Hashtag... No Filter!

      "No filter, just camo." That's the catch-phrase of the new E.l.f. Camo CC Cream. I received a full size tube to test out from Influenster, and y'all already know I ripped open that box and got right to testing it! A little background information you might care about... the Camo CC Cream is formulated with collagen, peptides, and niacinaminde. Collagen is a protein found in the body naturally that helps with suppleness (among other benefits); peptides are small chains of amino acids... which are also naturally occurring in the body and benefit many aspects of it, especially when it comes to the skin; and niacinamide, which is a form of vitamin B, is exceptional for acne.

     Moving on, this product also contains broad-spectrum SPF 30, and just incase you didn't know... you need sunscreen (even when it's cloudy). There are currently 20 shades in the range and it is full coverage with a natural finish. Lets move on into the photos and incite, shall we?

     Packaging? A+. It is user-friendly, sleek, and I love the pump... it makes it so much more sanitary! As for the color, I selected and received shade Fair 120N (with neutral [N] beige undertones). I think this is a great color for me. It appears quite yellow in the camera swatch; however, it is a true neutral because I see both yellow and pink undertones depending on where I am standing in natural light. It blends out like a dream and feels velvety soft without any tackiness. It definitely has a natural finish. It does not appear matte or dewy, but it isn't a satin either. I'm actually very impressed with this. You can check out the Camo CC Cream on Elf Cosmetics website, where they provide swatch photos and I must say... it is very inclusive toward deeper skin tones... so hats off to you, E.l.f.! You can, of course, also find E.l.f. Cosmetics at Ulta and your local drug store!

     Have you tried this product yet? If so, what was your opinion of it? Pros/cons? Let me know in the comments!

The Dream Team

    

    

     Hello. Good day. Happy end of the year! I am here to share the ultimate body dream team! I love Soap and Glory so much. If you have not tried it, these are the must haves... absolute must haves. The scent... holy macaroni... it is heavenly. 

     The 'Clean On Me' body wash is my numero uno holy grail from them. It makes me feel like pure silk and I smell like ... wow. I also love the exfoliator ('Scrub of Your Life'). I use this at least once a week and after that, it's time for 'The Righteous Butter'! In total combination, I just cannot stop sniffing myself. I smell so dang good. Too good, even. Lastly, 'Heel Genius' gives you baby soft feet. It does not have a noticeable scent, but girl... it works!

     Though this brand used to be in Sephora... they can now be found at Target, Ulta, and probably your local drug store. I love the change up. Have you ever tried Soap & Glory products? If so, tell me your favorite!

Clean On Me: Click Here

Scrub of Your Life: Click Here

The Righteous Butter: Click Here

Heel Genius: Click here

Supplements and Skin Care

      Welcome, welcome! If you have followed me for awhile, you know I have struggled with my skin in the past. If you are new here, search "Balance" in the side bar and check out my skin through different stages of taking a supplement that really benefitted my acne-prone skin and all the flare ups that typically came with it. Having a bunch of gastrointestinal issues and PCOS, I started treating my skin internally by way of Alani Nu's product called Balance. That product greatly helped me, but I also narrowed down some external skin care that has me embracing my bare-face too! 

    

    

    

    

     Lets start with my morning routine! First, I go in and wash my face with Bioelements Decongestant Cleanser... the key to using this is to massage the gel-like soap in your hands until it gets white and foamy before applying it to your face. After rinsing that off, I will apply The Ordinary HA 2% + B5 under my eyes (applying from outer corner to inner corner). My final step is to spritz the Mario Badescu Facial Spray (the aloe, cucumber, and green tea type) all over. I keep it nice and light so my skin has time to breathe.

