I’m back betches! Missed me much?? So much has happened in the past five months and we need to do a quick catch-up.
First, I have a new job working for a very fabulous fashion brand based out of the UK. You might be able to guess the brand if you watch my Instagram stories as I throw a shoutout to them here and there when I’m blessed enough to wear their clothes.
Second, I took a trip to Taiwan about a month ago and basically dropped the ball on recording the trip. I just don’t feel like I can do the place justice since food, and I mean REALLY amazing yummy food, is the premise of going to Taiwan. HOWEVER, since I don’t eat meat that takes away 99.9% of what there is to talk about.
And finally, I just joined a new popular dating app. Yes, it is exactly what you think. There will be tales to be told of this journey. It’s only be 72 hours so give me a good month and I will let you know all about it.
However, what has actually brought me out of the blogging darkness is my need to fulfill a promise I made to my skincare and beauty care fanatics. I get SO many beauty and skincare products to try, and not all of them even make it to the testing phase. The fact that there are some products that I have tried and I ended up using to the last drop says something. I promised y’all a blog post on beauty products that got all used up, and here they are:
SKINCARE
COSRX AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Facial Toner
I still have this empty bottle because I wanted to show proof that this is THE first bottle of toner I have used completely since I started blogging. This is quite the feat itself since I currently have three bottles of Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner.
At $17 for a 5.29oz bottle, this AHA/BHA Clarifying Treatment Facial Toner can hold itself to any other toner at a much steeper cost. The AHA/BHA helps control excess oil and sebum, which is my number one skincare concern. I have very enlarged pores on my T-Zone, specifically my nose, and this toner helps control the oil without stripping away the moisture my skin needs.
My only complaint about this product is the packaging. Dear COSRX, PLEASE fix your plastic cap cover! It sucks donkey. Bad. I have THE hardest time pulling the cap off, especially after I’ve washed my face and my hands are still damp. The cap basically feels like it’s glued on and takes way too much man power to pry it off. I like that the packaging is basic, but very poor design on the cap/lid. This goes for all the COSRx products with this kind of plastic cap (ie. Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence).
COSRX Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser
Utterly obsessed with the Low pH Good Morning Gel Cleanser. I use this cleanser EVERY SINGLE morning. Not everyone washes their face in the morning, but since I have combination skin, it’s important that I start my day with clean skin. It has tea tree and natural beta hydroxy acids that refine pores, control oil, and soften my skin. And here’s the best part: it’s only $12. Compared to Cetaphil, which was what I used prior to finding this Korean skincare product, COSRX has opened my eyes to clean ingredients at a very reasonable price point.
This cleanser isn’t for everyone though. It’s very light, which is great for those with sensitive skin. It’s not meant to remove makeup or any heavy duty cleaning. This is a MORNING cleanser, assuming you washed your face the night before and just doing a morning facial refresher. The smell is light and almost medicinal. Don’t expect this to smell like flowers or perfume, which is what I actually love about this cleanser. Highly recommend this.
100% Pure Rose Micellar Cleansing Water
If you’re looking for a makeup remover, this is what I use and I have less than 1/5 of the bottle left. I was gifted the 100% Pure Rose Micellar Cleansing Water sometime this past winter, and I started using this right away.
I trust 100% Pure products because they don’t have sulfate, harsh detergents, artificial fragrances, chemical preservatives or any other toxins. It’s natural. It’s vegan. It’s cruelty-free. These are all things that I can stand behind ESPECIALLY if the product works and works great.
I get a large cotton pad and saturate it with the rose cleansing water and it wipes off ALL of my makeup. I follow up with the Dermalogica Special Cleansing Gel to ensure I have really cleaned off the debris, dirt, makeup and sunscreen from my face and neck.
I love it because it doesn’t have the alcohol smell, doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry, and most importantly, it takes off sunscreen. It’s $32 and currently sold out online. I hope they restock this soon because that 1/5 that I have left won’t last.
BEAUTY CARE
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist
I think Koreans are on the forefront when it comes to any facial products, whether it be skincare or beauty care. Like this Watermelon Glow Ultra-Fine Mist that I use to set my makeup. Just the design of this bottle shows you how detail oriented the Korean owners are when it comes to their products. They designed it this way so that the natural watermelon residue, (yes, 84% of this is watermelon), floats to the top and reminds you to shake the bottle prior to use.
