Tag Archives: skin care

DHC Deep Cleansing Oil

Posted in Acne, Combination Skin, Dry Skin, Oily Skin, Review, Skin Care, Uncategorized by

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What It Is: A Japanese cleansing oil that is one of the most popular on the market today.

What It Does: Dissolves all traces of dirt and cosmetics—even waterproof mascara and eyeliner—while nourishing your complexion with antioxidant-rich olive oil.

Key Ingredients: Olive oil and Rosemary Oil.

How it Looks/Feels/Smells: Looks and feels like a thin oil. And it smells like olive oil which for me is a little off putting. It kind of smells like something from the kitchen.

Why I Like It/Don’t Like It: I’m not crazy about the scent but it isn’t horrible and the product does work very well for melting off your makeup and rinsing clean!

Where To Find::

$28.00 DHC 

$26.50 Amazon 

The Oil Cleansing Method vs Pre Packaged Cleansing Oils

Posted in Acne, Combination Skin, Dry Skin, Oily Skin, Review, Skin Care by

Now that you know what the hype is surrounding cleansing oils, its time to expand that knowledge and try not to let your brain steep out of your ears with all the information that is going to be thrown at you.

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My mom has always been a bit of “natural” person so to speak she was using coconut oil before it was cool and treated various aliments with essential oils. She is always looking for natural acne cures for me and trust me I think I’ve tired everything. She first suggested the Oil Cleansing Method to me several years ago and I first said no way and then decided what the hay I’ve tried everything else maybe it will work.

What is the Oil Cleansing Method? 

The Oil Cleansing Method (From here on out we are going to say OCM) is a way to cleanse your face with a mixture of oils.  Now there are  dozens of opinions of what oils to mix to achieve OCM nirvana.  Here are just a few examples I found online–

From The Oil Cleansing Method:: 

  • Oily skin: Try a blend of 30% castor oil to 70% sunflower seed oil.
  • Balanced Skin: Try a blend of 20% castor oil to 80% sunflower seed oil.
  • Dry Skin: Try a blend of 10% castor oil to 90% sunflower seed oil.

Crunchy Betty:: 

  • Jojoba (all skin types, but very desirable for acne-prone skin)
  • Sweet almond (all skin types, especially oily)
  • Grapeseed (all skin types, especially oily)
  • Avocado (dry and aging skin)
  • Sunflower Seed (all skin types)
  • Apricot Kernel (dry, aging, and normal skin)
  • Argan (all skin types, especially aging skin … very pricey)
  • Tamanu (all skin types … very pricey)

Tree Hugger:: 

  • Oily skin: Blend 30% castor oil + 70% olive oil
  • Balanced skin: 20% castor oil + 80% olive oil
  • Dry skin: 10% castor oil + 90% olive oil

 

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Confused yet?! 

I was overwhelmed, so I  half heartedly mixed some castor oil, olive oil and jojoba oil together and used it on my face.  It didn’t make it worse but it wasn’t better and at that point I was so overwhelmed (and yes I did kind of want to prove my mother wrong….) that I declared it didn’t work and moved on.

But No Oil Lives Another Day… 

Hello to Lara about 5 months ago when she noticed that skincare companies had taken the work out of mixing oils and done it for her!  Yay for being lazy!

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I had one sent to me and decided to give it a try and oh my gosh night and day difference between what I had done myself and what was in this magical bottle.  Next post we will discuss my skin care routine and how I use my cleansing oil.

Some suggestions for Pre Prepared Cleansing Oils!

About Face: Ten Amazing Cleansing Oils 

Independent: 11 Best Cleansing Oils

Sephora: Cleansing Oils from the search feature 

Ulta: Cleansing Oils from the search feature 

 

If you missed part one… 

 *Disclaimer- I know that skincare can be a controversial subject for people so please, please, please know that this is just my opinion and what has worked for me. You don’t have to agree with it but please be polite 🙂 *

What is up with Cleansing Oils? Oil for an Oily Face?!

Posted in Acne, Dry Skin, Normal Skin, Oily Skin, Review, Skin Care by

If you have been a reader of this blog for any length of time you know my face produces enough oil that I could run my car on it.  That is if cars ran on that kind of oil….  So… When the the “trend” of using oil to clean your face started a few years ago I quickly decided that was not going to be happening in my skin care routine.  Fast forward to present day and guess what, I am older and wiser and I put oil on my face everyday!

I haven’t written about this on the blog yet but I made it a goal this year to use up my samples.  From the sample sizes I  get in various subscription boxes to the samples that come with purchases; my sample supply has gotten out of control.  I decided that the best thing to do for my effort was to sort the samples into makeup (not travel size or sample size things but the packets of foundation or blush on a card stuff),  Skincare and Hair.  While on this sorting quest I discovered I had a few cleansing oils.  I have been using one (that is full size) for a few months and decided to use the others I had and make some comparisons. My plan is to write a post specially for each oil and then follow up with a post that compares the three that I have been using.  But first lets talk about what exactly a cleansing oil is suppose to do for your skin.

 

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Whether your skin is oily, dry or somewhere in between you can use oil as a cleanser and a moisturizer on your face.  Don’t think (like I did) that using an oil on your face will only make your skin more oily.  In fact the opposite is true! Oil attracts oil, so if you put the right kind of oil (more on that later) on your face it will attract the not good kind of oil (sebum, and the oils from makeup) then when you wash your face all of the oil, good and bad will be down the drain.  Also when you cleanse your face with oil, the oil is able to cling to the junk on your face without getting into your pores and takes everything with it.  I have found for me personally that the majority of oil free cleansers (which if you are oily/acne prone you are told you must use)  on the market today are so good at their jobs that my skin is stripped and then is tricked into thinking it is dry and produces more oil. Using oil to combat oil is helping with my skins natural oil production. Don’t get me wrong I still have massive amounts of oil, but I can definitely tell a difference.

