I will admit that I was a little nervous about trying out this cleanser. While I love Dr. Brandt Products and have several favorites from the brand, I am always cautious where salicylic acid.
While it is a good ingredient to clear up and dry out clogged pores and break outs, things change now that I am not a teenager. When I was a teen I could use the most heavily salicylic acid based products and have no problems. As I have gotten older, they still work really well for clearing up breakouts but those sort of products also dry out my skin. Still I did need to work on clearing out some minor break outs and I do like Dr. Brandt.
I also figured that I had enough moisturizers that it might not be a problem. And so I started using the Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Purifying Cleanser . While I would normally start with a first use post, with products like this it generally takes a few days before any sort of issues start to occur. So instead of doing a first use post I waited and let time pass as I used this cleanser. First off let’s look at the product page.
pores no more® PORE PURIFYING CLEANSER is non-drying gel that cleanses, purifies and dissolves excess oil, residue, debris. Removes excess sebum for less shine. Exfoliates dead skin cells and helps minimize the appearance of pores.
It is a pretty straight forward description. When you check out the ingredients list you will see that while Salicylic acid is one of the first ingredients. Tea tree oil and white willow bark are also in the list.
With those ingredients the first thing that is noticeable is the scent. This cleanser smells highly medicinal. As white willow bark was traditionally used in the making of aspirin, that isn’t unexpected. I will say that I think it’s inclusion helped to reduce some of the pain and inflammation of some of the more painful break outs.
The cleanser itself is a clear gel that I applied to a damp skin. I like that the gel is thick enough that it can be seen where it is applied on the face. That is one of the things I like in a cleanser. I really like to be able to see where I put it before I start massaging the cleanser in and then rinse it away. I like knowing where the cleanser is going and that I am putting it in the places where I need it the most, especially with a product like this.
before on left after a week on the right. the breakouts are small they were cleared away though and my skin is not dried out.
It applied well and I did feel that the slight pain from inflamed breakouts faded with the use of the cleanser, more so with each use actually. The cleanser rinses away clean and I have not seen any dry patches. With Salicylic acid based cleansers if it is going to dry out patches of the skin it will do so within a week. This showed no signs of going there and within that week the few small break outs that I had cleared up. As an adult, finding a product that will work with my skin, clearing up the occasional break outs and yet not drying out my skin has been difficult. While this is a good cleanser, I don’t think that I need to use it on a daily basis. I like that I can use it on a daily basis, but for me, my breakouts are small occasional things. A week of using this cleanser has cleared up the break outs I had. While I will be keeping this cleanser around, it will rotate in and out of my line up as needed. The Dr. Brandt Pores No More Pore Purifying Cleanser may not be an everyday use sort of product for me, but it is certainly one I will keep around.
Welcome once again to the weekly skincare line up. Here we take a look at all of the products I am currently using in their natural habitat. Actually it is more of talking about how well they play with others. Because let’s face it, I simply don’t use a single product in isolation. I am using it as part of a routine. So let’s look at the items in the routine shall we. Oh and for those you you tilting your heads, the shelf is straight, I just tilted the camera to try and get the best angle. I didn’t realize quite how off kilter it was until I sat down. Hopefully it doesn’t knock anyone off balance.
Okay we have some continuing favorites and some new additions, let’s just go through the list. First, the Beekman 1802 Makeup Remover. It is really good and gentle on the skin. It does make my contacts cloudy if it gets in the eyes but the cloudy film is easily rinsed away with a dash of saline. I meant to add an eye makeup remover to the mix but forgot. Still it works well and I like it.
The Dr. Brandt Pores no more is a fantastic cleanser. It smells very medicated (salicylic acid). I was worried that it might be a bit drying because of that but thus far that hasn’t been a concern. i think because I was already worried about dryness from the central heat I took steps to add enough moisture that it hasn’t been a problem. i think that If I wasn’t using such a really good moisturizer than I might need to alternate with a different cleanser and to be honest i am thinking of trying to use up some sample cleansers by using them in the morning and this at night. I may do that this week if I remember. I think I have about four sample sizes that I want to clear out. I’ll double check later.
For now, since I already mentioned it, This ESPA moisturizer is fantastic I don’t need much because it is a rich moisturizing formula but that does mean I will be using it for quite some time. It has been a little over a month now and I am not quite halfway through the container. I will happily use this for as long as it lasts and then mark it for repurchase. it is a thick formula that feels light on the skin. It needs to warm up to melt in so there are a couple of white streaks when you first apply it, but the white fates almost immediately as it warms to skin temp. And it smells like a fresh sort of candy. It is just absolutely delightful all around.
Okay the essence is also fabulous. this isn’t the first time i have used this essence and it won’t be the last time. It really opens the pores up so they can make the best use of the rest of the skin care. And even though we are way out of order on the products, I will add that the Byroe Eye cream is one of my favorite products as well. it is one of the best eye creams I have tried in a while. The gel formula absorbs well and I am seeing a reduction in my fine lines.
I know it all sounds fabulous. And it is, but now I want to talk about Kate Somerville and Perricone MD. They have been a very interesting pair. Individually I am really enjoying them both. The Kate Somerville Retinol is something i used twice a week. I’ve gone with Tuesdays and Thursdays and when I use it, I really enjoy it. my skin sucks it in. I apply it, wait a few hours and then just before bed apply my moisturizer over it, because it just isn’t quite enough moisture for my skin. If your skin is more on the oily side you may not need a moisturizer on top. For me at this time of year i do.
the Perricone MD Toner is new. It is an exfoliating toner. It as actually quite nice. My skin feels very fresh after using it, but the rose oil in it is very soothing so unlike other exfoliating toners my skin doesn’t feel extra naked and stripped. it feels clean and ready to move into other skin care. It does have AHAs which make my skin red for a moment after application. the red then fades in less than a minute and I am good.
