Traveling with Sol de Janeiro

I love travel kits for so many different reasons and Spring is the time when a lot of them come out to play. I think it is to get everyone ready for summer travels, possibly spring break as well. This year there were two that caught my eyes, mostly because I was already on the site ordering from them anyway. This Sol de Janeiro Bum Bum Jet Set kit is the second travel kit that caught my eye and Quite honestly i love everything about it.

While they do have several different travel kits, and indeed you can go on to their build your own travel set and select minis of their products if you want to try them out, I went for this Bum Bum scented trio.

I love the original Bum Bum cream from Sol de Janeiro. To me it smells like buttered popcorn. which is a scent that I will not complain about. However it is also a little more than just body lotion. while it is talked about for tightening the skin on your Bum so that it looks fabulous in a swimsuit, Personally I have found it is helpful on my stomach area.

As I have started to loose weight, I get dimples and stretch marks and all sorts of things I am not too happy with. While I am sure it helps your rear end look great, It’s skin tightening properties are really helpful as I start to slim down. Basically the tightening action helps me out in that department.

Plus it smells like buttered popcorn.

I actually went on the website to pick up another container of this Bum Bum Cream and then I realized that every time I am on the site, I pick up the same Bum Bum Cream. So I decided to branch out and I used the travel kit to do it. The travel kit contains a 50mL container of the Original Bum Bum Cream.

It also contains a travel sized bottle of the body wash in the same Bum Bum scent. I have been wanting to try out the body wash for a while. Mostly because I just really like the scent of the cream and the thought of using it in the shower is just a pleasant one to contemplate. So I am thrilled I get to try that out;.

The third Item in the travel set is a Perfume Mist. It is in the Brazilian Crush Cherirosa #62 which is described as a pistachio and salted caramel. It is a 30 mL sized spray which is more than enough for me to get a feel for the spray. I am curious as to how it will perform. It looks like a body mist, but is described as perfume. So That will be a fun product to play around with. And I love both pistachios and salted caramel so I am eagerly anticipating trying it out.

These three items come inside a clear plastic travel case and I must admit I am kind of excited about it. Although I should probably admit that i will not be using it as a travel case. These little plastic bags are amazing for summer work in the garden. I will take the paper insert out and then put a little bit of ice and a little but of water inside. I will then add an old washcloth and take the bag into the garden. Periodically as I work, I will dip into the plastic bag and pull out the damp and shipped washcloth.

It is an amazing trick and I have to admit I end up doing this with all of the little plastic bags like this. we always have several going each year. I use them when i garden and my babydoll uses it when he mows the yard. Growing up my mom and grandma both used plastic containers or even zip top bags. I find the clear plastic travel bags like this god because they have a little stability so they will sit square and not just deflate. It makes them easier to use. And if you are working in the sun it is really a great way to cool down quickly and make sure you keep heat sickness at bay.

I know that is kind of a secondary use for the bag but I thought I’d share.

It is mostly about the products, but that is just a little side benefit. With each order there is a sample you can pick out and I chose a sample of the Beija flor Elasti-cream. It has a vegan alternative to retinol mixed in which I want to give a go. I wanted to try out the cream but I am always leery of florals. So a sample is perfect for me to try without running the risk of wasted product

As always I love travel kits because it allows me the chance to try products I might not necessarily pick up from a brand. In this case I ended up with one product I knew I loved and two from the same line that I have been curious about for a while but never got around to trying out. Now I get to try them out, AND pack them for my trip this weekend. Kind of a win win for me.

Taking care of the Tootsies with a moisturizing foot mask

While I love face masks every now and then there are other parts of me that need a little masking love too. Most noticeably, my feet. My feet work hard. They carry me around all day, every day and they get beaten up during my work outs.

In the summer they get dried out from the heat and open toed sandals that keep them on display and in the winter they dry out even more. Usually I moisturize before bed every night and it does a good job, depending on which cream I use of course. I recently finished up my Soap And Glory Foot Cream and had yet to open a new cream so I decided it was time to break out the foot mask and give my toes a treat.

Because I wanted to see just how moisturizing this foot mask was, I skipped my nightly foot moisturizer for two weeks so that my feet would be very dry and even more in need of some love. While I am glad I did that for testing this mask, I will not be skipping my nightly foot moisturizing for two weeks again. My feet were sandpaper dry. Good for testing the moisturizing capacity of the foot mask, not so good for my feet.

The foot mask I am testing out is from Le Mini Macaron. It is the Moisturizing Foot Mask with Lavender oil. I know everyone touts lavender. It is great for getting people to sleep and calming nerves. But truthfully, I am not a big fan of the scent. There are occasional lavender products I like, but more often than not, I am not a fan. The scent is not for me in the same way that rose is not for a lot of people. Having said that, I do know that lavender oil is very good for my skin. It is something my skin finds soothing and when I have used it in the past it has softened calluses really well, especially when paired with aloe. I didn’t see any aloe on the ingredients list, but there was witch hazel on the list and my skin also really enjoys that.

So I figured my nose was far enough away from my feet not to cause too much concern and I went ahead and opened the foot mask. The mask is two little booties connected in the center. I carefully separated them without incident. I opened each bootie and slipped my foot in. While there was not that heavy an aroma (they mostly smelled of plastic), slipping my foot inside was not the most pleasant experience. It was cold and a little bit viscus. And my feet were warm from fuzzy socks.

However once my feet were in the socks though, the feeling was fine. The hardest part was convincing myself to put the second one on. It just felt a little cool nd damp once I had the socks in place. There are no ankle ties on these socks. The ones I have used before had a closure that was a bit like a diaper tab to tighten them around the ankles.

