Product Review: Gerard Cosmetics' BB+ Illumination

I have to tell you guys about an awesome new product that I got to review. This has been sitting in my drafts waiting to be written for a little while, but I like to try products for a few weeks to make sure that I have a good review and not just a snap decision about them. But I have been using this almost every day (which says a lot, because a lot of new products I will try for a week or two, but then it'll be too much of a hassle/I no longer like it and I will stop using it), and I think it's time to share. 

Introducing the BB Plus Illumination cream from Gerard Cosmetics. BB cream has been all the rage in America lately, so American companies have been jumping on the bandwagon to produce their own lines. Before this, I had mainly been using BB creams from skin79 and other Korean brands, since they've been producing it longer and have perfected it. I tried a few American BB creams but I didn't really like any of them. They were mostly either too heavy (almost foundation-like, which BB cream is not supposed to be like) or they were basically tinted moisturizer re-packaged to say BB cream on the bottle. But this one is not like any of the other ones on the American market. 

Not this one. The description from the Whitening Lightning website says that it is "creamy but sheer," just like a good BB cream should be. And it is. It's not sticky and heavy, nor is it too liquidy to apply well. It includes "light reflecting particles and golden shimmer," which is supposed to suit every skin tone or type. It looks awesome. Usually I do not really like shimmery products, just because in the wrong light it can make you look greasy instead of glowing. But this product makes your skin look amazing. It is super easy to apply (the site says that it "can be used alone, as a cream highlighter or mixed with your favorite liquid foundation", lightweight (perfect for the summer), and has wonderful coverage. 

And it comes with a pump top, which makes it so much better than most of the BB creams on the American market (which usually have the flip-top lid with the squeeze bottles). Since a little goes a long way, you won't accidentally squeeze out way more than you need and waste good BB cream. Plus, it's a lot more hygienic. It's made in the USA, cruelty-free, and gluten-free. 

Seriously, I swear on it. I am in love with the way that this covers my skin and makes my skin glow. It is available here on the Whitening Lightning website for $36 a bottle, which is comparable to the Korean brands, but you don't have to pay a ridiculous shipping fee or worry that the product is not authentic (all of which are reasons I was looking for a good brand in America.) 

(This product was sent to me for review, but all opinions are my own.) 

Product Review: Skindinavia Makeup Primer Spray

  I don't know about you, but in my city today it was 99% humidity and around 90 degrees. I work in a restaurant kitchen where it is at least TEN DEGREES hotter than it is outside. Add to that the fact that I have to run around like a chicken with my head cut off and I end the day sweaty and disgusting (tmi, maybe, but this is important to the rest of the post). Most of the time, I just skip make up because no matter what primer I use (and I have tried A. Lot.) or how often I blot my face during the day, my makeup runs and I look like a not-at-all hot mess. So my choices are looking like I'm dead (without makeup) or like someone dumped water and oil on my face. 

And in steps the Skindinavia makeup primer spray. Cue angels singing. This product is a miracle worker, and I am being 100000% honest right now. The one on the left is the makeup primer spray and the one on the right is Skindinavia Makeup Primer Spray Oil Control, which is best for oily skin. The original one is tested for sensitive skin, so it works best on either sensitive or normal skin. It is paraben-free and hypoallergenic, and silicone-free (which is wonderful news for your pores, especially because once you try this, you'll want to use it every day). 

The best part about the Skindinavia primer is that it is a SPRAY. I am really lazy when it comes to putting on my makeup, and slathering on a bunch of different products at night and in the morning is not my idea of fun. Plus, I'm usually a late riser and I have to rush to wherever I'm going, so I don't have time to evenly apply most primers, then wait for it to dry enough to be able to apply my makeup on top.

I find that waiting about a minute, or until the spray is dry to the touch on your skin, works best, but I have even done it hastily and applied makeup while it was still slightly tacky. It didn't last quite as long that way, but it still didn't make me look like a monster. Plus, spraying it on literally takes less than 15 seconds, so there really is no excuse not to apply it.

It has no scent, which is great because recently I've become very sensitive to scents and they tend to give me headaches. After it dries, it doesn't leave your skin sticky like a lot of primers that I've tried. I don't need to blot my face every ten minutes, and I don't have to worry about constantly checking the mirror to make sure that my makeup is still where it is supposed to be on my face.

Plus, the cost is a huge perk. A 4oz bottle is only $35, while an 8 oz. bottle is only $49. If you think that's steep (which, I'll admit, normally I would think so too), just remember that after you buy this, you will absolutely not have to spend so much money on blotting sheets, makeup (because you have to constantly re-apply), or testing other primers. Believe me, it really is worth it to be able to wear your makeup even in the heat of summer without having to worry about how you look ten minutes later.

This product is available at skindinavia.com and was sent to me for review, but all opinions in this post are 100% my own.

