Influnster

So, I've recently become active on Influenster.com.  If you haven't heard of Influenster before, you really should check it out.  It is a site dedicated to reviews and the influence that consumers have via social media.  The way it works is, you sign up, link to your social media accounts, blogs, and youtube channels, and start reviewing products! In exchange for this advertising straight from the people who use the products, companies are willing to send you free stuff to try! It's really a neat idea.  If you are influential enough (based on your Influenster badge score, which is calculated by a whole host of things), companies may select you for your opinion on their goodies!  This equates to receiving free products or even boxes of products (which Influenster calls VoxBoxes) in the mail.  Now, I know how many of us subscribe to sample services like Birchbox, Julep, etc...and we pay monthly fees for this. Now, imagine getting a whole HOST of products, based on your interests, habits, and reviews...for FREE! Sounds great, right? Well, it is. So if you're interested, just leave your comment below and I will send you an invite.

Megsmakeup.com

I visit a lot of beauty websites, blogs, and online retailers to further my quest to seek out all of the best that the beauty realm has to offer and to read any and all reviews posted on every single one of those products since the beginning of time. There are very few that I regularly visit...the bulk of which you can find on the left sidebar under my favorite sites list. I'd like to take this brief moment just to share with you the one that is most near and dear to my heart, megsmakeup.com. This is THE only site that I visit on a daily basis...and there are so many reasons why I do.  The thing I love most about the site is the community.  Everyone who posts, rates, and comments on any of the reviews or forum topics is familiar to me.  You see the same nicknames, get a feel for who likes which types of products...hell, I even know the skintypes of a good majority of the regular "megheads" on the site.  This makes for a really personal experience because you are able to form that sense of connection with the users and know who likes the same types of things that you do...making it so easy to trust the reviews and reviewers.  Secondly, Megan O'Brien, who owns and runs the site, is a really fantastic gal.  That's right, I said gal....she's just so energetic, witty, and easy to identify with..I feel like she's my pal. I never miss a post from Meg because I know I'm going to smile and probably laugh my ass off..and I'm going to take away from it a really honest review that I know I can use as a basis to decide what I want to look into next or what I might want to skip over and never think about agin.  There are several regular contributors to the site (Keep an eye out for reviews from GoddessGranny and Stacy B, two of my favorites)...all with an immense talent for writing and really making an experience out of reading a beauty blog. Hell, I'd LOVE to aspire to what they are...but who'm I kidding? This is really just to give me something to do and make me feel as if my opinions may be of some import..but I digress...Point is, get your butt over to meg's and check it out! The site has been actively running for quite a number of years now, so there's a massive quantity of reviews to parouse and keep yourself occupied for the next seventeen months or so. Oh, and there are rewards to be had! I won't spoil it for you if you don't already know how it works, but believe you me when I say it's so much more awesome than any other point-based rewards system on any website. You really won't regret this one little click.

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer

Today I would like to share with you my holy grail of all foundations.  Let me introduce you to Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Tinted Moisturizer with SPF 20.  This little beauty is a-ma-zing.  Over the past few years, I have gone through so many kinds of foundations...drugstore brands, high-end brands, BB creams that I had to order online directly from Korea...and I was never fully satisfied.  That is until I picked up this little gem.  Although it's technically a tinted moisturizer, I do not feel even the least bit bare when wearing it.  I've always been one to prefer a light to medium coverage on a daily basis due to my ruddy complexion (though that has changed drastically with the miracle of Ole Henriksen skin care products), but this gives just enough evening color to make me feel confident and put together without feeling like I'm wearing a visible "makeup". It is somewhat buildable, so if you prefer a bit more color, you can certainly add more, especially in those areas where you may need a little extra coverage. However, the finish is sheer, slightly dewy, and very FRESH. I put my makeup on around 6 am and don't get off from work until 6:30 pm, and I don't feel dirty or gross by the end of the day, and I don't even need to touch up a single time throughout the entire day. The amazonian clay absorbs any oiliness or shine (and although I'm on the dryer side, I have ALWAYS gotten shiny on my T-zone within a few hours) so I never feel as if I look haggard by the end of the day.  I admit that I do use a finishing powder after I apply in the morning (Tarte's Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Finishing Powder), but I do not reapply it at all after the initial application to set my face for the day.  With summer coming up very soon, I should think that nearly all of us would prefer a lighter coverage with less pore-clogging, heavy ingredients...and this should fit the bill! The only shortcoming that this may have would be the color selection and price.  I am quite fair (NC15), so the lightest shade, Agent 00, works out well for me, but I'm not sure how well it would work for those more fair than I. There is a pretty good selection of medium tones, but the darker skintones may be left with fewer choices.  The good news is that it is highly blendable, so it's likely that most will find a shade or two that will work. As for the price, it's $36 at all major beauty retailers such as Sephora and Ulta, and directly from the Tarte website, but to me it's well worth it.  It's the same approximate price as most higher-end foundations...and although it's a tinted moisturizer, it is my daily go-to product.  It's also prudent to note that Tarte has a passion for using natural, skin-safe ingredients that are not only eco-conscious, but also supremely and fabulously effective.  If you haven't ever tried any Tarte products or checked them out, do yourself a favor and click here.

