First use of the Beekman 1802 Buttermilk Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm

I am a huge fan of cleansing balms. I like to use them in conjunction with my Makeup eraser actually. I generally fins that if I apply a cleansing balm over my makeup covered face and then rinse it off with a wet Makeup Eraser, I have to use less product and I have to do less scrubbing of my skin to get all of the makeup off.

I just emptied the Wishful Cleansing Balm container that I was using and it was time for a new one. During the holiday sales I picked this one up because it was on sale and I wanted to try a Beekman 1802 Cleansing Balm. I tried a bunch of their products because I was trying out their subscription box (and so a box of them arrived on my doorstep each quarter). Incidentally if you are interested in trying out the brand that is a really good way to go. I found I liked about 80% of their products. There were a few that came my way that weren’t really for me, but for the most part I enjoyed them so I decided to try out this Buttermilk Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm.

First, we have to talk about packaging. The container is frosted plastic. I would have preferred glass but I understand with costs and everything else, why they went with plastic. I personally like the frosted look of the container and find it aesthetically pleasing. As it is also sturdy enough to be reused once empty, I don’t mind the plastic so much. I will recycle this in house. I tend to pick up The Mane Club’s Hair masks which come in foil packets but have enough product for two to three uses and so emptied skincare containers are often what i use to hold the extra product so I don’t have to mess with open foil packets. Plus the best recycling is reusing something in your own home.

This Makeup Melting balm comes with a stick for scooping out the balm from the jar. It fits into slots at the top and is actually tight enough in there that I can lift the jar by the spatula as though it was a handle. However if I grip the jar with one hand and pull it does come out fairly easily. I think it will be interesting to see how that system progresses as I continue to use this makeup removing balm. At the moment it works well and it makes the spatula easy to keep track of.

For me the spatula is necessary to get the product out. I suppose I could use the back of my nail to get it out, but it is a solid enough balm that you need something to get it out. The balm is a little crumbly when it comes out. There are some makeup removing balms you can just apply directly to your skin. This is one where you need to rub your hands together to warm up the balm and start the process of melting it down into oil.

Once I did that I rubbed it all over my face. You can see the makeup starting to melt with the balm right away. I deliberately tried it with a dark lipstick. This is a liquid lipstick that dries down well and had been on my lips for several hours (I reapplied it after lunch because I wanted a full color on the lips for the trial). The wet Makeup eraser was then applied and the makeup came off rather well. At first my skin felt slightly greasy, but that feeling didn’t last. I patted the skin dry and what remained of the makeup removing balm made my skin feel soft and hydrated.

I took off my makeup well before beginning my skincare routine for the night, wanting to see how my skin reacted before moving in with my cleanser and other skincare. There was no greasy residue, and my makeup was removed well. For me it was also important that using this makeup remover from Beekman 1802 did not cloud my contacts. Many cleansing balms and oils will cloud up my contacts, which is why I usually keep a second eye makeup remover handy (Klorane Cornflower Waterproof eye makeup Remover). This makeup balm did not cloud my contacts. i will still use a secondary eye makeup remover to take off the last of my mascara and eye makeup, but when rinsing this off my face it didn’t cause any problems, which I appreciated.

Over all this first test of the Beekman 1802 Buttermilk makeup melting Cleansing Balm was a good one. I can’t wait to see how it performs over time.

Using the Beekman 1802 Milk Wash

This Beekman 1802 Milk Wash Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser came to me in the Beekman 1802 Subscription box (Winter 2022). I was delighted as I wanted to try out this cleanser. You know I love a good exfoliation and to be honest there is something just delicious about a good cleanser. I may be a complete weirdo but I love the feeling pof a freshly cleansed face. It is that moment after patting your skin dry. Before you apply any sort of serums of moisturizers and before so much as a speck of dust can settle on the skin that just feels absolutely amazing to me.

Provided of course that it is a good cleanser.

According to the Beekman 1802 website…

Our AHA- and BHA-powered Milk Wash instantly transforms from a light jelly formula into a deep-cleansing milk to dissolve makeup, deeply purify, and exfoliate without abrasive scrubs. This multi-action cleanser helps draw out oil-based debris and is Kind to your skin, leaving it feeling silky, soft, and moisturized, rather than dry and tight.

Benefits: Removes makeup including water-resistant formulas, Deep cleanses and exfoliates for clearer, brighter skin, Helps control oily skin, clears pores, and resurfaces
Beekman 1802

I have been using this Milk Wash for a while now, primarily as a night time cleanser. I have a different cleanser for the morning that I am finishing up, but the two of them worked well together. I did try it for a few days as my only cleanser and it was gentle enough to use twice a day. And perhaps when i finish the current morning cleanser i will use this twice a day. I don’t think my skin will take any harm from extended twice a day use. (my current morning cleanser is a clarifying one so it brings clogged pores to the surface so I use it in the morning and then this in the evening to clear away the risen clogs).

