This Mitchell and Peach English Leaf Body Oil came to me via a Boxy Charm. To be honest I had never heard of Mitchell and Peach, however it is the season for body oils. At least in my opinion. In the winter I go for heavier creams which my dry winter skin soaks in.
As the temperatures rise, I tend to prefer body oils. For me it feels like they absorb much more rabidly and hydrate really well. I prefer to use them right after my shower when the heat from the shower has opened my pores. I basically towel off and then apply instead of body lotion.
This year the warmer weather snuck up on me. I was prepared for it, then we got snow and I had to hustle back into my winter clothes. Then just as I thought temps were again on the rise, we had another cold snap. So I am late stocking up on my warmer weather products as it seemed that every time I thought about it, the cold would return.
I am pretty sure it won’t be coming back until October at this point.
Having never heard of Mitchell and Peach (or this product) I looked them up. Accoding to the brand this body oil…
The newest addition to the Mitchell and Peach collection, this expertly blended body oil was inspired by the lush, verdant countryside of the Foxbury Farm estate in Kent, England.
The nourishing formulation, containing natural oils and Vitamin E, is delicately scented with a ‘green floral’ fragrance possessing both cut-leaf freshness and intriguing depth.
While I have never been to Foxbury Farm and to be honest my visits to Britain haven’t been to Kent either, I can say that this Body Oil has a very green scent to it. I know, it isn’t helpful when I describe scents as colors. Sometimes the wires just get crossed.
It has a fresh scent to the oil that is like the first scent of a green leaf emerging from a tree. If you sniff the branch where the tree is starting to bud out, before it gets the particular scent of the plant type and is still just new growth, that is more or less the scent of the oil.
It is a light scent that is refreshing after a hot shower, the scent feels a bit cooling actually as it reminds me of an early spring morning which is generally cooler than my shower. Applying it produces a delightful mental fission, at least in me anyway.
I love that there is vitamin E in the oil as it is a great softening agent for the skin and my skin really enjoyed it. Thus far this has been a great addition to the body care line up.
However, while I adore the glass bottle, I don’t really like the lid. It is not the easiest to twist off with damp hands (it also has condensation from the humid air of the bath and is wet itself) and post application it is harder to get into place with my then oily hands.
Normally this isn’t too big of an issue, I can set the bottle to the side, wash and dry my hands and then put the cap back on. The issue is that it is an open top under the cap. There is no regulator and I do not have the largest bathroom in the world. I have almost knocked this over a couple of times. And it really world be a shame to waste it.
I also don’t like the open top for dispensing the product. It is better now that I have used a bit and the bottle isn’t full. It is easier to control the pour when then bottle isn’t completely full. The open top means that you really have to watch how you pour it into your hand as it is very easy to use too much. Too much of a body oil makes you feel greasy. Applying a smaller amount that the skin can absorb easily makes the skin soft and hydrated.
Over all, I really did like this Body oil and will continue to use it until it is gone. Would I purchase it on my own? Yes actually I would. I would however replace the cap with one that would let me control the dispensing of the product a little bit better. I a actually fairly certain I have a cap from another bottle that would fit. I will be trying it out as a replacement later. Beyond that one minor detail, this Mitchell and Peach English Leaf Body Oil is a great product and it makes me want to further investigate the Mitchell and Peach Brand.
When traveling I often take a break from my regular skincare and use it as a time to try out some of my samples, especially if they are smaller ones that can be used up during the time I am traveling. This weekend I will be traveling home. Some of the products I will be taking with me for this weekend are full size. In fact there are two full sixed items.
The first full size going with me is the Sunday Riley 5 Star Eye Cream. The tube is small enough that it won’t cause issues when traveling and when I looked I didn’t have any sample sized eye creams that I could use up in the duration of a weekend, so since this is already opened and in use, I decided to take it with me.
The second full sized item I am taking with me is the Clove And Hallow Cloud Powder. This is not only a new to me product it is a new to the market product. Clove and Hallow sent this new release product to me to try out and review. So I will be taking it with me. It is a powder cleanser that you add water to so I think it will be nice to actually travel with it. I actually tried it out this morning and really liked it. My first use review will be up early next week, but thus far it has made a really good impression.
I wanted to include a makeup remover and while I will be rolling up my Makeup eraser and putting it with my makeup bag, I will also be taking my travel sized Elemis Cleansing Balm. It is a great Cleansing Balm and it is also the only travel sized cleansing balm I have at the moment
Elemis is also represented in my Soothing Apricot toner. It just came in a subscription box and I have been wanting to use it, however it is also travel size, which none of my other toners are at this point. So it jumped to the front of the travel line and is in my skincare bag this weekend.
For my day time moisturizer I will be trying out the Tiny tube of Augustine Bader The Rich Cream. To be honest. even using it only for day time use over the weekend I am not sure if it will last the entire weekend so I added the Verso Hydrating cream to the mix as back up in case the moisturizer runs out.
