Skin Prep Reviews: Benefit, Urban Decay, Clinique, Clarins

I totally did save the best for last...

Here are some of my favs of the past few months: 

Clinique Stay Matte Oil Free Makeup 

Neutral, Dry Combination to Oily

I don't normally wear full coverage makeup like most foundations, so when I tried this I kept that in mind. Although it's not something I would personally wear on a daily basis, many could or would, and this would be something I would wear if I wanted a little more coverage than my normal I'm-a-manager-at-a-gym look. It wasn't too thick & blended in nicely. Clinique has actually been one of my favorite brands (normally in skin care) since I was pretty young. If you have sensitive skin or your skin breaks out easily, it's a great brand to turn to.

Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm SPF 20

Pretty impressed with this! Did have a bit more coverage than I was expecting for a BB cream, but Urban Decay is a strong makeup brand so it makes sense. The SPF is a little low for my preference - I usually aim for 30+ - but I liked it overall. The sample I had was pretty small, but I would definitely like to try it again.

Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch

A little thick for my preference, but does an excellent job of doing what it says. Use alone or as a primer, and be sure to blend in smoothly. If you want to feel secure in your primer lasting all day or night in possibly a warm environment, this is a great choice.

Benefit - The Pore Professional

Really saved the best for last! This is it. Stock up on this by the cases. It's so good, feels so nice on your skin, does such a nice job in the morning, or night, with no makeup, a little makeup, more makeup... I felt like I was in a constant battle of wanting to use it all the time & keep putting more on, but afraid of running out of it before I was ready. This might just be crack for your face.

Boscia Black Mask Review

 

What it says: "An innovative peel-off mask that helps boost skin clarity & minimize the appearance of pores."

First of all... Well, it's definitely black. Not sure what I expected from a "black mask", but it's probably the blackest thing I've ever put on my face, which is saying a lot. Not quite as thick as tar, but that's what it reminds you of when you put it on. Then you're supposed to wait about 30 minutes before you start peeling it off...

 

Yep, my eyes kind of say it all. If your skin is sensitive, this product may not be for you. It is not harsh on the skin, but it does dry tight and pulls it. If you have thin skin, this is definitely not for you. Everyone else - give it a go! It was a pretty cool, and semi-weird experience. Be sure to STAY AWAY FROM YOUR EYES!

 

My skin was pretty smooth after. Be careful to not get it into the little hairs around your face, because it will hurt pulling them off.  I'd definitely try this product again.

Super Sample Week on Natural Beauty and Body

Hi All!

I will be moving in less than 2 months and I have a couple boxes of samples that I've tried & tested, but have yet to review! The price I pay for working overtime, going to school, and still being a procrastinator.

This week I'll be reviewing over a dozen products for hair, skin, makeup, and body. Here's what's in store:

Alterna Caviar Replenishing Moisture Shampoo and Lengthening Hair & Scalp Serum, Number 4 Reconstructing Masque, and Splat Hair Chalk

 

Suki Exfoliating Foaming Cleanser, Mereadesso All-In-One Moisturizer, Arcona Cranberry Gommage, and Juara Candlenut Body Creme

Benefit the Pore Professional, Clinique Stay Matte Oil Free Makeup, Urban Decay Naked Skin Beauty Balm SPF 20, and Clarins Instant Smooth Perfecting Touch

Tomorrow we will start with the Boscia Black Mask Review!

Influenster #VowVoxBox Review

My second VoxBox from Influenster is the VowVoxBox: Basically, getting ready to say "I do" aka - vows. I received these items complementary for testing purposes.

 In the box was:

• Tide To-Go
•  Pure Silk Raspberry Shaviing Cream
• Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure in Barracuda
• Olay Regenerist Luminous Tone Perfecting Cream
• Eco Tools Facial Sponge
• Riley & Grey Online Coupon

Let's start with what turned out to be my favorite tester: The EcoTools Pure Complexion Facial Sponge:

Gets soft in the shower & foams up nicely. It's a great reusable sponge & great for the environment too!

