ProductWhores

Aquafina - Not Just For Drinking Anymore

Everyone has heard of the bottled water Aquafina, but what you may not know is that Aquafina has recently released some fantastically affordable skin care, bath and body, and lip care products.  When I say afforable, I'm talking crazy cheap - $5.00 for a big bottle of their Purifying Daily Cleanser!  While I usually keep away from foaming cleansers because they dry my already dry skin even more, this one is an exception to the rule.  It's very gentle (no irritation for me but the slight fragrance may irritate very sensitive skin), has a very slight floral scent and is surprisingly hydrating.  The foam turns almost creamy when you start to use on your wet skin, which was a nice surprise for me.  The fact that this stuff is only $5.00 means everyone should give it a try.  Check out their entire line here.  The lip balms look especially interesting!

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Aquafina Skincare

Evening Soothe Towelettes

 

I was at Target the other day and was just going to buy some generic facial cleansing cloths when I saw that Pond's had released a brand new towelette for nighttime called Evening Soothe.  Because I actually had a coupon which made these cheaper than the generic, I thought I had to give them a try.  I am so glad I did because these are the best cleansing cloths I have used (what was I doing wasting money on generic all these years!)  First of all, they smell incredible - chamomile and white tea make these cloths actually soothe as you cleanse your skin.  I love that they remove every trace of makeup (even mascara and eye liner - granted, with a bit of extra rubbing, but still) and do not dry out my skin at all!  I was so pleasantly surprised at how great these are that I bought an extra package to carry with me for fresh-ups after a workout.  Really great product and absolutely reasonably priced (approx. $6.00 for 30 towelettes) and a definite travel must-have!

Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover

I bought Neutrogena's Hydrating Eye Makeup Remover Lotion on a whim a few months ago and it is seriously the best remover I have ever used.  I have always been a fan of Clinique's Naturally Gentle Eye Makeup Remover, but now that I've tried Neutrogena's version, I am totally and completely hooked.  I mean it's only $6.99 (versus the $17.00 I've sunk on Clinique's), is super-gentle, removes all makeup - even mascara - and is actually hydrating!  It actually makes me as happy as Shamrock Shakes (yes, it's that time of year again!)

Glacial Cleansing Cloths

 

Sometimes I'm too damn tired to wash my face at night (go ahead, judge me), so I've been on a hunt trying out a bunch of different cleansing cloths.  Unfortunately, most don't wash my face well enough and properly remove all the makeup.  That is, until now!  I have finally found the HG of cleansing cloths and while they are spectacular, they are pricier than the inferior drugstore brands.  Glacial Cleansing Cloths by Skyn Iceland are absolutely amazing and definitely what all cleansing cloths should aspire to be.  They have a fresh scent (kind of reminds of me of the discontinued Fresh Waterfall Mist by BBW), are incredibly soft and gentle on the skin, and best of all - remove eyeliner with minimal effort.  I love that they don't dry out my skin like most alcohol-based wipes and they don't irritate my skin.  Only slight drawback is they cost $15.00 for 30 cloths, but I'm telling you they are definitely worth the expense (I've dropped much more testing out all the drugstore brands).  They are my absolute go-to for tired or drunken night face-washings.  Send me a comment if you have any other faves I should check out.

Note:  A sample of this product was sent to me by a PR representative working with Skyn Iceland

NARS Cleansing Oil

Great skin begins with a radiant canvas, entirely free of any makeup residue.  This technically advanced formula is the first, and most important step in the cleansing process.  The weightless, silky solution eliminates makeup traces and flushes out pores, prepping the skin for cleansing.  Excess oil coating the skin surface is obliterated, and clarity is visibly improved.  Unlike most facial oils, NARS Makeup Cleansing Oil can be applied with wet or dry hands, and rinses off effortlessly with zero residue.  Both gentle and effective enough to use on the eyes and lips.

It will be available for $40 starting in September on narscosmetics.com.

Eve Lom on Beauty.com

 

Finally!  I've been wanting to try Eve Lom products forever, especially after finding out that Vogue called her cleanser "probably the best cleanser in the world."  (Could you ask for a better endorsement?)   Up until now, the products were only available at Space NK, but now they're finally available online at Beauty.com.  Eve is all about a minimalist regime, which I can totally get behind.  (Well, in theory.  In practice, I think we all know that I'm never going to travel without 47 different lip glosses.  It's just not possible.  But I admire people who do!)  Her regime works for all skin types and emphasizes cleansing and exfoliation.  I've been using the cleanser for a few days now and I really like it.  I know that's not enough time for me to say that it's transformed my skin, but it definitely gets my face squeaky clean and glowing, especially when I use the muslin cloth that it comes with, so I can only imagine how good it would look with long term use.  It's not the cheapest cleanser around, but a little goes a LONG way, so it will last you forever.  And really, how can you pass up the chance to own anything that Vogue calls "the best in the world?"  I am powerless to resist the pull of that...