Let’s start with the packaging. It is a slender rounded tube of product. While the tube is slick, the lettering is raised and that actually provides a slight bit of grip. I think that if I used it with wet hands then I would want a couple of ridges to grip it,. but I rarely used it with wet hands (more on that in a moment.). I am not terribly fond of the dispenser pump. Its size means that you have to pick up the bottle to dispense rather than leaving it sitting on the sink and pumping into your hand. It does pump well, but you have to pick it up and tilt it to use. I am half way down on the product level but I suspect it will become interesting as the product drops lower.

The cleanser is clear and because of the pump shoots out in jelly like strings. I feel like I have to pump a lot to get the amount of product i need. That isn’t a deal breaker it is just something of note. There is no scent to the product, at least not any I can sniff out. As most of the Beekman 1802 products don’t have much of a scent unless clearly marked as scented I sort of expected it.

To apply you put this cleanser on dry skin and rub it all over your face. then you wet your face. It foams (slightly) and then you massage it some more before rinsing off. With the product on I look wet and shiny. It is after all a clear product. I tried to get a picture of the slight foam as well. Cameras and wet hands are always fun.

Photo op aside, I do like this method of applying a cleanser. My hands are dry when I pump and apply the product so there is no slippage, I can see where I am applying everything and make sure all of my skin gets that good exfoliation. I while I do like foam in my cleansers, I am fine with the low foam especially a my skin feels nice and soft and refreshed once i rinse it off.

where this cleanser falls down is with makeup. If you are wearing a full face of makeup, this will take off the setting spray and powder well and some of your bronzer and blusher. Some of the foundation may come off as well. When you go to use your toner post cleanse it will look like you still had a full face of foundation on after you cleanse. If you wash with this same jelly cleanse a second time, it will take off the foundation and your toner pad will give you a thumbs up.

Or whatever passes for a thumbs up from a makeup free toner pad.

While two uses will get your makeup off whether it is waterproof makeup or not, I consider this a waste of a good cleanser. Use a make up remover to take off your makeup. Then the cleanser will get every last flake of anything your makeup remover left behind AND your actual skin will get the benefits of the exfoliating aspect of this exfoliating Jelly Cleanser. Using a cleanser like this to take off your makeup is just a waste of product. Yeah, it will get the job done if you don’t have a makeup remover, but you will use at least twice as much product and all of the goodness in the cleanser will be aimed at removing the makeup rather than helping out your skin.

When I did try to skip the makeup remover step, my skin was clean, but it wasn’t as soft and it didn’t feel as deeply cleansed as it did when I just took off my makeup first. To get the full benefit of this product, remove your makeup first and then let your skin dry from the makeup removal. Then you will get the full benefit of the cleanser.

Personally I really enjoyed this cleanser. My thoughts about the pump are minor since the pump does work adequately. At this time of year I find myself eating more sweets and fatty foods and my skin shows the change in diet before my waste line can even react. Also because of various events I find myself wearing makeup for longer periods than I do the rest of the year. Having a daily cleanser that is a gentle exfoliator really helps keep down the seasonal blemishes and makes my skin feel good without over drying or over exfoliating. I am very impressed with this cleanser and will happily finish the bottle and put it on my reorder list. For those looking to order this (or any other Beekman 1802 product) when I pulled up the links for this post I saw their current cyber week sale is up to 30% off on products (I think it depends on how much you purchase, the more you buy the more you save sort of deal. I’m not an affiliate so this is just what I saw on the site). They also have 24 hour deals where they rotate through different sales for different items. As there are several products I like from them I might keep an eye out and see if any of my faves are up in that window. If nothing else I will definitely be stocking up on their sunscreen and this Milk Wash exfoliating Jelly Cleanser.

A little Milk Glaze for Face Mask Friday

That’s right my darlings, the Face mask Friday returns! However todays dinner prep is delayed. For November I have been putting up dinner recipes to get me through the holidays in between the feasting. This week’s is delayed because I am going out tonight. For those who don’t know, today is Veteran’s day. As a huge swath of my family (both living and deceased) are veterans, it is a big celebration. So my babydoll and I are going out to help out at what will no doubt be a very chilly Barbeque at the VFW Hall. Neither of us are involved in working the actual smokers as those have been running for several hours already. I am just involved with the passing out of plates. Its one of those things where the food is donated but then there is an auction that raises money for the local veterans association. Which is, in my opinion a very good thing.

It is also why I am not cooking today and why my face mask is just a little bit early.

And why I am moving around the house with it instead of sitting back and relaxing with a nice scented candle while I enjoy the pore purging benefits of the Milk Glaze Deep pore purging Lactic Acid Clay Mask. or at least what I hope will be the benefits. So alas no candles and fifteen minutes of mid day relaxation. So as I make sure my face is clean and ready for the mask, let’s see what this mask is supposed to do. (I received this in the Winter Subscription that arrived earlier this week and this is my first use of it, or any facemask from Beekman 1802. As always though I did open the tube and test it on my arm yesterday to make sure there were no reactions.)

Get your glow on with Beekman 1802’s Milk Glaze Lactic Acid Pore Purging Clay Mask! This multitasking milk clay mask is enriched with 10% lactic acid and creamy goat milk to unclog pores while gently exfoliating, polishing away oil and impurities to reveal a clearer, more radiant complexion.

