Back in October I posted about my skin having a terrible acne flareup after a bad sunburn. Soon after I updated with thoughts on having extractions done at my dermatologist’s.

I posted a photo of my skin the next day. Here’s an updated version of then and now.

My skin cleared up in December finally. Along the way I tried a lot of different products, many which I did not like and will skip talking about. Benzoyl peroxide & salicylic acid did nothing or made things worse. And I realized I’m mildly allergic to benzoyl peroxide which I discovered after using the prescription cream my dermatologist prescribed me. My skin was dried out. So dried out that it was over-producing oil in an effort to save itself. The oily itchy bumps were a cry for help. I didn’t learn about this until my extraction day. The extraction itself was moot. Most of the clogged pores returned a couple of weeks later.

These are my current holy grail items. The products I purchased and saw real results. I had to add in a new item one by one. Test them individually to keep track of what was helping and what wasn’t. I was more aware of ingredient labels than ever before.

First comes calming

My skin was incredibly itchy whenever I’d sweat. Those red oily bumps were a nightmare under the florescent lights of an office meeting. The first thing I did was find a way to calm my skin. I fell in love with the 7 Wonders Caribbean Coconut Calming Mask available at Ulta. I bought countless numbers of them. At first I used them every day. Then every other day. And now sparingly whenever I see my skin looking a bit dry.

I also picked up a 100% rose water spray. Alteya Organics Bulgarian Rose Water. I had tried versions with extras added (aloe, herbs, collagen,) but the pure stuff was the only truly soothing spray I found. Luckily it was the cheapest as well! I can use this spray whenever I like for a quick moisture burst.

A face wash that works without over-drying

My old cleansers upset my skin so badly after the flareup. I tried out so many different cleansers with no luck. Then a friend suggested Free & Clear Liquid Cleanser. This stuff is so gentle. washes away clean, works with my clarisonic well, but doesn’t over dry.

When I wear heavy makeup I have always needed a double-cleanse or else my pores would clog. I started using NUDE Skincare Purify Cleansing Wash. It’s a jelly that turns milky and removes makeup really well without being harsh. When I started using it I saw a lot of my blackheads disappear.

Oil-free moisture

My skin has always been sensitive to oil. Not just mineral oil but celebrated oils such as argan or grapeseed. So for daily moisturizers I needed oil-free. These moisturizers are actually old favorites that my skin still liked. Eventually I’d like to return to an spf+ lotion but currently I’m using a separate spf when needed. Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation is the everyday lotion I use under makeup often after applying SANA’s Soy Milk Emulsion to my forehead and chin.

I use SANA’s Soy Milk Cream when I’m feeling a little dry on no-makeup days or at night and Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration SPF when I’m going to be outdoors.

The real treatment

These are the heavy duty performers of my skincare routine. These are the products that gave me immediate positive results. I knew that if my skin needed moisture, and I didn’t respond well to oil-based daily lotions, I’d need to find some other way. I had a sample of Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil and it was the first oil that didn’t break me out. My skin felt so supple in the mornings after using this. Plus it faded my scars rather quickly. It’s a retinol with the added benefit of a moisturizing oil. I had a cleanser & a cream with retinol from my dermatologist but both of those caused my acne to get worse. I blame the other ingredients (a drying cleanser and benzoyl peroxide.) It is hands down my favorite product.

Next to tackle the bumps, texture, and clogged pores I tried a 5 pack of Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel and liked it a lot. I used these every few days, maybe once a week now. Instead of using the Luna oil I’ll use this and the next day blackheads will be gone and any tiny pimples will be hurried along to heal. I tried the extra strength version but it was too strong and made things worse.

The last bane of existence were the big, swollen, giant pimples. I had 4 major ones on my forehead that lasted months. Every time they’d pop they’d just return again. I received the Omorovicza Deep Cleansing Mask as a Christmas gift and it was exactly the last phase my skin needed to overcome this huge ordeal. The mask pulls out clogs from deep in the skin. As disgusting as it sounds I know it works because as each zit came to the surface I noticed each had 2 or 3 layers of “clog.” You know… each time you’d squeeze it was like a whole ‘nother zit popped… gross. Gross but over. Seeing what felt like permanents zits finally heal and leave felt so satisfying. I still use this once a week. I have a few texture spots on my chin I’m working through eliminating for good.

The runners up

DHC’s cleansing oil was one of the many things I tried when looking for a non-drying makeup remover. I bought this little guy at Urban Outfitters. Very affordable. Works great. Nothing special but definitely works well.

The Tony Moly pore cooling mask I got at Ulta. It’s a pore-tightening mask so I didn’t use it too much because tightening = drying. But even though it’s a drying type mask I never felt like my skin was left too dry or stretched. It’s really softening actually. Was nice to use after my skin had initially calmed down some.

Final thoughts

This was just my skincare emergency journey and I know not everyone’s will be the same. I wanted to share what’s been working for me. My combination skin (oily t-zone dry cheeks) was in desperate need of deep moisturizing. For me the most important thing was retaining as much moisture as I could while adding in extra amounts.

I also know many of these items are very expensive. The type of product is what’s most important. The calming mask contains chamomile and coconut oil.

