LLPT's Best Beauty of 2014!

  

LLPT's Best Beauty of 2014

  Well, C's and my Christmas vacation is drawing to a close and before we both head off to work tomorrow morning, we will have devoured three boxes of chocolates in four days.  I'll get back on the workout bandwagon tomorrow, as well, but in the meantime, I'll just savor a breakfast (now lunch, lol) truffle or two.and tell you all about my favorite beauty products of 2014, both new launches and products I just discovered this year.

Gloss48 + Furlesse Crows

*press sample

Gloss48 + Furlesse Crows

  I approach any eye product with trepidation and most the time, I just ignore them.  I've got bags and circles as a birthright and my best defense, through trial and error, has been to simply leave them alone.  When I first saw the Furlesse Crows line reducing patches, I was very skeptical and quite honestly dreaded and so procrastinated reviewing them (yes, my past experiences have been that bad).  These things are different, though-- they're patches and they're targeted to the outer corner and very outer perimeter of the eye, leaving the delicate undereye skin best left untouched completely alone.

July Favorites and the Return of the Happy Caturday Poll!!

  Happy Caturday, guys and gals!!  August came in like a lion, lol, with a big night-long thunderstorm.  It's though to choose between watching a spectacular light show and sleeping, I must admit, but sleep sort of naturally won out.  It was wonderful to drift off to thunder rumbling, though... Just the coolest thing ever, electrical storms (as long as the lightening doesn't touch down).

  Anyhoo, July was a really fun product month as I discovered four products that I've been pretty much living in.

July Favorites-- L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector day/night cream, Butter London Ladybird, e.l.f. Tone Correcting Powder, Revlon Colorburst Matte Balm in Striking

My Best Summer Serums, Scents, and Spritzes

  Happy Caturday, guys and gals!!  We all know that rising temps mean changing up routine a bit.  Here are a few of my hair, skin, and fragrance favorites during the summer heat ☼

Naturelle Volumax Spray, L'Oreal Youth Code Texture Perfector cream, Chanel Eau Premiere edt, Bath & Body Works Coconut Lime Breeze fragrance mist

Perlier Royal Elixir Face Serum

*Press sample.  All research was done after I had been using this product over the course of six weeks.*

  Hi friends!!  You've probably heard the term "royal jelly" tossed about in one way or another, as a fabulous miracle supplement, or a placebo-ish marketing tool, or as dangerous in high doses.  If you're wondering what this polarizing stuff is, it is a honey bee secretion known within the species for its nutritional and fertility enhancing properties, used to feed larvae and develop a new queen.  Its popularity as a human supplement and beauty product additive have waxed and waned since the late 1950s, though per WebMD.com, amongst other sites, there is very little viable scientific information on how well royal jelly actually works in humans.

  The claims on royal jelly in skincare are that the vitamins and nutrients therein aid in moisturizing, protection, and collagen production/anti aging.  Those who tout the substance say it is most effective fresh and in its purest form, used topically, and should be either refrigerated or frozen to maintain potency (per royaljellyinfo.com).  So how does a shelf stable, luxury skincare product that lists royal jelly as its twelfth ingredient stack up to claims scientifically dubious, at best?

Perlier Honey Miel Royal Elixir Facial Serum

Reviva Labs Intercell Hyaluronic Acid Night Gel-- Or, Why My Skin Has Been So Happy Lately, Part 3

This item was sent for review

I recently learned something interesting about skincare.  Apparently it's optimal to change your skin's "diet" every few weeks.  I've struggled with highly temperamental combination skin for the past few years, trying to combat a normal amount of oil in the usual areas and extreme dryness in others.  For a while, I was spot treating the dry patches at night with basically whatever I thought to, from some old Estee Lauder eye cream to this extremely greasy pink stuff from Mary Kay.  Then, I discovered this awesome Reviva Labs collagen cream, which I thought had cured my skin woes for good.  While it did improve the situation, I was back to fighting dry patches again (though not nearly as difficult) within four weeks. 

Enter Reviva Labs Intercell Hyaluronic Acid Night Gel.

Since I've gotten older and my facial skin isn't the oil slick of my early and mid twenties, hyaluronic acid has been a buzzword for me.  It's interesting stuff.  It "captures" water, absorbing what's present in the air and what's present in your skin.  There's another benefit to how much water I drink-- this hyaluronic acid works with my skin to optimize my intake.  Pretty cool.  My favorite day cream contains it; I figured I could not go wrong with this night gel, and I was right.