FROM THE WEBSITE:

Smooth operator's "water-in-silicone" formula blends into your skin as easily as a moisturizer (and it's oil-free, so it won't clog your pores). The micro-treated pigments diffuse fine lines and wrinkles, giving an even, natural finish.

WHO MIGHT LIKE THIS:

Anyone who prefers a light coverage with highly effective evening coverage and anyone who does not like a traditional foundation. This is also very suitable for sensitive and reactive skin types.

WHO MIGHT NOT LIKE THIS:

Anyone who prefers a heavier, full-coverage finish.  It would not be effective for covering up major skin concerns (birthmarks, scars, severe acne)


PRICE PAID:
$36.00.  It is the same price at all major beauty retailers and directly from Tarte.

My love, Ole Henriksen

Ole, how do I love thee..let me count the ways...

1 - Apricot Cleansing Lotion


My skin savior.  This cleanser has, quite simply put, changed my skin..and my life.  If you have sensitive, dry, reactive, or just plain finnicky skin, you should try this.  It is amazing.  A lotion cleanser that does not dry you out, reduces redness and irritation, removes makeup like a dream, and rinses cleanly away with just water.  My skin has never been better than with Ole products, and I attribute the greatest result to this cleanser. Must. Have.

2 - Balancing Cucumber Face Tonic/Mist


This is my daily toner.  It soothes with aloe and balances with cucumber.  It is the perfect finisher after cleansing to get your pores properly prepped for the more intense treatments and moisturizers to follow.  This is a great one for dry and sensitive skins.  I also love the African Red Tea Face Mist by Ole, but the cucumber is my daily go-to toner.

3 - Three Little Wonders


And what wonders they are...This little set contains all three of the powerhouse products that make your skin glow and behave.  In the morning after cleansing and toning, follow up with the Truth Serum Collagen Booster.  This soaks right in and leaves your skin with a taut feeling and is packed with Vitamin C to help boost collagen production and fight aging.  After your evening makeup removal and cleansing and toning, smooth on just the teensiest bit of the Invigorating Night Gel...wake up to glowing, exfoliated, radiant, and clear skin.  I swear by this stuff and canNOT live without it!  It is the only AHA product I can use without setting my sensitive skin on fire. Both morning and evening, I follow these treatments up with the Sheer Transformation Cream.  This stuff is amazing...never in my life have I used such an effective moisturizer with such a light feel.  It takes heavy duty creams to keep my skin from flaking in the winter, but this stuff does the trick, and it's super lightweight and absorbs very quickly, meaning that I don't need a separate day and night cream.  This one works for both and wears really well under makeup.

4 - Fresh Start Eye Cream


This is a fantastic eye cream for sensitive eyes.  It has a great balm-like texture, but absorbs very quickly.  It feels really protective and moisturizing around the delicate skin of the eyes, and an added bonus is that it really conditions my eyelashes and seems to make them grow longer...or maybe just not break off so easily? Either way, the results are not only softer, fresher skin around the eyes with diminished lines, but fantastic eyelashes to enhance them. Win, win.

5 - Roll-on Blemish Attack


Okay, so even I will admit that the "roll-on" functionality of this spot treatment leaves a lot to be desired...but the product is great.  I just remove the little roller ball from the jar when I first open it, and then I use it by dipping a cotton swab in the little jar.  It seems to conserve the product as well as providing a really convenient and hygienic applicator. This spot treatment doesn't dry my skin out at all, but really does do the trick at erasing those little pimples before they turn into something worse.

