Skincare Savior // The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Mask

 

 

 

This summer has not been good for my skin. I don't know if it's the weather, all the unhealthy good food, or the stress from moving, but the only thing that's saved me from having to pile on the concealer is this product right here. I bought this on a whim, because I wanted to try a tea tree based product for acne and find a good mask. If you're unfamiliar with the benefits of tea tree oil, it's used in acne treating products because it has a natural component, terpinen-4-ol, that suppresses the bodies natural anti-inflammatory response. The oil also cuts through oil and dirt to unblock pores while killing any remaining bacteria to prevent any future breakouts.

 

The things I love about this particular mask are that it's a natural product and the tea tree oil that the body shop utilizes is sustainable (read about it here: Tea Tree Mask). It can also double as a spot treatment. On nights when I don't have much time and just need a quick fix I'll put a dab on any blemishes and leave it on overnight. In the morning any swelling and redness is visibly reduced. As a mask this works amazingly too, it has mint in it, which, mixed with the tea tree gives a cool, tingly feeling. I leave it on for about fifteen minutes and then just wash off with warm water and apply moisturizer.

 

A couple things to watch out for with this mask is that the smell is strong. If you don't like the smell of tea tree or very strong smells in general you probably won't be able to use this. Also while I really enjoy it, the tingly sensation could also be uncomfortable if you have very sensitive skin. And because it is a clay mask that draws impurities out of the skin, it will be drying. I combat this by just applying a moisturizer on right after washing it off.

 

After trying this for several weeks it has definitely become an essential for me. I'm happy that I've finally found a natural acne product that works. If you know of any other natural skincare products that work well let me know in the comments, xx.

 



July Ipsy Unboxing

From left to right: Befine Moisturizer, BareMinerals 5-in-1 BB Eye Cream, Tints and Sass Elizabeth Mott Lip and Cheek Stain, Pop Beauty Sunkissed Bronzer, Hang Ten Dark Tanning Oil SPF 8

I apologize for this being so late, but I still wanted to get this up because I was pleasantly surprised with Ipsy this month. The only product I don't like is the dark tanning oil, but I know my best friend will love it. The moisturizer seems nice from the one time I tried it. I like that it's made with natural ingredients and has spf in it. I haven't had a chance to try the Bareminerals BB eye cream or the bronzer, but I am in love with the Elizabeth Mott tint. It smells like cherries and applied lightly just gives a natural wash of color over the lips.

 

Elizabeth Mott lip stain applied lightly onto lips.

 

I'm excited to play with this more and try it as a cheek stain. I find that it can be a bit drying so I usually just apply a balm over my lips after I apply the stain. It's also nice that it's buildable so if you want to make it more dramatic you can. Overall, I'm really happy with this month's bag, definitely the best bang for your buck. If you haven't tried Ipsy yet definitely check it out: http://www.ipsy.com/r/3y3f, and if you do let me know what you're favorite product this month was. I hope you all had an amazing July, xx.





June Favorites // Beauty and Non-Beauty

I know this is incredibly, incredibly late. It should probably be called mid-July favorites instead of June favorites but I wanted to get it up anyway. Here are some of the things that I was (and still am)  loving throughout the month of June.

Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream mixed with Covergirl Outlast Stay Fabulous 3-in-1

This duo has been the only base I've used all summer. I mix about 1/2 pump foundation with the same amount of BB Cream on the back of my hand, dot onto my skin with my finger, and blend with a foundation brush. Here's why this combo is amazing: 1. both products have spf which is a must for summer 2. they have just the right amount of coverage.  the light coverage BB cream comes together with the full coverage foundation to create a medium coverage that refines skin but doesn't feel like it will slide off your face 3. This color match it absolutely perfect for me right now; if you're foundation is too dark adding a bit of BB cream can lighten it and make it a better match.

Real Techniques Expert Face Brush

This is my all-time favorite foundation brush. To the point where I've bought multiples just in case they ever stop making it. It's synthetic so the bristles won't soak up too much product, and extremely dense so it blends like a dream. The size is also absolutely perfect to get a nice blended look. I've tried the beauty blender and although it's amazing I still like this better. And for the drugstore price, there's no excuse not to try it out.

