Showing posts with label Kiehl's. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kiehl's. Show all posts

The Beauty Spotlight Team: Pammy's Top Five Favorite Products are from Kiehl's

Pammy's Top Five Favorite Products are from Kiehl's

Pammy Blogs Beauty has always been a bit of a skincare junkie. Her love of skincare is what got her interested in blogging! While she loves many brands, a few certainly stand out as favorites. Find out what Pammy's Top Five Favorite Products are from Kiehl's.

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A Daily Dose of Extra Moisture: Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate Review

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Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate Review

I'm a big fan of everything Kiehl's. Their Ultra Facial Moisturizer was one of my first big beauty splurges, and I swear is the product that finally cleared up my acne, back when I was in college. I have hoards of Kiehl's products stashed in my bathroom, and I refuse to travel without their Midnight Recovery Concentrate. I only need a few drops on my face at night, and it turns my travel weary, dry and lackluster skin into healthy, glowy skin. It completely reverses the effects of a flight, something that takes a few days with other moisturizers.

When I learned of their new Daily Reviving Concentrate, I had to try it! It promised to be the lighter weight cousin of Midnight Recovery Concentrate, with a few other skin loving benefits rolled in, such as anti-oxidants.
4

Ask Away: Everyday Products and Using Them Up

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Ok, this is sort of stupid...but....I have so much makeup and I am always stumped what to keep in my daily get ready bag (not a bag that you take in your purse). I try to switch it up by the week but honestly at this rate I will never use anything up! Does anyone else have this issue?
-Danielle

So, there's no way I'm every going to use everything up. I could stop buying now and still have eyeshadow well into old age (and I'm going to live a long time, my grandma is 105!), if you need proof, go look at my beauty storage post. Warning: do not look if you are a minimalist. I have a lot of stuff, and yes, most of it is organized in drawers, but apparently having things out on a counter makes some people twitchy.

The truth is that I rarely finish a product unless it is a true every day product. I thought I'd share the products (well, makeup and skin care) that I tend to finish and repurchase over and over! Some of these probably look very familiar!

Repurchased Beauty Blogger Products


1. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Moisturizer SPF 15 (buy it here): You're probably tired of me talking about this lotion, but it's my go-to for in between other product testings.

2. Kiehl's Midnight Recovery (buy it here): Amazing for when my skin is dry or irritated.

3. Hard Candy Take It Off Eye Makeup Remover: I stock up on this at Walmart! It takes everything off with basically no work. Love that!

4. Pond's Luminous Finish BB Cream: I swear, I will write a full review some day! I'm using this pretty much every day instead of foundation, and I have a few friends and my mom hooked on it as well. I got an emergency phone call from my mom last week about it, she was at ULTA with my sister looking for it! She thought it would be perfect for her on an upcoming vacation.

5. Amazing Cosmetics Concealer (buy it here): Well pigmented, it lasts all day and comes in a lot of different shades. I use it alone or mixed with primer, BB Cream, highlighter, you name it! I'm light golden.

6. Cream Blushes: I use cream blush almost every day, and I tend to use either Stila's Convertible Color in Lillium (which I listed as one of my 9 Best Products From Stila, buy it here) or Maybelline Bouncy Blush.

7. Mascara: I'm a big mascara girl, but I rarely buy the same one twice (in the interest of "research" for the blog, but I admit that I've always been this way). Two that I have repurchased (multiple times) are Too Faced Better than Sex Mascara and CoverGirl Clump Crusher (which was one of my 5 Favorite CoverGirl Products.

8. IT Cosmetics Your Brows But Better (buy it here): This is my favorite brow pencil. I have others that I'll use, but this pencil is skinny and automatic, so it is like you just sharpened it. I featured it in my how to groom your eyebrows and fill them in post.

9. NYX Wonder Pencil: I've been using this pencil in multiple shades and have just repurchased them. The light is great for over and under my brows for a bit of added definition and I use the dark on either side of my nose for a bit of contouring. I recently featured the Wonder Pencil in my best concealers post.