Olay, however, was the biggest positive surprise. I didn't think much (or expect much) of an Olay cream. I get my face & skincare products mostly from Sephora and would have not tried this on my own. Pleasantly surprised. Points from this cream:

• Did not irritate my sensitive skin
• Blended in well; didn't leave a greasy or film feeling
• It mositurized just as well as the other brands I use that cost 3-5xs as much
• Although I only used it for a week, it might actually possibly does what it says: I was starting to get an age spot at my oh-so-very young age & decided that's what I was going to test it against. Maybe it was the placebo effect, but I do feel my skin has a more even tone. Would definitely suggest to those looking for something to even skin tone that's economical

 

Sally Hansen's Complete Salon Manicure however, was a huge dissapointment. I normally love Sally Hansen products, but as you can see: This polish goes on watery and chalk-y. I used two coats, so you can compare one coats on the left, and two coats on the right. I'm hoping I just got a bad bottle, but there you go.

Tide To-Go was also another dissapointment, although I didn't expect much from it in the first place. I decided to test it out on some white satin PJs (closest thing to a bride's dress I have, right?) to see if it would do anything. I got some sad brown stains from the washer one time & I couldn't figure out what it was, but they wouldn't come off & I didn't want to use hardcore bleach on something so delicate. I tried, but to no avail. At least I don't have to wear them out in public.

~Samantha

Birchbox Premire Review

Come to Birchbox! 

Click to join!

Birchbox is a great thing to subscribe to if you're looking to try new samples for a wide range of body products. They have a mens' & a womens' box, and at $10-20 per box with usually 5 or 6 samples inside, it's a very inexpensive way to explore new things you may like & love, without having to worry about clunking down $$$ for a full size product you may not like at all.

A little blurb from their site:

"Birchbox is the leading discovery commerce platform. We are redefining the retail process by offering consumers a unique and personalized way to discover, learn about, and shop the best beauty, grooming, and lifestyle products on the market.
Headquartered in New York City, Birchbox launched in September 2010 and extended into men’s products in April 2012 with Birchbox Man.

The Birchbox

Each month, you'll receive a selection of samples that we’ve tried (and retried) ourselves. We source our samples from both well-known brands and emerging gems. The women’s subscription includes everything from skincare to makeup, as well as fun non-beauty extras. The men’s subscription delivers top-tier grooming products in addition to lifestyle accessories ranging from hip socks to tech accessories.

The Shop

When you are ready for more of the products you sampled, you can purchase full-size versions directly from the Birchbox Shop. We have a generous loyalty program that rewards you every time you shop, refer friends, and give feedback on your monthly samples. You can redeem Birchbox Points and save on any full-size or gift purchase."

Pretty self explanatory. Racking up points is easy & you turn those points in to get merchandise from their store, including great discounts on the current month's box brands.

*** Their customer service team is WONDERFUL! Any time I've had any issue, from moving & didn't receive a box,  or had an issue with a sample, their team was VERY helpful and pleasant to work with, and went above & beyond exceeding my expectations for general customer service (which from someone who worked at Nordstroms for several years is very high) and resolved the problem in a quick & efficient manner. Although they are an online company & do shipments, they treat you as if they were a small local boutique in your hometown that you visit every day. Highly recommend. ***

Here are a few of my favorite things I discovered on Birchbox:






I reordered this twice so far:

Miss Jessie's Creme de la Creme Conditioner

Definitely one of the besy BB/ CC creams I've ever tried, may want to stock up:

Coola Tinted Matte SPF 30 For Face

I normally am not too fond of perfume fragrances, but this pleasantly surprised me:

Harvey Prince Imperial Gardenia

I tested this right after I bleached my hair, so I know it's a great product:

Davines LOVE Curl Enhancing Conditioner

I put this sample in my gym bag & use it after I shower off from the gym before I start work - works great as a primer!

DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer

Here's my personal invite link to join Birchbox!
http://www.birchbox.com/invite/samanthamarie

Have a great week everyone! :)

~ Samantha Marie

Notable Health, Beauty & Fitness Articles of the Past Week

I subscribe to a lot of health, beauty & fitness related stuff of course, and I never have time to read all the articles that are sent to my inbox every day. I figure I'd start posting a few once a week for you all to enjoy & come up with your own conclusions.

Nothing you read on the internet should ever really be used in place of actual medical advice. A lot of medical standards are even constantly changing, and what may be true for one person may not work for another, etc. I encourage everyone to think for themselves, do your own research and make your best objective decision, while always keeping an open & flexible mind & approach to things.

Today I'll just start with Everyday Health and SparkPeople, since they both are used by such a wide variety of people:


13 Secrets to Portion Control

Your Ultimate BBQ Guide

7 Strength Training Excuses Busted

Choosing the Best Energy Bars

6 Ways to Keep Your Skin Looking Young

Hope you all enjoy & find something you can take from this week!

:)

~Samantha