They weren’t too loose, but to keep them as close to the skin as possible, I put a pair of socks over the plastic masking socks. It kept them in place and the socks made it possible for me to get up while I was wearing them. I’ve tried to move around in those before and they are too slick to really walk in. The socks prevented slipping and kept the mask close to my feet where it would do the most good.

I left them on my feet for twenty minutes. while i did have to walk across the house once, for the most part I stayed in one spot while I was wearing them. I did sort of press my heels into the floor and rub them around a bit since those were the worst of the dry areas. After twenty minutes I removed the Foot mask and patted my feet dry.

The skin was very much hydrated and the calluses felt much softer. That night I didn’t use any cream on my feet, wanting to see how long the mask’s softness lasted. The next morning my feet were better than they had been all week, but they were still in need of some lotion.

In general I like this mask. I think it is a great way to soften calluses and jump start hydrating really dry feet. However unless you are willing to use a mask like this every night, it is no substitute for taking care of your feet with a routine moisturizer. I think that if you have really dry and cracked heels, then using this Foot mask can actually help soften the skin enough so that it turbo boosts whatever moisturizer you follow it with. it is a great enhancer, but it should be used with regular routine foot care. I would however certainly purchase this Le Mini Macaron foot mask again.

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First use of the ESPA Optimal Skin Pro Moisturizer

I rounded out December with sample sized moisturizers. I know it seems strange but I liked the thought of starting the new year with a new moisturizer. I decided to start 2023 with the ESPA moisturizer that came in my Look Fantastic Advent Calendar this year. To be honest it (and the Christophe Robin Scalp Scrub) were the two main reasons I bought the calendar. There were many other wonderful items in it, but they were the draw for me. So it seemed right that I start off the calendar with it.

First, the details.

The ESPA Optimal Skin Pro Moisturizer…

Powered by vibrant nutrients that balance the complexion — offering a fresh burst of moisture to brighten and hydrate skin. Long-lasting hydration is on tap for thirsty skin with this revitalising, lightweight daily moisturiser. This supercharged formula smooths the appearance of dehydration lines, leaves skin feeling softer, and visibly more radiant. By harnessing the potency of natural fruits and vegetables, this long-lasting hydrator brings a youthful glow, fights signs of premature aging, and quenches skin with succulent vitality.

This moisturizer basically moisturizes while helping with anti-aging. Not terribly surprising for an anti-aging moisturizer. However that is claimed by many moisturizers. Not all of them are successful. While I will not know how it performs completely until after I have used it for a minimum of thirty days, I have to say my first use of this moisturizer went well. It also gives me high hopes for a fantastic skin month.

The jar is glass and it feels luxe in the hand. Hile the jar is glass the lid is hard plastic which is really easy to open, even if your hands are damp, which I appreciate as moisturizer is one of the last steps in my skin care routine and by the time I get to my moisturizer my hands are almost always damp. It isn’t so much a textured surface as it is just less slick than the glass.

Inside the jar is a thick white cream. It has a slightly sweet and fruity scent. Somehow it still manages to smell clean and fresh. I know I am a scent oriented person, and scent isn’t the most important thing. However, an unappealing scent can make me not want to reach for a product even if it is a good one. This is a scent I like and that I will enjoy reaching for when it is time to moisturize.

I dipped into the cream and it felt like a really thick cream. There was nothing light and airy about it. However when I applied it on my skin, the thickness seemed to fade. It was white for a second and then the whiteness of the cream faded. It absorbed far faster than I thought it would. From the feel on my fingertip, I expected it to be heavy on the skin and to really have to massage that cream in until the white faded and it absorbed. I didn’t. It wasn’t that thick on the skin. The cream felt light and absorbed well. My skin felt hydrated and soft. I was very impressed with this. It doesn’t sound like much but when your mornings are rushed it can matter. This isn’t a moisturizer that will slow me down.

I have used many ESPA products so I suppose it shouldn’t be surprising that this was nice. Pretty much every ESPA product I have tried has been something I enjoyed using and a few have made my favorites list. Whether this one will make that list by the end of the trial remains to be seen but for me this was a fantastic first use. In fact while I have tried several nice moisturizers recently, this is one of the best first uses I’ve had in a really long time. Hopes are high for the next thirty days and this ESPA Optimal Skin Pro Moisturizer.

Memorable Moisturizers

This was a hard category to whittle down and I know that as soon as I list the five items on the list i will think of at least three that I didn’t put in the to be saved box. I think part of that is because more than any other skin care item I tend to reuse the jars that moisturizers come in. Most of them tend to be glass and they are all generally the perfect size for holding things like extra hair masks. I adore the Hair masks from The Mane Club but I find the foil packets a bit messy. Each foil packet comes with enough masking product for three uses so I tend to take empyty glass moisturizer containers, rinse them out and put the extra doses of hair masks in them So there weren’t a lot of empty jars in the notables bin. But the ones I did pick out are ones I love. Let’s start with the two sample sizes.

1- Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream

I received this sample in an advent calendar. As I had never tried anything from Drunk Elephant i was happy to try it. I used every single drop of this moisturizer. It may be one of the last moisturizers I tried this year, but it is the first on the moisturizers to try list. My skin felt fantastic with this moisturizer. It is also a cream that has almost no scent. It has a slight i am skincare scent but that’s it. there is always the potential that I won’t like the full size as much, but if only like it half as much, I will still think it is well worth noting. I have several moisturizers already lines up to test out, but this is on my to be purchased soon list.

