Equate Beauty Moisturizing Lotion – A Review

Just before I went on my 3 day camping/wheeling trip (I had a BLAST, by the way), I picked up this moisturizing lotion at Walmart.

My skin has been severely dry the last few weeks and nothing has really been able to combat the dryness.  I occasionally switch out my moisturizers from Aveeno to Purpose to the e.l.f. Revitalizing Mist (which really isn’t a moisturizer), and I have heard a lot of great things about the brand Cerave. I went to Walmart with the intention of buying the Cerave moisturizing lotion, but it was out of stock, so I found the Walmart brand equivalent.  I have to be honest, I didn’t have high hopes that this product would work.

I was wrong.

When camping,  I do not wear makeup.  I bought some moist facial cleansing wipes and cleansed my face in the mornings and evenings, then moisturized with the Equate Beauty Moisturizing Lotion.  IMMEDIATELY, it melted into my skin and WOW. The results blew me away! The product wasn’t greasy or heavy, and it made my dry skin look and feel 100% better instantly.  I was so completely amazed. I reapplied it about 2-3 times because I loved the way it felt on my skin.  The lotion is gentle, doesn’t have a fragrance and didn’t irritate the fine skin around my eyes.  I even applied a bit on a small dry patch I had on my eyelid without any irritation.

The next morning, I did the same.  Cleansed my face with the cleansing wipe and then applied the moisturizer. The dry skin patches on my face were gone!  The redness, gone. My skin looked amazing.  I did this same routine through to Sunday.  Still impressed, skin still looking amazing,  dry skin and redness still gone.

I do have quite a few fine lines under my eyes, and I have a pretty deep wrinkle in between my eyes from a head injury.  Tomorrow will be one week since I started using the product, so it’s a bit too soon to say if it’s helped much in the wrinkle department.  It sort of looks like it has, but I don’t want to make any promises.  😉

Overall, I am incredibly impressed with the Equate Beauty Moisturizing Lotion.  It is a bit cheaper than the Cerave brand, and I gotta say, I probably will not even bother buying the name brand because I don’t think there is a need.  The Equate Beauty brand product sinks into the skin, and moisturizes without greasiness or heaviness.  I can apply it to my skin, wait a few and then go on with makeup application.  I really dislike moisturizers that take FOREVER to melt into the skin, and just sit on top of my skin like it’s waiting for a damned invitation to do its job.

If you have dry skin, I highly recommend giving this product a try.  I have never been so impressed with a moisturizer, and as someone who has suffered from eczema all my life, I’ve tried them all, from top of the line, prescription, to generic.  This product will definitely be a go to for quite a long while.

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e.l.f. Revitalizing Mist – A Review

The e.l.f. Revitalizing Mist.  This product doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

e.l.f. sent this to me about 6 months ago and I didn’t start using it until a couple months ago.  I could kick myself for that!  

It can only be purchased on their website (http://www.elfcosmetics.com/p/mist) and it’s usually $6.00 but right now is on sale for $3.00. Just before Christmas, I ordered 8 of ’em.

After I wash my face in the shower, and before I apply makeup, I spritz my face 2-3 times with this mist. Most days I don’t use moisturizer in the morning because I don’t have time to let the moisturizer set into my skin before applying my makeup. I find that when I use this mist, I don’t need to moisturize, and it dries pretty quick. I LOVE IT.  My skin feels awake and fresh.  The website claims it can be sprayed over makeup, but I haven’t tried that.  The spray is incredibly refreshing, has a nice but not overpowering scent, and feels cool when it hits your face.  It’s been on sale for quite a while, I hope they’re not discontinuing it!

From the e.l.f. website:

This unique blend of Witch Hazel, Rosemary, Chamomile, Honeysuckle, Aloe and Vitamin B work together to balance and enhance the skin, leaving you looking energized and renewed. These nourishing key ingredients keep your complexion radiant, brighter and provides instant moisture to smooth and boost skin circulation for a firmer more youthful glow. The lightweight and invigorating mist leaves skin feeling revived and restored, perfect for the gym, office or after travel to rehydrate dry skin or to refresh makeup throughout the day.

All e.l.f. mineral makeup is 100% natural mineral-based with no parabens, no preservatives and no chemical dyes.

e.l.f. water mask & nourishing night cream- A Review

I am so impressed with the e.l.f. water mask and the e.l.f. nourishing night cream that I am sitting here at 9pm writing this blog post.

I wish I had taken photos of my skin.  Let me share the story.  Friday night, I decided to use a facial hair remover because I am a freekin’ hairy beast. I usually use a facial hair trimmer, but thought I’d try this product because I figured it would be easier and the packaging claimed it was great for sensitive skin.

