Skin Care

Fresh Friday: If Your Skin Needs Extra Moisture and TLC, This New Australian Brand Might Be Your New Go-To

January 25th, 2019 by Karen 7 Comments

go to skin care — Why dry skin goes AHHHHH

MBB’s “Fresh Friday” series takes a look at new beauty brands (and venerable O.G. brands that are new to me). Let’s discover new makeup!

After last week’s epic deluge, I’ve been basking in the glow of this week’s sunshine. Funny thing is…just because the sun has been out here doesn’t mean it’s actually been, ya know, warm. I swear, the sunny days are colder than the rainy days, which means that all the dry spots on my face and body hurt more than usual… I mean, really, smiling at strangers isn’t easy when the skin on your cheeks feels like it’s about to crack. ?

A new skin care line at Sephora called Go-To has been saving me from walking around town with a perpetual RBF. It’s a dream for dry-skinned dames!

A non-fussy skin care line for all skin types

Hailing from Down Under, Go-To is the brainchild of Australian author and former Cosmopolitan beauty director Zoë Foster Blake. A scroll through her Instagram feed is like a visit to a glamorous land where everything’s beautiful and picture-perfect, and so I guess it’s fitting that her first beauty venture has that familiar “I’m doing it for the ‘gram” look — white and pastel packaging, fun names and playful fonts. Some might call it “millennial marketing.”

go to skin care useful face cream — Very Useful Face Cream ($31)

All of the products in the line are made for all skin types (even sensitive) and ages, but since so many of the cheeky and lighthearted skin care brands out there target 20- and 30-somethings, I mistakenly expected the products to be a better fit for someone who already has perfect skin and cherub cheeks and hasn’t been around the block as many times as I have, if you know what I mean… But once I got the cream on my face, the balm on my lips and the oil on my body, I was sold. This stuff means business. I’m talking majorly moisturizing KAPOW.

Some quick deets…

The products don’t contain parabens, PEGS, sulfates, GMOs, mineral oils, petrolatum or synthetic colors, and they aren’t tested on animals.

The number of products is on the smaller side for now, with items priced between $12 and $39.

You can find them in the US at Sephora and online.

There are more products available on the Go-To website, and they currently offer free shipping on US orders over $50.

Why dry cheeks go AHHH

Definitely peep the Very Useful Face Cream ($31). I started using a retinol cream by Kate Somerville a couple months ago, so my skin periodically freaks out and hurts as a result of the dryness that comes with the aggressive exfoliation. Very Useful Face Cream, which contains two powerhouse antixidants in coQ10 and amla berry (it’s also in IGK’s Bad & Bougie Shampoo and Conditioner), just makes everything feel better. Weirdly, it feels light and thin at first, but it starts to thicken up and feel more like a balm as you work it into your skin.

Once it’s absorbed…AHHH.

It’s supposed to be for all skin types, but if you happen to have dry skin that needs extra TLC, I think you’ll REALLY appreciate it.

go to skin care exception oil — Exception-oil ($39)

Exception-Oil body oil is another standout. It’s thick, creamy and smells like gardenia, and you only need a tiny bit. It’s so moisturizing that even my hella dry hands and feet are happy afterwards. I just put some on my paws, and now they feel like completely new hands, LOL!

And then there’s the Face Hero Oil, which I’ve used on my neck a few times… I like it just fine for moisture, but I’m still deeply committed to Fresh Seaberry Oil (THE BEST). Face Hero smells like green tea ice cream, though, which is a plus in my book.

go to skin care face hero — Face Hero Oil ($34)

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November 2018 Favorites

December 10th, 2018 by Karen 19 Comments

Because it’s cold, I’m already getting nostalgic for November! Here are some things I loved the heck out of last month…

1. Onomie Boosting Lip + Cheek Sticks ($30 each)

These are super sheer compared to some other creams products out there, like the MAC Cream Colour Bases, but don’t walk away just yet. I don’t really use them when I’m gonna be taking pics for MBB, because they’re too subtle for photography, but for regular life, like when I’m wearing the most minimal of minimal makeup (a recurring theme when you live with a demanding tabby and a toddler), they’re B-O-M-B. They add just enough color to cheeks and lips to liven things up so I don’t look totally dead, ha ha.

I blend concealer under my eyes and skip the tinted moisturizer/foundation completely, then plop on a coat of mascara, and dab and blend one of these tints on my cheeks and lips.

It’s a very Megan Markle makeup look, and I’m into it.

Comes in six shades. I wear the Berry the most.