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Kaolin, Lactic Acid, Cetearyl Alcohol, Bentonite, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glycerin, Sodium Hydroxide, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Argania Spinosa Kernel Oil, Persea Gratissima (Avocado) Oil, Sea Silt Extract, Squalane, Caprae Lac (Goat Milk), Lactose, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Milk Protein, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Vaccinium Myrtillus (Bilberry) Fruit Extract, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Melia Azadirachta Flower Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Saccharum Officinarum (Sugarcane) Extract, Citrus Limon (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Fruit Extract, Acer Saccharum (Sugar Maple) Extract, Melia Azadirachta Bark Extract, Corallina Officinalis (Red Algae) Extract, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, Glyceryl Citrate/Lactate/Linoleate/Oleate, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Kalanchoe Pinnata Leaf Extract, Jacaranda Mimosifolia Flower Extract, Bixa Orellana Leaf Extract, Deoxyribonuclease, Glyceryl Caprylate, Polyglyceryl-3 Caprate, Polyglyceryl-4 Cocoate, Glucose Oxidase, Trisodium Ethylenediamine Disuccinate, Sodium Carbonate, Citric Acid, Ocimum Sanctum Leaf Extract, Ocimum Basilicum (Basil) Flower/Leaf Extract, Glycolic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Tartaric Acid, Malic Acid, Sorbitan Oleate Decylglucoside Crosspolymer, Sodium Chloride,Titanium Dioxide CI 77891 … and Kindness.
Beekman 1802

Okay on paper this looks like it is right up my alley. Pore purging and exfoliation? Yes and yes please. Actually it is kind of funny. Since I have been using the Glam Glow Clearing Cleanser things have been rising to the surface. this week I skipped the exfoliator so I have some tiny blackheads in the small pores under my eyes and a few deeper clogged pores that have almost but not quite risen to the surface. So taking the time to hopefully clear them out isn’t a bad thing. In fact my skin is more or less primed for this kind of mask.

I also don’t see any problems (or potential problems) with the ingredients list. There isn’t anything that would cause my skin concern. As the brand specializes in products for sensitive skin, that isn’t surprising but every now and then an ingredients list will have a hidden land mine so I like to check the fill list. I did also do the arm test just to be sure. Use the inner arm if you are doing this as it is more sensitive than the outer one.

And so to the face it goes.

The scent of this mask actually reminds me of the Korres Greek Yogurt Probiotic Mask. I like that mask as a moisturizing one, but as you all know at this point, I love my clay masks. Because of the scent though i was surprised as I applied it, and that really is because i have used the Korres one for years and so it was reminiscent. They aren’t alike at all in application.

This is a clay mask. Clay is actually the second ingredient on the list. The masks smoothed over the skin well. It is an easy clay mask to work with. I was able to get a thin layer of mask on my face with no issues. Sometimes clay masks cha stick a little and not spread as easily as I’d like, thus requiring more product. This applied well and I wa actually surprised by how little it took to cover my face. Small amount of product for each application, means more applications per tube. this application created only a thumbs size dent in the tube which gives me great hope that I will get to use it for a while. The mask is $38 so it isn’t outrageously expensive, but it is nice to know I will be able to use it quite a few times.

Well quite a few times if i like it.

After applying I left the mask to sit for 15 minutes. I set the timer and then ran around the house mostly doing laundry. Usually Thursday’s are laundry days but everything got out of whack this week so there is the grand rush to make sure no one runs out of anything important.

When the timer dinged I returned to the bathroom. I was very surprised that while the mask did look and feel a little drier than before it didn’t really dry down to the hard crackle sort of stage. and it didn’t look any different from my application fifteen minutes earlier. It remained movable. Which also meant i was able to move my face throughout which was nice as well. It made removal very easy. I ran the water until it was warm and massaged it off with a damp washcloth.

there was no sticking and nothing that needed hard rubbing.

As with all masks I dried my face and went away for a few minutes to let my skin settle before returning for a final photo. I was very impressed. I don’t know if you can zoom in close enough to the photos without them fuzzing out on you. I kind of looked in the magnification mirror to check things, especially the small sections of tiny black heads that were around my under eyes. They had been taken out. and one of the deep clogged pores by the side of my nose that was only a slight bump under the skin has also been removed. It has been lifting for days like a slow rising leviathan and this was the final push to get it out of my skin.

I don’t tend to have a lot of massive and visible break outs. I do have the small black heads in certain areas that are easy to cover up as well as the barely visible but painful clogged pores that often drive me a little mad. Mostly because they are sore spots that you can’t really do much about until they do something. I have been working to deal with them so this might feel more dramatic because everything was primed to go and this was just the final knock out punch. But in the end this was a knock out punch. The work I did earlier in the week lined up the pins and this mask took them down.

I enjoyed the process of using it. It wa easy to apply and easy to remove. I didn’t need loads of product so the tube will last me a while. It wasn’t over the top expensive and I think my skin looks great. Maybe it was the goat, or maybe it was that extra dollop of kindness they mixed in at the end, but for me this Beekman 1892 Milk Glaze Deep Pore Purging lactic acid clay mask was a winner.

