Foreo LUNA Play Plus Facial Cleansing Brush Review

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Hey everyone!

Today I wanted to share my thoughts on the Foreo LUNA Play Plus Facial Cleansing Brush. I've talked about skincare before on the blog but this is the first mention of any sort of skincare device. 

I first heard about Foreo when they launched their LUNA cleansing brush, especially since it seemed like a great alternative to the Clarisonic facial cleansing brush (which was dominating the skincare device scene). The Foreo LUNA intrigued me because it didn't deal with a brush/bristles but with silicone points instead. Of course, the price was too much for me to afford on a graduate student budget so I admired from afar. 

Later on they launched the LUNA Play, a mini version of the full size but I was not interested in a device that only had 100 uses for $39.00. Finally, they launched their Luna Play Plus which is a miniaturized version of their full size LUNA cleansing brushes and a better version of the LUNA Play. Combine it with the ULTA 20% off sale and I picked up the Luna Play Plus. 

Click through to read my thoughts and whether this facial cleansing brush is right for you!

My Skincare Routine for Oily/Acne Prone Skin and Recommendations From 2017

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Hey everyone!

Though we're nearly done with January, I wanted to share my skincare favorites from 2017, what my skincare routine is for day/night, and some skincare realizations from the year. I categorized the items into Cleansers, Lotions/Essences/Serums, Actives, and Hydrators/Moisturizers. I also wanted to share if and how many times I've repurchased an item. Though I am acutely aware of how many products I use, I do think that sometimes more is better but don't feel like your skincare routine has to look exactly like mine. 

I modeled my skincare routine by incorporating aspects of the multi-step Korean Skincare Routine, while adding in a ton of American products. If you want more information into what goes into a Korean Skincare Routine, check out Snow White and the Asian Pear.

To show that the proof is in the pudding, here's a photo of my unretouched skin so you can see what I'm working with. My routine is concerned with targeting my oiliness, dehydration, acne, and hyper pigmentation. I've mostly got my acne tackled (except for hormonal acne) and virtually all the red spots you're seeing are hyper pigmentation, not active acne.

If you'd like to know what I use and enjoyed from 2017, keep on reading!

Stay Cool for the Summer: Hard Candy Sheer Envy Coconut Water Primer Stick - Review

I Purchased This

Hey everyone! 

Today I have a review of the Hard Candy Sheer Envy Coconut Water Primer Stick, a new cooling water-based primer stick. This stick is meant to prime, refresh, and depuff your skin. The idea for this isn't actually new since there are a few iterations on the internet but this was one of the more accessible ones and I really wanted to try this out especially for the summer.

Click through to read my review!

Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser - Review

I Purchased This Affiliate Link 

Hey everyone!

Today I have a review on the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. I know I've been reviewing a lot from Glossier recently but I've had the opportunity to get a bunch of their products thanks to referral credits from you guys so I figured I would try as much from the brand as I could. I'll be rotating in more non-Glossier reviews soon!

But back to the Milky Jelly Cleanser, oh but if I could talk about how hyped up this face cleanser is on the internet. Like the name suggests, the cleanser has a jelly-like texture; the cleanser itself was actually crowdsourced and developed from input by Into the Gloss readers. 

I've been using the cleanser for about two and a half months now and wanted to share my thoughts. Click through to read my review and whether I think it's worth it!

Prep Your Skin for Summer with derma e Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask

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Hey everyone! Today I have a review of my current favorite face mask. As the season is shifting towards the Summer months, the weather is commensurately getting warmer and warmer. To help balance my skin out without stripping it of oil, I've been using the derma e Purifying 2-in-1 Charcoal Mask for a few weeks and I wanted to share my thoughts on the mask.

Click thru to read my full review!

Double Duty Skincare: Tackling Anti-Aging and Acne with Paula's Choice Skincare

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Hey everyone!

Today I'm going to be talking about my skincare routine and how I've been using Paula's Choice to target all my skincare woes. I finished a bottle of the 2% BHA Gel and was already using their Resist Ultra Light Antioxidant Serum (which I love!) when I got the opportunity to try out more from the brand.

My concern with my skin as I'm heading toward the latter part of my mid-twenties is acne and anti-aging while balancing having oilyish skin. Based on my consultation with the Paula's Choice Representative, they suggested the Resist Advanced Kit for Wrinkles and Breakouts for Normal to Oily Skin which targets both anti-aging AND acne. They have a Resist line for Normal to Dry Skin.

The kit contains the Resist Perfectly Balanced Cleanser, Resist Weightless Advanced Repairing Toner, Resist Daily Pore-Refining Treatment 2% BHA, Resist Weekly Retexturizing Foaming Treatment 4% BHA, Resist Ultra-Light Daily Antioxidant Serum, Resist Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid SPF 50, Resist Anti-Aging Clear Skin Hydrator.