Be a Bombshell quad in Bora Bora

Remember this from my first ipsy unboxing? It sat in my makeup drawer for awhile without being used because I was loving all my other palettes, and I wasn't sure how to use all of the colors. I finally pulled it out this month to try a fun accent eyeliner with the blue color and I haven't stopped playing with all of the colors since. This palette is amazing, there's so much you can do with it. The colors are pigmented, creamy, and extremely blend-able. I especially love the copper and gold, they would work beautifully on any skin tone or eye color.

Suave Moroccan Infusion Argan Oil

I had never tried a hair oil before so when I found this on super sale I decided to give it a try and see if it would make a difference. This is now a holy grail product. I use one pump on the ends of my hair after I get out of the shower and my hair has never been healthier. My hair dries faster, has less split ends, and looks much shinier. And it lasts for forever. That small dent has been made after six months  of use. If you've been wanting to try a hair oil as well give this a shot, it's amazing.

no brand black leather purse

Here's my first non-beauty favorite. I have been using this purse non-stop all month. It's perfect for going out, or days where you don't need to bring a lot of things with you. I found it in a little boutique in Utah, so I'm sorry I can't give you a link to purchase the exact bag. However, here's a similar black cross body bag. My style lately has been a little back to basics and this is one that everyone should own.

There's my favorites of the month. If you liked this make sure to subscribe so you don't miss out on my July ipsy unboxing coming soon, xx.

Empties #2 II Would I repurchase?

It's that time again for another empties post. I've actually accumulated quite a lot since my last empties, especially after going through my makeup and throwing out what is no longer good.

Hair Products

From left to right, top to bottom: Herbal Essences Naked dry shampoo, Neutrogena body clear body scrub, Garnier Fructis pure shampoo, Garnier Fructis pure conditioner, Loreal EverCreme masque, Loreal EverCreme conditioner, Loreal EverCreme shampoo, Fekai Glossing conditioner, Fekkai Glossing shampoo

1. Herbal Essences naked dry shampoo: The product itself was just ok. I picked it up because it was fairly cheap at Target, but partway through the nozzle just stopped working. So there's still about a third left in there that I can't get out. Due to this I definitely won't be repurchasing.

2. Neutrogena body clear body scrub: This body scrub has salicylic acid in it to help get rid of any body acne. I don't have a lot but I get the occasional one on my back. I didn't really see any difference while using this. Overall, I would say there are scrubs that are better so I wouldn't repurchase.

3. Garnier Fructis pure shampoo and conditioner: I was really happy with these products. You get a ton of product for the money, and they work well and smell amazing. I also enjoyed the fact that they were more eco-friendly. I am currently trying out a couple other brands but I would definitely come back to these at some point.

4. Loreal EverCreme shampoo, conditioner, and masque: The shampoo and conditioner samples were pretty good, but the hair masque was by far the best. It made my hair smooth and silky without weighing it down. I have a lot of hair products to get through but I would definitely consider purchasing the full-size.

5. Fekkai glossing shampoo and conditioner: These samples were pretty good, but they made my hair the same as the drugstore brand I normally use so I wouldn't shell out the money that these cost to buy full sizes.

Body and Face Products

From left to right, top to bottom: Freeman avocado and oatmeal clay mask, Dove pomegranate and lemon verbana body spray, Olive Branch Botanicals body lotion, Up & Up exfoliating cotton rounds, Up & Up eye makeup remover, Victorias Secret noir tease perfume, Sake perfume, Angel by Thierry Mugler perfume

1. Freeman avocado and oatmeal clay mask: This mask is really good for being drugstore, it pulls any impurities out of your face and helps tighten the skin. The only problem I had is that there is so much product and I don't use face masks regularly enough so I had to throw it out still about half full. I've also started using a Body Shop mask that I absolutely love so because of that I would not repurchase. 

2. Dove pomegranate and lemon verbana body spray: This was nice while it lasted, but I enjoy the Bath and Body works sprays much more when I can find them on sale so I wouldn't repurchase.

3. Olive Branch Botanicals body lotion: I like taking small hand lotions with me to work in case my hands get dry and this one was really good while it lasted. It smelled nice and was more natural. If I knew where to find this I would probably repurchase.