The Luna Sleeping oil can be broken down into 2 main parts; retinol and oil. So a good alternative would be a retinol serum plus a facial oil that your skin responds to in a positive manner.

The Omorovicza mask is a mud mask and I’d only recommend the splurge if your acne is the worst it’s ever been. Otherwise a good alternative would be to try the Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. It’s less than $10 and you could add a drop of tea tree oil or neroli in while mixing it up. I plan on picking it up myself when the Omorovicza runs out.

I did try some physical exfoliaters but boy that made things so much worse! Chemical exfoliters were much more gentle at attacking the texture. And as for Glam Glow I had to terminate using any of their products. They only made my skin itchy or worse after the sun damage. Before I had 2 of their masks and the cleanser and loved them but in a damaged-state my skin responded very negatively to all of their products.

Feel free to ask me questions in the comments. I’m not an expert, and everyone’s skin reacts differently, but if you think we have similar skin and have experienced a similar situation maybe my experience can help in some way. I’m just happy to report that I’m on my way to getting my old skin back!

First up this elf cosmetics complexion brush. I bought it while visiting family this summer to go with a bronzer I picked up while there. I just needed something to hold me over until I could use my IT Cosmetics face brush. Well, to my surprise, I found myself reaching for this a lot even after getting home. It’s really nice for applying bronzer, highlight, face powder, anything. I hadn’t planned on keeping it but I really like it for travel and for using when I want to apply a heavy bronzer look.

I posted on Instagram when I ordered a bunch of Morphe brushes after finding recommendations on YouTube. These 3 were instant stand-outs.
G14 – OVAL SHADOW
G17 – ROUND BLENDER
M500 – DELUXE POINTED BLENDER

The G14 oval shadow brush is fantastic. I use it mostly as my eyeshadow base brush or if I’m only applying a single color. It’s large and soft and does a good job of both aplying color and blending out the edges a bit while you apply. It was my immediate favorite.

The G17 blender brush I like for blending my concealer. It didn’t do much on my eyes. My lids are very plump and textured hoods. I need something harder for blending eyeshadow. But for concealer this has been fantastic for airbrushing over zits and blending out around the under eyes and nose.

Lastly the M500 is a nice versatile face brush. I got it because the shape reminded me of my Paul and Joe travel blush brush which I love. It’s a bit softer and thinner than that though. It does a great job with bronzer when you want to slowly build up color (office look) and I use it for highlighter and blush as well. It’s for soft application. I use it every day I do makeup now. It works really well for me as winter approaches and I’m grower ever paler. I can easily apply too much color as I transition to vampire pale…

This thing is what I use for contouring. Sephora’s Classic Mini Multitasker. I went through so many brushes looking for one to do my contour just right and this has been it ever since I ordered it on sale months ago. Contouring on pale skin leaves very little room for mistakes. Angle brushes often cut “outside the lines” when I used them (I had to be too precise.) The soft medium stiff round brush here was perfect. It runs $14 full price but I got it for $6.99. Hopefully it goes on sale often.

That’s it for now. I have a few others that I only sort of like or am still experimenting with. A few eco tools brushes and a new elf mini blender brush for eyeshadow.

Updated

I wrote this post then a day later made an appointment to see a dermatologist who has since started me on a prescription retinol gel. I’ve been on prescription acne medications twice before in my lifetime and I will say I’m very skeptical. They tend to cause my skin to get worse before it gets better. Of all the products listed below the only ones I can use now with the prescription gel are GLAMGLOW Daily Clearing Cleanser, Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation lotion, Simple Micellar Cleansing Water, and Roberts Florentine Rosewater Cleansing Gel. I actually go in for a facial treatment (& extraction) in a few weeks which I hope will help more than anything else has.

A few weeks ago I was visiting family on the coast. Out in the sun a ton and always wearing sunscreen. But on the last day I was careless and forgot to reapply sunscreen in time. I ended up quite badly burned; especially on my forehead. I haven’t dealt with a burn in years. In the past there wasn’t much issue but this time my skin was very damaged. I kept it moisturized but it still took about 2 weeks for the burn to actually diminish. Next was peeling. Followed by leather-like dark patches of skin left. And now? Well it’s a mess. It has caused a bad case of closed comedonal acne. I’ve never had this type of acne. It is very much out of control and stubborn to treat. My usual products were not helping clear it completely. It was only getting worse. So I started buying new things to try.

One of the things I purchased was Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel 5 pack and Pixi’s Glow Tonic. I was finally seeing a change after using them. But I felt the peels were too gentle as my usual Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment felt much stronger. So I bought the 30 pack of the extra strength formula.

Bad idea. The acne got worse within 3 days. I even had bumps in my eyebrows now.

At the same time I also purchased Fresh’s Rose Toner to calm my skin after cleansing but before moisturizing. It made my skin feel tacky though; not moisturized.

I also had a sample of Sunday Riley’s Good Genes (which I felt was helping clear me up as well.) And added Simple’s micellar water to my routine for makeup removal just in case I wasn’t getting a deep enough clean.

You see the problem here? Too many new products at once. I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what was helping and what wasn’t. Let alone was it too much exfoliating or too little? My face never felt dry or burning.