     My night time routine is a little more product-heavy. I feel as though the body has time to really work on itself while we sleep in terms of recovery, so I give it a little extra boost with a number of products! My night time face cleanser is the Beekman 1802 Milk Bar + Retinol (this has been wonderful for my acne... it's life changing). My second step is a toner... I more recently added in a second one which I have been enjoying. I will first use The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner on a cotton round and then spray over my face with the Elemis Soothing Apricot Toner. After that, I apply The Ordinary Squalane under my eyes (from outer corner to inner corner) and the Rose Hip Seed Oil goes all over my face (pat that in real good). My final step is applying the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream all over my face and neck. I feel that that just seals everything in and ensures my skin is getting the moisture it needs. 

     In the end, if you look like a glazed donut... you did everything right! I swear by all of these products and I have a back-up supply of most of them. I just want to treat my skin right and do the best I can to keep my acne at bay. If you are oily or acne-prone, don't be afraid of oil and yes... you still need a moisturizer! If your skin is dry or dehydrated, your sebaceous glands will try overcompensate for what you are not supplying. Do you know what that means? YOU WILL PRODUCE MORE OIL! Take some time to learn your skin type and what works for you. Give yourself grace and time. If any of these products are part of your routine... let me know which ones and why you love them!

Alani Nu: Balance
Bioelements: Decongestant Cleanser

The Ordinary: HA 2% + B5

Mario Badescu: Facial Spray

Beekman 1802: Goat Milk + Retinol Cleanser

The Ordinary: Glycolic Acid Toner

Elemis: Soothing Apricot Toner

The Ordinary: Squalane Oil

The Ordinary: Rose Hip Oil

First Aid Beauty: Ultra Repair Cream (comes in various scents)

Tony Moly... Guacamole?

     Okay, really... it's avocado, but Guacamole just rhymed! I am here to tell ya'll I found a face cream I am obsessed with! Many of you may know I prefer lighter weight skincare-- I love the Garnier Moisture Rescue Gel-Cream (the blue-green one), facial sprays, and I routinely opt for oils in my routine, but lately... I have been grabbing this rich, dense cream. The Tony Moly I'm Real Avocado Rich Cream is no joke. It contains argan oil (fair trade ingredient), buckwheat extracts to soften the skin, it is 70% of natural originated ingredients, and does not contain "parabens, talc, triethanolamine, sulfate-based surfactants, mineral oil, benzophenone, or artificial colours."

     The production description states, "Avocado, also known as 'Butter in forest', softens the rough skin and gives a rich glow by forming moisture barrier over the skin densely." It is to be used as the last step of your skincare routine and it should be patted into the skin to "promote absorption." The cream is very thick and made me nervous because I have acne-prone skin, but it blends out effortlessly into a silky nothingness. It leaves my skin fresh and extremely hydrated, and I use it all the time now in my regular skincare routine! Problem? I found mine on clearance in Ulta for $4! Now it seems I can only get it off the Tony Moly website for a whopping $17.99! It is still worth it, but I'd try checking your local Ulta clearance first!

Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored & all opinions are my own!
(This post was originally published on my previous blog forum, which I have since gotten rid of. You will now only find my blog posts here on BlogSpot/Blogger)!

Ah, Refreshing!

     Over the past three months I have developed a love for the Mario Badescu Facial Spray with aloe, cucumber, and green tea. It does expand beyond the facial spray, but lets start there! The spritz on the bottle provides a great, even mist that is refreshing and hydrating. The scent is subtle but pleasant and the spray itself is not super costly. I am on my second 4oz bottle (those retail for $7.00) and I also have a travel spray that came in a kit! The spray can also be purchased in an 8oz size for only $12.00... and honestly, it is worth every penny!

     The product is said to be "an invigorating mist formulated with an infusion of nutrient-rich botanicals and cucumber essential water to revive dull, tired skin. Aloe vera and cucumber - both rich in essential vitamins and minerals - deliver a cooling boost of hydration as green tea provides powerful antioxidant protection. Skin is left feeling refreshed and revitalized," according to Ulta's website! It also have versatile use. You can use it prior to your moisturizer, as a 'pick me up' throughout the day, or even to finish off your makeup look so any powders you used melt into your skin!

