July Sephora Play! Subscription Box

The Sephora Play! Subscription Box is fairly new. Somewhere around a year or so it’s been out. It’s hit or miss for me and while that normally would have me cancel the subscription to anyone else, it’s Sephora and only $10 so I keep subscribing. For more details on subscription boxes go to the link in my Bookmarks tab at the top of the blog.

July’s theme is Good Beauty Vibes. Set your out-of-office message now: this month’s selection of summer savers and super-nurturing skincare is made for indulging-anytime, anywhere. It comes with a cute little pink gingham bag with red details. I will say the Sephora Play! bags are good. They’re fun and usually pretty well made.

Inside is:

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Ultra-light leave-in conditioning spray delivers non-greasy moisture without weighing hair down.

Bobbi Brown Eye Opening Mascara Long-wearing mascara visibly thickens, curls, and lifts lashes with a carbon black formula.

Fresh Rose Face Mask Hydrating and toning gel mask refreshes tired, dull skin with a calming infusion of pure rosewater and rose petals.

Tarte Rainforest of the Sea Color Splash Lipstick in Set Sail Long-lasting yet moisture-rich lipstick softens and smooths lips while providing full-coverage color.

Caudalie Vine[Activ] Glow Activating Anti-Wrinkle Serum Highly concentrated pollution protection serum reveals a youthful glow while helping to visibly smooth fine lines.

Clean Reserve Sueded Oud This creamy and sophisticated scent puts a new twist on a traditional, heavy oud fragrance with its light, fresh notes.

Front of Brochure:

More product details on inside of brochure:

This month was leaps better than last month for me. I always get Bobbi Brown Smokey Mascara as samples so it’s nice to be able to try a different formula from them. I haven’t been able to test it yet as I had two other open samples to use up first. I’ve been using Fresh Rose Face Mask for ten years or so. It’s good. I talked about it some here. I already have a big size of the Briogeo Rosarco Milk. I love it, it’s a light milky hydrator. I use it on weekends and after coloring my hair. Review here.

Tarte is always hit or miss for me. I like some of it, some of it I don’t. I’m fascinated by the whole Rainforest of the Sea line but none of it has really been wow for me. I do like the eyeshadow palette, the first one. I wish it was listed as singles as half that palette I didn’t touch. Some of the shades were fabulous. This is a full coverage creamy lipstick with a stain finish. The shade Set Sail is a neutral medium browned rose. It’s described as a dark nude. It’s a pretty color that will look good on and be popular with many. It’s a bit too dark for my tastes. I like the light nude pinks. Not medium or dark, nor pale. It’s a nice formula though, just not my shade.

I like Caudalie products. This sample is huge at 10ml. Most sample serums are in the 3-5ml range. So that’s a big bonus for this box. I haven’t gotten to use it yet as samples get thrown in rotation depending where I am at testing other stuff. The Clean Reserve Sueded Oud surprised me. I normally don’t like oud. Too deep and woody. This one is light and fresh. It has a bit of sweet to it which helps balance the oud. It’s daytime appropriate which most ouds aren’t. Notes: Incense Oil, Blue Cypress, Birchwood, Red Pimento, Honeysuckle, Temple Oud, Night Blooming Jasmine, White Magnolia, Fir Balsam, Sarcocaulon, Soft Suede, Gold Patchouli, Black Amber, Praline, Skin Musk, Olibanum Tears.

Check back on my future samples & empties posts for more details on some of these items after I finish using them. 

July Sisley Subscription Box

Sisley’s Subscription Box is one of my favorites. I used to subscribe to all the major ones but found I never used what was in the boxes. I always use the items from the Sisley boxes so I feel I’m never wasting my money. The box is a fabulous deal. It’s completely worth the money and I would recommend any skincare addict try it. It also gives people a way to try Sisley who can’t afford their full size products normally. Let’s face it. Sisley is luxe and pricey. It’s not for everyone. I have more details about all the subscription boxes I’ve tried in the Subscription Box link on the Bookmarks tab(top of the blog).