2. Juno & Co Microfiber Velvet Sponge ($6 each, or four for $20)

You can use this soft and squishy makeup blending sponge wet or dry to apply or set foundation, powder and/or concealer. The surface of the sponge feels velvety, similar to velvet fabric, which makes a big difference in the finished look. It’s a more airbrushed and polished look than you get with the beautyblender-y makeup sponges out there.

3. R+Co Television Perfect Hair Shampoo and Conditioner ($30 each)

You know when your hair feels coated, weighed down and heavy? UGH, I hate that feeling. It’s like living with a family of filthy forest animals on your head 24/7. Anyway, with this shampoo and conditioner, you can completely avoid that issue. They’re for smoothing, moisturizing *and* volume, and they’re made for all hair types, from fine to thick and wavy like mine, and everything in between. When I use this set, my hair is what I call, “light and fluffy.” My only wish is that they came in bigger bottles!

The scent is lovely, too. I detect lavender, pineapple, tangerines and warm, white musk.

4. R+Co Waterfall Moisture + Shine Lotion ($29)

Again for the girls and guys who like hair that isn’t coated with a thick layer of goo. (R+Co is good at that.) This intense leave-in conditioner and frizz-fighter is just as moisturizing as their High Dive Moisture + Shine Cream (don’t even ask me how many bottles of that I’ve gone through), but it retains more volume in your strands, so it flattens the hair less than High Dive.

Both are brilliant, but if you have long or medium-length hair, and you’re all about floofy marshmallow volume, this is the one you’ll want, especially if you like violets, oranges and caramel, which is how it smells.

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Have You Tried the $7 Trader Joe’s Facial Cleansing Oil With Argan & Coconut Oils?

November 29th, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

The Trader Joe’s beauty section should have a big-@ss warning sign above the aisle — something akin to “BEWARE! YOU’RE ENTERING SPUR-OF-THE-MOMENT SPENDING TERRITORY!”

That would work, or better yet a huge LCD screen with winged dollar bills floating away, since we’re moving toward a world where we will soon be communicating solely through emojis. ? ? ? ? ?

I’ve always had trouble saying “no” to anything having to do with makeup removal, especially face oils, because what goes on, must come off, so grabbing this facial cleansing oil was a no-brainer. Somehow, TJ’s found a way to make it smell like the most heavenly mix of eucalyptus, lemon verbena and roses, although, from a quick scan of the ingredients, it doesn’t appear to have any of those things in it!

And speaking of the ingredient list, it contains different types of oils, too, not just argan and coconut. I also see sunflower, crambe abyssinica seed (which is new to me) and capyrylic/capric triglyceride.

It doesn’t look like this will replace my beloved DHC Deep Cleansing Oil anytime soon. I mean, it’s fine for removing mellower makeup — basically anything non-waterproof is fine — but it can’t handle heavy-duty, long-wearing stuff on its own. It’s $7 for a 4-oz. bottle, though, so the price is right, and it doesn’t break me out or make my combo skin feel dry, so I’m not too crabby about it not being all that effective on long-wearing makeup. But still…I’m not about to go into hoarder mode for it. I’ll save that for when the Rose Hand Cream comes back!

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Skin Care Rave! Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil

November 23rd, 2018 by Karen 10 Comments

fresh seaberry moisurizing face oil — LOVE IT!

So. Effing. Good.

Last month, while battling a nasty cold, I came to the conclusion that Fresh Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil really does live up to the hype (4.5 stars with more than ONE THOUSAND reviews on sephora.com).

You know when you’re blowing your nose so often that the skin around your nostrils gets rubbed raw, and it’s dry, and it hurts? Mine gets so sensitive to the touch that even splashing water on my face hurts.

My usual heavyduty face moisturizers weren’t doing the job done, so, out of desperation (and perhaps loopy from the cold meds), I tracked this down, busted it open, and patted about a half a dropper of the oil on the skin around my nose, nostrils and mouth.

AHHHH! Instant relief. Seaberry Oil BRINGS IT big time in the moisture department.

“Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil is a precious blend of pure oils—seaberry, cranberry seed, camellia seed, grapeseed, and sweet almond—packed with nourishing omegas to preserve a youthful appearance. The lightweight formula absorbs quickly for a boost of vital moisture.”

— sephora.com

Highlighted ingredients:

Seaberry Oil: A powerful antioxidant rich in moisturizing omegas 3, 6, 7, and 9 noted for protecting the skin from aging free radicals.

Cranberry Seed Oil: Maintains the skin’s elasticity and smoothness.

Camellia Seed Oil: Helps to retain moisture and promote smooth, supple skin.

