Dr. Jart Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask

Dr. Jart Water Fuse Water-Max Sleeping Mask* 

A little while back I was lucky enough to be sent a few things by the lovelies over at Dr. Jart. I was even more excited because it's a brand that I had never really explored before. I've checked out their BB creams but I'm more of a foundation girl so nothing really stuck. Silly me for overlooking their skincare. Whoops.

I'm kind of a noob when it comes to overnight masks — they're just not something I've thought much about. The kind of masks I usually go for are brightening, tightening, you know the drill. Think REN Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal and LUSH Brazened Honey. This one focuses more on moisture and replenishing your skins water supply. It is also supposed to boost elasticity, and you know any mask packed full of hyaluronic acid will do just that.

You apply 10 minutes before going to sleep and cleanse it off in the morning when you wake up. What you'll be left with is the softest and most plump skin. I have never really put much thought into if my skin is dehydrated or lacking moisture because it's so normal all the time. And yet, one use of a mask and I can definitely tell the difference. The nice thing is that it lasts too. It's not just surface level changes, it's definitely a mask that penetrates into the skin, which is definitely a plus.

I've been using this mask for a few months now and can safely say that it'll be one that sticks in my skincare routine for a very long time. I love how soft and supple my skin feels after using this — definitely a welcome change for my oh-so-normal skin.

Have you guys used this mask before? Do you have any other favorites?

*PR Sample 

Current Skincare

Skincare is ever-changing, at least for me. It's important to learn to adapt with your skin — and because of that I have a little bit of everything lying around the house. Lately my skin has been a bit finicky. It's safe to assume the weather change and frequent flights over the past few months have confused my poor face, but it's okay! There are lots of helpful products for all your skin needs.

I've been trailing Dr. Hauschka's Soothing Cleansing Milk. When it comes to skincare I'm most fickle with cleansers. This one is nice — it's not incredible by any means but the texture and fragrance are lovely and it does leave my face pretty clean. I have a feeling that one of these days I'll be reordering Aurelia's Miracle Cleanser. I went through a pot of it last fall and haven't stopped thinking about it since. It's probably time...

My moisturizer of choice is still Glossier's Priming Moisturizer. I love it! It's light and simple and leaves my face feeling like a nice fresh canvas, cuz that's what we want, right?

When it comes to masks, I've been really digging REN's ClearCalm 3 Acne Treatment Mask. I've been breaking out (womp womp) and this is definitely helping to rid and prevent any pesky spots! I was skeptical but it's definitely worth the price. It's a lil miracle worker and is easily one of the best acne related products I've ever used.

I'm trailing some Caudalie minis! I'm all about testing out before committing when it comes to spendy products. Caudalie's S.O.S Thirst Quenching Serum is pretty nice as far as serums good. I feel like my face is a bit more supple and hydrated when I use this and honestly? It just feels gooooood. I'm also trying their S.O.S Morning Eye Rescue which is as great as it should be for being Caudalie. Seems to keep my eyes less puffy overall and so I can't complain. When I'm all out I'll probably pick up a full size of each of these because skincare.

If I'm spending a day around the house sans-makeup post-cleanse-and-mask, my serum of choice is Fresh's Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil. This is the kind of product that feels luxurious and stupidly nice on the skin. One that you swear works the moment you rub it in. It's like an instant shot of moisture! A little goes a long way with this stuff too.

Last but not least: Glossier's Soothing Face Mist. I use this stuff constantly— when I wake up, before the gym, after showering, after the gym, when I'm bored. Rose water forever. Don't underestimate the power of a simple face spray.

That pretty much sums up my skincare life at the current moment. I'm sure this will all change as the seasons and weather change but for now, this it! What are your favorite skincare products?!

Glossier Phase 1 Set

When one of your favorite beauty-focused internet-reads announces a surprise project, you pay attention. That was definitely the case for me when Into the Gloss announced Glossier. I mean, ITG is basically my beauty bible at this point — can you blame me?

The Phase 1 Set includes four products and the cutest little sticker set. Never a letdown with these guys, huh.

The Soothing Face Mist is magical. Magical in the sense that it's exactly the kind of product I want to use to refresh my skin during the day and just the perfect base after cleansing and before makeup application. The rosewater makes spritzing this on feel just a teensy bit luxurious, and I'm totally okay with that.

I got the Perfecting Skin Tint in Medium and I have no regrets. It's a very close match to my skin currently and I figure winter rolls around I can grab the lighter shade and mix the two. I was unsure if I'd like this due to how light and watery it seemed on the back of my hand but alas, I was wrong. I love the application (especially with a stippling brush or fingers) and the finish is gorgeous. It's light but not too light and it looks SO natural. Not to mention how dewy it is. This stuff is on daily rotation.

