Tag: eyecream

Review: Glow Recipe Guava Vitamin C Bright-Eye Gel Cream

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What It Is: A brightening and depuffing eye cream.

What It Does: Brightens, depuffs, and hydrates the eye area.

Active Ingredients: Vitamin C, Niacinamide, Peptides, and green caffeine.

Verdict: First things first, I loved the consistency of this cream. It’s not too thick and not too thin either. But I also wouldn’t necessarily call it a gel, as it is more of a cream. Now, I have no delusions that this cream would solve my dark eye circles because mine are hereditary, but I do like that it kind of helped (or at least they weren’t as noticeable). Apart from this, the cream is very hydrating and you wake up feeling your eye area is nourished and refreshed. I’ve only been using it at night, so I don’t know how it holds up beneath makeup. Although, since it isn’t greasy, I’d venture that it would do well under concealer. I’ve been wanting to try out Glow Recipe products and was excited that Ipsy had this in their Glam Icon Box this month. I did like this eye cream but overall I wasn’t obsessed with it, but for the price point it is a good investment.

Price: $38

Where To Buy It: Sephora, Ulta, or https://www.glowrecipe.com/

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Review: Kinship Brightwave Eye Cream

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What It Is: Energizing, brightening eye cream

What It Does: Brightens and hydrates eye area

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.

Price: $34

Where To Buy It: https://lovekinship.com/

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Review: Beyou Caffeine Eye Cream

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What It Is: Morning and night eye cream

What It Does: Firms & brightens eye area

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic acid and caffeine

Verdict: This eye cream is the wake up call your tired eyes need! The cream is lightweight, not thick, so if you’re more into thicker creams, this isn’t the one. However, if you want a lightweight cream that can also be used underneath makeup and concealer, then this does the trick. I do feel that this cream accomplishes in what it sets out to do, firm and brighten. I recommend this eye cream if you want an efficient one, but also one that won’t break your wallet.

Price: $18

Where To Buy It: Target and CVS

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Review: Kiehl’s Avocado Eye Cream

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What It Is: Hydrating Eye Cream

What It Does: De-puffs and Brightens the eye area.

Active Ingredients: Avocado, Shea Butter, and Beta-Carotene

Verdict: It’s no surprise that avocado is a superfood when it comes to nourishing the skin with its hefty dose of Vitamin C and Oleic Acid (a healthy fat) it helps prevent wrinkles and sun damage. Also, it’s fucking delicious to eat, so it’s basically a miracle fruit. So when I had the chance to try out Kiehl’s avocado eye cream I couldn’t be more stoked. This eye cream is hella hydrating and rich. It’s the sort of eye cream that you put on at night cause it’s far too fatty and thick to sit well beneath makeup. Waking up after eight hours of this cream soaking into my skin feels like bliss. The skin is rejuvinated, nourished, and hydrated. Plus, it tackles fine lines like a pro. Like I said, avocado is a miracle fruit and Kiehl’s just managed to package it in a form of a very effective eye cream.

Price: $32

Where To Buy It: https://www.kiehls.com/

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Review: Mario Badescu Dermonectin Eye Cream

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So I’ve been dealing with some serious itchiness on my eyelids since May. I thought that maybe it was an allergic reaction to something new so I stopped using any of the newer products, and still so no relief. I invested in Aquaphor and it soothed my problem for a few days, till it came back up. I’ve been Googling possible skin conditions, and finally, at the end of May, it became so unbearable that I made an appointment with my eye doc to find out what it is that’s been causing this itchiness.

Fast forward to July when I finally have my eye appointment only to find out that my doc can’t prescribe any eye creams, only eye drops. He didn’t think I needed eye drops. By then the rest of the month was consumed by ongoing dentist appointments for a root canal that I couldn’t fit in a derm appointment. SO….yet again I tried to self-medicate and just wanted a very nourishing eye cream that could help curb the itchiness as well as be non-allergic. So that’s how I ended up purchasing said eye cream.

Packaging: Simple and sleek

What It Is: Super hydrating Eye Cream for extremely dry skin

Active Ingredients: Vitamins A & E, with a special blend of vegetable, peanut, and coconut oils

Verdict: Emollient, soothing, and rich are three words to describe this cream. It feels very refreshing and moisturizing the moment you apply it, and for my recent condition, it even soothes the itching and doesn’t burn (which seems to be the norm with most creams right now). Did it stop the itchiness? Not entirely, but that’s not what this cream is designed for. Did it provide incredible moisture and calm the dryness? Yes, it sure did! I really recommend this eye cream if you’re looking for something that’s rich and intensely hydrating (it will quench any dry skin’s thirst for moisture). I’ll probably be repurchasing this eye cream again, whilst I still try to figure out exactly what it up with my odd skin condition (at least it’s not unsightly, just a tad bit bothersome).