10. Eye Liners: I've previously established that I am an eye liner girl (check out my eyeliner drawer on Instagram), but even though I have a pretty big selection at home, I fully admit that I have a few formula favorites and I like to keep them stocked up in the basic shades of brown and black. There are some days that I just want the Smoky Liner from Elizabeth Arden, or when nothing else but the Perversion Liner from Urban Decay will make me happy.
Stila Smudge Liner (buy it here): Damsel is a super dark brown that I love
Stila Stay All Day Liquid Liner (buy it here): I keep this around in black
Elizabeth Arden Smoky Liner (buy it here): This one I have in black, brown and midnight, which is a very dark navy. I'm out of black and brown, and forgot to repurchase the other day when I went to 2 (!) ULTAs on the same day. Obviously next time I'm bringing a list!
Smashbox Always Sharp Waterproof Kôhl Liner (buy it here): I bought this in Penny Lane over the summer when one of their Makeup Artists convinced me it was amazing. And O. M. G. she was right! It is just soft enough, smudges beautifully and stays all day. You twist the cap on and it advances the liner automatically and sharpens it. So cool! I use Penny Lane as more of an accent on my lower lash line since it isn't a dark color, but I just bought black a few days ago and I know this formula is one I'll be collecting for now on.
Urban Decay 24/7 Glide On Eye Pencil (buy it here): Pictured is Perversion, which is a deep matte black. This is definitely one of my go-to black colors. However, I think this is probably my favorite overall eye liner formulation, and if I want a "fun" color, then I always check Urban Decay first! The colors are always rich and true and I would much rather have that purple in the 24/7 formula than anything else! Grab the Ocho Loco2 Eye Liner Set while it's out there, this thing is a steal!

11. Eye Primers: I never skip this step! Eye primers make my shadow look much more professional, not to mention making it last all day and covering up any visible blood vessels (I'm super pale, so I have a lot). I use the NYX every day, it is basically like a concealer with primer capabilities. For days that I need to grab on to a little more powdery shadows, I'll add a light layer of Too Faced Shadow Insurance on top, and if I'm going really glittery I'll add ELF Glitter Primer (not pictured because I haven't repurchased, though I did buy 3!)

12. Wet N Wild Nutty: This is my go to taupe shadow! I love to use it in my crease, it pairs up great with pretty much everything. It's a near dupe for MAC Satin Taupe, though the lower level of pigmentation makes it work a tad better for me.

13. Lippies: I have a lot of lip products, and usually have around 20 in my purse at any given time. Yes, I have issues. The ones that I repurchase are usually these 2, the L'Oreal Caresse lip gloss stain (Lilac Ever After is a great pinky-nude) or the CoverGirl Smoochies, hydrating tinted balms. I haven't used any up, but I want to collect more of the Urban Decay Super-Saturated lip gloss pencils and Too Faced Lip Injection Color Bombs. So, I'm buying new colors!

Do you have a beauty questions you want to see on 15 Minute Beauty?


Product Sent for Review Affiliate Links , many of these items were sent initially by PR but have been repurchased by me, over and over!
2

Kiehl's Newest Super Multi-Corrective Cream Review: Intro and First Thoughts

Product Sent for Review

Kiehl's Super Multi-Corrective Cream Review

So, I think by now it's pretty obvious that I'm a big fan of Kiehl's, especially since I'm continually reviewing and raving about their products, running into their stores to buy more products, stockpiling their Lip Balm #1, I could go on and on. A little while ago they offered to send me their latest product, which has just hit the website. It was really good timing for me, I had spent a lot of time outside and somehow my skin was suddenly drrryyyyy. Super dry. And it wasn't responding to my "normal" super hydrating treatment (Kiehl's Midnight Recovery), I think because it was also irritated and unhappy about sun exposure. It was tight, felt like I had an outer layer of dry and dead skin that would not move, be fixed and didn't like to have my Clarisonic on it either.

So, when my new Multi-Corrective Cream arrived in the mail, I gleefully opened it and swapped out everything else I was using for my most hydrating, gentle and basic Kiehl's products. I've been using the Ultra Facial Cleanser and Ultra Facial Lotion SPF 15 (which comes in 30 now but I still have 15 hanging around my house).

I swear to you, that within 36 hours my skin was back to happy and glowy. Was it because I backed off of everything and went to "basic" and gentle products that I know my skin loves? Was it the new cream? Was it because I also backed off of the Clarisonic and any other potentially issue causing treatments that I was overdoing in my desperate attempts to stop the cracking and peeling that I had for about 5 days? I do not know.

