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Skincare

4 Insanely Powerful OTC Skincare Ingredients You Need to Try Right Now

As a beauty junkie, I’m always on the lookout for new skincare trends that deliver amazing results. These four OTC skincare ingredients have been around for a while, and they are pivotal to my beauty routine. If you haven’t tried them, run — don’t walk — to the store (or, let’s be honest, run to your computer and order them online) and try them for yourself.

Hyaluronic Acid

You know the fillers that people have injected into their face? Well, hyaluronic acid is one of the components in some of the most popular fillers on the market. However, if needles don’t spark joy, or if you don’t have a few thousand dollars to drop on injectables, the topical version is powerful as well.

By increasing the moisture content in your skin, hyaluronic acid has demonstrated that it can reduce wrinkles, plump up your skin to help with sagging, and speed up wound healing. As Derek Zoolander said, “Moisture is the essence of wetness, and wetness is the essence of beauty,” and hyaluronic acid proves that.

Whether you prefer a serum, moisturizer, or even a vitamin, there is no shortage of HA products on the market. If you’re looking for something splurge-worthy, the Hyaluronic Serum by Dr. Laura Devgan has hundreds of five-star reviews. The Ordinary has a more wallet-friendly option with their HA 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum.

Retinol

Most of us who have spent decades searching for the best skincare products for problem skin are familiar with prescription retinoid products like Retin-A. However, in recent years, retinols have become increasingly available in OTC formulations.

Retinols are an OTC version of retinoids. In a nutshell, they work to neutralize free radicals in the middle layer of your skin, leaving you with smaller pores, reduced wrinkles, and more even skin texture. Whether in the form of a Vitamin A serum or topical cream, retinols have gained OTC traction in the last few years.

Algenist’s Green Microalgae Retinol + Regenerating Serum gets rave reviews, with users stating that it works even for those sensitive to retinol. On the slightly less expensive side, The INKEY List has a highly rated Retinol Fine Lines and Wrinkles Serum.

4 Insanely Powerful OTC Skincare Ingredients You Need to Try Right Now PIN

Vitamin C

Touted for its antioxidant properties and ability to give skin a glow up, Vitamin C is another OTC skincare ingredient that’s not to be missed. I’ve been using a Vitamin C serum for years, and it definitely helps to keep my hormone-induced melasma at bay.

The antioxidants in Vitamin C products neutralizes those pesky free radicals that speed up signs of aging. It’s important to keep these serums in a cool, dark place, as sunlight breaks down the formulations and can render them useless.

Moon Juice makes a powder formulation that can be mixed into other serums and slathered on your skin. If you prefer a more traditional delivery method, try incorporating Paula’s Choice C5 Super Boost Vitamin C Moisturizer into your routine.

AHA and BHA

AHA (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHA (beta hydroxy acid) are sometimes called by their other names: glycolic and lactic acid (AHA) and salicylic acid (BHA). These acids work to exfoliate skin, sloughing away dead layers and exposing newer, brighter skin underneath.

These acids can be used separately, but are combined in some products to soften fine lines and improve skin’s texture. In some formulations, these ingredients can be used as a peel once a month or more often. I’ve had great success with AHA/BHA peels in aesthetician offices, but some are available OTC as well.

It’s important to note that if you use any acids on your skin, use sunscreen. I mean, use sunscreen anyway, but especially if you’re putting acid on your skin. The Shani Darden Triple Acid Signature Peel combines both AHA and BHA and consistently gets fantastic reviews. If a serum is more your speed, Sephora’s Targeted Pores Serum is a good option.

Regardless of your aims, these four OTC ingredients will help you achieve your skincare goals.

Sephora September Play! Box

Greetings! Happy Sephora September Play! Box Day! The happiest day of the month. It’s kind of like Rex Manning Day, only for adults…and about makeup…and not sucky.  Okay, it’s nothing like Rex Manning Day.  And if you don’t know what Rex Manning Day is, please go watch ’90s classic Empire Records immediately and report back.

This month is doubly exciting because I made a video to accompany the post! It was nerve wracking, so I hope it’s not terrible.  It accompanies the launch of the new YouTube channel, and I welcome feedback.  Just not too harsh, please!

So what do we have in the Sephora September Play! Box?

First, the cute makeup pouch with “A Change of Face” on it.  I love these little pouches.  They’re so handy when you need to just throw a bunch of stuff together and go.  As I apply my makeup, I throw it into one of these bags and then just tuck the bag into my purse for the night.  Easy peasy.

September Sephora Play Box - Beauty Chaos

 

Sephora Contour Eye Pencil 12HR Wear Waterproof

Guys, it’s like Sephora knows exactly what I want.  I would say they’ve bugged my house, but I don’t think I’ve said this out loud, so perhaps they’ve bugged my brain.  The thing is, I’m incapable of wearing black eyeliner without it getting all over my under eye area and making me look a) incredibly tired and b) kind of old.  I chalk it up to having oily skin.  But I’ve never tried a waterproof eyeliner, so I’m very excited to give this one a go.

Algenist POWER Recharging Night Pressed Serum

I had to go to the Sephora website to look up what a pressed serum was, and discovered that this stuff goes for $95 a pot.  See, the Sephora box is awesome.  I never would have purchased a full sized container of this because, what if I didn’t like it?  Then I’m out a hundred bucks.  This way, I get to try before I buy.

