My Skincare Lineup

Not until I started sorting through my products to put in this post, did I realize how much CRAP I actually use for skincare. I guess when it's all sorted and pretty in my bathroom it doesn't look like that much stuff (tell that to my boyfriend). Overall, I am pretty satisfied with my routine right now. I am still getting clogged pores on my chin and think that I need to introduce a BHA to my lineup, something with salicylic acid. So I am thinking the Jack Black resurfacing pads and also picking up some manuka honey to make masks with. This is mostly the backbone of my skincare, but I do sample other products and once I finish something could switch it up. FYI: I have Dry/Combo skin

Morning Routine:

Caudalie Cleansing Water- I had been using this for several years as a makeup remover (which it does pretty well), but recently I switched and made this my cleanser/toner in the AM. I am way too lazy in the morning, and need to keep things as simple as possible. You just put some on a cotton pad and wash away any residue from the night, leaves your skin feeling soft and nourished without having to rinse and dry my face. Pretty sure this will stay in my lineup for a long time.

Caudalie Beauty Elixir- I use this after my "cleanser", I spray it on my hands and then pat it onto my face (learned that trick of Lisa Eldridge). I love the smell and hydration that this gives my skin, but other than that- haven't noticed a huge difference. This product is ridiculously expensive, and contains alcohol- so when I use this up I will be switching to the regular Caudalie Grape Water spray, which hopefully will achieve the same thing that I love from this product. 

Bliss Best of skintensions- I had this for a while and just started using it. It is a pretty straightforward moisturizer- not greasy and SPF 15 with UVA/UVB protection. This is no longer available, they discontinued it- I enjoy it, but doesn't break my heart that I won't be able to repurchase it.

Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection Sunscreen- I use this in the summer time as my SPF, it is very water resistant and doesn't clog my pores, or leave my skin greasy. Like this stuff A LOT! SPF 55+ and UVA/UVB protection for face. I have light/medium skin, but with no SPF I will burn, burn, burn.

Night-time Routine:

Josie Maran Cleansing Oil- I just purchased the full sized, but was using a sample up and fell in love. You apply this oil to dry skin and massage through, and it really just melts all of your makeup off. Rinse it with water and your skin is super clean.

Emma Hardie Cleansing Balm- This had gotten such rave reviews by bloggers that I HAD to get my hands on it- and thankfully a 15% sale on feelunique.com, I snatched this thing up- and don't regret it for a second. Rub it into your skin and then wipe off with a muslin cloth- love it.

Mario Badescu Glocolic Acid Toner- I repurchased this toner, but now I am having remorse. While I think it's a good toner- I am not amazed by it, but for the price- I think it is a good toner. It cleans excess dirt/makeup that wasn't cleansed- and "tingles"  but doesn't burn.

Caudalie SOS serum- one pump of this onto my skin and it immediately hydrates and plumps my skin. I really enjoy this serum- very moisturizing and hydrating my dehydrated skin.

Josie Maran Argan Oil- I use about 5 drops onto my hands and work it into my skin- it really sinks in overnight, and when I wake up my skin looks fresh and radiant. Really love this stuff, but don't think the price tag is worth it- you can find 100% argan oil at Whole Foods or Vitacost for much cheaper.

Ole Henriksen Fresh Start Eye Cream- I am not sold on eye creams, as I never really notice a difference, but I know that its something that I should be doing. That being said, this is creamy and sinks in quickly. But I do hate the packaging- it says it contains anti-oxidants, but its in a jar, so everytime I open it and expose it to the air it is exposing the anti-oxidants and weakening them.

Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm- love this stuff! it smells like honey and lemons- its pretty thick, but I am putting it on before bed. If I put this on before makeup- I make sure it is a very thin layer.

Soap and Glory Hand Food- I really like the smell of this, and it does sink in pretty well, but I don't like it more than my Caudalie Hand Cream- and will probably repurchase the Caudalie.

