Skincare Products With Amazing Textures

Yes, it's the results that matter the most with skincare, but the entire experience of using the product is what I love. Texture is one of those things that can make or break a skincare product. If the texture is weird and unappealing, the results must be mind-blowing to overcome that (if it even can - yikes). Conversely, if the texture is delightful but the benefits are sub par, then it's hard to justify continuation of use. But there are those rare times when the texture and results are equally appealing and the product really wins me over. I've recently come across three products that bring the best of both worlds together - amazing texture and fantastic results. 

1. Clinique Turnaround Revitalizing Treatment Oil - While I do have a ton of facial oils at home, I instantly fell in love with this one. To say the oil is lightweight is an understatement! The oil itself is very thin and watery, and has this incredible silky smooth finish that instantly made me want to put it on my face. I apply two drops to my fingertips, rub together and then press gently into the skin. It instantly absorbs and my face looks fresh, supple and radiant. I find that I can wear it either morning or night, and have been impressed with how much my skin loves this oil. While many other oils have a lot of bells and whistles, I keep reaching for this because it consistently feels great on and makes my skin look healthy and glowing. Clinique continues to be a staple in my skincare arsenal because the products are uncomplicated, easy to use and work. And isn't that what we all want from a brand at the end of the day? (case in point - this cleanser, this acne treatment and this body cream have been long time favorites)   

2. Mario Badescu Botanical Exfoliating Scrub - Being a huge Mario Badescu fan already (this, this and this are some of my holy grail brand favorites), I could not wait to get this on my face. The texture really surprised me because I thought it was going to be a bit chunkier and grainier (which I am not always a fan of), and it turned out to be the complete opposite. While there are small granular particles, it is so finely ground into a jelly-like base that it feels different than many of my other face scrubs. I only need a pea-sized amount to cover my entire face, and after my skin looks radiant and fresh. After playing around with it for the past few weeks, I enjoy using it in the morning because it gives me the most amazing glow and any makeup I apply after goes on seamlessly.

3. The Body Shop Drops of Youth Bouncy Sleeping Mask - I had heard so much buzz surrounding this product that I knew I had to try it. And the texture absolutely blew my mind. The above picture does not do it justice, so watch this quick video I posted on Instagram to get the full scope of how unbelievable this product looks and feels. Did you watch it? It actually BOUNCES. I love beauty products with every ounce of my being, but so much of what we see is similar to what we have seen before, right? Not this mask. It was unlike anything I have ever tried, experienced or used. And to top it all off? It made my skin feel absolutely heavenly! I apply it at night as my last step after my serum, and was shocked at how thin it is when on my face. It may have this crazy bouncy thick texture, but as soon as I scooped out a bit with my finger, it turned to this creamy gel that instantly helped to hydrate and nourish my skin. I woke up the next morning and my face felt plump, firm and supple - just like the mask itself! Consider me a believer now. The hype is completely warranted on this one. 

*pr samples included

3 Skincare Products That Are Great For Achieving Brighter Skin

I struggle with dull skin because I am so fair. My skin can often become drab and lackluster at times, which can be made worse by any hyper pigmentation issues that may have popped up unexpectedly (old sun spots, healing blemishes, etc). I always keep products in my skincare collection to help give me that boost of brightness and fight those bouts of unevenness that I deal with from time to time. The key I have found to successfully managing this (and eradicating it at times) is by regularly exfoliating whether by a scrub or mask or even a cleanser.  Here is a look at 3 products I've recently tried that were really great at helping me achieve that brightness I'm always in search of for my skin. #thestruggle

1. Goldfaden MD Doctor's Scrub Advanced - This scrub is not for the faint of heart or those with particularly sensitive skin because a SERIOUS exfoliation happens with this product. That being said, it is by far the closest thing to microdermabrasion I've ever used. It is that effective. One pinch of these pure ruby crystals massaged in and left on for 60 seconds and it will leave me with skin that is no short of baby soft. No, I mean put me up next to a baby and you will not be able to tell the difference in our skin. Frankly, I need a new word for smooth after using this. But for those who may find this one a bit too harsh (that would not be me - I go hard on my exfoliating LOL), there is the regular Doctor's Scrub which is much less intense yet still quite effective.

2. NUDE Skincare Miracle Mask - I began by slowly sipping the NUDE skincare Kool-aid, trying out product after product and loving each one more than the next. So now I'm at the point where I am simply chugging that Kool-aid and head over heels in love with the whole line. This Miracle Mask is nothing short of a miracle with its natural exfoliators that help to brighten, smooth and clarify the skin. The great thing about this mask which makes it a bit different from my other exfoliating masks is that I am able to use it during a breakout without irritating my skin or worsening the problem. That truly helps set it apart in my skincare routine and make it a staple. Again, there goes that Kool-aid talking.

3. Sisley Phyto-Blanc Buff and Wash Facial Gel -So I already raved about the Sisley Foaming Cleanser (read my review here), and this Facial Gel is great to add in once or twice a week as an added cleanser step. It has ingredients that are designed to help lighten the skin (meaning dark spots or uneven pigmentation) and help exfoliate all the dead skin cells on the top layer of the skin. I began using this after a particularly bad breakout I was suffering from in order to test out it's ability to help brighten and lighten the skin and I was happy to see that it lived up to it's claims. The spots didn't disappear overnight but I saw a marked change in their intensity versus using my regular cleansers. And after the trauma of a bad breakout (we've all been there), it's always good to find something to restore the faith in your skin.

*pr samples included

Have you entered my $75 Sephora gift card giveaway?!!! Enter here.

Lancer: The Method

I don't tend to be a skincare "system" gal. Heck, it's a lot if I use more than one product from the same line in my nightly routine. It's not that I'm against it, but I do love to try various products and mixing and matching from different lines allows me to get a sense of each brand. But after reading about the Lancer method that is designed to transform skin and create the legendary "Lancer glow", I was willing to try it. Who am I to pass up a chance to achieve the ultimate glow? 

There are three products in Dr. Lancer's cult classic Method - the Polish exfoliator, the Cleanser and the Nourish moisturizer. Of course I didn't stick to only the three steps for my entire routine, but I did make these three the main staples of my routine while going through the testing phase. 

1. Polish - This is the first step in the Lancer Method and may seem a bit odd to start with an exfoliator. But Dr. Lancer believes this step removes surface debris while helping infuse the skin with oxygen. Since I was not confident of it's full ability to remove my makeup, I still started with my trusty makeup wipes (currently using these and these). But immediately after, I dove right into the Polish step. As you can see from the above picture, the Polish (right swatch) is a very small granular scrub in a milky, gel base. You only need a drop to cover the entire face, but as soon as you begin working the polish into the skin it wakes you right up. It manages to be an intense yet gentle scrub that really blew most of my face scrubs out of the water. I actually stood in the mirror touching my face for a minute after because it felt as if my skin was transformed - almost as if it wasn't skin anymore. THAT is how soft it felt. I was excited to move on to the next step.

2. Cleanse - Upon initially feeling the cleanser, it has a lightweight gel texture and I was afraid it would be bubbles central (and I am not a fan of too many bubbles on my face). Thankfully, it felt a bit more like a soft milk or balm and hardly foamed on my face. The cleanser made my skin feel extremely refreshed and cool, yet after I had rinsed it off there was no sense of tightness, dryness or discomfort. The Cleanse step is designed to remove any remaining impurities and balance the skin's pH levels. My skin did in fact feel incredibly balanced and clean, and if I was stuck on a desert island with no moisturizer, my face actually would feel fine after these two steps. That's a rare feeling for me since so many times, my face is desperate for moisturizer after cleansing. It was truly a testament to how well these two cleansers worked together.

3. Nourish - The final step in the Lancer Method is the Nourish moisturizer. The texture is incredibly rich, yet oddly feels as if nothing is on your skin from the moment you apply it. My skin soaked it up immediately and what's left is balanced, soft and glowing skin. I didn't think it was possible to really see a difference with using a "system" style skincare routine, but I can't deny the results. My skin really enjoyed the three steps used together. I would still throw in an eye cream daily (currently using this essence followed by this cream) and a serum when I felt like it, but for the most part these three products did the job quite nicely. And boy did my skin glow. Like "what have you done to your skin and where can I get it" kind of glow that everyone seemed to notice. And I was all "oh this? I just woke up like this." *wink, wink* I wanted to keep the mystery going just for a bit, but I figured its selfish to keep the glow getting secrets to myself, I suppose. 

*pr samples included

Have you tried the Lancer Method? What are your thoughts?

New In And Loving: By Terry, S.W. Basics, NARS and Boscia

Many of my posts have a theme, story or group similar products together, however sometimes I just love a whole slew of products and need to write about them. Hence these random posts with a jumbled bunch of products that I am loving and need others to know about. And that is still the number one reason I have a blog - because I just NEED to talk about the beauty products I enjoy. I can only call/text/email my girlfriends so many times about the same things before they are like "WE KNOW, MAREE!" Whoops. I guess I get a bit too over zealous. Anyhoo, back to my gushing....here is a look at a few products I have been enjoying a ton recently.