July’s theme is EVERYTHING’S COMING UP ROSES. The sun is shining, your skin is glowing and the rose is flowing. The roses featured in our curated July beauty collection signal much more than your happy state at the moment, they are the star ingredients of some of our most popular products. Celebrate this powerful ingredient and its beauty-enhancing benefits with this month’s special selection of rose-infused products. La Vie en Rose!

Inside is:

Floral Toning Lotion This gentle toner effectively cleanses skin and removes traces of makeup. Ideal for dry or sensitive skin, the formula’s rose extract softens skin and helps to prepare it for the next steps in the daily skincare regimen.

Black Rose Cream Mask A leave-on mask that instantly creates a more youthful appearance by combating signs of fatigue. Smoothing, plumping, and hydrating ingredients give the complexion a visibly more luminous and energized look.

Black Rose Precious Face Oil This luxurious, anti-aging dry oil nourishes the skin with omega 3 & 6 and a blend of plant-based key ingredients that help smooth skin and reduce the appearance of fine lines. The formula features Black Rose Extract to hydrate and soften the skin.

Black Rose Skin Infusion Cream The newest must-have in the iconic Black Rose collection captures the power of the rare Black Baccara Rose in a delightfully scented cream. A remarkable texture that transforms to micro-droplets of water infuses into the skin. Intensely replumped, the skin is radiant and full of youth.

Izia Eau De Parfum A modern, feminine, floral scent inspired by a unique rose discovered in the gardens of the d’Ornano family, the creators of Sisley. This intoxicating rose accord blends with bright lemon, amber and musks for scent to be enjoyed by all.

I love Sisley’s rose collection so this was a great box. I haven’t tried the toner yet but just threw it in my cabinet for testing. I’ve used the Black Rose Cream Mask multiple times, I love it. It’s a fabulous cream mask for hydrating. The oil is a light dry facial oil. It’s nice. I’m not as into straight facial oils as a lot of people are. It’s a nice one. I haven’t bought a big one just for that reason.

I’m so excited they finally threw in their new Black Rose Skin Infusion Cream. I got one free sample from Sisley’s Instagram a few weeks back and this is my second sachet to test. I’m pretty sure I’ll end up with a big one eventually. It’s a gel cream formula. But more on the hydrating thicker end of a gel cream. Similar in texture to the Clinique Moisture Surge Intense. But so much better as it’s Sisley. I love that the rose scent is not too strong in this range. It’s pretty easy on the nose. Some other rose brands can really have their rose products be overkill.

With that said the Izia fragrance I’ve tried in the past and it’s too much for me. Too strong and feminine. Perfect for some. No rose scent I try seems to ever beat Miller Harris Rose en Noir for me. Check out my future samples & empties posts for final thoughts about items from this box.

SUQQU Summer 2017 UK Exclusive Pure Color Blush 102 Tsuyakageru: Swatches

SUQQU is a Japanese brand I talk about a lot. I have a love/hate of their brand. I love it because it’s fabulous and such a well done brand. I hate it because it’s just so hard to get outside of the UK and Japan. The Pure Color Blush formula is amazing. I’ve talked about it here and here. I finally snagged the UK summer exclusive Pure Color Blush shade 102 Tsuyakageru(off of eBay of course as it sold out in an instant–like two hours or less on Selfridges online).

Tsuyakageru is described as Bronzed Orange and gives a Bronzed, “sun kissed” dewiness for face. That’s pretty accurate. The left side consists of a matte milk chocolate brown. The right side has a shimmering orange. I will admit I never wear orange, maybe a coral, but never straight up orange. The only reason I grabbed this was because it’s SUQQU and was decently priced on eBay.

It’s very orange. The shimmer is subtle it makes a satin finish when mixed. If you like orange or warm neutral brown shades you’ll probably like this. It’s quite pretty just to stare at it. Same pretty slim case as all SUQQU blushes. Easy to depot just push it out and slap a magnet or z-palette sticker on it.