As you can see, it's a completely clear gel.  It's not my favorite texture to work with, but when the days get warm (and oddly, they have been around here) it feels pretty refreshing and light against skin.  It has this odd way of sort of sitting atop my skin's surface, too, like it doesn't fully sink in.  This is the gel absorbing the moisture from within and without.  It makes for a little bit sticky face.  It's also why this is a nighttime use only thing.  If you can get past the decidedly non-luxurious feel of this stuff, it's an awesome addition to your skincare routine.  I've been rotating between Reviva's collagen night cream and this Hyaluronic Acid Night Gel for about three months, now, and between the two, my dry patches are kept to a minimum and I know I'm doing something genuinely good for my skin every time I put some on.

So back to why it's good to change your skin's diet-- according to Reviva themselves, "...skin responds best to a variety of stimuli.  Skin can become lethargic in response to the same cream; particularly as skin ages.  Varying day and night creams create better assimilation and response."  I'm proof of this and now I know it's a healthy thing, not just because my skin behaves badly.

Like all Reviva products, this gel is paraben-free and has not been tested on animals.  This particular gel is vegan-friendly and fragrance-free.

Reviva Labs Intercell Hyaluronic Acid Night Gel is available for purchase here, on Reviva Labs' website, and it's currently on sale for $14.
You can follow Reviva Labs on Twitter here, and on Facebook here.

What's your nighttime routine?  Do you rotate your creams?  Loyal to a particular brand?  Tried Reviva?
Thanks for reading!  Have a fabulous Friday ☼

This item was sent for review.

Yes To Grapefruit Daily Facial Scrub-- Or, Why My Skin Has Been So Happy Lately, Part 2

I used to be pretty snobby about my skincare routine-- everything had to, at the very least, be cohesive, be it Mary Kay or my old, beloved 4-piece Shiseido lineup that saw its last days shortly after C and I married and he saw how much one bottle of cleanser cost.  I've since become a lot more laid back and my twice daily routine consisted of washing with either Dove or Ivory bar soap, exfoliating with a washcloth when I felt like it, and moisturizing with whatever cream I'm into at the moment.  My skin's never seemed any worse for wear, though I did notice a little unevenness and dullness in my tone and offhandedly wished there was something I could do about it.

I don't really do internet research about such things.  I was on my weekly Ulta trek a few weeks ago, armed with a coupon that I sadly couldn't use towards OPI stuff anymore, and happened upon a display of Yes To Grapefruit products.  Knowing a little about the brightening properties of grapefruit, and knowing that my skin can take some mild exfoliation on a regular basis, I decided to pick this up.

I'm not going to pretend I know anything about natural claims in skincare products, but I do know that parabens aren't good and this doesn't contain them.  The back label also states that it's free of petroleum and sodium lauryl sulfate, the ingredient responsible for lots of lather and subsequently, undue skin irritation.  A small amount of grapefruit peel extract lightens and brightens, and Melissa Officinalis (aka Lemon Balm) leaf extract adds antibacterial and antioxidant benefits.  I can't find anything on what exactly the tiny exfoliation beads are, but they are somewhat sparse and not very abrasive, and so tailor-made for skin that might be a little sensitive or for those dealing with some acne scarring (which regular use of the whole Yes To Grapefruit line purportedly helps).

The scrub itself is a somewhat thin gel-like substance with a glorious, fresh citrussy scent that's wonderfully invigorating but equally calming at night (interestingly, grapefruit scent is supposed to help stimulate, while lemon balm scent has mild sedative properties.  It's like the perfect storm, lol.).

On a wetted surface, the scrub develops into a lovely, mild lather and rinses away cleanly with no residue.  As far as what this has done for my skin, it has, in fact, brightened and evened it.  I've made no secret of the fact that I go sans makeup much of the time, so my facial epidermis looking its best is imperative, and I'm totally happy with this purchase; so much so that I'm headed into Ulta today for my second tube.

And here's the final product, all washed and moisturized and ready to scare the horses.  

Yes To Graperfruit Daily Facial Scrub is available at Ulta for around $10.