Price: $18

Where To Buy It: Amazon

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Empties Post – First One Ever!

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Ever since the internet went crazy with “Empties” posts, I’ve been wanting to write one for this blog. The only caveat? Being able to accumulate enough used up products to write a post about. Seems simple, right? Not when you have far too many products and keep switching from one to another, and the guilt of throwing out something you’re not crazy about seems almost wasteful. So for me, using up a product and thinking about repurchasing the same item again means that I need to have thought it was absolutely AMAZING and willing to go through the experience all over again.

So without further ado, here are a few of my empties:

Honest The Younger Eye

I wrote a full review of this product here if you wish to read more details about it. What can I say? I absolutely LOVE this eye cream! It’s everything an eye cream should be and I think it has greatly improved the skin around my eyes tenfold.

Would I repurchase: HELL YES!

Everyone Face For Every Day Tone

I included this product in my skincare routine post. This is one of my favourite toners because not only is it lightweight, but it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. It also has contributed to keeping my skin acne-free!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Korres Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer

Even for this, I wrote a full review of this product here, if you wish to read a more detailed description. I’m usually not a huge fan of moisturizers cause even the most lightweight ones tend to make me break out, but this one lived up to its claim of being gentle for acne-prone skin, and I fell instantly in love!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye

This cream is a restorative eye treatment for undereye skin. I like that the cream was thick and emollient, and did work in diminishing fine lines caused by fatigue. I didn’t find anything NOT to love about this cream, but at the same time, I didn’t fall in love with it as much as I did with the Honest eye cream.

Would I repurchase: Maybe

Skin & Co. Roma Truffle Therapy Eye Concentrate

I was sad to see this finish as I added this as one of my favourite eye creams that I recommend. This cream feels luxurious and incredibly hydrating. Even a year later I still love it!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Pixi Beauty Sleep Cream

This cream was just a little too much on the thin side for my liking. I’m more into creams that feel very moisturizing and this was a little on the light side, however, it DID keep my skin hydrated and didn’t cause any breakouts. If you want to read a more detailed description, check out the review here.

Would I repurchase: Maybe

Clinique Moisture Surge

I know this is the holy grail of moisturizers for many people, especially if you’ve got oily skin. I was given this cream as a sample by one of the Clinique reps at a cosmetic shop with the promise that I would love it. Well, sorry to burst anyone’s bubble but this is simply too watery for my taste. I guess the lightweightness of it is what makes it perfect for oily skin, but I kinda love thick creams.

Would I repurchase: No

Medusa’s Makeup Grapefruit Astringent

I’m a big fan of toners and this one simply smells amazing! It left my skin feeling refreshed, and kept it from becoming oily too soon.

Would I repurchase: Yes, but they have two other scents (Rose and Cucumber) and I’m curious about the cucumber version.

There’s a satisfying feeling of completion when you get to the end of a product, and I think this is why Empties Posts are so popular. Do you have similar feelings? Would you try out any of these products?

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Review: Too Cool For School All-In-One Egg Mellow Cream

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If you follow my blog, then you’ll know that I swear by Vitamin A for having good skin. Having said that, one of the key ingredients in this moisturizer is egg yolk (which is rich in Vitamin A and proteins that nourish the skin). The nutrients found in eggs not only help nourish dull skin but it also brightens it. It also gets rid of acne (again, because of the Vitamin A) and because it also contains a natural antibacterial that fights acne. Since egg yolk is mostly made up of water and fats, it actually helps lock moisture into your skin cells, leaving skin feeling incredibly soft and supple. What more could you ask from a single ingredient?

What It Is: Firming Moisturizer

What It Does: This moisturizer is supposed to work as a serum, priming moisturizer, eye cream, neck cream, and sleep mask. It also targets dryness, dullness and uneven texture, and firmness.

Active Ingredients: Egg yolk, Collagen (great for anti-aging), albumen (egg white), Niacinamide, and omega oil for proper hydration that visibly plumps the skin.

Verdict: As you can tell, I have quite an obsession for overnight masks (you can check out more here), mostly because I suck at waiting out the 15-20 minutes required for face masks and who doesn’t want to wake up to amazing skin? This moisturizer (that also acts as an overnight mask) has fives uses and is packed with multiple benefits in one convenient package. I mostly use this on my face and neck, but it could also be used for the eyes. This cream has a pleasant scent (anyone who has ever used egg on their face knows how sticky and smelly it can be!). What can I say? The moment you apply this cream, your skin will look visibly plumper and will be insanely soft. But don’t worry, the effects last until the following morning. I woke up to softer skin and with no sign of redness or inflammation whatsoever (which can sometimes be the case for us acne-prone skin types). This moisturizer is a godsend to those of you that have dry or flaky skin, but it’s light enough that even those of us with extremely oily skin (as myself) can reap the benefits and won’t clog your pores!