Serums have seriously become one of my favorite skincare products.  They do so much with so little.  This one promises a radiant and smooth complexion in 10 days, so I’m hoping there’s enough in this lil’ guy to get me to 10.

Sephora September Play Box - Beauty Chaos

 

IGK Hot Girls Hydrating Shampoo and Conditioner

I have to admit, I find this packaging odd.  There are photos of girls whipping their hair around and swimming.  And yes, while I would like to look like these girls, this packaging looks like it’s targeting men, TBH.  On the plus side, it is vegan and cruelty free, and promises to revive stressed hair.  Since my hair constantly takes a beating from hot styling tools, I welcome any product that can restore its shine and softness.

Belif – The True Cream Aqua Bomb

This one I had to look up as well, just because I’m unfamiliar with the company.  So this stuff is cool because it’s oil free, which is great for skin like mine which is oily and has large pores.  According to the Sephora website, in clinical tests subjects experienced a 70% increase in their skin’s hydration levels.  I wonder how they test that…

September Sephora Play Box Pin- Beauty Chaos

 

 

Urban Decay Vice Liquid Lipstick in Amulet

Another waterproof wonder, this lipstick shade is described as a matte brick rose.  While I love the brick rose color, I’m personally nervous about a matte lipstick.  I don’t wear it very often, as it usually dries out my lips and leaves that weird rim around the edges when I eat or drink anything.  Still, the reviews are great, so I’m happy to try it out.

Benefit Cosmetics Gimme Brow

Y’all, I’m very, very happy to get this one.  Benefit’s big thing is brows these days, and although I haven’t visited their brow bar yet, I have been eyeing Gimme Brow for a while.  The packaging promises that it will volumize and tame brows while staying natural looking.  I’ve seen some pretty messed up brows before, and I usually stay away from any kind of fillers for that reason.  It would be just my luck that I’d leave the house thinking my brows looked amazing, then getting out into natural light and realizing I look like a mental patient.

That’s it for this month’s haul.  If you liked the review, please share it!  What do you guys think is the most promising product in here?  Leave me a comment or message me here!

Arbonne Grab Bag

One of the things I love most about being a blogger is the connections I make with people all over the world. Shortly after I launched Beauty Chaos, a woman named Holly Brown contacted me.  Holly is an Arbonne representative, and also has a lovely website, Living Like Lotus. Holly sent a message asking if I would like to try some Arbonne stuff out for Beauty Chaos. Ummmm, hello, freebies? Of course!

So here’s the awesome thing: Holly is from Peterborough, U.K. So after just launching my website, a new friend from across the globe reached out and got in touch.  This Internet thing, I tell ya, it’s simply amazing.

About a week later, my package arrived.

Not only was it addressed to my new business, it was packed to the gills with stuff.  And it had a customs declaration.  How cool is that?

Arbonne Grab Bag - Customs - Beauty Chaos

 

Now, onto the good stuff.

Included in my Arbonne Grab Bag was: A sampler pack of the Calm Skincare line; a sampler pack of RE9 Advanced Anti-Aging Skincare line; “It’s a Long Story” Mascara; FC5 Ultra Hydrating Hand Cream; an “It’s All in the Eyes” eye shadow sampler in a neutral palette; Perfecting Liquid Foundation & Makeup Primer; Smoothed Over Lipstick; and Glossed Over Lip Gloss. It was like I had died and gone to beauty heaven.

Arbonne has been around for almost 40 years.

Although I had a friend who was a rep when I was in my early 20s, that was the first I had ever heard of the company.  As I understand it, they function kind of like Avon, R+F, Mary Kay, etc., in that you have to get the products directly from their Independent Consultants.

Best of all Arbonne is vegan, gluten-free, and doesn’t test on animals.

Huge plus. Huge.  The company formulates without a whole mess of chemicals and contains no animal byproducts as well. The company is focused on sustainability, leaving a small carbon footprint, and has led the way in the green movement in the U.S., with their commitment to sustainability beginning all the way back in 1980.

Arbonne Grab Bag - Beauty Chaos

 

So, are their products any good?

In a word, yes, they are. I began my sampling with the Calm skincare line, which included the Gentle Daily Cleanser, Soothing Facial Serum, Gentle Daily Moisturizer, and Soothing Eye Gel.  Arbonne’s Calm line is designed for those with sensitive skin, as the name alludes to.  The key ingredients are aloe vera, cucumber, licorice, and chamomile, to name a few.

To be honest, this isn’t the line for me.  As I’ve stated in other posts, my skin is incredibly oily and can withstand a lot – I used rubbing alcohol for a time as a toner when I was in high school – so I need something with a little more kick. But I think this line would work well for someone with sensitive skin, as it did not make me break out.  Most products do.  And what struck me was how little of the product I needed with each use.  As Holly quipped when I told her this, “A dot does a lot!”  So my little sample bottles lasted about a week with twice a day use.

Next, I moved onto the RE9 Advanced Anti-Aging Skincare Line.  I’m at that weird point in my skincare life where I’m still breaking out, but having to fight wrinkles at the same time.  It’s magical, folks.  The RE9 line had so much stuff.  There were seven little bottles for me to try!  These included Smoothing Facial Cleanser, Regenerating Toner, Intensive Renewal Serum, Corrective Eye Cream, Night Repair Cream, Restorative Cream SPF20, and Extra Moisture Restorative Cream SPF 20.