4. Up & Up exfoliating cotton rounds: You will probably see one of these in every single empties. I love the exfoliating kind for getting off eye makeup. I've already repurchased twice since using these up. 

5. Up & Up eye makeup remover: This is my favorite eye makeup remover because of the price and how well it works. This gets off even the toughest waterproof mascara, and because it's target brand it's very reasonable. I've already repurchased.

6. Victoria's Secret noir tease perfume: This isn't my favorite Victorias Secret scent. It smells too young for me. I like a more natural and fresh scent.

7. Sake perfume: This scent was interesting. It was very different from anything I have ever smelled and hard to describe. It was sweet in a mature way, and it didn't smell florally at all. Although I liked that it was different, it still wasn't for me and I wouldn't repurchase.

8. Angel perfume: I absolutely adore this perfume. It is a hard scent to describe and definitely love or hate. I actually got this from a friend who didn't like it on her. It also changes a lot on the skin so it will smell different on different people. It is much more mature and almost musky smelling, with hints of sweetness and vanilla undertones. If I was in the market for a perfume this would absolutely be the next one I would try. Maybe if I can use up one of my full sizes I will splurge and purchase it.

Makeup Products

From left to right: Elf mineral foundation, Loreal lash out butterfly mascara, Burt's Bees day lotion, Elf eyelid primer, Almay natural lipstick in anemone, Covergirl lipstick in tempt seduction, Peppermint Stick lip gloss

1. Elf mineral foundation: This foundation worked really well for the price. I liked mixing it in with my Covergirl translucent powder to get a little more coverage and use that to set my foundation. I have a couple other powders I'm working on right now but after I get through those I would consider repurchasing. 

2. Loreal lash out butterfly mascara: I absolutely loved this mascara, it's definitely a new favorite. I'm trying out a couple mascaras right now but after those I will definitely come back to this. 

3. Burt's Bees day cream: This cream worked really well. It was extremely hydrating and heavier than I would want a day cream to be so I used it as a night cream. I like using moisturizers that are more gel-like in consistency and sink into the skin very fast so I wouldn't repurchase this particular one. But I would recommend this to anyone who has very dry skin.

4. Elf eyelid primer: So far this is the only primer I've used so I don't have much to compare it to, but it worked really well for me and nothing can beat the price of elf products. I want to try a higher end primer to compare and see what the difference really is between them, but if there isn't much or if I was running low on cash I would definitely repurchase this one. 

5. Almay natural lipstick in anemone: This is so old I don't think they make it anymore, and the label is completely wiped off. I love the sheer orangey red color it gives but in the last couple months it's smell has changed to very chemically and if anything's smell changes it is time for it to go.

6. Covergirl lipstick in tempt seduction: This lipstick was actually very nice and pigmented. It went on very creamy and felt moisturizing on the lips. The only problem is that it was jut too old, probably around three years and the smell had changed too. It's hard for me to get through lipsticks because I don't wear them everyday so I think I'm going to hold off on buying anymore.

7. Peppermint stick lip gloss: This was a gift from one of my friend's mom's who makes her own cosmetics. This smelled amazing, like mint gum and left the lips very moisturized and with a pretty metallic pink finish. I wish I didn't have to throw this out but I know it's over three years old and for a lip gloss that's dangerous because of the doe foot applicator that gets put all over your mouth and then put back into the product. If i had the chance though I would definitely repurchase.

That's it for this round of empties. I hope this was helpful if you're looking for any new products to try out. It feels great to finally get rid of that overflowing bag if beauty trash in my room. What are some good products that you've recently finished? xx

June Ipsy Unboxing

From left to right: Real Tree perfume sample, Nyx Butter Gloss in Creme Brûlée, Marc Anthony Dream Waves Beach Spray, Be a Bombshell Lash Out Mascara, and Ofra Universal Eyebrow Pencil

Summertime is finally here, and with a new month comes a new Ipsy bag. For those of you unfamiliar with Ipsy it is a monthly beauty product subscription service. So you pay a monthly fee of $10 + tax and they send you a random 4-5 sample assortment and a fun makeup bag. Each month has a theme so this month's was "Pretty in Paradise." The makeup bag is absolutely gorgeous. It was designed by Rebecca Minkoff and I think it's my favorite one yet. All of the products were pretty exciting too.