Add ons:

Laura Mercier flawless skin face polish- extremely finely milled exfoliating beads really slough off the dead skin without scratching or damaging the skin. You only need the smallest amount to clean your entire face. I realized that this does have SLS in it, so I won't be repurchasing it.

Sara Happ lip scrub in blood orange- this stuff smells amazing- super fresh and citrusy, but considering the price- doesn't live up to the hype. I will use it up, but I think I'm going to start making my own scrubs.

Origins super spot remover- You just put a dab of this on a blemish at night time and when you wake up, it is noticeably smaller and less irritated. I wouldn't say that it gets rid of it completely, but it does take away redness and irritation, and helps with scarring.

Alpha Hydroxy 10% glycolic cream- About once a week I will put this on at night time. If you have never used something with this much glycolic acid- expect a small tingle, but nothing uncomfortable. It pretty much eats at all of the dead skin on your surface- leaving your skin super fresh and radiant.

Recent Purchases

Apparently my self control is lacking- as I've already gotten some stuff from my Spring Wishlist, even though it's only March. I haven't used any of these products yet, but will probably review some products soon.

Josie Maran Cleansing Oil- I had 2 samples of this products and fell in love. It melts away ALL of your makeup with little to not effort without leaving my skin feeling oily or greasy.

Kevyn Aucoin Celestial Powder- I decided to get this over  Illamasqua Aurora. It is so soft and buttery, a really beautiful champagne sheen.

Stila Convertible Color in Sweet Pea- the newest shade to the range, right now it is only available in Sephora from what I can see. Really pretty mid toned pink- not too much red, and not too bubblegum. I am really excited to use this.

Murad Skin Perfecting Primer Dewy Finish- I have wanted to try this, and since I finished the Smashbox primer, why not replace it with another one. This is slightly tinted and is supposed to leave a dewy finish on the skin.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Dim- I was debating whether  to get Dim or Diffused, and up until I got to Sephora, I was going to get Diffused. It sold out online before I could order it, so I went in store, and they were also sold out of Diffused. So I started swatching, and while I really liked Diffused- I REALLY loved Dim! I can not WAIT to start trying this out! I have a feeling these powders may be a slippery slope, and I will want them ALL!

100 point perk- Ren clear calm day cream

February 2013 Empties

For the shortest month of year, I am shocked as how much stuff I went through. I didn't even notice that most of this stuff was close to being done. Some I have repurchased, some I could not wait for it to be over, and some I literally couldn't wait- so I threw it out.

Not too many samples, but I was relatively happy with them.
Kate Somerville Exfolikate- this gets so much hype, and people really seem to like it. I think it was decent, but definitely not worth the $60 price tag that comes with it. This cleanser is a swamp green and smells like the ocean (much like another product I tried). The texture is slightly grainy, but not harsh on the skin. It does leave your skin feeling soft, but I didn't really think it was THAT great.
Lancer Natural Sea Mineral Polish- I really loved this stuff. It had the same smell as the Kate Somerville, the texture was a little finer, but it worked much better. I felt like it left my skin feeling cleaner and softer. I still have a tube of my Laura Mercier flawless face (which I love and have been neglecting using samples), but I really enjoyed this and would consider buying it.
Kiehls Rosa Artica Eye Balm- this was a sample that would not quit! This is probably one of the thickest eye creams I have ever used, and not creamy- it seemed more waxy. It was difficult to get to sink into the skin- since it seemed to move around a lot. Didn't enjoy this- and didn't even finish this sample.
Estee lauder Daywear sheer tint release Moisturizer- this was pretty good, but if you have fair skin I would stay away. It is not a very sheer tint, its a pretty pigmented wash of color. When I first put it on I didn't read the small print that it was a sheer tint, so after I put it on I was so confused because my face looked really tan- not glowy or even, TAN! If that is what you like, go for it. If you like a sheerer tint I would go with the Origins vitazing. Oh! and it smells fruity... not my thing, but again if you're into it.
Le Metier de Beaute replenishing daily solution- this came in my much anticipated manrepeller glossybox. It has an spf 30 and the texture is nice, smell isn't overpowering, decent moisture to skin. But seriously, $225 no fucking way.
Bobbi Brown BB cream in Medium- I was really excited when I got this sample with a Nordstrom purchase, but then when I saw that it was in medium- excitement was gone. On a whim I decided to try it one day, and the color wasn't that far off- surprisingly. I really liked the texture, and the way it evened out my skin- it has an spf of 35, and once summer comes- I am definitely going to pick this up- but probably in fair ( for whatever reason their fair shade is darker than their light shade?? they also have it in extra light! for very fair complexions- which is difficult to come by in a BB cream)