The Kate Somerville Retinol also makes my skin red for a moment. it takes a little longer to fade, but it does and then my skin looks great.
on their own both are great products. If I try to use them both on the same night, no matter how many products are between the application of the toner and the retinol, my face gets really red and slightly prickly. It feels a little hot. While the feeling fades and my skin calms down, I do not care for it. So on the nights I use the Kate Somerville, I don’t use the Perricone MD. If I separate them than my skin is fabulous and I get the benefits of both. They just don’t want to play well together on my skin. that was the only issue i had with any of the products. On their own everything on this list is proving to be something my skin enjoys. But Kate Somerville and Perricone MD are not playing well together so I am separating them. thus far that has been all it has taken to get them both to settle in and work fabulously. Hopefully, that will continue. It will be something I monitor moving forward. And so the skincare line up proceeds for another week. I will see you back here next week to see how things progress. As we are just passing the 30 day mark for most of these products soon there will be updated results, with luck. Stay tuned my darlings and have a fantastic Friday.
And so we reach the end of another week. And it is time once again for my favorite post, the skin care line up. While I do like posting about the individual items, this post is all about how the items i use on my face work as a team. Because let’s face it, I don’t use just one item in isolation. Many of my items are approaching the 30 day mark of use and soon I will e able to look at actual results. I love skin care, but it isn’t a magic potion. It takes time and consistent use to show results. And generally you only start seeing changes after 30 days. So, soon sooooon… But until then, we have mostly the continuing products and one brand new cleanser. I have also put a picture of my face sans makeup because honestly, I think my skin looks fabulous this week. Even with the baggy allergy eyes. So lets get into it shall we?
Okay let’s start from the top. The Beekman cleansing balm is good. It takes very little to actually remove the makeup. It is a bit crumbly so the spatula isn’t used to you don’t contaminate the product with your fingers but an actual necessity for getting it out of the jar. And luckily it has it’s own holder on the top of the jar so it is less likely to get lost. while i like this cleanser and how the crumbly bits melt to oil, I don’t like it to remove my eye makeup. It tends to make my contacts a bit cloudy. It rinses away with a little saline solution but i think next week I am going to try an eye makeup remover separately. I have a couple in the drawer as well as a few micellar waters so I might try one of those.
I was using a sample sized cleanser and it is finished. I pulled this Dr. Brandt one out of the drawer to try next. I seem to have a lot of cleansers waiting to be used. I think there was just a run of them from subscription boxes for a while. I don’t mind that actually as I do go through them pretty fast. While I did like the clean I got from this Dr. Brandt, I think I am going to have to watch it. It smelled medicated when I tried it and after I washed my face, I looked at the tube. The smell alerted me but the label does mention salicylic acid and white willow bark, which was I was smelling. Sometimes that can dry me out. I have been using this for three days at this point and there is no signs of drying but it is something I will monitor. Thus far it is just a really good clean.
I am almost out of the Black Currant Jelly exfoliator. I have loved using it. I just don’t think it will last the week. I tend to use a little more product than I should but it is now at the six week mark of use so I can’t really complain. I really like this daily exfoliator.
The Elemis Toner is slowly but surely being used. I am just past the half way point in the bottle. It is kind of funny but with the toner, essence and the Elemis Serum not a lot of product is used with each use so it takes a while for it to show that it is being used and then all of a sudden you see it. I really like this toner. It smells a bit like fermented cider and I kind of dig the scent. It also takes care of any stray makeup bits that the cleanser might have missed.
I really love having an essence in my routine and this Missha one is a good one. It makes my skin feel like it is open and ready to receive skincare. Which is sort of the point of an essence.
The Elemis serum is making my skin feel soft and simply fabulous. I know, I tend to be a big fan of Elemis products and have been for a long time. This is a good serum thus far. My skin looked bright and clear and i am seeing a small reduction in some of my fine lines. plus the soft skin it leaves behind is amazing.
I have the Kate Somerville Retinol in my line up and I have been using it on Tuesdays and Thursdays. This week I have to confess, I didn’t remember to use it. Tuesday got crazy and then all day Thursday I somehow thought it was Wednesday. So it is in the line up, but this week, I just didn’t reach for it.
the more I use the Byroe and ESPA products the more I like them I am approaching a month of use with each of them and they will be with me for quite a while. The ESPA is not even half way empty and so little of the eye cream is needed with each use that it will last a long time. I have a sample of a different Byroe eye cream that I may pause this at some point to try out, but I really want to see what this eye cream can do. I am already seeing small improvements and I think with further use I will continue to do so. I did remember to take preliminary picks so in another week or so I will do after photos and we can do a side by side comparison, but at the moment I am loving the way my skin looks and feels. and honestly that is the best think i can say about any skincare line up. This is a winter moisturizer for me, so I did start using it at the prefect time. I love it when a skincare line up just works, don’t you. I don’t mind drama elsewhere in my life but I don’t care for it in skin care unless it is , Wow I think my skin looks great. And at the moment, that is the kind of drama i have because at the moment I do feel that wow, my skin does look and feel great. Let’s hope it continues.