Unboxing the Beekman 1802 Quarterly Beauty Box Winter 2022

This Beekman 1802 Subscription box has to be one of the most beautiful subscription boxes I have ever unboxed. It actually feels more like a gift set than a subscription box. It is $65 per quarter. It is a brand box so all of the products are from the brand Beekman 1802. I signed up for this box because I wanted to try a range of their products. I heard really good things about them and thought that this would be a good way to try them out.

This is the second box I have had from them My First box was in August so I think it was the Autumn box and this is the Winter Box. The next box is in February. While I loved the first box and enjoyed using all of the items in it actually, I am not sure how long I will be keeping the box. I really enjoy it but I do get skincare from other subscription boxes as well, So I am not certain about getting this every quarter. I have found some products that I definitely want to reorder so I may just order those and occasionally try something new from the brand while I work on reducing my skin care supply.

Of course I say this and then might just end up keeping the subscription. We shall see.

Before any decisions can be made, let’s take a look at the box. I have to just show that as it is so neatly packed. This month there were five items in the box. Last month there were six items and an additional sized sample of their Bloom Cream Moisturizer.

I couldn’t find anywhere on their site where they said how many products were supposed to be in the box each month. I don’t think they have a set number actually. I also don;t think they have a set theme although last month did feature a lot of body/bath products where this one seems to be more facial skincare oriented.

The first item in the box is a bar of the Beekman 1802 soap. This one is the Ceramide soap. It is a big hunk-a-chunka soap. It is a goat milk soap and like the one they sent last quarter it has no scent to it. I actually don’t mind that they sent a second soap as the one that has been in the shower since this subscription arrived in August is now a sliver. It will not last the week. And this one will just go right in to replace it. I like the soaps and am happy to have another one. I like that they send unscented soaps but i have to admit most of their scented soaps call my name. I can see why they send unscented ones though, It makes sense for a subscription box with no variations (everyone gets the same box). I don’t know if they include a bar of soap every quarter but i can tell you that the soap will last from one box to the next. And my babydoll has sensitive skin so he will be happy to see the new bar arrive.

The second Item is the other body item and it is their Ceramide Goat Milk Body Cream. I don’t get too excited about body creams in subscription boxes. I use them, but i don’t find them all that exciting. I have several i am working my way through at the moment. However i like that this is the Ceramide body cream to pair with the soap. i also have never tried any of their body lotion. It is sealed and no scent can get past the seal, but I suspect it is unscented as well. While not terribly exciting, I am looking forward to trying out their formula. Mostly because they have several scents that i would like to try out. So I want to see if i like goat’s milk lotion before purchasing them. I also want to see if it works with my babydoll’s skin. The winter is the only time I can actually get him to use lotion of any kind, so I like to have products that he can use without issue on hand.

And testing out the products form the brand is also the point of me getting this box.

And now we move into products I find more exciting. Facial skincare. I know I love skincare. I just do. And I love trying out new products. I am currently really likening the Collagen Boost Serum (it is in my weekly line up this week if you want more details) so I have high hopes for more facial products. There is a Booster in this month’s box as well. It is the new Blotting Booster. It was released in either September or October I believe. Or at least that is when I saw the e-mail announcement. In truth September and October sort of blurred together for me this year. However I do remember seeing this was a new release and thinking I wanted to try it. I love that they have new release items in the subscription box and it isn’t about getting rid of older product. I am also really glad I get the chance to try this serum since it was on my list of products to try.

Also it is just a really nice looking bottle. I know that shouldn’t matter but all of their boosters just look so aesthetically appealing.

The next item up is another one I wanted to try. It is the Milk Wash. It is an Exfoliating Jelly Cleanser. I am really curious about the consistency of this product. And you know I love a good exfoliation. If it is mixed in with a cleanser I am hoping that it is gentle enough to use daily. I found this packaging interesting. For some reason inside the box, the Milk Wash bottle came in a canvas bag.

The only thing I can think is that the bag was there to protect the pump in transit without adding a lot of extra packaging. At least that is my theory anyway. I thought it a little strange since nothing else was packaged that way but I have no complaints, I think it is actually quite nice.

And then we have the final product. And I have to say my darlings this is the one I am very excited about. Can you guess what it is? Oh yes, it is a face mask. It is the Milk Glaze Deep pore purging Lactic Acid Clay mask to be precise. And you know how much I love masks. Especially clay masks. And so I will be testing it out. Hopefully this Friday if nothing happens.

For the past few weeks anytime I have gotten ready for Face Mask Friday something happens to derail it. And then i skip my masks. I don’t like skipping my masks and so hopefully this Friday, Face mask Friday can resume. And I’ll get to try this one. Or I’ll at last get to put it oin before something happens to derail me and then I can spook the neighbors with my clay face.

I know, I shouldn’t enjoy doing that as much as I actually do.