Next post we will dive into the oil cleansing method vs pre packaged cleansing oils

*Spoiler- I’ve done both….*

Resources Used:::  Beauty Editor “My Traumatic Experience with the Oil Cleansing Method” by  Michelle Villett

Paula’s Choice” The Oil Cleansing Method “

Bustle “The Oil Cleansing Method For Acne May Be Your Perfect Skin-Clearing Regimen” by Kristin Collins Jackson

Huffington Post “What The Heck Is Cleansing Oil, And Why Is Everyone Obsessed With It?” by Dana Oliver

Glamour “The Trick to Getting the Most Out of Your Cleansing Oil” by Susan Yara

Mask Monday:: Avon Clearskin Pore Penetrating Black Mineral Mask

Posted in Acne, Avon, Combination Skin, Dry Skin, Favorites, Hits, Hits and Misses, Masks, Normal Skin, Oily Skin, Review, Skin Care, Uncategorized by

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When I first saw this mask I was hoping that it would be dupe for the GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Mask (which I’ve done a review on) and about $60.00 cheaper.  While it is a good mask it doesn’t in my opinion hold a candle to the GlamGlow Mask.  It works in a similar manner; it goes on black and as it dries turns grey as it ‘draws out impurities’.  I like using this as an everyday mask and reserve the GlamGlow for special occasions as it really does transform your skin.

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I also compared the ingredient list of the two masks and they do have some similar ingredients but not enough to say that the Avon is a dupe for GlamGlow.

 

Products Mentioned::

Avon Clearskin Pore Penetrating Black Mineral Mask– $6.99

GlamGlow Supermud Clearing Mask– $69.00

Mario Badescu – Facial Spray With Aloe, Herbs And Rosewater

Posted in Acne, Combination Skin, Dry Skin, Favorites, Hits, Hits and Misses, Normal Skin, Oily Skin, Review, Skin Care, Uncategorized by

Once you use this spray, you will promptly go online and order two bottles as back up…at least that’s what I did. I have been using several Mario Badescu products for about 6 months now and I really like them.  I had heard about the brand and seen it around but never made a purchase.  It was on HauteLook (which you need to join if you haven’t… Its Free!)  and I couldn’t pass up the deal.

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 This Spray by far is my favorite purchase.  It is advertised as setting spray, but I don’t find that it prolongs the wear of my make up.  It is however great for moisturizing your skin and giving it a pick me up.  I have used it  over make up (with a light hand) and it can remove some of the “cake face” look that can sometimes happen with too much powder and/or foundation.  It smells amazing and over all is pretty awesome!!

 

Where To Find::

Amazon:: $7.00 as an add on purchase for Prime Members 

Ulta:: $7.00

 

Benefit::it’s potent! eye cream

Posted in Benefit, Birchbox, Combination Skin, Dry Skin, Hits and Misses, MIsses, Normal Skin, Oily Skin, Review, Skin Care by

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I received a deluxe sample size of this eye cream in a Birchbox a few months ago.  It is advertised as a brightening eye cream to fade dark circles.  I don’t have super dark circles so I don’t think I am the best candidate to test out this eye cream.  Also this cream is super super thick and I have oily skin so I have to be careful how much I use or I wake up with oily eye lids!  I have a few uses left in my little pot and I have been using it consistently for almost a month.  I don’t think I will be buying a full size of this product as I don’t really need to brighten up my under-eyes and it is a too  thick for my taste.  If you have super dry under eyes, I think this could possibly be a great product for you to try.

Benefit it’s potent! eye cream retails for $34.00 

Follow this link to sign up to receive your very own Birchbox for only $10 a month!!http://birch.ly/11hDxM6

Mask Monday:: GLAMGLOW Super-Mud Treatment Mud Mask

Posted in Acne, Favorites, Hits, Masks, Normal Skin, Oily Skin, Review by

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It is one of the most hyped up products I have ever heard about.  Can a mask that cost $50+ really be life changing?  Does it really restore damaged skin and improve your skins texture?  And seriously is it even possible to have your skin “rejuvenated”? These are all questions I asked myself before I hit the buy button.  But I was just so intrigued that I had to try this product.  Guess what?  I just bought my third jar…. So I guess that makes me a believer in the GLAMGLOW magic.

The packaging claims  “Pore-Matrix will reveal dots of vacuum extractions, absorption & encapsulation of sebum oils, bacteria & toxins.” As you can see in my photos below, as the mask dries and pulls impurities out of your skin it changes color.   This mask contains Kaolin (which you can read about here) as one of the main ingredients.  My skin glows and feels so smooth after I wash this mask off.  This mask contains tea leaves so don’t be alarmed if you open yours up and see large particles!  As you rinse this mask off your face make sure to do a light exfoliation with the tea leaves.  I believe this is the most money (minus my Clarisonic Mia) that I have ever spent on a skin care product.  And I don’t regret a signle penny.  This mask definitely lived up to the hype for me and I encourage you to give it a try.  The best price that I have found of this product is on amazon where it currently retails for $41.30.  Sephora and Beauty.com  retails for $69.00

Follow this link to get the lowest price!!!    GLAMGLOW Super-MudTM Clearing Treatment 

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