Neutrogena

Hawaii Vacation Beauty Products

July 20th, 2023 by Karen 6 Comments

Please excuse my paws in these photos. They’re extra t-rex because I was holding these beauty products over a railing with dear life, LOL!

Anywho, I always like seeing the beauty products people bring with them on vacation. Here’s what I’ve been using on this trip!

Sunscreen

Avene Solaire UV Mineral Multi-Defense Sunscreen and Tinted Sunscreen 50+ (both tinted and untinted)
Neutrogena Beach Defense SPF 70 (Side note, my mom had this around which is why we’re using it, but it works but it’s a little sticky and uncomfortable, IMHO)
Banana Boat Sport Ultra SPF 50

Hair

Kenra Volume Spray Super Hold Finishing Spray 25
Bumble and Bumble Seaweed Air Dry Cream
I didn’t bring any shampoo, conditioner or body wash because the place we’re staying at has Malie Organics Mango Nectar hair and body products!

Body

Donna Karan Cashmere Mist Deodorant Anti-Perspirant Stick
Gilette Venus Razor
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream Intense Hydration

Face

elf Skin Holy Hydration Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm
CeraVe Foaming Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oil Skin
Biossance Squalane + Omega Repair Cream
Kate Somerville Anti Bac Acne Clearing Lotion
Laneige Lip Mask

Hope things on your end are great!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Checking In: Sales at Ulta, Snail Skin Care, Sunscreen and More!

July 7th, 2021 by Karen 21 Comments

Aloha, amiga! We’re back from Hawaii. Today was the first day I haven’t been surrounded by my family in almost two weeks, and ya know…’twas a little weird. Maybe even a little lonely.

So, naturally, the first place I went for emotional comfort was Ulta. ?

Girl, I know you do the same thing. ? Some days it’s just nice to browse and be out around other beauty lovers.

Some good sales going on right now, like this one on Sun Bum, one of my favorite sunscreens at the moment. The entire line is buy one, get one for 40% off. I was sorely tempted to get backup bottles of my favorite SPF 70 lotion and spray, but I’m well-stocked up at the moment, so I passed.

By the way, I used both the Sun Bum 70 lotion and spray in Hawaii all last week, and they rocked once again. I usually tan merely by walking to/from my car to the house on a sunny day, but I barely picked up any color on this trip, which NEVER happens, ever.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again — I’m really, really happy with this line. If you decide to try it, definitely wait for a sale, because it seems to go on sale a lot, at least at Ulta.

Neutrogena skin and sun care items are also on sale (also buy one, get one 40% off). If you like quickly absorbing sunscreens that don’t leave a behind a sticky film, Invisible Defense Lotion SPF 60+ is the way to go. Totally worth buying two bottles.

Interestingly…while I was browsing, I also ran into a new-to-me brand called Peach Slices with three products called Snail Rescue…

Yes, each item contains 95% snail concentrate. ? Um…gross, and wow?

It caught my eye because, I mean, Snail Rescue? Also, while we were in Hawaii, I saw this ginormous snail on one of my morning walks.

That’s my slipper next to it for scale, and I wear a size 7, so it was a fairly massive snail. So crazy!

I’ve never used any skin care products with snail ingredients in them (that sounds so weird)… I like to keep an open mind, but I don’t know if I’ll “go there,” especially not while that giant Hawaiian snail I saw on the side of the road is still fresh in my mind.

I mean, it was almost as big as my foot! ?

Also on the walk with the snail sighting, I ran into another interesting item — a patrol car celebrating the female rear end.

Say hello to The Booty Patrol Car. Side note: Hawaii has the weirdest cars, man.

It has a siren on it and everything!

Goodness gracious, I have so many questions… First of all, who is the driver, and do they ever turn on the siren? Assuming they do, is it only used when they spot “booties of note” passing them by? Also, when they turn on the siren, what exactly do they expect to happen? Because if I had a big, juicy butt, I would NOT get into a car marked “Booty Patrol.” NO WAY. ?