The Real Tree fragrance has a nice scent to it, it is very florally but has a slight musky edge to it that I love. Plus it is a good sized sample. The Nyx butter gloss I already own but I am more than happy to have a backup. The butter glosses have an amazing scent like a vanilla cupcake, and the texture is perfect, thick and pigmented without being sticky. Creme Brûlée is actually my favorite shade because I find that it's the perfect nude on me. I haven't tried the Marc Anthony Dream Waves spray yet but I am probably most excited about this. It seems like the perfect summer hair product. And I'm down to try anything that will keep heat off of my hair. 

I haven't opened the Be a Bombshell Mascara yet because I don't want it to dry out while I'm finishing up my Benefit They're Real (yes I'm one of those people who only likes to have one mascara open at a time) but I'm assuming it's new because I couldn't finad any reviews of it online. So I will do a first impression once I try it. The Ofra Universal eyebrow pencil looks interesting too. I'm not a huge brow person because mine are pretty naturally thick, but I do fill in a little bit. I'm happy my brows are darker because this pencil seems very dark, so I'm not too sure how it can be universal. But I'll give it a go and get back to you.

Overall, I'm very happy with Ipsy this month. I think that it's a great amount of products for only $10. If you haven't tried a subscription box but you're just getting into beauty products or you enjoy trying a wide array of products I would highly recommend it. You would't be able to get this many products for that price, and it's fun to see what things you'll get to try each month. Here's a link if you want to give it a try: http://www.ipsy.com/r/3y3f

I hope everyone's having a great start to their summer! xx

My newest scent obsession // Pacifica

I recently tried on the Pacifica island vanilla perfume while walking past it in my local whole foods, and didn't think much about it. But then I kept getting compliments on it: from the girl at the check-out, to the girl who took my order at Pluto's, to my bf who met up with me that night. And that's when I decided I needed it. If you love warm vanilla scents you need this in your life. It has a nice warm, oil-like consistency that has amazing staying power. On the back it says "tahitian vanilla, loved for its fruity and slightly floral aroma is anchored with rich Bourbon vanilla notes." And you really can smell the hints of the two different vanilla scents. I managed to pick this up at Ulta while they were having a sale on the roller-balls for $10 instead of $12. 

I fell in love with the Tahitian Gardenia scent as well but sadly they were out, otherwise I would have grabbed that one too. I think roller-balls are a great choice because you can easily throw them in your purse for on the go or traveling. And Pacifica's prices are extremely reasonable especially when you consider how long the scent stays on your skin. Plus they are 100% vegan and cruelty-free, so completely guilt free. I looked up the scents on their website because I'm contemplating ordering the Tahitian Vanilla and they have so many that I've never heard of before. Let me know if you know somewhere that stocks all of the Pacifica scents because I am officially a huge fan. You can check out their website now too for 40% off of the tahitian gardenia *Pacifica Perfume*. Let me know if you have a favorite scent by them or what your scent obsession is for April, xx.

Empties #1

One of my favorite type of blog posts to read is empties because I feel like it gives the most honest review of something. We've all had those times where we think we love a product at first and then end up getting over it or even hating it and vice versa. But actually finishing a product says enough in itself, and I trust someone more after they've finished something than their first impression of it. That being said here are my first empties, aka let's take a look at my beauty trash. I've been collecting these for awhile, probably since January so I've got a good amount to share. 

Body

Back row left to right: suave sweet pea and violet body wash, rite aid renewal aloe enriched body lotion; front row: shikai gardenia lotion, nirvae botanicals lotion, than aromatic wood lotion

Suave sweet pea and violet body wash

This was alright, nothing too special. I had just paid rent one month and I wanted the cheapest body wash I could get. I think this was around $2 at Rite aid and it worked well for war it was. 

Pros: it smells literally exactly like the bath and body works sweet pea scent

Cons: It has a very gel-like, hand soap type consistency that doesn't foam up very well

Would I repurchase? Only if I was running low on $ and needed something decent 

Rite Aid renewal aloe enriched body lotion 

This. Is. The. Best. Stuff. Ever. Seriously, drop whatever expensive lotion you're using right now and try this. It is so cheap and it works so well, plus the scent is absolutely amazing.