Arbonne Grab Bag Pin - Beauty Chaos

I love this line, especially the Intensive Renewal Serum.  Whatever the magic ingredient is, it worked immediately.  My skin felt more supple, smooth and firm.  I have rarely found products that work this quickly.  The Restorative Creams with SPF were very light, and break my skin out.  And the Night Repair Cream left my skin feeling well hydrated.  All in all, this is a line I will likely use again.

My name is Amy, and I am a hand lotion hoarder.

Not all hand lotion, mind you.  But whenever I stay in a hotel, I take the little bottles of lotion and put them in the cosmetic pocket of my purse.  Last time I cleaned it out, I believe there were five in there.  And I wonder why my purse weighs 10 pounds.

The Arbonne Ultra-Hydrating Hand Creme has been added to my pouch, and this is a great one.  It is very lightly perfumed and doesn’t feel greasy after application, both of which are pet peeves of mine when it comes to lotion.  I will definitely carry around a bottle of this with me in my purse from now on.

Onto the makeup portion of today’s show.

When it comes to mascara, I am of the more is better mentality.  If I were only allowed one cosmetic item, mascara would be it.  There’s something about how it transforms my face that wakes everything up.  I feel like I can leave the house wearing only mascara (and concealer.  and a little lip tint.  and maybe some blush.  Oh, who am I kidding?)

That said, I tend to go for the formulas that promise big, bold, voluminous lashes, like Diorshow or, one of my personal favorites, Too Faced Better-Than-Sex Mascara. So I was surprised by how much I liked Arbonne’s “It’s a Long Story” mascara.  Having been blessed with long lashes to begin with, I don’t usually look for lengthening formulas.  This mascara lengthens, but does so without looking like you’re wearing mascara.  It’s pretty cool.  I found myself putting it on every time I would run out of the house and needed a little pick me up, but didn’t want to put on a full face of makeup.

All the colors of the rainbow.

The cool thing about the samples Holly sent is that each one contains all the colors of the collection.  With the foundation, I got to try a couple of colors before finding my perfect shade (Fair/Pale for when I’ve been staying out of the sun diligently, Buff/Chamois when I’ve overindulged in my pool time a bit).  The Arbonne Perfecting Liquid Foundation offers nice, light coverage, perfect for everyday use.  Also included in the sampler pack was their makeup primer, which prepped my skin perfectly.

Arbonne Grab Bag - Beauty Chaos

S.W.A.K.

I’m not a huge lipstick wearer,  so given the choice between the lipstick and gloss, I would choose the gloss.  But the lipstick offers a large variety of shades for all skin tones, and does have a hydrating feel.  As I’ve said before, when I get nervous I bite my lip, so lipstick never lasts long on me.  But for a night out, I would definitely carry this one in my clutch.

The Glossed Over gloss is great, leaving shine without being sticky, and layering easily over the lipstick.  With the sampler pack I was able to try quite a few combos, with some great results.

Overall, Arbonne’s selection impressed me.  There are a few other products in the catalog Holly enclosed that I’m planning to try, including The Real Conceal concealer and Sheer Glow Highlighter.  They even have a line of nutritional products ranging from green powder to protein bars to vitamins.  And with their commitment to being cruelty free, vegan, and green, Arbonne stands out as a company that cares.

Got a line of products you’d like me to try? Thoughts on Arbonne?  Leave me a comment or message me here!

Bliss Multi-‘Face’-eted Anti-Aging Clay Mask

I bought the Bliss Multi-‘Face’-eted Anti-Aging Clay Mask at the same time I bought the Bliss Triple Oxygen Mask.  And seriously, the title is cute but again with the novels.  How about something simple for once, guys?

Me In Bliss - Beauty Chaos

 

The title is technically Bliss Multi-‘Face’-eted All-In-One Anti-Aging Clay Mask, but that’s a pain so I shortened it.

Anyway, I love the Triple Oxygen Energizing Mask, so I thought, why not try another Bliss mask?  On the Bliss website, the product is described as, “a flexible clay mask that helps correct the six most visible signs of aging.”  It’s supposed to smooth the appearance of lines, even skin tone and texture, soften, brighten, and shrink the look of pores.  The website also boasts pretty positive reviews of the mask, so I had high hopes.

The active ingredients in the Bliss Muti-‘Face’-eted Anti-Aging Clay Mask are 10% glycolic acid, to dissolve dead skin cells and help clear skin; quartz, to smooth rough texture; kaolin, a mud that draws out impurities; carbon, a natural purifier; kojic acid, an antibacterial that has brightening properties; and jojoba oil, a non-greasy moisturizer that leaves skin soft and supple.

Bliss Multi Face-eted Anti-Aging Clay Mask Pin - Beauty Chaos

With a lineup like this, I have high hopes.

Plus, it’s Bliss, which is historically an amazing brand. So I wash my face, and as per the instructions on the side of the cute glass pot, apply a thin layer.  The application feels like it’s exfoliating my skin, which I assume is the small pieces of quartz, and is a sensation that I really like.  Having grown up with tough, oily skin, exfoliation is heavenly.

