blog - Page 7 of 7 - My Two Pence

Latest Posts

In Review | February

Published by lauren

February felt long this year. Maybe it was that one extra day. But my goodness it felt packed for me. It was full of auditions, rehearsals, wedding planning went into full gear, I got sick, I finally launched this blog, AND I went home to Washington for some bridal celebrations with my sister and mom.

In addition to all that I also tried out a LOT of products… But what else is new. I’m always trying out products, that’s half the reason I decided to start writing this fucking thing…. Anyways, here’s some thoughts on a few things I played with this past month.

1. Mario Badescu Facial Spray, With Aloe, Herbs and Rosewater. *

I finally picked up this guy! Funny enough, Mario Badescu was one of the first higher end skincare brands I ever purchased. It was a staple in my early twenties routine (when my skin was MUCH oilier), but I always passed over this cult product. Finally, early this month (and a decade later) I picked one up at Ulta. It’s nice, nothing ground breaking here. It’s decently priced for a rosewater spray, pleasurable to use, and full of mostly good ingredients. Rose is great for the skin, and I like using it to refresh during the day or right before I put on a serum for that added bit of moisture. I think I’m getting sick of rose scents though. It’s everywhere. Any recommendations on an affordable non rose face mist? My nose is bored. get here.*

2. Jurlique Calendula Redness Rescue Soothing Moisturizing Cream.*

This moisturizer came into my life around Christmas. It’s a new favorite, great for using at night, or even during the day (I think it might be to heavy in the summer here in Southern California though) It absorbs pretty quickly, and a little goes a long long way. I’ve even been using it on some problem, itchy, spots on my body and it’s really soothed them down during this dry time of year. It’s got a lot of great ingredients such as chamomile, evening primrose, self-heal, rose hip, honey, aloe, echinacea, and of course calendula (just to name a few.) I might get around to a post just about this guy after I’ve used him for a bit longer, I’ve really enjoyed the results so far. I think its worth its higher price tag. get it here.*

3. Pixi Glow Tonic.*

Another cult favorite I finally picked up, and fuck, do I wish I had grabbed it sooner. This is a total HG for me. I’ve been using it for about 3 weeks now and it’s made a big difference on my skin. OKAY CAROLINE HIRONS… I got an acid in my routine and it was what I was missing! Get that acid in there, everyday! And like she says… I’ve been taking it to the tits… and then some. I am prone to the sporadic spot on my upper chest, shoulders and back, especially after a shitty week of eating (and drinking), and extending my skincare routine to the majority of my upper body has really helped. This toner was the missing link for me in terms of keeping, and calming the spots that come up on my body as well as on my face. Oh, and it leaves that glow too. 🙂 If you haven’t jumped on the Glow Tonic band wagon… get your ass on board! get here.*

4. Kate Somerville RetAsphere.*

I got SEVERAL samples of this from a generous sales associate at Nordstrom back in the fall when I was shopping around for a new retinol. The samples lasted me for a pretty long time since I normally use a retinol only a couple times a week. I was very impressed with how fast this worked. My skin was smoother, more even, clear and dare I say youthful when I was using this on the regular. I had used a few other Kate Somerville products in the past and was not impressed but RetAsphere has sucked me in, and I am curious what other gems are in this product line that I’ve skipped over. I couldn’t justify the wicked price a few months ago but I got a few $$$ in gift cards this christmas and used some of them to add this guy to my stash. This is very much worth the investment if you have the money or the gift cards. here.

5. Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo.*

I haven’t been wow’d by too many hair products – wait for it – they usually fall flat for me, especially When it comes to dry shampoos. I swear 90% of them have worked the same (but I haven’t tried THAT many). This is a nice little dry shampoo. It does its job. But I don’t know, some people seem to find dry shampoos to be a life saver but I just really really hate the feeling of dirty hair, and then the dry shampoo just makes my hair feel crunchy on top of it all… Anyways, despite my predisposition to dislike ANY dry shampoo this one wasn’t too bad. It didn’t make my hair feel too crunchy and the smell wasn’t offensive, which is my annoyance with the majority of ones I’ve tried. The price to size ratio on this guy was ridiculous, but I knew what I was getting into when I purchased this, and I just didn’t want to be stuck with another large headache-in-a-can that I will never get through. So this guy has been nice to tote around on the days when washing my hair is just not an option and I’m not in the mood for a Reality-Bites-Ethan-Hawk impression. get it here.