Everything about this car cracks me up, but the oversized peach stickers are particularly amusing to me.

Oh, and speaking of peaches, I’m deeply intrigued by this Peach Pudding Makeup Cleanser, which is also from the same brand that makes the snail stuff.

I may have to buy it eventually just to touch it.

Additional sales of note: there’s a free two-piece gift with any $28 Briogeo purchase (I highly recommend the Don’t Despair Repair Deep Conditioning Mask because it deeply moisturizes without weighing strands down), and Real Techniques is BOGO at 50% off (I bought the brush set years ago and still use and love it).

When you get a chance, please pop in and say hi. I’d love to hear from you. Let me know how you’re doing.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Sunscreen Roundup, Part 1: Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 60+, CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Sheer Tint and Paula’s Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 50

May 6th, 2021 by Karen 14 Comments

sunscreen roundup neutrogena paulas choice cerave — Sunscreen Roundup, Part 1!

I’ve been trying quite a few new sunscreens lately, and this is a new series reviewing the hits and misses!

I’ve gotten a few requests to do a deeper dive into the sunscreens I’ve been ~~hoarding~~ applying with enthusiasm lately, so next stop — SUN PROTECTION CITY. ?️

Let’s go!

Neutrogena Invisible Daily Defense Lotion Sunscreen Broad Spectrum SPF 60+

I straight-up LOVE using this chemical sunscreen on my body, but I do not like using it on my neck or face because it makes me break out! — and I don’t mean break out into song. It also makes my eyes itch when I sweat. ? For arms, legs, tummy and back, though, it’s bomb.com.

You know I cannot deal with the backs of my knees feeling sticky, and this formula absorbs in less than a minute. It’s also on the watery side, and my skin doesn’t feel sticky or greasy afterward.

It’s so easy to apply and reapply throughout the day, too, which is probably why I — drumroll please — already finished the tube.

Also, the quick dry time seems to help keep this sunscreen from staining clothes, which is GREAT. I’ve already taken the plunge and worn it with white shirts, and it doesn’t leave any yellow spots behind, even though it does have a lovely yellow-ish golden tint, which, FYI, you can’t really see once you rub it in.

I must say, I don’t know why the yellow tint is there, but it seems to help this not leave behind any cast.

Oh, and the finish!? It looks all glowy and schmexy when you start rubbing it in, and then it dries to satin, which is very pretty, especially on arms and legs.

As for the scent, it has a light one that reminds me of Bobbi Brown Beach Perfume. I like it.

Another thing I like is how it does not budge, even when I sweat. It’s so good at staying put that when I get into the shower at night, it takes elbow grease and a washcloth to completely remove it from my body.

If you already have a sunscreen you love for your face and neck, I say give this one a try.

A 3-oz. tube at Ulta is $17.99. I really like this for my arms, legs and feet, and because it’s especially easy to reapply throughout the day, I’ll for sure buy it again.

CeraVe Hydrating Mineral Sunscreen SPF 30 Sheer Tint

This physical sunscreen has a tint… It’s on the deeper side, so if you’re a lighter lass, you might have some issues with the tint looking too dark or too orange. I’m an NC42 in MAC, and I think it suits me pretty well, although I can see a subtle, sheer cast when I apply multiple coats.

I don’t worry about it too much, though, because the product has so many positives. It’s unscented, doesn’t sting my eyes, and it feels comfortable on my face and neck (I don’t really use it on my body). It’s also quite moisturizing, which I think is due to CeraVe’s three signature ceramides.

I’ve noticed that physical sunscreens take much longer to settle into my skin, and this takes about three minutes to rub in completely. After that, once it’s absorbed, it feels light and doesn’t feel greasy or sticky.

FYI, I’ve noticed that this tinted lotion can rub off on lighter clothing, so just pointing that out. So far I’ve been able to remove it from my clothes in the wash (knock on wood), but it’s worth noting.

This is pretty affordable at $16.99 for a 1.7-oz. tube (I bought mine at Ulta).