I do know that this is one of my new favorite creams. It, too, shall be hoarded and purchased in bulk during the Friends and Family Sale.

Read on to see what is in this new miracle cream...
5

My Favorite Summer Sunscreens

Product Sent for Review Product Sent for Review

The best sunscreens

Now that summer is "officially" here, it's time for the Makeup Wars crew to share our favorite sunscreen products with you. If you read my blog regularly you know that sunscreen is a product I adore, and I love to go on and on (and on) about how to use it, what to look for when buying it, and how to avoid common mistakes when using sunscreen.

Today I'm finally sharing my tips for reapplying sunscreen over makeup, so it might make more sense to head over to that post first if you haven't read it yet. I have a whole system for sunscreen use (and really, the post is only about what I use on my face, I haven't even discussed body sunscreens or lip balms).

In this post I'm going to quickly look at the different types of sunscreens I mentioned in my sunscreen reapplication post, and then share some info on each of the individual products.

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How to Reapply Sunscreen (While Wearing Makeup)

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How to Reapply Sunscreen, While Wearing Makeup

Since today is "Our Favorite Sunscreen" day for Makeup Wars, I thought this would be a great day to finally publish my post on how to reapply your sunscreen even if you are wearing makeup. I'll be discussing a lot of products in this post, but note that ALL of the sunscreens I'm mentioning here will be in my Favorite Sunscreens post for Makeup Wars, including information on their UV range coverage.

If you've been reading my sunscreen posts, then you know that it is recommended that you use at least SPF 30, broad spectrum UV coverage (harder to find than you think), apply 1 ounce of sunscreen to your body and 1 teaspoon to your face, and reapply every 2 hours while out in the sun. The reapplication is because we all sweat, so the sunscreen leaves the area you applied it (ever sweat sunscreen into your eyes?), or the sun inactivates your sunscreen (with chemical sunscreens this is by design, the inactivation happens when the sunscreen absorbs that UV energy). So, reapply every 2 hours in the sun.

But.... how do you reapply every 2 hours while wearing makeup? That's the big question. It definitely changes how I do my makeup, which products I'll use and overall my makeup strategy for the day. I've been getting a lot of readers wanting to know how I do it.

Depending on what I'm doing in a particular day, I change my sunscreen strategy. Note that everything in this post applies to sunscreen on my face only.

how to wear sunscreen every day
For a typical day, I do not reapply my sunscreen. These are days that I'm in the car, running to work or around town for errands. Otherwise I'm inside, not even near a window (yes, UVA rays can penetrate windows, did you ever see that picture of a truck driver?) so I don't really have much sun exposure and certainly not enough to need reapplication.

I do have enough sun exposure that I think I need to wear sunscreen every day. It needs to be in a product that I apply all over my face and in a high enough quantity to actually get the UV coverage I need. Which means that it can't be in makeup (especially not in powder, I don't want to apply 1.2g to my face), and I don't even apply tinted BB cream all over my face enough so that it counts. I usually take a light SPF lotion (I've been using Kiehl's Ultra Facial Lotion SPF 30 and I haven't tried the new version yet) and I apply that to my neck and face. If I'm using a BB cream with SPF I'll either go light in the center of my face or completely skip that area. I do make sure to hit the outside of my face along my hair line and jaw line, places where I don't usually apply the BB Cream. If I'm going with a more traditional foundation then I definitely apply the lotion every where.

Sunscreen strategies for makeup reapplication
On days that I'm planning to spend more time outside, I take a different strategy with my sunscreen products and makeup. This is something that I plan ahead for, and if there's even just a chance that I'll be spending more than 45 minutes or so outside (especially if that's during peak sun hours of 10 am - 2 pm) then I'll go with this strategy. Note that these days are not meant to be waterproof or sweatproof, so this is great for a few hours playing outside with my daughter, but I wouldn't follow these strategies for a day at the beach or a theme park.

