Category / skincare

by Lani

Sokoglam Sheet Masks, Sensitized Skin Products & Coffee Oil 🍉🧖🏾‍♀️☕

My sokoglam sheet mask collection is growing! Here are my thoughts:

  • COLLAGEN ESSENTIAL LIFTING & FIRMING SHEET MASK – These masks are thicker than the standard sheet mask. They help plump out your skin with hydrolyzed collagen. A key ingredient is beta-glucan, it can help cool and relax the skin and reduce redness. Read more about beta-glucan here, written work reviewed by a dermatologist. 
  • PACKH.D.P PHOTOREADY TIGHTENING CHARCOAL MASK – This black mask is the same brand as the collagen ones listed above. These masks contain pomegranate, charcoal, and adenosine extracted from yeast. The ingredient adenosine has anti-aging properties. Read more on adenosine here. 
  • PIBUWANG MASK – REST (5PACK) – I’ve blogged about these vegan sheet masks before. Back then, I enjoyed using them but did not understand the hype. Recently my skin became irritated and the mask did effectively soothe my skin within two days and they minimized the appearance of discoloration from irritation.
  • BRIGHTENING SHEET MASK SET – I have not tried every mask in the set yet. I do love that the selection of masks can change with availability, this way it feels like a surprise when purchasing. This $19 set comes with five different sheet masks!

Sensitized Skin Products:

Three sensitized skincare products I’ve enjoyed using:

Art of Skincare Hale & Hush Soothe Essence – This is a life-changing essence, no exaggeration. It makes a major difference when my skin appears irritated out of the blue. I first discovered this product as a sample. I used it when my skin became irritated with bright red bumps on my cheek. By the next morning, the irritation disappeared entirely after using this essence. I purchased it as a full-size product for the first time. I’ve used it to soothe skin irritation and I’ve found that it always helps.

The key ingredients are birch tree extract, which has inflammatory properties, sunflower seed oil to hydrate, and mirabilis Jalapa extract to support the skin barrier and more.

Art of Skincare Quick Recovery Sample Masks – This $23 set is a great way to try out different masks and see how your skin reacts. The avocado mask is gentle and moisturizing, the pudding tapioca and rice mask can help smooth out skin texture, and the pumpkin mask cleanses pores and improves skin blood circulation. Check out the links to the individual masks below. My personal favorites are the Pudding Apeel Mask and Splendid Dirt Pumpkin Mask.

1.)Guac Star Soothing Avocado Mask

2.)Pudding Apeel Glycolic Mask

3.)Splendid Dirt Pumpkin Mask

BEAUTY OF JOSEON Green Tea Serum – This serum has centella asiatica to calm down redness and irritation, green tea as an antioxidant, and panthenol from vitamin B-5. Read more on panthenol here.

BODY – Anese Coffee Oil – This vegan oil formulated for the bum with watermelon oil and coffee beans. It can help reduce cellulite. It soothes dryness or irritation on your skin and leaves it feeling supple, most notably when used in combination with a scrub beforehand. ❤

by Lani

Peter Thomas Roth

I’ve tried out four Peter Thomas Roth products: the Potent-C Face Lotion, Vita-E Eye Cream, and Thermal Therapy Duo. Here are my thoughts on the products:

I think Peter Thomas Roth excels in eye creams. Though the reviews for Vita-E Eye Cream, pictured in the pink bottle below, are low on many sites due to the product’s texture, I love it!

See butter-like texture here

This eye cream MUST get melted down between your fingers before applying it. This is due to the product’s cold butter texture. I want to continue using this eye cream because I’ve noticed a difference in the sides of the eyes. In the past, there was a faint wrinkle on the side when I smiled wide and now I’ve noticed that wrinkle is gone. I know this is due in part to diligence overall in my skincare routine but I really think this eye cream helped make a major stride in the youthful appearance of my eyes.

Though I favor this eye cream, my mother loves the collagen eye cream from this brand and believes it has helped create a firmer look under her eyes.

Lastly, what I love about this eye cream is that it is formulated to protect your eyes from screen use on your laptop and phone that can cause premature aging. I definitely think it is a great product to look into as a student or someone working from home with a laptop or computer.

Moving on to the Potent-C Face lotion, pictured in an orange-silver container, this orange-colored face lotion formulated with excellent ingredients like collagen, ginger root extract, and turmeric. The key ingredients listed on Dermstore are ferulic acid, which is an antioxidant, Vitamin E, and THD ascorbate, which is a strong form of Vitamin C used primarily on aging skin. Potent-C has 20% THD making this one of the strongest products on the market. 