You know, it is at this time of year that I realize why we put parties on Friday and Saturday nights. Or maybe it is because i am used to parties on Friday and Saturday nights that I just feel the day after a party should involve no work. I know why they chose a Tuesday, no one else claimed it and it was a neighborhood thing where everyone could walk. It was nice. And i had a lot of fun. Last night’s signature drink involved Honey Bourbon. Which i happen to like. However they decided to add a little extra honey to the drink to really reinforce the honey bourbon idea. Which was less delightful. It was an interesting drink though and the hostess was happy to point out there was no refined sugar in it.
I drank about half and did my best not to dive head first into the veg dip. They may try and fail at the drink mixes but they always hit a home run with the dips. There is one dip they make that I know contains nothing good for me in it. it is so delicious I don’t care. When ever i get there I have to identify which table it is on and make sure I don’t get into a conversation while standing within easy reach of it because I will not resist. It is one of those that i need to take a small bit on a plate and then walk to the other side of the room e to enjoy, staying on the other side of the room for the rest of the party.
it is the dip everyone wants to ask about but no one will because we all know we shouldn’t be eating it. I won’t even ask her the name because I know if i have the name I will try looking it up on line and I do not need to know that recipe.
As the walking trail has finally dried out a bit i am just going to do an extra lap for the amount of dip I consumed last night and just call it good. I may have had a hard time getting started today because it feels like it should be a weekend, but over all I am still chugging away at the last of my to do list. My plan is to finish as much as possible so that tomorrow will be all travel prep. I don’t know if i can pull it off, But I am sure going to try
Okay today the Dr. Brant Really looked good underneath the AOA Foundation. A good primer can really help a foundation out and this one did. The foundation I picked up on the Shop Miss A site a while back (for a $1, what else) and I had to try it. The thing is I picked this one up in the summer and it is clearly a winter shade for me. I actually like the way it looks on my skin. It blended well, but I did have to remember to use it sparingly. A little goes a long way. it is also a thicker foundation than I am used to. it isn’t heavy but it isn;t weightless either. I did notice that after mid day it did start to sink into my fine lines. I am going to try this with a pore filling primer at some point and see if that helps make it last longer because it was pretty enough to see if i can get some longer wear out of it.
I remembered not to go too heavy on the bronzer today and I think it looked nice. it is a great formula and as long as you remember it is also highly pigmented it works well, blends well and lasts a long time. I also love this blush. I have a coupkle of samples from a different blush from Ciate and I have been trying to use them but I don’t like them as much. With Ciate it is hit or miss for me. This marbled blush is a hit while I am not head over heels for their other blushes that I have tried. This one is a winner though. It is a soft, light look that I really enjoy.
Tresluce again today, although i think I may put it aside for a while after this. Partially because I have tried all of the shadows and want to try them again with a lid primer and partially because I realized I have a stack of eyeshadow palettes that came in over the past few months that i have yet to try out and I want to try them out. I sent for the light pink and the gold shimmer today. The pink worked well but the gold dragged when I tried to blend it. Hence the reasoning behind trying this palette again with a lid primer. I went pretty soft because I know I was going for this lip paint from About face.
I love this color but I have some issues with the product. I can not get it to apply evenly. I always end up with a darker spot where I touch town with the want and if I pause in the application then there is another darker spot. i know it is hard to notice if you aren’t up close but it bothers me. It dries fast and lasts a while, but it is really hard to correct if you make a mistake. I don’t have a lip liner to match this or I would certainly use it. With this lip paint you have to focus when applying it because it does dry so fast and any mistakes are there to stay. I just love this color so much though and so I am going to have to practice more. one thing though unless your lips are perfectly symmetrical, which mine aren’t, don’t rub them together after applying. Bite down on something to blot and settle the product on your lips. Any other way and you will make a bit of a mess.
And that my darlings is me today. I should have reached for the concealer to take down those dark circles but I didn’t. Such is life. Everything else I am pretty pleased by. The eye look wasn’t my favorite but it was the last shadow i hadn’t tried in the palette. But now, I am buckling down and doing my best to finish the last of my work week so tomorrow will be a good day. I think I can do it. I wish you luck if you are trying the same.
It’s Monday my darlings on the last week before Christmas. I don’t know about you but I always hit this week thinking I hae everything ready to go for Christmas and then find a bag of small items i forgot to wrap. You know the things you wrap only because you have to pack your presents. Usually they get dropped into stockings but as the people whose stockings you are stuffing might actually see you do it, you wrap them so its still a surprise. Stockings are always the tricky ones. You wait until the kids are asleep but as the other adults are moving around they often see you put things out. So you end up finding your self wrapping small and oddly shaped items so no one can see.
Actually some of them I wrap with cardboard cur from old subscription boxes so the shape f the thing I am wrapping doesn’t give it away.
As per usual I found the last bag this morning when I went to look in the closet. I also found that I am out of tape. So there will be a run to puck up more tape and then tonight there will be a wrapping of tiny items while watching after dinner television. I know Paramount+ just put up a whole bunch of new things. I’m sure there will be something on to watch.
with that it will be the last of the wrapping. If anything else comes in after, I will pick up a gift bag. Mostly because I am also almost at the end of my wrapping paper and while what I have will get me through the bag I have left, it won’t last much beyond that and I don’t want to pick up a new roll of paper just for one item. I will make it a spectacular gift bag though so my mom can say “oh,” and add it to he collection to be used again.
but I don’t think there will be any more items showing up. It just feels like there ought to be because most of the things i ordered have already been sent on. At Thanksgiving we exchanged bags of presents with those who wouldn’t be making another trip at Christmas. So I have a list where half of the items are already checked off as delivered.
It still makes me think I am forgetting something.
but at this point if I have I will either remember it last second or mail it after I return from my time away. But all that is for after work. Rght now I am mostly just concentrating on getting through everything before I leave. I am fairly certain my to do list multiplied over the weekend. Maybe someone fed it after midnight.