Ojon Instant Restorative Hair serum- this was a very light, fluid serum and really hydrated my hair. It was nice but I am not running to Sephora to pick it up.
Sensodyne- I accidentally purchased the regular instead of the pronamel- woops! This is supposed to be extra whitening- it's not.
The Balm Time Balm concealer- this is my 3rd pot of this- really good concealer- terrible packaging. It has anti-aging properties in it, but not sure how effective they are when exposed to sunlight like this??? I still have some stuck at the bottom, but again terrible packing, it is a pain in the ass to get out and I have a ton of other concealers to get through. It is super creamy (everything you THINK the Bobbi Brown creamy concealer will be), good coverage, and minimal creasing. Since they discontinued selling The Balm at Sephora, it is a little difficult to get your hands on, but it does occasionally show up on Hautelook- so sign up if you are interested.
Issey Miyake Pleats Please- this was a nice scent- very floral. pretty, but not a must buy.
Caudalie hand and nail cream- I love Caudalie, there really isn't anything that I have tried that I haven't liked. This hand cream is really amazing, and when I am done with the ones that I have, I will be repurchasing this. Great clean scent, sinks in immediately, not greasy, nourishing- perfect!
Caudalie lip conditioner- again a really good product. Really great packaging- I hate putting my finger into tubs of lip balm- same clean scent.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara- I had the full size of this, and this was left in my purse for those days you are out and forgot to put makeup on and now your boyfriend wants to go out for dinner. It was nice, I am not sure if this had gone bad, but from the beginning it always made my lash line burn. The full size never did- but I do really like this mascara.

Bath and Body Works candle in Snowed In- I actually really enjoyed this scent- it was juniper and sage. Not a typical fruity, vanilla candle that everyone seems to go crazy for there. Would buy this again next fall/winter.
Body Shop Ginger Scalp Care Shampoo- the smell was a bit much- it was a STRONG ginger smell. It actually stung my scalp when I would apply it, so I only used it a few times before handing it off to the boyfriend to finish up. He loved the smell, and didn't complain about the product. It contains both SLS and a ton of parabens, I will not repurchase for me, or him.
Soap and Glory Sugar Crush Body Scrub- I really like the texture of this scrub and the way it left my skin feel, but the smell is SO strong! Its extremely sweet smelling (not my thing), sickly sweet, I couldn't use it for a while because I really detested the smell. After a while, it grew on me a bit, but I still wouldn't repurchase this scent.
Lush Ro's Argan body conditioner- I wanted to really like this stuff, but I really just didn't. I found the scent to be too strong, didn't overly condition my skin, but it did leave my skin feeling greasy and had a film on it. I only used this at night because of the film it leaves, hoping it would sink in over night, and it did- but I just didn't like the feeling of it on my skin. As lazy as I am with body lotion, I would still prefer it to this.
Mario Badescu Glocolic Toner- already repurchased this- has a nice citrus/ grapefruit smell. A very straightforward, no frills toner.
Schwarzkopf Bonacure Amino Cell Rebuild Shampoo and Conditioner- this is directed towards dry and damaged hair, but has SLS in it (drying). I found this to really strip my hair of my color and moisture. The conditioner was probably the thinnest and least moisturizing conditioner I have ever used. These were terrible, and I couldn't wait until they were gone. Literally, I couldn't wait because these are about 75% done, but I was completely over them.