I start with my SPF lotion and/or BB Cream. Much like on a normal day, I make sure my entire neck and face are covered by either the SPF lotion or the BB Cream, so I have a base of SPF. If I'm anticipating that I'll be spending more than a few hours outside, I'll go the extra step of adding a second SPF on top of this, underneath my makeup. I go for something lightweight with a good SPF like Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense or La Roche Anthelios. I then apply makeup over this lotion/SPF base.

Makeup to wear with sunscreen
Once I'm ready to apply makeup, I go for makeup that can stand up to having more sunscreen slathered on top without looking crazy. This means lightweight, creams or liquids and never powder. Really, no powder.

First, I start with very lightweight coverage where it is needed. I might add a little more BB Cream or use a light foundation like Neutrogena's Healthy Skin Enhancer. You want something that makes things look more even, but definitely shows your skin tone through it. If it smears with sunscreen application it won't be noticeable, but you'll still have light coverage.

I still always have under eye issues, so I need concealer. I like to use a more pigmented concealer, here I've picture the Amazing Cosmetics Concealer, which I just bought a few days ago. Make Up For Ever Full Cover or IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye Concealer are also good choices. I then apply the concealer very strategically to ensure that I'm covering up what I want to cover up, but if things migrate a little bit I will be ok and things will look fine. (Note that in order to do this you really need that concealer to match your skin tone, not be 1-2 shades lighter than your skin.)

I apply the concealer in the dark blue area you'll see in the picture above. It goes on the inner corner of my eye, under my eye and down the side of my nose a little to create a triangle. I then blend it outward into the lighter blue area. Note in that area I'm only blending into it, I'm not applying more concealer. It should all be flawless in to your skin. This is basically what I described doing in my undereye conceal and correct post, though it's a bit more of a deliberate triangle. Here I'm applying in the triangle, there I was blending it into one.

I still like to apply a little blush on these days, I'm so fair that going without sometimes prompts those "do you feel ok?" questions that are awkward. I go for a cream blush, it won't become a gloppy mess when sunscreen goes over it later. I like Maybelline Bouncy Blush (in Fresh Pink), Stila Convertible Color (in Lillium) or NARS Multiple (in Orgasm).

Note that I said no powder. I've found that a tiny bit in the t-zone is ok, but not right before you reapply. Only at the time of application to set everything. Typically I'll apply my makeup, let everything on my face sit for a few minutes (aka- do my eyes or my hair), and then blot gently with a kleenex. You're trying to get any liquid off of your face, not smear things around. Then a small amount of powder in the t-zone if really necessary. If you're more than a bit oily, I suggest trying a little milk of magnesia as a primer, apply a small amount of watered down MoM after your sunscreen but before makeup.

how to reapply sunscreen over your makeup
When you've been outside for a few hours and it's time to reapply, choose your sunscreen carefully. I tend to go for a chemical sunscreen for reapplication. The physical sunscreens are thicker and more prone to becoming a mess. They especially like to just sit on top of makeup and leave a white mess instead of applying like they should. Go for the highest SPF that you can stand, and something fairly lightweight. I'll use either the Kiehl's Super Fluid UV Defense or La Roche Anthelios again, or sometimes I'll go for the Aveeno formulation of the summer (yes, it seems to change every summer, but it is better each time. Get the "adult" chemical sunscreen formula).

I put the amount I need for reapplication in my palm. If I don't have it all there, I tend to skimp on reapplication, and then I regret it later. I dot the sunscreen all over my face, neck (don't forget the back!) and my ears, and then rub it in. Obviously you can be more vigorous in areas like your neck, but where you've applied makeup I generally think it's best to rub in little circles, don't move the sunscreen too far, but work fairly quickly. If anything does rub away from its original location, then it hasn't gone far (that concealer...) and usually you still look fine.

I also really like to use stick sunscreens. I've been using the Murad mostly recently, but Coppertone and Neutrogena also make good ones, and this year Coppertone even has a tattoo sunscreen stick! (I don't have any, I find it amusing that tattoos need their own special sunscreen though.) The sticks are great for putting on after reapplying the sunscreen. I do this as a second added layer of protection, mostly to areas that get hit by the sun a lot and are likely to have the sunscreen there rub/sweat off. My nose, the tips of my ears, the front bit of my part, my cheeks... you get the idea. All of those places that I turn pink first.

how to wear makeup and sunscreen together
I should probably have reworded this graphic, it sounds very dirty! In actuality, this is what I do when I'll be outside for long periods of time and will either be getting wet (pool or beach) or it's very hot & humid so I know that there will be a lot of sweating!

