Beauty Product Reviews | Page 4
I have a lot of scented candles, fancy and less-fancy, and I find that there are a lot that are either too strongly scented, too lightly scented, or just don't burn well. Jo Malone strikes the perfect balance of fragrance in their candles, and Mimosa & Cardamom is my new favorite scent!
The fragrance: Cardamom seems to be a little bit of a love it or hate it scent/taste, but I love it in Persian and Middle Eastern desserts and foods, so I was really excited about this scent. It's slightly warm and nutty without being overwhelming, and the mimosa lifts it and gives a little bit of a white floral top note. A great balance of not-too-food-like, and not spicy, but not purely floral either. I think for that reason it works well in any room!
The candle: As long as you follow the directions and burn it until the wax melts to the edge of the jar before extinguishing, this candle will last a really long time. It usually takes about 2-3 hours for me to get to that point, so this is not a candle you want to burn for just a short amount of time or light if you know you're not going to be around for it to melt enough. If you extinguish it and it leaves a dip in the center of the wax because it didn't melt to the edge, you're going to have a very hard time getting the wax to melt all the way to the glass again in the future and it will start tunneling down.
The good thing is, you can leave it burning for hours and the smell doesn't become overwhelming, and comes through cleanly. I have never experienced it sputtering or smoking, and I haven't had any smoke marks appear on the glass either. This is a really great high-quality candle, and I love using candles as a way to enjoy fragrance in my home without having to wear perfume, since I am actually somewhat sensitive to it!
My favorite shampoo and conditioner from the line, they leave my hair feeling more moisturized but not weighed down. I don't know if this would be enough moisture for extremely dry hair, but I find that none of the other R+Co shampoos or conditioners were quite enough moisture for my medium thickness long hair (with some damage at the ends). I notice a little less frizz and flyaways when I use the shampoo and conditioner together, which is great. My spouse loves it for their curly hair too!
Atlantis has a pleasant scent, even though there are 1 or 2 other R+Co fragrances that I slightly prefer (shout out to Relative Paradise!). The scent lingers in my hair while it's damp but dissipates once my hair dries.
The shampoo is easy to work in and does create a bit of suds, but not over-the-top bubbles and foam. It rinses out easily. I haven't tried it paired with any other conditioners, but I love how the Atlantis duo work together!
My favorite shampoo and conditioner from the line, they leave my hair feeling more moisturized but not weighed down. I don't know if this would be enough moisture for extremely dry hair, but I find that none of the other R+Co shampoos or conditioners were quite enough moisture for my medium thickness long hair (with some damage at the ends). I notice a little less frizz and flyaways when I use the shampoo and conditioner together, which is great. My spouse loves it for their curly hair too!
Atlantis has a pleasant scent, even though there are 1 or 2 other R+Co fragrances that I slightly prefer (shout out to Relative Paradise!). The scent lingers in my hair while it's damp but dissipates once my hair dries.
The conditioner is creamy but also light, and spreads through my hair like a dream. It moisturizes well even when I don't have time to leave it in very long, but when I do have time to let it sit a few extra minutes then my hair feels extra quenched. I haven't tried it paired with any other shampoos, but I love how the Atlantis duo work together!
Great Product, Great Design
I can't resist a mini, so I picked up this smaller size of Ka-Brow to try out and be able to keep in my purse for brow emergencies. While it is small, you still get a lot of product, it's half the size of the regular Ka-Brow, and the brush size looks like it's the same. I think the main difference in the two containers is that the pot end is skinnier on the mini. A little goes a long way, so I can see this lasting a really long time. Plus, my other brow pomades usually dry out before I can finish them anyway, so actually the smaller size is better in my opinion!
The brush is pretty soft, not my favorite brow brush but gets the job done neatly. I've also used a full sized brow brush with this and it fits inside the container fine to pick up the product. I really like that everything you need is in a container about the size of a lipgloss, if only they could stick a spoolie in there somewhere this would be pretty perfect!
The color lasts all day without feeling heavy at all, which is so important because I'm usually very likely to rub or scratch my brow tails off if I'm using something not so long lasting. I also think the colors are great, natural brow tones that enhance your brow without looking like too much, and you can build the color without rubbing off what your first layer if you need it to be more intense in a particular area. So happy I got this!
I have been a religious user of salicylic acid for as long as I've had acne, which is a long time. Now I wonder if that's just because that was all that's been available? I tried this serum aiming for reducing my oiliness and blackheads, but with just a couple uses I've been so impressed with how it is treating my regular monthly breakout!