Spring Wish List

I have extensive wishlists on Nordstrom and Sephora, but there are some things that are on my radar that I really want for spring.

Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused- I have heard such great things about these new powders from Hourglass. They are supposed to be universally flattering and work with different lighting schemes to give your skin the desired effect. These are probably at the top of my list of things to get.

Stila Convertible Color in Sweet Pea- I was never into cream blushes, but as my skin keeps getting drier- they have been my savior! I really love the Stila formula and colors. This new color is a deep pink/fuschia.

Lorac Baked Matte Satin Blush in Flaunt- This is the same formula as Exposed- and I LOVE this texture, finish, and lasting power. This color is a bright pink with a silvery shimmer. On my fair skin, I would need to use a light touch, but this is really beautiful.

Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil- While I love my Caudalie cleansing water, I wanted something else to mix in so that I didn't go through it so quickly. I got samples of the Cleansing oil and fell in love. It really melts away all of your make up and leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth- not oily or greasy at all. I was expecting to hate this, but really like it. I am going to finish up my samples and decide whether this is an absolute purchase or not. ( I have a fear that this product could be breaking me out a little bit)

Bobbi Brown BB Cream in Fair- I had a sample of this in medium, which wasn't exactly my shade, but still worked OK. I really loved this- I have 2 other BB creams that I use, but this was really amazing and think that for summer time this will be great to have.

Illamasqua Gleam Cream in Aurora- my obsession with cream blushes has transferred to my intrigue in cream highlighters. I love Illamasqua cream products, so I think this stuff will be amazing.

Illamasqua powder blush in Hussy- I am also a BIG fan of the Illamasqua powder blushes. They really are the softest and most pigmented blushes I've ever tried. This color is a perfect bright coraly pink color. Yup, I need this.

Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill Cream Eyeshadow in #15- This beautiful coppery color looks really pretty against my brown eyes, although the price is steep I justify it in that no other pressed pigments have the range of colors as the Armani.

Laura Mercier Secret Brightening Powder- I need a setting powder for my under eyes and this one happens to brightens as well as set concealer. Right now I am setting with the Makeup Forever HD, which works OK, I find it to be a bit white and photographs HORRIBLY.

Kevyn Aucoin Creamy Glow in Liquifuschia- I am kind of loving Kevyn Aucoin at the moment and feel like I need EVERYTHING!!! I have the sculpting powder and love it, and I think this will be my next purchase in the brand.

Spring Blush Picks

My current obsession with lipstick does not compare to my love of blush, and most recently cream blush. yadda yadda yadda... hoarding, pretty, spring colors- you know the drill.

From Left to Right:
1. Lorac exposed
2. Nars deep throat
3. Stila convertible color cream blush petunia
4. Nars Gaeity
5. Sephora cream blush coral flush
6. Sephora rose petal
7. Nars cream blush enchanted
8. Stila convertible color pink
9. Laura Mercier lush nectarine
10. Nars cream blush cactus flower
11. Estee Lauder peach nuance
12. Mac Hey Sailor (limited edition)
13. Bobbi Brown pale pink
14. Illamasqua thrust
15. Benefit coralista

Spring Lip Picks

Even though there is a blizzard outside, I am going to go with the groundhog and say "bring on spring"! Winter can not end soon enough, so instead I hoard similar shades of lipsticks to wear in warm weather (my strange addiction?) I had prepared a similar series for fall/winter... but ain't nobody got time for that (sweet brown reference, yup that just happened). Clearly I will be wearing a lot of bright pinks and corals- these are some of my favorites. My obsession with lipstick is recent, I only owned about 3-4 before about 6 months ago, and now I have a deep rooted obsession/problem.