2- Este Lauder Revitalizing Supreme Youth Power Cream

this too is a sample size but it worked well enough that I would really like to try out a full sized bottle. While I loved the moisturizer, one of the things I would like to test out with this moisturizer is the scent. It is a strong floral. While I loved the sample and I know i will love the effects of this moisturizer on my skin, i don’t know if I can take the full scent of this moisturizer. I think it was a good enough cream that i am willing to try though. If you do have issues with scent in your skincare avoid this one. Or look for an unscented version. I don’t know if they make an unscented version but if they did i would be all over it no question. The cream is fab, it is only the scent that is the question. And yes as it is a $120 cream, I will be waiting on a sale to repurchase.

3- Korres Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream

If you are looking for a lightweight moisturizer this is a really good one to go for. The Scent is like freshly squeezed green grapes were added to skincare. It is a very light scent. I used this moisturizer in the summer time and it was perfect. I live in a very humid environment and so I tend to go light on my day time moisturizers. (My skin is normal/combination). In the summer this was a good night and day cream. As the weather turned, it shifter into just day cream status but I really loved the way my skin responded to this moisturizer. It was also fantastic just before makeup. Just give it about ten minutes to settle in before you apply product.

4- Kiehls Midnight Recovery Omega Rich Cloud Cream

The first thing I noticed about this cream was that it was blue. It is a light blue cream that has the distinctive Kiehl’s scent to it. It is an old school healthy skincare kind of scent. Licorice root and something else. I am never quite sure what it is but pretty much every Keil’s product smells the same. I personally like the scent. It is, unlike the Estee Lauder a light scent that is less of an issue. This has a light whipped testcure and melts into the skin as if you were actually massaging a cloud into the skin. I was able to use this as a night cream regardless of the weather. i used a little less when it was humid, a little more when it was dry. this is a night cream that I can use all year round. i had no problems with any clogged pores and break outs. I can use this year round with no problems. It is one night cream that i will happily use again.

5- Elemis Super Food Midnight Facial Nourishing Sleeping cream

This night cream smells like some kind of fruity berry candy. It is not overly sweet but that is the closest thing to a description I have for the scent. I really enjoyed the scent and would happily use it nightly. While this does make a really great night cream it is also a great night mask. This year I had several moisturizers that proved to be good day creams but only so so at night. With those creams i often rolled in this Elemis midnight facial a few times a week to help those moisturizers out. It is a fantastic product on it’s own and is something I can roll in when a little extra moisture is needed without fear of causing any reactions. And did I mention it smells great?

This year those are the moisturizers that most impressed me. Admittedly two of them are samples. Those I will try out in the full sized versions this coming year and we will see if their potential was realized. Perhaps we will see them on next year’s list, perhaps not. I will say that I have already reordered the Keihls and that this is actually the second jar of this Elemis Midnight Facial I’ve had this year. So both of those favorites will be with me in the new year.

Thirty Days of the OGEE Velvet Botanical Moisturizer

For the past month or so I have been using the OGEE Hyrdoganics Velvet Botanical Moisturizer. I planned to post this at the end of thirty days, But Thanksgiving happened and scheduling got bent so I am now at the end of this bottle of moisturizer.

I actually don’t mind that the moisturizer use was extended as I ended up taking it traveling with me so it was an extra test for the moisturizer. Plus I also really enjoyed using it. But lets look a little at the actual product. The brand OGEE Organics specializes in high quality, high performing certified organic skincare. So I feel good about using the products in general. They have skincare items like the velvet Moisturizer I used but they also have a few makeup items in their collection. I haven’t tried any of the makeup, but given the quality of this moisturizer I have a few of them on my list to try out in the near future.

Jojoba is one of the brands hero ingredients because it has a molecular structure very similar to the sebum we naturally produce. Which It one of the reasons this moisturizer felt so good to wear. I’ve always found that my skin absorbs jojoba based products really well and feels amazingly soft and hydrated afterwards.

One of the other ingredients, In fact it is the first ingredient listed in the full list, is aloe.

Full Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*,Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Squalane (from Sugarcane), Glycerin* (from Vegetable Sources), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride* (from Coconut Oil), Propanediol (from Corn), Glyceryl Stearate SE (from Vegetable Sources), Isoamyl Laurate (from Vegetable Sources), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate (from Vegetable Sources), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Cetyl Alcohol (from Vegetable Sources), Jojoba Esters, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch*, Galactoarabinan (from Larch Trees), Microcrystalline Cellulose (from Wood), Decyl Glucoside (from Sugar), Carrageenan (from Seaweed), Sodium Benzoate (preservative used in foods), Lauryl Glucoside (from Corn & Coconut), Xanthan Gum (from Vegetable Fermentation), Citric Acid (from Cassava), Tocopherol (Vitamin E from Vegetable Sources), Potassium Sorbate (preservative used in foods), Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax (from Beeswax), Cellulose Gum (from Wood), Sodium Phytate (from Rice Bran), Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate (from Vegetable Sources), Rose Extract, Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower/Leaf Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis (Cantaloupe) Fruit Extract, Alcohol (from Sugarcane).

*Certified Organic Ingredient

Free from harsh chemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances, phthalates, dyes or petrochemicals. Certified to Contain 73% Organic Ingredients.

Aloe and I go way back. When I was little my mom always had several potted aloe plants in the house and anytime there were sunburns or minor skin irritations a little piece of the plant would be snapped off and the resulting interior gel would be rubbed into the skin. And when I left home, I was given a small aloe plant to take with me so every place I have ever lived has had an aloe plant. (The small one was sent off to college with me to ‘brighten up’ the dorm room, In case you were wondering.)

To me aloe has a very nostalgic scent and it is one of the main scents in this Velvet Botanical moisturizer. There are no added fragrances so the moisturizer smells of it’s components. The scents that come through for me are Aloe, Jojoba and a a few drifts of scent from both the chamomile and eucalyptus. The scent though is predominantly aloe and Jojoba.