But that my darlings is the Winter Box from Beekman 1802 for 2022. I really like the selection of items and really find the box worth it. If I didn’t have so much skincare I need to work through it would be a no brainer to keep this subscription. And truthfully at the moment I am considering keeping the box because I am enjoying it. It is just one of those subscriptions that is so beautiful to open. It really is like getting a present. And yes I know it is a present that I gave myself, but with the frustrations of many subscriptions this year it is nice to have one that ships on time, delivers on time and is a true joy to unpack. Is it worth the price? Yes, it very much is. And even if I do have to cancel the subscription before next quarter I strongly suspect that I will be returning to the Beekman 1802 Subscription Box..

Using the Beekman 1802 Goat Milk Body Soap with CBD

That’s right my darlings, the testing of the Beekman 1802 products from the quarterly box continues as I try to decide if this quarterly box is worth keeping for a while. Thus far i have actually quite enjoyed the items I have used so I am leaning towards a positive feel for the brand in general.

Prior to using the products in this box, I tried out a small hand soap bar from them. It was quite a while ago and it might have possibly been a trial sized bar of soap but i remember thinking it was quite nice. So I was pretty eager to try out this Goat milk Body Soap with CBD.

When you go on the website there are a variety of soaps. The body soaps like this one are 9 ounces. The other soaps seem to be a bit smaller and I am guessing they are more hand soaps. While I love a large amount of product, this is a big bar of soap. I’m not mad at it, but I also do not have the biggest hands in the world. For me there is no picking up this bar and using it against my skin. At least not until it becomes a much smaller bar.

This is the sort of block of soap you put on a shelf in the shower out of the reach of the spray and rub a wash cloth over to get product on it and then use the wash cloth. I know that for many people this is how you use body soap any way. For me when I use a bar of soap in the shower I tend to lather up my hands and then put the soap down.

Given the size it isn’t really workable for me with this bar. It is also a really soft soap. A minute in the range of the spray and it was starting to get really soft around the edges. This is a soft enough formula that it needs to be kept out of the spray. I think what will be interesting is if I keep this subscription, comparing it to other versions of the soap that might come in the box. It will be interesting to see if all of their soaps are like this or if it is just the CBD one. Providing of course that there are more soaps sent while I have the subscription.

And to be honest, even if they aren’t I might actually pick up another bar on my own. This CBD Goat Milk Body soap had zero scent to it, but I see several scents in their soap line up that I wouldn’t mind trying and even though this is an over sized bar that goes a bit melty in the spray, it was a really good soap. There was no soap residue left on my skin and my skin feels soft and hydrated.

I only got to use the bar a few times as my baby doll claimed it for his own. Which was interesting. He really likes the scented soaps from Squatch and I am sure I will continue to pick them up. One of the reason he likes them is that they are just sort of plain square bars. This too is a plain square bar of soap. It has the b1802 imprinted on it, but that was hard to see before the bar was used and gone after a few uses. My baby doll doesn’t like what he considers ‘fru fru bath stuff’.

Well let me correct that. He likes the effects of the items, he just doesn’t want it to look fancy. So he can pretend it is a basic item. He really liked using the bar. His hands are larger so he had no trouble with the size and in fact I think that is what made him think it was a ‘manly sized’ bar and there for best for him. He did think it was a bit on the soft side so he put it on the shelf out of the spray. Once dry it is no longer so soft and it works well. I asked him if he wanted to know what was in it and he said ‘no, but we can get this again.’

Which more or less means that he likes it, wants me to reorder it, but wants to think of it like a larger version of unscented Ivory soap. He also wants to think that it costs less than a dollar, which is what the hardware store around the corner from us sells hand sized bars of Ivory soap for. He doesn’t want the details because then he fears he’ll be in ‘fru fru’ territory again and have to give up a product he likes because anything but basic Ivory soap is too much.

Which is, to be honest, very high praise from him.

So I liked it enough to try out another bar to see if the firmness when wet remains a consistent factor. I liked the way it made my skin feel although it was a little large for my hand and my baby doll really liked it. I’d say, that was a pretty positive response for the Beekman 1802 Goat Milk Body Soap with CBD.

Letting the Sunshine in with the Beekman 1802 Sunshine Scrub

As I mentioned in a couple of recent reviews, I signed up for the Beekman 1802 quarterly box and to decide if I want to keep receiving it I am going through the products and determining how much I like each and how much I want to see come into my house from the brand. Thus far I really like that it is a mix of skin (facial) care items and body care ones.

This is the Sunshine Scrub. It is described as…

Beet the bumps with the first-ever clinically tested body scrub to help temporarily diminish the appearance of bumps and chicken skin associated with Keratosis Pilaris*. Dermatologist tested and approved. This Clinically Kind® formula blends creamy goat milk prebiotic with 7.5% plant-based exfoliating polyhydroxy acids and golden beet root extract to gently exfoliate skin and smooth bumpiness without disrupting your skin’s microbiome.

Now I love a good exfoliator whether it is for the face or body. In fact I think I might like the body ones more. I know it may be strange but there is something deeply satisfying about a good full body exfoliation. It’s like you are covered in new skin.

This was a very gentle body scrub and to be honest, instead of doing a once a week scrub with an exfoliator, I found myself simply reaching for this with every shower and I had no ill effects from it. It is worked really well as a body scrub. There is no real scent to it. I know it says the color is from golden beets. I read it well before I got into the shower, but still some how I expected a lemon scent. I don’t know if it is the yellow product or the name Sunshine Blend, but I saw both and my brain immediately said lemon scented even though i also saw golden beets.