I wish it came in an option with a higher SPF, because if it did I’d totally get it again. It cooperates with other skin care products, looks great under makeup, and it’s super easy to apply.

Paula’s Choice Youth-Extending Daily Hydrating Fluid Broad Spectrum SPF 50

I’ve been using this chemical sunscreen on my face, where I have combo skin, and there’s a lot to like about it.

The good — it’s moisturizing, lightweight, and it absorbs quickly. I can also put it on my lids and my under-eye area without it bothering my peepers, and because it’s unscented, I can apply as much as I want without getting a headache.

Oh! — I also like the demi-matte finish.

The not-so-great part? I can see a very slight grayish cast on my skin when I use it… Granted, it settles down and disappears, eventually, but it takes a while… About an hour. Also, it doesn’t play all that well with other skin care products in the mix. It balls up and pills quite easily, so reapplying it throughout the day is challenging when I’m wearing more than just this.

A 2-oz. tube is $33, which is a lot for a sunscreen that’s just OK… I liked it enough to use most of the tube, but I don’t think I’ll be keeping it in rotation when I finish it. *shrugs*

Have you tried any of these sunscreens? Are there any others you really like?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Latest Ulta Haul: Skin Care, Sunscreen and Makeup

April 27th, 2021 by Karen 17 Comments

ulta skin care haul april 2021 — Goodies from Ulta

Look what you made me do, Ulta! ?

Remember how I mentioned there’s a new Ulta in my town? And how it’s barely a five-minute drive away from mi casa?

YES, I know. They ran a 20% off sale on everything last weekend, and this is what found its way into my basket…

ulta basket sunscreen skin care april 2021 — Ooh-la-la!

Lots of sunscreen and skin care as you can see. Yup, I still love makeup, and I was tempted by quite a few things (like this palette and these cream shadows), but I resisted *this time* around because I’ve decided that it’s time to get serious about fighting the good fight against hyperpigmentation. If I’m going to go to the effort of doing retinol, Vitamin C, AHAs and BHAS, I’ve got to get the sun protection part of the equation right, so sun protection was my main goal on this trip.

Side note: having a product game plan before beauty shopping helps a ton. I’ve blacked out at Ulta and Sephora one too many times, leaving with a basket of things I didn’t even plan on getting, and I know I’m not alone in this either. Having a plan stopped me from being tempted by things I probably don’t need, so I wholeheartedly recommend this strategy next time you head to the mothership.

Back to the sunscreen! What I really wanted was a face sunscreen, specifically a tinted one because I’ve heard that tinted sunscreens can help medium and darker skin tones prevent hyper pigmentation.

cerave cotz sunscreen swatches — I’m on a mission to keep the hyper pigmentation at bay.

The Cotz one is going back, unfortunately. I like how smooth and fresh my skin looked after applying it, and I liked the depth of the tint (I couldn’t see it at all on my skin), but it made my face itch. ?

The tinted Cerave, though, is a keeper! The tint is a little lighter than the Cotz one so I can see a slight cast at first, but it fades after it settles in.

I also like how lightweight and moisturizing it is. Only thing is…the tint rubs off on my mask and clothes, so I’m going to use the La Roche Posay Melt In Milk sunscreen on days when I wear white shirts or tees (which I do often).

la roche posay in milk swatch — LOVE THIS!

OMG, this is SO GOOD. The name “Melt In Milk” really does it justice because it absorbs incredibly quickly and completely, leaving behind absolutely no cast whatsoever. Plus, it’s moisturizing but isn’t sticky or heavy. I also like the amount of SPF protection and that it doesn’t have a strong sunscreen-y scent.

Speaking of scents…don’t get me wrong, I don’t mind scented skincare at all. I just prefer that the stuff I wear on my face not smell like a margarita. But on beach days or fishing days or camping trips, I do love a summery, sunscreen-y scent, which is why I picked up a couple things from Sun Bum, including this SPF70 lotion.