In the picture to the left you can see the cream massaged into my skin. There is a shine because it is freshly applied, but the skin is not greasy, just hydrated. In the picture below you can see my face after applying and waiting less than a minute. The moisturizer absorbs quickly.

The bottle is a white glass bottle with gold details and looks vet classy on my skincare shelf. I especially like that the pump locks in place for travel.

But how does it perform?

Well actually. I needed two to three pumps to cover my entire face (two during the day and three at night). My skin is what you would call normal to combination. I have some spots that are more oily than others, but over all I am not too dry and not too oily. It does mean that my skin’s needs tend to shift with the seasons. In the summertime I lean more towards the oily side and in the winter I lean to the drier side.

when I started using this moisturizer, the weather had not quite turned. I was in the in between phase. My skin lost the oiliness of summer but the central heating was not running enough to lead me into the drier phase of the year. In this phase of time, this moisturizer was perfect for both day and night time use. I tend to like a little more moisture at night, hence the extra pump of product. I simply apply my moisturizer thicker at night or use a night cream. I don’t mind using a night cream. In fact I rather prefer separate day and night time products because there is a difference in what my skin goes through in the day and in the night I don’t mind if products specialize. Mostly because I tend to find that multi use products tend to still do one thing well and a few other things so-so. I would rather have a product that does one thing really well.

As a day cream, this Ogee Organics Velvet Botanical moisturizer was stellar. It went on smoothly, absorbed well and quickly and actually worked really well under makeup. Because it absorbed fairly quickly it was fantastic to use in the morning.

When I started using it in the evening it worked well then. I added the extra pump but it was the right mount of moisture for me. Then the weather changed and the inside air dried out a bit. Then this moisturizer needed a helping hand once or twice a week with a night mask. With those two nights of alternate night masking it was fine for me and remained fine for both night and day use. I think in the summer time, when I am a little more oily than I am now, this would work even better for me, without any night masking. It is just the winter where a few times a week I needed back up.

As I don’t mind having a separate night cream and a day cream, I would use this as a day cream in the future and just use it as a night cream. If you lean more towards the oily side, you could probably use it for both. If your skin is drier than mine, you might want to use this as a day cream as well.

One thing that I did notice was that there was no irritation from this moisturizer when my skin broke out during the excesses of Thanksgiving. Butter and sugar were consumed in larger quantities than usual during the week and my skin showed it. I was able to spot treat the resulting eruptions, but the treatment tends to dry out the areas around the blemishes. This moisturizer was able to rehydrate those dry patches without irritating or further inflaming the portions of my skin I was trying to treat.

To be honest I really enjoyed this OGEE Organics Velvet Botanical Moisturizer and would certainly use it again. For me it is more of a day cream, at least until the summer humidity rises, but using it only once a day would extend the life of the product so that I could use it for a longer period of time, Which I would certainly enjoy doing.

Beyond Clean Beauty. Ogee is plant powered, vegan, gluten-free, GMO free and certified organic ingredients.

First Use of the Velvet Botanical Moisturizer from OGEE

This moisturizer was sent to me by the brand, but as always my thoughts and opinions are my own. I have actually been really looking forward to trying out this Hydraganic Velvet Botanical moisturizer from OGEE. Not only is a good moisturizer the foundation of a good skincare regimen, but I love the thought behind the brand. Their products are organic, cruelty free, not tested on animals, GMO free, gluten free, all natural and made in the USA.

It is summed up in their About Story on their website…

Beyond Clean Beauty

Ogee is committed to creating the highest quality collection of high-performance certified organic beauty.

The stringent NSF Organic certification for all of our products covers every facet of product development, from the farm where the ingredients are grown, harvested and processed, the lab in which they are batched and bottled, the sustainably sourced paperboard in which they’re contained, until they end up on the vanity on which they’re placed.

Our pledge to provide a true organic difference is why we are proud to be Beyond Clean Beauty.
OGEE Website

There are also a list of their certifications on the website, all of which are quite impressive. Quite honestly I love the theory behind the brand, but as always the theory only matters if the product is good. So let’s see what they have to say about this Velvet Botanical Moisturizer.

A weightless, whipped Jojoba Oil cream rich in ultra-hydrating micro Hyaluronic Acid and sugar-cane derived Squalane to reduce visible signs of aging, increase skin elasticity, and revitalize complexion. Infused with super-power flowers Rose and Chamomile to boost antioxidants, improve the appearance of irritation, and create a protective botanical barrier from pollutants.

Ingredients: Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice*,Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil*, Squalane (from Sugarcane), Glycerin* (from Vegetable Sources), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride* (from Coconut Oil), Propanediol (from Corn), Glyceryl Stearate SE (from Vegetable Sources), Isoamyl Laurate (from Vegetable Sources), Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil*, Polyglyceryl-6 Distearate (from Vegetable Sources), Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil*, Cetyl Alcohol (from Vegetable Sources), Jojoba Esters, Shea Butter Ethyl Esters, Zea Mays (Corn) Starch*, Galactoarabinan (from Larch Trees), Microcrystalline Cellulose (from Wood), Decyl Glucoside (from Sugar), Carrageenan (from Seaweed), Sodium Benzoate (preservative used in foods), Lauryl Glucoside (from Corn & Coconut), Xanthan Gum (from Vegetable Fermentation), Citric Acid (from Cassava), Tocopherol (Vitamin E from Vegetable Sources), Potassium Sorbate (preservative used in foods), Polyglyceryl-3 Beeswax (from Beeswax), Cellulose Gum (from Wood), Sodium Phytate (from Rice Bran), Hydrolyzed Sodium Hyaluronate (from Vegetable Sources), Rose Extract, Lavendula Angustifolia (Lavender) Flower/Leaf/Stem Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Extract, Camellia Sinensis (Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Leaf Extract, Eucalyptus Globulus (Eucalyptus) Leaf Extract, Mentha Viridis (Spearmint) Extract, Rubus Idaeus (Raspberry) Fruit Extract, Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Extract, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower/Leaf Extract, Pyrus Malus (Apple) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis (Cantaloupe) Fruit Extract, Alcohol (from Sugarcane).