Speaking of seconds/backups, I went ahead and bought myself another tube of that "green" L'Oreal Balm I like so much, Sundays By The Seine.  I'm thinking I need a backup of one of those Maybelline LE Vivids, too.  It's called Infra-Red and it's the most fun, bright, perfect retro red ever :) I'm excited to show it to you all. 
So, questions o' the day-- Have you heard of/tried any of the Yes To products?  Apparently there's a whole lineup of fruit and vegetable based skincare besides Grapefruit, including Tomato and Carrot.  And what's your backup situation?  Found anything backup-worthy lately?

Thanks for reading!  Have a lovely weekend ♥♥

Reviva Labs Collagen Night Cream-- Or, Why My Skin Has Been So Happy Lately, Part 1

This item was sent for my review.

It's seriously been a while since I've been satisfied with a night moisturizer.  I'd been using Cerave cream for night and day for the past year and had no major complaints, just the fact that during the cold months the air just sucks the moisture right out of the skin of my chinny-chin chin and I have dry patches I can't ever seem to get under control.  I used to have a separate night and day cream, but the Cerave filled both shoes adequately enough and I called it my holy grail moisturizer even though it did have its faults.  Enter Reviva Labs, a cruelty-free and paraben-free skincare line that's a darling of natural and health food stores and has been around for 40 years.  I'd heard their primer is phenomenal and was excited to see what their face creams could offer.

 
Reviva Collagen Night Cream is a moisturizer intended for normal to dry skin.  In case you're unfamiliar with collagen, it is very basically the protein that holds us all together, that supports our cells.  As we get older, collagen diminishes and contributes to sagging and wrinkles.  Collagen creams are said to replenish that which we've begun to lose.  Here's a pretty cool and straightforward diagram demonstrating collagen in younger versus older skin.
I'm in my early-mid thirties right now, and I can't personally attest to what this stuff does for firmness.  I can tell you that I do believe in the adage about an ounce of prevention equalling a pound of cure, and now's exactly the time to get a little proactive on my skin.  If this cream could, at the very least, banish my little winter dry spots, it will have made me happy.  Any other benefits are icing.

Reviva Labs Collagen Night Cream.  This item was sent for my review.

I've been using this cream nightly for almost three weeks.  As you can see, it's pretty thick.  The first night I used it, I was a little alarmed at how much longer it took this cream to absorb fully into my skin, and I seriously half expected to be completely broken out in the morning.  As it turns out, I wasn't, and if you're even a little bit familiar with night-specific creams, you know than bedtime's the time to use a richer moisturizer and that you shouldn't be afraid of it.

This cream's pretty silky and luxurious feeling, too, which is a lovely bonus.  My dry patches were eliminated after the first night of usage, which has resulted in more even tone and prettier overall facial skin appearance, a necessity when you go completely barefaced during the day as often as I do.  Bottom line?  I love this stuff.  It's always a gamble to try a new skincare component, and for me, this totally works and I actually look forward to putting it on my face every night.  It feels like I'm doing something good for myself when I wear it. 
Reviva Labs suggests rotating Collagen Night Cream out every two weeks with their Elastin and DMAE Cream for optimal skin firming and moisturizing results, as collagen and elastin work hand in hand in our bodies.  I don't yet have the elastin cream but I'm honestly sold completely on the collagen cream and am curious and excited to see what the two together can do for my skin.

The creams come in 1.5 oz. jars and normally retail for $20, but are on sale currently for $14 each.
Buy Reviva Labs Collagen Night Cream here and Elastin and DMAE Cream here.
Follow Reviva Labs on facebook and twitter.

Thanks for reading! ♥

**Editing to add that this cream is fragrance free.  Carry on.

This item was sent for my review.

Camille Beckman Glycerine Hand Therapy

Hi hi and happy weekend!!  It's time for another highly experimental LLPT post, one in which I attempt to describe scent.  Let's get started. 

Last weekend C and I had our annual fall weekend beach trip with a couple of our closest friends.  On Saturday afternoon, the guys went their separate ways and we gals went shopping in one of the nearby coastal towns.  A couple of the shops we checked out carried a few offerings from Camille Beckman, an exquisite niche line of perfumed lotions, cremes, and soaps based out of next door neighboring state Idaho.  

Their signature item is a ridiculously moisturizing hand treatment called Glycerine Hand Therapy.  Only a small amount is needed, because of the way glycerine reacts with skin.  It's actually kind of a magical little compound.  Check out the wikipedia article on glycerol here, if you're interested.  The company instructs users to give the creme ten minutes to fully absorb... you don't really need that long to go about your business, but once it's done its thing, you're gifted with addictively soft, silky hands.