I know, sometimes my brain is a bit bent.

There isn’t really a scent and when it dispenses, it kind of looks like mustard. The big issue is that if you put it on a cloth or a sponge or something of that nature, you will need to massage it into the cloth before using. The product won’t soak into the cloth of it’s own accord. which is fine but it does mean that if you dispense the product and accidentally tilt the cloth while setting the bottle down, the product can fall off in one lump. A bit like a snake made from playdoh.

It’s easy to pick up unless it falls into the spray. If it does, let it go. the water softens it and it becomes a scrub rather than a playdoh snake looking creature. It is just a drier formula in the bottle than I am used to for body scrubs. I am also used to body scrubs that come in jars and where you have to scoop the product out. They also have skin softening agents so I think that keeps the formula wetter.

I was worried that the tube would clog, but it didn’t. I am about half way through the bottle now and there is no issue with the dispenser clogging which was a bit of a concern with a body scrub.

I like this scrub. It is nice and gentle and it works well. It is gentle enough for everyday use actually and I can’t think of any other body scrub I have tried recently that I can say that about. Most I use once or twice a week instead of daily. My only complaint is the lack of scent. I understand why it isn’t there, but i did find myself wishing there was a little bit more scent to the product. Is it my favorite body scrub? no. I miss the scent. Would I use this again? Definitely. I would also purchase it for a couple of family members who have problems with scent and who are looking to stock up on products that do not include scent in them. For me personally, I find the Sunshine Scrub a great product, I just kind of miss the scent.

Using the Beekman 1802 Pure Goat Milk Body Serum

I recently signed up for the Beekman 1802 Quarterly subscription box. ($65 per quarter and this link will take you to the review of my first box if you are interested). while I knew of the brand before getting the subscription box, I had not tried any of their products (barring a bar of soap that is). I though the subscription would be a great way to try out a variety of their items and see if they were for me, or which ones might be for me.

However it also means that as the box is a brand box, I will be getting another box of Beekman 1802 products sent to me. So I want to try out as many products in the box as I can to determine if this box is for me. After all if I am going to keep getting their products sent to me, I need to figure out if I like their products, right?

So you’ll be seeing a lot of the items in the next few weeks as I do so. This product is the Pure Goat Milk Body Serum. According to the description on the website…

This phyto-squalane body serum is packed with milk-based probiotic extracts, antioxidants, and plant-based actives. It’s a concentrated, long-lasting moisturizer that sinks in deeply to hydrate dry skin and give it a radiant glow. This dewy moisturizer works well for all skin types, and is especially beneficial for dry, dull, or uneven skin in need of essential nutrients.

It is essential a body oil, and that is how I have been using it for the past couple of weeks. The glass bottle makes it difficult to see, but I am about halfway through the product (maybe a little more than halfway).

during the past few weeks I have tried it out on my still damp from the shower skin and on dry (as opposed to wet) skin. what I have learned is that a little does go a long way. when applied to dry skin, the skin is shiny for a moment and the serum feels like a dry oil. After a moment it will sink in and the skin no longer looks oily or shiny. On wet skin it absorbs wall also. I tend to take hot showers so perhaps the hot water opens the pores, but it feels like this Body Serum absorbs more quickly on just from the shower skin than on dry skin.

The rounded curves of the bottle make it easy to grip. When I was applying it post shower, which is the application I prefer actually) I had to transfer the bottle from hand to hand, especially when applying it to my legs and arms. With the size that came in my subscription box (it appears smaller than the one featured on the website) It fit in my hand well with only minor slipping. If the bottle was larger, there is the possibility I would set it on the shelf, pump the product into my hands and use it that way. With this smaller bottle for some reason I didn’t do that but passed it hand to hand. Even after I thought about it, that is still what I did. it is stable enough to pump out without lifting, but something about the size of the bottle made me want to lift it with on hand while I was using it. If one or two grooves were added for texture to the slick bottle surface, I think it would prevent any possible slipping.

But even with wet and oil covered hands the size made cupping it a possibility. So really, it basically boils down to cup the bottle to prevent slipping.

The Pure Goat Milk Body Serum has absolutely no scent to it. I know it is listed as fragrance free, but often that can mean no extra fragrances were added and it just smells like what it is. This has zero scent to it so if you are sensitive to scent that won’t be a problem.

It feels like a dry oil on the skin, absorbs well and leaves the skin moisturized without feeling heavy or greasy. I personally like applying it more right after a shower than I do applying it as I would a body butter just before bed. I just think that my skin absorbs it faster when it is still post shower warm. It is a good product and one I would not mind using again. this Pure Goat Milk Body Serum is a definite tick in the plus column for both the brand and the Beekman 1802 Quarterly Subscription box.

Trying out the Milk Primer from Beekman 1802

Recently I signed up for the Beekman 1802 Quarterly Subscription Box. (It is $65 per quarter and one of the most beautiful subscription boxes I have opened). while I really like the look of the box and the products, a subscription box is only worth the money if the products are ones you want to use. Since it is a brand specific subscription, all of the products coming from Beekman 1802, I am going to be working hard to try out all of the items before the next quarter. I want to get a feel for the products and how they perform before I commit to having more of them arriving every few months.