For night cream I have added a tube of the One Kind Dream Cream. I had two tubes of this tried them out and thought it was okay but probably not something I would repurchase. Then I got another sample sized tube in a different box. Rather than let it linger in the bottom of the drawer, I am going to just take it with me. It is a decent night time moisturizer, just not my favorite. And in truth I think I might have used it at the wrong time of year. I tried it out just as the weather was really cooling down this past fall and I think it just didn’t provide enough moisture for night time use. I think that as it is warming up, it might be a better time to try it again and see if weather was a factor. So into the skincare bag it goes.
And finally I have the deluxe sample of the elta MD Skincare Uv Sheer Broad Spectrum Sunscreen. I know I need sunscreen, this one is travel sized and I have never tried the brand before. As I know my mother always has extra sunscreen floating around the house, if it really turns out not to work for me, I know there will be plenty of back up handy. Which makes it the perfect time to test.
And that is the skincare I will be traveling with this weekend. Some of it I am certain will end up being used up while I am home and others might last a few days after my return. I like the compact nature of the items I chose and the fact that some of them are completely new to me. It will be interesting to see how they perform.
Embryolisse has been around for a long time. Their iconic multi-use moisturizer has been around since the 1940s and growing up I remember both my grandmother and mother using it. So when Embryolisse sent three moisturizers from the Lait Creme line for me to try out and review I was thrilled. I was familiar with only the original Lait creme Concentre so I started with that and am now working my way through the other two and comparing them to the original.
The second Embryoliss moisturizer I have been testing out has been the Lait Creme Sensitive. According to the product page…
The Lait Crème Sensitive is ideal for the sensitive and reactive skin of adults, children and babies alike. It was specifically formulated to soothe, nourish and moisturize easily damaged skin which reacts to the tiniest trigger, and needs the most tender care. This type of fragile skin is steadily increasing in all industrialized countries. The creamy milk texture leaves a comfortable, non-greasy, silky veil over the face and body.
While using it I found this cream to preform as a moisturizer in almost exactly the same way as the lait creme concentre. It moisturized well, absorbed well and was an all round good moisturizer. There were however a few differences between it and the concentre.
no white caste even when freshly applied
If I had to choose a word to describe the Lait-creme sensitive from Embryolisse it would be light. There is a slight scent to the cream that is reminiscent of the concentre, but it is significantly lighter. The creme looks exactly the same in the palm of the hand, but again when applied it feels a little bit lighter. In fact in every aspect you can say it is is like the Lait creme concentre but lighter.
Which is not a bad thing. It is the sensitive version so lighter scent and a hypoallergenic formula are very good things. It has the same moisturizing properties and it works well as a pre makeup base, but again the byword is lighter.
In this it is also not a bad thing. My skin is what tends to be classified as ‘normal’ which I always find amusing. In reality what that means is that while my skin isn’t technically overly dry or oily, its needs are very seasonally based. In the winter when i spend time indoors with the indoor heating on, my skin dries out more so that it is normal to dry. In the summer when the weather heats up I shift to normal to oily.
In the winter the Lait Creme Concentre was perfect. However now that spring has sprung, the concentre is a bit too much for my skin. Which made spring the perfect time for the Lait-creme Sensitive. As I mentioned before it was in all ways a lighter moisturizer. In the winter I think I might have to roll in a night mask once or twice a week if I used it when my skin is the driest, however at this time of year, this moisturizer was the perfect weight.
There is of course a third cream in the Lait-creme line to try and that is the Lait Creme Fluid. I have yet to open it and give it a try but soon I will shift the Sensitive to the makeup drawer to take the place of the almost empty Lait creme concentre as my pre makeup base and I will begin testing the third in the lait Creme line. It comes in a pump bottle and I am hoping it will be the perfect summer weight moisturizer. However that I will only learn in time.
As for the Lait Creme Sensitive. I really enjoyed the hypo-allergenic formula and the ease with which it absorbed into the skin. It worked well for me and it is a moisturizer I would certainly use again.
Good morning one and all. It is time once again for the weekly skincare line up. Are you excited? I know I am. This week had only some minor tweaks to the line up. It wasn’t anything major actually. In general I like to have my skincare rotate in and out at different times so I am not adding all new products on the same week. But let’s get into it and see what happens.
While I have been a bit so so about the cleanser I have to say this week it sort of came into it’s own. With the increased humidity I have ended up washing my face more than usual. I try to usually stick with the morning and evening routine, but this week I was sweaty and nasty a couple of times mid day and had to roll the cleanser out because I simply felt gross. I was able to use this gentle cleanser with out stripping my skin, so I am quite pleased with it.
The Time Revolution Essence I still love. It does a great job of opening up the pores to get them ready for the rest of the skincare. It is used one spare drop at a time, more simply isn’t needed. It is not yet low enough that i am risking having more product come out than I need but i suspect in the next week I will have to start watching that. Because of the way the regulator is placed when there is less product, upending the bottle to dispense lets the product hit the distributer with more force so more product comes out. it has happened with all my essences regardless of brand. The trick is to remember to tilt it slowly instead of just upending it over the palm of your hand.
