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skincare

Leaders Coconut Gel Brightening Recovery Mask

July 17, 2017

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

One 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.

Summing 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!

Gadgets, Skincare

Micro Rolling for Anti-Aging

July 6, 2017

I am an adventurous person when it comes to skincare, haircare, pretty much anything related to beauty. Trying new products gives me a special thrill. So when the micro rolling trend started popping up on a bunch of my friends’ profiles who were selling Rodan & Fields, I was curious.

And seriously, talk about something that’s taking the skincare world by storm; I feel like I woke up one morning and 80 percent of my Facebook friends were peddling the R+F products. Spread faster than Kool-Aid at a cult. And the results these women were posting were amazing. Nothing short of miraculous was happening to their subjects’ skins, and I wanted in.

So I started doing my own research.

Since I wasn’t feeling particularly in need of completely changing up my skincare regimen, I began looking at some of the specific products. The micro roller caught my eye. Micro rolling for anti-aging has been used by aestheticians in offices for a while. But it wasn’t until relatively recently that these handy products became available to the general public.

Now, I should pop in a disclaimer here. The effects of micro rolling or micro needling or dermarolling or whatever you want to call it are heavily debated by dermatologists. Many say that the needles that are sold for public consumption are not effective, and that the only way to see real results is by having it professionally done. Others say that it’s dangerous to do at home, and to stick with having a professional do it.

Never one to shy away from a skincare tactic because it’s dangerous, I decided to go ahead and try. As I’ve said in previous posts, though, my skin is pretty tough. When I was in high school I sometimes used rubbing alcohol as astringent. So those with fair skin, be forewarned.

There are many different sizes of micro roller for anti-aging that are available to purchase. This website does a really great job with charting the uses, safety precautions etc. But I’ll outline them below as well.

Sizes of Micro Roller

0.2 to 0.5 mm rollers are the smallest available for home use. These are used to thicken the top layer of the skin, stimulating collagen. They help with large pores, hyperpigmentation, wrinkles, and shallow scars. Said to be mildly to moderately painful, with no to minimal bleeding. These rollers can be used daily, but can cause redness, dryness and irritation. With 0.5 mm rollers, care should be used not to overdo use.

0.75 to 1.0 mm rollers are the mid-level players. They work in the same way that the smaller rollers do, with the added benefit of helping with deep acne scarring and stretch marks. Said to be slightly to moderately painful, with possible slight to moderate bleeding. These rollers are good for all skin conditions. They should be used anywhere from four to seven times per week, and should be monitored closely.

1.5 to 3.0 mm rollers are the real heavy hitters. These micro rollers are not for use on the face. They can be used for severe scarring

or stretch marks, and are generally used only in dermatologists/aestheticians offices or for use on the body. Said to be very painful, with bleeding occurring. Six to eight weeks is the optimal recovery period for these rollers.

Personally, I went with the 1.0 mm micro roller.

As I said, I have pretty thick skin (purely externally) and I didn’t think the 0.25 mm and 0.5 mm would do much for me. My suspicion was correct.

There is a specific technique to micro rolling. The roller should be used horizontally, vertically, and diagonally over the whole face (avoiding the eye area) for a maximum of two minutes. I usually go around my whole face horizontally, then vertically, then diagonally. Generally, I roll back and forth a couple times in about one inch sections all over my face. There are YouTube videos on technique if you need instruction. I did. I watched a YouTube tutorial.

Now, I’m not going to lie. It hurts a little. Not a lot, but it doesn’t feel like a nice massage in the way some other skin treatments do. It pretty much feels like you’re running little needles over your face. But the results are worth it.

The idea with micro rolling for anti-aging is to use the roller, then apply your serum or treatment so as to achieve better absorption. For my regimen, I used the roller, then my trusty ice, then applied serum or moisturizer.

The results are pretty insane. I swear I can see a different in my skin’s texture after one use. Suffering from a little residual acne scarring from my teen/younger adult years, I’ve tried everything from microdermabrasion to lasers. But this roller works. My skin is slowly progressing towards no-makeup status, which for me would be heaven.

As far as I understand, there are no scientific results to back this up.

However, my results have been fantastic. I will continue using the micro roller a couple times a week for the foreseeable future. It’s a quick, easy, inexpensive step to throw into any beauty routine.

I would suggest doing research to decide which roller is right for you. Overstock has this nifty little four-in-one kit with different sizes, which might be good for experimentation. I found mine on Amazon, which has about a million of them.