Have you ever reached for a product that you know you like and found out that it is no longer as good as it was because you kept it too long? Yeah. I loved this ABH foundation stick. It was creamy and looked fantastic on. I have just a little bit left in the stick and I though surly I can finish this up. I actually planned to put it in my New Use up Box for January. It isn’t going to make it to January. this was it’s last use. It was a bit on the dry side. I did put a little bit of the Wander Beauty Glow Oil on it and let it sit for a minute and then wiped off what didn’t sink in. The results were fine. i like how it looks. But I don’t think the trick is going to work again. mostly because there is just not that much product in the tube. So it is is going to dry out faster. And while it isn’t expired and i didn’t have any issues putting it on my face I think the expiration date is approaching. And so away it goes.
You know, i had planned to use up several products this December but I am really checking them off the list. I know it is because I started with the products that were closest to being done, but still it feels like i am making progress on the whole using up the older makeup list.
After using up the super mattifying primer I could really see the glow in the Dr. Brandt. I liked it. And the foundation was matte so it wasn’t too much, even with the glow oil. It is a really good primer that probably helped out more than usual with the slightly dry foundation.
I forgot how intensely pigmented the Kim Chi bronzer is. I had to go back and do some correcting. it is a soft and easily buildable formula but it is very pigmented and easy to get carried away with. Once you remember that it is easy to work with. Just tread lightly with your application. I still haven’t made up my mind about this IBY Blush. It looks nice but i had to go in a couple of times with it. the pigment is strong but once you start to blend it fades back a lot. I think it might work better with a bb cream rather than a full foundation.
Once again, I went in with the Tresluce palette. Today I used the black over one of the reddish shades and the one shimmer that is more shimmer than metallic foil. I liked everything but the black shadow. You can clearly see where I put my brush down on the lid. I intended to then blend it out but the shadow was having none of that. it was where it was put and it saw no reason to move. So I sort of have a stamp of black at the edge of my eye and that is it. i was able to put a little more pigment on the rest of the lid by brushing over the lid lightly without an official touch down, but that first touch wasn’t going anywhere. I will be trying this palette with a lid primer because I think it needs one but I wasn’t thrilled with that black shadow. I do like the shimmer shade though. It applied well with a dry brush and it worked really well with the mattes in the palette that I chose for today. It was just the black shadow that wasn’t in the mood to play.
As always I adore the They’re real mascara and I love the ABH Matte Lipstick formula. It is creamy and not drying and once it settles in it lasts for a while. And this is one of my favorite shades. I do love the darker berry tones. And so we are off on our Monday on the race to get everything done before we load the car on Friday. Wish me luck!
If you have followed my posts for any length of times then you probably know two things about me. (you probably know more, but we’ll go with two for now.) I love primers and I don’t like to look too glowy. I think there is a point where glowy looks just greasy, especially on me. Some people can pull it off, I am not one of them. It drives me a little crazy.
I do like a little bit of illumination underneath my foundation though as i think it does help make the more matte foundations look a little less mask like. Finding that balance often makes me feel a bit like Goldilocks. This Dr. Brandt Luminizer Primer actually strikes a good balance for me. It brings the glow, but it is so much more than just the glow.
It is from the Pores No More Line of Dr. Brandt products. I’ve tried several products from this line in the past and in fact have a cleanser from the line slated to start after my current cleanser is finished. All of the products I have tried from this line I have really enjoyed. So before I started, this I had high expectations.
And spoiler alert, this primer met and even exceeded my expectations.
The scent of this primer lets you know it comes from a skin care brand. It very much has that skincare/makeup combo scent to it. I actually like that scent but I just don’t have a better description for it. There is squalene listed in the ingredients list and I think that is part of the skincare scent, at least it is similar enough to many other squalene based products I’ve tried that it is the scent I associate with squalene. I’ve never actually scented squalene on it’s own.
According to the description on the website…
pores no more® LUMINIZER PRIMER is a lightweight silky cream that creates a glowing, flawless complexion with or without makeup, blurs the look of pores and imperfections, provides a smooth canvas for seamless long-wear foundation application. For clients concerned with enlarged pores, lack of radiance, skin color and texture imperfections. All skin types.
The cream of this primer is slightly tinted which helps with the blurring of the pores. And it does blur the pores really well. The slight tint is also really good at taking down slight redness and uneven skin tone. It isn’t a thick coat, it is a subtle shift. I don’t have the red of rosatia to my skin, just a slight ruddiness I like to blend out when putting on makeup . For me this worked really well. It also covered the slightly darker spots on my skin as well. For me it was all I needed at the moment. I wanted it to mostly blur out the pores which it did well. In essence this primer provides a really good neutral base on which to put your makeup.
Which let’s face it, is mostly the point of primer. So job well done.
One extra benefit I noticed was that there was not a lot of clogged pores with this primer. While I tend to only wear makeup for about six to eight hours a day, during the holidays all of my makeup wear time gets extended. This primer was able to go under long wear foundation, and look beautiful well past the length of time i usually wear my makeup. So I was well pleased with this Dr. Brandt Luminizer Primer and will happily continue to wear it.
Today feels a bit more like a Monday than yesterday did. I think everything just got shaken with the to do lists and the no makeup day. Plus usually Sunday is the day I tend to do my on-line shopping. I think my brain has the on-line shopping categorized as planning for the future. With so many Cyber Monday scales (and actually they are now cyber week sales) i did a lot of shopping yesterday. While I did pick up the Glossy Box Advent Calendar for myself as a ‘good job getting all the Christmas presents purchased’ we also keep a list of things to order during sales. Sometimes we pick them up over labor day or the Fourth of July sales. We like to split out our bigger purchases for the house.