*Certified Organic Ingredient

Free from harsh chemicals, parabens, synthetic fragrances, phthalates, dyes or petrochemicals. Certified to Contain 73% Organic Ingredients.
OGEE Website.

While the ingredients list is a long one, I don’t see anything on the list that is concerning for my skin. I’m not allergic to much but I like checking ingredients lists before I try out a new skincare product. Given their commitment to Clean beauty standards (and beyond) I suspected it would be fine, but I like to check. And I will say, just because there have been a couple of products lately that I’ve tried where the ingredients on the website didn’t match what was written on the box, I checked and the ingredients list on the website matches the list that came with the actual product. Occasionally products don’t match but it is usually a case where one or the other hasn’t been updated. So I like to check both just in case. Both matched and I was good to go.

Now if you have read my posts for any length of time you know I am always excited with both Squalene and hyaluronic acid in my products. Both work really well with my skin. For much of the OGEE skincare line Jojoba oil seems to be their main hero ingredient. I love jojoba oil as it always makes my skin feel soft and never oily or greasy. When looking over their information it is pointed out that it has a similar molecular structure to skin’s natural sebum. Which I suppose makes sense as to why it works so well. For me I was also happy to see aloe as the first ingredient on the list. Aloe is fantastic with soothing and reducing redness (which is why I use my aloe plant for helping with sunburn and minor skin irritations. (Actually I used it on mosquito bites this summer and it really reduced the itch and helped the bit heal more rapidly without scaring.)

In the winter we get really harsh winds and wind burn is a big deal for me, so having a moisturizer infused with aloe is also something i am excited about. My only concern was the rose and chamomile. While I love the effects of rose and chamomile, they aren’t my favorite scents in skin care.

The bottle is a lovely glass bottle, white with a gold pump to match the lettering. It honestly looks quite luxe. Also the solid white of the glass keeps the product away from sunlight. I twisted the pump to open it and pumped out a bit of cream to give it a first try. The pump puts out a relatively small amount. I needed three pumps to cover my face. I actually really like that it dispenses such small amounts. while I generally moisturize in the morning and evening, after my workouts I tend to rinse off my face even if I don’t do a full wash. Afterwards I will sometimes dab just a little bit of moisturizer onto my skin. For me one pump with the OGEE was great for this, even though I did need three for the morning moisturizer (Right now I am finishing out a night cream so I am using this during the day and as this night cream finishes towards the end of the week I will give the OGEE Velvet Botanical Moisturizer a try at night as well)

But before application, we sniff.

At first I thought there was no scent and was relieved it wasn’t a rose/chamomile blend. Then as I began to massage the cream into my skin, I realized it did have a scent. It was a very light scent. The two scents I got were a mix of aloe and jojoba oil. To be honest it reminded me of my godmother’s house. She always used aloe infused soap and a jojoba body lotion. Both were on the counter of the bathroom. She always washed her hands and after drying them applied the lotion. So for me the scent was very nostalgic. It is also very light and fades really quickly. There are no heavy perfumes or scents to it.

The cream itself is a light weight cream. I was worried it would leave a white cast on the skin or be something that needed to be warmed up first, but it melted into the skin beautifully. The moisturizer I just finished testing out, took a really long time to absorb into the skin so the absorption rate felt almost like magic by comparison. It wasn’t magic, but it was a really quick absorption.

I really like that speed in a day cream as mornings are when I am inclined to rush through my skin care. At night I have more time, but in the day time time is limited. This is definitely a moisturizer that won’t make me late. There was no greasy residue and no white cast to worry about. I pumped the moisturizer into my hand, rubbed my hands together and applied it.

Right now I am using it in the morning and for the occasional post work out rinse dab of moisture. I do have a different night cream I am finishing out. The weight of this cream is great for a day cream, and a little dab post rinse worked well for me as well in this first use trial. It is a light weight formula and I think the real test will be at night. It is a good day cream, but I suspect that I may need a bit more at night. I won’t know until I test it, but I suspect I will either need one additional pump or the occasional night mask. I am just guessing on that and will need to see how it performs over time. As of now, it is a really good day cream that I am happy to start testing for results. I like the way it feels on my skin and I like the way it absorbs into the skin. As I also like the ingredients and the ethos of the brand, I have high hopes for this OGEE Velvet Botanical Moisturizer. Let the month long trial begin!

Gift Set and Bundles

Using the Volition Yaupon Tea Glow Awakening Moisturizer

This moisturizer was one that i started using before I left, used while I was gone and am now scraping the bottom of the jar to finish up. I intended to do a first use post but time sped a little past me. I will be finishing up the last of this Volition Yaupon Tea Glow Awakening Moisturizer this week and will cover it briefly in the weekly skincare line up on Friday but i thought it deserved it’s moment in the sun.

It is described as

…A naturally caffeinated moisturizer powered by yaupon tea, hyaluronic acid and bakuchiol that revives and visibly plumps tired-looking skin for a brighter, smoother complexion.