Well February you were fun, and not nearly as depressing as you normally are. Off to March and the approach of spring. I leave you with this token of the nineties… so hot but so…

…so greasy……

*This post contains affiliate links

Field Guide Film | Coming Soon 2016

Published by lauren

This past year I wasn’t drawn to seeing movies in the theatre like I normally am. I guess there just wasn’t much I was THAT excited about. I did see some gems on the big screen, such as Ex Machina, Mad Max and It Follows, but not too much beyond that. Sorry Oscars, your selection didn’t interest me much. But 2016! You have already got me intrigued!! We are only two months into the year an already a bevy of trailers have come out and I am STOKED. Below are a just a few of the movies I am eager to shell out my $$$ to see. (fingers crossed the tomato meters don’t go to low!) Give it a look!

1. THE LOBSTER

The Lobster is Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, (who made the unnervingly weird yet funny movie Dogtooth), and its already being called an absurdist masterpiece. Staring Colin Farell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly, and Lea Seydoux. Sundance describes… “With deadpan conviction and perfect comedic alchemy, The Lobster thrusts us into a darkly satirical world that posits love as a social construct, skewering ritualized coupledom and our base impulses toward romance (loneliness, insecurity, desperation, cruelty) before adopting a more emotional complexion.The Lobster’s debatably ironic conclusion is one of many engaging ambiguities that give it a philosophical allure.” Lets just be real here…. this is the movie I am THE MOST EXCITED TO SEE THIS YEAR. I believe it has already been released across the pond, but will make its way state side on March 11th.

2. HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE

Hunt for the Wilderpeople has gotten some stellar reviews coming out of Sundance. This hilarious romp staring the wonderful Sam Neil looks like a real good time. Description from the Sundance guide states: “Raised on hip-hop and foster care, defiant city kid Ricky gets a fresh start in the New Zealand countryside. He quickly finds himself at home with his new foster family: the loving Aunt Bella, the cantankerous Uncle Hec, and dog Tupac. When a tragedy strikes that threatens to ship Ricky to another home, both he and Hec go on the run in the bush. As a national manhunt ensues, the newly branded outlaws must face their options: go out in a blaze of glory or overcome their differences and survive as a family.” Hunt for the Wilderpeople is written & directed by New Zealand filmmaker Taika Waititi. Wilderpeople doesn’t have a release date yet, but should be hitting theaters this year!

3. GREEN ROOM

Green Room is the second film by writer/director Jeremy Saulnier, previously of the beautiful, yet disturbing Blue Ruin (an amazing film currently streaming on Netflix). Staring Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat & Patrick Stewart (who looks INTENSE in this). Green Room looks like an extreme thriller, that if Blue Ruin is any indication, will be incredibly shot, crafted, and full of nail biting surprises. You can see Green Room in theaters April 15th.

4. THE HIGHRISE

Although The Highrise is already getting mixed reviews from press screenings, this looks like an absolute visual feast to me. The Highrise is directed by Ben Wheatley based on J.D Ballards novel of the same name. It stars Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller and Elizabeth Moss. The description from Fantastic Fest says when “Laing, a young doctor, joins a community in a luxury building in Thatcher’s England, who exile themselves from society and gradually divide into violent tribes.” Its thought to be in limited theaters by May 13th, and should be on demand in April.

5. Midnight Special

And last, but certainly not least, is Midnight Special, the new film by the writer/director of Mud, Jeff Nichols. Midnight Special stars Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, Sam Shepard and Kristen Dunst. Description from the Berlin Film Festival: “Every mile that Roy and his eight-year-old son cover on their journey down highways and byways brings us closer to their incredible story. Gradually, we begin to understand why this boy with extraordinary powers has to wear protective glasses. We also learn why religious extremists are interested in him, and why both the local police and high-ranking American government officials are hot on the heels of father and son.” This feels like a throw back to one of my favorite childhood films, Close Encounters of a Third Kind and will be hitting theaters on March 18th.