It feels smooth going on and doesn't irritate or sting at all, and doesn't leave a feeling of a residue on my skin like some other treatments. The packaging recommends leaving it without any moisture over top, which hasn't been a problem because it's not drying. I haven't used it long enough to comment on the blackheads yet, but combined with the Pai Geranium & Thistle Rebalancing Day Cream in the mornings my skin has felt significantly less oily and I've watched my blemishes healing in record time. I can't wait to see how much my skin improves as I continue to use it!
Gentle and effective exfoliation
Exfoliation is really important but can also be a delicate balance between healthy exfoliation and over-exfoliation, which can really damage your skin. This gentle scrub is great because it is designed for sensitive skins but is still very effective.
The texture is described as gel, but it is a bit thicker and stickier than I initially expected, a little bit like honey. Because of that, I like to use a generous amount so I can warm it up in my fingers a little before applying to dry skin, if you are too sparse with it it will be hard to spread. However once you start massaging it in you can definitely feel the beads doing their work, and as you warm it up it glides more easily. I also like that the formula isn't runny or crumbly, so all the jojoba beads stay on your face instead of falling off.
Once you add a bit of water, the gel quickly emulsifies into a milky texture and you get a final burst of exfoliation as you massage to transform the gel and the beads are still present, then everything rinses away cleanly and quickly. My skin is left soft and comfortable, not overly stripped!
I love a cleansing oil, and this one is one of my favorites! I love that the thin texture glides over my skin easily and a little goes a long way, it doesn't take a lot of work to spread. This is also great because then you aren't tugging on your skin while trying to remove makeup or cleanse, which can lead to more damage down the road. It has a slight cooling sensation but not in an irritating or tingly way, and doesn't irritate the eyes at all. It is great for any skin type, so no need to be afraid if you have oily skin like me, it doesn't leave you any oilier.
In case you are unfamiliar, you want to apply this to dry skin (this is key) and massage until all your makeup has dissolved. Then you wet your hands and apply a little water at a time until it emulsifies and turns milky, then you can rinse it away clean. It doesn't leave any residue and cleans super effectively and gently without drying out the skin. I don't use a second cleansing step, because it works so well on it's own!
Gentle and effective no-rinse cleanser
I'm a huge fan of Eau Thermale Avene, so when I ran out of my previous micellar water I decided to give this one a try. Like most micellar waters, I love the way it easily cleans and removes makeup without having to rinse with water or leaving any oily residue. It's not drying either, and I really enjoy the faint smell it has that I've come to associate with Avene.
Simply open the flip cap and use the small opening to saturate a cotton pad and glide over the skin, it removes my eyeliner and mascara quickly, as well as liquid lipsticks. When I use it to remove lipsticks it does have a little bit of a taste that lingers on my mouth if I accidentally lick my lips afterwards, but that's the only thing I dislike about it. On days I use this to cleanse but am not wearing makeup, I can still see the dirt and oil that is removed on my cotton pad and it's so satisfying!
This is a fantastic moisturizer for oilier skins! I just started using this cream and I love the way it feels on my oily-combination skin. The texture when you start smoothing it on is a bit thicker than I initially expected, but once I rub it in it absorbs really well so that I feel hydrated but not greasy. It also thankfully does not have that dimethicone feeling of other moisturizers that are mattifying, but I really have noticed that my skin feels less oily throughout the day. It's amazing!
I also love that Pai products don't have strong perfumed fragrances and list all the ingredients in common terms on the box, so you know exactly what you're using. Plus, I always love when my products have a pump instead of just being in a jar, so convenient!
If you are used to only finding moisturizers for oily skin that are a gel that feel like they don't do much or are too sticky, or something that basically feels like a silicone primer, you should really give this a try. Some healthy oils and moisture are still needed for oily skins too, and can keep your skin from over-producing oils from being too dried out!
I just got this eye cream and I love it! The texture is extremely lightweight but feels very hydrating, and it absorbs into the skin almost immediately. Such a great option for daytime under eye makeup. It has very little smell as well, and I've noticed my dehydration lines around my eyes looking plump and my eyes looking well rested.
I also really appreciate the packaging, the pump makes it easy to dispense without sticking your fingers in a jar, which can be unhygienic and wasteful. It's also really easy to travel with, the light tubular container will fit easily in any bag without weighing it down or being too bulky.
Lastly, kudos to Pai for listing all the ingredients on the box in plain descriptions so there's no mystery about what is included. This formula does not contain caffeine, one common eye cream ingredient, which means this product is good for anyone who is sensitive, but it's better suited for adding moisture and addressing dehydration in the eye area rather than helping with puffiness.
Overall, this is a fantastic eye cream that I would definitely purchase again!