I wait around seven minutes, remove with a wet washcloth, and pat dry, as per the instructions.  And my skin looks…kind of dirty.  I’m prone to blackheads and clogged pores on my nose and T-zone anyway, but this seems to have magnified the problem.

However, I’m no quitter.

Bliss Multi-Face-Eted Anti-Aging Mask - Beauty ChaosPlus, for a brand like Bliss which has so many great products, I figure maybe this product has a cumulative effect and the results will start to show in a week or two.

So I try again.  And again.  And again.  And…see where I’m going with this?  I become the very definition of insanity.  Unfortunately, the mask provided the same results every time. And I had such high hopes.

Maybe I got a bad batch.  Maybe it’s my skin type.  Maybe I’m using the wrong stuff for my skin and I don’t need this level of anti-aging yet.  But this is not a good product for me.

Cost and Where to Buy

By all means, try this out for yourself.  Not every skincare product works for every person.  You can find the Bliss Multi-‘Face’-eted Anti-Aging Clay Mask on the Bliss website for $40 (which is 20% off their regular price), and on Amazon for $50. I’m thinking it might be being discontinued, because Ulta and Sephora have stopped carrying it.

In other news…

I had a whole bunch of stuff to talk about before I started writing this. Then husband and I came home from the grocery store and discovered that there seems to be a dead animal under the house. There is a very distinct smell emanating from one of the screens on our raised foundation, as well as a family of flies buzzing around. Ah, the joys of homeownership.

Pizza Float - Beauty Chaos
I don’t have any photos of dead animals. And I don’t hate you guys. So here’s a photo of me on a pizza float that my nephew bought us for our wedding.

Having never experienced anything like this, my first thought was, “Who do I even call for dead animal removal from under my house?” Fortunately, the Internet exists. Yelp immediately told me that a pest control company can come out and take care of this problem.

Husband is having a crisis about this because he feels like he should be the one to don a hazmat suit and respirator, crawl under the house and find whatever the source of the stench is.  Being who I am, I have no idea why anyone would have this sort of existential crisis.  Why would you want to go under the house to find the dead animal?  Why is this something that you feel should be your job unless it is…your job?

So the pest control guy is coming first thing in the morning.

I think a couple hundred bucks is a reasonable price for someone to crawl under my house and remove something dead. Especially something that has been dead long enough to start to smell and attract flies.  As I’m starting to gross myself out (and hopefully haven’t grossed all of you out too much) I’ll leave it at that.  Oh, and needless to say, WINE.

Do you have any home horror stories?  Or back to the subject of the post, want me to try some other face mask treatment?  Leave me a comment or message me here!

Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer

There’s no doubt about it – my skin is changing as I get older.  Not necessarily for the worse (yet, LOL), but I’m able to use things that I wasn’t when I was younger.  The Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer is one such product.

As a teen and in my 20s, anything not oil free was a no go.

I would spend time looking at night creams and products that promised to stop aging in its tracks with moisture, but as soon as I got one of those miracle creams near my skin, I would break out. Looking at the description of the Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer, I thought I would have the same problem.

The Perricone website describes it as, “A luxurious, rose-scented anti-aging moisturizer that helps to restore moisture, radiance, and firmness to the skin for a hydrated, smooth and luminous complexion.”  To me, that translates into one thing: breakouts.  Combine the fact that the lotion is perfumed with the oil that it surely contains, and I thought I would be fighting a breakout for weeks after using this new lotion.

Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer Pin - Beauty Chaos

Here’s the special part.

Perricone’s moisturizer has some elements that make it special.  First, there’s a fat soluble form of Vitamin C.  Vitamin C is an incredible ingredient for anti-aging.  I haven’t tried a product yet with Vitamin C that I didn’t love.  This particular strain of it is good for sun damaged skin, and it brightens the appearance and reduces discoloration.  As someone with melasma, this is great for me.

The cream also contains something called DMAE, which I didn’t know much about.  Dimethylaminoethanol , or DMAE for short, is a vitamin supplement that can be taken orally or found in skincare products. It is an antioxidant found most frequently in fish that stabilizes cell membranes, helping protect them from free radical damage.  In skincare products, it is used to increase the firmness and tone of skin.

Then, something amazing happened.

I started using the Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer, and I didn’t break out.  Instead, my skin felt…pretty amazing.  I hadn’t read any of the information on the product before use.  To be honest, I wrote it off immediately as a lotion that wouldn’t work for me.  But it did.  It worked wonders.  My skin was hydrated, toned, and as a bonus, I smelled like roses.

Sephora July Play BoxUnfortunately, I only had a small sample pot of the Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer that came in my Sephora July Play! Box, so I didn’t get to use this one for very long.  But that’s the beauty of beauty boxes (see what I did there?): you get to try little samples before investing in the big product.

The sample size was big enough to give me a sense for what this moisturizer can do.  Also, as with a lot of skincare products these days, a little bit goes a long way.

Cost and Where to Buy

The Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer can be found at Sephora, Ulta, or on the Perricone website for the same price, $69.  One Amazon store has it listed right now for $51.83, and with a Prime membership, shipping is free.  That sounds like a pretty good deal to me.

Summing Up

Overall, the Perricone MD Face Finishing Moisturizer is a great product.  I will be adding it into my rotation as soon as I run out of my current lotion.