Aside from the fact that it's called the Balm Dotcom, I have to say that this little tube is kind of the bomb. I wasn't sure how I was going to use this stuff at first but my boo Amy told me to use it on my lips and hey, I'm a convert. I've also been applying to my cuticles and ugh, it's amazing. Super moisturizing and hydrating; it lasts for so long, even on lips! This is one of those products that I just need to be carrying with me at all times (and I do).

I'm picky when it comes to moisturizers, you should know this. It's so hard for me to find something light enough for my liking that also provides my skin with some real hydration. PSA: I love Glossier's Priming Moisturizer. It's light, it feels fresh on the skin, it fully skins in and doesn't leave a weird layer of leftover product after application. My face feels more supple and soft and I'm hoping that with continuous use, I'll see a little less redness too.

So I guess basically what I'm saying is that Glossier knocked it out of the park. I can't wait to see what they do next. Hurry up, Phase 2. I'll try to be patient.

Sunday Riley Charisma Créme Cleanser

Sunday Riley Charisma Créme Cleanser / $45

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would be the kind of person that spends $45 on a bottle of cleanser. As someone with very normal skin, it's easy to neglect the fact that you should still spend a decent chunk of time taking care of it. Two or so months back I had the chance to check out the Space NK up in Larkspur and I left with a hefty amount of samples. One that has stayed in my mind the whole time was this Sunday Riley cleanser. I used it and loved it until those little packets of product were no more. And then I contemplated buying and can I just say that justifying a $45 cleanser is a bit hard when you've been using ~$6 Cetaphil cleanser for ages. I also tried the Ceramic Slip cleanser that SR does but couldn't stand the smell and the finish just wasn't at nice. Can't win 'em all! 

Then last week, a few days before my birthday we headed over to Sephora and there is was: Sunday Riley in all it's glory. I contemplated for a good five minutes until Richard told me to just get it (and so I did). No regrets.

It's just as amazing as I remember. A milky white consistency that removes makeup like a dream and leaves your skin feeling so so moisturized. It's packed full of ingredients like lavender and chamomile for soothing, and green tea + cranberry extract for their antioxidant properties. Because I've been a bit sick and getting some frustrating hormonal breakouts, this is just doing exactly what I need it to right now. Calming, adding more moisture where I need it, and overall just making me feel super luxurious (and beautiful) while I cleanse.

It's funny to say a skincare product (let alone a cleanser) is gorgeous but this really truly is. I can see myself using this until the end of time. It just knocks any other product I've ever cleansed with out of the park. Sorry Cetaphil, but you're just not cutting it anymore.

What do you guys think of Sunday Riley? Have you tried this cleanser?

Origins (for Men) Save the Males Moisturizer

Origins Save the Males Moisturizer / $36

Backstory: We were in England, staying in a hotel for Richard's grandparents Diamond Anniversary party. We leave the hotel a day later. Richard realizes he's left basically all of his skincare at the hotel. Massive freakout ensues (not really, but maybe). Amongst the lost ones was a pretty nice Kiehl's moisturizer we were both using... aka bummer city. So the night of Christmas Eve, I picked him up a bottle of this as a last resort as Kiehl's had closed ridiculously early in hopes it would be a good replacement.

He wasn't so sure about it at first, so I began to try and use it because well, why not. He warmed up to it fairly quickly after that, and so did I. Though I was mostly using Enzymion at the time because the English weather had turned my face into an oil-slick, when we came back home and my skin returned to a normal state, this became my #1 daily moisturizer. It lasted us quite a few months which is surprising but the moment we ran out and I was forced to use something else, my skin wasn't very happy. Now? We're all good.

My biggest issue with most moisturizers is that they sit on top of my skin. This absolutely does not do that. It's lightweight and sinks in nicely leaving me with the perfect amount of hydration. Not too much and not too little. It doesn't make me greasy at all (it's oil-free!), and seems to keep my skin in almost pristine condition. I have absolutely no qualms. It's also really great with Richard's super sensitive skin too, soooo I highly recommend it.

I don't even care in the slightest that this is marketed and made for men. It does the job I want it to do and I absolutely love it. No product discrimination here!

Ladies: have you ever tried a "men's product" that you ended up loving?

Caudalie Beauty Elixir

Caudalie Beauty Elixir · $18

It was only a matter of time 'til I hopped on the Beauty Elixir bandwagon. All my favorite bloggers use it and rave about it, so how could I not try it for myself?