Price: $36

Where To Buy It: Sephora.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Honest The Younger Eye Cream

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It seems like every celebrity out there lately has a beauty brand (think Drew Barrymore, Salma Hayek, and Rihanna just to name a few), so of course, Jessica Alba decided to expand her Honest brand to include a makeup line. The unique aspect of her brand is that she prides on using natural ingredients and that it celebrates diverse beauties. Plus, since many of the products were Best of Beauty winners by Allure since their launch, I decided to check it out.

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Packaging: I love that it’s both simple, yet sleek and sophisticated.

What It Is: Hydrating eye cream

Active Ingredients: Hyaluronic Acid, Chamomile, and Calendula

Verdict: Now you know that I have a certain love/obsession for eye creams (you can check out some of my faves here). The skin around the eye area is the thinnest, meaning that it’s one of the first places to show any signs of aging. Plus, it feels rather refreshing whenever I keep my eyes hydrated. One of the things that set this cream apart from others, is that not only does it have hyaluronic acid (which zaps wrinkles!) but it also features barbary fig and baobab fruit, which are both rich in essential fatty acids. I know a lot of eye creams out there claim to work, but the difference between all those others and this one is that THIS ONE WORKS! Not only does it work, it works FAST. I love how it leaves my eye feeling both hydrated and soothed. Plus, I love how rich the cream feels but at the same time it is lightweight. I’ve actually used this on my forehead as well and noticed that it has tightened up the skin there and the faint expression line I had basically VANISHED. This cream will have you looking younger and rested in no time. So do yourself a favor, and treat yourself to this luxurious cream that won’t break the bank, but will leave you looking like a million bucks!

Price: $28

Where To Buy It: Target or https://www.honestbeauty.com

By: Azzurra Nox

My Skincare Routine!

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If you have combination or oily skin like me, then this routine will best suit those who have a similar skin type as myself. Many of the products I use are intended for combination to oily skin, so they won’t be necessarily helpful to those that have dry skin.

My skincare routine is pretty simple, but I’ve decided to break it down into two sections: Morning and Night.

Morning

Having oily skin means that I absolutely CANNOT skip washing my face in the morning, as I often wake up with an oil slick all over my face. I know most people prefer to use cold water in the morning to wake themselves up, however, I actually need to use hot water in the mornings to wash my face in order to break down the oils. Another thing that I absolutely cannot do without is facial cleansers!

Here are some of my faves:

Purity by Philosophy

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Burt’s Bees Radiance Facial Cleanser

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Clean & Clear Morning Energy Cleanser

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After washing my face I apply Smashbox’s Photofinish Primer under my eyes to keep that area hydrated throughout the day. I also apply a thin layer of Perfectly Posh’s My Hero sunscreen before applying makeup. And that’s it. No moisturizers, or any other creams or serums, as my skin is too oily and any sort of cream will either increase my oiliness levels or break me out.

Night

I always – always – remove my makeup before hitting the sack. It doesn’t matter how tired I am, or how late I return home, I JUST DO IT. Falling asleep in your makeup is one of the worst things you can do to your skin! Not only will it clog your pores and be the breeding ground for breakouts, but it’ll also cause pre-mature wrinkles! So ladies, if you value your skin, REMOVE THE MAKEUP before bed.

My go-to makeup remover for the past fifteen years or so has been Olay’s Daily Deeply Clean 4-in-1 Water Activated Cleansing Face Cloths (33-ct. $14.19 on amazon.com). Now, there may be some better removers out there, but I’ve been happy with these for so long that I’m not really itching to change it up. But if you have any suggestions, leave them to me in the comments!

Now, once I’m done removing my makeup I use a toner. My currents faves are:

Thayer’s Alcohol-free Rose Petal Witch Hazel with Aloe Vera Toner ($7.99 on amazon.com)

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Everyone Face For Every Day Tone ($4.79 on amazon.com)

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Tip: When choosing a toner, opt for alcohol-free, as any of the toners that contain a high alcohol content or smell like rubbing alcohol will dry out your skin.

After toner I apply an anti-acne cream (my favourite for years has been Neutrogena Rapid Clear Stubborn Acne Spot Cream).

