOME sort of change to my hair. Whomp whomp. It does smell incredible, however. But I’ll stick to Cactus, and keep looking for my HG volumizing shampoo.

Workhorse product

I have sensitive, easily irritated skin, and this unassuming, unglamorous little tube is my lowkey skin savior..especially in the winter. I use a prescription retinoid, and when my derm adjusts my dose, my skin goes a little nuts. Flakiness, redness, extreme sensitivity; I can’t always use a good portion of my skincare wardrobe during these times, due to irritation & burning. But Cicabio is so gentle, and so easy to wear, it’s never let me down. By “easy to wear”, I mean the formula is creamy enough to soothe dry skin, but it also sinks in incredibly fast, and doesn’t leave an oil slick behind. A huge plus for me; I get mid-day flakiness, and need to spot-treat with a moisturizer while at work. This is perfect, because it does its job & disappears. At night, I use a heavier hand, and apply it evenly over my face. It can be used alone, but I do like to seal it in with a facial oil on winter nights. It’s just a great, simple product; not as sexy & exciting as some moisturizers, but it’s inexpensive, versatile, and elegantly formulated. Also: I bought the smaller-sized tube MONTHS ago, and even with near-daily use, it’s still not empty. For $11, this is a skincare STEAL.

Magic!

I bought this during my most desperate, dry-skinned time; I’d just had my prescription tretinoin dose upped a significant amount, and my skin was peeling 24/7, and was also incredibly sensitive to about 70% of my skincare wardrobe. I’d read some really encouraging reviews of TBC, especially in regards to soothing irritation. Yes, $180 is a lot for what is basically a facial oil. First: flexpay is your friend. Second: it’s worth it. It really IS! It smells like angels, and melts into your skin so effortlessly, it can be worn during the day. Also, you need so very little of it, the pot should last a year+. I don’t use it daily, only when my skin needs some extra TLC. My eyelids/undereyes are especially prone to flakiness & irritation; a dab of TBC balm before bed, after the rest of my skincare routine, and within a day or two, my skin is healing. It’s so gentle, and SUCH a joy to use, the price won’t seem nearly so crazy once you have it in your hands.

The only shampoo I use!

I have flat, baby fine hair, and it really needs a little “grit” to look alive. Infrequent washings only leave it looking flater, and greasy, so I needed some faux-dirt. This shampoo is MAGIC. I first bought it when my hair was super short, and it gave it body & volume like WHOA. It looked salon-fresh, every single day, without any sort of styling beyond a light dusting of volumizing dry shampoo in the a.m. My hair’s in that shoulder-length, awkward stage now, so the volume/movement factor is toned down, but using this shampoo every other day still helps give my hair a little life, and makes it easy to style, if I need to. It’s also a very thick formula, and I only need a dime-sized dollop to create tons of lather. Way better than other brands’ versions, this is the real deal.