My one new product in this week’s line up is a sample sized serum. I am going to try to roll through some of my sample serums to clear out out some space in the drawer and this one has been hanging around a while. The problem is that it was only about half full when i unsealed it from it’s plastic at the beginning of the week. Now I’ve used some of it and I don’t think it will make it through a second week. I won’t be using it long enough to decide it it has any use to it because of the lack of product. The serum has no scent to it. It absorbs well and doesn’t leave the skin greasy. It has hyaluronic acid in it, which is a good ingredient, but given the time i’ve had with it I can’t tell if it has enough to have an effect. I do like the way it feels enough to consider giving it another try with a full size though.
The Sunday Riley eye cream I am absolutely loving though. It absorbs well without leaving my skin greasy or clogging pores and I am starting to see a reduction in the fine lines by my eyes as it plumps the skin.
The Embryolisse is a great moisturizer and perfectly weighted for this time of year. It isn’t too heavy and it moisturizes well. We are nearing the end of the thirty day tril though so next week there will be a full review and I will be rolling the third moisturizer in the lait Creme line into the skincare rotation. I’m hoping it proves to be a summer weight product but i will have to wait and see for that.
And Sunscreen is a must. It is a must year round but as I spend more time outside in this weather it is doubly important. The Sunday Riley is doing well. Once the cream warms up to skin temps the white cast disappears. It does leave me looking very shiny for about twenty minutes after application but after that it is fine. I’ve had no problems with it and am happy to continue using it.
The Yensa Cleansing oil s great for the general makeup removing as well as washing my face, however when it gets in my eyes it tends to cloud my contacts a bit. So I brought in the Laura Mercier to take off my eye makeup. Thus far I haven’t had any problems with it. The eye makeup remover is a good product with no scent, you just have to remember to shake it up before using it as the oils tend to separate. Is it my favorite eye makeup remover? No. It takes a bit more effort to get mascara off than I’d perhaps like. It is good enough to use, but I’m not sure I’d repurchase it.
The other new product in my line up is the Sonage serum. Again it has only been a week with this serum so i haven’t seen any effects yet. It has a scent that somewhat reminds me of rosemary but in a more industrial skincare kind of way, if that makes sense. It is a potent scent, but it fades fairly quickly. It does leave the skin sticky. I was not expecting that but it is very sticky. The stick factor isn’t a problem as I apply moisturizer over serums and that took away all of the stickiness, but it is sticky enough to warrant notice. This is one of those products that I am going to have to wait and see in order to pass judgement. I’m not a huge fan of the scent or of the stickiness even though both could be excused it the product works well. I just need to use it more to figure out if it works well. If it works well and plumps my lines and rejuvenates my face i will forgive the scent and the stickiness. Only time will tell on that one.
And finally we come to the Alpha H. Used every other day I am really liking this exfoliating toner. My skin feels clear and clean after using it. At the same time, I am only using it three times a week. I would not want to use it more than that. Three times is plenty, more would be overdoing it. But it is a fantastic item in my line up. It tingled and was a little stinging the first couple of times I used it, but that faded quickly and I haven’t had anything but good skin since. I am pleased to use it and pleased to have a second bottle waiting in the wings. Truthfully once i finish this bottle I’m just going to roll in the second one unless there is something else I nee to test out. I would happily award this a permanent spot in my routine.
I am always up for trying a new lip product. It is my most consistently used makeup/self-care product. While I will always love a deep dark berry or a red lip, even on days when I don’t wear makeup, I generally have something on my lips. There are several reasons.
One when my lips get dry I tend to pick at them and make them worse. I know, it is a bad habit and one that I have tried numerous times to break myself of. The best method I have found is to not let my lips get dry enough to pick at them.
The second reason I usually have something on my lips is that I generally find that as soon as I apply something to my lips, I am reluctant to eat anything. Part of it comes from sticky lip glosses holding on to potato chip residue and part of it is liquid lippies leaving prints everywhere. In the end a good lip balm is also a good anti-snacking tool. And since it keeps my lips from drying out, I am happy to use the tool.
In addition I often find when I need a second to compose my thoughts, reaching for a lip balm will often give me that brief moment I need to think of what I need to say or write. Sometimes I have to apply it more slowly than others, but in general it works.
Plus I just flat out enjoy lip products.
But all are not the same. There is actually a wide variety of products all sort of huddled under similar names. The one I have been trying lately is the Endota Organics Hydrating Lip Balm. It came to me in a Boxy charm. I had never heard of the brand or tried any of their products. Personally that is one of the reasons I love subscription boxes. According to the Endota site...
Protect your pout with this natural organic lip balm that’s packed with super-hydrating ingredients. With a gorgeous glossy finish, our Hydrating Lip Balm will soothe cracked or chapped lips and protect skin from dryness. Cocoa butter, calendula and vitamin E assist in visibly reviving delicate lips to keep them looking healthy and feeling luscious, while cooling peppermint oil provides a hint of freshness. This versatile balm can also be used to help restore moisture to cuticles and areas that regularly experience dryness.
The lip balm comes in a simple squeeze tube and has a really nice applicator tip. I personally like these plastic spout tips as they are easy to wipe off and keep clean. The scent of the lip balm is slightly minty but not overpoweringly so.