The additional water added means that I can't use my previous SPF lotion or BB Cream as a sunscreen "base" and expect it to stay put. I can use that lotion if I want for hydration, but I definitely need to apply a waterproof sunscreen over the top. I like Aveeno's formulas, Coppertone Sport or Neutrogena (I prefer the Ultra Sheer Dry Touch formula). I apply this sunscreen over my lotion, and while I do my eyes or my hair I give it about 4 or 5 minutes to sink in to my skin and "set". I then blot gently with a kleenex to remove any oily residue so that I can apply makeup without dealing with the grossness.

Reapplication is with the same sunscreen (with the addition of a stick sunscreen) in the same manner as above, working in small sections, blot if you need to, don't forget areas like the tips of your ears!

waterproof makeup to wear with sunscreen
Makeup over the heavier sunscreens and when dealing with wet conditions, is well, much less. I stick to waterproof makeup formulations, and there's less that you can do to the sunscreen covered areas of your face. I like to use a waterproof concealer, I've found that the Lancome Effacernes is the most waterproof, though IT Cosmetics Bye Bye Under Eye isn't far behind and it is more pigmented. I use the concealer just like up above, though I use a little less of it since the sunscreens make it more likely to move around here. For the same reason I can't use blush, so I'll go for a stain like the Julia's Lip Tint, which come in so many shades that you can find a good shade for a blush pretty easily.


Do you reapply over makeup? Let me know how you do it!

Learn more about all of the SPF products mentioned here in my favorite sunscreen post!

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20

Kiehl's BB Cream Review: High SPF with Nice Coverage

Product Sent for Review

Best BB Cream with high spf
I've made no secret of my mini obsession with Kiehl's Ultra Facial Lotion with SPF 15 over the years. My skin just seems to love that lotion, and having the sunscreen built in is a great bonus. I fully admit that it doesn't have quite the SPF I'd prefer (I'd like to be over SPF 30, I don't like turning freckly), so I was often putting Super Fluid UV Defense SPF 50+ over it. (Watch for a review of that sunscreen, finally, in a few weeks.)

I've been experimenting with new foundations, tinted moisturizers and BB Creams recently, and when Kiehl's sent me 2 tubes of their new BB Cream to try out, I admit that I may have done the Dance of Joy.


(Admission, I might be watching Bronson while writing this review. Also, my sister and I used to do the Dance of Joy. That was for you Nikki!)

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At Home Spa Pampering: How I Cram Hours of Pampering into 90 Minutes or Less


How to have an at home spa day
After my recent vacation (Disney World with a 2 year old), I fully admit that I needed a little peace and relaxation. It was fun but... super exhausting! Unfortunately, I didn't have the time (or money) to head to a spa for the full treatment for a day. I did have a few hours at home alone, thanks to a day I didn't have to work and my toddler at "school". So, I took advantage and crammed as much pampering into a 90 minute period as I could! I don't remember exactly what order I did everything in, but here's the kind of multi-tasking I usually do to fill a roughly 90 minute pampering session.

at home pampering
I'm not really one of those girls that likes to lounge around in the tub. I'm busy and have a lot of things to do (and multitask) and they aren't really easily done in the tub. I'm usually doing one thing while another works away, like scrubbing down while a hair mask is soaking, etc.

Things I usually do:

Hair
I have some eczema or atopic derm near my ear, and a small amount of Head and Shoulders Advanced once a week is all I need to keep it at bay in the fall and spring. Something with zinc just keeps my skin happy. I also really love the Green Apple Head and Shoulders, but I just ran out last week, so I'm back to the blue bottle. I'm going to repurchase in the Green Apple after this one runs out, I love the smell of the green apple.

While the H&S is on those little areas, I wash the rest of my hair. Lately I'm really loving the L'Oreal Advanced Hair Care line! I've been using the Total Repair 5 line, and you can see the Shampoo & Conditioner here. The collection is very hydrating and seems to be really improving the condition of my damaged hair with each use. I also have the mask (which I recently repurchased, you can see it on my Instagram), it's hiding under the DermOrganic Hair Masque. So, I wash my hair with the L'Oreal, then I'm masking with the L'Oreal, and then I actually did a second mask with the DermOrganic (I was super pampering!). My hair loved this and was super soft and silky, but not at all weighed down. It still had a lot of volume.

