Category Archives: Skin Care

Sephora VIB Haul November 2014 and New Elizabeth Arden Products

As many of you may know the Sephora 20% off VIB sale is going on now.  I took advantage of the sale and picked up a few new things as well as some long-time favorite products.  Sephora rarely has sales so this is a great time to stock up on products and/or try new products.  I filmed a haul video talking about each item.  In the video I also talk about some Elizabeth Arden products I’ve received lately–I’ll post pictures/swatches below.

Products purchased from Sephora:

Bite Beauty High Pigment Lip Pencils- $25 for set of four.
Sephora Favorites Draw the Line- $30
Peter Thomas Roth Skinstant Mask Magic- $45
Anastasia Beverly Hills Clear Brow Gel- $22
Sephora The Beauty of Giving Back Face Palette- $15(on sale)

Elizabeth Arden products:

  • Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Eye Gel-$40
  • Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum- $60
  • Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Moisture Cream Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 30-$50
  • Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Precision Glide Lip Liner in Red Door Red-$21
  • Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Ultra Violet, Pink Pink, and Rustic Red-$25
  • Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss in Coral Kiss, Red Door Red, and Glamorous Gold-$18

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Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Luminous Lip Gloss in Glamorous Gold, Coral Kiss, and Red Door Red
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Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Moisturizing Lipstick in Ultra Violet, Pink Pink, and Rustic Red
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From left to right: Ultra Violet, Pink Pink, and Rustic Red (taken with flash)
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(No flash)
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Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Precision Glide Lip Liner in Red Door Red
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Swatch of Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Precision Glide Lip Liner in Red Door Red (With flash)

 

 

 

My Current Skincare Routine

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Skincare is extremely important to me.  Maintaining a good skincare regimen is imperative especially if you wear makeup.  When your skin is at it’s best your makeup applies easier and looks better.

Steps to my skincare routine:

1. Cleanse:  I use SheaMoisture African Black Soap.  It’s an organic black solid soap that lathers extremely well and even removes makeup.  It doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry and lacking moisture.  It retails for around $5 so it’s an absolute steal considering how long it lasts.  I started using it in April and I’m still using the same bar of soap.  I use the soap with my Vitagoods Spin for Perfect Skin brush– use the code BeautyC33 for a 70% discount.

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2. Tone:  I use Witch Hazel as a toner.  Toner is essential because it restores your skin’s ph balance and removes any traces of makeup that were left behind.

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3. Moisturize:  I use Josie Maran Argan Oil Light.  It’s a beauty oil that really moisturizes my skin and it only takes two or three drops for my entire face.  Additionally, if I’m going out to be out in the sun, I use Equate Complete Beauty Lotion SPF 15 over top.

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Additional steps:

  • A few times a week I’ll use masks and do chemical peels.
  • About every other day I do a chemical peel.  I use Peter Thomas Roth Unwrinkle Peel Pads.  They are great at removing the top layer of skin and helping improve the texture.  They also help fade and scars or post acne marks.

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  • I alternate between the Cucumber Gel Mask and Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask whenever I feel like I need to refresh my skin or I have any blemishes.  They really help sooth your skin and provide a nice cooling effect.  I feel like the masks also help clear up blemishes.
  • The Pumpkin Enzyme Mask is technically a mask.  However, it’s more like a chemical peel in my opinion because it provides a slight burning sensation and exfoliates your skin extremely well.  I usually only use this mask once a week since it’s so intense.

Review: Loving Tan Bronzing Mousse in Medium

Personally, I love a good tan.  It makes you look healthier and slimmer.  However, I’m not a fan of tanning beds or laying out in the sun since it’s so harmful to your skin and your health.  A great alternative to achieving a nice tan is using self-tanning products.  I recently tried Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse in Medium and it’s a great product.  Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse is available in three shades, Medium, Dark, and Ultra Dark.  As with all products it has pros and cons.

Pros:

  • Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse has a nice scent.  Oftentimes self-tanning products have an unpleasant smell but this one is nice.
  • It provides a natural-looking tan.  Some self-tanning products give you an orange look, but this one provides a natural looking olive color because it contains DHA and Erythrulose.
  • It’s long lasting.  I applied this on Saturday and it has lasted five days so far.  Supposedly it will last up to 10 days if you keep your skin moisturized.
  • It dries fairly quickly after application.
  • It’s Organic and contains natural ingredients.  It’s also free of parabens and alcohol.
  • It contains an instant bronzer that gives an instant color boost and acts as a fool proof color guide to show where the product has been applied.

Cons:

  • It doesn’t come with a mitt. (**However, use the code beautybycassie and receive a free mitt with your purchase)
  • You have to move pretty quickly when applying the product because it dries fairly fast and can leave streaks if you’re not careful.
  • It can feel a bit tacky after application but it goes away within a few minutes.
  • You have to avoid water or perspiration for six hours after application so the tan can develop.
  • To maintain the tan you have to avoid swimming pools.
Left: Before application. Right: After 6 hours of development time. Pictures taken in outdoor sunlight.
Left: Before application. Right: After 6 hours of development time. Pictures taken in outdoor sunlight.

As you can see Loving Tan Deluxe Bronzing Mousse gave me a natural looking bronzed look.

Overall, I do enjoy this product.  It’s not my favorite self-tanner just because you have to work quickly during application and I’ve gotten better results with Tarte’s Brazilliance™ skin rejuvenating maracuja face and body self tanner but it does a nice job nonetheless.