Ingredients:
Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, Camellia Oleifera Seed Oil, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Hippophae Rhamnoides Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Extract, Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Seed Oil, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Tetraisopalmitate, Fragrance, Bht, Linalool, Limonene, Citral, Coumarin, Geraniol

It’s rich in antioxidants and omegas, and made for normal, dry and sensitive skin types, so peeps across the land can use it! — even if you have oily skin. I saw more than a few reviews from people with oily skin raving about it on the Sephora website.

Now it’s an everyday part of my routine. Every morning and night after I wash my face, I work about three big drops using the included dropper onto my skin while it’s damp. Sometimes I’ll also mix one or two drops into my trusty Clarins Hydra-Essentiel Silky Cream as well, which is another great combo IMO.

It’s $52 for a 1.6-oz. bottle, which is a pretty good size. I think it’s enough to last a long while.

Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

A Sephora VIB Sale Strategy (and a Skin Care Haul)

November 13th, 2018 by Karen 27 Comments

kate somerville skin care — New from Kate Somerville

I have revised my plan of attack for the Sephora VIB sale, because, let’s get real…only a few of the items I want are things I can’t function without (I’m talking to you, Kate Somerville Anti-Bac Clearing Lotion). Most of the things are things I only want because they’re on sale… I’m 100% my mother’s daughter that way (“It’s on sale? BUY IT. Don’t you ever pay full price, ever!”).

But really, how much do I actually need another bronzer, all-matte neutral palette or another coral lipstick?

Not much! LOL. But I still want them all, especially with new makeup coming out every five seconds, so I gotta check myself before I wreck myself…

How do I weed out unnecessary or spur-of-the moment purchases?

On the very first day of the sale, I put everything I want to buy into my cart, and then I wait… And wait. And wait. I let it all simmer there, brewing and stewing (and taunting me?). Then, juuuuust before the sale ends, I’ll see what’s left in my cart, and most of the time when I do this, there are things that have sold out, which whittles the list down, and from there I reevaluate what’s left and see what fits into my budget.

This tactic reduces the likelihood of me getting a whole bunch of things I mostly only want because they’re on sale.

sephora vib haul — ‘Twas a skin care haul (regular prices shown)

Um…but K-Dawg, does this actually work?

Dude, it totally does! Forcing myself to wait and really think about my cart and the grand total $ staring back at me helps…because I know who I am, and I’m a spur-of-the-moment shopper.

Waiting also forces me to look around at what I already have in my stash.

For this last sale, I knew I needed another bottle of Kate Somerville Anti-Bac, sunscreen/face moisturizer for winter (ugh, dry skin), an eye cream and some chemical exfoliators for mature skin, because every morning lately when I wake up and look in the mirror, instead of seeing my face, I see freakin’ Gollum’s!

What my heart was telling me I wanted, though, was a bunch of makeup — a Charlotte Tilbury palette, Shiseido eyeliners and eyeshadows (they recently revamped their entire makeup line, and it’s supposed to be REALLY good), some Charlotte Tilbury blushes and bronzers, and a Dior foundation.

OK, and maybe a few other things were in there too, ha ha ha. You know me too well!

Step 1: Shopping my own stash

The Charlotte Tilbury palette ended up being sold out, but everything worked out because I rediscovered my BECCA Chrissy Palette, which more or less serves the same purpose. I’m a little sad panda, 🙁 but if the CT palette is still around for the next VIB sale and I’m still lusting after it, I’ll get it then.

becca chrissy teigen swatches — Hello, old friend…

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Introducing Cake Beauty! (And Body Products That Smell Like Dessert)

November 8th, 2018 by Karen 9 Comments

Is there a sourdough-scented soap? A breadstick body butter? A rye loaf hand cream? To the best of my knowledge, most beauty products that smell like baked goods are of the sweet variety — cake, cookies, frosting.

YUM!

I like sweet scents as much as the next Nutella lover, but there’s a fine line between juuuuuust sweet enough and gag-inducing.

Remember Jessica Simpson’s Dessert beauty line of edible products that was at Sephora about a billion years ago? It had lipglosses and body glitters and lotions you could eat? Even though I am THAT PERSON who shamelessly orders two desserts at dinner, every time I caught a whiff of one of the products I wanted to toss my cookies. They were too sweet for me, but lots of people loved them. (Side note: Apparently there weren’t enough people who loved them, though, because they were hit with a few lawsuits and subsequently went out of business.)

Everyone has a different opinion when it comes to fragrances. One woman’s cloying is another woman’s perfection. Like, right now I’m into a kinda up-and-coming Canadian cruelty-free brand called Cake. They make dessert-scented body and hair products, and they’re coming soon to the U.S. in Rite Aid stores.

cake beauty — A few of my favorites from Cake Beauty, coming this month to Rite Aid.