It smells like a coconut and pineapple smoothie, and it doesn’t leave a cast. I also bought the spray version because I’m really trying hard to get better at reapplying, and I figure that having a spray might help me stay motivated, since it’s faster and easier to apply than the lotion.

In non-sunscreen news…I stocked up on the retinol cream I’ve been using from Neutrogena, and I grabbed an old-school fave of mine by Proactiv.

pro activ neturogena in hand — Pimples and wrinkles… GOOD TIMES.

I wore this benzoyl peroxide cream back in my early 30s, back before I discovered Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion. I still love the Kate Somerville, but they just keep jacking up the price! Last time I went to Sephora it was $52 (it was $39 when I started using it back in 2013). I’m pretty cranky about the price increase, so I’ve been trying to find an alternative… When I re-stumbled on this cream at Ulta for $35, I was stoked. I hope it still works for me.

Other stuff I picked up: a bottle of Pattern leave-in conditioner and couple of Clinique liquid eyeliners in basic brown and black.

clinique pretty easy liner brown and black — This liner really is pretty easy!

Have you done any beauty shopping lately at Ulta or anywhere else?

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Summer Faves and Raves: New Neutrogena Makeup (Eyeliner, Concealer, Tinted Moisturizer, Highlighter, Brow Pencil and Serum/Primer)

July 21st, 2020 by Karen 3 Comments

I could spend all day combing through the Neutrogena makeup section at the drugstore.

ALL. DAY!

Here are a few makeup items of note, which I’ve been using and liking, most of which are pretty new to the line…

Precision Liquid Eyeliner

I cut a big-@ass batch of onions with this on, and it didn’t budge, so LOVE. The felt tip is long and flexible, so if you like a little “give,” it’s perfect for carving sharp-edged lines and flicking effortless wings. It’s also intensely pigmented and a true black. Just all around lovely to line lids! I wish it came in more colors.

Available in one shade, Jet Black, which comes in a 0.013-oz. pen for $9.99.

Smokey Kohl Eyeliner

Like the black liquid liner, these creamy twist-up pencils are no joke when it comes to staying power. I’ve cried with Smokey Grey on my lash and water lines, and it didn’t move. I just wish there were an easier way to sharpen the tip…

Available in five shades, $9.99 each for a 0.004-oz. pencil.

Healthy Skin Radiant Cream Concealer

This is expensive for drugstore at nearly $15, but what you get is pretty much the equivalent of a $30 Kevyn Aucoin Supernatural concealer. Just like Supernatural, it relentlessly refrains from settling into experience lines. The medium-coverage formula is creamy, but not watery, and it has a satiny finish (no obvious disco pearl, though). Maybelline Age Rewind (a holy grail drugstore concealer!) offers more coverage; however, Neutrogena’s is thinner and easier to blend. And it’s just a tad less obvious. If you don’t want your under-eye makeup to look heavy, look no further than this. For reference, I’m an NC42 in MAC and a Honey Bronze in Estée Lauder, and I use shade Almond Medium 2 for dark circle correction because of its peachy undertone, and Toffee Medium 3 for the rest of my face.

Oh, and one last thing — this photographs fantastically well.

neutrogena makeup review — I’m wearing the Glow Primer + Serum, Protect+Tint Tinted Moisturizer, Healthy Skin Radiant Cream Concealer, Precision Liquid Eyeliner, Smokey Kohl Eyeliner, Glow On Liquid Highlighter, Cheeky Wink Flushed Blush and Nourishing Brow Pencil

Available in 15 shades, $14.99 for a 0.24-oz. tube.
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Summer Glam on the Go! Coral Lips and Peachy Bronzed Lids

July 15th, 2020 by Karen 10 Comments

honest beauty happiness lipstick glam on the go coral lips 2 — Today’s summery glam on the go!

The other day, when I was wearing this makeup, I ran into my neighbor, and she asked if I was going anywhere special, to which I replied, perhaps a little too enthusiastically, “I’M GOING TO SPORTS BASEMENT!”