It’s still early, so there is a chance these will all be duds, but I doubt it (well maybe Highrise won’t be standing tall….) but none-the-less I’m ready to sit my ass in a row and watch! Let me know if any of these trailers intrigued you and if there is anything you else you can’t wait to see

Shopping List | Etsy

Published by lauren

Shopping on Etsy is akin to an overstuffed discount department store. The racks are so full with stuff that product is spilling onto the floor, there’s not a soul in sight to help you, and good luck finding a place to try something on.

Well I’m a good friend. I rolled up my sleeves, broke a sweat, and uncovered these little treasures for you.

1. Upscale Hare

I want everything. Seriously. This ladies shit is so gorgeous and simple. The creator behind these pieces is Rachel Nash, a jeweler designer out of Brooklyn NY. Her items feature raw cut diamonds, rose gold and brass. Don’t you want? These earrings will be on my next wish list!

as will these bracelets.

and luckily this guy I already got for christmas! Thanks Jeff!

2. Amelia Mancini

Also out of Brooklyn NY is Amelia Mancini. I’ve been seeing her stuff pop up all over the place lately! Her delightfully charming designs are featured on clutches, tea towels and totes. I’ve been torn between the Joshua tree and the cactus pouch for months now. We’ll see which one makes it out of my cart and into my hands.

how could I ever wipe my mouth on this? it’s to nice!

3. Peg and Awl

A Husband and Wife team hailing from Philadelphia, Margaux and Walter Kent, seem to make it all. Tree swings, to jewelry, to waxed canvas bags, to hand bound books, Peg and Awl has a little bit of everything. I am particularly fond of the botanical rings. I wear my Feverfew one daily.

Their Instagram is lovely and features darling pictures of their two sons.

4. Danna Ray

From the Black Mountains of North Caroline, Danna Ray’s work is a welcome sight for any mountain dweller stuck in the city. Although her work is representative of the Eastern coast, her painting remind me of growing up in rural Washington near the Colombia river. Her paintings make me homesick for a clean breath of air and cold silent lake water.

My (future) mother-in-law gifted me this painting last year. I think of lake Roosevelt every time I pass it.

for more of her work, check out her website by clicking here.

5. House of Seance

Lara Minassian, frustrated for space with her ever expanding collection of beautiful vintage items, opened up her etsy shop, House of Seance, to share her treasures with the world. The shops stock changes often, and items range for Kilim rugs to vintage cake toppers. The prices are aspirational for me at the moment, but one day you’ll see me at dinner in one of her 1800s lace evening gowns.

Lara is also an artist, you can enjoy her colorful paintings by clicking here.

Hope you enjoyed these treasures! Happy Searching.

-lauren

Sunday Riley Blue Moon Tranquility Cleansing Balm

Published by lauren

Well, It’s official, I’ve joined the Sunday Riley cult. I just seem to freaking love her stuff, and now the Blue Moon Tranquility Cleansing Balm* is the newest product to steal my heart and wallet. At $50 a pop, this is THE MOST EXPENSIVE CLEANSER I HAVE EVER PURCHASED. Seriously, what’s wrong with me? It’s like Sunday Riley products have the skin equivalent to MSG, because it can’t be that good…. can it?

Well I guess it is, because here I am, taking time out of my day to write free glowing press for something so pricey.

Let’s get to it shall we? Blue Moon is one of the latest releases from Sunday Riley, Its been out less then a year I think. It’s a hydrating cleansing balm that claims to remove makeup (even eye makeup) and impurities with sugar based cleansers as soothing essential oils calm irritation. Sunday Riley also claims it can also be used as a hydrating mask that will moisturize and plump the skin.

The Nitty Gritty: Blue Moon is a sugar based cleanser, which is great on many levels. Sugar is a great natural exfoliant. It exfoliates in two ways, first its small particles act as a physical exfoliant, removing dead skin cells, and secondly it is a natural form of glycolic acid, as we all know is an AHA, a chemical exfoliant. Sugar is also a natural humectant, so when left on for a long period, like as a mask, it will draw moisture from the environment into your skin. Pretty neat.