Check out how my thoughts on the products and how you don't have to compromise tackling your acne and anti-aging concerns plus my Before and After Photo.

REVIEW: Mizon Good Night White Sleeping Mask

Press Sample

When it comes to skincare, sometimes American products or American routines just don't cut it. If you've heard about the Korean 10-Step Skincare routine, you might have thought it was excessive. But once you see how smooth and youthful some of these women are, you'll be wanting to incorporate more of their secrets into your skincare.

I was introduced to the idea of "Sleeping Masks" or "Sleeping Packs" a few weeks ago. These are meant to be the last step in your skincare routine, applied after all your other night creams, serums, and/or essences. Not all sleeping masks are the same. While some work to add a ton of moisture to your skin, others work to just "seal in" the moisture from any moisturizers you're using. 

The Mizon Good Night White Sleeping Mask is a super popular sleeping mask and I've been using it three times a week for a good two months, so I really had the opportunity to test it out for my review!

Where to Purchase: PeachandLily (use my link to get $10 off your first order of $50 or more and I get $10)
Price: $10.00 for 50 ml or $24.00 for 80 grams. 

Packaging: The mask comes in either the $10.00 tube or $24.00 jar. I suggest the tube since it'll be more hygienic to use!

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil Review

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The One Oil to Rule Them All, that's probably the best way to describe the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. A little dramatic (and perhaps Tolkien would not appreciate my appropriation of one of his most famous lines), but this Cleansing Oil is extremely popular and well-loved for a good reason and count me in as one of the fans.

I mentioned this cleansing oil ages ago in my June Favorites and decided to give extra time to review it and give my thoughts. I've been wearing makeup more often now (before this, extra sleep was more of a priority during the school year) and so I've had to take more effort to make sure it's removed. This does the job easily and without any extra effort.

Where to Purchase: DHCcare.com (affiliate)
Price: $28.00 for 6.7 oz
Do they test on animals?: The company does not.
Packaging: The cleansing oil comes in a plastic bottle with a pump.

Formula:

This is perfect for removing makeup and cleansing my skin without stripping or overdrying it. It rinses off cleanly and I personally don't feel the need to follow up with another cleanser. I also appreciate that I can use this to remove eye makeup without worrying about foggy vision and stinging eyes. Previously, I was a user of the Kose Softymo Cleansing Oil and while I would use it to remove eye makeup, I had to be careful lest it get into my eyes and I'd have to wait a few seconds for my vision to clear. If you've ever tried using straight up olive oil to remove your makeup and got it into your eyes, you'll know what I mean. 

I have no such problems with the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil because of the combo of olive oil and its emulsifiers (the ingredients used to mix the water and oil together for easier rinsing off) that helps prevent it. One pump (sometimes just a half), and it's enough to clean my face.

If you're not familiar with cleansing oils, here's how you use it: Start with a dry face and apply the cleansing oil straight onto your dry skin. Rub to break up and makeup on your face and wet your hands. Slowly massage your wet hands onto your face until the oil starts emulsifying with the water turning white. Then proceed to rinse off the white mixture.

Conclusion:

Since using it, I've noticed that my skin doesn't feel stripped or overdried, it doesn't make my skin more oily, and it hasn't caused me to break out. I feel like it's been helping my skin remain free of acne! Skincare can be a fickle thing but if you're looking for a cleansing oil, you can't do wrong with the DHC Deep Cleansing Oil. I'm already planning on getting another bottle once this one runs out (which it won't for a while!). It is a little expensive but completely worth it in my opinion!

When it comes to cleansers, have you ever tried a cleansing oil? If so, do you have a favorite?

Disclaimer: I received this product for consideration by the company. All opinions are my own and I am not being paid for this review. The link marked with an affiliate link gives me a commission based off your use of the link, feel free to use a nonaffiliate link!

Olay Fresh Effects Dew Over Hydrating Gel Moisturizer Review

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A big trend in moisturizers lately has been the gel formulation so I was pleased to receive a sample of the Olay Fresh Effects Dew Over Hydrating Gel Moisturizer to review from PopSugar Select. Having normal to oily skin that's also acne prone, I think it can be a challenge to find a moisturizer that is hydrating enough to my skin (to prevent my skin from overproducing oil) without being too heavy that it causes breakouts. I think for oily skin, a gel moisturizer can be a godsend since it's light enough to hydrate but won't go too heavy.  

To read more, please click the link below!

Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil Review

I purchased this

I've been making more of an effort to try more liquid foundations on my skin because I'm a little over powder foundations (with the exception of one which I'm currently testing out), but I started to really break out on my skin as a result of it. It turns out that my usual Epiele wipe + cleansing wash wasn't doing enough to remove foundation, thus breaking me out. In an effort to save my skin, I decided to get the Kose Softymo Deep Cleansing Oil, a product so often touted by Arabelle and Chi-Chi on Powderdoom that I thought it'd be remiss for me not to purchase it. It's apparently a good substitute for the DHC Cleansing Oil but I haven't tried that.