And now, random things.
Not clouds - Beauty Chaos
Not clouds, smoke. Pretty terrifying.

The weirdness continues in La-La Land this week, y’all.  There’s a huge fire raging north of Burbank, and it’s wreaking all kinds of havoc on the city.  According to Variety this morning, it’s the biggest fire in LA City’s history.  That’s a pretty crazy title, considering that there are fires all the time here.

We can see the smoke from our backyard, which is also crazy.  I thought it was clouds when I went outside yesterday, but nope, huge plume of smoke.  Couple the fire with the heat wave we’ve been having (over 100 degrees for the last week) and the conditions in LA are less than enjoyable right now.

The Van Nuys Animal Shelter is evacuating their animals and placing them with the East and West Valley Animal Shelters, which means those shelters are looking for temporary fosters for as many animals as they can find to make room.  Do I need more cats?  I mean, they’re like potato chips, right? You can’t have just one, or five, or…you know, 100.  I don’t think husband would be very pleased if I brought home more animals right now, but we’ll see.

If you’re in the LA area and have the resources, please consider temporarily fostering.  If you want more info, leave me a comment below or message me here.  And stay safe.

In other news…

I bought husband’s birthday present this week, and it’s kind of also a present for me and I cannot wait.  Unfortunately, I can’t reveal what it is, as I believe he has actually started reading the blog, LOL.  If you want to know what it is, message me! Otherwise, you’ll have to wait until late October…

Sephora August Play! Box

I’m just as excited to have received my Sephora August Play! Box as I was my July one.  Perhaps it reminds me of being a kid, when getting mail felt magical.  Less so now; now it just feels like bills, LOL.

My apologies for being absent last week for my second post.  Husband and I are hosting our first Airbnb and it’s…interesting.  I have had a lot on my plate.

So now, onto the Sephora August Play! Box

Elements of Beauty Sephora - Beauty ChaosThe box again arrived with a cute little “Makeup Geek” bag, as well as an “Elements of Beauty” periodic table.  Adorable.  As I described previously, there are specifications you get to enter when you subscribe for the Play! box, so they’re kind of individualized, which is awesome.

Contents

beautyblender micro.mini This thing is just adorable.  I have wanted to try the beautyblender for a while, and this little teeny bugger is the perfect size for a test run. Reading the description in the pamphlet, I’m surprised to find out that beautyblender has been around for 15 years.  Clearly, I’ve been missing out!  It’s a great shape to get into the under eye area for concealer, or dab on little blemishes (not that any of us get those).  The description promises it will double in size when wet.

Too Faced Mascara Melt Off Cleansing Oil I almost can’t believe it took a company this long to invent a mascara remover in a mascara wand form.  Sounds elementary, I know, but after years of rubbing at my lashes with makeup remover and scrubbing my face, something I apply directly to lashes before wiping is innovative. I usually wear a coat of waterproof mascara over my regular mascara so I don’t get smudges, so I’m excited to try this one out.

August Sephora Play! Box Pin - Beauty Chaos

 

Kat Von D Lock-It Concealer Creme Concealers are a difficult area for me, I have to admit.  Either they don’t provide enough coverage for my Italian-heritage under eye circles, or the coverage is so heavy that when I smile it creases and I end up looking at least 10 years older.  I’m not sure I need the 24-hour coverage that this concealer promises, but the “high-pigment, crease-proof formula” is a definite plus in my book.

Sephora Kopari - Beauty ChaosKopari Coconut Melt So…this one confuses me.  The pamphlet shows it as a cream, but mine is completely liquefied. I’m puzzled, because it’s been inside since it arrived.  The instructions are to “melt a dollop in your hands and apply,” but it’s already melted.  And leaking.  Not great.  Hopefully, the product will be good enough that it’s worth it.   This jack of all trades promises to function as a lip balm, nighttime moisturizer, makeup remover, and more.

Kat Von D Saint & Sinner Perfume Two perfume types to try here, folks.  Between Sephora Play! and Influenster, I have perfume coming out of my ears.  SAINT is a more floral scent, with notes of mandarin, jasmine, and tiare flower, with a base note of musk.  SINNER is in the warm and spicy family, with orange blossom, cinnamon, and vanilla.  Sounds like smelling like a scone.  In all seriousness, they both smell pretty good, so hopefully that’ll translate into smelling good on me.

Living Proof Sephora - Beauty ChaosLiving Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo OMG, I could not be more excited about this one! All I’ve read is that this is the BEST dry shampoo on the market, bar none. Supposedly there’s a “new patented molecule” that allows Living Proof’s dry shampoo to absorb oil more effectively than any of the competitors out there, leaving hair truly voluminous and refreshed.  Will it make me look like Jennifer Aniston?  It’s worth a shot.

 

That’s it for the Sephora August Play! Box

I’m super excited to try out these products and see which ones work, especially the two in here from my “try” list.  See, this is why I joined the beauty box program.  I knew that at some point, they would send me something I’ve been wanting to try.

What was your experience with subscription boxes?  Leave me a comment or message me here!

Don’t forget to check out my 30-Day Pamper Yourself Challenge!

BLISS Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Face Mask

I was first introduced to the BLISS Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Face Mask when I was in my early 20s.  And seriously, what is with these long, long names of products? Anyways, I was visiting a friend who was living in New York City, and she had this mask.