Product Review: Zensation's Beaute New Super Nourishing Cream SPF 50

Today, I have a review of a cream from Zensation, their Super Nourishing Cream SPF 50.

The press release says that it is "an intensely moisturizing day cream that doubles as a powerful skin guard. Zensation luxury skincare fuses the best in modern biotechnology with the purity of the Swiss Alps. The multifunctional Super Nourishing Cream SPF 50 combines precious natural coastal plant extracts with high-tech SPF 50 UVA/UVB coverage to give you supple skin that's protected from the damaging, aging effects of the sun."

This cream feels very luxurious and high-end, definitely not something that you could pick up from Wal-Mart or the drugstore. The smell is very light, almost vanilla-y, although it doesn't list vanilla as an ingredient, but I notice it after a few minutes, even though I'm usually really sensitive to fragrances.



The top of the box. Even though the box was paper, the embossed logo made it feel so fancy. I'm such a sucker for packaging, and you'll see why I loved this cream in a few pictures.



The front of the packaging. I love the touch of the flowers. Wispy flower designs like the one on the Zensation box are my favorite, and it just adds such a pretty, feminine touch to the boring packaging.



Side of the packaging, with ingredients. If you want to look them up, feel free to click the image to enlarge.



The other side, with directions and a little bit more information.



The text from the last side, with information about Zensation and the product. This Super Nourishing Cream is cruelty-free!

Okay, now that the packaging is done and over with, we'll get to the real prize. The Super Nourishing Cream.



A picture of the jar. You can't really see it, but the sides of the jar have the same flowery design that the box had. This jar is gorgeous. It's very thick, frosted glass and it is just gorgeous. Plus, it looks so pretty on my nightstand. On top of the jar is the plastic spatula that came with the cream.



The cream! It kind of looks like yogurt in this picture... The texture is a little bit thicker than yogurt, but it applies really well and it doesn't take a lot. There's a better picture of the spatula in the picture. I was super excited to get the spatula, because I hate sticking my fingers in jars to reach product, especially since my nails are long and it gets under them and it's just very unsanitary.

Overall, this product is amazing. I'm new to Zensation, but I'll definitely buy from them. This Super Nourishing Cream applies beautifully, doesn't have a particularly strong smell, has sunscreen in it (I don't spend a lot of time in the sun, so I only use sunscreen every once in awhile, but I'll definitely have to change it with this), and is packaged beautifully.

5 stars out of 5!

(This product was sent to me for review, however, all product thoughts and opinions are my own.)

B.liv by Cellnique Review

This review has been a long time in the making, so I'm glad that I can finally put it up. Today I'll be reviewing some products from the B.liv line from Cellnique.



First up, some of the Dullness Cessation, Bright is Right Pearl Brightening Masks from their website. They asked me for a few of my "problem areas" that I would want products for, so I could test their usefulness. At the time, I had been having some trouble with dull, lifeless skin and had been noticing my pores, so they sent me these masks to try.



From the website, the benefits of the mask are:

Benefits:
• Restores skin’s radiance and lightens skin 
• Nourishes the skin and makes it softer, finer, brighter and smoother 
• Accelerates the skin’s natural process of shedding dead skin cells and replaces them with new ones revealing a pure, fresh and healthy-looking skin. 
• Provides instant hydration and helps skin preserve its optimum moisture balance.

I used this mask at night as soon as I got it, because I really wanted to try it and see if it worked. This mask has a great scent, it's not too strong so I didn't mind wearing it for 20-30 minutes at all. The mask was very heavy because it had so much liquid, so it was nice to lay back for thirty minutes and wait for it to work its magic. And it did! After thirty minutes when I took it off, my skin was brighter and softer. Since then, I try to use it every week or every two weeks, and it works every single time, making my skin feel softer, more relaxed, and even lighter. The price on the website is $30 for 14 pouches, and that is actually a really good price for such a fabulous product. I did a quick google search and found that the My Beauty Diary black pearl masks are about $20 or so for 10 masks, and the Bright Is Right masks work way better for me than the My Beauty Diary masks. 

Price: 5/5. 

Effectiveness: 5/5

Would I repurchase? Definitely. 

Next is the I'm dryness conqueror eye mask. 

Because I'm in college and have been super busy this semester with tests, homework, and my organizations, I haven't been getting a lot of sleep, and my eyes are betraying me. My undereye circles have been really bad this semester, and my eyes have been puffy and showing my lack of sleep. After I got the eye mask, I tried it out one morning when I woke up and noticed how puffy my eyes were. 