I’ve been metaphorically devouring (because the products aren’t actually edible) the shampoo, conditioner (why do I love that it’s called a “creme rinse”?), body cream and the hand cream, and every time I sniff my hands or my hair I go YUM! — but I’m sure there’s someone out there who would totally barf instead. LOL!

Unsurprisingly, I like products that smell like things I’ll eat, so anything with caramel, vanilla and honey, but usually only if the products also have some bitter notes for balance, like coffee, dark chocolate or lemon…

Yes, I know I’m weird, ha ha.

Anything too artificially sugary, like strong buttercream, meringue or cotton candy, turns my stomach.

While we’re on the topic, how do feel about body products with a “milk” scent? Are you in the “love it” or “hate it” camp? I’m in the middle. I can take it in small doses, but my friend Cindy CANNOT stand anything that remotely smells like milk because she dated this dude once whose skin smelled like sour milk, and it ruined milk for her. But she’s all about green tea scents!

Yeah, you know someone’s a good friend when you know their fragrance loves and hates and why, ha ha!

Your friendly neighborhood neighborhood beauty addict,

Karen

Collosol Eau de Lait Cleansing Milk

October 8th, 2018 by Karen 8 Comments

Once upon a time, my crazy Uncle Karl (Lagerfeld) told Allure that before he bathes in his giant tub, he has his maids pour an entire bottle of Collosol Eau de Lait cleansing milk into crystal bottles, which are then poured into the tub.

First of all…if Karl’s maids are pouring cleansing milk into crystal bottles only to then pour them into the bath, does that imply that they’re probably also doing equally redonk things like pouring Choupette’s water into crystal bottles before filling her water bowl? Second, AN ENTIRE BOTTLE OF THIS STUFF EVERY DAY? Doesn’t that sound a wee bit OTT? Even for KL?

Collosol Eau de Lait ($18, 3.4 fl oz)

This stuff has been around in France for about a billion years, but now it’s easily available here in the U.S. Word on the street is that it’s a favorite among famous French actresses and models for face washing, removing makeup, and as a body cleanser in the bath.

Because of this, I had high hopes!

INGREDIENTS

AQUA (WATER), PEG-40 HYDROGENATED CASTOR OIL, PHENOXYETHANOL, STYRENE/ACRYLATES COPOLYMER, OLUS (VEGETABLE) OIL, GLYCERIN, LAURYL GLUCOSIDE, POLYGLYCERYL-2,DIPOLYHYDROXYSTEARATE, PARFUM (FRAGRANCE), CITRIC ACID, SODIUM HYDROXIDE, ACRYLATES/BEHENETH-25, METHACRYLATE COPOLYMER, ETHYLHEXYLGLYCERIN, DICAPRYLYL CARBONATE, GLYCERYL OLEATE, COLOPHONIUM

Incidentally, it smells exactly like the bottles of Johnson & Johnson’s Baby Cologne my relatives in the Philippines would bring me whenever they visited, which I’d dab on my tiny eight-year-old wrists like I knew what I was doing, LOL. It makes you smell like lemons and lilies and lasts all day long.

The scent is *very* strong — as strong as that old-school Baby Cologne — and you could totally get away with using it as a perfume, which is what I do (I just put a little on my wrists), but I can’t recommend it for much else…

Sadly, as a face makeup remover, or even as a general cleanser, it’s barely adequate. It’s for sure not as capable as DHC’s Deep Cleansing Oil.

Also — IMPORTANT — got sensitive eyes? Yeah, me too. If this gets anywhere near my eyes or my lash lines, my eyes start to water and sting.

I haven’t tried it in the bath yet… I will. I just have to track down my crystal vase first. 😉

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Scrub-a-dub-LOVE! I’m Sweet on Trader Joe’s Grapefruit Ginger Sugar Scrub

October 3rd, 2018 by Karen 11 Comments

My friend Jen and I joke that the best thing about fall and winter is that you can stop shaving. It’s one less task to do in the shower, and the velvety coat of fur serves a dual purpose by keeping you warm, ha ha!

Be that as it may, just because I take a week (or two) off from shaving every once in a while when it’s chilly doesn’t mean I neglect my skin situation entirely. I’m still deeply serious about exfoliation, and Trader Joe’s Grapefruit Ginger Sugar Scrub makes the experience infinitely more glam.

Babes, this sugar scrub is so rich, so creamy and so moisturizing that you might be tempted to skip your daily dose of lotion. AND THE SCENT? One whiff of this tangy ginger and grapefruit will instantly teleport you to a five-star Hawaiian hotel and spa.

I can’t believe this huge 8-oz. tube is only $5.99, because it’s just as good as Origins’ $32 Ginger Body Scrub. Stock up while you can, because I’m pretty sure it’s limited edition.

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