As I’m sure you already know, Hyaluronic acid is a favorite of mine and helps to plump the skin by locking in moisture. Bakuchiol works like a retinol but has less of a tendency to make the skin sun sensitive. I’m guessing the yaupon tea is the source of the caffeine. When I looked it up I found that the leaves for the tea come from the yaupon holly and are also supposed to reduce redness and puffiness. I also found many many sights selling the tea as a tea designed to caffeinate you without giving you the jitters.

melts with skin’s heat like a water cream

While i can’t tell you what it might do for you taken internally (as a tea designed to drink and not the moisturizer) I can tell you that I really enjoyed using it topically. Before I left my skin was stressed (along with the rest of me) and I had quite a few breakouts. I have a photo taken bare faced of me before I left and one taken this morning for comparison. A lot of my break outs were more clogged pore bumps or just rising in the photo to become breakouts shortly after.

skin before I left, more bumpy than broken but you can see a few blemishes beginning their rise of doom

it was stress worry and exhaustion. And while those things did follow me home, I was able to get my skin under control. Partially because before I left I was stressed by knowing bad things were coming and having no capacity to stop them and then once I was home I could at least do something to help even if I couldn’t stop them which let me feel as though i was doing something. Which helped with the stress. With the stress toned down my skin stopped freaking out and I worked at clearing it up.

when clearing up blemishes my skin is repaired in damaged areas but tends to dry out in others. this is mostly due to the use of salicylic acid. I am not a terribly oily person in general and so when I dry out zits the skin around them often takes a hit, so skipping moisturizers is just not a good idea. But i didn’t want a heavy moisturizer. I chose this one (testing it first on my arm to make certain nothing cause a reaction – I had never used anything with youpon before so I wanted to be certain rather than cause more problems) because it has the light consistency of a water cream. Plus my skin usually reacts well to Volition products. Their sunscreen is a staple in my routine, I adored the Snow Mushroom serum and the Celery Green Moisturizer was fantastic.

skin when I returned. Still exhausted, but fewer bumps and break outs and a definate taming of the redness

I thought it wouldn’t be too heavy on my skin and it wasn’t. The cream has a light skincare scent that smells as though there might be something lightly herbal mixed in. It is a very light scent that fades almost immediately. My godmother is extremely scent sensitive and while I was home I had her try it out and the scent didn’t bother her. As she has a reaction to a lot of products I thought this was a good sign.

The cream applied well. And provided enough moisture for my skin during the day with a small amount of product. I had intended to take a night cream that i knew would cause no problems with me, but I forgot and used this Volition moisturizer as both day and night cream. At night I applied more than I did in the day and it did a decent job. If I used this as a day and night cream in the future, I would probably add a night mask once or twice a week.

As a reference point, skin wise, my skin tends to fall into the normal/combination category. I am slightly more oily in the summer and slightly more dry in the winter. And to be fair, when I started using the Volition Moisturizer it was in a 90% humidity environment with 90+ degree heat and then fall sort of kicked summer out overnight and the humidity dropped to 20% and the temps were suddenly in the sixties.

I’m actually surprised my skin didn’t freak out and all I thought was that a few nights a week I would like to have a night mask. Which kind of makes this Yaupon Tea Glow Awakening Moisturizer pretty impressive.

It did take a little while to absorb and until it absorbed completely it felt a little stick on the skin. It was kind of interesting. I would touch my cheek a few times. Stick, then sticky, then poof petal soft with no stickiness at all. Once the moisturizer absorbed my skin was soft. The dry patches were hydrated, the breakouts weren’t irritated and as the stress and blemishes faded I really liked the look of my skin.

As a day cream this was fantastic, it just needed a little time to settle in and lose the stickiness. As a night cream it worked well but depending on your own level of oiliness I would consider rolling in a night mask a few times a week as needed. The scent is light and didn’t irritate the skin or nose of the most scent sensitive person I know. So the final question, would I purchase this Yaupon Tea Glow Awakening Moisturizer from Volition again?

the answer is yes, most definitely. I would use it more as a day cream on the next go round, but it is definitely a product I would purchase a second time.

Speaking of products I love, the MANE CLUB has a special discount code on their best sellers bundles. The One Hit Wonder is a staple for me but every item in this bundle is something I have used before and would always love to use again. Plus even without the code, these products don’t break the back even if they do feel like they are worth a million bucks. this is one of those affordable brands that has some heavy hitters. You can get a deal on their Best Sellers Bundle with the code BUNDLE15 now through November 19th, 2022. Well worth stocking up for the holiday season or for gifting to your favorite hair care fanatic.

First use of the Korres Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream

I couldn’t help it, but the lure was too strong. I had to open the new Korres Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream and start trying it out. I know looks aren’t everything, but just look at the light green of that glass jar. It just says pick me up and give me a try. So i am.

In general I really like the Korres brand. I find their products to be both fairly priced and effective. The Pomegranate line has found a permanent love in my heart, despite the fact that they seem to have let it go (sniff, sniff, so sad). I like the rose but not as much as the pomegranate, and since I have an allergy to pine I have to avoid that line, but the yogurt face masks are always in rotation in my mask collection. the Golden Krocus is high on my list to try.

I have not tried anything from the Santorini Grape line so I was over the moon when it was a choice Item in my Boxycharm for June. It has been on my must try list since it’s release and when I saw it I pounced. I’m sure there were other options, but I didn’t really bother looking.

And I did order the Santorini Grape Velvet Skin Drink Serum this morning as well because i couldn’t resist giving it a try. But it’s first use will come, for now it is time for the moisturizer.