One of the top ingredients is Mimosa flower wax. Mimosa Flowers have been used for hundreds of years by the Mayans to treat and clean wounds. It’s a great moisturizer, with a huge amount of hyaluronic acid, making it great for cell regeneration and pluming the skin. Its got a large portion of Cocoa Butter which is high in antioxidants, meaning it’s an age preventer because it aids in the fight against free radicals as well as boosting your skins regeneration process. Cocoa butter is known to sooth sensitize skin, like those with eczema, and is deeply hydrating.

Just like the Luna Sleeping Night Oil the Blue Moon Cleansing Balm has Blue Tansy and Chamomile. Both work at calming irritation and redness, and are rich in antioxidants as well. I also love the inclusion of Neroli, Tangerine, and Sweet Orange essential oil. All are in the citrus essential oil family and are antiseptic (acne fighters) and anti inflammatory (acne calmers). Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract is also an anti inflammatory, and full of polyphenols, a type of antioxidant. Another anti inflammatory AND antioxidant in this balm is Moringa oil, which also acts as an emollient (mousterizer), exfoliant, and a disinfectant.

As you can tell, this cleansing balm is packed with moisturizing, ant inflammatory, and antioxidant rich ingredients. AND It does what it sets out to do. Well, mostly… I used it a couple of times to remove my makeup and it did an okay job, it’s not so good at the eye makeup removal. But its inefficiency as a make up remover doesn’t bother me because it seems a big fat waste to use it as such. I prefer it as a second cleanse and mask. Thats where this product shines. I apply it to dry skin and leave on for several minutes before rinsing off. It just seems to melt into the skin. I will leave it on for as little as 5 minutes and some times nearly 30. I then take it off with a warm muslin cloth. The balm itself is a little gritty, so that mixed with the muslin gives a nice bit of exfoliation. My skin is so glowy after I use this. It definitely plumps up my skin and is very moisturizing. If i’m dealing with any spots or irritation this guy calms it right down, and adds a jolt of hydration.

I want to use Blue Moon* every damn day, but forcibly stop myself because I fear the day I hit bottom. Now that Sunday Riley has got me in the palm of her hand, I can’t wait to see what else is in her line that I will fall madly in love with. Anything I must try? What’s your favorite cleansing balm these days?

<a href=”http://www.bloglovin.com/blog/14720499/?claim=zbba9xhcg7d”>Follow my blog with Bloglovin</a>

*This post contains affiliate links

Caudalie Vinoperfect Radience Serum

Published by lauren

Caudalie, named after a term used in wine tasting, is a luxurious skincare brand out of France you’ve probably seen a million times over by now…. And just like the taste of wine, as I’ve aged, I’ve grown to appreciate more and more. I’ve really enjoyed using the Moisturizing Sorbet and Cleansing Milk in the past, and am a big fan of the Lip Balm. Funny enough I haven’t used the Beauty Elixir which seems to be the most popular and known product of Caudalie. I got a sample of Vinoperfect Radiance Serum* this past fall, used it all up, slapped the full size on my amazon wish list, and Voila! my Fiance got the hint and it was in my hands for Christmas.

Caudalie claims that the Vinoperfect Radiance Serum will boost skins radiance, reduce the appearance of dark spots, and promote a more even complexion. The serum is based around Caudalies patented Viniferine. Derived from the sap of grapevines, Viniferine, is supposedly the most effective natural molecule at fighting off dark spots and boosting radiance by lightening and brightening the skin. It is said to be more effective then Vitamin C. This stuff is free of parabens, sulfates, and petrochemicals.

I think it did what it claims it will do… to an extent. I could have given a glowing review from just getting through the little .33 oz tube I sampled, but now as I’ve been making my way through the full size I feel my opinion has dwindled a little bit. Don’t get me wrong this stuff is still really really nice, I found it to definitely help with evening the skin tone when I used on the regular. As well as giving a quick jolt of radiance to the skin, but no drastic reduction on my sun spots and old acne scars. I just think this is something you will need to really stick with to see a significant change. like 2 to 3 bottles worth of sticking with. Which is all well and good, but for the high price tag I want my investment to see profit in 1 bottle (like my Sunday Riley Good Genes), not two or three.