You know the bar for your entertainment is set reeeeeeeally low when you dress up like you’re going to fancy brunch on vacation, but in reality you’re going to a sporting goods store to look for weights…

Oh, the pandemic stories we’ll have to tell! ?

honest beauty happiness lipstick glam on the go coral lips 4 — A summery color palette

This summery look has a few of my favorite warm-weather shades — coral and bronze! — and looks fancy, but it’s very easy to do. It also feels light and weightless, which are must-haves when the temperature’s rising.

This look has three distinguishing features — long, lifted, lush lashes; warm, peachy bronze lids; and luminous skin.

honest beauty happiness lipstick glam on the go coral lips 5 — Streamlined and summery makeup

1. Primer on the outer lashes

To make your lashes look longer and more dramatique, coat your outer lashes with a lengthening lash primer before loading them up with mascara. This creates a lush lash effect without the time and effort of falsies.

2. Bronzer is your buddy for glam-on-the-go eyes

Bronzed eyes are a summer staple, and while you could always search your makeup collection for that perfect shade, why not save yourself a little time and swish your favorite bronzer on your lids instead?

Here, I layered a warm golden tan bronzer atop a satiny peach cream shadow…

3. Define your lash line with brown and black eyeliner

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: gradients are your friend.

This brown-into-black eyeliner gradient on the upper lash line is subtle, but I think that’s the beauty of it.

Start by lining your upper and lower waterlines with a matte brown pencil. Then, draw a thin line on your upper lash line, and smudge the outer edge of that ever so slightly.

Add depth to the gradient by etching a very thin line of black liquid liner along the top lash line.

Added bonus: the black liner also creates the illusion of a thicker lash base!

Flexible face oil

You probably already know I’m a fan of customizing foundation — mixing in a few drops of concealer for added coverage, or adding a few drops of liquid highlighter for a luminous effect. Well, here’s another one to try: blend a drop or two of face oil into your foundation to dial down the opacity of your base. This trick is handy for applying base to sections of the face where you want more of your natural skin to peek through, and it’s what I did here for my forehead and the outer edges.

Fastest updo

If your hair is crazy from quarantine, and you’re tired of rockin’ your fun bun, gather it into a high pony, and secure it into small sections with tiny hair ties (I like these. Three bucks at Ulta!). You can keep the hair ties bare, like I did here (I think the shiny effect looks like jewelry), but if you want to boost the sophistication factor, cover up the ties by wrapping a small piece of hair around each one and securing it with a bobby pin.

honest beauty happiness lipstick glam on the go coral lips 1 — See the shine from the hair ties?

Makeup worn in this look

I listed everything on my visage below, so please feel free to ask about any of these products in the comments. ?
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Summer Faves and Raves: Neutrogena Skin Care

July 10th, 2020 by Karen 14 Comments

Good mornin’! Happy Friday to you. ? I hope your day is getting off to a good start.

Simply for discussion purposes, here are a few drugstore Neutrogena faves I’ve been loving lately…

Ultra Gentle Daily Cleanser

This paraben-, phthalate- and sulfate-free bad boy’s made for all skin types, but it works extra well for sensitive skin (including acne-prone peeps like moi). This oil-free face wash whisks away oil, sweat, makeup and anything else on your face without stripping your skin. I’ve loved this cleanser for years, and I typically return to using the Foaming Formula in the summer because of how quickly it removes leftover sunscreen and makeup from the day. Great stuff!

$9.99 for a 12-oz. bottle with a pump.

Neutrogena Shampoo Anti-Residue Formula

This basically brings my hair back from the dead! ?‍♀️ If you lean on smoothing hair products to control frizz AND remove leftover residue from shampoo, conditioner and styling products, this gentle but effective clarifying shampoo is SO money. It’s made for all hair types, including color-treated manes, and I use it once or twice a week in place of my regular shampoo to deep clean my roots and strands. Afterwards, my hair looks and feels more voluminous.

$6.99 for a 6-oz bottle.