Well not until I ditched EVERYTHING and reverted back to my old classic Clinique’s Acne Solutions Kit. After using it since Saturday my acne is shrinking in size and amount. However… now my face is so dry and peeling in some spots. I’ve been keeping my mist diffusers directly pointed at my face to calm down my skin.

I don’t have a real point or message for this post. :) I’m not looking for random advice or a home remedy that worked for your sister’s sister-in-law’s half cousin 2nd removed. Just letting you know what’s been up with me lately. And besides my car being in the shop, work being busy, and the free time I fill with TV, ice skating, camping, and scheming, this has been on my mind on a near daily basis and something I’m still dealing with apparently.

I just ordered Paula’s Choice trial acne kit. Because Clinique is just too harsh for me these days. I also purchased Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub after seeing that Glamglow’s Youthmud Tinglexfoliate made it worse. However Glamglow’s Supermud Clearing Treatment was still really helpful in the larger acne spots that popped up every other day. I’m still using that one often.

GLAMGLOW’s daily face wash and Roberts Florentine Rosewater cleansing gel are the two cleanser I’ve been using for months. The gel is very mild and good for removing excess makeup while the Glamglow’s daily cleanser is like their mask in a lighter form.

Ole Henriksen night treatment and oil-free moisturizer had cleared up my previous small breakout months ago and I stuck with them since. I’d say the night treatment was about as good as Sunday Riley’s Good Genes without the lemon-cake fragrance!

This deluxe sample of Luna Sleeping Oil made my day when I got it. When I ran out of the sample my skin felt so dry because this was keeping it super hydrated. It erased red marks in a single night. Great for overnight repair. One of the very very very few oils I’ve tried that didn’t give me pimples.

Before my sun damage I wasn’t using any strict acne medications. I was using Glam Glow’s daily face wash, a MakeUp Eraser with just water, Organic Rose toner, Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment and Sheer Transformation moisture cream, and Sunday Riley’s Luna Sleeping Oil every now and then. And I was clear. My skin looked near flawless. I had about 2 months of some of my best skin days in recent history before the sunburn.

While I’m frustrated on days that my skin feels uncomfortable, I’m not too bothered by it. My skin has always been extremely acne-prone. At this point in my life I understand there’s an ebb and flow to skin problems. I will also say that it’s become clear this year that my skin is in transition. The items that worked in my early 20’s are no longer effective. I literally removed them from my routine and saw 0 difference. I’m really interested in trying more glycolic and lactic acids and natural flower oils (though I’m acne-prone to others like castor, grapeseed, and coconut) now.

Every product mentioned above:
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel ^❤

Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Peel Extra Strength Daily Peel

Pixi Glow Tonic

Simple Micellar Cleansing Water

The Original MakeUp Eraser ^❤

Fresh Rose Floral Toner

Meishoku Organic Rose Skin Conditioner toner ^❤

Roberts Florentine Rosewater Cleansing Gel ^❤

Sunday Riley Good Genes Treatment

Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil ^❤

GLAMGLOW SUPERCLEANSE™ Daily Clearing Cleanser ^❤

Ole Henriksen Sheer Transformation ^❤

Ole Henriksen Invigorating Night Treatment ^❤

CLINIQUE Acne Solutions Clear Skin System

Paula’s Choice Clear Regular Strength Two Week Trial Kit

GLAMGLOW SUPERMUD™ CLEARING TREATMENT ^❤

GLAMGLOW YOUTHMUD™ TINGLEXFOLIATE TREATMENT

Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub

❤ – loved product

Not related to skincare but a nice perk to having to order so many new products is this Viktor & Rolf Flowerbomb free gift set I got with a Sephora order using a promo code. I like Flowerbomb but have never purchased a full sized bottle.

Last month I received the new Night Visions collection from Rituel de Fille. It contained a pale pink eyeshadow and a deep plum lipstick. This is the first time I tried their “eye soot” and it’s somewhere in between a powder and cream so very aptly name. It’s a subtle shimmer that I’ve been wearing when I only want a hint of color that’s quick and easy to apply. The lipstick is the opposite of subtle. It’s bold and deep. I wear it over my NARS matte lip pencil in Cruella. The color comes out nicely when paired with the red plus it adds moisture to the matte NARS formula.

I really liked how this look turned out. I posted a pic on Instagram when I was recording some of the video and it just looks so 90’s grunge which is where my head is totally at this fall.

I thought I’d do an “empties” post to show which items I’ve liked so much lately that I used every drop!

Bath Roman Relax Rose bath salt
Urumoa Moisturizing Bath
LUSH Rose Jam body wash
GLAMGLOW Supermud Clearing Treatment
L’Occitane Angelica Hydra Vital Gel
Honeyce’ Moisture Repair shampoo and conditioner
Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration After Sun
LUSH Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner

Bath Roman Relax Rose bath salt

Ulmore Moisturizing Bath

Bath Roman is a good staple brand of bath salts. They usually come in large metal containers and last a while. The fragrance and colors are always nice. This Relaxing Rose version was fantastic. The rose fragrance is a rich perfume rose. The powder turns the water into a gleaming pool of rose-pink.