Pros: everything about this, I'm a huge fan of aloe scents and light lotion that sinks nicely into the skin. If that's your forte too, then you need this in your life. Plus nothing beats the price *tip: try out the rite aid/ CVS/ Target brands if you're on a budget. To check if they'll work as well as the brand they're mimicking check the ingredients, if they're the same the only thing you're getting out of the more expensive one is pretty packaging

Cons: Honestly nothing. If you only use really rich body butter type lotions you probably won't love this, but I prefer lighter lotions especially for Spring/Summer

Would I repurchase? Already have. The bf loves this as much as I do so we've repurchased several times

Shikai Gardenia hand and body lotion

This is another lotion that I loved. I use up a bunch of travel size hand lotions because my hands get so dry at work so I always have a bottle on me to use there. 

Pros: This is extremely creamy and I love gardenia scents, basically any white flower/ light floral scent. Plus it's all natural so this is perfect for anyone who only uses natural products, or is trying to switch over to more natural.

Cons: I didn't find any with this product

Would I repurchase? If the full size was not out of my price range it would be mine right now

Nirvae Botanicals orange and sandalwood body lotion

Yuck. I was happy this was trial sized, and the only reason I stuck with it was because I hate wasting products.

Pros: not many, it worked decently to moisturize the skin

Cons: THE SMELL. It overpowered any pros I could possibly think of.

Would I repurchase? Definitely not

Thann aromatic wood body lotion

This was a really nice lotion but the smell was pretty overpowering for me. To the point of don't bother wearing a perfume, none is gonna smell that over this.

Pros: Really good quality creamy consistency, sunk into the skin nicely

Cons: As I said the smell is just too strong with this, thankfully I liked the aromatic wood smell but I would get sick of it everyday

Would I repurchase? No probably not

Make-up

left to right: pixie flawless beauty primer, naked berry lip balm, cover girl concealer, elf lengthen and define mascara, maybelline the rocket mascara

Pixi flawless beauty primer
Pros: very aluminizing, would be great for dry skin
Cons: too aluminizing to wear all over the face. I had to keep it only on the cheekbone area
Would I repurchase? I actually got a deluxe sample size of this in my March ipsy bag and while I like it I don't think I would actually pay for the full size. It's kind of unnecessary I think

Naked Berry Lip balm
Pros: none
Cons: too greasy, slid off the lips a little and not very moisturizing
Would I repurchase? no

Covergirl Concealer
This product is so old the type of concealer and color had completely rubbed off. I think that it's the clean concealer because that's the one I repurchased and it has similar packaging and results but honestly I'm not sure
Pros: works well for highlighting, lasts all day
Cons: creases a little, I fix this by using my baby skin primer beforehand
Would I repurchase? I already have if it really is the clean concealer

Elf lengthening and defining mascara
Pros: Tis actually surprisingly did give me a lot of volume and length, I was extremely impressed
Cons: Because this wasn't waterproof I had so many problems with tis rubbing off onto my under eye area during the day. I think this could be fixed with the Anastasia waterproof mascara coat thing, but honestly there are much better drugstore mascaras out there
Would I repurchase? No, not worth the hassle

Maybelline the rocket mascara in black
This stuff is so amazing, definitely in the running for holy grail mascara.
Pros: Volumizes, adds length, lasts all day, and doesn't wipe off onto the under eye area at all. This mascara is nothing but amazing.
Cons: None
Would I repurchase? Definitely!