6 - Micro Mini Peel


This is a great addition to  my daily regimen.  It is a once-a-week intensive treatment to exfoliate, brighten, smooth, and refine your complexion.  It is a 3 step process, incorporating first an exfoliating scrub that smells deliciously of almonds...it's a great scrub that leaves you very soft, yet it's gentle on even the most sensitive of skins.  The second step consists of the lemon peel, which is a gel mask with enzymatic properties to deep clean and clarify.  It can tingle a bit, but I wouldn't even label it as uncomfortable, which is saying a lot for my skin.  You top it all off by applying step 3, the chamomile comfort lotion.  This is a calming and moisturizing cream that you blend right on top of the lemon strip.  Leave it on for 20 or so minutes, and voila! Visibly brighter skin that lasts almost all week...Love it! I wanted to hate it due to the price, but no such luck...




This is just the short list of my favorites by Ole Henriksen.  I have tried several other products, and have had good luck with all of them...sometimes it's so hard to choose which to get whenever I run out of something.  Anyone else a fan of Ole Henriksen?  Check out the line here to learn more about the wonderful products! There's truly something for everyone.

Burt's Bees Orange Essence Cleanser

On a recent trip to the grocery store, I picked up this cleanser on a whim.  First off, I should disclose that I was not in any sort of need for a new cleanser...no, I've been using what I consider to be my holy grail of facial cleansers for a year and a half, now...but something about the small Burt's Bees display called to me.  I haven't really used any facial care from this brand in years...and even then, I had only really tried a sample/travel kit...and to be quite honest, not much of it worked out well for me.  I really have no excuse for this purchase.  However, I'm really glad I gave in to this particular flight of fancy.

Upon arriving home with my purchase, I removed the seal from the well-packaged tube of cleanser (I LOVE when a product has a seal to protect from contamination) and squeezed a small dollop out onto the palm of my hand...probably about a nickel-sized amount.  Now, this is when I was caught off guard...it was an oil-based cleanser. I had read the ingredients before buying, but for some reason none of it screamed to me that this was a non-foaming oil cleanser.  Not that this is a bad thing at all...I rather like oil cleansers and prefer something without lather. The texture and consistency was that of a very thick gel.  Upon massaging it onto my dry face, it seemed to almost melt right in...and it seemed to have a bit of a warming sensation as I worked it around....very lovely.  The fragrance was of bright, fresh oranges..not that fake and sickeningly sweet orange scent, but like a freshly peeled orange with the hints of bitterness of the peel mixing with the sweet aroma of the juice inside. At this point, I was in heaven.  When it came time to rinse, having had experience with oil-based cleansers, I just knew I was going to need to get a face cloth wet with hot, hot water and wipe it cleanly off of my face.  However, I decided to add a bit of water first just for kicks and to thin it out a bit to make the removal easier.  Now, this is when I was really in for a shocker:  it actually rinsed right off!  How amazing is that? I've never used a balm or oil cleanser before that actually rinsed so cleanly away.  Of course, I was sure this was too good to be true, so I still followed up with a wet cloth and then finished off with my usual toner, night treatment gel, and moisturizer.  I was left feeling clean, sufficiently moisturized, and so, so soft...

I have since been using this regularly as my night-time cleanser, and after a long and stressful day, it's just the ticket to relaxation and freshening up...I really can't say enough how lucky I was to find this and to have had such a wonderful experience with it thus far.  I have not experienced any negative reactions (and my skin is very reactive) or any breakouts since using this.  If anything, my face actually seems more clarified...with that youthful translucence that I have not had in years.  I would have to recommend this to anyone with normal or combination to dry complexions.  Give the oil cleansers a try! I think that you'll be pleasantly surprised.  If that isn't enough to sell you, it's good to know that this cleanser is 100% natural.

FROM THE LABEL:

Our award-winning facial cleanser gently removes all traces of dirt, oil, makeup and pollutants while moisturizing and conditioning the skin.  This gentle and moisturizing cleanser is especially effective on sensitive and normal-to-dry complexions.

INGREDIENTS:

vegetable glycerin, olive oil, orange oil, oat flour, lanolin, oat oil, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, vegetable oil & beta carotene, tocopherol (vitamin E), quillaja extract, rosemary leaf oil

WHO MIGHT LIKE THIS:

Anyone with normal to combination or dry/sensitive skin, anyone looking for extra moisturization from their cleanser, anyone who likes all-natural skincare products

WHO MIGHT NOT LIKE THIS:

Those with oilier skin might not like the layer of moisture this cleanser leaves behind, anyone who likes a lathering or foaming facial cleanser, anyone that likes the "squeaky clean" feeling after cleansing


PRICE PAID:
$7.99 at my local grocery store.  You can buy it here for $8.00.