Overall, I like how this face lotion brightened my appearance, but I do not consider it a favorite because I prefer DHC collagen cream (which I’ve previously blogged about). However, I know I can reach for this product in the future.

The Anti-Aging face wash is an exfoliating gel that effectively cleanses my skin but it does dry out the lower half of my face. I think the texture is on par or maybe even better than Le Mieux Exfoliating Gel. I highly recommend looking into this face wash because it has helped minimize the congestion of my skin on my forehead. Some reviewers with sensitive skin claim this face wash broke them out so be sure to check out the ingredient list and those reviews if your skin is sensitive. My skin is sensitive but this product did not irritate my face. I think this face was is best suited for oily skin. I’ve been using it only on my forehead and on my shoulder blades to prevent skin congestion during the summer.

The Thermal Therapy Duo makes a lovely gift. Both products work wonderfully. The facial scrub is layered onto your clean dry face and then activated after 3 minutes with wet fingers. The water on your fingers will make the mask warm as it gently exfoliates your skin. The face lotion is standard and moisturizing without a strong scent and formulated with Hungarian thermal water. I like using these products to cleanse and moisturize my skin when it feels congested.

What are your thoughts on the brand Peter Thomas Roth? ❤

by Lani

Amazon Skincare Finds🍒

Amazon Skincare Finds

Bliss Mighty Marshmallow Mask – This fluffy pink mask almost looks like the stuff Teletubbies used to drink. It feels soft on my skin and it did not burn when I applied it to my face after waxing. The key ingredients are Marshmallow Root Extract, Vitamin C Powerhouse Blend, Olive Leaf Extract, Lime, Lemon, Pine and Eucalyptus Oils, and Zinc PCA.

It appears it is sold cheaper by ULTA but it is currently out of stock. The Bliss site itself has email sign up discounts.

Bliss Mighty Marshmallow Mask

https://www.blissworld.com/mighty-marshmallow-brightening-face-mask/

Matcha Mood Mask – With key ingredients green tea extract and aloe vera this vegan mask both soothes and strengthens your skin with the antioxidant green tea. The texture is like green tea ice cream. It has no strong scent or irritants. It is also formulated with vitamin B3. Vitamin B3 helps with skin water loss and can lessen the appearance of wrinkles by smoothing out your skin texture. What I enjoy about this mask is that it does not leave my skin feeling dry afterwards like most clay masks or clarifying masks do.

Matcha Mood Mask

Jeju Green Tea Mask – These sheet masks are formulated with green tea jelly. The green tea extracts help soothe irritated or red skin, and it helps prevent breakouts with antimicrobial properties! I used this mask while taking a bath and it felt like the ultimate expression of self-care.

**I will link these masks at a later time, for some reason they disappeared off Amazon, this is where I bought them from – https://amzn.to/2Va8Z5l **link works masks available on Amazon again

Honorable Mention – Cherry Lip Mask

This lip mask has key ingredients honey, cherry essence, and coenzyme. What coenzyme does is diminish damage to your lips created by environmental factors like sun exposure. I love that the mask does not feel greasy on my lips. It has a light and pleasant cherry scent. ❤

*Amazon affiliate links used in this post*

by Lani

Turmeric & Banana Mask 🍌

I purchased the Turmeric and Banana tightening mask from the Art of Skin Care, it is a small business run by women just like Nandi Skincare (see my previous blog post, I can’t wait to get more rose water from them!).

I’m happy to have discovered the Art of Skin Care business because they sell Le Mieux face wash (which I also blogged about too, check out my skincare tag).

The key ingredients listed on site are banana pulp and peel added for their antioxidants, turmerones from turmeric oil to brighten the complexion, echinacea purpurea, which is a flowering plant, to prevent sagging skin, and bentonite and illite clays to clarify the skin.

Detailed Ingredients List: “Water/Eau, Pumice, Glycerin, Kaolin, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Musa Pardisiaca (Banana) Fruit Powder, Echinacea Purpurea Extract, Parfum*, Corn Starch, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Flakes, Curcuma Longa (Turmeric) Root Extract, Illite, Decyl Glucoside, Xantham Gum, Phenoxyethanol, Benzyl Alcohol, Benzoic Acid, Sorbic Acid, Citric Acid. *Natural fragrance derived from 100% natural sources”

This Turmeric and Banana tightening mask is so awesome to use before dermaplaning. I love to use an ice cube from my freezer on my face to de-puff and then dry my skin and layer this active mask on. My routine is I wait for the mask to dry and then wash it off as a tightening pre-treatment before dermaplaning. The results are stunning, my face is super tight, clear, and bright afterward!

This mask is active so it does cause a little bit of a burning sensation and it leaves my nose slightly red afterward. However, the burning feeling is tolerable and it decreases as it dries. This is the reason why I always use it before dermaplaning because I imagine it would burn too much after exfoliation.