The issue comes with getting the product out of the container. I opened the tube. I squeezed.
Nothing.
I thought there might be an extra safety seal I missed.
There wasn’t.
I did a lot of squeezing and put in a lot of effort to get the product out of the tube. In the end I think the heat of my hands loosened it a bit and then the product would dispense. For a while I thought it had formed a solid lump.
It is a thick lip balm. It is one that I would carry in the back pocket if I planned to use it just so my body heat would make it easier to use. It applies easily once it is out of the tube. I was concerned it would be a little chunky on the lips (which I hate) but it was not. It glided on smoothly. The thing is, it is really thick once it is on the lips too. It feels nice, it smells nice and it has a glossy shine, but it is not really that absorbent. I had the feeling more of it wiped off than soaked into my lips.
I don’t think that this is the sort of lip balm I would keep on my desk to apply throughout the day. It is the sort of lip balm I would put on my lips or in my back pocket when I am going skiing or hiking in a cold and windy environment. It might even be good in a hot and dry climate. It is a product that I think would deal well with intense conditions. It is simply too much for every day use. I am putting it into the pocket of my winter coat though. My coat has been cleaned and is ready to go back into the closet until cold weather returns. I do not mind putting this tube of Endota Organics Hydrating Lip Balm in the coat pocket to wait for the return of cold weather, because that is probably the next time I will want to use it.
As of now, this is the last untried single eye mask in my collection. I do have a couple of the Wander Beauty Baggage Claim eye masks that came as singles, but I have reviews those so I will simply use them as well as the masks that came in packs. The Knesko eye mask is new to me though and arrived with my Glossy Box Easter Egg if memory serves.
Support your eyes with this luxury eye mask. Our Rose Quartz Antioxidant Collagen Eye Masks are the ideal choice for skin in need of some extra love. Formulated with potent antioxidants, they work to immediately soothe and protect your under-eye area—all in a luxuriously calming at-home spa experience.  Our Rose Quartz Eye Masks are packed with an active serum containing our proven Antioxidant Complex. Ingredients like Grape Seed and Licorice Root extracts fight free radicals to reverse damage and brighten your skin. Soothing Rose Quartz boosts elasticity and brings back those youthful-looking eyes. Just one treatment and you’ll be glowing—inside and out.Â
Okay calming, soothing and anti-aging are all things I can get behind. So to the masks we go! I opened the package and before I even slid the masks out of the package the scent of rose drifted up. Actually no, that is not the right term. It didn’t drift anywhere It spiraled up and slapped me in the face. These eye masks smell of rose. I know it says Rose Quartz but I assumed they meant the stone, especially as the description mentions Grape seed and licorice root. I was braced for an anise type scent, I was not braced for rose.
The scent is exactly like the By Terry Lip gloss. It is the exact came scent except spread over a wider area. It is not a bad scent but wow is it rose -tastic. So beware if you are sensitive to scent or rose in particular. If you like rose then this may be just up your alley.
The masks are on a plastic sheet and they came out without incident. They are juicy. Very juicy. They overfloweth with serum. They are the jelly like patches, which are among my favorite. I placed them on and the amount of serum made them want to slide. I had to shake off a little bit of serum to make them stay in place. Once I took off some serum they were okay although one of the eye masks kept sliding and had to be repositioned every few minutes. Feeling the slow slide was a bit annoying..
constant sliding
One of the things I generally like about the jelly style patches is that they generally adhere really well to the contours of the face. These tended to pucker. which is not ideal because you want as much contact between your skin and the eye patch. I wore these eye masks for fifteen minutes and the entire time I kept expecting the rose scent to fade.
It doesn’t.
It is a scent that is there to stay. I did wear them for the recommended length of time, but the scent was strong enough to give me a headache. It was with some relief that I removed them. Having removed them, I am impressed with the serum. I think the skin around my eyes did benefit from the serum. I also know that no matter how good that serum is, I will never buy these masks. I was annoyed that they kept sliding, but that was something I could adjust if need be. I can not live with that scent. It was extremely intense and gave me a headache. The serum in the Knesko Skin Rose Quarts Antioxidant Natural Collagen Eye masks may be really good, but for me the scent makes it a hard no on purchasing. As a brand that I have never tried before, I would be willing to try other products from them, because the serum was really good. I will however probably avoid anything in the rose line.
Today I decided a little hydration was in order. Partially because my skin felt dry and partially because I have been using a lot of exfoliation type products lately. And let’s face it, when you exfoliate, having a hit of moisture right after really helps out your skin.
Or at least it does mine. In general this is why shortly after using an exfoliator i end up adding a moisturizer on to my skin. I do let my skin wait just a little bit so that I can enjoy that freshly scrubbed feeling, but then i have to admit i love the feeling of my freshly exfoliated skin just drinking in the moisture.
I know, I really just love skincare.
clean skin pre mask
Today my skin needed some moisture so I decided it was the perfect time for a Staycation with Wander Beauty. According to the website The Staycation Hydrating mask will…
Book the ultimate hydration Staycation with our intensely moisturizing 3-in-1 soothing mask, daily moisturizer and overnight skin-quenching treatment.