Revlon colorstay mineral Foundation

I cheated with this product and mixed it into my cover girl translucent powder because this was too light and I wanted my translucent powder to have a little bit more color, but that actually worked really well

Pros: lasting power is really good

Cons: this should be labelled a much lighter color than it is, mineral gives it a little bit of a shine

Would I repurchase? Not after finding my rimmel stay matte

Cleansers

left to right: loreal eye makeup remover, garner fructose volume extend dry shampoo, aveeno clear complexion cream cleanser

Loreal eye makeup remover

Pros: None

Cons: this stuff is awful for so many reasons: 1. you need a ton of it to get anything off 2. you have to scrub at your eyes even for non-waterproof mascara 3. it burns the eyes and just generally does not work

Would I repurchase? No but I'm so sad because there was a 2 for 1 deal on this that I got before trying it out so I've still got anther one of these to go unfortunately

Garnier Fructis volume extend dry shampoo

Ho-ly Grail status. No pro con list needed for this because it is all pros. This stuff works so amazingly well. Ive been able to do third, even fourth day hair effortlessly and i haven't been able to do that with any other dry shampoo. Sometimes it even makes second day hair look better than first day. I use it even for adding volume when styling because the volume lift it gives is amazing. And it's so light it doesn't weigh down my hair at all, which is a big problem I have with a lot of other dry shampoos. They might work, but my hair feels so weighed down and full of product that I wanna wash it anyway. Not at all the case with this. The only con is that this does leave a white mark for those ladies with darker hair, but I just massage it in well and brush through it to get rid of that.

Aveeno clear complexion cream cleanser

Pros: once light scent, has micro beads for exfoliating

Cons: did not foam up at all, I like to feel like my cleansers are actually working

Would I repurchase? No, I need something that foams up more, and I think the creaminess of this actually contributed a little to my acne 

Alright that's all for now. I hope this was helpful to anyone looking for some new products to try out. Keep an eye out for my April ipsy unboxing which should be out in a few days! xx

First Ipsy Unboxing! II March 2014

My first Ipsy bag is finally here! (to anyone still on the wait list: I'm sorry, that was me for like 5 months) I wanted to wait until finals were over to open it and give you guys my first review of all the products I received, but I just couldn't wait, forgive me GPA. If you haven't heard of Ipsy before definitely check it out: http://www.ipsy.com/home. It's a monthly subscription service for beauty lovers and I personally think it gives you the most/ best quality products for the amount of money.

From left to right: Nicole by OPI nail polish roughles in the shade "on what grounds," pixi flawless beauty primer,  bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie lipstick in the shade "get ready," and be a bombshell eyeshadow quad in "bora bora"

Overall, I'm really impressed by the size of these "samples." The eyeshadow quad and nail polish are definitely full size and the primer and lipstick are both very generous deluxe sample sizes. But from what I've seen watching unboxings on youTube that seems to be the norm for this company.

I first swatched the nail polish and it's a little strange. It has a sand paper texture to it that I don't know if I'm a fan of yet. The color is so gorgeous for spring though so I'm gonna play around with it and see what I can do. The primer I've used before and it gives a nice dewy finish so I know I'm happy with that.

The lipstick I was super impressed with. First of all the smell is so amazing, it's a warm vanilla sugar type smell that you wish you could eat. And the formula is very creamy and nicely pigmented. I might have to go buy a full size of this one.

Lastly, the eyeshadow swatches so nicely. The colors all look like they'll be gorgeous for spring and summer and I can't wait to try out different looks. I usually don't wear colors too, so it'll be fun finding ways to incorporate that gorgeous blue into some looks. I was thinking it'd be fun to upload a tutorial after I play around with the products a little and figure out the best way to use all of them, so keep a look out for that soon. Now back to studying. Wish me luck, xx.

Maybelline Baby Skin || Review

So I usually don't use a primer, just because I feel like it's an extra step that I usually don't have time for in the morning. But I've seen so many glowing reviews on Benefit's the Porefessional, and after hearing that Maybelline created a dupe (not to mention in their baby skin/lips line that I already love) I had to try it. 

I looked high and low but it seemed to be sold out EVERYWHERE. Finally I found it at a random walmart and swooped it up immediately. And I have to say... I'm disappointed. I had high expectations for this product and after using it for a solid couple of weeks it just kind-of falls flat for me. I don't see a huge difference in pore size or longevity in my foundation or concealer while using this, and its clear so it doesn't really add anything. I don't think its a horrible product, I just feel like overall it doesn't really do anything that special. And if I'm gonna take the time to put something on in the morning its gotta be worth it. Im curious what other people think of this product though. Have you tried Baby skin yet and what are your thoughts on it? 

Hope you all have a great weekend. xx