I recommend giving this mask a go if you’re in the market for an affordable skin tightening treatment, the sticker tag is $30.00. ❤

by Lani

NuFace Trinity Review

Have you ever considered microcurrent face treatments at home? NuFace Trinity includes 3 attachments: (1) a larger microcurrent attachment that contours the face and helps “face-lift” larger sections of your face and the sides of your neck (pictured at the top).

(2) an LED attachment that works as a wrinkle reducer for the face and entire neck

Picture from NuFace Site

(3) one small lip and eye microcurrent attachment for a more targeted treatment. This attachment is used in the same areas as the larger microcurrent attachment. Both micro-current attachments are not recommended for use in the middle of the neck. The set additionally includes a small primer gel.

Picture from NuFace Site

NuFace requires regular use. Though there is an immediate difference the effect is only temporary. Regular use works best because this device is essentially facial massage or light therapy and no one would expect one facial massage to permanently lift his or her face forever.

I like to use this device to relax and as a preventive measure against premature wrinkles with the red light attachment. While my mother likes to use the micro-current attachments and she notices a drastic “face-lift” difference wherein one side of her face is noticeably higher and tighter than the untreated side.

The NuFace Trinity set is pricey at $499 however there are payment plans available as well. The gel primer is necessary to use for the micro-current attachments. I recommend only applying gel to the section you are currently working on because if you apply it to your whole face it will dry and waste but if you work on one section at a time (forehead, then cheekbones etc) the gel will give you more bang for your buck.

The only place I noticed I could purchase a large sized bottle of NuFace gel is on Amazon. For some reason the NuFace site does not currently have large bottles of the primer gel for sale.

I recommend this product because it is easy to use and charge. Cleaning is also easy, I use paper towel with rubbing alcohol to clean after any attachment use. Importantly, the difference is immediate so it is excellent to use before a special occasion as well.<3

by Lani

Lavender Sleeping Mask 🌙 & Cucumber Face Wash

Herbivore Botanicals MOON FRUIT Superfruit Night Treatment not only smells like perfect lavender it also has fruit enzymes and vegan Hyaluronic Acid. This mask is similar to Kiehl’s Cilantro Anti-Pollution Mask in that when you use it at night you wake up with soft skin in the morning. The best part about this Moon Fruit mask is the experience, the lovey lilac color that sinks into your skin and night appropriate lavender smell makes for a relaxing experience. This product feels like spring in a night-time treatment and is a joy to use. I’ve had no irritation when using this product and I have super sensitive skin on my face and body.

https://www.herbivorebotanicals.com/products/moon-fruit-super-fruit-night-treatment?variant=27125816521&currency=USD&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI4f2P3o-J6QIVkKDsCh1TlgBwEAYYASABEgJoyvD_BwE

Another herbal smelling product is Kiehl’s Cucumber Conditioning Cleanser made for dry and sensitive skin with key ingredients glycerin and cucumber extract. The scent is light on the cucumber and more of an assorted plant or herbal smell. I love how gently this face wash removes makeup and cleanses my skin without drying it.

Cucumber Herbal Conditioning Cleanser ❤

by Lani

Glass Skin (pt. 2)

After any kind of exfoliation, it is necessary to hydrate your skin and strengthen the skin barrier. I’ve started using ROVECTIN liquid skin lotion from Sokoglam daily to protect my skin after bi-weekly exfoliation. 

The liquid lotion has caffeine extract which Sokoglam states is used to depuff your skin as well as hyaluronic acid and natural enzyme exfoliants. Before using this liquid lotion I like to use rose water. Then I apply liquid lotion, a serum, eye cream, and a face lotion. I’ve used Marc Jacob’s Youthquake for about one month and my bottle is practically done.

I like Youthquake’s gel-like texture. I prefer gel-like lotions in the spring and summer and richer custard-like lotions for the fall and winter. I enjoyed using my March Jacobs face lotion because it brightened my skin with pineapple extracts. I’ve now switched over to using Peter Thomas Roth moisturizer because I’m gravitating towards that brand and Kiehl’s again.

However, it is not due to any shortcoming from Marc Jacobs Youthquake. I think Youthquake is on par with Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Moisturizer except it is slightly thicker. Currently, Neiman Marcus is selling Youthquake for only USD 29. Sokoglam sells the Rovectin for USD 29 as well. ❤

by Lani

Rose Water & Lavender Body Wash ~ Support Small Business 🌹🌿

Welcome to my support small business series! Today, I’m reviewing two wonderful products from Nandi Skincare, a brand with products formulated by hand in North Carolina, USA.