As I just finished my latest bottle of sunscreen (Volition Luminizing Shield, one of my all time favorites) I decided to start with the Milk Primer SPF 35 sunscreen primer. I know, Milk Primer doesn’t sound like sunscreen, but it is. According to the Beekman 1802 website…

Your one step for summer skincare is here! Beekman 1802’s Milk Primer is the only goat milk sunscreen to combine a weightless formula with SPF 35. Formulated with natural mineral Zinc Oxide, this 3-in-1 mineral sunscreen, moisturizer, and makeup primer acts like a physical shield against harmful UV rays and blue light while leaving skin brighter and more hydrated. It’s also pregnancy safe and completely oxybenzone-free and won’t damage coral reefs or irritate sensitive skin. Provides daily defense with SPF 35 broad-spectrum sun protection. Sheer application brightens skin and helps to blur the appearance of pores and blemishes. Perfects skin for makeup application or that flawless no-makeup look by minimizing the appearance of pores with a velvety, matte finish. Silky, oil-free formula feels weightless.

First of all, let’s take a look at the bottle. It is pretty. I love the frosted glass bottle and I really like that it is a pump product. And while it is aesthetically pleasing (all of their products are actually) I find it easier not to fiddle with extra caps when applying most skincare. I like that the bottle looks like skincare rather than just sunscreen. I can put it in my skincare line up and just use it as the last step in my skincare rather than something I have to remember to put on before I go outside. while I do keep a bottle of spray sunscreen stationed by the door for use just before I leave, I really like adding in sunscreen as part of my skincare. If it becomes a part of the skincare habit I forget less.

the slight white cast before it warms up, as you can tell it is already starting to warm up and lose the white.

I know that says more about me than anything else.

The glass bottle lets me see how much product it left, which I also like. It also makes it apparent that this sunscreen needs to be shaken up before use. which is easy enough. Pick it up, shake and then pump out what is needed. Easy peasy.

The scent of the sunscreen is light. It does have a slightly zinc-y scent to it, but it fades pretty quickly. In fact once it has been rubbed in the scent more or less disappears. I put the sunscreen in my hands, rub my hands together and then apply it to my face. I generally find that this helps the product warm up a little. As it warms to skin temperature it melts into the skin. Until it warms, it is white on the skin. There is very little rubbing needed, it is just the heat of the skin that makes it disappear. No harsh rubbing is needed.

I used this sunscreen after my moisturizer and had no issues with it absorbing in. I did need to wait until my skin absorbed the moisturizer, but that was it.

As for the Beekman 1802 Milk Primer working to blur pores and act like a primer… I can’t say I saw much use in that department. For me it didn’t really work as a makeup primer. It is however a sunscreen that sat well under my makeup products. After my skin absorbed it, it felt lightweight and non greasy, in fact it was easy to forget it was there. Primer and foundation (as well as the rest of my makeup) went over it as though it wasn’t there.

It didn’t have any effect on any of the makeup products I used over it. I have had some sunscreens that did cause foundation issues, this just simply isn’t one of them. And while I have a lot of primers I like to wear and very few sunscreens i enjoy using routinely, i am more pleased with this Milk Primer working as a sunscreen than I am with it not being a fabulous primer. Over all I was impressed with this sunscreen. It didn’t clog my pores, melted into the skin without leaving me feeling greasy, worked well with both my skincare and makeup and had little to no scent. This Milk Primer gives me great hopes for the rest of the Beekman 1802 products from the subscription box. Thus far this brand trial is off to a great start.

Unboxing the Beekman 1802 Summer Subscription Box

As you know I love skin care so it was really only a matter of time before I went for an entire skincare subscription box. I am also beginning to look more at quarterly boxes. I actually find this an interesting box for me to subscribe to. A long time ago I picked up a book called Candy Everybody wants by Josh Kilmer Purcell and then I liked it enough that when I saw I am not myself these days I picked that up. (both great books by the way, I really enjoyed them). When I picked up the second book a friend of mine said, ‘wait isn’t that one of the Fabulous Beekman Boys?” And thus I was introduced to the show. It was hard to catch so I never managed to catch all of the episodes and would at some point really like to circle back and watch them again.

box closure detail, and yes, that is a goat on the snap

I enjoyed the show and it was with great delight to find years later the Goat farm took off (the site has a goat cam you can actually watch if you’d like). And that they now have a subscription. Aside from general nostalgia I like the look of the skincare and I like the transparency of their ingredients lists and that all of their products are good for sensitive skin. They are leaping bunny approved as well. This is my first box from Beekman 1802 so I am bound to be a bit wordy on this one.

The box is $65 per quarter and this is the Summer Box. The Summer Box Comes out in July so I am a little slow out of the gate. The autumn box releases in November, or at least i will get it in November. They charge you the same time as you sign up, so I signed up on August 4th so I will be charged November 4th for the Autumn box. The fee is a flat $65. No handling fees no extra shipping fees. Just $65. All of the products come from the brand Beekman 1802.