I know, it might seem strange to use an oil to cleanse your skin, especially in light of the fact that I have acne-prone skin. Cleansing oil however (the right ones at least) break down foundation and other products on your skin for a better clean without drying out your skin. The oil cleansing method (OCM) has been and still is a very popular skincare routine and though you can use just straight up olive or another oil to clean your face, I think it's worth investing in a premade cleansing oil.

Why? The reason is that you want something more than just straight up oil in your mix, especially if you want to try to remove a little bit of eye makeup too. 

If you've ever used just olive oil to remove eye makeup and you splashed water on your face to remove the oil, you might have experienced that weird fuzzy eye feeling from the oil seeping into your eyes. The reason you get that fuzzy eye feeling is that the oil lacks any emulsifiers, or ingredients that help the oil bind to the water, and continuing to rinse your face doesn't readily get the oil out. Cleansing oil contains emulsifiers so when water hits the oil, the two will start binding and create a water soluble mixture that you can wash away.

Product Information

Where to purchase: It used to be difficult to find but thankfully you can find it readily on Amazon or Pretty and Cute (a US based online vendor of Asian beauty products). I personally haven't shopped at Pretty and Cute yet but I have heard good things about their shop. I purchased mine at a Tokyo Japanese Lifestyle store. You could try Marukai or Mitsuwa but I don't know 100% if they are available there. Ebay has a few sellers but since Kose sells other formulas, be sure to specify "deep cleansing oil".

Price: This will vary depending on where you get it. It's $16.50 on Amazon for the bottle. I bought my refill for $12.00. Pretty and Cute are selling the bottle for $12.99.
Do they test on animals?  Unfortunately it does appear that they test on animals. I'm not entirely sure whether they're phasing it out like Shiseido or Mandom (another Japanese brand) but I'll update this with more information as I get it. 

Packaging: I purchased a refill packet from a local Japanese shop since I already had a spare container but it is normally sold in a bottle with a pump. If you use the bottle, one pump is enough for your whole face. It is nice that you can get refill packets to fill your bottle so it's a more environmentally friendly method to get your skincare fix.

My Thoughts

My review isn't a very long one since there's not much to say other than that it works and it's going to become a real staple for me. The weather in Southern California is starting to mellow out into coldness so I find that the cleansing oil is great to use at night as a gentle way to clean my face. I've been using it for maybe a month (at least two weeks) so I can speak with some authority about my results. A side effect of this method is that it forces me to not wash my face in the shower like I normally do which helps me to not dry out my skin that way. My skin has readily cleared up because it's been doing a great job at removing all traces of makeup on my face and this does not cause more acne on my skin. I've also found that my skin as a whole feels so much softer and the texture much smoother.

How to use:

Start with a dry face. If your face is wet, the oil will just emulsify with the water and it won't do a good job at breaking down your makeup or cleansing your skin. It does feel a bit weird at first but you get used to it. After about a minute or two of rubbing to break down the makeup, wet your hands and start rubbing your face and you'll see the oil start emulsifying with the water to create an opaque whiteish mixture. If you're wearing heavy foundation, you'll know the oil has removed it because the mixture will start becoming skin toned from the foundation it's breaking down. After about a minute of that or once your face doesn't feel oily anymore and is covered in the oil/water mixture, you can rinse that away while still rubbing at your skin.

While it technically says "Avoid contact with the eyes", I don't find it irritating to use to remove my eye makeup as long as my eyes are closed. I usually rub a little onto my eyelid then use a little cotton pad with water to gently remove it (while keeping my eyes closed to avoid any issues with getting the product into my eyes). 

Ingredients

Mineral oil is the 2nd ingredient but it has been shown that mineral oil does not cause acne. This formula does contain a little bit of silicone (in the form of cyclomethicone) so if you're sensitive, stay away. 

Final Thoughts

I'm super duper happy and I feel more comfortable wearing heavier foundation without the worry of not being able to rinse it off properly. It's not as cheap as creating your own cleansing oil (there are a few recipes out there if you are interested) but I really like the effects.

*******************

Have you tried a cleansing oil before? How did you like it? Are you thinking about trying one out?

*Disclaimer: I purchased this product myself, I'm not being compensated for this review and all opinions are my own. None of the links in this post are affiliate links.

FutureDerm Time Release Retinol 0.5% Gel Product Review

Hey everyone,

I normally don't do skincare reviews but I was sent this lovely product that I had great results with that I had to review it. When I first heard about retinol products, I didn't think they were for me. I made the association of retinol products to helping wrinkles and I thought "I'm twenty two, I don't really have any wrinkles to take care of". As I did more research though, it turns out that retinols do more than just help with fine lines and wrinkles.