As with lots of girlfriends, one of our favorite activities had always been a spa night.  So she produced multiple face masks and we slopped on one after the other.  I remember the BLISS Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Face Mask being one of my favorites of the visit.

Introduction

BLISS Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Face MaskSold at Ulta, one of my favorite places, the BLISS Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Face Mask promises to brighten, detoxify, and refresh skin for a youthful glowing complexion.  It contains vitamins C and E, as well as grapeseed extract, rice bran, and green tea.  Sounds like one of my smoothies.

According to the Ulta website, 100 percent of women ages 19 to 65 agreed that their skin was more radiant after use.  The reviews are largely very positive, with only a few negatives.

Experience

I follow the instructions on the Ulta website to use a generous amount and lather into a foam.  The BLISS Oxygen Mask has a light, citrusy scent that I really like. During the five minutes suggested to leave it on, I can feel the mask bubbling and frothing on my skin.  This is actually a pretty pleasant sensation, except that it feels like it’s dripping into my mouth at times (it’s not).

After I rinse my face and inspect my skin, I see that it looks slightly more glowy.  My skin feels clean and refreshed, as promised.  I’m not sure if it’s any brighter, but that may take some time.  Since the bottle is pretty big, I’ll be able to use this over a period of several weeks and see if anything else changes.

Cost and Where to Buy

You can find BLISS Triple Oxygen Energizing Face Mask at Ulta for $56.  Macy’s, however, has it for $27, and I’ve definitely seen it at TJ Maxx before (though I’m not sure what the price is on it).

BLISS Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Face Mask Pin - Beauty Chaos

Summing Up

I like the BLISS Triple Oxygen Energizing Face Mask enough to add it into my regular skincare routine, which is saying something. There haven’t been many face masks lately that have met the requirements.

Random Thoughts

BLISS Triple Oxygen Instant Energizing Face Mask - Beauty Chaos
I’m ready for my close up

Have I mentioned that my cat is a model?  Or almost, anyways.  I file this in the “only in Los Angeles” category of my life, along with seeing Matt Leblanc buying frozen lasagna in sweatpants, or my husband getting asked for a beer recommendation at the grocery store by Jon Hamm.

I submitted for an acting job with a pet supply company a little while back, and I had to include a photo with one of my kitties.  Anya fit some of the specs they were looking for, so I chose her.

Well, the company contacted me.  Noooo, no, no, they don’t want to hire me! Silly girl.  They want to hire my cat.  I mean, she is gorgeous.  But only in LA.  At least now I don’t have to worry about getting her an agent; I bet she’ll get scouted on set.

Got a face mask you want me to try?  Leave me a comment or message me here!

Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels

I was super stoked to try Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels.  Having read about these quite some time ago, when I went to Ulta recently I was so excited to see them.  They are heralded as a “celebrity favorite,” therefore sending them directly to the top of my list.

Skyn Iceland is also free of parabens, formaldehyde, and all the other chemicals I can’t pronounce or spell.  Best of all, they’re vegan and cruelty free.  Score! And Rachel Zoe loves them.  Did anyone else watch that show?  Bananas ????

Skyn Hydro Cool Gels - Beauty Chaos

Rachel Zoe is the only celebrity listed under those who love the product, but it has been featured on Rachael Ray, Good Morning America, and a whole host of other relatively well respected TV shows.

Introduction

The packaging is simple and clean, just the way I like it.  Had I not seen this in a magazine previously, I would have been attracted to the packaging on the shelf for sure.  At around a $24 price point I feel like it’s a tad expensive, but there are four pairs of eye gels to a package so it’s not entirely unreasonable.

Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Gels - Guitar Piks! Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels look like little wings.  Or spatulas.  Or weirdly shaped guitar piks.  Oh, and look, you can see where I ruined the coffee table with nail polish remover to the left of them.  Shhh, don’t tell husband.

The instructions state to stick on the Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels under your eyes and leave them for 10 minutes.  The package promises they will firm, de-puff, reduce dark circles, and prevent future damage. I am excited.  They have CoQ10 in them, which is generally taken in vitamin form to help prevent a whole host of maladies including heart failure, cancer, and muscular dystrophy.

Experience

As I take the eye gels out of the package, they feel pretty much how you might think – soft and cottony on one side, a little gooey on the other.  I peel them off, stick them on and set off to make my kettle corn, aka dinner while husband is away.

Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Gels
Every time I take one of these, I realize how badly I need to wax my eyebrows

They’re kind of itchy, to be honest.  But they feel like they’re working. And when I say “stick them on,” I mean it.  These things stick.  I tried to kind of adjust after I slapped them on my face, but they were not budging.

I think I put them too close to my eyes, which is why I was trying to kind of move them.  So they’re kind of uncomfortable.  But I pour myself a glass of wine and deal with it.

After the 10 minutes are up, I gleefully ran to the bathroom to remove the  gels.  They peel off easily, which is a relief because after not being able to budge them, I was a little afraid.  I look in the mirror and feel…confused.  There is no discernible difference.  I pat my under eye area gently, thinking it might be like a face mask and I have to pat in some sort of serum, but there is nothing there.