I have a warm neutral light medium to medium complexion. On me the brown was a touch muddy. The orange was good, I just had a hard time with it as I’m not normally a straight orange person. This would be fabulous on a more light or fair toned person. The orange would show up more vibrantly. On me it was slight and looked more like a very orange bronzer. The texture is amazing as always-silky, light and smooth. I’m ready for SUQQU fall now.

Top to Bottom–Left, Right, Mixed:

Top to Bottom–Tom Ford Terra Bronzer; SUQQU 102 L, R, Mixed; THREE Magical Thinking 07; SUQQU Hanachori Mixed:

EVE LOM Time Retreat Hand Treatment: Review

I’ve tried a few things here and there from Eve Lom. I grabbed the Time Retreat Hand Treatment a few months back and wasn’t sure what to expect. My hands had been looking pretty dry and uneven, not to mention the brown spots appearing on the back of my hands was bugging me. Details per Eve Lom:

Time Retreat Hand Treatment lavishes hands with a smoothing formula that reduces the appearance of lines, creases and helps corrects skin tone. Liposome Encapsulated Retinol firms whilst stimulating collagen production for a smoother, revitalized look. This weightless cream is immediately absorbed, bathing skin in rich moisture with long-lasting hydration.

Active Ingredients

NIACINAMIDE – Intensive moisturisation agent absorbs deeply, nourishing and enhancing elasticity.
LIPOSOME ENCAPSULATED RETINOL – Safe Vitamin A concentrate complex reduces existing fine lines and wrinkles while simultaneously stimulating collagen production to guard against future wrinkle formation.
ABYSSINIAN OIL – A seed extract rich in essential fatty acids, plumps and rejuvenates.
BOTANICAL EXTRACTS (Honey, Avocado, Sweet Almond, Calendula & Olive Oils, Shea Butter) – Soothing extracts calm and condition.
VITAMIN E – Powerful antioxidant defends against environmental damage.
SODIUM HYALURONATE – Potent smoothing and firming agent.
LACTIC ACID – Gently exfoliates and enhances glow.

Directions Massage a small amount into the hands, working in the knuckles. Apply to the back of the hands and sweep across from thumb to small finger. This action helps prevent the hands wrinkling.

The texture is a thicker creamy lotion. It has a very minimal scent. Nothing even worth noting. This comes packaged in a cool plastic tube with a pump. You only need a little bit. I apply a small dab to the back of my hands before bed. This is after being totally done washing my hands and face, before night hand cream. I rub it in, wait a few minutes and apply my hand cream. This is gentle, I’ve experienced no adverse side effects. No redness, dryness, flaking none of that.

The best part is it only took four treatments. Four. I applied this four nights in a row and noticed a very big difference in the texture of the skin on my hands. My skin was tighter, more even in tone, smoother, firmer, less crepiness as well. They looked younger. Sounds stupid because I’m 38 not 60, but there’s been a difference in the skin on the back of my hands from my 20s until now. This makes them look like they’re from my 20s again. It’s taken weeks of using this to reduce the brown spots on my hands but it is working on that as well. To be honest I’m happy with just the improvement in my skins texture.

It’s not cheap at $50 for a small tube, to be fair I’ve been using this almost nightly for weeks and barely feel like I’ve made a dent. It’s completely worth it and I would recommend this to anyone. Especially those in their 30s and above. It has earned a spot in my Hero Products list.