A little bit more about the product before we wrap this all up…. It’s milky in texture, and the dropper is a little bit lack luster in picking up the product. The packaging is lovely on this guy, but since my bathroom shelf is near a window I keep it in its box so it wont degenerate from to much sun exposure since the bottle is clear. It has the lovely, light, expensive smelling fragrance Caudalie is known for, but it doesn’t linger. The serum goes on a bit tacky feeling, but dries down, and doesn’t feel heavy. It can be used day and night, but I prefer to use in the morning to give my skin a little glowing prep before applying my makeup.

This guy does have a pretty extravagant price tag but you can find it for less on places like amazon and lookfantastic.com. Has Caudalie’s Vinoperfect Radiance Serum* worked for you? If you’ve stuck with it over several bottles, I’d love to know how it worked on a much longer scale!!

*This post contains affiliate links

Ren Glow and Go! Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask & Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

Published by lauren

Ren, meaning clean in Swedish, is another one of those brands thats made a big splash on the beauty scene. The brand has been around for nearly 15 years, but it seems in just the last few, with items like the Radiance Renewl mask, the brand has garnered itself a cult status. Founded in London by Robert Calcraft and Antony Buck, the products are said to only be made of 100% plant and mineral derived actives and are free of skin unfriendly synthetic materials.

I’ve wanted to see what all the buzz was about and picked up The Glow and Go!* set from Sephora to test it out for myself. The set includes .67 Oz of the Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial, and .67 Oz of the Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. I’ve used both products several times now and feel like I can finally give a full review!

The Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask* is a mix of four different fruit derived acids (Lactic, Glycolic, Citric, & Tartaric) that Ren claims will gently exfoliate the skin, lift dead skin cells, even texture, brighten, firm, and lessen hyper pigmentation and old scarring. Yeah, I wish I could do so much at once too.

Lactic Acid (from passion fruit), Glycolic Acid (from pineapples), Tartaric Acid (from grapes) and Citric Acid (from lemons) are all Alpha Hydroxy Acids, a weaker acid known for exfoliating properties. AHA’s shred dead skin cells, creating a more even textured skin thus creating a “radiance” effect, because the newer, more even the skin is, the more glowing it will appear. These acids also have anti aging benefits, with decreasing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating collagen production therefore creating the feeling of firmer skin.

AHA’s are also great for lightening sun spots and hyper pigmentation. You can use AHA’s for acne, but the Radiance Renewal mask I would only recommend for more mature or dehydrated skin types with anti aging as a concern. The times I used this when I had more broken out and sensitive skin I found this mask to be way to harsh and it stung something fierce. I think its best to stay away if you have younger, blemish prone skin.

I’ve completely gone through the Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask now, and if I hadn’t already anticipated its end coming with ordering the full size of this guy I would be tempted to take scissors to the tube and fish out what was left. So obviously, from the previous sentence, you can tell I liked this guy. a lot. I got at least 10 applications out of this little tube, which is a surprisingly large amount considering the small size. The texture is like a marmalade, and it has a fruity almost jelly bean scent. You apply it to dry, clean skin and leave on for about 10 minutes (I would usually leave it on much longer) and then rinse with warm water. Using this pretty regularly over the last few months made a pretty noticeable difference to my skin texture; make up went on smoother, hyper pigmentation went down faster, and I would say it gave a sense of firmness. Thumbs up all around for this guy!

Ren’s Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial* claims to give smoother more toned, brighter and firmer skin while also reducing signs of fatigue and photo aging. I would say it did most of those things but not to the extent some reviews would have had me believe. The Vitamin C in this guy comes from Ascorbic Acid, which is supposedly an unstable form known to degenerate that Ren claims to have stabilized by adding silica, creating fresh vitamin c with each use. Vitamin C, for those that don’t know, is great at boosting collagen production (firming skin), is loaded with anti oxidants and is great at fading hyper pigmentation. It’s one of those amazing ingredients anyone interested in anti aging, or just protecting their skin should invest in.

