Hi everyone. These last two weeks have been busy. Lots of upcoming projects plus some colds which have put me behind (what else is new). This week I was focused on gel-oil balm cleansers (my favorite), creams, beauty tools and a few old favorites. I have been watching Harborist Balm-Gel Cleanser for ages and I finally got to try it. It's a thick gel-oil balm cleanser that's fragrance and essential oil free. It's got jojoba, avocado & camellia oils plus glycerin. This easily removes all makeup and SPF then rinses clean as it emulsifies. It's a bit on the thicker end which is great if you like a true oil-gel balm texture. It's similar to Jordan Samuel Skin but a touch thicker. Perfection for sensitive skin as it's fragrance free and doesn't need a cloth to remove it.
REN just launched a new gel-oil balm cleanser as well. The Perfect Canvas Clean Jelly Oil Cleanser is another rinsable gel-oil balm cleanser. It's got meadowfoam, sunflower & grape seed oils. This one has a light clean fragrance, it's not too strong. This one is a lighter gel texture and it really goes from gel to oil to milk. Remember to use these on dry skin first then add water and rinse otherwise you won't like them very well. Applying these on wet skin just doesn't work for removing makeup. These make fabulous morning cleansers or night cleansers depending on your preference. Speaking of cleansers, YOU Skincare makes one of my favorite cleansing balms. The Barrier Repair Cleansing Balm is perfection. It's an antioxidant rich melty textured cleansing balm. You need a cloth to remove it but it's not super heavy or oily. It's got rice bran, watermelon, camellia, sea buckthorn & black cumin oils plus it's slightly citrus scented with sweet orange, tangerine & bergamot oils. This is jar two for me. Review HERE.
With the ever changing and flip flopping of warm to cold weather I've been reaching for Stratia Liquid Gold as a barrier repair agent. This creamy liquid has ceramides, cholesterol, fatty acids, niacinamide & sea buckthorn. It's a fabulous hydrating and repairing layer. It's fragrance free, super affordable and the original cult favorite barrier repair product IMO. If you're a skincare nerd you know what it is. Review HERE. I've been totally addicted to the thicker creams this week. African Botanics Fleurs d'Afrique Intensive Recovery Cream is one of my all time favorite night creams. Hugely effective and totally luxurious. Also easily the most expensive cream I have ever purchased though well worth it and I am on jar number two. This has marine algae, plant peptides & African night blooming plants. It's really nourishing yet never heavy. I love how soothing and repairing it is. Review HERE.
One of my other favorite repairing night creams is Biologique Recherche Creme Masque Vernix. The concept of a cream similar to the waxy coating on a newborns face at birth seemed odd to me at first but I finally caved and tried the cream/mask after all the rave reviews. All the reviews are right. It's utterly amazing. This thick cream smells faintly like bananas and while it feels super thick it's not heavy or greasy. It does leave a nice thick layer on the skin but the next morning your skin will be repaired, plump and completely revitalized. It's very soothing and repairing. If I'm having a bad skin day I use this at night and I'm instantly better the next morning. Easy repurchase for me. Review HERE.
I made a goal to use my Elevare Plus + more this year. I have been lazy the last six months as far as devices go. This uses red and infrared light with heat to reduce wrinkles, stimulate collagen production and even the skin tone. It does a really great job at reducing my melasma. Quite good at that. It also does seem to plump & firm the skin plus reduce lines/wrinkles to some degree. It's not in many peoples budget but it does have a lifetime warranty. I'm glad I pulled it out and keep trying to use it. Review HERE. Miller Harris is one of my all time favorite perfume houses. This week was quite cold so I reached for La Fumee Ottoman. It's a slightly spicy more warm version of the smoky original La Fumee. Think smoky meets warm, spicy, oriental. If you like deep and smoky but want a bit of a rounded warm edge this is for you. I talked about it HERE.
I saw Florence by Mills Cheek Me Later Cream Blush in Ulta recently and grabbed the Zen Z shade which is described as a mauve brown. This is a shimmer free light texture cream. It's very pigmented. I would say mauve brown is spot on. It's got that lighter cream texture that has a touch of an emollient feel. It's more pigmented and a bit less oily than Tower 28 so I like it better than that one. It stays a bit glossy and doesn't set down a lot so if you're only into satin or semi matte cream blushes this one might be too emollient for you. If you have dry cheeks, less oily skin or prefer glossy cream blush I think you'll like it.
Top to Bottom-Stratia, Florence, Harborist, REN:
*REN, Harborist, YOU & Elevare gifted but all thoughts are my own