The smell is exactly what you think it should smell like, watermelon. It’s$28, which can sound steep for a facial mist, but I’ve been using it almost daily for the past four months, so it does have some longevity. Plus, it’s all natural ingredients and it leaves my skin looking dewy. It’s a win-win in my book.
Guerlain L’Or 24K Gold Radiance Primer
You read this correct. There are indeed 24k gold flakes sprinkled in this decadent, but oh-so-good, gel-based primer. I didn’t wear primers for the longest time because I was always scared of the silicone particles getting into my very enlarged pores. However, once I was introduced to L’Or, I completely changed my mind on wearing a primer underneath my makeup.
I love this water-based primer because it glides on so lightly and doesn’t make my skin feel like it’s clogged up. It does the work. I mean for $74 on a 1 oz bottle it better f*cking do it’s job. I wish I could say that everyone needs to just suck it up and buy this, but in reality, this is a pricey purchase for any consumer. Does it really need the 24k gold flakes to enhance it’s usage? Probably not, but it sure does smell good, works well, and is cooling to the touch. The problem I have now is whether or not I can find a worthy replacement without the heavy price tag.
BODY CARE
Dermalogica Conditioning Body Wash
I’ve said this before, but I feel as if body care products are way underrated and should be taken more into consideration when one makes a body care product purchase. I can understand how you could easily pass on spending $44 for the Conditioning Body Wash, but I really loved using this wash to it’s very last drop…more like pump.
This is a soap-free, botanical cleanser that left my skin so clean while keeping it smooth and silky. I especially liked the smell of this product. It smelled natural: Sandalwood, Lavender, Orange and Clary Sage. It lasted me quite a while as well.
I was gifted this and it’s counterpart, the Body Hydrating Cream, (which is also all used up), and the two just worked MAGIC on my skin.
M-61 Hydraboost Body Butter
Even though I am someone that is willing to spend over $40 on body lotion (ie Kiehl’s Creme De Corps), I was excited when after the Dermalogica one emptied that I was able to try the Hydraboost Body Butter. This, my friends, is half the cost but also less than half the size of the Dermalogica Hydrating Cream. So, in the end, this one is actually more expensive.
However, this body butter does one extra thing that the previous one didn’t: promotes firming. The peptides, vitamin B5 and coconut oil hydrates and firms the skin.
This body butter is also unscented. I like body care products without scent because it won’t counter the perfume I do end up wearing. It’s not a thick, rich lotion based on the fact that it’s called “body butter”, but it’s not runny like a basic lotion. I think the consistency is just perfect for absorbing into my skin.
HAIRCARE
Living Proof Prime Style Extender
I’ve been training my hair for the past year so that I don’t have to wash it but every 2-3 days. Depending on how much I end up working out, I can usually maintain my hairstyle for that timeframe between washes. This is all done so by the Prime Style Extender.
I purchased this product on my own at Sephora, and have basically told every female member in my family to immediately purchase this. It has been a game changer in my books. It doesn’t make my hair feel greasy or weighed down, which a lot of hair products end up looking and feeling like on Day Two hair. This just helps prolong my blowouts and my curls.
I use this in conjunction with Joico Therapy Luster Lock Spray while my hair is still damp, and I get compliments all the time on how great my hair looks the second and third day. It’s only $20 for the 5 oz size, and the 5 oz has lasted me way over a year.
It’s taken me many months and/or over a year to finish some of these products. I don’t like wasting, so if a product works, I try to use it until it’s all gone. I hope you know that all product reviews on this post are just my opinion and this is not a sponsored post. I was gifted most of the items; however, if I didn’t like the product, I wouldn’t have continued using it.
I’m glad to be back on the blogging block, and will have another post out to you shortly…(went and visited Sari Hoban at Westside Aesthetics!!). As always, would love to hear from you, so let me know if you do end up using any of the products I’ve mentioned. Thanks! xo, Linda
Dress: We Are HAH // Bag: Patricia Nash
Photographed by Stefanie Meier