Flash Rinse also include Boswellic Acid, and acid derived from the resin of Boswellia trees, the same tree family we get Frankincense from. Boswellic Acid is known for its anti inflammatory benefits, taming redness, as well as constricting the pores which gives a smoother appearance to the skin. It is known to help with UV damaged skin, which makes it in great company with Vitamin C, which is also known for its help in reversing sun damage as well as boosting your skins own defense against UV exposure.

I really like the ingredients in this product but find them a little wasted in this quick-usage-application. It seems almost a little gimmicky to me to use in such a short time frame; and it’s also rather labor intensive to use. You apply it to clean, dry skin, then dampen your finger tips, massaging in the water to activate. You then let it sit for 1 minute and then rinse.

It did give a quick glow to my skin, but I think I have had the same results or better from using a good Vitamin C serum with fewer steps involved. I’d also not recommend this for the sensitive skin types, it can be irritating when used on broken, blemished skin. I’d say the best usage for this guy is when you’ve had a long ass day and still need to look fresh when you’re going out later. It can provide a fun quick pick me up, but nothing lasting. At least it didn’t with me. I won’t be investing in the full size any time soon.

Glow and Go!* was a fun little kit to use, and also super travel friendly! They were great for throwing in my bag to add that little something extra to my skin care when I was on the road. I can thank the Radiance Renewal for helping me through the holidays in Michigan. These two have definitely peaked my interest in trying out more of what Ren has to offer! I’d love to know if you have any favorites from the line that I must check out!

*This post contains affiliate links

Klurskin: Hyaluronic + Vitamin C Serum & Rose + White Tea Gentle Glycolic Cleanser

Published by lauren

Klurskin is a newer skincare company out of Los Angeles. It was founded by Lesley Thornton an esthetician that came up with the line after the many requests of her clients. The products are based around the philosophy that ‘Makeup always looks better over good skin” and the ingredients list reflects that, with using mainly natural and organic materials. There are not many reviews out there for this line yet, except for the ones on the Urban Outfitters website, and the majority of them are glowing.

Unfortunately for me, and maybe it is just my skin type and age, but the products I tried from the line didn’t provide me with improved skin to then slap my makeup on with. Well, not everything can be a winner, which is a bummer, because on papers this was supposed to be a really really great fit.

Lets start with the Hyaluronic + Vitamin C Serum.* From the company:

Klurskin Hyaluronic + Vitamin C Serum deeply hydrates skin, shrinks pores, clears up acne, prevents breakouts, and is rich in antioxidants to protect the skin against environmental irritations – it basically does it all! This lightweight-yet-rich serum moisturizes and softens as it gives you a bright + dewy glow – naturally.

SOOOO. I love both of those things: Vitamin C and Hyaluronic! (Hyaluronic= reduces inflammation, antioxidant sun defense and helps retain moisture… good stuff right?). I love using Vitamin C serums, and had just finished a bottle of Ole Henriksen Truth serum, (which was pretty good, but I enjoyed John Masters Vitamin C serum a lot more. ) ANYWAYS. I wanted to try something new and stumbled upon this guy. After reading the description, ingredient list and all those glowing reviews, I loosened my wallet, typed in my credit card information and waited 3-7 days for it to arrive.

After using it for a few weeks on and off, I just saw… nothing. Now in my experience Vitamin C generally has a brightening effect, an effect I didn’t experience with this….. So whatever, maybe it’s doing something in the long run by feeding my skin all those antioxidants which vitamin c and hyaluronic are known for (Ya know, all that anti aging shizz). But even with the no glow it didn’t do all the other wonderful stuff it said it would do too. No pores shrunk, no clearing up of spots, and I found it to be rather drying. It does have a nice light citrus scent and creates a sort of matte finish on the skin. but it made my face feel tight and not in that lifting sort of way.

