Here are a few of the products I'm loving right now. I cleaned out my makeup drawer on Wednesday, and sorting through all that stuff gave me the opportunity to purge some old and rarely used stuff and to rediscover some old favorites that got buried under the avalanche. More on that later. I also picked up a couple of things at Wal-Mart this past week. They started carrying Hard Candy. WEIRD. That just seems so wrong. Anyhow, on to the stuff...
Herbal Essences Tousle Me Softly collection
I started using these products this past week, and so far, I love them. They seem to work well with my long wavy/curly hair's texture. All of these products smell wonderful. They have a yummy violet fragrance. It smells good in the shower, but it's not too lingering or overpowering, which is good. I'd rather smell my perfume than my styling product. I also just got some long layers cut into my hair, so this line should be perfect for maintaining my new style.
The shampoo and conditioner are nice, nothing terribly unique about them. They do rinse clean, which I like. One of my pet peeves is conditioner that refuses to rinse out and leaves a greasy-feeling residue. The TMS conditioner did its job well in that it left my hair soft without being too thick and goopy. My hair actually felt clean after the shower.
As far as the styling products go, I've tried both the spray gel and the mousse, and so far, I prefer the spray gel. It isn't sticky and did a good job of defining my curls without being crunchy. I didn't care for the mousse quite as much. It felt a little stick and crunchy when it dried. Granted, I did wash and air-dry my hair before bed and slept on it, so it was kind of a wreck the next morning. Next time I will try the mousse during the day when I have time to blow dry with a diffuser.
The hairspray is nice, nothing too unique about it. It gives light hold on my coarse, wavy hair without being sticky. It allows the hair to move, but keeps the style defined. This is good for when I want to wear my hair down. If I'm doing an updo or a bun for ballet and really want to shellac everything down, I use something with a harder hold.
My favorite product from this line is the finishing touch cream. Normally, I steer clear of pomade-type things or styling creams because they don't mix well with my crazy hair, but I was looking for something that would define my shorter bangs without weighing them down too much or building up. I really like the texture of this. It's the perfect cross between a pomade or balm-like product and a smoothing cream. It goes on very lightly and doesn't clump up or look greasy. It works fantastic for smoothing my bangs down and holding them in place. I can also give them a "piecey" look by pulling it through separate sections of the hair. I have yet to try this on my length, but I think it would work best if confined to the ends of the hair for definition. It might be too weighty to use close to the scalp.
Bath & Body Works Leaves
I am a sucker for most fall-type frangrances, but this one is something special. I immediately fell in love with this scent. It has all the traditional fall food notes of cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spices, cider, etc., but it also has hints of smokiness and woodsiness. It's exactly the smell of a cool October morning in North Carolina. I have the shower gel, body lotion, body spray, and a candle. I really enjoy using these. The scent makes me happy. I think B&BW must have recently reformulated their body washes and lotions because they seem different-- better, actually. The body wash is really nice and foamy, and the lotion seems richer without being greasy. It absorbs really quickly, which I love because I have an extremely low tolerance for slimy-feeling lotions and creams. The fragrance mist is not terribly long-lasting, but I actually prefer it that way. When I first applied it, I was afraid that I'd be smelling like a walking pumpkin pie all day, but it quickly dries down into a slightly musky, more "perfume-like" scent.
Bioré's Skin Preservation line
I've been using Bioré products for a while now, and I was intrigued when I saw this new line of products. I got the sunscreen/moisturizer a while ago because I was running out of my current product, and I was drawn to this because it has broad-spectrum SPF 30 protection. The higher the better, in my opinion. This lotion isn't greasy; in fact, it's less greasy than the previous sunscreen I was using, which was supposedly formulated for combination/oily skin. It absorbs very quickly and makes my skin feel smooth. It's a little thicker than what I normally use on my face, but this will be good since my skin tends to dry out a little in the winter anyway. It also works wonderfully as a base for mineral makeup application.
I also have the eye cream, and I really like it. Previously, I was using Bioré's eye gel, and I felt like it wasn't doing much of anything. I have really thin skin under my eyes which equals big zombie dark circles, and it seemed like the gel highlighted this problem more than it helped. The cream seems to take down some of the puffiness. It also sinks into the skin really quickly and does a great job of moisturizing, as opposed to the gel, which felt like it just sat on top of the skin.
The cleanser works very well. It removes makeup and rinses clean. It doesn't strip my skin, but it also doesn't feel like it puts down a layer of moisture on my skin like some cleansers do. I've tried the scrub once, and it really left my skin smooth! It's a bit harsher-- well, no that's not the right word-- more abrasive than other scrubs I've used. It's intended to be used 2-3 times weekly. I think I'll start with one time and gradually work my way up so my skin doesn't freak.
Aromaleigh's Nocturne Overnight Mineral Treatment
I started using this several weeks ago, and I didn't see much in the way of results for a pretty long time. Now I'm into approximately my sixth week of use, and my skin is starting to look much more refined. My skin tone is gradually evening out as well. I have some summer freckles and some hyperpigmented spots left over from blemishes (which drive me crazy!), and these places seem to be slowly but surely fading. The texture of my skin is smoother, and my pores look like they're not building up as much nasty stuff and blackheads as usual.
I love the concept of a powder for nighttime use. I loathe the feeling of moisturizers on my skin while I sleep. I usually wake up with a hot, sticky face (yuck), which inevitably leads to breakouts. I've used serums with some success in the past, but it still felt like there was something filmy sitting on top of my skin. Nocturne goes on very lightly. I apply it with a flocked sponge after waiting for my eye cream to soak in, and quickly forget that there is anything at all on my face. It also helps to soak up any excess oil produced at night (thanks to the moisture-balancing silk powder) so I don't wake up with a shiny face. Nocturne is also packed with lots of skin-healthy ingredients, like vitamins E and C, zinc oxide (anti-imflammatory), and various plant-based goodies like extracts of aloe, wheat, and rosemary. I'm not looking for miracles or dramatic transformation here; I just want to do something good for my skin, and this seems to be doing a lovely job.
Nb I'm not paid by any of these companies to endorse their products, nor am I affiliated with any of said companies. I'm just a consumer sharing my opinions. Thanks. =)
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