Once I’m done applying a thin later of that, I’ll use top it off with a thin layer of either Clinique’s Even Better Spot Serum (I love this because it moisturizers without being greasy AND it helps eliminate any past acne scars or dark spots) or a thin layer of Isabis Formulae Vitamin C with Vitamin A & E Serum (available on amazon.com for $25.97). I’ll usually use the Vitamin C serum more often when my skin looks like it’s about to breakout, or during moments when I know it’s more prone to breakout (like when I’m getting closer to my period) as this serum is a MIRACLEWORKER when it comes to keeping your skin not only incredibly smooth and soft, but pimple-free!

Last, but not least, I use an eye cream. I’m always changing these up (you can check out some of my favourite eye creams here). At the moment I’m currently using Honest Beauty The Younger Eye Cream ($28 at Target) and so far I’m satisfied with how it leaves my undereye feeling incredibly hydrated and smooth.

This pretty much sums up my skincare routine. It’s nothing too complex but works for me.

What are some of your skincare rituals?

By: Azzurra Nox

Top 5 Best Eye Creams!

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If there’s one night time routine I never skip (apart from always removing my makeup before going to bed), is eye cream. I have to admit, I wasn’t always a fan and I had never tried it till I started working as a makeup artist a few years ago and was given some samples. Not wanting the creams to go to waste, and wondering if they hype behind them was true, I decided to give it a go. From that day on, I became a convert. I know list eye cream as a must-have for my night routine (along with lip balm).

I know there are many creams out there that promise the impossible, but if you’re going to invest in any sort of face cream, I’d say splurge on the eye cream. Here’s why. The skin around your eye are is the thinnest, meaning it’s also the first place to show signs of aging. Any sun damage, free-radical damage, and sleep deprivation comes in the form of crows feet. But there’s a way to combat this.

What you need is an opulent cream that locks in moisture and helps keep those dreaded crows feet at bay.

So, where do you start? Throughout the years I’ve come across over a hundred eye creams, varying in ingredients and price. I know everyone has different needs, but when I go to purchase an eye cream I don’t necessarily grab the one that’s “anti-aging,” but rather opt for the one that’s rich in moisturizing formulas.

Below are my current Top 5 Eye Creams and what makes them stand out from the rest:

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Skin & Co. Roma Truffle Therapy Eye Concentrate

Key Ingredient: Truffle Extract

Why I love It: This cream is thoroughly hydrating. It feels luxurious and has a fresh scent to it. It’s supposed to help diminish the the appearance of fine lines and crow’s feet. Whenever I put it on my skin feels extra moisturized.

Price: $66

Where to Buy It: Skinandcoroma.com

 

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Olay Eyes Pro-Retinol Eye Cream Treatment

Key Ingredient: Retinol

Why I love It: This cream doesn’t feel as thick as my usual go-to eyecreams do, however, retinol is a key ingredient when it comes to fight the first signs of aging. This cream promises to visibly reduce crow’s feet and help cell turnover in just four weeks. I’ve found that it definitely keeps to its word.

Price: $24

Where to Buy It: Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon, or CVS

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Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream

Key Ingredients: Caffeine, Panax Ginseng, and Magnolia extract

Why I Love It: This cream is thick and refreshing. It’s focus isn’t on wrinkles, but rather it helps with de-puffing, brighten, and reduce dark circles. I usually put this on at night, but with caffeine being one of its active ingredients, it could also be used in the morning to wake up your skin. It leaves your skin feeling tingly and fresh.

Price: $32

Where to Buy It: Sephora or Amazon

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Burt’s Bees Renewal Smoothing Eye Cream

Key Ingredient: White Hibiscus

Why I Love It: This cream is lightweight but at the same time feels incredibly emollient. Unlike the previous creams, this one targets both wrinkles and dark circles. Another bonus is that the ingredients are all natural, which is one of the reasons why I love Burt’s Bees products so much. The texture of this cream is wonderful, it quickly absorbs into the skin without leaving any oily residue. I also used this cream when I burned my wrist with my straightening iron and it just so happened to be on my tattoo, and this cream helped the burn heal seamlessly without causing any damage to the tattoo. It’s seriously a very nourishing cream for your skin.

Price: $12

Where to Buy It: Target, CVS, or Amazon

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Bare Minerals Renew & Hydrate Eye Cream

Key Ingredient: Active Soil Complex

Why I Love It: This cream is incredibly rich. It makes my eye area very soft whenever I use it. It’s not oily and fast absorbing. This was the first eye cream I ever used and probably why I got hooked on eye creams in general. It does help tremendously with fine lines. Now, I don’t know how well this cream does on deep wrinkles, but if you’re between the ages of 25-40, then this is a good cream to use. I know that it helped prevent any lines to appear and any ones I did have, they magically disappeared after about six weeks or so. I only used the cream once a day, before going to sleep since I’m not a fan of using creams during the day.

Price: $39

Where to Buy It: Sephora, Ulta, or Amazon

By: Azzurra Nox