Face
I washed my face with my First Aid Beauty Cleanser, using my Clarisonic.

Body
Obviously, in the shower you need to get yourself clean. When pampering I like to use a really yummy scented body wash, and my favorites are the Aromatic Blends from Kiehl's. They smell ah-mazing and have a nice lather. They don't overdry my skin, but aren't crazy hydrating like my usual Olay, so I don't use them a lot in the winter. I used my Beautisol Exfoliating Mitt with the body wash, so I was super soft and glowy after my shower.

I'm usually afraid to not use my typical Cetaphil cream, when I'm not super hydrated my eczema likes to flare. For about the last week or so I've been using the new Dial 7 Day Moisturizing Lotion, and it seems to be working really well! It's a slightly lighter lotion, and I love that I can just use a pump instead of having to open a tub and smear very thick cream everywhere. (That pump really is so much easier!) It has a very light scent, sinks in to my skin pretty quickly and the lotion does keep me well moisturized for a long time. I'll definitely be using this throughout the summer!

Finally, under all of those products you'll see my Solevation Shower Mat, which I'm totally in love with. I stand on it while shampooing and washing, just twisting and turning. The end result is pretty feet!

 photo me-pampering2.jpg
Once I'm finally out of the shower, I like to spend some time masking/doing my nails. First I should point out that the Rembrandt strips are there because I actually start those before I get in the shower (this is the Rembrandt 2 Hour Whitening System).

Next I start masking!
Kiehl's Rare Earth Mud Mask: This mask still doesn't have its own page, but it is amazing. I use it right after getting out of the shower so it can pull as much junk out of my pores as possible. It gets the job done but is very gentle, which I love!

First Aid Beauty Instant Oatmeal Mask: After masking I like to do a soothing/hydrating mask. If it makes me smell like a cookie, so much better!

Next it is time for nails. You can read more about my preferences in my 8 Pedicure Essentials post from last week, but I use a lot of the same products for my manicure. I have the Nails Inc Kensington top coat here, which dries things in about 45 seconds (though it seems to take more like 4-5 minutes for really dry enough to do stuff). I also have a hand scrub and cream from Julep, which I've really loved. They sent them to me in a free Maven box, which I've found is a great way to find new products. That hand cream is amazing!

Also, I use the 30 second cuticle remover from Sally Hansen, which I've probably bought about 30 times over the years (no joke). I'm loving the CoverGirl nail polishes, they last for a looooong time. This one reminds me of my Chanel Particuliere, but with much better wear. I swear I buy a new bottle every time I go to the grocery store.

 photo me-pampering3.jpg
Finally, if I'd had time, I would have probably tried to include these items as well!

The Clairol Natural Instincts Clear Shine treatment: Since going dark my hair is definitely not as shiny. I'm about to get my hair done again so I'll have my hair dresser do something, but otherwise this is already sitting in my cart on Drugstore.com!

Beautisol Self Tanner: This doesn't turn my skin orange and it doesn't smell! I don't really have time for the "full" treatment, but my plan is to get a bottle to mix in to my lotion and just use it every day. According to Beautisol's Founder, Sinead, this should work really well!

SpaSonic: Like a Clarisonic, but not. It has a head that is big enough for your body! They sent me one to test, but I haven't had a chance to take pictures yet. I won't let it in my bathroom until I do, but it's in my office, taunting me.







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14

Ask a Beauty Blogger: Favorite Cleanser?

ask a beauty blogger
I've recently published 2 posts on my favorite beauty items (here and more items here), but I thought Julie's question was the perfect opportunity to explain my craziness with facial cleansers. I know I'm not the only one with a couple of cleansers sitting around and using them for different things.