The Ulmore [ウルモア] moisturizing bath cream was one of the best things I picked up in spring. Its “Creamy Rose” fragrance is unique and intoxicating. It’s sweet like rose candy. The milky liquid is squeezed into the cap much like those ACT for Kids mouthwash bottles. You pour it into your bath and it adds a softness to the skin but leaves the tub clean afterwards. I haven’t seen it in the stores since I bought it but next time I come across it I’m definitely repurchasing!

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration

I picked this lotion up because I wanted something that smelled like tanning oil but wasn’t actually tanning oil since I don’t sunbathe much. This has a coconut papaya fragrance that’s really nice. The lotion contains aloe so it’s moisturizing but not tacky like an aloe gel. Plus the bottle is incredibly appealing with its mint green and cream swirled lotion. There was a version with glitter in it but I didn’t pick it up and then I never saw it again… Oh also this was great for when I actually did get very sunburned a few weeks ago.

LUSH Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner

LUSH Rose Jam body wash

I already mentioned these while using them but definitely liked both these rose items from LUSH. The Rose Jam is so sweet in fragrance and the body wash isn’t too drying.

The Ro’s Argan body conditioner is fantastic and the small jar lasted me a long time. I liked using this to add extra softness to my skin. My past products, which were pure oils, sometimes clogged my pores. This didn’t cause any break outs while using it. And the fragrance is like a honey rose mix that lasted long after the bath.

GLAMGLOW Supermud Clearing Treatment

L’Occitane Angelica Hydra Vital Gel

GLAMGLOW… I really wanted this to not be as awesome as it was because, you know, the price. But it was honestly worth every penny for my skin. It cleared me up so quickly. Removed so much redness. I actually stopped using acne creams after purchasing this product. This is all I use for any breakouts now and yes I’ve already repurchased it. There’s also a face wash in this line and I highly recommend it if you suffer from adult acne that doesn’t respond well to a lot of other products. Don’t save this stuff for a rainy dat, use it! I used it as spot treatments more than a full mask and it worked wonders on big morning zits.

The L’Occitane Angelica Hydra Vital Gel is a moisturizer I end up buying every summer. It’s very cooling and moisturizing. It’s good for no makeup days or before bed. It has a really fresh aloe scent that dissipates immediately after applying. It’s calming for blotchy skin and never causes me acne.

Honeyce’ Moisture Repair

Bouncy bouncy hair with a sweet honey scent that lasts. I love this shampoo and conditioner set. The fragrance alone is worth a repurchase but the packaging and formula make it one of the best hair care series I’ve tried in a while.

Wearing in the video:
LOVELY ME: EX PASTEL CUSHION BLUSHER 02 CORAL CUSHION
FACE IT ARTIST TOUCH SHADOW 02 EMERALD CITY
ARTIST TOUCH LIPSTICK OR201

I was familiar with THEFACESHOP brand through online shops and beauty reviews but I don’t recall ever using any of their products until now. I stumbled upon a THEFACESHOP while in Ottawa and bought up a ton of things! Actually, so much that I’m not going to list everything individually.

I’m currently avoiding oils and collagen in any long term skincare products so I skipped many of their skin care sets. Almost everything has collagen in it right now.

I picked up their Blemish Zero products and a ton of face masks. The Blemish Zero looked a lot like the Clinique Acne line I’ve used for years but when comparing the ingredients THEFACESHOP has aloe and less ingredients including peppermint extract which can be irritating to skin.

The Volume My Lips glosses are my favorites. They last and last and don’t feel tacky at all. I was so impressed with the fuchsia one that I went back to buy the rest of them!

The Aqua Tint Jelly is gorgeous but the taste is a bit off-putting. It’s very artificial like the taste of plastic. The Milky Moisture Tint and the Marker Aqua Tint both had artificial tastes as well. The color is excellent though.

Lightning Reviews!

Artist Touch Lipstick OR201 – Love it! Lasts, moisturizing, creamy, color payoff!

Artist Touch Shadow 02 Emerald City – Pretty, subtle, soft, a bit powdery and low pigments.

Milky Moisture Tint 03 Apple Red – Pretty! Tastes terrible until 100% dry.

My Lips Eat Cherry Aqua Tint – Pretty, deep red tiny that lasts. Tastes artificial u til dry.

You Make Me Glam Volume My Lips – Like these a lot especially fuchsia and glitter clear. Really makes lips look fuller.

Aqua Proof Marker Tint 02 Pink – Love this for natural tint when outdoors and minimal makeup.

Real Nature Masks – Liked these a lot! All the ones I tried.

Mango Seed Lip Balm – Nice! Like to apply this before lipsticks.

Clean Face Sebum Control Soothing Mask Sheet – Yeah, like it!

Milk Plus Lotion – Good lotion but smells like baby powder (ugh.)

Coral Cushion Blusher 02 Coral – Meh. A bit too shimmery and can highlight pores.

Lovely Moisturizer Mango Body Lotion – Eh, mango toothpaste-like scent. Loved at first but got tired of scent. Absorbs nice and clean though.

Clean Face Anti-Imperfections Patches – Nah, didn’t do much.