Here's a guide to the entire Eve Lom line:

Ultra Cool

There are certain Kiehl's products that I can't live without.  Their Blue Astringent Herbal Lotion has been a staple in my bathroom for years.  (Seriously.  Years).  I haven't tried a ton of their other facial products though, so when Kiehl's introduced their new Ultra Facial Cleanser and Ultra Facial Toner (to go along with their popular Ultra Facial Moisturizer), I was excited to test them out.  The cleanser is a gentle formula, made with a sugar-derived foaming agent.  It's mild, which I like - I always get nervous that new cleansers are going to strip my face of all its moisture and I'll wake up with cracks on my forehead or something.  (Note:  this has never happened to me, so I have no clue why it's such a fear of mine.  It's like being afraid of the bogeyman - you know it's stupid, but you worry about it anyway).  My skin felt clean and refreshed after I used the cleanser, which is the bottom line for me.  The toner is mild and non-astringent and softens the skin without stripping it of its moisture.  (Both the cleanser and the toner are made with a blend of the ingredients that Kiehl's is famous for, including Squalane, Apricot Kernel Oil, Avocado Oil, and Vitamins C and E).  The cleanser will definitely be making it into my daily rotation - I'm a little scared to change toners only because I subscribe to the "If it's not broken, don't fix it" theory of skin care, but I'll definitely keep it handy in my bathroom for those days my skin is feeling too dry for the Blue Herbal Lotion.  (And as always, Kiehl's is famous for their samples, so you know I'll be snagging some of those to take on my next trip with me). 

The Ultra Facial Cleanser retails for $17.50 and the Ultra Facial Toner for $15.00 (both fantastic prices for the amount of product you get) and can be found at Kiehl's.com.

Photos courtesy of Kiehl's

All Clear

Lately, I've been noticing that no matter how many face cleansers I have in my closet (and believe me, there are A LOT of them), when I inevitably decide every few days to switch things up a little, I reach for something Neutrogena. Maybe it's because I have pretty much every product they ever make, maybe it's because they're in the front and I don't have to move forty-seven bottles, tubes and jars to get to them... Who can say? Either way, I'm never disappointed. Their stuff just works for me. And when I want something to exfoliate, it's pretty much a guarantee that I'm going to go with their Deep Clean Invigorating Foaming Scrub. It makes my face feel really clean and I know that it's working because when I use toner afterwards, there's no trace of makeup on the cotton balls. That's my litmus test. (Very scientific, aren't I? I'm expecting the call from MIT any day now). I also love the scent - it's a clean, fresh smell without any trace of alcohol. Plus the little scrubby bubble things (another scientific term) are great exfoliators. I also feel like you can't go wrong with any brand that uses Jennifer Garner as a spokesperson instead of, say, Lindsay or Paris. (Do you really believe that when Lindsay is passing out at the end of the night, she takes the time to wash her face? I think not). All in all, a pretty awesome purchase, especially at less than $10. No wonder it's front of the shelf material.

Hydrate and Cleanse

I decided to try the Hydrate & Cleanse Micro-bead Cleansing Serum by Olay and I'm not fussed about it at all.  Olay claims that the cleanser will give back more to your skin than it takes away - i.e. supposedly giving so much hydration your skin will not feel dry.  Well, not so much.  My skin feels tighter than when I use other cleansers and the micro-beads are downright annoying and incredibly drying to my skin.  I guess they're supposed to be "hydration beads" but they really feel like little pieces of sand which is not comforting at all.  The cleanser smells nice, but really I don't need a nice smelling cleanser that dries out my skin and reminds me why I hate the beach.  Save your money.  Unless you like rubbing sandpaper against your face every morning and evening.

Vividly Awesome

There's nothing that makes me feel more like an adult than having an actual skin care regime instead of just the old package of Noxzema and half-empty bottle of Sea Breeze that I used in high school. (Remember that stuff? I think it stripped the top layer of my skin off every time I used it). I also love discovering new products - there's nothing better than being the first one to try the next Hard Candy or Carol's Daughter. So I was really happy when a friend told me about a line, Vivid M.D. Skin Care, that she was excited about. So far I've tried three of their products and I'm loving them all. The Satin Cleanser is a great every day face wash. It gets rid of all my makeup and my skin is really soft when I wash it off. But best of all, it smells exactly like a creamsicle! I could seriously lick it out of the container, that's how good it is. In fact, I love the scent so much that it motivated me to drive to Ralph's and buy a box of actual Creamsicles, which were every bit as good as I remembered them. I also love their Perfection C revitalizing serum. According to the website, it helps "to tone, moisturize, and renew the skin’s natural radiance and silkiness." It has a ton of different vitamins and minerals in it and even though I know nothing about science (sad, but true), my skin looks awesome using it, so they must be making a difference. It's a nice consistency too - it's a liquid, but not runny, so you only have to use a little bit to cover your entire face and it sinks it almost instantly. Also, I feel exceptionally smart using a "serum," like I'm taking such good care of my skin that it won't ever age. (Just let me believe that, people. I've already found a grey hair this month, I need to pretend that I won't ever have wrinkles to make it through). The last product I've tried is their Micro Dermabrasion Cream. It's a great exfoliator, which I just learned helps tone down the appearance of wrinkles and lines. Whoo hoo! Here's hoping that means I'm going to be one of those Hollywood women who looks thirty when they're sixty, only not in a creepy, Joan Rivers, I couldn't stop going under the knife kind of way. You can order all their products on their website, Vivid M.D. Skin Care, so check it out. And as a bonus, you're supporting an up and coming company, so when they show up at Sephora, you can brag and tell all your friends you knew them when. How cool is that?