However this year has just been crazy. When sales came up, we were mentally preoccupied and didn’t think to pick anything up unless it was an emergency replacement. So the list kept growing. We used a lot of the sales this year to knock out a lot of the list yesterday.
I know there were sales and I didn’t spend nearly as much as I think I did, but i always feel a little regretful the next morning after making a lot of purchases. It isn’t that we bought a lot of excess, a lot of it was replacements of things we ran out of or really need. but I always feel a bit reckless when I make a lot of purchases at the same time.
My babydoll teases me about being frugal and thinks it is about budgeting, but truthfully it isn’t actually about money at all. The items were on sale and priced well. Half of them aren’t pricy when there are no sales, we just hadn’t gotten around to stocking up. They were also necessary things (like replacement pads for the floor steamer and other household things although there were some fun things as well). But nothing was really over the top. It was just a long list. I think the reason it makes me feel reckless is because they are the standard things we use routinely and sometimes daily, and we don’t have them on hand.
For things we use a lot I like to have one in use and one stashed in the closet so when one item is used up we roll in the replacement and reorder the one for the closet (things I know we will use like body wash or toothpaste, I no longer purchase backup makeup items). The fact that we don’t have any of those back ups in the house leads into the reckless feeling. I know it is a bit obsessive, but for things like this it gives me comfort to have the back ups. I will say that it was just a minor twinge until lock down hit and there was the great toilet paper shortage. After that it makes me more nervous not to have those back ups.
And at the moment we don’t have any of them. Or didn’t. I ordered all of them. So soon we will.
So it feels more reckless that I allowed our in house supply to dwindle to the point where we had to place so many orders at one time. I know, I sound crazy. It is a minor issue and one that really is just a minor annoyance. It is only flaring because people keep using the phrase supply chain issues. I know it isn’t like I can’t pop out and get a tube of toothpaste if my current tube is out, but I really like having a back up.
See why it is easier to just say I am frugal and don’t like spending so much money at one time. It makes me sound less crazy. I suppose everyone got a little dose of covid crazy and this is just mine. It is minor and easy to control, it just flared.
But the shopping did make it feel like Sunday while today feels like Monday. It is however Tuesday. So let’s get into the Tuesday Look.
This week I am winding up the Dr. Brandt Primer trial. I know it went on for longer than I planned, but i really liked this primer. Plus I ended up having a lot more new things to try out and test than i planned. Not that I am complaining, it just means I got to use this primer longer. I really like it. It has some tint to it so it does well evening out my skin tone and while it is illuminating, it is a level of illumination i like. I don’t mind a little glow, I just don’t like looking greasy. Which too much illumination for me makes me feel like i look greasy. This doesn’t and I really like it.
The foundation I am just beginning to test out. I tried it as a sample and it was one of the few samples that I have tried for foundation recently that actually interested me so I ordered it. I’ve used it a couple of times, but i was testing a primer so I rotated foundations. I have liked this the few times it has come into rotation.
with the Iconic London duo. I really like the powder but really hate the cream contour. The cream just doesn’t seem to work for me. I tried it several times and I might spend some time with this over the weekend but thus far i can’t stand it. The powder is fantastic though. It is highly pigmented though so go slow and build. It does blend out well and honestly I really do like it and will reach for it often. I even like the small compact. I just don’t like the cream side.
The blush in the Beauty Bakerie Palette comes on strong as well, but it blends out beautifully. I dot it onto my skin with a kabuki brush and then blend with a makeup sponge and it works well. The highlighters are lovely too. Shimmer and not glittery. I may do glotter for New Year’s but the rest of the year, soft shimmer is where I lean.
And I am loving the Setting powder. Oat has enough of a tint to keep it from being bright white but not too much so I don’t feel it darkens me too much. And it really locks the makeup in.
Today however was all about the Sweet Potato Pie Palette. I used a reddish brown and a little of the reddish shimmer, but then i used the yellow shade in the inner corner and above the other shadows a little. I normally would avoid the yellow thinking ‘that just isn’t for me, but honestly I really like this. The tones in the reddish shades really worked well with the yellow. Honestly I really like the quick and easy look that i cam out with today. I know t is nothing ground breaking, but i really enjoy it and I liked using these shadows. i tapped off the brush before applying but there was no fall out once I lifted the brush to the lid. Over all I was impressed.
I was also impressed with the complex culture mascara. Generally complex culture products tend to leave me flat. This actually worked well with lengthening. I do think that the next time i use it, I will reach for the eyelash curler first. This is the sort of mascara that needs the curler first. The pairing will do it good. Over all it was more impressive than most of the things I’ve tried from the brand.
And finally I wanted something simple for the lips so I reached for the Lawless plumping gloss. It is a little sticky and it doesn’t do a lot of plumping. It is fine, just not my favorite. Oddly though I love the applicator wand. It has the perfect curve to the wand for applying lip gloss. The product is only so so, but the wand is fantastic. Which is an odd thing to say. but there you go.
And that my darlings is me today. I am getting back into the daily work groove and doing pretty good. Even with my mental twist. Have a great rest of the afternoon.
Welcome to Wednesday my darlings. It has been a chilly and rainy one. I actually didn’t realize how dark and cloudy it became until I took my picture for this post. I like to use natural light so the makeup I am wearing can be seen a bit more as it would look in the real world and I had to crop out the indoor overhead light as it outshone the sun outside. Which wasn’t the case this morning. It was a little cloudy when I got up but there was a little sun peeking through. Which was nice, I like having daylight when I wake up. It makes me feel better in general.