Now for the Rose + White Tea Gentle Glycolic Cleanser.* From the company:

This gentle one-step facial gel cleanser and exfoliant contains a unique blend of green-tea, white-tea, and wild rose extracts to sooth, heal and protect skin. While scientifically proven active ingredients, glycolic & salicylic acid effectively deep clean pores, balance oil production, prevents new breakouts, even skin tone, and increases cellular turnover resulting in a cleaner, brighter, more youthful complexion. Free from sulfates, parabens, perfumes and 100% non-toxic.

Now this was a pretty nice cleanser. But just not for me. It has a lovely light rose scent and a little goes a long way with this stuff. It looks like you would power through this little bottle, but I found it lasted longer than expected. Unfortunately I did not find this to be gentle, at least not by using it daily like it said you could. Maybe the presence of both glycolic and salicylic acid were just to much for me to use daily. I do love both of those acids and find them very effect for my skin, but it was probably just to much. Over all this was an okay cleanser and if you have more oily skin this might be a good fit for you. Me, I am on the dry side and should have learned by now not to stray from creamier cleansers.

All and all this the product I tried were a bit of let down, and goes to show that I need to stick to my philosophy of only purchasing higher priced items if I’ve already sampled them. I am curious about other items in the line, like the Calendula serum, but will probably not investigate further unless I can find a sample somewhere. I have a feeling this line might work very nicely for younger, acne prone, teen to early twenties skin, hence having Urban Outfitters as a distributer. But as someone nearly 30, hydration, and anti aging are my main concerns. If you’ve tried anything from this line I’d love to know how it worked, or didn’t work for you!

If you are tempted to try, they are now being sold as a set, so you save a few $$. Here*

*This post contains affiliate links

Sunday Riley Power Couple: Luna Sleeping Night Oil & Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment

Published by lauren

If you are into the beauty scene you have probably heard the name Sunday Riley once or twice by now. Seems like every wide-eyed-youtuber has raved about the Luna Sleeping Night Oil over the past year, which adds speculation no doubt. When something is so heavily exposed it makes you think a PR team is working pretty damn hard on sending out freebies to gather hype.

Some people really love Sunday Riley products and some people, including myself, have been turned off by the price pint. Most products are reaching, if not past $100. That is some mother-fucking-aspirational pricing for sure. So when the ‘Power Couple‘* set came out this past holiday season, I wasn’t surprised that it had a hard time staying in stock. My curiosity got the better of my wallet and I grabbed one before they where OOS again.

The set includes .5 oz bottles of both the Luna Sleeping Night Oil and The Good Genes Lactic Acid Treatment. I’ve been using both products pretty regularly over the last two months and I’m mostly impressed.

The Luna Sleeping Night Oil*is definitely my lesser favorite of the two, but I did find it somewhat effective. It’s nice to have a different type of Retinol in the mix, but I’ve had better results using RetAsphere by Kate Somerville, or just a good old strong Vitamin A like Rosehip Oil. I did see improvement in my pore size while using Luna, and some blurring of fine lines, but nothing drastic to see it as worth the price tag. I was also drawn to this stuff by the inclusion of Blue Tansy and Chamomile essential oils which are some of my favorites. Both are great for calming the skin and reducing redness. It’s got vitamins B, C, D & A, and I like the inclusion of Neroli which is both antiseptic and an emollient.

I do find it annoying that for such a high price the carrier oils in the product are rather cheap, (avocado and grape seed are the first ingredients), I would have liked the inclusion of starflower or even primrose oil as the top carriers. My other grip with this oil is the inclusion of dye. Both Chamomile and Blue Tansy are a gorgeous blue in essential oil forms, but the color would be much lighter with all the carriers oils, it’s purely a gimmick added to the product which just seems silly. I must say I liked the effect of the Luna oil best the nights I used it in conjunction with Good Genes. They seem to really enhance one another’s performance.

Let me just start out by saying I loved Good Genes*, it has earned the hype in my opinion and will be something I’ll shell out the cash for in the future. It really gave my hyperpigmentation a beat down: my skin was less congested, patchy and discolored on days I used it. The high concentration of Lactic acid does indeed plump the skin, and even out texture. And although it’s got a chemical exfoliant, the inclusion of Squalene and Licorice help calm and repair the skin.