All in all it's just a really gorgeous toner. Everything about it is gorgeous — the bottle, the smell, the way it feels on your skin. I use this in the morning after I shower as my face is usually pretty red and this stuff definitely helps calm my skin a ton. My skin also feels a little more, I don't know, firm? Plump? It just feels amazing as if it's truly ready for me to apply makeup. Seems silly, but I don't know how else to explain it. The fact that it's a mist makes it even better, it's overall so much easier to apply than most other toners. 

Another great use? I love spritzing some on around 1-2pm just to make my face and makeup feel a little more refreshed. The plant-y and minty smell really wakes me up and makes me feel slightly luxurious. Overall I'm really in love with this stuff and I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. $18 for a 1oz bottle might seem a little steep — until you use it for yourself and see that it really is worth the price. 

What do you guys think of this product? Do you think it deserves the hype it gets?

Birchbox Man: August 2012

I've got to give it to Birchbox — they're killing it when it comes to the mens boxes! This month Richard got some pretty good stuff. 

The t-shirt is from Barking Irons; it's amazingly soft and is this really awesome grey color. They say it's "vintage fit with short, angled sleeves" but other than the sleeves it seems like a pretty normal tee to me!  It's $46 for a two-pack of these shirts so getting one in a $20 Birchbox? Worth it. Next up is the Oribe Ultra Gentle Shampoo and Conditioner which Richard has yet to try but from the looks of it they seem pretty good, especially because they're gentle and hopefully gentle enough for sensitive skin.

As per each Birchbox he's recieved so far, there were some things wrapped in some green paper with a Birchbox sticker-type thing holding it together. Inside we found three pretty awesome little products. 

Richard's not much of a lip balm person but he has enjoyed using the C.O. BIGELOW's My Favorite Lip Balm. It's got shea butter and almond oil and isn't too thick or greasy on the lips aka perfect for men. The Marvis Classic Mint Toothpaste is bomb. Seriously. I tried this and love it and am honestly considering purchasing it. Not only is the package all vintage and badass, but the toothpaste is so good that the sample is already gone. The last thing in the box this month was Kiehl's Ultimate Brushless Shave Cream. Kiehl's is a pretty great brand when it comes to skincare so this seems like a pretty great product. It's a menthol-infused cream which means you'll get a nice cool shave (literally).

What do you guys think about these products? Have you signed up for Birchbox Men yet? 

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm · $45

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is a product I've heard a lot about, especially from the UK bloggers that I follow. Though I haven't really been into skincare before, I'm starting to get into a basic daily regimen. I have normal skin, I rarely break out, and redness/oiliness isn't really an issue for me. For a while I naively figured that if I had such great skin I didn't really need to partake in cleansing, toning, exfoliating, etc. but I'm slowly learning that the more I take care of my skin now, the better it will be in the future. 

Beauty Flash Balm can be used two ways: as a primer/base for makeup or as a  10-minute mask. The directions (for the base/primer) say to smooth onto the skin — don't rub — and immediately apply makeup, so that's what I did and the results were pretty fantastic. Almost immediately I saw my skin go from normal-dull to dewy and the addition of my liquid/créme foundation only made it better; I was basically glowing. My makeup lasted all day without needing any touch-ups so I'm pretty thrilled at the results. I'm interested to see the effects it has on my skin over time and if it really does "minimize signs of fatigue/stress" because god knows we all need a little help with that sometimes!

Have any of you tried this before? What other Clarins products should I check out?

Birchbox Man: July 2012

Birchbox Man · $20/mo

Stuff for guys on a women's beauty/style blog. Really? I mean, really? YES REALLY.

We can't forget the fact that I'm married to a man that does like to indulge in skincare and haircare products quite often, so I kind of feel the need to write about it (and why not!?).

I have to admit straight away that I am 10000% more impressed with this box than I was with mine (/sob). Anywho, this pretty little box was filled with some awesome stuff. As you can see we've got some Benta Berry G-1 Super Moisturizing Face Cream, John Allen's Shave Slickwater — two pretty badass products from what I can tell. In the neatly wrapped package, there was a Supersmile Whitening System, and not pictured were the Cordies and the Wrapster from Quirky.

I've got to give it to Birchbox, they definitely packed this full of stuff Richard would be (and is) interested in trying and using. I'm really excited that there is now a beauty box for men that actually caters to the guys likes and needs. The questionnaire he had to fill out while signing up was fun and they really hit the nail on the head with picking things he'd like. Bravo, Birchbox. Now if you could only get mine sorted out :)

What do you guys think of this box? Are you interested in seeing more stuff for men? Would the guys in your lives enjoy something like this?