Now, this may not be the case for everyone.  Perhaps I don’t have the right problems for the Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels to fix.  My under eye area is plagued by dark circles, but I seldom experience puffiness.  I’m starting to get fine lines, but they’re not terrible.  And I’ve come to the conclusion that nothing can help the expression lines when I smile. That’s just part of aging.

Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Gels Pin

Cost and Where to Buy

You can find Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels on the Skyn Iceland website for $30.  Ulta has them for the same price.  Walmart has them for $23.87.

Summing Up

The Skyn Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels have great reviews on every site I’ve visited.  I think perhaps I’m not the correct audience.  Or perhaps tomorrow, I’ll wake up and something miraculous will have happened overnight.  For now, I don’t really see a difference.

Have you tried the Skyn Eye Gels?  Leave me a comment or message me here and let me know what your experience was!

Top 10 Ways You’re Aging Your Skin

Top 10 Ways You’re Aging Your Skin (Prematurely) (and how to avoid it):

Nobody wants their skin to look older, especially before it’s time.  And if you’re like me, you’ll do just about anything to preserve your youthful glow for as long as possible.  Unfortunately, most of us engage in habits every day that can contribute, and even quicken, the aging process.  Here are the top 10 ways you’re aging your skin, possibly prematurely, and how to avoid doing it.

Sun Exposure

Look, I live in LA.  I was a lifeguard for seven years growing up.  I went tanning.  A lot.  Before that, I would often look at family vacation videos and think, “Who is that really tan child?” before realizing it was me.  But the sun worship has to stop sometime.

So stay out of the sun as much as possible.  Wear sunscreen, at least SPF 15, higher if you can.  And for god’s sake, do not go tanning.  I don’t even understand why these things exist anymore.  If you need color, get a spray tan or apply self tanner.  Just as effective, and you won’t wrinkle at 25.

Not Drinking Enough Water

Top 10 Ways You're Aging Your Skin - Water

If you dehydrate your insides, you can bet that your outsides will suffer as well.  The old adage of eight glasses of water per day exists for a reason, and you can bet your skin will thank you for it.  Plus, you might even feel better.  Dehydration can cause all kinds of problems, including poor digestion, moodiness, and exhaustion.  Chug some water.  You’ll thank me.

Sleeping in Your Makeup

When I look back on my teens and college years, I cannot believe that I did this.  I can barely stand to wear makeup for an entire day now, let alone sleep in it.  When you sleep in your makeup, it increases your exposure to free radicals, which leads to collagen breakdown, which ages your skin faster.  Plus, sleeping in makeup just feels gross.  You can get eye infections.  All kinds of yucky stuff.  So just don’t.

Not Getting Enough Sleep

We have all been guilty of this at some point in our lives.  I’m an insomniac, and I can definitely tell when my bouts of this glorious disorder are happening.  I look at least five years older than I usually do.

When you don’t get enough sleep, your skin doesn’t repair itself.  It messes up your pH levels and causes dehydration (see above).  You get dark, puffy circles under your eyes that no amount of coffee can banish.

Now, I believe the term “enough” is relative.  Enough sleep is different for every person.  I need around nine hours; my husband needs five.  But whatever your body needs, listen to it.  Your skin will thank you.

Smoking

Top 10 Ways You're Aging Your Skin - Smoking - Beauty Chaos

You guys, we all know smoking is bad for you in about a million ways.  We know.  But I still get it.  As a former smoker, I understand why people smoke.  But it will age you faster.  There is no doubt about it.  Smoking causes wrinkles; dull, sallow skin; and again, dehydration.

I’d love to say I don’t smoke anymore for my health, but to be honest, I think it’s more out of vanity.  I don’t want to age any faster than I have to.  So if you smoke, stop, or your skin will pay the price.

Not Exercising

I have friends who swear by not exercising, and I don’t understand this.  I’ve always needed it, if not to regulate my weight and combat the many, many marshmallows I consume, then to regulate my moods.  I suffer from depression and insomnia, and damn, can I feel it when I don’t exercise.

Since exercise literally gets your blood pumping faster, so it improves circulation, giving your skin a more youthful appearance.  I believe that a good sweat session can help clear impurities from pores, but I don’t think that’s been scientifically proven.  Again, your body will thank you.

Being Overly Rough While Cleansing

This is a tough one, especially in the advent of the Clarisonic brush and the many exfoliating sponge-like things I see floating around.  I bought a facial brush convinced that it would clear out my pores, only to have my aesthetician tell me a year or so later that those brushes can cause tiny tears in your dermis, damaging your skin more than helping it.

Roughly cleansing your skin can cause irritation, which can cause premature aging.  It’s enough to simply cleanse gently to remove pollution, makeup, and dirt.  You don’t have to take a layer off while doing it.

Top 10 Ways You're Aging Your Skin - Sun Hat

Making Repetitive Facial Expressions

 

Top 10 Ways You're Aging Your Skin - Expression - Beauty ChaosI mean, look, you can’t stop your face from expressing.  It’s life.  It’s what makes us human.  Short of getting Botox to freeze your face, it’s difficult to train your eyebrows to stop jumping up at a moment’s notice when something is funny or surprising (trust me, I’ve tried).  If Botox is your cup of tea, that’s one way to go.  I have a thing with needles, so I haven’t tried this avenue.

But there are things you can do, like wearing sunglasses when it’s bright so you aren’t squinting all the time, or being cognizant of frowning while working and avoiding the dreaded “11s”.  I am guilty of that and have to constantly think about relaxing my face while I work.