From Left to Right:
1. Dior Addict St. Tropez
2. Dior Addict Extreme Candide
3. Burberry Tea Rose
4. Burberry Nude Beige
5. YSL rouge volupte #30
6. Nars  Schiap
7. Nars Roman Holiday
8. Bobbi Brown creamy matte true pink
9. Too Faced la creme Juicy Melons
10. Tarte Glamazon Fierce
11. Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense #38
12. Makeup Forever Rouge Artist Intense #37
13. Mac cut a caper
14. Mac chatterbox
15. Mac lovelorn
16. Mac impassioned

January Empties 2013

January was a horrendous month full of snow, obscenely cold weather, and slight hibernation, and apparently I felt like going through a shit ton of samples. (shit ton= a whole lot) I finally organized my samples, so it is much easier to see what I have, and be able to get through them- and possibly bought my own weight in beauty products this month. Sorry not sorry.

YSL le teint touche eclat foundation in B30- So I had another sample of this, and got different results this time. 1. I find this color to be just a bit too dark for me right now, and has a bit of an orangey tint to it. 2. VERY liquidy texture, but easy to blend 3. wear was OK- lasted about 4 hours with no powder 4. clung to my dry patches like a mother!! did not look very cute. 5. The finish was OK, not as glowy as you would think. -- after this sample I was not as in love with this product. It really clung to dry patches, which I have a lot of. So, no dice.
L'occitane Precious Cream- This was a thicker cream- and I only used it at night. I maybe got 3-5 uses from this sachet, and didn't really notice any differences. The smell was nice, but unless I get more samples of it, and can give it a solid 2 weeks- I won't be picking it up.
Philosophy take a deep breath moisturizer- this had a great smell and texture (gel- like). It sunk in really well and left my skin feeling great. I think this would be a really good day-time moisturizer for summer time, and will probably be my go to.
Lancer Natural Sea Mineral Polish- OH MY GOD! I am in love! This has stolen my heart from my Laura Mercier face polish. They both have similar textures, but this has the best smell. I love that algae, ocean smell that this has ( as well as OSEA products--yumm). So at $50, I am probably going to pick this up after I finish my Laura Mercier, and luckily I have about 4 more sachets of this.
Ole Henriksen truth creme- was not blown away at all by this. The cream was thick and smelled like citrus and vanilla, which to me don't go together, it was sickly sweet. Not a fan and I didn't notice any differences in my skin, not brightening, not moisturizing, nothing.
 Givenchy Photo'perfexion in 5 Perfect Praline- again, this was one shade too dark for me and as it sat open it was oxidizing darker and darker. The first time I used it I was able to blend it and make it work- after that it was a touch of the Wonka look. This was even MORE liquidy than the touche eclat,  but did not cling to my dry spots- and left a pretty gorgeous finish. I would be interested in getting another sample from Sephora in my actual shade and see how that goes.
Rodial dragon's blood sculpting gel- I can not even put my finger on why I love this stuff so much. The smell, the texture, love it all. This is supposed to be a plumping formula, which I noticed slightly after only 3 uses. This is another expensive purchase- but its a possibility.
Laura Mercier foundation primer- I know this gets a lot of hype of being the best primer, but I honestly didn't notice that it did much of anything. I have dry skin, so I never really have a problem with foundations lasting on my skin, so I look for covering pores and fine lines, which I don't feel like this did at all. (debbie downer trumpet solo)
Sephora fond de teint eclat- another instant radiance foundation, except at a fraction of the price- and MUCH better. This had a similar texture, but didn't cling to dry spots and had a similar finish. Pretty decent foundation.
Strivectin Get Even Brightening Serum- I only got about 5 uses out of this, and it says to expect results after two weeks. So needless to say, I didn't notice anything. It sunk in quickly, wasn't very moisturizing, and didn't notice any brightening.
Stila in the light palette- I got this sample in a Sephora gift bag. I have been eyeing this in Sephora for a while, but every time that I swatch it, the pigments kind of crumble and make SUCH a mess! I know this gets really good reviews, but the powderyness scares me. The colors are really nice, but I am not sure if I should go for this or the Lorac pro palette. I am leaning more towards the Lorac. 

