The best part about a blogger event is the goodie bag – that’s where I find all the latest and greatest new things to try and learn about. Sometimes I even get things sent to me in the mail to try – what a treat! In one of these fun bundles of joy I opened recently, I stumbled across a new beauty product so disturbing that I had to try it and write about it – that’s the WTF?! of this post. I’ve also tried a few new products that I absolutely loved (‘the good’) and one that was rather disappointing (the bad). Let’s talk about them today!
SKIN: MICRO-DERMABRASION AT HOME
I tried a new face treatment that I LOVED by Rodan and Fields. It’s a mini-facial system that includes a micro dermabrasion paste and face and lip serums.
I massaged the paste into my face, washed off after a couple minutes and then applied the serums. My skin was smooth as a baby’s bottom after the paste; perfectly primed to soak up the serums and complete the process. I will definitely be purchasing this paste as an alternative to monthly facials – one jar is $78 and will last you a while versus one facial that costs about $150 per visit. I simply can’t afford them right now, and this is a great way to DIY!
SKIN: CLEANSING WATER + GLOW TONIC
I’ve talked about Pixi by Petra’s Glow Tonic before in my Skincare Essentials post, but I’m bringing it up here again today because I am still obsessed with it. It feels so fresh when applied to your face, and I’ve truly noticed a difference in the quality of my skin tone. The new news about it is that Target is going to start carrying it! They’ve carried Pixi makeup for years now, but the Glow Tonic was only ever available online. How refreshing to find a cosmetics line that is reasonably priced and available at Target!
And speaking of more refreshing liquids you can rub on your face and buy at Target, I’m also really loving this Simple Cleansing Micellar Water. You don’t need to rub it into your face but instead press it into your skin. It will penetrate to provide nourishment and hydration while also pulling out dirt. I’ve been using this in the morning when I wake up, rather than doing a full-on facial cleanser like I use at night. You really haven’t done anything except slept on your skin since cleansing the night before, so using something gentle like this in the a.m. is perfect.
HAIR: DRY SHAMPOO
Confession – I wash my hair only once per week to extend the life of my hair styles. GROSS! But a true story. To control oil and add volume back into my style each day, I use dry shampoo. It’s my savior! I’ve tried many kinds – sprays, liquids and powders – and this one by Oscar Blandi is one of my favorites.
When you notice your style getting limp, you want to apply the powder at the roots. I squirt it all over my head – being careful to avoid my part so you can’t see the powder – and let it sit for a minute to absorb oils from my scalp. Then I rub it in with a little scalp massage. This adds volume and lift at the roots, which will stay because of the layer of powder. Et voila – a pumped up and revitalized style! You can purchase the Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo at Sephora, and you can also find a bunch of other options there if you’re not into the powder.
HAIR: TREATMENT
I’ve also been focusing on the quality of my hair lately because of all the processing I put it through with color and heat styling. A leave-in conditioner after shampooing and a hair mask every couple weeks are becoming usual suspects in my beauty routine. I like these two that I received in a goodie bag, and I would recommend the eSalon Perfect Ending product because it smells so great and leaves my hair soft. As for the hair mask, I’m going to keep trying a few other options and will report back. I like this one, but I also think that coconut oil could do the trick just as well.
MAKEUP: EYE LINER
I’ve been wanting to try this push-up liner by Benefit for a while and I finally splurged on my birthday with a gift card I had to Ulta. It’s pretty revolutionary because of the shape and material of the applicator – it really is different from anything I’ve ever tried before!
You turn one click at the top of the pen and wait for the gel liner to show out of the tip, which is made out of a plastic-y/rubbery material. It fits right up against your lash line and you can control it easily by holding it like you would a pen. I think what makes this successful as a liner for cat eyes is that the applicator is not a point but instead is a diagonal line. It covers more surface area, doesn’t bend and therefore can make a straight line with more control.
My only complaint about gel liners in general is that when they dry, they can get flaky. Keep an eye out for that and make sure your line is fully drawn and all the skin on your lash line is solidly colored.
MAKE-UP: CONCEALER
Oh look! Another Pixi by Petra product! I bought this Correction Concentrate on a whim when I ordered my Glow Tonic. It popped up as a best-seller and, as a professional impulse-purchaser always does, I went for it. I couldn’t be happier that I did. I really, REALLY love it.
A peach-toned concealer works on most skin tones (even dark ones) because orange cancels out blue and purple tones – the culprits in the dark circle conundrum, no matter your skin’s color.
I apply it from my inner eye at a diagonal downward – across the dark circle parts – and stop just under the center of my eye. No need to apply it all over your under-eye. That will make you look like you have a mask on. I also apply it over my broken out areas (my chin) and then use a WET beauty sponge to blend it in. Dab it with a stippling effect rather than dragging the sponge across your skin.
SKIN: SOLUTIONS 24 FOLLOW-UP
Okay – so we’ve talked about all the good new things I’ve tried, but now let’s talk about ‘the bad’. You might recall I was really excited to try a set of products from Walmart that I’d received called Solutions 24 Clinical (full post here). The packaging and application were great, as were the promises to get rid of my dark circles, puffy eyes and dark spots on my skin. I did use them twice a day pretty religiously for several weeks.
Aside from looking like a convict in these before and after photos, I was pretty disappointed by the lack of results. I don’t see any difference in the problem areas that these products promised to fix. I’m bummed! I really wanted these to be wonder products so that I (and you!) could save major moola on skincare from Wal-Mart!
LIP ENHANCERS – WTF?!
Here it is – the product I found so deeply disturbing: suction cups for your lips to make them Kylie-Jenner-sized. What?! Is this really a thing?! Are we as women really going to such great lengths for larger-than-life lips? And to what end? A few minutes of an enlarged pout that will miraculously draw a man to you right then and there because you went from being a slim-lipped ugly duckling to the swan of his dreams?
In trying to understand why this bothered me so much, I had to ask myself how this is any different than carrying around lip gloss or slipping out to the ladies’ room to re-apply my makeup. The only real point of difference I can come up with is that this gadget has the potential to physically harm you. There’s even a warning on the package not to do it too much or you could cause bruising.
At the very least, I should offer my kudos to whomever is being innovative by putting forward an alternative to plastic surgery. It feels uncomfortable to slam something on my blog because I don’t like to bad-mouth or alienate a brand, but I’m taking the risk on making my opinion known on this one.
I gave it a try, and saw no results. You wet the your lips, put the suction cup over them and suck in. It’s uncomfortable but doesn’t hurt. If you are going to try this, I would warn you that plastic can harbor bacteria – which can cause zits around your mouth if you use this a lot and don’t thoroughly clean it.
So my friends there you have it. Mostly good with a sprinkling of bad and WTF?! If I had to recommend any products to you from this post, my two favorites are the Pixi by Petra products and the Oscar Blandi Dry Shampoo.
More importantly, what do you think of these lip suction cups?! Do you find them as disturbing as I do? Why or why not?! Sound off in the comments!
Belle
UPDATE and P.S.: For those of you asking about and interested in Rodan + Fields, please reach out to my contact Lindsay Harrison at [email protected] for more information!
