What It Does: Hydrates oily skin without clogging pores.
Active Ingredients: Green Tea, Rice, Algae, Leopard Lily, and Wild Rose.
Verdict: This cream has been hyped so much, and usually when there’s too much hype it goes in two ways, either it’s overrated or the product actually really is that good. Having oily skin, it’s always hard to find a moisturizer that isn’t heavy, but at the same time isn’t watery too. This hydrating cream, despite its name, isn’t watery at all. It actually is very hydrating and rich but in a non-oily or heavy way, which is perfect for all of us that deal with oily skin and breakouts. I use it at night and wake up with nourished, moisturized skin in the morning. I recommend it if you have oily to combo skin that’s prone to breakouts.
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What It Does: Promotes relaxation and depuffs eyes.
Verdict: Cold compress masks never seem to work for me, and I always grab those that self-heat over any of those that are made to stick in the freezer. This mask not only helps you relax, but if you use it when you have a headache or head cold, it really helps alleviate the pain. I recently used this while having a headache and it really worked wonders. Not to mention that the heat was so cozy, that on a cold November day it really felt like a godsend. There isn’t a time limit for how long the warmth lasts, but for me, it actually lasted past an hour, enough time to relax and take an afternoon nap.
Bonus: Female-found and run brand, Cruelty-free, designed in London
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“Once he’s gone, I return to my mirror. It is my altar. My cheekbones, my xylophone ribs, my flat stomach, my thigh gap–these are my sacraments.”
PLOT SUMMARY:
Los Angeles fashion model Helen Troy wasn’t always skinny. Drastic weight loss has given her everything–money, confidence, attention, respect. Being thin has legitimized her, and starvation has become an addiction.
Following an encounter with a seemingly “perfect” rival model who destabilizes Helen’s shaky self-confidence and shatters her fragile illusion of control, she’s sent into a tragic tailspin that will take her to the lowest depths of hell. Nightmarish versions of herself begin materializing in mirrors, and her tried-and-true coping mechanisms stop working. Reality comes apart at the seams as Helen’s disease manifests in increasingly self-destructive fashions, forcing her to ask herself…
What does perfection look like, and how much would you sacrifice to obtain it?
GRADE: A
REVIEW:
We follow Helen Troy, a beautiful model living in Los Angeles in this dark novella that explores beauty and love. Helen used to be overweight, and the world despised her appearance when she was. Now – in her new emaciated and attractive body she is despised for her beauty and thinness but also adored for those very same reasons. Life is going great for her until she meets a thinner and prettier model at a photo shoot, which quickly has her derailed into obsessive perfectionism as she tries to become thinner and more beautiful. All this while she’s haunted by the images of her former self (a slug-like abomination) and her possible future (a corpse girl).
The author perfectly depicts the malaise and boredom of LA youth – where parties feel more like funerals and no one really sees you because they’re too busy scrolling their Instagram feed. The characters that inhabit this novella live in their sunglasses as though they wish to hide from the world and people around them because all that matters is youth and material possessions are the only way they feel fulfilled since even the sex depicted is lackluster and boring.
Helen’s descent is harrowing and dark – and not for the faint of heart.
Pick this up if you’re a fan of fatally flawed beautiful people en route to self-destruction.
*Thank you so much to Nightworms for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
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What It Is: A soft, cleansing wash for all skin types.
What It Does: Exfoliates in a non-abrasive way.
Active Ingredients: Japanese Rice Powder, Okinawa Algae Blend, and Hyaluronic Acid
Verdict: I’m picky when it comes to cleansers, but this one is really good. Not only does it leave your skin feeling hydrated after you wash it, but the gentle rice bits also help exfoliate the skin in a way that doesn’t leave your skin stripped. Many people love this brand and I was very excited to try it out since so many people have sung praises for their products. If you’re looking for a milk exfoliator or want a cleanser that won’t leave your skin feeling like the Sahara Desert, then this is your best bet.