According to the product page…

For: Oily, Combination + Sensitive, A lightweight gel moisturizer that blurs pores, controls shine, and hydrates skin all-day using a powerful blend of Hyaluronic Acid, Salicylic Acid, Willowherb Extract, and the antioxidant-rich, Santorini Grape.
Key Benefits: Poreless complexion, Balanced all-day hydration, Smooth skin canvas
Korres

At this time of year I am at my oiliest although I suspect i fall into the combination category. So this is about perfect and it is about the perfect time of year for me to try this moisturizer. As I mentioned above it is in a beautiful green glass jar. I know looks aren’t everything but I do like looking at a pleasing array of skincare on my shelf. It is okay to like pretty things, they just have to be pretty things that also pull their weight in the skincare department.

Opening the jar there is a stout plastic lid as a barrier to air, which I really like. It has a little pull tab to lift it off the top of the jar. It is wide and round and fairly easy to grab and lift. The inner plastic lid fits securely but it isn’t extremely tight so you don’t have to struggle with it if you don’t have a lot of hand strength. You just have to be able to grip the tab. Barring that slipping a thumbnail under the edge can flip it up for those with issues making pinching motions.

I find the scent of this moisturizer interesting. It does smell of grapes which I expected, but it is a grape that has had the sugars removed and smells almost like it is blended with plain yogurt. I didn’t see any yogurt on the list of ingredients so perhaps this is just a face mask hold over. The moisturizer has the same color as the mask, so perhaps that leans into it.

The Santorini Grape Poreless Skin Cream is a thicker sort of cream. It has the consistency of Greek Yogurt actually. It is the kind of cream that I scoop out a little and either dot it lightly on my face and then rub in or rub my hands together and then apply to my face. The second method will cause it to absorb faster on the skin and is fantastic when you are running late in the morning. Even if you choose the first method of dotting it on the skin before massaging it in, it won’t take long to absorb, just start with little dollops as a little goes a long way with this moisturizer.

The scent of the moisturizer fades as you apply it and once it dries down your face is not sticky at all. As a first use, it was a positive experience and I am happy that I will get to use it for the next month. July here promises to be incredibly hot and insanely humid, which is when my skin not only feels oily, but because I sweat so much I end up getting oddly dry patches from salty sweat running over the skin. I am hoping that this combination skin oriented Santorini Grape Poreless Skin cream from Korres will be just the thing to get me through with healthy skin. But only time will tell.

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Let’s talk about the Lait-Creme Line from Embryolisse

Embryolisse very kindly sent me all three of the moisturizers from their Lait Creme line for the purpose of review. As always my views are my own. Prior to receiving this trio, I only had experience with the Lait Creme Concentre. It was the first moisturizer I was given, and it was the one my mother and grandmother both used throughout my childhood. As the brand has been around since the 1950s this is hardly surprising.

Each of the creams I used as a moisturizer for an entire month. Then, as each creme has a multi-functional dimension, I shifted into using it for those other elements as I rotated through the moisturizers. While from the same line and have nearly the same scent to them, they are different creams and have different strengths and weaknesses.

Let’s start with the Lait Creme Concentre. This is the original, the old school moisturizer I remember from my childhood. It’s scent is the scent of bed time kisses and is lodged in the back of my memory banks as what skin care smells like. Which, while nice, does make it very difficult to describe. It is the classic scent of skincare. For me it is what skincare smells like when it has no scent. It does have a scent. Breaking it down I would have to say that is is sort of a mixture of aloe and shea butter but it also has a clean scent to it.

The Lait creme Concentre has the thickest consistency of the three. I started using it when the winter temps were still holding sway and it was the perfect level of moisture for my winter skin. It is a thick cream that needs to warm up before it melts into the skin. If you dispense it into your hand and then rub your hands together before applying it to your face, all is well. If you dispense it and go directly to your face to rub in, there will be white streaks for a second or two while the cream warms up and absorbs.

It is fantastic moisture all day. As the temperatures warmed up, it was too much moisture for day time use but remained a good night cream for year round use. I can still use it now as a night cream when I need to.

however it is a multi use cream and as soon as I used it for it’s second purpose I didn’t want to shift it back to moisturizing status. One of the secondary uses is as a pre makeup base. A little dollop of moisturizer (pea sized or less depending on your skin type) applied five to ten minutes before you apply the rest of the makeup plumps up your skin and extends the life of the day’s makeup. It has now relocated to my makeup drawer and honestly it is almost gone and the next tube I purchase is just going strait to the makeup section. It is just a great first layer.

the Concentre and the Sensitive have the same seal while the Fluide is in a pump top bottle

It can also be used as a hand and body lotion, but I would use it on really dry skin. It is thick and needs massaging to absorb in. If you do have really dry skin it can be a life saver.

The Lait Creme Sensitive is very mush like the Lait Creme Concentre. It is simply lighter in ever sense of the word. It has a lighter scent, it has a lighter texture and it absorbs faster. it also has a lighter moisturization level. I used this as winter faded into spring and it worked well. I didn’t need a separate night cream. As a multi use element it was interesting. I liked it slightly less as a makeup base and more as a hand and body cream. It worked well as a pre makeup base, but the concentre was just a little bit better. If I hadn’t so recently compared them, and for a few days alternated between the two I might not have noticed much of a difference, but comparing them together there was a slight one. It is still good, just a whisker less effective than the concentre.

And finally there is the Lait Creme Fluide. Again we have a similar scent, even lighter than the Sensitive but the same classic skincare scent. The consistency is lighter than the two previous as well, almost a cream based water cream in texture (as opposed to a gel one). It was light enough for summer time day use and worked well at night. On days when I spent a lot of time in the sun, I needed to add a night mask to the mix. But even with increasing temperatures and time outside that was only needed once or twice a week as just a little boost.