Enter FutureDerm Time Release Retinol 0.5% Gel. This is the baby of Nicki of the science based beauty blog, FutureDerm. She is a fellow beauty blogger and after I found out more about retinols and her retinol product, I jumped at the chance to try it and review it.

(you can tell I really used it since the label is starting to wear off)

Where to purchase: Futurederm

Price: $54.95 for 1.0 oz. 

Cruelty Free? They are cruelty-free.

Packaging: This is packaged in an opaque cylindrical tube with a pump dispenser. The pump dispenser is a great one because you can dispense as little as you want with no mess. Originally I had hoped that the container was clear so I could see how much product I have left but I found out that retinol is light sensitive (meaning the ingredient degrades due to light exposure) so I actually appreciate that the container is opaque.

Product Description: "A concentrated retinol formula, FutureDerm Time-Release Retinol 0.5 contains 0.5% microencapsulated retinol in a lightweight gel formula that is perfect for use together with your other favorite moisturizers.  Most retinoid creams are thicker, taking up to 30 minutes to absorb into the skin.  Ours feels like it absorbs in under a second, so you don't have to wait before applying other moisturizers.  

Retinol 0.5% is supposed to help

• fight fine lines and wrinkles
• smooth mottled or rough skin
• aid mild to moderate acne
• alleviate the appearance of age spots
• maintain and build skin firmness

My Thoughts on the Formula/Wear Time:

Before I get into the product, I need to give you some background on my skin and the concerns I wanted to address. I have very very acne prone skin, relatively normal with an oily t-zone. I have many post-acne scars in the form of pock marks on my temples and hyperpigmentation. After many years of using benzoyl peroxide, my skin is fairly resilient and not too sensitive. I used this at night with benzoyl peroxide (and a good sunscreen) in the morning. 

When it comes to my experience, I was honestly surprised as how well my skin acclimated to the retinol. I was ready to be overly cautious since I know retinol products can take some getting used to. To my surprise, I experienced no "purging" of my skin, no reaction to the retinol and I was able to use it daily (with a good sunscreen). I won't recommend that you do this as everyone's skin is different and your experience might be different. I've been using this for over two months by the way just to test this.

My goal wasn't to help fix my acne but to soften and smooth my rough skin around my temples and help with post-acne hyperpigmentation. The results are that it works great at helping smooth my skin and help my post-acne hyperpigmentation. My skin definitely feels softer and the area around my pock marks on my temples seems to be softened. I don't have any fine lines or wrinkles really so I can't attest to it helping that. A side effect is that the mild acne around my temples improved.

Skincare products are subjective but if you are looking for a gentle but effective retinol that works to help soften and smooth your skin while still being strong against mild acne and hyperpigmentation, this is for you. This may also help if you've got fine lines and wrinkles. If you have very severe acne, I think you're better off with a Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA) product (like Salicylic Acid).

Here is a picture of my skin before using the Futurederm Retinol and afterwards. I know the before picture is quite bright but I'm hoping you can see how softened the area around my temple is and all the acne around my temples have gone. This is unretouched by the way.

Would I purchase again?

At $54.95, it is a splurge but I love that I'm able to not only support a small business, but also a fellow beauty blogger. If you've found other retinol products to be too harsh on your skin, this is worth a try. I've been using it for over two months and still have tons left over so it's going to last me ages. I'll definitely save up for this and you do save 10% if you purchase a bundle of three. They often have sales so you may want to wait and catch it on sale.

I need to stress that my experience is my own and I can't guarantee that your experience with the product will be similar to mine. Skincare of course is subjective and I only hope that if you have similar results to mine. 

Disclaimer: I received this product for review. I am not being compensated for this post and all my opinions are my own and honest. None of the links in this post are affiliate links.

French Pharmacie Essentials Haul

When I went to France earlier this summer, I was so enamored with French pharmacies. The amount of skincare they have is amazing, and knowing how the French pay good money for good food I imagined the same stance with their cosmetics and skincare.

While I was there I didn't spend a lot of time in the pharmacies but I did get Embryolisse. I mean, it's touted as a makeup artist favorite and so I knew I had to have it. Needless to say, I love it and had to get a backup when my dad went to France 2 weeks ago. I also picked up Homeoplasmine, a vaseline balm similar to the Elizabeth Arden 8 Hour Cream but with extra plant essentials. I've always liked Aquaphor and Vaseline as a lip balm so I'm glad to find another kind.

I love the foil squeeze tubes. There's something so satisfying about using something with such a malleable container. As nice as it looks unused, it doesn't look as great all bent out of shape.

Still, I hope to see more brands adopting the foil tube. It's pretty satisfying to pierce the top with the cap.

And in case you were wondering, my Dad did bring home a pile of French foods :D