Excessive Alcohol Consumption

Top 10 Ways You're Aging Your Skin - Alcohol - Beauty ChaosAgain, I get this one.  I like my wine.  But we’re living in a time where I see increasing articles about women over-indulging in alcohol.  Going home and having a glass of wine after work sounds like a great idea.  Why not make it two or three?  Next thing you know, you’re half a bottle in.  It’s easy.

But alcohol is dehydrating. It’s rough on the skin.  It doesn’t do your pores any favors, and if consumed really excessively can cause broken capillaries on the face.  So maybe just pay attention.  “Excessive alcohol” is generally classified as more than one drink a day on average for women, two for men.  Plus, if you overindulge in alcohol, you tend to make poorer food choices. And no amount of Khloe Kardashian’s skincare routine can repair that.

Eating Junk

Which brings me to my next point: healthy eating.  I like my junk food as much as the next person, but it’s important to consume the fruits and vegetables that will give your body the nutrients it needs to function at its best.  And you can take a multi-vitamin, but experts agree it’s better to get these nutrients from food.

Once again, it’s an inside out thing.  We’ve all had those friends who can eat boatloads of sugar and dairy and carbs and stay thin and have skin that would make Sleeping Beauty jealous.  Good for those people.  I’m not one of them.

Bottom line here is good skin, for most of us, takes some work.  Take care of your insides and your outsides will show it.  Protect your skin and care for it. ????

Got a top 10 you want me to do?  Leave me comment or message me here!

Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask

Today fun with face masks continues!

Although I suppose it never really stopped, just took a pause long enough for me to regroup after the Blackhead Mask disaster.  I’m trying out Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask.

Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask
Leaders Coconut Face Mask - Serial Killer - Beauty Chaos
Jason? Michael Myers? Leatherface?

The Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask is one of the newfangled sheet masks that everyone is raving about.  As I’m writing this, it sits on my face like a horror movie killer mask.  Seriously, I’m scaring the cats.

I bought the Leaders Brightening Mask on my most recent trip to Ulta, aka beauty mecca.  Ulta and Sephora each jockey for that position in my heart.  On the one hand, Sephora is amazing, but it’s  expensive and there’s no other options but the expensive stuff.  Ulta, alternatively, has an entire section of drugstore products.  It’s a tough choice.

Choices, Choices

Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask - Ulta HaulOne of my favorite things to do, when I have time, is wander around Ulta and look at the different displays they have.  This is probably how I end up with a bag full of products, as you can see on the right.  Hi, I’m Amy and I’m a cosmetiholic.  That’s why I have this blog ;).

The Leaders Mask happened to be on a display with a bunch of other sample-ish sizes at the end of one of the skincare aisles.  It was right next to the Skyn eye masks, which I will definitely be trying out this week.

There were a bunch of masks to choose from sitting on the display, but I decided to start simple with one.  My skin has been looking a little dull lately, so I thought the Coconut Recovery Mask would be a good fit.

First Impressions

Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask Face - Beauty Chaos
Feeling a little more relaxed as time goes on

So the Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask comes in this little pouch that you tear open.  The pouch is squishy, and feels like it’s full of gel.  When you pull it out, the instructions are to “peel off protective film from one side.” However, the mask is folded up and, having never done this before, I struggle a bit.  But I am a college graduate, so I eventually figured it out.

The actual mask is sandwiched between two paper sheets.  I believe the mask itself is made of cotton and soaked in the serum. The active ingredients are Telangyn, a skin tone improving compound; and Niacinamide, a brightener.  Since I have never heard of these ingredients, I’m sure nothing can go wrong.j

Experience

Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask Face - before and after
Before (Top) and After (Bottom)

Like most masks, the Leaders is uncomfortable, but not intolerable.  It’s cool on my skin and stays in place, which I find pretty impressive.  Peeling the mask off is easy, and leaves a residue of serum on my face.  As instructed, I pat the excess serum into my face, leaving it feeling a little sticky, but definitely moisturized and better than it felt this morning when I woke up.

I left the mask on for 20 minutes.  The instructions say 10 to 20, and since I’m a beauty extremist I went for the full 20.  My skin feels moisturized, for sure, and I feel like the clock has turned back a few years…or at least to yesterday before I drank that red wine last night.

Cost and Where to Buy

As I said, I bought my mask at Ulta for $7, which I see now that I’m doing research was kind of a rip off, since MaskSheets.com has it for $2.  $2! I definitely overpaid.  MaskSheets.com, however, requires you to pay shipping unless you order over $40 worth of stuff.  I guess I’ll have to stock up on my masks and write a bunch of reviews.

Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Face Mask Pin - Beauty ChaosSumming Up

This is a good mask.  I think it would work best on those with more dry skin.  Since my skin is oily it feels a little sticky and slick, but I’m glad I tried it. For $7 if you’re looking for a little pick me up or need some pampering/self-care, I think it’s manageable.  Or if you feel a mask frenzy coming on, try MaskSheets.com and get yourself a bunch.  They have crazy sales on their site and you can get a lot of sheet masks for $1 in their Sale area.

Have a mask you’d like me to try out?  Leave me a comment or message me here!  And don’t forget to subscribe!