While I like that it is a brand box and I think they do have a wide enough array of products that there shouldn’t be a lot of repetition, this will be something that i am going to keep an eye on. I am hoping that they will rotate products and it will feel fresh each quarter instead of the same old things. As I have only tried their soap before I am actually looking forwards to trying out more from the brand. I will also be looking at how much (or little) I enjoy the products as well as if I find the $65 per quarter worth it.

So This quarter there was an item that was outside of the box which is why I think the mailing box was a little large. So let’s look at that first.

the item out side of the box was a package of Pure disposable facial cleansing wipes. While I am not a big fan of these because of the waste, they are useful and I really like that it is a 100 count package. That’s a lot of wipes. I will try them out, but I am really hoping it isn’t an item sent often. The problem isn’t that I don’t like wipes, I do. I really do actually, they are quite convenient. I just don’t want to get back into the habit of using them again now that I have sort of broken myself of it.

Now on to the box. The box itself is sturdy reusable cardboard. The lid is fastened down with an actual snap and lifts up (it has a paper hinge at the back). I don’t know if it is because so many of the subscription boxes just seem to toss items into a box or what but I have to say when I opened this I was momentarily stunned by the neatly placed array of products. I mean just look at it. It looks nice and neat and opening it I had to remember it was a subscription box and not a gift box that I ordered or that was given to me. It looks like a gift box you would get as a present and quite honestly it felt special opening it.

it feels more like a gift box than a subscription box

I honestly had the flickering thought of “wait, it’s not my birthday…”

which is a great feeling for a subscription box. There are several items for the body as well s for the face. Inside the box there are seven items (only one doesn’t look full size, which I think might be why the cleansing wipes were added. So there are a total of eight items in the box and only one looks not to be full size. I am ninety percent certain the box was supposed to have seven items.

The first item out of the box is the one I have used a version of before, it is the soap. I have used their regular Goat’s milk soap and loved it. This bar is the Goat Milk Body Soap with CBD. It is a large 9 oz (255 g) bar of soap. There is a light scent to it. My nose is mostly still stopped up so very little smell is actually making it through, but my babydoll claims it just smells like soap. which for him means something akin to Ivory or Dove unscented. So I am guessing there is no lingering CBD scent. The proof will be in the washing so I’ll find out in the bath, although I fully expect this bar of soap to be appropriated. Like Oat Milk, Goat’s milk is good for my baby’s skin as he has sensitive skin prone to allergic reactions. So at least one of us will get a lot of use out of it.

The second Bath item is the Sunshine Scrub which is a body exfoliant. I love body exfoliants (well I love most exfoliants actually) and I just finished up a jar so I am happy to see this. I actually prefer the product in a tube as with the jars I always end up getting water in them. The only catch is that some times the tubes will log up and be hard to use. It will be interesting to see how this works as a product and to test the packaging.

The third body item is called the Pure Goat Milk Body Serum. I’ll admit I had to read through the product information to figure it out. What it boils down to is that this is a clear body oil for use right after the shower in place of body lotion. I have actually been enjoying body oils lately. In the summer they are much lighter. I really like that this is in a pump top glass bottle. Not only is the glass bottle beautiful but some of my other oils are open top bottles and I really wish they had a pump. This does so as soon as my current bottle is finished I will be rolling this in for a try.

The other four items are for the face. The first is the Milk Primer. I know I was a little makeup excited as well, but it isn’t that sort of primer. from what i can find on the packaging it is a sunscreen that you apply with your skin care. It is SPF 35 (I prefer 50) so I will still add an extra layer of sunscreen before I leave the house, but I don’t mind having that extra layer automatically applied a part of my skin care.

There are two full sized Boosters, which are essentially serums, in this box. The first is the Collagen Booster and the second is the Smooth Booster. I’ll be looking more into the details once I start to use them (which won’t be until I finish my current skincare serum trial). Both are items that I can use in my skin care though. One boosts collagen production and firms the skin while the other is a BHA resurfacing serum (smooth Booster).

These Boosters can either be used alone or added to a moisturizer to boost the moisturizer. I think this is why there is a travel sized version of their moisturizer in the box. It is the Bloom Cream. It is 15 mL and I am pretty sure it is here so you can play with the intensity f the two serums.

Both boxes say that the serums are more intense if you don’t mix them. since everything in the box is more or less targeted to sensitive skin, it makes sense to have the Bloom Cream and to be honest I am never mad about trying a new moisturizer in a smaller size before thinking about committing to a full sized one.

So that was my first Quarterly Box from Beekman 1802. Was it worth the $65? Absolutely. It is full of products that I will use and that I am looking forward to trying out. The subscription felt like a gift when it arrived. It really felt like care was taken in putting it together and it felt special. It was a beautiful presentation and I have to say all of the bottles look and feel super lux. I can not wait to start trying out these products. A few I will rotate in quickly while others will have to wait until I finish out existing products, but I am actually very excited about getting to try out so many items from a single brand and I have to say, I am already looking forwards to November’s box from Beekman 1802.