Which is why that week running up to the time change hurts so badly for me. This year it didn’t help that I’m pretty sure there was some depression and I suppose we’ll call it trauma fatigue going on. This year has been a personally rough one for me and I think that in addition to the grief and mourning for the death of my brother there was just a sense that everything was piling on without end. This month I finally got enough of a breather from any new catastrophes that I actually feel more settled in my skin than I have in a while. Its a bit like taking a deep breath after you’ve finally taken off the body shapers you’ve been wearing for too long, Delicious and slightly off balance all at the same time.
I know that was an unexpectedly heavy mention for a daily post, but as I originally started this site as a way to be honest with myself about my weight and to think through the things I do and the products I use, I try to be as honest about everything here as i can. Only the names have been changed, or at least omitted. I promised my babydoll for one that I would never put his name in a post, hence why he is always referred to as Babydoll.
But to get back on track for the day, I tried a short walk while it was still sunny and the park was flooded so I returned home, warmed up and did a short indoor workout. That wind cut right through me so there were more cups of tea then I usually have in an afternoon. I sort of slosh when i walk at the moment. But I am warm. The clouds started piling in as I returned and look like they are here to stay a while. I think it is going to be indoor workouts the rest of the week. So, let’s see the look my computer screen was faced with today.
Today I wanted to see if I could go for a quick and easy look with no fuss. Also I was a bit in a rush and when i reached for the red lip I am currently testing out I couldn’t find it. (I actually put it away with the other lipsticks instead of leaving it out, imagine that.) It will be back tomorrow, but I did grab one of my favorite Neutral mattes from ABH to dash on quickly.
Apparently the time I set to do my makeup was the time people chose to sell me things at my front door. Today I received two church invitations, neither I’ve heard of actually, one very pushy internet provider option and someone wanting to buy the house.
I was a bit unintentionally mean with the realtor. He mentioned the housing shortage in our area and how houses like mine are being snapped up so now would be the perfect time to sell. I then asked him where I would move to if my house sold and there was a housing shortage. It seemed like a natural question but it seemed to traumatize him. which wasn’t really my intention. I gave him a shortbread cookie to make up for it. (I baked them last night).
Moving on. Everything worked well for a low key look today. The Dr. Brant lifted the Revolution foundation a bit. It is one of the more matte foundations I have and the luminizer under it did give it a bit of a glow which I liked.
In fact there really was only one thing i didn’t actually like today. It was the cream side of the Iconic London contour duo. The cream didn’t apply well. It was my first time trying the cream side so I’ll still play around with it. I tried applying with my finger and the product blended out completely. I then tried a brush and the way it blended sort of made my face look a little dirty. I got most of it off, but I am going to have to see if it is user error or product failure. I like the powder side of the duo but this cream is something else. And I do like a lot of cream products. This one I’ll have to work with.
I think I have the hang of the blush in the beauty bakery Blushlighter palette though. I dot it into place with a kabuki style brush and then blend out with the makeup sponge. I really like the subtle glow it gets with the blush alone. I did forget to use a highlighter though. But I already knew i liked their highlighters.
I went quick and easy with the eyeshadow today. I used the dark brown to blend out across the lid and then the pinkish shimmer on the inner corner and called it good. I dipped once in the pan for each shade and each eye. it gave me a really soft look for the day which I enjoy.
And then I locked down the face products with the setting powder. I am very much enjoying the Flour setting powder.
And that my darlings is me today. A bit more head space than makeup face today, but what can i say, my brain turned inwards rather than out. But now it is back to work for me. I hope you have a fabulous afternoon.
Good afternoon my darlings and welcome to the middle of November. How we got here is a bit of a mystery. But most of this autumn has managed to slip by me. The days keep whooshing past. I try to fend off the flying calendar pages with to do lists. Somedays it works better than others. Yesterday everything was in a bit of a rush.
As you may have noticed from the posts, this is the week of the subscription boxes. There is one more tomorrow, the IPSY Glam Bag X and then we will be through with the subscriptions. I am actually on the fence with posting the unboxings. I think there are some subscriptions I hold on to because they make good posts. I really need to sit down and decide which ones I want to keep regardless of whether or not they make good posts so I think I may take a few months off of posting unboxings, or just do a singular subscription box round up post once a month. It is something i am thinking about. The reason is that I find myself putting off other posts so that I can get the subscription box unboxings posted in a timely enough manner so that if you wanted to order that month’s box you can see what is inside and decide if you want that box. However with shipping delays in the boxes arriving at my place as well as supply chain issues causing substitutions, that seems rather irrelevant.
And there are other things I want to post about. Like in depth product reviews for makeup, skincare and haircare as well as some more fitness stuff. I have actually started using this cordless jump rope workout that is kind of amazing and strange all at the same time.
Plus as much as I love my subscription boxes, I need to pare them down so i can use up the items I have and clear some things out. Although I am making progress with that actually. I did a big unopened skincare clear out of duplicate products and took a box to the local women’s shelter. I only took things that were still sealed so they were happy to take it. And I know it will be well used.
I know that is more than many of you wanted to hear about subscription boxes, but the planning for 2023 is in full swing and so I have started thinking of adjustments. Plus it is a cold and rainy day and rainy days always make me a little introspective. They also make me crave bold lipstick. Luckily i am testing out the matte lip from Beauty Bakerie this week and it is a bold red. So it is all good. So let’s look at what i am wearing on this cold and rainy Tuesday, shall we?