To be completely honest, i didn’t like this as a pre-makeup base at all, however it is a fantastic body lotion while the other two are only okay in that department. I think it is a matter of consistency. The lighter the creams got in moisture level and texture the less I liked them as a pre-makeup base but the more I liked them as hand and body lotion doubles. Which I am perfectly okay with. The Lait Creme Concentre I will continue to buy, but probably not use as a moisturizer unless I need some deep winter time moisturizer because I do love it so much as a Makeup base. The Lait creme sensitive would more than likely shift between bathroom and makeup vanity.

Whereas I would happily purchase the Lait Creme Fluide and keep it in the bathroom as a year round day time moisturizer and occasional body lotion. With that use I would only need to roll in the night cream a few times a week during the summer and probably just shift it to day cream use in the winter. While I don’t mind having a separate day and night cream it is rare for me to find a moisturizer that can shift with the seasons. The Fluide vision from the lait Creme line has that capacity.

All three of these cremes from Embryolisse’s Lait Creme line worked for me in different ways. All three were very nice products that I would happily use again. For me it is very easy to see why this has been a family favorite for a long time.

First Use of the Embryolisse Lait Creme Fluide Moisturizer

That’s right my darlings, we have reached the third moisturizer from Embryolisse’s Lait Creme Line. Today was my first use of it and I have to say I am a bit tickled with myself. Embryolisse sent all three creams from their Lait-Creme line for me to try out and review. I have used each in turn and while there will be a full comparison review of the three after I’ve given this one a full try, there is one thing i do have to mention.

I chose to use the Concentre first because it was the only cream in the lait creme line i was familiar with. I used it before and knew I loved it so I thought I’d refamiliarizing myself with the moisturizer before starting on the two I had not tried. I put the Lait-creme sensitive second as I thought it was a sensitive version of the concentre (which it is) and it made sense to try them one after another. I then put the Fluide last, because there were only three creams so it was the last one left.

Inadvertently I chose the best line up possible for the creams based on the weather and my skins needs. I think that is what tickles me. The Lait Creme Concentre was perfect for my winter dry skin. As the temperatures rose a bit and spring started to fight with winter for dominance, the sensitive lait creme, which is a little lighter than the concentre, was the perfect weight for my skincare needs. Now as I was thinking that the Sensitive might be a little too heavy and need to shift into night time use only, it is time for the Lait Creme Fluid to arrive on the scene.

And wouldn’t you know, it is the perfect weight for the summertime.

The Lait Creme Fluid comes in a pump format rather than the metal tubes of the other moisturizers in the Lait Creme line. And it is easy to see why. This Fluid cream is thinner than the other two in the line and if put into a tube far too much would come out in one squeeze. As this was my first use, I dispensed one full pump, just to see how much came out with one pump.

one full pump was a bit too much for me, in the future I will be using half a pump.

The truth is, far too much came out. I used this amount to cover my face, neck, upper chest, and both my arms. About half a pump is what I will go for in my next application. Although I can’t say that my arms didn’t appreciate the use. This is just a good all round moisturizer to be honest. But this first use is more about the face and it’s use as a facial moisturizer.

The pump is obviously easy to use. it has a wide flat top that is finger width. It’s wide pump means that it is still easy to use even if my hands are still wet and or slick from previously applied products. In addition there is a circular imprint on the top of the pump with lettering to show you how to lock and unlock the pump should you choose to move it about instead of leaving it in the bathroom. This design, while appreciated for the information it gives, also provides a bit of a rough surface for the finger which aids in gripping and using the product.

From a packaging standpoint it is a ten. It is very easy to use even should you have mobility issues and it is a thick enough bottle that it stays stable on the counter. In addition the bottle is solid, thus protecting the moisturizer from the light. But as we all know packaging isn’t everything.

While a full pump was too much, a half pump would be about perfect for face, neck and décolletage. The moisturizer formula has a scent comparable with the others in the line. It is oddly lighter in scent than the sensitive version which I found interesting. (I still have some of the sensitive so I did a comparison and it is just a slight bit lighter in scent but exactly the same scent.) I think the lightness of the scent is due to the less dense cream. While still a white creamy texture, this Lait Creme Fluid is more like a water cream than your standard cream moisturizer. It isn’t quite a water cream, but it is heading in that direction. Or I suppose a better way to put that is that it is a cream based water cream rather than a gel based water cream, if that makes it a little clearer.

easy absorption, not greasy and no white residue

In application, it applies really well. I dotted it on my face, mostly because I dispensed too much. Otherwise I would have rubbed my hands together then applied it – there was simply too much in my hand. It massaged in almost instantly with out leaving a single trace of white on the skin. There was also no greasy residue left behind. For me not only is the lighter cream good for summer moisturization levels, but because it absorbs so well so quickly with no greasy feel left behind, it actually aids me in applying my sunscreen.

In the summer I like to get into the habit of applying my sunscreen with my morning skin care so I don’t forget and then just before my walk I add an extra coat of a spray sunscreen over my previously applied layer of sunscreen. With the way the Lait Creme Fluid applies, I have very little lag time between moisturizer and sunscreen. Since I don’t have to wait it is less likely i will forget to apply the sunscreen, and the more I remember my sunscreen the better off my skin is.

Somehow I managed to find the right order in which to try out these moisturizers from Embryolisse. This first use went well for me, which as I generally like Embryolisse products isn’t that big a surprise. The biggest surprise for me was how well timed the start of this moisturizer trial is. For me this is the perfect summer weight moisturizer and I am looking forward to seeing how it performs as compared to the more standard versions of the Embryolisse Lait Cream that i know and love. As a first use, this was quite fabulous.