WRONG.

I woke up Saturday morning to my face looking like a hot mess.  I had what looked like little burns and dry patches on the lower half of my face, and along my jawline. I had one patch of raw skin along my jawline that was so irritated it kept me awake all Saturday night.  My skin looked so bad that I sent my husband to the food store because I just didn’t want to be seen.  Normally, I don’t mind going out without makeup, but my skin looked horrible and I didn’t want that feeling of thinking everyone was staring at me, even though not one damned person would have paid me any attention.

Sunday night, I decided to use the e.l.f. water mask that I received in the mail a week or so before.  I was afraid to use any skin care products because I didn’t want to create any more damage.

I used the mask and immediately after placing it on my face I felt relief.  Especially on that raw area on my jawline.  The “serum” felt cooling and super hydrating.  I was pleased at how it was going.  Once the mask was off, the directions call for massaging the remaining “serum” into my skin and allowing it to dry before continuing with my regular skin care routine.  I did exactly that.  Once the “serum” dried, I moisturized using the e.l.f. nourishing night cream.  If you want a cream that’s hydrating, holy crap, the e.l.f. nourishing night cream is AWESOME.

I woke up Monday morning to my face looking 90% better!  I could not believe the results.  I was so happy that I could just dab on some green color correcting concealer and no one would be the wiser that just two days before I had this horrible skin irritation.

This morning, my skin was still a teensy blotchy, but I’d have said looked at about 95% better.  I got home tonight from work and washed off my makeup.  My skin looks like the hot mess never happened!

I am so damned impressed with the hydration I got from ONE mask and a couple night’s use of a moisturizer.

The e.l.f. water mask is $3.00.  I think it can only be found online (www.eyeslipsface.com), but I know the e.l.f. nourishing night cream can be found at Walmart for a little cheaper than on the e.l.f. website.

I more than highly recommend these products.  If you suffer from dry skin, these products are inexpensive enough to try it and if it doesn’t work, you haven’t wasted a ton of money.

What is your skin care routine?  Do you like the e.l.f. product line? Share your favorite products with me!

Setting Sprays- A Review

I have an obsession with setting sprays.

Click photos to enlarge:

My drawer of setting sprays

Urban Decay All Nighter

Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day

Gerard Cosmetics Garden Party Slay All Day Minis

e.l.f. Matte Magic Mist & Set

e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set (ALCOHOL FREE!!)

Maybelline Master Fix

It’s difficult to pick a favorite, but if I have to pick one, I choose the Urban Decay All Nighter.

And the Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day setting spray.

OK, I CAN’T PICK JUST ONE.

Why use a setting spray?  I don’t have time, ok, I have plenty of time, but I am far too lazy to reapply/retouch my makeup in an 8 hour timeframe. I’m too busy constantly reapplying lipgloss or lip conditioning balm (another post for another time). Fortunately,  I don’t have to reapply/retouch when I use a setting spray.

I have to be careful with setting sprays because most contain alcohol and my face will get dry patches from the alcohol. 

The Urban Decay All Nighter spray is $31 for the full sized bottle (4oz).  The travel size (1oz) is $15. It’s expensive, but it really locks in my makeup and keeps my face looking matte.  It doesn’t have a harsh smell, or any smell at all, really.  The sprayer is AWESOME.  Some sprays have what seems like a power wash nozzle.  I’m trying to set my makeup, not remove my skin to the bone. With the Urban Decay All Nighter, my makeup is locked down, has a matte finish (dewy face doesn’t look good on 44 year old wrinkly skin), and my skin feels nice and firm.

The Gerard Cosmetics Slay All Day spray is a little more affordable at $22 for a full sized bottle (3.38oz), and the mini is $16 (1.01oz).  There are 7 fragrances to choose from.  I like the peach and the cucumber.  All of them smell delicious.  And the sprayers are amazing. You can always find a coupon promo code for 30% lingering around online somewhere (try their FB page), and around the holidays they offer 45% off!

The Slay All Day spray offers the same results as Urban Decay All Nighter- locking down my makeup all day, and leaving my face matte, feeling firm and polished.  Gerard Cosmetics is not available in stores, you can only purchase online.  Shipping is fast and when you get your package, it’s in a cute box, wrapped in pretty paper and littered with pretty confetti pieces.

Another spray I like is the e.l.f. Makeup Mist & Set.  It is $3 for 2.02oz of product.  THREE DOLLARS, ya’ll! Now, THAT’S affordable!  The sprayer isn’t the best, but I just save an empty bottle of Urban Decay All Nighter because I LIVE for that Urban Decay sprayer, and all is good. It doesn’t have a smell, that I’ve noticed.  I love this e.l.f setting spray because it’s alcohol-free.  I wish some of the others would get on board with the alcohol-free products.