Ingredients

AQUA (WATER), ISONONYL ISONONANOATE, CETEARYL ALCOHOL, NIACINAMIDE, CRAMBE ABYSSINICA SEED OIL, GLYCERIN, PROPANEDIOL, MEL (HONEY), PRUNUS AMYGDALUS DULCIS (SWEET ALMOND) OIL, PERSEA GRATISSIMA (AVOCADO) OIL, PHENOXYETHANOL, CETEARYL GLUCOSIDE, CETEARYL OLIVATE, PENTYLENE GLYCOL, LECITHIN, DIMETHICONE, GLYCERYL STEARATE SE, GLYCERYL ROSINATE, BUTYROSPERMUM PARKII (SHEA) BUTTER, SORBITAN OLIVATE, SODIUM ACRYLATE/SODIUM ACRYLOYLDIMETHYL TAURATE COPOLYMER, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, GLYCERYL DIBEHENATE, CARBOMER, HYDROLYZED HYALURONIC ACID, HELIANTHUS ANNUUS (SUNFLOWER) SEED OIL, TRIBEHENIN, ISOHEXADECANE, RETINOL, ALCOHOL, POLYSORBATE 20, OLEA EUROPAEA (OLIVE) OIL UNSAPONIFIABLES, GLYCERYL BEHENATE, CAPRYLYL GLYCOL, ACRYLATES/C10-30 ALKYL ACRYLATE CROSSPOLYMER, DECYLENE GLYCOL, POLYSORBATE 80, CITRUS AURANTIUM BERGAMIA (BERGAMOT) FRUIT OIL, LAVANDULA ANGUSTIFOLIA (LAVENDER) OIL, LACTIC ACID, POTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, LIMONENE, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, LINALOOL, CALENDULA (CALENDULA OFFICINALIS) EXTRACT, SALVIA SCLAREA (CLARY) OIL, CUPRESSUS SEMPERVIRENS LEAF OIL, ANTHEMIS NOBILIS FLOWER OIL, PETROSELINUM CRISPUM (PARSLEY) SEED OIL, COMMIPHORA MYRRHA OIL, SANTALUM ALBUM (SANDALWOOD) OIL, BHT, ASCORBYL PALMITATE.

Sonya Dakar Eye Wash: Review

I saw this Sonya Dakar Eye Wash all over online some time ago and had to try it. Described as an All-natural, double action gentle eye makeup remover and lash conditioner..

Details per Sonya Dakar:

Sonya Dakar’s Eye Wash is a gentle eye makeup remover that simultaneously hydrates and protects the delicate eye area and lashes. A premium blend of 100% natural, pure essential oils washes away makeup without irritation, stinging or burning.

The non-greasy, sulfate-free formula of antioxidant-rich grapeseed oil, anti-inflammatory agents, and essential fatty acids nourish the skin by restoring balance and moisture. This powerful, yet gentle eye makeup remover will help prevent the appearance of wrinkles while revitalizing your skin.

Massage 1-2 pumps around eye area. Rinse or wipe off gently with damp cotton pad.

This exclusive formula acts as a primer for your eye cream, allowing for maximum absorption. This easy to use, gentle eye makeup remover is a must have for healthy, hydrated eyes.

Benefits Gentle, Hydrating, 100% natural, Non-greasy, Paraben Free, Easy to use, No artificial dyes or fragrances.

This is like an oil cleanser. It most reminds me of Tata Harper’s Nourishing Oil Cleanser. It smells fabulous like grape seed oil. Which is what it’s mostly made of. Add a little apple extract and cucumber oil(which I didn’t even know existed but love the idea). It’s a thicker facial oil texture with a yellow hue. It’s all natural, no questionable ingredients for anyone who’s into all natural or green products.

This comes in a plastic pump, great packaging I have no issues with it. It’s a little pricey at $42 for 15ml. For eye makeup remover. This will remove eye makeup with ease. No problems there. I did find it had a hard time removing regular mascara. I felt I had to scrub harder than I wanted to on my eye area to remove my mascara. Which I don’t like doing. It irritates my eyes and makes them red. This eye wash only removed it for the most part. I still had leftovers I had to remove with a micellar water after. I’m not even talking waterproof mascara. Just plain old regular mascara.

Bummer. I had high hopes for it. Considering it’s–all natural, I love the texture, scent and ingredient list, if this had worked well I would have liked it. Since I had to follow it with a micellar water everytime it felt like what’s the point in this? I would absolutely love this as a facial oil cleanser.

Ingredients

Vitis vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Cucumber Oil, Apple Extract, Natural Fragrance (Pure Essential Oil Blend)

Illamasqua Beyond Powder Deity: Review & Swatches

I haven’t really tried much by Illamasqua. Mostly because of the accessibility. Once it pulled out of Sephora it was harder to get in the US. I saw this new Beyond Powder Highlighter in Deity when I was browsing Beauty Bay. This was pretty much sold out shortly after it’s launch online.