Ultra Sheer Face Mist Sunscreen 55

I literally — literally — never leave home without this because I always have a bottle in my little black backpack. I usually do a mineral sunscreen before I leave the house (Elta MD), but I like to touch up with this physical sunscreen when I’m out and about. It’s a sheer, non-sticky liquid sunscreen that feels lightweight and comfortable. I mist a few few pumps in my hands, and then work the liquid onto my neck, arms, face and wherever else I want/need sun protection.

$17.49 for a 3.5-oz. bottle with a pump.
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Summer Glam on the Go! Gray-Black Cat Eyes With an Unexpected Swish of Shimmering Bronze on a Smokey Lower Lash Line

June 23rd, 2020 by Karen 16 Comments

neutrogena protect tint tinted moisturizer — A small twist on your fave classic looks can make all the difference

On days when you crave just a little glam, like a level 3-4, this look hits the spot. It involves just a couple minor tweaks on classic eye makeup elements — black cat eyeliner and a smokey lower lash line — to give it a fresh twist.

Gray-black cat eyes

If you look closely at the liner, you’ll see soft dark gray along the outer edge of the upper lash liner, and the gray on the water lines. With black cat eye liner, you’ll typically see black pencil along the water lines, and black pencil liner is also commonly used as a base for black liquid liner when doing cat eyes, too.

But rather than reaching for the standard-issue black pencil, I used a gray liner instead, because it isn’t as stark, so it leads to a softer, more approachable look… And I like the subtle gradient of gray as it merges into black. (I’m all about that gradient life!)

I also paired the liner with matte warm browns on the upper lids and added a shimmery gold on the inner corners.

neutrogena liquid eyeliner — See the shimmery bronze peeking out from the lower lash line?

A shimmering bronze POP

Switch up your typical black or gray smokey lower lash line by layering a shimmery bronze eyeshadow. Place it right in the center of the lower lash line (aim for right underneath your iris).

To do this, I drew a thin line with a matte gray pencil liner along my lower lash line, then smudged it with a flat, compact head (super handy to have around for small, fine detail work).

neutrogena first crush blush — The gray pencil liner softens the edges of the black liquid liner on the upper lash line.

Then, I wiped the brush head on a paper towel, loaded it with a shimmery bronze powder eyeshadow, wet the brush head with a setting spray, and dabbed the wet brush head along the center of lower lash lines.

Tip: skip blending out the edges of your shimmering bronze eyeshadow. I think it looks cool to have the stark edge against the smokey gray! Not only do you save a step by skipping the blending, but you also maintain the intensity of the bronze, which is great because you really want it to stand out against the matte!

Where else am I gonna go?

As for the rest of the makeup, I kept the base and cheeks super sheer with a tinted moisturizer and cream blush because it’s hot here in Novato, and I wasn’t in the mood to wear a thick layer of makeup on the rest of my face… You always have the option of turning up the coverage to whatever you’re feeling on a given day. The world is your pickle, after all, so I’ll take bread-and-butter pickles, because I don’t do dill.

I ended up wearing this look to Trader Joe’s yesterday because, really, where else am I gonna go?? It’s one of the handful of places that’s 1) open, 2) somewhat entertaining, and 3) doesn’t skyrocket the low-level anxiety I’m living with lately.

On the way there, I drove past the bakery I worked at prior to the stay-at-home order, and I realized that, in a few weeks, I’ll have been out of work there *longer* than I actually worked there… It feels like I was living another life.

So, yeah, wore this to TJ’s, with the exception of the lipstick, lip liner and gloss, which faded after I ate my lunch (grilled cheese and tomato soup, if you’re curious). I didn’t bother to reapply since I was going to be wearing a mask anyway.

I think a half set of falsies on the outer corner would have been a nice touch, too, and I kinda wish I’d put some on!

Makeup breakdown

twist on classic swatches — Today’s color palette

Here’s everything I wore in this look! Lots of new-ish drugstore makeup from Neutrogena (one of my all-time favorite brands!).
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