Ceramide NP is known to help protect skin’s natural barrier, keeping skin irritants such as pollution out. The result is healthier, more supple skin. Acetyl Hexapeptide-8 diminishes fine lines and wrinkles by relaxing facial muscles, making signs of aging less prominent.
Butterfly pea flower extract is known to have anti-glycation properties which help keep skin looking youthful. Cranberry seed oil delivers potent antioxidant benefits and helps lock in moisture.
Now normally I leave the mask description at that, however there is an additional list of benefits below that. And you know I love a list.
7-in-1 Multitasking Mask
Soothing rinse-off mask for instant hydration
Daily nourishing moisturizer
Overnight intensely hydrating mask
Helps improve skin texture and prevent moisture loss with powerful ceramide and peptide combination
Helps protect skin’s natural barrier with Ceramide NP
Diminished fine lines and wrinkles with Acetyl Hexapeptide-8
Suitable for all skin types
mask on
Most of the list was detailed above, but I can’t resist a list of claims. I love that it is suitable for all skin types and that the list points out what each of the specified ingredients accomplishes. I find the fact that it can be used as a regular fifteen minute face mask as well as an over night mask fantastic. Sometimes when the weather flip flops I find it especially fantastic to sleep in a moisturizing mask. we are in the season where sometimes our air conditioner will kick on because the house is to warm but other nights the heat will still start up because temps dropped unexpectedly. A moisturizing mask over night is sort of like skin protection regardless of what the central forced air system decides to do when I am not paying attention.
after fifteen minutes
I find it interesting that when used in a small amount it can also be used as a daily moisturizer. When dispensing it for the first time, it is not surprising that it can be used as a moisturizer. It has the consistency of a thicker gel cream. The thickness of it makes me think it wouldn’t be bad as an over night mask either.
However today, we are testing this for the first time as a fifteen minute mask. Application was easy. I took the amount you see dispensed on my hands, rubbed my hands together and massaged it into my skin. I then rinsed my hands, set the timer and lay back for fifteen minutes.
post mask fabulous
I half expected the mask to melt and drip because t reminded me of a moisturizer. It did not. The Staycation mask stayed where I put it. Leaving me free to lay back, close my eyes and realize that I will soon need to order candles. I have winter scents and I have summer scents. In the spring I tend to use up the winter scented candles while I plan my summer candle purchases and then as they start to run out I will inevitable find a cinnamon or cardamom scented something at the store that will remind me to order winter scented candles. It will also remind me to restock my baking spices. With the weather so wonky this year I haven’t even gotten around to looking at summer scents. I suppose it is off to the Paddywax site later tonight then.
But for now, there is the mask. After fifteen minutes of speculating about citrus versus sea side scented candles, I got up and went to wash off the mask. Most of the mask absorbed into my skin, which is pretty typical of hydrating masks, They absorb in and, well hydrate. The fact that there was only a little left on my skin meant that I had more or lass applied the right amount of mask to my skin.
what remained rinsed off easily with warm water. I patted my skin dry and then took a look. There probably isn’t much visible difference in the photos, but my skin does feel quite nicely hydrated without feeling greasy. In fact my skin feels quite fabulous. And the few dry spots I noticed earlier are gone. Those were the spots where there was very little to any mask left over on my skin. So I guess we all know why they are no longer dry.
I really enjoyed this Wander Beauty Staycation Mask as a fifteen minute face mask. It wa my first use of the product but it won’t be my last. I will certainly use it as a fifteen minute mask again and I can’t wait to try it out as an overnight mask as well as a possible moisturizer. If it works as all three, there is the distinct possibility that a tube of this will be added to my travel kit to take the place of several products. It may be a Staycation mask, but there is no reason it can’t be taken on the road. Especially since travel always dries me out. Stay tuned my darlings, there will be more tests to come.
As always there is a bare skin picture to the left. Last night i didn’t do such a fantastic job removing my mascara and it shows. Other than that I am happy with my skin this week. I will be rolling in an eye makeup remover this week, just because my Yensa tends to cloud the contacts a bit (its the fact that it is an oil). I’ve noticed that there have been more mornings where I end up waking up with mascara smudges lately so that will be next week’s change.
However, I am jumping ahead of myself.
The super man forehead curl was unintentional, it simply escaped my headband. As it still shows the improvement in the line I call my forehead’s stress crack, I think it should be okay for the picture. I will say my eyes are a little less puffy this week than they have been but with everything in bloom there are another couple of weeks where sleep or not, those bags will remain.
As always we have the skincare products used this week in the line up below. I forgot to replace my serum for the day time use so very little has changed since last week. However changes are in the air. So let’s see what we have shall we?
Everything in this list was used last week and everything keeps on ticking on. The Kate Somerville cleanser is okay. It is a decent cleanser and I like using it, but there is nothing that makes me say, wow I want to repurchase this cleanser. The most distinctive part of it is the lid, which I admit I do like. Instead of a twist off cap it twists and opens a hole in the middle. It is really nice and easy to use and I don’t have to worry about dropping the cap with wet hands. I love the cap. The cleanser is okay.