I am really starting to like this primer. The glow of the luminizer isn’t too much and it simply does amazing things for my pores. It has a blurring effect that I really like. In addition it doesn’t clog my pores. Sometimes when I use a primer designed to help smooth out the look of pores, it comes at the expense of my skin. Right now my skin is looking pretty good. I know a chunk of that is my skincare, but part of that is not using pore clogging products. This fits that bill and I am really enjoying this primer.
I know I have been working my way through the foundations but I couldn’t resist this one. It is newer. I tried a sample liked it and ordered it. Incidentally this foundation is still half off on their site (It is not an affiliate link, just a product one). I think they are in the process of changing the packaging. The foundation now appears in a different package on Sephora. And I can see why. I really like this foundation and if I go light with it, it is a beautifully natural look. the bottle get’s messy fast. It is the one where you dispense the product into a divot on the side of the bottle. I can see the thought was a good one, but it does get messy fast and it has to be wiped off before it gets put back into the drawer. otherwise everything else gets messy. I do like this foundation though.
Today I again went for the Iconic Contour. the shade of the powder side is perfect for me. It does go on a little strong so use a light touch. I think it is a shade that I can use lightly in the winder and go a little heavier when my skin is summer tan, so i really like that. And it blends well. I meant to try the cream side today, but I simply forgot. I will try it out tomorrow and see if I like it as well as the powder part of the do. I do also like the small size and potential ability for travel.
Today I again used the Beauty Bakerie Blushlighter palette. The blush has a sheen to it that is almost a shimmer, but once blended in and setting powder is used the effect is less shimmery and more blush with a bit of lift if that makes sense. It is very pigmented so I went in light and built it up a bit. It is buildable and it blends out really well with a makeup sponge. It isn’t a shade I would have picked up on my own, but I have to say it does kind of work for me. the highlighters in the palette apply better with a fingertip than they do with a brush. and like the blush they do blend into a soft glow. Today i I used the No Champagne, no Gain, which I really like. It is hard to see in the photo, especially as ther is no sunlight today, but when it catches the light it is a soft warm glow which is my preferred highlighter.
The setting powder is really nice. It adds just enough of that matte layer to tone down the shine of some of the products I used today without looking powdery. I will never really be a dewy sort of person. so for me a good setting powder that doesn’t make me look powdery is a key element of my routine. This Oat translucent powder has just enough of a tint to it that it blends better than a bright white powder would. I am very happy to keep using it.
Today I wanted a neutral toned down eye look to contrast with the brighter lip I am using and I reached for this mini palette. It has six shades and is small enough that I am considering it for travel. It is also a $3.50 palette. I have to say it is really worth it. It is a simple brown and gold palette with one gold shimmer and one pink toned shimmer. It is simple and easy to use. The mattes are pigmented and blend well. The shimmers apply better with a fingertip. Actually with most revolution shadows brushes are kind of pointless when applying the shimmers and you always need a finger tip. A damp cotton swab also works well, but skip the brushes. I really like this little palette.
Whenever I take out this ABH mascara my first thought is “Oh look at the fluffy brush, it’s so FLUFFY.” And it is. It is a fluffy brush. And one or two swipes is all you need for fab lashes. Don’t attempt to use this on lower lashes or it will only end in heartbreak. It is fantastic on the upper lashes.
Today I reached for a brow pencil. I haven’t gotten around to do much brow clean up so the stencil is just pointless. This pencil is a good one and it let me add a little shape so my brows look done and not too wild today. Of my brow pencils this is actually one of my favorites. Part of it is the shade. I often find that I end up getting pencils that are just too dark for me. I like my brows just a little lighter than my hair otherwise I always find they look too dark and possibly menacing. Like I am starting to lean into stage villain makeup rather than everyday makeup. You may not feel that way but somehow that is always how too dark brows look to me. Probably just a personal thing though.
This liquid lip. Classic red, applies well with one coat and dries down matte. It is also quite comfortable to wear and doesn’t seep into the fine lines around my mouth. I’m kind of in love.
And a red lip on a dreary day just makes me happy.
And so my darlings that is me today. I feel pretty good about things. I know the sun is not sunny but we can still have lots of good fun that is funny. Or at least be productive at the desk. I have a lot to get done before I turn into a pie baking machine and travel to my Mom’s for the holiday. I expect pretty much everyone else is in the same boat. Maybe without the pies. So it is back to work for me. I want to clear all of the paperwork away before I get into the pie dough. I’m not baking today obviously. I don’t want the pies hanging around that long before thanksgiving. I just want all my work done before I shift into holiday mode. That way I can focus on making the pies, packing and getting the house spotless for our return. there is nothing like coming home to a house that is clean and tidy after a holiday trip. So I try to get a good clean in before I go. For now, the paperwork is calling. Happy Tuesday.
Ah, here we are again my darlings, the skincare line up, my favorite post of the week. Don’t get me wrong I love the other posts, but skincare is my true love. I can bore people to tears with my discussion. So I save it up and bring it all here. You will notice that I did not put the ExfoliKate from Kate Somerville in the line up this week. I have been using it about twice a week, however i used it this past Saturday and my skin got a bit red and itchy. That hadn’t happened before with the Kate Somerville, but I decided to skip it for a little while while I figure out if my skin just had enough of the product or if it was reacting with one of the newer products in the line up. While several products are still in motion, I did have two new ones enter the line up this week, the Beekman 1802 Collagen Boost and the OGEE Velvet Botanicals Moisturizer. Both are actually designed for sensitive skin and I used them each with no problems. It was just when it came into contact with the Exfolicate that the itchiness happened. So I am going try and figure out what is going on before I use it again. The rest of the products I used all week with no issues whatsoever.