Details per Illamasqua:

Invoking the fresh radiance of a spring morning, Beyond Powder in Deity has a unique golden green shimmer. This baked highlighting powder and its lightweight texture add a subtle warmth and healthy glow to your skin for an iridescent shine and silky finish.

Application

Apply with the Highlighter Brush to the tops of the cheekbones to add instant shimmer and shine. Buff onto the collarbone and shoulders to give an elegant golden glow to the skin.
Dampen an eye shadow brush to create a high shine metallic eye shadow with an ultra long lasting finish.

This powder has the silkiest, lightweight texture. It feels like air. Maybe not, but it’s incredibly light. It’s smooth and glides across the skin with a silky feel. This looks like it would be really frosty when you first swipe it, but when applied with a brush like a Wayne Goss Air Brush it gives a shimmery golden green sheen. This is buildable.

The color Deity is a shimmery green gold. It’s more gold than green. It’s a pale neutral to cool gold. It’s not a warm or bright yellow gold. The green gold is almost in a pale beige base, like a champagne that flashes gold with a hint of green. Deity isn’t frosty nor is it glittery. I really like this lightweight formula. I actually want to try OMG now. It’s on my wishlist.

Deity wasn’t quite for me as I’m not a gold highlighter fan in general. I was hoping for more green. A lot of people are going to love this shade. Sadly it’s limited edition.

Top Deity Heavy, Bottom Sheered Out:

Deciem Hylamide SubQ Eyes: Review

I’ve been slowly working through Deciem’s products. Mostly the Ordinary, but I test a few Hylamide and other Deciem brands here and there. Hylamide SubQ Eyes is a moderately priced eye serum. Details per Deciem:

High-strength serum concentrate uses a wide array of peptides, plant saccharides and active technologies to rehydrate the fragile eye area, while targeted technologies improve the look of fine lines, crow’s feet, puffiness and dark circles. 

Clinically-advanced serum to target multiple signs of under-eye aging. Contains a Flavanoid Glucoside Bio-active to reduce the look of dark circles and puffiness under the eyes. Contains a Darutoside complex for a lifted upper- and lower-lid appearance. Contains a Waglerin-1 Peptide Complex shown to reduce the look of dynamic lines around the eyes.

Nonapeptide-3 Retino-Complex A novel technology that promotes better visible anti-aging results than Retinol with less irritation.

Fluorinated Perfluorocarbon Complex An extraordinary technology that offers a lifted-look to the eye contour immediately with a lasting visible effect with continued use.

Directions Apply in the eye contour AM and PM avoiding direct eye contact ideally after application of SubQ Anti-Age. Follow with specific Hylamide Boosters as needed. 

The texture is a thin liquid. It has a milky color. This is light and absorbs very quickly. You’re going to have no issues layering this under another eye cream. This doesn’t have enough moisture to be a stand alone eye product or cream. You have to layer it. Unless you like a very very light eye cream. This comes packaged in a glass bottle with dropper delivery system. There’s no discernible scent. I experienced no adverse side effects while using this product.

This lasted forever. You don’t need much. It works on fine lines pretty well. It de-puffs some. It only worked on my dark circles a tad. To be fair, hardly anything really works on my dark circles. Besides sleep and hydration. It’s hard for me to judge on dark circles as nothing really works that well for me. I liked this. I’m not a huge fan of the dropper style package. It has a lot of nice ingredients for a reasonable price. It does have the nice idea of using a non-retinol ingredient. Not everyone wants to use retinol but likes the effects. You can layer it easily under a favorite eye cream for the right amount of moisture. It’s worth trying once to see if it will work for you.