A pea-sized dollop is all you need... enlarged to show the whipped texture of the creme.

I've seen Camille Beckman stuff around here and there for years.  They tend to show up in random specialty gift sops and the occasional gift display at indie home and garden stores.  Hunting them down in a brick and mortar store is nearly impossible.  It's always a fun surprise to stumble upon a display, and my friend and I had fun sniffing our way through the small selection of scents each of the two stores had to offer.  I walked away with some Christmas gifts and a couple different hand cremes for me.

The hand therapies come in a variety of different sizes.   First, I picked up a small, 1.35oz. tube in Tuscan Honey, a warm and comforting vanilla amber fragrance that, when given time to develop, morphs into a lovely soft, delicate, powdery scent.  Notes listed on the website include fig and honey.  Yum, right?  This one's a gourmand fragrance, sweet, foody, and good enough to eat.  It's subtle, too, great for someone who'd prefer their scent to whisper.

I actually hadn't used this brand in years, and over the course of the day, I fell so in love with how my hands felt that I went back the next day and bought the larger size of a fragrance much more suited to me, personally.

Midnight Monarch is a sensuous and decadent fragrance made warm by the presence of amber and dark by patchouli.  A healthy dose of vanilla makes this one pretty sweet, as well, with heady orchid in the middle to provide a little floral balance.  There is nothing subtle about this one.  It lets itself be known, and if you're the least bit shy about your fragrances, this might not be your thing.   I think it's enveloping and gorgeous.

I love the fact that both these are rich and complex scents in such a moisturizing base.  I love fragrance, but I tend to steer clear of perfumed lotions because the scent either doesn't last, or the lotion isn't moisturizing enough for my skin.  These are fabulous.  Camille Beckman offers a nice array of scents beyond these two, spanning the fragrance family from light, airy aquatic scents to summery fruits to complex orientals such as Midnight Monarch.  There's something for everyone. 

The Glycerine Hand Therapy cremes are available at camillebeckman.com and range in price from $1.60 to $39.99.

 Check it out, treat yourselves, enjoy the rest of your weekend.  Thanks for reading. <3

L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifyer BB Cream

Good Sunday afternoon!!  It's quickly approaching 100 degrees out for the second day in a row.  I really do love the heat, but it's also nice to be able to retreat back into a nicely air conditioned house, lol.  

So here's another something new; a beauty product.  LLPT is pretty all-encompassing as a title, and I've really been enjoying this bb cream I bought a week or so ago.  I thought I'd tell you all about it, because soft, dewy skin is indeed a pretty thing, lol.  

You may or may not have been seeing ads for a new product called BB cream.  Originating in Asia, BB stands for Beauty Balm, or Blemish Balm, and acts as a moisturizer, primer, and foundation in one.  I've been a bare minerals devotee for years, but I was enticed by the idea of a natural looking, lightweight finish for summer.  L'Oreal and I have always gotten along, so I chose their formula, called Magic Skin Beautifier.  

I've seen this described as a tinted moisturizer, and it is, to a certain degree.  I've tried tinted moisturizers before, though, and been disappointed in their formulae, which is never as light as they claim.  This stuff is different, though.  It comes out a soft, white cream with grey microbeads that, when blended, break open and react with the white base to turn the cream into a fleshtone.

When fully blended in, the result is a dewy, flawless, light, soft to the touch finish that I'm absolutely in love with. 

I'm not sure what I initially expected, but I do know I was surprised at this.  I've never been into liquid or cream foundations, or anything resembling either, so when this BB cream started turning into a flesh color, I was immediately skeptical.  It covers beautifully and fully, though, and looks refreshingly light, and can be worn comfortably without anything under it, or over.  No additional product needed.  It moisturizes adequately and doesn't leave my skin feeling too tight or too oily (a small miracle, since my skin tends to run pretty oily).  This stuff truly is magical, lol.  It holds up well in the summer heat, too.  

L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifyer BB Cream comes in four shades (I'm wearing light) and can be found for around $11 on the L'Oreal website and wherever L'Oreal is sold. 

So, any thoughts?  Have you tried a BB cream yet?  Do you plan to?

Thanks for reading!! :)