I also reach for the e.l.f. Matte Magic Mist & Set.  At $4 for 2.02oz of product, this spray helps control any shine, and creates a nice matte finish.  The sprayer sucks, for lack of a better word. This is one of those that the spray comes out and hits your face like hail.

The Maybelline FaceStudio Master Fix setting spray is OK.  It’s about $11 at Walmart for 3.4oz of product.  It has a light scent, but it’s not overpowering.  The sprayer is pretty decent. This setting spray dries out my face though, so I tend to reach for the others before this one.  It does lock down my makeup, but it’s so drying.  If you can find a Gerard Cosmetics promo code, buy the Slay All Day for around the same price as this Maybelline.

I switch up my setting sprays because I have very sensitive skin, and alcohol is very drying.  I rotate between the sprays that have alcohol and the e.l.f. without alcohol.

I want to try the Mac Fix Plus, as well as the Makeup Forever, and Wet ‘n Wild sprays.

Do you use setting sprays?  Do you think they actually work to set makeup or are they all hype? Which are your go to sprays? Have you tried to DIY your own setting spray?

NYX Color Correcting Concealer Palette – A Review

I love the NYX Color Correcting Concealer palette.  The NYX palette colors are creamy, they blend out with ease, and work well at concealing what they are supposed to conceal. I normally use the e.l.f Flawless Finish foundation, which is a medium coverage foundation, and the color correcting concealers blend very well.  

I’ve been using color correcting concealers for a long time, and this palette is my favorite. I picked it up at Target for $12.00. There are cheaper palettes out there that do the same darned thing, but I’m a little picky with the brands I allow to go under my eyes, so I styx with nyx. See what I did there?

I do have the It Cosmetics Bye Bye Undereye, but that does NOT work for me. It’s wet and thick and creases and looks like poo poo. Also, it’s mega expensive. Another also, I have wrinkles under my eyes and CANNOT set my concealer with powder.  I was told that Bye Bye Undereye does not need to be set with a powder and that is a Bye Bye Undereye LIE. It’s very tacky feeling on my skin. If it works for you, yay.

The color correcting colors I use the most are the green, peachy/pinky/salmony, and yellow colors.

The green covers any redness. I use this on zits and the lame red dry skin patches scattered across my face.

I use a little of the peachy/pinky/salmony to combat the blue/purple bags under my eyes.

The yellow works to hide the shadow of my undereye bags. I just lightly trace a line along the bags under my eyes.

Once my face looks like a rainbow, I blend in all the concealer colors with my foundation, and apply the rest of my makeup.

If you wear makeup, you should own a color correcting palette, unless you have flawless skin, and if you do, you suck.

Soap and Glory Hand Food and The Righteous Butter – A Review

Soap and Glory Hand Food (and The Righteous Butter)

            

I have been using these for over a month now and I love them.

I bought a travel size Hand Food from Ulta and loved it so much after a few uses that I went back and bought two regular sized tubes.  I also just recently bought the The Righteous Butter.  If you suffer from dry skin like I do, even eczema, this stuff is AMAZING.  And it smells so good!

I wash my hands a zillion times a day and I need a lotion that can keep my hands moisturized like I don’t wash them a zillion times a day.  Hand Food does exactly that.

From the Ulta website:  A non-greasy hand cream with shea butter, macadamia oil, and marshmallow. Scented with our Original Pink Rose & Bergamot fragrance, combining fresh bergamot, mandarin, rose, jasmine, peach, strawberry, and soft musk & amber base notes for skin that is blissfully clean and silky-soft.

Moving on to The Righteous Butter.  This stuff is also TO DIE FOR.  I use this daily all over my body after my shower.  My skin is so darned soft and it leaves my skin smelling yummy.  I can stick my head down my shirt right now and I can still smell it on my skin from applying it almost 12 hours ago. The Righteous Butter makes my legs so soft.  I can apply it in the morning, and until I shower the next day, my legs are soft and smooth.  With other lotions, I have to constantly reapply to keep my legs from looking flaky.

GET IT.

You can find it online, and at Ulta, select Walgreens, and Targets.  It’s a bit pricey for lotion; Hand Food is $8 for a full sized tube (the travel size is $4) and the The Righteous Butter is $15 (travel size is also $4), but those medicated lotions and other body lotions that promise soft skin at half the price are crap.

Invest in your skin, yo.

Use these products? Tell me what you think!