This rose water is made with witch hazel and alcohol-free. It is generously formulated with fresh rose petals and rosebuds. On the bottle, it states to spray it onto a cotton ball or pad to use. I also like to spray the rose water directly into my hands when I come out of the shower and press it onto my skin.

I also love spraying the rose water on my hair and body. My skin has felt smooth and refreshed after using this product. It’s the perfect start to my skincare routine before I use liquid lotion (reviewed on glass-skin pt. 2). Rose water is also useful to use before steaming your face. I like to wet my face with rose water before facial steam because I find extractions are easier to do when my face is moisturized beforehand.

$12 USD, Rose Water

Rose Water Ingredients:

  1. Organic rose petals and buds
  2. Geranium floral water
  3. Alcohol-free Witch Hazel
  4. Vegetable glycerin
  5. Essential Oils

The Dark Polish Cleaning Cream is fragranced naturally with rosemary and lavender. This cleansing cream is fantastic to use on your body. I use it on my neck and upper body in the shower to even my skin tone and prevent breakouts. The lavender scent is subtle, spa-like, and aromatic. What’s great about it is that it makes my skin feel soft just like the rose water.

This small business series installment proudly features Nandi Skincare. Check out the locally made, all-natural products on the business website. ❤

by Lani

Pore Correcting & Anti-Aging Skincare ~ Instant Results!

Finding products that work for enlarged pores is sometimes difficult. Here are my recommendations:

1.) Eminence Mangosteen Daily Resurfacing Concentrate –

Trust the widespread positive reviews because this concentrate works. I recommended this to an older family member with visibly large pores on her cheeks and this gets rid of it instantly and over time tightens and shrinks pores. I recommend trying this out or even seeking a sample of this product.

Mangosteen Concentrate link – http://tiny.cc/u7xbmz

2.) Pores no more primer –

This primer over the mangosteen concentrate works wonders to make pores smaller on your cheeks and nose. An added perk is that it feels silky and velvety and it does not make your skin greasy.

Primer link – http://tiny.cc/29xbmz

3.) Peter Thomas Roth Collagen Eye Cream – Anti-aging eye cream

I have been diving into Peter Thomas Roth products and loving it. I got this eye cream for my mother and she enjoys it. It helped her with plumping up the skin under her eyes. My mom also uses DERMALOGICA Biolumin-C Vitamin C Eye Serum and that product is specifically excellent at brightening dark circles. I love the brand Peter Thomas Roth so much I even ordered another type of under-eye cream for myself as well.

Pete Thomas Roth Eye Cream link – http://tiny.cc/idybmz

4.) BY TERRY Cellularose Liftessence Daily Cream –

I recently learned about the brand By Terry and now I wonder what I was doing with my life beforehand. This luxury brand makes all of its products rose-infused. I purchased the daily cream for my mom and she adores the luxuriating experience and soft spa-like rose scent of the product. She uses this face lotion after using NuFace. The results were major, she looked radiant and youthful after the treatment. See NuFace review on my blog as well.

TERRY day lotion link – http://tiny.cc/ubybmz

5.) Canadian Clay Pore Cleanser –

I received this product for free with my Sokoglam order. That’s the awesome thing about Sokoglam is that they often send full-sized products for free with your order. I love this mask because it bubbles on your face and can be used as a first or second step cleanse. The bubbles make it fun to use and the clay gets into your pores to cleanse and shrink them. It is an excellent product to use to perk up and clean your skin during the mid-week.

Canadian Clay Pore Cleanser
by Lani

StackedSkincare Body Peel

Have you ever used StackedSkincare TCA Multi-body peel? I enjoy this peel because it is effective on your skin for several days after application and continues to work after multiple regular showers. The peel has five acids that help diminish dark spots and body acne. It has Lactic acid, Trichloroacetic Acid, and Salicylic Acid to kill acne-causing bacteria, brighten, and hydrate your skin. I use this product two to three times a week as directed in the instructions.

I apply it with the silicon brush tool from Amazon in a small dish. I recommend using a silicon brush this way the bristles in a regular brush do not absorb or waste any product.

Find my silicon brush affiliate link here https://amzn.to/2X3dtvZ

Why I recommend this body peel to anyone struggling with body acne or anyone who wants clearer, more even and radiant skin all over their body:

It is packaged smartly with an inner covered lid so that no product spills during travel.

It is effective with a 100% results rating on the site, even for skin issues like rosacea or marks left behind from shingles.

It is easy to use and fragrance-free. Also, it starts working immediately after one to two applications.

It costs $125.00 on StackedSkincare and they have discount codes active now and email sign-up discounts, check it out. https://cutt.ly/ftUzMVu ❤