I love the essence. It feels good on the skin and makes me love my skin. To be honest I think the essence is one of the reasons why i haven’t felt the need to add a serum. I will, but I was okay this week without it.
The Murad Toner is nice (and yes I do use it before the essence, I was just weird with listing it.) It takes off the last traces of makeup letting me know my face is absolutely clean. And it doesn’t dry my skin. In general Murad always does what Murad says they are going to do. I keep one of their acne fighting cleansers around for back up because it fights acne so well. I can’t use it a lot because it will dry my skin out, but used when needed it takes down acne fast. Then I set it aside for later. I like the way Murad groups their products because it makes it easy to know exactly what it is you are using. And this is one of my favorite toners.
The eye cream is new enough to the line up that I can’t say there are massive results, but my skin absorbs it well and I haven’t seen any increase in clogged pores around my eyes (I am prone to clogging there) so at the moment I am quite pleased with it.
The Embyolisse Sensitive is proving that it is just as good as the original. everything about it is a slight bit lighter than the original. It has a lighter scent and a lighter moisturizer level. Which honestly makes it perfect for this time of the year. Embryolisse sent three of their moisturizers to me and I am beginning to think they are seasonal, at least for my skin. The Lait Creme Concentre is a great winter time moisturizer, the sensitive is proving fantastic for the spring (and my guess is the fall) the third is the Fluid and I’m guessing for me that will be a summer weight version. There are a few more weeks with the sensitive trial before I find out of course. But I think that is what will happen. Or at least I hope it will because by the time this trial is over we will be into much warmer temps so it would be about perfect timing.
Speaking of warmer temps drawing me outside. This Sunday Riley sunscreen has been working well. It has a little white to it when first applied which I kind of like because I can see where I put it. As soon as it warms to skin temp the white disappears completely. It can leave me a little shiny looking but after about ten minutes most of the shinieness fades. By then I am usually applying makeup or I’ll just tap my face with a bit of powder. This is the time of year i always keep a pressed powder compact in my purse. It’s there most of the time, but spring and summer it really helps.
The Yensa CBD oil I have used before and like. The scent is light when you start but if you let it sit around the scent will grow stronger. I prefer the light scent. While I love this oil for cleansing my face, when i use it to remove eye makeup the oil can cloud my contacts, so this coming week I will be bringing in an eye makeup remover to try out. Other than that it is a fantastic cleanser. And If I remembered to take out my contacts before cleansing it wouldn’t be an issue.
This week i remembered to use the topical C powder. I added it to my moisturizer at night, just one r two shakes and I really like adding it in. I will say though that the Embryolisse is the kind of moisturizer that can take add ins well. It has a good body to it. I am not sure how this powder would work when used with a thinner bodied cream. I may actually swap it out for a different serum this week and keep it to the side until i switch moisturizers, just because I am curious as to how it would perform with outer textures of moisturizer.
And finally for the night we have the Laniege lip mask. It is fabulous. My one complaint is that because it is so large I have one scent for a really long time. I think that in the future I would pick up a set of minis so I have three smaller jars and can move between scents. I like the berry but there are so many other scents I want to try and I feel a little guilty setting it aside to open a new one when there is so much product left. I’ve been using this for about a year now (I think. I believe it came in last May’s IPSY X) and it is still half full. It is a great product though so the complaint is just me wanting to try more versions of it.
This is the last of the Shani Darden. The sample tube is alas empty. It was a really great retinol. It was making me a little bit sun sensitive. I could feel it on my first walks of the Day Wednesday and Friday mornings. Since I use it Tuesdays and Thursdays I’m pretty sure it was the culprit. So it is probably good it is rolling out of the line up. I would certainly use it again as my skin looked great the morning after I used it. I have it marked down on my list of products to purchase in a full size, however I think I will wait until the end of the summer to do so. I am just spending increasing time outside and it is just going to increase as the weather warms. So I generally use retinal during the colder months when my time out doors is limited. But this is definitely a product i want to try in the full size.
The Alpha H Liquid Gold will continue to be used, which is fine with me. I really like it. And will happily use this on up and then reach for the second back up bottle that came in my Glossy Box Easter egg this year. My skin feels clearer and less prone to clogs, even in my high clog areas so I am very happy with this. I will say that the first couple of uses stung and I wondered if it was too harsh, however the stinging faded and there is no discomfort now, just clear skin. I am a big fan and am glad this use will continue.
And that my darlings is the weekly skincare round up. Next week I’ll be adding a couple of serums and losing a retinol. Otherwise things are chugging along nicely. I am happy with my skin and while it may be fun to read about dramatic skincare, I personally prefer when things works smoothly and my skin ahs no complaints.
I’ll see you back here later today for the Friday Face Mask. Until then, have a wonderful Friday.
Ah yes, we have reached Friday afternoon. Doesn’t it feel wonderful? It has been a long week for me. I spent a large amount of it fighting off allergens which always leaves me exhausted. while none of the sinus meds make me tired when taking them once they are out of my system I just sort of feel like crashing.