Hydro Gel Mask Sheet Vita E – Difficult to use and sliding everywhere, no skin difference.

Cream Shimmer Eyeshadow – Pointless best describes this product.

Just to clarify none of these break me out or else I would have returned the product. :) You know I breakout easily…

I really really REALLY like these two Revlon True Match LUMI items. The one on the right is a primer that comes out as a liquid pearl serum. I sometimes just use these on my bare cheeks alone with no makeup or I actually use it as a primer before bb cream or even mix it in with my bb cream and it adds a subtle glow. The illuminator on the left is in shade “icy” and is a great pearl toned highlight for cheeks.

On the far left there are two Rimmel Exaggerate automatic lip liners. I hadn’t used lip liners since swearing off Mac a few years ago but these showed up on a couple of beauty reviews and are so affordable I went ahead and got some. A nude pink shade and a deep red. They’re pretty good. Not flawless but creamy and long-lasting. Revlon’s Visible Lift Blur cream blush is fantastic. It really does blur your pores and the shade is so build’able and natural. And then I’ve purchased Loreal Double Extend fiber mascara again and again. I always use it when I want dramatic lashes that are super easy to remove. And then the Loreal Manga Rock mascara. I tried the original manga mascara and it was OK but this one really does add more drama. I like spider lashes if I’m in the mood and this does it really well. Hard as hell to remove but still nice.

I got this Physician’s Formula Mineral Glow Pearls in beige for a golden powder highlight. It’s more of a shimmering bronzer on my skin. It’s pretty subtle. I probably wouldn’t buy it again but I’ve actually been using it a lot on minimal makeup days for an added bit of color and shine.

I got this Sonia Kashuk matte palette from Anupa a while ago and boy do I get into cycles where I only wear this palette! The color range is great and the shadows aren’t too chalky. They’re easier to blend than some of my other matte palettes. I also purchased this stipple brush a few months ago and, though it wasn’t super cheap, it’s really nice for applying liquid highlighters plus it’s so easy to hold not to mention sleek looking.

So no, I do not have a beautyblender. I wasn’t sure if I’d use it so I purchased this Real Techniques Miracle Complexion version for 1/4 of the price of a beautyblender. Just to see if I’d like the concept. I love it. I’ll probably upgrade to Beauty Blender when this is ready to be tossed but honestly if I only ever repurchase this version I’d be more than happy. It’s great for applying bb cream no matter how thick and the coverage I get when I use it is great. I don’t even remember the last time I applied my bb cream with my fingers or foundation brush. I thought using it would make application longer but it actually cuts my time in half.

So I saw this while grocery shopping last weekend and I got it because it claims to give you a tingling lip sensation much like a lot of lip plumpers out there. It’s Lip Bang’s Lip Freak Buzzing Cherry Atomic stick. This is more like a lip tint because it goes on with a fairly noticeable red tint. It smells like cinnamon and tastes a bit fruit like cinnamon cranberries. The tingling starts after a few minutes and just lasts and lasts and lasts. I know a lot of people don’t like that sensation but I love it. I’ve actually been using lip products like this to help distract me during high-anxiety situations. Such as office meetings, going to the doctors, or meeting with a large group of people. Sometimes my anxiety just feels overwhelming and is stressful but this tingling distraction helps keep me more focused and calm in those situations. Much like chewing gum does for some people.

It’s been really fun getting back into picking things up on a whim. There isn’t all this guilt if I don’t love it, returning items I don’t like is way easier, and that feeling of “am I buying the best version of xyz!?” is gone. Sometimes it feels like we have turned makeup into this constant competition of having to buy the best and only the best. Like 19 out of 20 beauty bloggers have to recommend it before you dare buy it. You know? Like I know there are way better lip colors out there than Revlon’s Colorburst. But I like them! I like the color payoff and the minty formula. I like that I can usually buy them at 2 for 1! Sometimes it feels like you’re not even allowed to buy, let alone like, a beauty product unless you’ve got a dissertation on why it’s the be all and end of of products. But maybe that’s just the bubble I got myself into over the years and am very much in favor of popping. :)

Heroine Make eyebrow pen – natural brown
Pmel under-eye color pen – beige
Love Fille Nude Face Veil
Royal Apothic Lip Tintie – Kissed

First the Heroine Make eyebrow pen. I’ve used this brand’s eyeliner many times over and bought this on a whim. I haven’t use anything besides the Anastasia Brow Wiz in a long time. I’ve used Japanese brand eyebrow pencils and powders a lot in the past before there were more eyebrow product choices in the US. Those brands were ok but I was always looking for a holy grail product. That said, I was pleasantly surprised by this pen! It’s not too dark or too red. It’s a more grey-brown and goes on as more of a tint rather than heavy marker. Lasts a while too.

Heroine Make eyebrow pen

Pros
Good neutral color
Easy to use

Cons
Too subtle for adding shape
updated: Dries out incredibly fast

The Pmel under eye color was more of a “cute treat” when I got it. An easy cheat! I hadn’t done this trend for a while. Is aegyo sal still trendy, I don’t even know to be honest. But this color is nice under the eyes either way. It goes on so smoothly. The pen is really nifty as it sort of twists and springs open and gathering the powder from the cap.