I’ll look into it and get back to you. And I doubt you are using the exact same line up as I am right at this very moment as I am using a random collection of products rather than a set, but I figured I’d mention it in case it comes up with you.
Okay let’s start with the cleanser. The Glamglow cleanser is really bringing up buried clogged pores. I am actually really impressed with it’s work. It does leave a charcoal film on the inside of my sink so I do find myself wiping it out a bit more than usual, but the cleanser is great at clearing out the pores. And since it is a clearing cleanser, it is nice to have it do what I expect. I think I am about half way through the tube of cleanser. I am thinking of rolling in a second cleanser though, to use in the evenings. I just received an exfoliating cleanser from Beekman 1802 (subscription box) and i am thinking of using that in the evnings and the Glamglow in the mornings. Partially because I am very curious about the exfoliating jelly cleanser, but mostly because i know I am going to need to roll in an exfoliator if I keep using the Glamglow. It just brings too many things to the surface not to have a routine exfoliator with it.So I get to indulge my curiosity and be practical all at the same time.
Fabulous!
I know this is a strange thing to say about a toner, but I really like the scent of this Elemis toner. I know it is mostly about how the products work (and it does work fantastically well) but I really like the scent. Maybe it is because of the time of year. It has almost a fermented apple cider vibe going for it. it is a little lighter and a little fresher, but that is sort of the scent. And I really like the toner. Now that I’ve figured out how hard to press so that I can dispense the product without causing it to fountain. I also like that when it dries down it isn’t sticky. Sometimes toners can leave a little bit of a sticky film on the skin and I like to feel like my toners are taking the last of the nasties from my skin, not adding a layer.
I switched the Truth Serum to night time use because with the brightening toner I didn’t feel like I needed it twice a day. Plus I love this serum and only using it once a day helps it last longer. I’ve used this Ole Henriksen serum before (a couple of times) and my skin always reacts well to it and looks good. I just don;t have a lot of dark spots so using less still gives me the same glowing skin.
It also let me roll in a collagen serum, and while i may not have dark spots, and a terribly uneven complexion (even though I love the vitamin C) I do have a multitude of fine lines. I know, time man, in the end it will get us all. But if I can plump up some fine lines and at least delay the inevitable a little while, I am all for it. The directions for this booster are to either add a drop or two to the moisturizer or to apply it directly for a more powerful boost. I used it on it’s own. Its not that I am looking for a stronger boost, I just don’t like mixing things with my moisturizer. I like layers to my skincare.
I’m sure it would be fine either way, but somehow my brain thinks of the moisturizer as the final layer that locks everything down. And yes, in my mental image mixing something into the moisturizer is like putting holes in the fence. It lets in those pesky free radicals that get in like those rabbits got into my garden.
I know it really doesn’t work that way, but that is my mental picture and so I layer skincare.
I never claimed to be logical.
I do like this collagen booster though. I still have to restrict myself to a drop or too or it is too wet on the skin. I am curious as to how it will work as the level of the product drops lower in the bottle. Itis a very short dropper and a very rounded bottle. But that I will fin out in time. For now, the serum is nice.
The MZ Skin Eye cream is good. I really hate to say this but I would probably like this eye cream more if I didn’t know how much it costs. It is a good solid eye cream. It goes on well and doesn’t clog the pores. Is it my favorite? No. both the Perricone MD Hypoallergenic Firming Eye Cream ($72 on Dermstore) and the Dr. Brandt DNA Triple Peptide Eye cream ($82 on the Dr. Brandt site) I’ve used in the past are much better eye creams in my opinion. This is okay but not spectacular. It is a $95 eye cream (on Dermstore, it is pricier on other sites). It sort of puts the eye cream in the same playing field as the Periconne MD and the Dr. Brandt, pricewise. Performance wise it is not worth that price. It is a good solid eye cream but not a spectacular one.
I have two moisturizers in the line up this week. This was the first week for the OGEE moisturizer and i did like it. it absorbs well without leaving a greasy film and the aloe and jojoba scent of the cream (very light scent) is a nostalgic one for me. It is a first week of use so there aren’t any startling reveals but it is a good solid moisturizer filled with all sorts of organic goodness that my skin likes. because I am finishing up the tatcha cream i am using as night cream, i have only used this during the day. As the Tatcha sample is empty now I will be using it as my only moisturizer this week. My one concern is that his moisturizer is rather light and has more of a day cream feel to it. I’ll see how it performs this week as a solo act. I may be surprised. I do know that I really like it as a day cream though.
And alas the Indigo Overnight repair cream I have been using as my night cream is now empty. (I do have a second sample size, but I am going to leave it in the drawer for now.) I really did like this. It would definitely be too much to use as anything but a night time moisturizer, but it is actually designed for night time use. As a deluxe sample I was able to use it enough to know that I will pick this up for a full sized trial at some point. I love that it had no scent to it and was just a really good light weight but heavy duty moisturizer. I went to bed looking a bit glazed, but my skin wasn’t sticky and the cream absorbed into my skin rather than the pillow. It is one I will try out for longer.
And of course we finish with the Kissu lip mask. I prefer the original to the tinted and will continue using it until it is done. and then I will repurchase it. It is a great over night treatment and I am fond of the consistency.
And so my darlings that is me today. It is not intensely different from last week as there are a lot of products still in motion. But with skincare, drama is usually something to avoid. At the moment I have a good line up of solid products. Now I just need to keep using them to see if they yield the expected results.
Ms. Mimsy Reviews 