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What It Does: Moisturizes and depuffs the eye area
Active Ingredients: Vitamin C
Verdict: This eye cream is lightweight but at the same time feels so satisfyingly rich. I love how refreshing this eye cream felt after a 12-hours flight. It has helped restore and reset my tired eyes, waking up to completely recharged skin that was line free and incredibly hydrated. I recommend this for all skin types, but especially if you’re on the dry side, it’ll be very beneficial. If you suffer from puffy eyes, this will work miracles on you too.
Price: $48
Where To Buy It: Sephora
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What It Does: With 31% pure pigment it cover and conceals imperfections.
Active Ingredients: Green Tea and Rose extract
Verdict: I wanted to love this product because the quality is excellent – however, it doesn’t perform the way I need a concealer to perform. Sure, this concealer perfectly blurs dark under eyes circles and blemishes but the formula is terribly unblendable, which means that it easily cracks when dry. I even tried to use a wet Beauty Blender to ease the blending process – but nope! Maybe if one only uses this for blemishes it can work for you, but it cracks and creases way too much to be placed under the eyes. Not to mention, that I always use an eye cream prior to putting concealer, and I’d hate to see someone try to use this without eye cream prior because it would completely dry the skin out. It’s a pity because the shade was a perfect match for me. C’est la vie.
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Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, ferulic acid, and brightening banana flower extract.
Verdict: This jelly mask is meant to be put on for only ten minutes and then rinsed off. However, I left it on as an overnight mask. I liked how my skin felt the following day – smooth, soft, and supple. My only tiny gripe with this mask is that since it’s jelly, it’s incredibly watery, meaning that it’s difficult to grab hold of it to put on your skin. I’d like a mask that’s a bit firmer to grasp. But other than that, the ingredients are incredible for your skin.
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What It Does: Age-defying oil for dry and sensitive skin
Active Ingredients: Seed Oil, Flower Oil, Lavender, Rosewood, Vitamin E, and Chamomile
Verdict: This hydrating oil smells sooo divine thanks to lavender and bergamot. I’ll be frank, this hydrating oil is one that you will want to use at night, because it wouldn’t do well beneath your makeup (as in it really makes your skin ultra glowy/oily). However, it really packs in the hydration that you wake up to incredibly soft and supple skin. It says that this oil works best for those with dry or sensitive skin, however, my skin is on the oily side and it doesn’t break me out, so I think it’s safe to say that even those with oily skin would benefit from using this hydrating oil. All you need is a dime size amount to spread along your face and neck. The scent is so calming that you’ll be sleeping your way to beauty in no time. If you’re looking for a cleanser to amp up your skincare routine, I highly recommend Osea’s Ocean Cleanser.
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Active Ingredients: Red Algae, Chaga Mushroom, and Vitamin C Ester
Verdict: There are three things I look at when judging an eye cream – Is it thick and nourishing? Is it hydrating? And most importantly, is it fast absorbing? Kinship’s eye cream hits all three of those requirements and exceeds my expectations. I love how hydrating and smooth this eye cream is but the fast-absorbing component makes it possible for this cream to be used during the day under concealer and makeup with no problems. If you’re looking for an eye cream that can multi-task as both day and night cream, then this perfectly fits the bill. Soft, rich, and incredibly restoring – you’ll easily find yourself grabbing this cream as your go-to for your skincare routine. Does it actually help with banishing dark circles? Well, I’m plagued with hereditary dark circles, so for me, I didn’t really notice a difference, but it probably works for everyone else out there that only has mild dark circles. But I’m not at mad about it because I still love how it feels on my skin.
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What It Does: Smooths the appearance of wrinkles, neutralizes redness, and minimizes the appearance of pores.
Active Ingredients: Pili Fruit Oil, Elemi Oil, Calendula, and Lavender
Verdict: A lot can be said of face oils and often I’m not a big fan of them if they tend to be too oily or have an odd lingering scent. Fortunately, this oil is neither of those things. The oil is soft but never greasy and is quickly absorbed by the skin. The hint of lavender is so subtle that it’s never annoying. All in all this is a very effective oil that hydrates and leaves your skin feeling well nourished and supple.
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The Inkblotters 