Prickly Pear is one of the first ingredients, which is great to see because it is high in Omegas 6, and 9 and has high amino acids which means it helps with collagen production. It’s also awesome to see such a large amount of Blue Agave in Good Genes, which is a great skin healer, having been used for hundreds of years by the Aztecs. I have a feeling both Blue Agave and Prickly Pear are going to be some big trending ingredients in the years to come. On a superficial note, I really liked the lemongrass scent of the GG, it was reminiscent of a good cocktail. I’ve been using it at night, as well as occasionally layered under my makeup in the daytime, but I’ve laggard my use of Good Genes because the bottle was dwindling faster then I would like.

Some peeling did occur for me while using this duo, as well as a purging period I attribute to the retinol in Luna. If you’re a curious junky like myself this duo might be worth the splurge to satisfy your curiosity. It is still available at Sephora as of now, (here*) but if you’re tentative about the price, grab yourself a sample, at least of the Good Genes and let me know what you think!

*This post contains affiliate links

Pai Skincare: Instant Calm Collection

Published by lauren

I’ve had my eye on Pai for a while now. This London based cruelty free range has been on my radar for sometime now. I was intrigued by their focus on sensitive skin, and natural ingredients but the $$$ price tag was keeping me away. So when Pai released their Travel Essentials Kits, you bet your ass I grabbed up the Instant Clam Collection* to see if this line was what I was hoping it to be.

The kit lasted me about 2-3 weeks of daily use. I was strict about mostly just using these products during that time, with the occasional Bioderma to help with makeup removal, and an occasional retinol or serum at night. The kit includes the Camellia & Rose Gentle Hydrating Cleanser (30ml), Lotus & Orange Blossom BioAffinity Skin Tonic (12ml), Chamomile & Rosehip Calming Day Cream (10ml) and an Organic Muslin Cloth.

The Camellia & Rose Cleanser* is packed with vitamins A, B, & E, as well as Omega 3, which helps dry, irritable skin stay hydrated and soft. It has a wonderful rose scent, and the creamy consistency spreads well on dry skin, removing most of my makeup (although I recommend a micellar water before hand to get ride of eye makeup). Using the muslin cloth to remove the cleanser added a nice bit of gentle exfoliation. I haven’t used a cloth to remove a cleanser before, instead I’ve been using my hands to scoop up water, resulting in a soaked sink counter and an annoyed fiance. Switching to using a damp muslin cloth has been a nice, and less messy change.

The Lotus & Orange Blossom mist was a refreshing toner, that I can image will be a pleasure to use on super hot summer days. It has a decent sprayer for being a sample size, but was the first to run out in the set. The ingredient list is small on this guy, and lacking alcohol which is a bonus, since it is near F-ing impossible to find an alcohol free toner. The mix of flower waters (Lotus, Orange Blossom and Rose) are great anti inflammatories and it has a light, almost medicinal scent. The toner definitely helped any serum or moisturizer I put on after absorb rather nicely.

The Chamomile & Rosehip Calming Day Cream was a joy to use. First off I love anything that has chamomile in it. My skin reacts well to the components of chamomile extract, Matricin & Azulene, which always calms down my skin when it is red and annoyed. Think about how calming chamomile is on the mood when consumed, it acts the same way on the skin when applied topically. The presence of rosehip mixed with the chamomile makes for a great team, as the chamomile calms, the rosehip heals. The rich creamy moisturizer is very hydrating, absorbs quickly and never felt greasy. The scent is delicious, but doesn’t linger. My only qualm is the lack of any SPF, as a day cream it would be nice if it included one so I don’t have to layer to much on my face.

I was pretty damn bummed when these guys ran out and waited a while before purchasing the full size of these products (which I regretted doing because my skin was a little bitch about the wait). I did find them cheaper on LookFantastic* and if you get their emails theres often a 20% off promo going on. Also a large sized bundle exists for a great price. here.*

To sum it all up: My skin was less congested, red and more even during my time using this Kit. I was amazed how fast my skin reacted to this stuff, it was, as the kit said, instantly calm. Pai has made it’s way onto my all time favorites list, and become a staple in my medicine cabinet.

*This post contains affiliate links

Latest Posts

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: