Beauty Product Reviews | Page 2

NO SHAMPOO NEEDED. SQUEAKY CLEAN BUT NO STRIPPING!

ACV= Apple Cider Vinegar! I've been doing the ACV rinse (with just Bragg's ACV and water) for the lonnnnnngest time but I actually had been on and off purchasing actual products targeted for this purpose over the past few years. So you know, sometimes I'm fancy and sometimes I go real low key, budget friendly.

Either way, I found that I love R+Co's the best (I'm also just a HUGE fan of the line overall) and the scent is just so light, citrus-y and refreshing. I like to squirt it all over my scalp and use this in place as my shampoo. It actually suds up, which was the biggest surprise for me the first time I used it! So it gives me the act of shampooing my hair. You don't need a whole lot but be sure to really get the roots. I like to do dab some conditioner on the ends and only ACV the roots (for conditioner right now, I'm using Oribe's Gold Lust) then I will rinse the whole thing out after a few minutes and that's it.

It leaves the hair feeling clean and all of the residue build up from all my hairspray is removed but without feeling dry or straw like. One bonus is that it also helped to get out some of the gnarly tangles that build up in my hair really fast. My hair has looked shinier and has more bounce to it. I tend to only do this about 1x a week, just to get all the gunk out but no need to really do it more than that. I'm really into scalp health right now so I'm super excited to have this and their Scalp Scrub in my bathroom right now!!

Watery Feeling. Light. Magical.

Okayyyy when I first got this, I felt like Neo from the Matrix. You know, the scene where he can take either the blue pill or the red pill. Maybe just because the copper bottle was blue (the other bottle is def not red!!) LOL! Anyways, when you open it, put the activator into the copper bottle...just a pro tip so you don't lose any of that copper goodness in the bottle! Shake it for a bit then its ready to go from there on out.

And goodness, this lil thing has DEFINITELY made a difference in my skin. My friends hate that my skin is already in pretty good shape but this took it even a few steps further and got it looking reallllll good!

I use mine after cleansing then apply a few drops, usually about 4-5 to cover my face and neck, let it absorb for a minute then I apply whatever serum I'm using (usually The Ordinary's Buffet) then either my Rose Hip Seed Oil or May Lindstrom Blue Cocoon if its in the evening. That's it! It's so easy to use and my skin definitely over time has looked much more bright, even, and I don't see any new wrinkles that are forming, so that is good. Sometimes I only use it 1x a day but I try to do 2x when I remember.

I believe the difference between the 1% and the 5% is that the 5% works more like an immediate fix for skin that has more texture or skin issues but the 1% is plenty for long term use. So if your skin is fairly okay condition already, you won't see much of a difference with the 5% (unless your skin realllly needs extra extra help) but the 1% works perfectly for over time results to maintain.

Despite what other skincare I might be rotating in my collection, this is definitely going to be a permanent mainstay as the first step in my routines =)

Small. easy to use. Convenient!

I think Julia A's review says it all - how can one love a tiny spoon more than it is possible? But also....who would even think that you NEED this tiny spoon in your life? It's definitely helped me to scoop out the bits from jars that I have where my already small fingers cannot reach and helps me to ensure I'm getting every bit of product out. I've used it to scoop out other products so I can more easily mix them and even use the handle to just get the most ever so slight amount of product to use when I need it. It's not flimsy either, it's pretty sturdy and just the right size and length. Also an excellent small item to throw in your bag if you're just a hair away from the free shipping minimum for your order!

purges. cleanses without stripping

My colleague had given me a generous sample of this cleanser when she had purchased it forever ago and once we started carrying NIOD on the site, I knew I had to purchase my own tube! I like that it comes in a squeeze tube, very easy to use and allows me to control how much product I use. I use this probably about every other day, apply to dry skin, then use just a touch of water to spread all over then rinse off. This DOES NOT lather, so if you are into a foaming cleanser, this is not the one for you, its more akin to a milky cleanser. It really does help to decongest without stripping the skin of any essential oils or moisture and just leave it feeling clean and healthy.

The smell is not off putting to me, it's more sort of like...fresh earth? I will say that if you keep it for a really long time then the scent does turn into something a bit more weird but if kept and used once you pop open the seal on it, the scent is pretty nice. I took off one star because part of me wishes it had a flip top on it instead of a screwed cap but....I do like that its got that metal seal (the kind where you flip the cap to poke it open) so it stays fresh up until you break the seal!

SKIN IS CLEAR AND SMOOTH

I've never used a Lactic Acid before but being that the 5% seemed more for very dry or sensitive skin and my skin is the kind that will take anything thrown at it, I figured I'd be good with the 10%. I use this maybe 3x a week and apply everywhere on the face, neck and on the back of my hands. I just let it absorb for about 10-15 minutes then apply the Buffet and the Rose Hip Seed Oil on top afterwards. There truly has been a difference using these products! My skin was always pretty good but this leaves it looking way more smooth and even and overall radiant. I had switched over to using more acid based products to slough off dead skin cells after using the Mila Moursi Refining Lotion (which I still love, just need to alternate sometimes for the benefit of my wallet) and this one is quite cost effective and fits the bill very well.

The texture is a bit tacky but not super tacky and a bit viscous but spreads pretty easily everywhere. Does anyone else ever think of little Pacmans eating all their dead skin cells when they use things like this? Because I do haha! No tingly or redness happened for me when I first used it and I didn't peel or break out so I'd say this is a keeper!

NEW FAVE EYELINER

Look, I'm SUPER choosy about my eyeliners. At first when I saw these I thought, okay, the liner is a bit skinnier than what I'm used to and really, how much better can these be. But the price on the set was really good, so I went for it, figuring if I didn't like one, I could just gift the other ones to my cousins. I'M SO GLAD I WAS WRONG. I tried matte black first (of course) and seriously, the pigmentation is rich, it glides on smoothly and effortlessly with no tugging, and doesn't smear or smudge on my waterline. While I do love my IT Cosmetics No Tug liner, this one doesn't fade at the end of the day as I have been finding the IT one has. I love that fact that there is ZERO sparkle or shimmer, just a pure matte color that stays and SHOWS.

I think this is seriously going to be my new standby. Sadly for my cousins, they won't be getting anything from this set........

CAN YOU FALL IN LOVE WITH A HAIRBRUSH?

Apparently you can and it happened to me! Yes, me! Let me preface this with I ABSOLUTELY HATE BRUSHING MY HAIR. I keep my hair very 80's hair metal, teased sky high and as big as can be, a nest without the birds in it, a place to keep all my secrets within. I myself own a round brush with boar bristles that is, you know, it's fine and all and did the job but I never really understood the importance of brushing my hair. In all honesty, I brush just the top of my hair, thus letting it tangle halfway down and every once in a while I will sit and fully brush all the knots out of my hair (an incredible ordeal in it self and an event). It combs it okay, enough where its kind of smooth on top but it's not great. As you can imagine, I have hair that tends to make it's own dreads. Gross, I know. All because I detest brushing my hair.

I've been intrigued by the Anna Sui brush for quite a while, as my colleagues who own it both said it was one of the best brushes they ever used. I haven't used a paddle brush since high school. I finally got around to ordering it and I had no idea that I could actually enjoy brushing my hair!! I like the idea of the two nylon bristles. One type is a little bit taller than the other ones and really helps to massage the scalp. The other bristle is a bit shorter and really helps to smooth out any frizz and comb through the hair. The fact that this brush is also black with that amazing Anna Sui packaging also doesn't hurt.

Now I look forward to brushing my hair and hair does feel more soft and shiny and smooth. Considering I have pretty dry hair right now (letting the bleach on one side of my head grow out), having it look nice despite the dry makes me feel great. Now I'm intrigued by the folding brush to keep in my purse....

MULTI-DIMENSIONAL. SO PRETTY!

The name Peacock is so fitting for this eyeshadow because that's exactly what it makes me think of! In certain lights it comes off brown and in other lights you can see hints of green and turquoise. It's got a duochrome finish, similar to the Kat Von D Shadeshifter shadow in On the Road. KVD's has more of a brown to me and the Ardency Inn I see a bit more green and blue. Like all the Ardency Inn shadows I've tried, pigmentation is outstanding, super buttery feeling and easy to apply and blend. I love to just use this as an all over wash of color on my lid, put some Natasha Denona Blackest Black shadow in the crease and blend out, heavy eyeliner all around and a couple coats of mascara and BAM! Look done. Simple and easy. Next up, I want Rose Gold!!

BELIEVE THE HYPE.

Seriously, believe the hype and you will never go back to any other setting powder. EVER.

I previously have used the Laura Mercier Finishing Powder and the MUFE HD Finishing Powder and I somehow always felt like both made me oily at the end of the day. Not with the RCMA! This one truly soaks up any oilies you might get during the day and doesn't leave a white cast on your skin either, it is that translucent, so don't get scared off by the white powder! It's a very soft and silky powder that glides right onto the skin and keeps everything set in place. I went to a local music festival for 5 days and being in a small crowded club every night can definitely make you sweat. To this powder's credit, it for sure held up my makeup incredibly well throughout the entire thing and that's when I knew I was a believer.

Sure, the shaker might be a little awkward at times but the price is so low that I can deal with it. A little goes a long way so you don't need much and it's extremely cost effective as well. What I love most about RCMA is that it's a family run company, so they literally make everything by hand in batches and that, I can definitely get behind and support!

SMELLS GREAT. LEAVE SKIN LOOKING SMOOTH AND FIRM

I just want to start this review with: MY BOYFRIEND LOVES THIS FACIAL OIL.

Yes, he who has only recently started to be more vigilant about skincare since I started nagging him about it. You know, "Just because you're a dude doesn't mean you can't take care of your skin too! You're going to look so old in the next year or two...."

So yeah. I started off with making him use the Mila Moursi Cleansing Milk (pricey for a cleanser to start him off with but he really love the scent in that line, clean and fresh) then sloooowwllly tricked him into using the rms Beauty Oil afterwards. Now he's hooked and will proactively reach for my bottle when he stays over. Win!!

I've had my bottle for a pretty long time and because there is no water in it, just pure buriti, jojoba, rose Hip and tamanu oil, it will last quite a long time. Pro tip: ONLY use the dropper to dispense product out. Try not to let your skin touch the dropper, as your natural skin cells and oil can cause the product to *turn* faster.

The scent is light, a bit herbally probably from the St. John's wort but I don't mind it at all. It leaves my skin feel hydrated, and overall just looking much much better. I sometimes get a few dry patches around my nose in the winter and I will usually dab a drop on those and it helps keep them at bay. I love facial oils and this one is for sure one that I will always have on hand (for me and him)!