Random Thoughts

Micro Rolling for Anti Aging - Beauty Chaos - Moonie — Moonie

Micro Rolling for Anti Aging - Beauty Chaos - Kiki — Kiki

As for my life this week, the foster kitties, Kiki and Moonshine, have had an application and a visit with a potential new family! So we might be down two kitties in the near future. Also, the pool is finally ready, so I’ve been spending some quality time floating around in there — usually after work and before I write. Since I’ve been fighting off this cold, I’ve also been doing water aerobics, which I used to think was just for seniors but I’m finding quite enjoyable.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Compliments? Comment or message me here! And if you like my writing, please subscribe! I’d be eternally grateful and maybe even invite you over for a swim.
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Beauty, Skincare

Cherioll Suck Out Blackheads Face Mask

June 12, 2017

So I’m very, very excited. Despite still grappling with this hideous cold, while I was in the shower this afternoon my Amazon package came! And that means delivery of my first-ever charcoal mask. I can’t remember where I heard about the Cherioll Suck Out Blackheads Face Mask (loving the name, BTW), but if it’s on my Amazon Wish List, I probably read about it in a magazine.

I have been just jonesing to try one of these. Especially one where the packaging makes little sense in English. This mask says, “Penetration ability and stubborn blackheads pores absorb dirt, astringent improve dull rough skin.” Yep. Amazing.

As you can imagine, I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of this package since I ordered it on Thursday. Seriously, what did I do before Amazon Prime? Now I’m so spoiled, when I order stuff from anywhere else it feels like it takes forever. Plus, my copy of “American Gods” is in the package and I need to get a jump on it because I’m hosting book club in a couple weeks.

That’s right. Crazy cat lady and book club? How much sexier does it get?!

First Impressions

Other than the labeling is amazing, my first impression is that this stuff is black. Like, staring into space black. When I open the tube it immediately starts oozing out of the package, so I frantically start scooping it onto my face. It smells kind of like the peel off face masks I remember from my teen years…I think they were orange flavored or something. Not entirely unpleasant, but it does feel like I’m slathering latex on my face and need a pair of leather pants and possibly a whip to complete my ensemble.

As I write this, I am sitting waiting for the mask to dry. The package says to wait 15 to 20 minutes, peel off, then rinse with water. I will follow with my 30 seconds of icing and light moisturizer.

Experience

Peeling the Cherioll Suck Out Blackhead Mask is a little bit gross, but a little bit satisfying. For the most part, it comes off in a sheet. Although at some moments it feels like it’s taking my skin with it. I rinse my skin and assess. Unfortunately, the mask seems to have done nothing except tighten my pores slightly. Any blackheads that I hoped to get rid of are still regrettably intact.

Cost and Where to Buy

If you’d like to try the Cherioll Suck Out Blackhead Mask for yourself, Amazon has it for $13.98. I haven’t been able to find it anywhere else.

Summing Up

Unfortunately, I didn’t really like this product. I’d give it a 4 out of 10. Not only did it not do what it promised, I now have black stuff all over my towels. I hope it comes off with a wash. I don’t think the peel-off mask did anything to necessarily harm my skin, but I probably won’t be breaking it out and slathering it on again. If you decide to try it, I suggest cleaning up with a towel that you won’t miss, just in case the black stuff doesn’t come out in the wash.

And now, your blog-ly dose of cuteness.

Got a comment? Question? Suggestion? Shakespearean insult? Comment below or message me here!

Skincare

Khloe Kardashian’s Nighttime Skincare Routine

June 5, 2017

So for my next trick, I’ve decided to try out Khloe Kardashian’s nighttime skincare routine. I thought of this while I was vacuuming, which seems to be when I write a lot of stuff (in my head). That and the shower.

I’m cheating a bit on this one, though, because I’ll have to write it over a span of a week in order to fully experience the skincare regime. In the interim, I hope to review some other stuff, so if you have any ideas message me here!

But in the meantime, how are things? Well, mom, thanks for asking. Since my house is now bursting with cats, I spend a lot of time vacuuming. I’d say if I spend 50% of my life sleeping, about 49.9% of the time I’m vacuuming. My husband says he’s the only thing that’s keeping me from being a crazy cat lady (even though he’s the one who brought home the latest snuggle bug). I say the joke’s on him, because pretty soon there will be dogs and chickens and bunnies and if he weren’t here there would probably be a cow, so ha. People would probably think I’m building an ark. Crazy cat lady is the least of my worries.

Khloe Kardashian’s Nighttime Skincare Routine

Now I, like a lot of the population, have grown a bit tired of the whole Kardashian clan. However, if I had to pick one, it would be Khloe. She’s always been my favorite. Maybe because she’s a bit of an underdog. Or because compared to her sisters, she’s super tall, and I know that feeling. Who knows? But Khloe is my Kardashian spirit animal.

On a side note, being inspired while vacuuming is kind of a pain, especially when I’ve done said vacuuming after my workout and am super sweaty. But anyways.