     My mom purchased me a little set that contained the 4oz spray in addition to a matching face mask! The mask is called the Cucumber Tonic Mask which retails at $18 for 2oz. A little goes a long way with the mask. It feels tightening and leaves my skin super clean. You can also use the facial spray prior to the mask for an extra kick! As for the description... Ulta's website says, "Purify and tighten pores with this cooling, refreshing, mask. Featuring kaolin, zinc oxide, and cucumber extract to effectively tighten and refresh oily skin. Excess oil, dirt, and impurities are drawn out as cucumber provides a cooling boost-leaving the complexion looking healthy, refined, and clear." Personally, I am a fan!

     One of my good friends also purchased me a travel size gift set that included the facial spray mentioned above in a miniature size, as well as the Enzyme Cleansing Gel and the Botanical Exfoliating Scrub (it is known as the Hit Refresh Set). The Enzyme Cleansing Gel is thick but works into the skin really well and leaves it feeling clean without being stripped of moisture! It is described as "a papaya and grapefruit-infused face wash that rejuvenates the complexion and leaves skin feeling fresh." The exfoliating face scrub is really nice as well. It is something I like to use one a week just to work any dead skin off my face. It is gentle but effective! Overall, I am a huge fan of what I have tried from the Mario Badescu line and would totally recommend anyone to check it out. I look forward to getting my hands on some more from his line and expanding my skincare horizons!



Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored & all opinions are my own!
(This post was originally published on my previous blog forum, which I have since gotten rid of. You will now only find my blog posts here on BlogSpot/Blogger)!

Skin Struggles Revealed

     Over the past month I have spoken about my skin on numerous occasions. It seemed like overnight I developed cystic acne on both sides on my face, which has never happened to me before. Like most teenagers, I had pimples on my skin here and there... and of course most would appear right around that time of the month, but this recent occurrence was different. I never had so much acne in a specific area of my face before, especially cystic acne spots. At first I blamed it on shaving my face (which is great exfoliation), but the timeline did not match up.

     I felt so uncomfortable with how my skin looked, I was searching for anything to help! I stopped shaving my face and hoped that would improve my skin, which did not help one bit! I was recommended the UFO (ultra-clarifying face oil) by Sunday Riley, and that really helped to draw out a lot of the bacteria, but it did not stop any new acne from popping up. It seemed as though for every one that disappeared, two came back in it's place. I had bumps and lumps everywhere. I was changing my pillowcase regularly and taking care of my skin with gentle face washes, an alcohol free toner, and a light moisturizer to make sure I wasn't forcing my skin to over produce oil. I was still a mess.

     My mom suggested going to the store and getting something geared specifically for acne. I purchased the AcneFree face wash and the AcneFree Terminator 10 spot treatment. That helped ever so slightly, but I was still finding new spots on my face everyday. Finally... my boyfriend suggested it was something I changed in my diet. I looked at when my acne started and tried to figure out what it could have been. The only thing that fit the timeline was when we started using Organic Grassmilk (milk from cows that have only been fed grass) instead of the normal milk we buy (Horizon Organic). That is it. Once I cut that out, within three days every lump and bump went flat. I still have the discoloration as it is healing, but it is so smooth.

     I am not sure what about the Grassmilk caused such a reaction on my face. I do not have a grass allergy that I know of... I can walk/sit/run/lay in grass with no issue, but consuming the product really caused a severe break out. Has this ever happened to you with a a certain food or drink? If so, let me know what it was! If you are consuming Grassmilk and notice your skin is breaking out, try cut it from your diet for a few days and let me know if you experience it clearing up! I can't be the only one!


Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored & all opinions are my own!
(This post was originally published on my previous blog forum, which I have since gotten rid of. You will now only find my blog posts here on BlogSpot/Blogger)!