Ingredients

aqua (water), glycerin, methyl methacrylate/peg/ppg-4/3 methacrylate crosspolymer, albizia julibrissin bark extract, propanediol, myristoyl nonapeptide-3, palmitoyl tripeptide-38, dipeptide diaminobutyroyl benzylamide diacetate, epigallocatechin gallatyl glucoside, gallyl glucoside, darutoside, aminobutyric acid, fucus vesiculosus extract, ascophyllum nodosum extract, asparagopsis armata extract, hydroxypropyl cyclodextrin, mangifera indica seed butter, lecithin, orbignya oleifera seed oil, squalane, sorbitol, tocopheryl acetate, propyl gallate, polyacrylate crosspolymer-6, pentylene glycol, cetearyl isononanoate, ceteareth-20, cetearyl alcohol, glyceryl stearate, xanthan gum, ceteareth-12, cetyl palmitate, gluconolactone, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, benzoic acid, benzyl alcohol, hexylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, dehydroacetic acid, phenoxyethanol, chlorphenesin.

Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation N30: Review & Swatches

I love Chanel makeup. It’s classic, tasteful and well done. I normally am not into cushion foundations for a multitude of reasons. I was very intrigued by the idea of Chanel making a cushion style foundation. I was sold once Pixiwoos loved Les Beiges Healthy Glow Gel Touch Foundation on Instagram. Details per Chanel:

This cushion compact features a lightweight aqua-gel texture to leave skin with a subtle tint and sheer, dewy finish. An exclusive fabric mesh delivery system offers the most optimal, even application. In 10 shades, from light to deep. Enriched with Kalanchoe Extract and Hyaluronic Acid, the refreshing formula helps to provide up to eight hours of hydration, along with optimal protection and soothing comfort.

This comes in a Les Beiges style case with a beige top with Chanel logo. The puff is very thin yet sturdy, and has the perfect foam density. You’re going to be able to wash it without fearing it’s going to fall apart. The sponge sits on top of a lid that flips out. This lid locks the gel foundation inside, no leaking at all. I’ve stood mine upright to store, still no leaking. The inside delivery system is not a sponge like normal cushion foundations. Instead the product is delivered through a unique mesh system.

This foundation has a liquid gel texture. It has a very faint Magnolia scent. Some of the Chanel fragranced items are too powerful for me, this one is OK. It’s not too strong. I grabbed shade 30 which is an OK match. It looks a little cool pink beige and too light at first, it sets a bit darker and warmer. It’s still more in the neutral category versus warm. I would like to look into grabbing shade 40 one day as it looks warmer.

The texture is so light and refreshing. It has an immediate cooling effect when applied to the skin. It’s so perfect for summer. This is a sheer to light coverage foundation. You’re not going to get more out of it than that. It has no oily texture at all, just very light and water like in it’s feel on the skin. It’s dewy and hydrating without being oily or greasy. I experienced no breakouts or any adverse effects from using. It didn’t clog my pores or anything like that. It lasts 8 hours before fading some. I love that this does not get oily in my t-zone later in the day. It truly is a perfect summer or hot and humid environment foundation. This didn’t transfer very much either. When I rubbed my face it pretty much stays intact. It rubs off a small amount, but nothing like a normal oil based or regular fluid foundation.

This sets down and the best way to apply is to pat a thin layer on the skin. Let it set. Then work in another layer on the skin. I usually do two full layers all over my face. Then a third layer around my nose and cheeks. I can pat a tiny bit extra onto the cheeks for mostly covering my redness, but you’re still going to see a lot of skin with this light foundation. I normally don’t like traditional cushion style foundations because they’re too oily feeling for me and are so light in coverage I might as well just use a tinted moisturizer. This Chanel foundation is different. It’s a truly water light gel foundation, that actually stays put.

This is most comparable to the new Cle de Peau Radiant Stick Foundation. Both have a very light coverage, water like cooling feel on application. I like both. Different styles of application. Cle de Peau lasts longer, absolutely won’t budge and is more my shade. Chanel is a touch light as far as shades go, doesn’t last quite as long as the Cle de Peau. However, the Chanel is almost half the cost and is a better deal. Both are excellent choices for a cooling, water feel foundation that’s perfect for summer. Or hot and humid climates year round.

Chanel’s Directions to Apply

Using puff applicator, gently press down onto pre-soaked fabric mesh and pat evenly over entire face. Can also be applied with Retractable Foundation Brush for a more buildable result. Reapply throughout the day, as desired.