 ** and a  cameo from a very curious kitten paw

Flora by Gucci Body Lotion- I used this once, and the packaging of this lotion INFURIATED me. The top unscrews and you are supposed to dump the product in your hand, but the product is a thick lotion that is IMPOSSIBLE to get out. Pretty sure I bruised my hand trying to get this out. Thanks for nothing giving me this with my perfume. 

Sensodyne Pronamel- same as every other month

Lush Mint Julips Lip Scrub- This smelled like Girl Scout thin mint cookies, and that is where the compliments end. Okay the whole telling everyone to lick this off of their lips after they scrub them- eww. Licking off my dead skin? No thanks. It barely exfoliated my lips at all, the top of the container the crystals were loose, but when you get to the bottom it is super oily. Clearly it need to be mixed or something. I would never purchase this again. 

Lancome Triple Action Anti-Wrinkle Cream- this was probably the lightest weight anti wrinkle cream I have ever tried, but didn't notice any differences in my fine lines on my forehead or around my eyes. The smell was clinical, and because it has SPF 15, I used this as a day cream. It was OK, but definitely not worth the price. 

Lierac gommage sensoriel- Words can not express how much I hate this product, at least not eloquently. I got this in my Glossybox, and switched out my Laura Mercier for this- UGH! the granules were so big that it just felt like it was scratching my skin. This was supposed to be a cleanser that when water hits it, it activates a milky cleanser- well it does, and it does leave this horrible greasy film on your skin afterward. Meaning that I have to double cleanse after using this exfoliating cleanser. Nonsense. Oh, and the packaging was terrible, after I decided this was going nowhere near my face I started using it to scrub my feet, but there's definitely product left in the tube that I have no way of getting without cutting it open. Not worth it.

Clinique dramatically different moisturizing lotion- another one with a clinical smell, and there was nothing dramatic about this lotion. It was very standard, no frills, and no results. Not impressed at all. 

Ole Henriksen truth serum- I was so excited for this when I got it in my Glossybox. The smell of oranges were nice at first- got annoying towards the end. I didn't notice ANY results after using this. This was very disappointing. 

Ren micropolish cleanser- the granules were very small, so it was not an aggressive exfoliant. The smell was nice, but I didn't feel like this was an AMAZING cleanser, but it wasn't terrible.

Revlon Whipped Foundation in Buff- When I first got this, the color was WAY too light for me. It sat for a good 2 months, and I tried it again- and sure enough it had oxidized and now was a good match. The packaging is terrible. Bulky, and I have to dip my fingers into the pot to get the foundation??? The finish was OK, but it made me break out like crazy- so this is going in the garbage.
Stila stay all day waterproof mascara- this was a really good mascara if you want waterproof. It was a little difficult to get off at the end of the day. But it separated my lashes nicely, and looked nice- I don't lean towards waterproof because they are a bitch to get off.
Smashbox Photo Finish Bronzing primer- I am not even sure if they sell this anymore, and I know they have changed their packaging. But this was a decent primer, and definitely gave my skin a little color. It was nice to put on with some concealer- it evened my skin out enough for those days where I don't feel like wearing foundation. I think Clarins has a product similar to this.
Bare Minerals stroke of light- this was a pinkish eye brightener. It was OK, I honestly couldn't notice a difference.
Nars sheer glow foundation in Fiji- this was a really nice foundation- very light coverage, but left the skin looking really glowy and fresh. I have the sheer matte and can't stand it, but I would love to get this.
BCBGMAXAZRIA eau de parfum- this was a really fresh, clean scent. It wasn't too floral or too fruity- just the right, light, spring scent. Another one that got a thumbs up from the boyfriend.
Acacia Protein oil- another sample from Glossybox, this was a thick oil for your hair. It actually worked really well and noticed my dead ombre'd hair felt more nourished. I am going through numerous other hair oils right now and probably have enough for a year and a half, so this is not on my immediate radar.
Tarte Lights, Camera, Lashes Mascara- this mascara was pretty good at volume and length. It didn't transfer at all on me. It didn't BLOW me away or anything, but considering that I got this at ulta on sale for 10 dollars, I think it was definitely worth it.