Whatever formula B.liv has been using, they need to keep doing it. It has a very light, almost unnoticeable scent and there is a lot of serum in the masks. As you can (kind of) see from the picture, the eye masks are literally eye masks, so I kind of felt like Batman wearing it. :) And it really worked! I've tried a lot of things for my eye circles and bags, like freezing a spoon, ice cubes, cucumber masks, and all of them have been very short-term solutions, lasting for only an hour or less. But with these masks, the circles were gone for almost a week, so it doesn't have to be used daily. I use it weekly, and it really has helped, and you could probably stretch it to two weeks at a time. 

The price on the website is 7 masks for $29. Honestly, this price is kind of high just because I'm really cheap and as a college student, $29 is a lot. But for the usefulness, I definitely think that I will splurge on it, but probably only use it twice a month or something so that I can stretch the use. 

Price: 3/5

Effectiveness: 5/5 

Would I repurchase? Yes, begrudgingly, and I would try to make it last. 

The B.Liv Spots got shot anti-blemish serum. I was having trouble with scars on my face because my skin was not used to the water that they use in my dorms (it's well water or something like that), so they sent me this to fix it. 

This isn't a magical, overnight spot remover. I had to use it consistently for a week to see results. After two weeks, the marks are very faded and barely there, so I definitely think it works! The smell is a little bit strange, but it wears away after a couple of minutes. As you can see, it has an applicator at the tip, so I don't have to reach into a jar or use a squeeze tube, and it helps conserve the product. Plus, a little bit goes a long way! The site lists it as $25 for 15 mL, and I think this is super reasonable. The product works, there's a lot of product with a nice applicator, it doesn't have a funky smell. If I ever run out, I'll definitely repurchase this.

Price: 5/5
Effectiveness: 5/5

I hope you enjoyed the review! I actually got these products awhile ago, so I'm embarrassed that it took me so long to post a review. But these products are amazing. The site offers free shipping and free samples with every order, and I always love a site with free shipping. Definitely go check them out!

`Rakuzen

(This product was sent to me for review, however, all photos and opinions on this post are mine, unbiased).

Beauty products that I'm loving this month (April)

Hey guys,

This is just a quick post on beauty products that I'm loving right now. First, for my face/makeup in the morning:





This is my makeup routine! From left, Rohto V Eye Drops (as seen in Michelle Phan's Simple Fast Makeup video), Aquafina chapstick, Yes to Carrots Acne Spot Stick, Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner in Black, Revlon Perle 045 Black Galaxy, ELF Studio Concealer Corrective Palette, and NYX Slim Eye Pencil in Purple.

Quick reviews of everything:

The Rohto V Eye Drops, I bought from Walgreens when they happened to have a sale. I think it was around $4. The Amazon link sells it in a pack of 4, but you can get it at any drugstore. It has this awesome cooling sensation and it makes your eyes whiter. Perfect for the mornings when I didn't have time to let my eyes rest enough. But I usually use it at night before I go to sleep when my eyes are red from wearing my contacts for too long.

Aquafina Chapstick: Miracle-worker. Nothing else works on my lips as well as this does! ChapStick chapstick, vaseline, Baby Lips, nothing. I usually buy these at the dollar store. I usually use the square, blocky one but I couldn't find it this morning, nor could I find it at the dollar store when I went last week. I hope they didn't discontinue it because it is literally the only thing that soothes and hydrates my lips.

Yes to Carrots Acne Spot Stick: I love this. In the morning after washing and moisturizing my face, I roll this on my acne spots and let it dry before applying concealer or foundation. It seriously works! Plus, if you keep the roller cold (it's winter here in Michigan, so when I leave it on the metal windowsill it's really cold), it can feel really nice.

Eyeko Skinny Liquid Liner: I got this from a Birchbox a few months ago. I love this! It makes such a beautiful line and it's so dark. So much love. I will definitely re-buy this!

Revlon Perle Black Galaxy: Because my eyelids are hidden double eyelids (where they have the crease, but the crease disappears when I blink), if I wear the eyeliner alone it will smudge really bad. So, I have to set it with this eyeshadow, which is nice because it's very glittery. Also, you can use a makeup applicator, get it wet, and use it as an eyeliner (which I do on the bottom eyelid).

ELF Studio Corrective Concealer: This has some bad reviews but I love it. A brush doesn't really work well with this formula, so I usually use my fingers and just rub it on the spot that needs to be concealed.

NYX Skinny Eyeliner in Purple: I love this! NYX has some really nice quality products. Pencil eyeliner usually doesn't work for me (smudges too easily, too harsh on my lids), but I put this under my eye and it lasts for a long time! That's my makeup for the morning for now... I switch out products as I discover them (my friend was helping me clean my room and was reorganizing my makeup train case and I found a lot of stuff... All unused haha. So I change my makeup style whenever I feel like it

I'm going to try and do a post like this every month since my products run out and I lose interest and start digging in my makeup box for different products. This is April's! Hope it gives you some good ideas and some good product choices.