So, without further ado, here are the 4 (!!) cleansers that I keep around.

best facial cleansers

1. Neutrogena Naturals Fresh Cleansing and Makeup Remover: This is the cleanser that I've "officially" dubbed my favorite simply because it is the one I reach for the most often. It sits on my countertop and I use it most nights to wash everything off. On days that I can't quite get all of my eye makeup off (it seems to depend on the mascara, that new Maybelline Rocket is quite the hard one to remove), then I reach for the cotton rounds and #4. This one is a bit too thin to work well with my Clarisonic.

2. Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cleanser: This is a very gentle cleanser that removes pretty much everything (except eye makeup, hence the #1), without irritation or drying out my skin. I mostly use this one with my Clarisonic. It is a bit more viscous than the other cleansers, so it seems to stick around in the bristles a little bit more. It also does have a nice lather, but it doesn't go totally crazy with the Clarisonic. All around it's a winner.

3. Skin Authority Moisturizing Cream Cleanser: Another gentle cleanser, but this one is definitely more hydrating. I haven't totally figured out how they did this with something you rinse off. It feels more like a lotion than a cleanser, removes dirt, oil and makeup, leaves lots of moisture behind... I leave this one in the shower to use in the morning, though I'll also bring it over to the counter for times that I'm feeling dry and in need of a little extra pampering. This one works well with my Clarisonic, but it bubbles up a bit too much with the brush for my taste (I get bubbles up my nose!), so I tend not to use the 2 together.

4. Hard Candy Take It Off Eye Makeup Remover: Finally, this is the makeup remover that I use most of the time. It removes pretty much anything you throw at it, and somehow the fact that it is a thick lotion (instead of an oil like most other removers) works in its favor. I sometimes will wipe some on, and let the lotion sit for about 10-15 seconds before wiping it off. The extra time makes hard to remove liners and mascaras just melt off. Love that.


2

Makeup Wars: My Favorite Beauty Items

favorite beauty items
It wasn't so long ago that I shared my list of favorite beauty items, though I admit I had a pretty hard time paring that list down to 10 items! Luckily today, my Makeup Wars group decided to share our favorite items that we repurchase over and over. Which means I'll share another 10 items!

These are items that I keep going back to, have on hand always and use in between testing out other products, and if I run out I will immediately add it to the shopping list. So, if you haven't already, check out my first favorite beauty items list, and consider this the Part Dos version.

1. Cetaphil Cream: This has been a go-to product for me for years. I was even taught to recommend it to parents of kiddos with eczema while in my pediatrics residency. It really helps to seal in moisture after a shower, especially if you apply it right away. I don't even hop out of the shower before I start slathering it on everywhere. Also, I love that it is much less greasy than another high moisture lotion, Aquaphor.

2. Skintimate Shaving Gel: I don't actually have a full review on this product, but it seems to be the shave gel I always grab at the store. I have used other shave gels (Pure Silk, etc), but this one seems to work a bit better for me and it doesn't leave rust stains in my shower. That's a big bonus.

3. Olay Ultra Moisture Body Wash: Yup, a ton of moisture in this body wash. Yup. I do find other ones that I like as a soap, but even with extra lotion afterwards, I miss the moisture from this body wash.

4. Venus Razor: Lately I've been springing for the 5 blade version and it just makes me happy. That is all.

5. Kiehl's Lip Balm #1: This is the last product I use every night, I keep a lot of it around. Just, everywhere.

6. Make Up For Ever Full Cover Concealer: Love this concealer. It blends easily, covers up everything, and the tube lasts forever. I've been using this concealer almost daily for about 2 years and have only repurchased once. That's a lot of concealer.

7. NARS Orgasm Blush: Every girl needs a go-to blush that just works. This one works for going out, work, running errands with my toddler, a dark smoky eye or even just a light wash of tan. See? Perfect blush.

8. L'Oreal Elnett Hairspray: Yup, it's kind of a classic. I like that it holds, lets my hair move still and isn't sticky. A can lasts me forever.

9. CoverGirl TruBlend Foundation: This is the foundation I reach for about half the time. The #415 is a good match for me, I can apply with a sponge, brush or fingers and it will still look good. Oh, and the coverage is easy to build up.

10. Kiehl's Rare Earth Masque: I'm a long time devotee of mud masks, but this one is a bit more gentle on my face and still gets the job done.












At some point, I'm sure I've received some of these items from PR. But, I've repurchased all of them over, and over, and over...
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