Top to Bottom–Charlotte Tilbury Light Wonder 6, Chanel Les Beiges Healthy Glow Touch 30, Cle de Peau Radiant Stick Ocher, Sisley Sisleya Le Teint Linen 2B, Zelens Youth Glow Beige:

January Labs Daily Brightening Tonic: Review

January Labs is a small natural skincare brand that I’ve been trying. The Daily Brightening Tonic is a new product for the line. This all-in-one toning treatment exfoliates and hydrates your skin while stimulating collagen production. It is specially formulated to strengthen the skin and regulate proper pH balance to reveal a smooth, healthy glow.

Our newest tonic helps to build and protect your Essential Stratum Barrier^SM and enables your skin to be at its best by ensuring cell turnover and rejuvenation.

Directions

Use either in the AM and PM (or both) after cleansing and before moisturizing. On cleansed skin, saturate a cotton pad with tonic and sweep across face, neck and décolletage (avoiding eye area) then follow with Day or Night moisturizer.

Active Ingredients

• Aloe: Moisturizes and heals irritated and stressed skin.
• Lactic Acid: Medicinally improves skin texture and hydration level.
• Witch Hazel: Aggressively fights acne-causing bacteria.
• Sodium PCA: A natural humectant responsible for binding moisture to the skin cells.
• Glycerin: Attracts water and seals in moisture.
• Organic sugar: A gentle exfoliator that helps skin shed dead skin cells.
• Fruit and tea extracts: Helps fight free radical damage.

This product is an Alpha Hydroxy Acid toner or acid toner. What I love about this toner is that it uses lactic acid, not glycolic acid. Most acid toners use glycolic only or a combination of glycolic, lactic and other acids like maybe salicylic. Lactic acid is gentler than glycolic so sometimes it’s nice to use just lactic acid. This toner smells like lemons and has a pale yellow color.

The ingredient list is short and sweet. Nothing bad at all in this toner if you’re into green or natural products. This is designed to give a gentle exfoliation which is what it does. This was never drying nor irritating to my skin. It takes a little while after using it to really start getting the full effects because it is a gentle product.

The product is packaged in a plastic bottle with a flip top. Nothing fancy, but January Labs believes in less is more and their products reflect that in multiple ways. Not only are the ingredient lists short and simple, the packaging is as well. The pricing is very nice as well. None of her products are unreasonably priced. I’ll take a plastic bottle versus glass for the cheaper price. After all, the product inside is the same.

Expect to see more from January Labs on the blog over the coming months. I have more items to go through. If you like affordable, natural products with simple ingredient lists then you should be checking January Labs out.

Ingredients

Water, Aloe, Lactic Acid, Lemon Peel Extract, Orange Fruit Extract, Apple Fruit Extract, Witch Hazel, Organic sugar, Black Tea Leaf Extract, Oat Kernel Extract, Sodium PCA, Organic Chamomile Extract, Glycerin, Clary Extract

Fresh Sugar Cream Lip Treatment Gilt: Swatches

Fresh Beauty just released a few new shades of their Sugar Cream Lip Treatment. I talked about the first launch here. I grabbed Gilt as it seemed like me. Details per Sephora:

Sugar Cream Lip Treatments marry the benefits of lip color and skin care with creamy formulas that deliver a soft, modern glow. These nourishing and smoothing treatments coat lips with liquid color in six ultra-wearable shades, leaving a dewy translucence and six hours of moisture without the sticky after-feel.

The formula is enriched with sugar, a natural humectant, antioxidant-rich vitamins E and C, and a moisturizing blend of oils that soften, smooth, and restore suppleness to dry lips.

Gilt is described as a sheer golden shimmer. Gilt is a sheer peachy nude base with pink and gold shimmer. The glitter is larger in size and more intense in Gilt than Buff. You can also feel the glitter on your lips more. Gilt is a touch gritty. Buff is not. The gritty feel wasn’t terrible, but depends how sensitive you are to it. I like the sparkly nude look Gilt gives. It’s very natural, very close to my natural lip shade.

Top Buff, Bottom Gilt:

Gilt: