CeraVe Cleanser Review | Sometimes the best skincare comes from the drugstore

If you have yet to hear about my love for CeraVe skincare products, prepare for some seriously rave reviews. Today I’ll be talking about both of their cleansers. There’s the Foaming Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin and the Hydrating Cleanser for normal to dry skin. I’ve used both but the one I usually prefer for my skin is the Foaming Facial Cleanser. I have very acne prone, dehydrated skin. An odd combination, I know. The Foaming Cleanser is my personal favorite. Compared to the Hydrating Cleanser, it cleans a bit better without leaving my face tight and dry afterwards. The Hydrating version leaves my skin very soft and moisturized, but using it consistently leads to clogged pores. My aunt started using this one on recommendation from me and she thinks it’s been the cure for the dry flaky patches she used to get on her chin. If you’re a bit older and acne is no longer a major concern I think that version will be right up your street!

Both formulas contain glycerin, ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and cholesterol making them hydrating for each respective skin type. If you’d like a brief scientific babble about why each of these work, keep reading. (If not skip ahead to the next paragraph.) Glycerin is a humectant that attracts moisture, although in its pure form it loves moisture so much it can actually have a drying effect on the skin. Ceramides are naturally occurring as part of skin’s cellular structure and moisture barrier. Including them in skin care helps repair the moisture barrier, enabling skin to hold onto whatever moisture it’s given. Cholesterol has a similar function. Hyaluronic acid helps skin retain moisture and may help reduce inflammation. Ceramides, cholesterol, and hyaluronic acid have also been shown to support cell to cell communication. Your cells have to be able to talk to each other if they’re going to work together to fix skin issues. The Foaming cleanser also contains niacinamide which is supposed to help prevent discoloration, presumably from acne scars since it’s marketed for oilier skin (1).

Estée Lauder Double Wear Stay-in-place Flawless Wear Concealer | Review & Swatches

It’s lightweight, pigmented, blendable, long wearing, and conceals spots and dark circles with ease. Interested yet? The Estée Lauder Double Wear line has been talked to death in most circles of the online beauty world, and I finally understand why. I picked this up at a Cosmetics Company Outlet while on vacation in Virginia. It has since become my go to concealer for spots. My favorite method of application is actually not the doe foot applicator it comes with; it’s perfectly fine but it applies a large amount in a small area which can make blending a bit messy. Instead I love taking the product from the back of my hand using a RealTechniques Deluxe Crease Brush and pouncing the brush over any spots I have. I’ll go over a few spots, allow the product to set just a little bit, then go back to blend the edges. This helps prevent wiping away too much of the coverage in an effort to blend it out right away. In the end it dries down to a beautiful semi-matte finish. I rarely bother to powder it stays put so well.

Garnier Fructis De-Constructed Texture Tease Dry Touch Finish Spray | Review

I never used to understand dry texture sprays and aerosol dry shampoos, but since I discovered that volume is my new best friend on second day hair I can’t get enough of them! Most come with a higher price tag though, so I was very excited to try out Garnier’s new De-Constructed Texture Tease Dry Touch Finish Spray. I picked mine up at Target for less than $4, which is a steal considering that my current favorite dry texture spray is $20!

This product claims to add texture and volume to flat, lifeless hair for that beachy tousled look. It’s supposed to have a flexible, non-sticky hold that can easily be re-styled. An instant dry down and weightless finish are also promised.

Garnier Clean+ Nourishing Cleansing Oil | Review

I’ve long since been a fan of cleansing oils for removing makeup quickly and effectively at the end of a long day, but most of them come from higher end brands like Shu Uemura and MAC. Imagine my excitement when Garnier released their new Clean+ line that included a cleansing oil!  Despite the appeal of an affordable version of the MAC Cleanse Off Oil or Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil, it took me quite a while to purchase.  Let’s face it, makeup removers aren’t the most exciting product to buy, but they are extremely essential!

Empties No. 1

Time to share with you the products I’ve used up over the past few months!  Empties videos are some of my favorites to watch on YouTube so I thought I’d try it out as a blog post.  If you’ve used up something until you’re scraping the sides of the bottle, chances are you can give a pretty good review!  Plus, who doesn’t love rummaging through someone else’s trash? (There’s the touch of sarcasm by the way.  It’s rather hard to convey in writing.)

Maybelline Color Elixir by Color Sensational | Review & Swatches

Right off the bat I would like to state how seriously impressed I am by this formula!  They are without a doubt the most hydrating gloss I have ever tried.  The moisture really sticks around, even after the high shine wears off.  They also give a good dose of color and I think the lipstick bullet shaped packaging is rather clever.

There are 20 shades total.  There’s a nice color selection available with several neutral pinks, some brights and some darker shades.  I wish they would add a few more peachy pinks to the line; their Celestial Coral is not what I would call coral although it is a nice color.  The shades don’t always translate on the lips the same way they look in the tube either.  The two I have for review today are 065 Caramel Infusion (left) and 080 Captivating Carnation (right).