Pmel under-eye color

Pros
Easy application
Buildable pigments

Cons
Color wears off too easily

You only need to know 1 thing about the Love Fille pore minimizing face veil… it smells like roses. Fresh cut roses! And the fragrance lasts a while after applying too. But does it work? So far I’m unimpressed. It feels a bit drying and my makeup doesn’t look all that fresh throughout the day. Though I’m happy it has yet to break me out unlike a lot of similar products.

Love Fille pore minimizing face veil

Pros
Fragrant rose scent
Smooths out deep pores
No breakouts from it

Cons
Doesn’t add much of a lasting matte effect
Couldn’t stand up to my oily t-zone (combination skin)

Lastly a little lip gloss pot from Royal Apothic Lip Tintie I picked up from the sale section of Anthropologie. I had seen it online and nearly ordered it because the pot was so attractive. I didn’t realize at the time it was actually a lip butter and not a gloss. It’s very creamy and the shade is very opaque. It’s a nice nude “your lips but better“shade. But it’s definitely more lipstick than a gloss. Glad I got it on sale. Wouldn’t pay full price as it’s a bit boring.

Royal Apothic Lip Tintie

Pros
Attractive packaging
Neutral color
Long-lasting
Moisturizing

Cons
Bulky to carry around
Not as expected
Bit boring

Like the title says, I’m trying the Ole Henriksen 3 Little Wonders collection. I’ve gotten the C-Booster (orange bottle) before as a point perk. I didn’t see much difference at the time but this was years ago. Then Stephanie Lange recommended it and I figured there wasn’t much to lose with this mini kit being under $30.

Let me back up for a second. I’ve been underwhelmed by my usual skincare products. Honestly they hadn’t changed much since I started using Clinique’s Acne Solutions years ago. And if you recall I’ve been into trying new products recently. My acne has been different this year. It’s seemingly random and doesn’t react to my usual treatments. My skin has just been same ole same ole for a while. So if I could find a new suite of products, that actually showed results (clearer skin longer, elasticity, pore minimizing, spot reduction,) then I’d be thrilled.

So far the 2 large cyst-acne spots I had have shrank and some sun spots are fading. I’ve actually noticed my skin “looking good” a couple of mornings too! Though today I work up with a clogged pore in an area that I rarely get them. I’m suspecting the truth serum collagen booster because I’ve had mixed results with collagen skincare products and this spot is similar to that I’ve gotten from collagen masks. So, I’m going to discontinue using that product.

I’ll try to update in a week or two.

I’ve been saying it on twitter and tumblr a lot so here’s a real review.

I bought my first one while I was still recuperating from “the injury.” Squeezing bottles just wasn’t in my wheel house at the time. I got the Soak and Float and ended up liking it so much that I bought 3 more versions. Then a few more after that!

LUSH Shampoo Bar Introduction

Now when I find myself going back to my traditional shampoos, even my previous favorites, they just don’t compare. Mostly they all weigh my hair down drastically compared to the LUSH Shampoo Bars. The difference is so great that I never use my old shampoos unless I know I’ll be staying in that day.

Seanik

LUSH Quote – “Solid seaweed shampoo bar for shine and body”

This is one of my favorites. Leaves my very thin and flat hair full of volume! Smells pretty good and the bar itself is quite pretty.

Soak and Float

LUSH Quote – “Sort out itchy, flaky scalps. We’re just going to say it upfront: this shampoo bar smells like campfires, but it is incredibly effective…”

Agreed. At first the bar’s scent was annoying and I left it in a shampoo can. But after a week it grew on me. I even started leaving it out to dry because I enjoyed the woodsy scent in my bathroom. At the time my scalp was all annoyed from being home 24/7 and not being able to do more than just wash my hair. I saw results after just 1 use and by the 3rd use I was convinced this was a way better alternative to medicated drugstore shampoos.

It also left my hair really bouncy and full! More volume than any other bar I’ve tried so far.

Jason and the Argan Oil

LUSH Quote – “Softening argan oil bar”

Yep, softens my hair up pretty well! Doesn’t add a lot of volume or shine but it smells like their rose jam and leaves my hair silky. My only complaint is I wish the fragrance lasted after washing but it doesn’t.

Montalbano

LUSH Quote – “Deep-cleansing lemon bar. Attention, dull hair!”

This one smells nice, adds a little volume, and adds some shine too.

Ultimate Shine

LUSH Quote – “Solid shampoo for hair that shines”
This would be a good one if you wanted something free of fragrance. I didn’t notice too much extra shine but made my hair feel squeaky clean

Lullaby

LUSH Quote – “An irritated and angry scalp is no one’s friend. It’s a calming lavender Shampoo Bar that’s gentle…”

I haven’t used this yet! It smells so good and is so pretty I’ve put it away until my Jason and the Argan Oil is used up!

Conditioning

Conditioning is a bit of a factor. Mostly I would use a lightweight conditioner from a different hair care line, or skip conditioner altogether, or doing a hair mask instead. So I thought I’d try their solid conditioner too since I liked the shampoo bars so much.