So it is the perfect time to kick back a little and take a breather with a face mask. And today I am using one of my favorites. This particular tube came to me from the brand, however I have purchased and used so many of this mask since it first came out that I know exactly how it performs. This is the Yensa Pumpkin Turmeric 2-in-1 Radiance polishing mask + 8 Super Orange Essence.
We all know that exfoliators are something I simply enjoy. There is something just fantastic about a physical exfoliator. It is like scratching an itch or reaching the end of a really good book. There is just something I find satisfying about it. However you do need to be careful. First of all not all exfoliators are alike. Some are gentle and others, not so much. In addition, even if you find a good one, it is easy to over do it. Sometimes a little bit of a good thing goes a long way.
I try not to use physical exfoliators more than once a week. Sometimes it goes to once a month, depending on my skin at the moment. That is the only reason I do not use this mask throughout the week and will have to keep it for a once a week use. The Yensa Pumpkin Turmeric mask is a gentle exfoliating mask. Its particles are fine grained and I have never had a problem with this mask causing skin issues.
bare face before mask
I have on occasion wanted to try eating this mask.
which you shouldn’t do.
Seriously, don’t eat the mask.
Just enjoy the delicious scent of it. It smells of warming spices and orange. It is actually what my house starts to smell like as we shift from Thanksgiving to Christmas. It is the scent of holiday baking lightened up with the burst of orange citrus.
According to the website…
Get your SUPERFOOD GLOW on with our Pumpkin Turmeric 2-in-1 Radiance Polishing Mask. Infused with 8 orange skin-loving ingredients to help nourish and polish the face for hydrated, smooth, supple and radiant skin.
The lightweight and exfoliating formula polishes and resurfaces skin in only 5-10 minutes! Pumpkin helps boost collagen and Turmeric soothes skin.
8 BENEFITS: Infused with 8 SuperOrange Essence, 2-in-1nourishing mask and face polish, Hydrates to leave skin smooth, supple and radiant, Pumpkin boosts collagen, Turmeric soothes skin, Ginger evens skin tone, Papaya helps with discoloration, Grapefruit brightens skin
As with all skin care products you do need to use it repeatedly to see the full results. Today I applied the mask, let it sit for ten minutes so my skin could absorb the goodness and I could enjoy the scent. It was yummy smelling.
After ten minutes of sitting, I returned to the bathroom, and wet my hands a little but before starting to massage the mask on my skin. I rubbed in light circular motions all over my face so that I could get the benefit of the exfoliation. I highly recommend wetting down your hands first as it just keeps the mask from simply sticking to your hands.
mask off
As you massage, the mask turns whitish and then you rinse it off. My skin was left clean and freshly exfoliated. My hands actually feel a little softer too, and I can’t complain about that.
Over all I really enjoyed using this mask today. I have used it in the past and I will no doubt use it again in the future. The only issue I have is in remembering to moderate my use of it. The scent of the mask and the delightfully gentle exfoliation make me want to reach for it more often than I really need to exfoliate. I am very glad to have this mask around for when I do need a bit of exfoliation. And as I put this Pumpkin Turmeric mask from Yensa away for use late, I am already looking forward to taking it out again.
If you are looking to stock up, wither for yourself or someone you love, now is a good time. Yensa has several mother’s Day bundles out now. Great products with an even greater deal. You can check them out here or follow the link below.
For the last month I have been using the Bl’eau Beauty Glacial Organic Clay Mask. The brand very kindly sent it to me to try out, but as always the opinions in this post are my own. while this mask can be used daily (or as needed) I opted for a Monday, Wednesday Friday approach o application. And after a month of such wear the jar is completely empty.
I tend to apply masks a little on the heavy side, but that meant that I had fourteen solid uses out of the jar. It was a very interesting clay mask and had a couple of atypical features for a clay mask. Which we will get to below. First I want to remind everyone what this mask is supposed to accomplish.
good to the last drop
Sourced from ancient glaciers off the coast of British Columbia, our Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask gently exfoliates, soothes redness and irritation, and infuses thirsty skin with intense hydration. Boasting more than 60 minerals, micronutrients and rare elements that are proven to detoxify and replenish, this detoxifying botanical blend promotes a softer, brighter and radiant complexion.
*NSF certified organic: Our Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask is committed to the NSF/ANSI 305 Standard. The NSF/ANSI 305 is an American National Standard written specifically for personal care products containing organic ingredients.
To wear this mask I applied it like I would any other clay mask. I used the provided spoon (which I have to say is the perfect shape, the slight curve in the spoon/spatula made it ideal for applying the mask. It was easy to maneuver around my face and while I applied it with one side, I then turned the spoon over and smoothed it out with the other side. The only minor flaw was that the angled edges of the spoon end left lines on occasion so I would have rounded those off a little more, but that is a vey minor complaint (and as the second pass with the spoon took the lines out, not really a complaint, it was simply the only potential modification I would make otherwise fantastic application.)
mask applied
But this isn’t a tool review, it is a mask one.