According to Khloe, the first thing she does is wash her face three times with Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Gel Cleanser. Then she mixes her La Mer face cream with a couple drops of vitamin E oil and slathers it on. She then puts vitamin E oil on her lashes, before crawling into bed to, apparently, edit episodes of “Keeping Up With the Kardashians.” I think this claim is suspect, but whatever.

So I’m going to modify this routine slightly. First of all, I have a face wash that I rely on, Clinical Formula’s Facial Shampoo, so I will be using that. Secondly, I’m slightly older than Khloe and have been blessed with adult acne, so I will continue using my Retin-A and benzoyl peroxide every other night. Third, I need money for food and stuff, so I won’t be using La Mer moisturizer, even though I’m sure it’s made of the tears of a thousand virgins and is what keeps stars looking so young. I will substitute Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture and put it on 15 minutes after either the benzo or Retin-A.

Also, I ice my face every time I wash it. My aesthetician insists on it and I swear, it’s slowing down the aging process.

So down the Kardashian rabbit hole I go. I’m skeptical of this routine, rather the vitamin E oil step, only because I’m certain my skin will break out from rubbing oil on it. But I’m willing to try if I can glow like my favorite K.

Day 1

So last night, I washed my face three times (even though I wasn’t wearing nearly a third of the makeup Khloe wears), rubbed my ice cube on my face, and got ready for the moisturizer. I put two drops of vitamin E oil in my Neutrogena oil-free moisturizer (yes, I see the irony) and slathered it on my face. It felt great, but I was sure I could feel my pores clogging.

Next I put a few drops of the vitamin E oil onto a Q-tip and rubbed that carefully along my lash line, so as not to blind myself. I conducted an experiment a couple years ago where I made my own lash treatment from a Pinterest post consisting of castor oil, vitamin E oil, and something else that I can’t remember. The instructions were to apply it with a spoolie mascara brush nightly. Every night, I suffered through blurry vision and oil in my eyes, with very little payoff. Not the best, Pinterest.

This morning, I was sure I would wake up with pores erupting like Mount St. Helens. To my delight and surprise, my face was soft, smooth, and not broken out. At least, not any more than usual. My eyelashes looked the same.

Day 2

Last night I washed three times, used ice, benzoyl peroxide, and moisturizer with vitamin E. Today I woke up and my skin looked pretty good. Not super glowy, but not dull and looking like it was aching for moisture either. About midway through the day, however, I did get a blemish starting on my cheek, and i noticed my pores looked a little clogged. I put on mascara today, and it did glide on really smoothly. Though I can’t tell if that’s a result of the vitamin E oil or if I’m just tricking myself into believing that it is.

Day 3

Amazingly, my skin still seems to be reacting well to this regimen. Last night I scrubbed three times, iced, then used the moisturizer with vitamin E. I also put the oil on my lash line. My skin was super soft and smooth this morning, with no signs of any impending eruptions.

Day 4

Well, today I look like crap no matter what because I overindulged in the wine a bit yesterday. Last night I used Retin-A before the moisturizer with vitamin E, scrubbing three times and icing pre-treatment. My skin looks okay today. It’s a bit dull from dehydration, I think, but no breakouts.

Day 5

Last night, I only washed my face twice since I didn’t put makeup on yesterday (and I’m going through face soap like crazy). I iced, then used the Neutrogena moisturizer with two drops of vitamin E oil. Once again, I put the oil on my lash line. My skin looks pretty glowy this morning, I have to say. No breakouts to speak of. Maybe there is something to this…

Day 6

After attending a movie screening for the film, Band Aid, that I worked on last summer, I came home and washed my face three times. I was wearing what I would consider to be a ton of makeup, although in Kardashian world it was probably what they wear to the gym. Next, I used my Neutrogena moisturizer and vitamin E. I probably should have put benzoyl peroxide on beforehand, but it was late and I didn’t feel like waiting 15 minutes before going to bed. Today, I feel like my skin looks a little clogged, but again, no breakouts. Oh, and last night James Van Der Beek literally ran into me so now I have magic Dawson dust on me. The screening was surreal.

Day 7

Last night I washed my face twice (another no makeup day), iced, and applied benzoyl peroxide. Then I waited around 20 minutes and finished with my Neutrogena moisturizer with two drops of vitamin E oil. This morning, my skin is still looking pretty good.

The Verdict

I am pretty happy with the way this routine turned out. My skin didn’t break out, and did seem more moisturized than usual. That is something I have struggled with ever since I had a laser treatment two years ago, which did nothing but dull my skin. I will probably stick with the vitamin E oil in my moisturizer, but may limit my washing to two times. I’m running out of face wash, y’all.

Want me to try someone else’s beauty routine? Leave me a comment or message me here!