Big Solid Conditioner

LUSH Quote – “For big volume and tons of shine”

I wanted to like this. It doesn’t weigh my hair down too much and adds a bit of shine. But it’s so difficult to use! Especially on short hair. You have to soften it up in the water first, then drag it across strands of your hair. It’s gritty with a waxy texture. It rinses pretty clean but the main reason I’m not loving it is because I mostly condition for my scalps health. This bar does nothing for your scalp. I won’t be repurchasing. Maybe if my hair were longer.

I was obsessed with moody plum shades and Rituel de Fille’s “Lovesick” was a perfect winter cheek with pigment that easily lasted through snowy walks and freezing winds. Dab a little on the cheeks, paired with a shimmering eyeshadow, and some chapstick for the lips, and that was my daily winter routine for quite a long time!

Then I was asked last month about how I was liking the blush and I realized it had become my favorite and I wanted more…

It was difficult to choose which shades I wanted. Outside of the official swatches there was little reviewed about them. Usually I don’t feel compelled to review any new makeup because there’s usually already 50 other blogs with swatches and thoughts and nice photos. Rituel de Fille didn’t seem to have as much of a presence unfortunately. So I decided I’d try my best at putting a review together for anyone that may be interested in these cream blushes. It’s my first swing at a video review so bare with me.

Rituel de Fille Inner Glow Cream Blush

Pros
Buildable pigments
Long lasting
Simple natural ingredients and cruelty-free
Fragrance free
Every shade is cheek, eye and lip safe
Captivating sleek packaging

Cons
Takes a few practice runs to master application

What I like about Rituel de Fille’s cream blush is how bare-bones they are with ingredients. There’s nothing extra. No fillers and no synthetic dyes or fragrance. It’s free from paraben, sulfate, phthalate, and cruelty. And even on my very acne-prone skin it hasn’t caused a single pimple. Not even questionably. Some cream blushes make me think, “Oh, is this pimple from the blush? I dunno, I dunno.” But Rituel de Fille hasn’t given me a single skin woe to question.

Natur Savon Washing Foam

This is a face wash from the Kose brand line Softymo. It’s free of paraben, mineral oil, and silicone. Sounded great! My face had been clear for a while so I was willing to take a risk on a product that was free from many of the things that tend to break me out. However, I was disappointed. First thing I noticed it that it was definitely not fragrance free as the fragrance was very strong. Second, it made my face feel a bit itchy after using it. I used it a handful of times and eventually it broke me out really badly.

Natur Savon Washing Foam

Pros
Super clean skin

Cons
Itchy skin
Causes a major breakout
Very strong fragrance
Bottom line, I won’t be buying this again

NATURAL RESOURCE Moisture Cream

This hypoallergenic moisture cream improves skin tone and complexion by keeping moisture in the skin. Dermatologist-tested, non-silicon, fragrance-, colorant-, mineral oil-, oil-based surfactant-, alcohol-, parabens- and synthetic antioxidant (BHT)-free.

A SANA line of skincare, NATURAL RESOURCE boasts both natural ingredients and being “8 free” of many common skin agitators. It’s a very thick cream and a little went a long way. I used almost this entire container. I found this to be a middle-of-the-road moisturizer. Not bad but not great either. Wouldn’t buy it again but may try something else from the brand line.

NATURAL RESOURCE MOISTURE CREAM

Pros
No break outs!
Moisturizing

Cons
Leaves an all day film that gets flakey
Cannot be worn under makeup
Didn’t notice any special improvements of my skin

RO’S ARGAN BODY CONDITIONER

I got this with LUSH’s rose-themed gift set. It’s a thick lotion you use in the shower or bath. It contains “cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, almond oil and Argan oils, and the fragrant scent of fresh rose petals.” It smells really, really great and softens my skin similar to sing bath oils would but without that slick oily feeling. The first time I used this I was blown away at how soft everything I touched felt because of it. Suddenly I owned the softest PJs and softest bedding and softest couch! It does leave a slight film on the skin that I only notice while still in the bath. I prefer it’s texture to the Skin-So-Soft bath oil texture which is my usual go-to in bath skin softener.

RO’S Argan Body Conditioner

Pros
Super softening
Great rose fragrance without being too floral or heavy
Easy to use

Cons
It’s expensive D;
A little doesn’t seem to go a long way

Caress Forever Collection

I wanted to post these up too because they are cheap and easy to find plus roses! It’s a new body wash line from Caress. It uses what they’ve termed as “fragrance touch technology” to continually surround you with fragrance. And I’ll admit, these sort of do really work. It’s not an obnoxious lingering scent. It really comes and goes as you move or sweat. And the scent that stays is more subtle than when you first apply it. The body wash is quite thick and reminds me of cake batter. The fragrance is less of a pure rose and more of a deep perfume smell. It’s rich and sensual in my opinion so maybe not great for someone super sensitive to fragrance. I’m pretty sensitive to these sort of smells but didn’t notice any headaches or annoyance with it at all. I’ve been using these for weeks now. I literally saw the commercial where roses are falling off this woman and ran that same night to Target and bought a 4-pack that was on sale for the same price as 2!