The mask smoothed on well and very easily. It felt cool against the skin like a clay mask would, which was expected. The scent of the mask is fresh with slight floral and earthy notes and a slight oceanic tang. I know it sounds like I am describing a perfume. It is in no way perfume-y, but it is a very lovely scent. The scent fades after application so it isn’t overwhelming. To figure out the scent I kept opening the jar and sniffing. which is why my nose ended up with more masking on the end than any other part of my face. You mostly get the scent when you first open the jar. It did cause me to look over the ingredients to figure out what it was that created the scent.
The lavender and Jasmine are where the slight floral notes come from I believe, but they ae very light and instead of dominating, they mostly help to lighten up the earthy/sea scent. There is also the trace of Aloe which is I think what my nose picks up as the fresh scent in this mask.
Over all though it is a fresh scent that dissipates quickly and smells nice while it lasts.
wipes off with a damp cloth, no chipping away of the clay required
As per the instructions, I let the Glacial Oceanic Clay mask sit for fifteen minutes each time before removing it. Here is where it doesn’t behave like your typical clay mask. In fifteen minutes of wear almost every clay mask I have tried has hardened to a crispy shell. It is vaguely reminiscent of that ice cream topper that went from liquid in the bottle to a hard shell when it hit the cold ice cream. (Magic Shell was the name I knew when I was a kid, not sure if they even make that any more, but I digress.)
Then to remove the clay mask you have to chip through it to reveal the skin beneath. This mask never really hardened like that. In fact after fifteen minute of sitting, I was easily able to take a damp wash cloth and wipe the mask off of my skin. I then splashed a little water on my face to make sure nothing was missed and then patted my skin dry.
Occasionally I would use the mask in the afternoon while sitting at my desk. Most often it was a post dinner relaxation. while the act of simply sitting down with a mask on a regular basis was in itself calming, I found that after removing the mask I had little desire to put anything on top of it. My skin felt moisturized, so I didn’t need any moisturizer (which can sometimes happen after an intense clay mask, at least for me) and my skin felt soft and clean so I didn’t want to put makeup on after it. I ended up finding myself using the mask after I knew that i would not have to leave the house and put makeup on. Not that I couldn’t, I just simply didn’t want to.
However this mask had an interesting effect. The morning after applying this mask, I found that several of my deeply clogged pores had moved closer to the surface. In fact in the beginning, it was quite a lot of clogged pores rising, more than I actually thought I had to be honest. For the first week the clogged pores rose at a pretty rapid rate. It was as if my skin noticed things were clearing out and just sent clogged pores racing to the exit.
What I ended up doing was employing a Saturday exfoliation session. It cleared out a lot of the rising clogged pores and kept my face relatively clear. After that initial week, it was less noticeable as most of my pores were cleared out. There were a few more deeply buried clogs that slowly moved to the surface. The mass evacuation of the first week slowed dramatically in the second.
It was interesting to watch the deeper clogs being drawn out to the surface of the skin with each application. In the second week I ended up using my exfoliator Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday and that did seem to help. In the third week my skin was getting back to normal and just began looking good. It was clear and fresh and I went back to the once a week exfoliation.
This week, the final week of the trial, was preceded by me consuming much more sugar, fat and salt than I usually eat. We had company and that is just what happens. Interestingly, the reactions to my skin after a week of indulgence usually would hit me in the middle to end of the following week and I would go into the next weekend vowing to eat better and take better care of my skin.
less of a pose and more that my headband was slipping off the back of my head as I was taking the picture
I don’t know if because my skin had so recently been cleared out or if it was the Monday use of the Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask, but by Monday around 11 pm when I was getting ready for bed, (I used the mask around 7pm) I noticed the break outs had arrived and while they were more than I would like, they were not as bad as I feared they would be at the end of the week. In fact now, when I would expect them to arrive and be planning a weekend of skincare domination, the break outs are clearing up.
Over all this was a very interesting mask trial. I would definitely use this mask again and it has certainly made it to the top of my to be repurchased list. I love the scent and the application, I love the way it doesn’t completely dry down but most of all I love that it really does detoxify my skin. (and yes I love the look of the jewel shaped box too).
In the future, I think this is a mask I would use when I know I have some time where I won’t have to go out in public for a few days. After applying it and rinsing it off, I don’t want to wear makeup so there is that aspect. Then the following day I would let things rise, and then use the exfoliator. I would always pair this with a gentle exfoliator. How often the exfoliator should be used will depend on your skin and what the mask brings up.
If I had a major event scheduled I would make it a month of masking prior to the event, because once the skin has a chance to clear out it looks radiant. It is a hydrating, and not a drying mask and my skin quite honestly loved it. This Glacial Oceanic Clay Mask from Bl’eau Beauty gets two thumb’s way up from me and it makes me not only want to repurchase, but to try out more items from the brand.
Currently Bl’eau Beauty has an Easter Sale going on. You can get 18% off site wide with the code EASTER18 until April 14th. In addition they have 20% off their Hydration Collection and Bundles until the end of the month. And the one thing better than great skincare, is great skincare with a discount code. Happy shopping!
Ms. Mimsy Reviews 