1. NARS Audacious Lipstick in Brigitte - I know it seems strange that I only bought one of the Audacious lipsticks, but there have been so many new lip launches that I knew I had to maintain some sort of self-control. As everyone has been saying, these lipsticks are truly gorgeous. Full coverage, easy to wear and incredibly long lasting. I naturally picked a peachy-nude-coral for my first one and it did not disappoint. The only thing that can be a tad bothersome on occasions is if my lips are too hydrated or exfoliated, it will not adhere to the inner part of my lips. I find this to be the case for many full coverage lipsticks so I often get around it by adding a few applications and then blending it in with my finger. It does the trick every time.

2. Boscia Tsubaki Cleansing Oil-Gel and the Deep Hydration Sleeping Mask - This was part of a travel set that came with a mini Konjac sponge as well. I am already a fan of the Makeup-Breakup Cleansing oil and find this Tsubaki cleansing oil-gel to be even more hydrating. The sleeping mask is absolute heaven on the skin and great for those nights my skin needs a bit of extra moisture. This little travel set actually came with a mini konjac sponge as well and since I know I am already a fan of them, I packed it away for my next getaway. It is the perfect travel exfoliator without having to pack my Clinique cleansing brush.

3. S.W. Basics Exfoliant - Though I appreciate all natural or organic products, I don't typically gravitate towards them. However, occasionally one comes along that I actually enjoy. This exfoliator from S.W. Basics is about as natural as you can get - oat flour, almond flour and sea salt. You can basically eat it! But what I enjoyed the most about this was how calm and soothed my skin was after each use. Typically exfoliators can make my skin bright and smooth, but slight redness often accompanies that for a few minutes after. Almost immediately as I rinsed this off, my skin looked so even, calm and relaxed. No redness! This will be a winter staple for me, I can already tell.

4. By Terry Cellularose Hydra-Toner -After having the best experience with the By Terry Cellularose Brightening Aqua-Balm, I had a feeling I was going to love the Cellularose toner. This entire line is one of the most hydrating and moisture filled lines I have ever used. It truly feels like my skin is being infused with water when using this toner, and as I have always said - hydration is one of the biggest keys to great skin. It keeps skin looking firm, plump, radiant and fresh. I have tried quite a few hydrating mists and toners over the years and I can confidently say this is in my top 3.

*pr samples included

Beauty Bits: Tatcha Deep Rice Enzyme Powder Review

Let's talk skincare that is a-changin' my life.  Yup.  Mind blowing and doing a happy jig every time I use it.  It's rare that I come across a product that stops me in my tracks after just one use - but that is exactly what happen when I was recently gifted the Tatcha Deep Rice Enzyme Powder.  I think my exact sentiments after using may have been "Whoa. This stuff is amazing", but let's assume I was much more eloquent during my revelation, rambling on about how simply delightful an experience it was to use such an innovative and efficacious product.  What struck me initially about the product was the texture of the actual powder - so finely milled and smooth, I wasn't sure how something so delicate was going to give me a good exfoliation.  Well - as you have always heard since grade school - "Don't judge a book by its cover!" or in this case "Don't judge an exfoliant by the size of its granules!" Here is a shot of the actual powder when it comes out:

As you can see, the texture is so fine that it seems like it would just blow away with one heavy breath (or one beauty induced squeal of delight), but that is exactly the point.  The powder is designed to be a non-abrasive exfoliant that helps to reveal skin's natural glow.  I used the Deep version, which is formulated with an ingredient called Dokudami to help clarify active and acne prone skin.  But the real magic did not happen until I wet the product and applied it to my face.  Shockingly, the product is designed to be used with very wet hands and a very wet face and will turn into a thick paste that has more of a creamy consistency than powdery/grainy, as evidenced below:

The magic of this product is exactly what makes it so unique - it's delicate nature that provides insanely effective results.  Since the product turns into a paste-like texture when wet, the genius is it can actually be used as a 2-in-1 cleanser if so inclined, though I prefer to use as an exfoliator after cleansing.  What ensued following my first use was absolutely smooth, glowing and almost texture-free skin.  Now please do not misinterpret my love affair of this one product to be a seemingly forgotten mention of the rest of the line, because let me tell you, everything is exceptional.  My star product was the Deep Rice Enzyme Powder, but another product that stood out to me was the Camellia Cleansing Oil, which was one of the best cleansing oils I have ever used.  The Deep Brightening Serum designed to hydrate and brighten has also won me over as a must have, can't be without, where has this been my whole life product that I am sure will never leave my skincare regimen.  

Now that I have officially gotten your skin all hyped up for what may be a religious cleansing experience, the question is how can you get your perfectly polished paws on them?!! The entire line is sold exclusively at Barneys, click here to purchase or on the Tatcha website.  I am dying to know if you try the products and what your thoughts are?  Tweet me @alittlebitetc or leave me a comment below.

And if you really have the shopping bug, check out my updated my Shop My Favorites tab at the top of the blog - it now features all my favorite stores and retailers that take all my hard earned money!!! SO GREEDY OF THEM, but so good for you.