Caress Forever Collection

Pros
Really works, fragrance is touch-sensitive
Moisturizing!
Even the soap is pretty in color with tons of wash-away shimmer
Rich romantic fragrance

Cons
No “true rose” scent yet
While the black packaging is meant to be seductive, I think a clear package would take better advantage of showing off how attractive the wash itself is

Love Locket

Pretty big bath bomb that’s about twice the size and twice the price. But it’s really nice. It bubbles for a long time and ends with hearts made from seaweed. It uses neroli for a fragrance which is one of my favorites and also jasmine. I wish I had rinsed the hearts out of the tub though after my bath. They stick there for the next few baths but eventually clean-up. They’re harmless :)

Floating Flower

Another limited edition bath bomb for Valentine’s Day. Prettiest rainbow foam I’ve ever seen. Smells like cypress, very clean.

Kao Bubble-cino

Yes as in cappuccino. It’s a bath salt, scented with white rose, that creates a foam similar to that of a cappuccino. When you first add it there are a ton of effervescence bubbles that then rise to the top and leave a white milky foam. Sounds great but honestly this one was so disappointing. It was so pricey too I felt really let down. The foam doesn’t last more than a few minutes, the fragrance is nice but nothing special. There are just cheaper bath salts out there that work just as well or better than this series.

Honeycé Hair Care

Simply love love love this hair care series. It smells fantastic like orange blossom honey and it leaves my hair really shiny and bouncy even when I use it at night and am running out the door the next morning.

Lastly a few other products. A body wash from Kao’s ビオレｕ series with “angel rose” fragrance. It’s a mild body wash with a strong rose scent meant for families. Next is a rose gel-based face wash called ROBERTS FLORENTINE ROSEWATER CLEANSING GEL. It doesn’t create much of a lather but it still works well alone or with a face scrubber like clarisonic. It removes makeup pretty well except for heavy eye makeup and it hasn’t caused me any zits. It also has a really soft scent of roses.

In the pink tube on the left is a Venus Spa hair treatment for moisture. It almost smells too much like roses. Like too green, too leafy, almost like spoiled roses to me. The treatment is ok. It leaves my hair feeling silky and the fragrance doesn’t really stick around.

I usually use the treatment with Clairol’s Hair Food Root Cleansing Shampoo. I really like this shampoo. There isn’t a conditioner counterpart to it and it isn’t meant to be used more than a few times a week. It really helps remove oily build-up. It smells great like ginger and strawberry.

Hair Food is called Hair Recipe in Japan but the line is exactly the same. They launched at the same time as well. I’m linking the Japanese site because Clairol doesn’t have an english site for this line! I actually bought the entire line at Target including the volumizing spray (which I like.)

The volume shampoo & conditioner on the other hand are only decent at best. It does add a lot of fluffiness to my hair but if I add anything else to it like a hair wax it goes flat immediately. So it’s good on days I only want airy, product-free hair. Does smell good though. :)

Loretta Hair Wax 6.5

I saw the Loretta line being use a lot in salon tutorial videos for short cuts. The 6.5 wax was used for stronger more dynamic styling. It gives my hair a messy edgy look and allows me to shape and reshape it throughout the day. I bought mine from sleekhair.com.

Loretta Hair Wax 6.5

Pros
Smells fantastic with a rose-like aroma
The more you use, the better
Easily re-shape-able

Cons
Can weigh hair down a bit
Needs scrunching every few hours for volume
Waxy texture

I’m happy with it!
I use it for messy bedhead style days. The texture reminds me of a glue stick but it’s actually not that sticky of a wax!

Lucido-L Volume Airy & Natural wax

A brand I’m quite familiar with, I wanted to try their new “Volume Airy” wax since it seemed most popular for fluffy short styles. I ordered mine from Webichi.com.

I love it.
It’s the best soft with volume wax I’ve used. It works great combined with some light curling then scrunching with the wax. It keeps its shape but can be easily re-shaped throughout the day.

I also saw the “Natural” look version of the Lucido-L line when I was out shopping so I picked it up as well. It’s more milky in texture and I use it for sleeker hair days.

Lucido-L Hair Wax

Pros
Trusted brand with a long history of products
Never greasy feeling
Containers are really easy to open and close and store nicely
They work!

Cons
Style sometimes needs refreshing (hold doesn’t always last)
Can easily use too much weighing hair down

The textures are quite different between the two due to their varying holds. Plus these waxes are fragrance free. That can be a pro or con depending on your preferences.

Cocopalm Scalp Cleansing Gel

Why I like it

The bottle design makes it extremely easy to use. The tip allows for pinpoint application straight to the scalp with an easy squeezable bottle.

It smells fantastic with the ingredients of ginger, angelica, grapefruit, hibiscus, peony, and acerola. The fragrance is made up of passion fruit and neroli. (I’m a huge fan of neroli.)

The heat-up effect is extremely relaxing.

My hair is super soft and full of body after using this. Every single time!

I got a lot of compliments on my hair the first time I used it. Since my hair has only ever been short when using it it leaves it feeling soft, fluffy (volume,) and shiny. The fragrance is somewhat beachy and I can smell it every now and then the next day but it’s not overwhelming. I will definitely be buying more (if I’m lucky enough to find it locally again!)