St. Ives Green Tea Face Scrub

Out of all the drugstore face scrubs, St. Ives is one of my favorite brands. I tend to use their Apricot Scrub, but recently, their Green Tea Scrub caught my eye. As green tea is so wonderful for the skin, I was very excited to try it.

The first thing I noticed about this was the sweet smell. The apricot version has a very soft, creamy fragrance. This one smells bright and fruity, more like kiwi than green tea, but with just enough of a hint of matcha that I can buy it. I also noticed that the scrubbing agents were a lot finer than the apricot's crushed nutshells.

After washing my face with it, I couldn't help but notice how gentle it was, yet my face still felt clean and refreshed afterwards. I also have noticed a significant decrease in my blackheads when I use it, though I get the same results from the Apricot Scrub. Though I tend to prefer slightly more abrasive scrubs, I will happily use this one as a gentle alternate when my skin is feeling delicate.

Final Verdict: Like It!

EOS Pomegranate Raspberry Smooth Sphere

When I first purchased eos's on-and-off Pomegranate Raspberry smooth sphere, I was rather hesitant. I'd already tried that flavor in their stick-shaped balm and I hadn't been very impressed by it.

Let me tell you something, though...

This product rocks! All of the delicious moisture I've come to expect from eos, plus a sweet, juicy pomegranate scent with just a hint of raspberry. My only issue would be that it could have used a little more raspberry (yum!) but this fun little ball will fit right in with any other eos aficionado's collection.

Final Verdict: Like it!  

Evolution of Smooth Hand Lotions

So this little brand called EOS? I might be a fan of it. In case you were wondering. And though I’ve already talked about their lip balms, their other products are pretty nifty, too!

I love the shape of these little hand lotions, available in three different fragrances. These are Berry Blossom and Cucumber. The third, Fresh Flowers, used to be the unscented one, but I’ll be sure to try it out soon. These are very convenient for travel and are super affordable as well.

Naturally, they’re rich and moisturizing, though the consistency of the lotion may feel a little watery at first. However, it absorbs fast and leaves my hands feeling fresh! It’ll be nice to keep one in my purse when I go out.

Final Verdict: Like It! 

The Body Shop’s Earth Lovers Shower Gels

Sulphate-free. Paraben-free. Colorant-free. I’m sure you’re aware by now that hearing your beauty products described as such is a good thing. You’ll be happy, then, to know that all three apply to The Body Shop’s Earth Lovers Shower Gels. These eco-friendly cleansers are designed to be entirely biodegradable (bottle included!) and are made from natural ingredients that won’t harm the environment, even when washed down the drain. They also come in delicious and creative fruit and herb fragrance combinations, although don’t expect to smell too much of the latter in any of them. The lather they produce is luxurious and rich and they’ll leave your skin feeling hydrated and fresh.

Here are my thoughts on the individual products of the line:

Apricot and Basil:

I’m gonna be honest, I’m a little sad that this smelled all apricot, with little to no basil involved. However, said apricot was very juicy and sweet, so I can’t be too unhappy with it.

Pear and Lemongrass:

Ripe, refreshing pear with a hint of fresh lemongrass.

Watermelon and Eucalyptus:

I was very sad that I couldn’t find any eucalyptus (which I love) in this. However, like with the apricot and basil, the watermelon was still very nice, saving the gel from being a letdown.

Cucumber and Mint:

This wasn’t as minty as I wanted, but it was as tingly and refreshing as one would imagine anything involving these two ingredients would be.

Fig and Rosemary:

Out of the bunch, this was the one where the “herb” ingredient was most noticeable and I gotta say, the combination was delightful. My favorite.

Lemon and Thyme: (Not Pictured)

I didn’t buy this one, but I did whiff it in the store. It was a little too “floor-cleaner” for me.

Final Verdict: Like it! 

PS- In case anyone's wondering why I post so many things from The Body Shop, I actually used to work for the company, plus I've been following the brand since I was a little girl. What can I say, I'm a  fan. 

The Body Shop Vitamin C Skin Boost

If you were to ask any employee of The Body Shop what their number one skin care product is, they would say the Vitamin C Skin Boost. And I can understand why.

This little skin serum/gel is silky to the touch and leaves skin feeling soft and smooth. It also absorbs quickly, so that your face isn’t left sticky or oily. It also has a refreshing orange-y smell, not unlike the company’s Satsuma line.

Upon application, the gel might look glittery or shimmery. Don’t fret, as this will not show up on you. This property will, however, help brighten your skin and give it a touch of radiance.

The only thing that drives me nuts about this product is that I can only wear it on foundation-free days, as any type of foundation I’ve tried to use with it (powder, liquid, cream, etc) slides right off and gives my face a blotchy appearance.

Final Verdict: Like It

Victoria's Secret Sexy Spring Eyes kit review

It seems like in the last year there’s been an influx of paint-by-numbers eye shadow palettes. You know what I’m talking about. A cute little palette that comes with instructions to utilize all of the shades in a look depicted on the cover. From what I’ve seen results can be mixed and they really don’t work for someone who isn’t already used to blending shadows for similar looks. That being said, there are a few that would make great gifts for someone that’s looking to build a make-up arsenal or add a little color to their repertoire. 

Victoria’s Secret Sexy Spring Eyes is a cute little kit, retailing at $15, that comes with two eye-popping looks, one suitable for daytime and one for nighttime. You can choose to follow the instructions printed on the opening flap, or come up with your own unique make-up. 

The shadows are pretty pigmented, but a little bit of primer  (used on the right-side streaks) wouldn't hurt, if you want to make them stand out and catch the light more. 

I decided to try the first look (nighttime) out while wearing my contacts. This look will be especially nice on green/blue-eyed girls.

Tip: I didn’t much like the little brush that came with the kit. I would recommend using a higher quality, non-sponge tip brush, preferably one you’re already accustomed to. For the liner, use a stiff and thin angled brush that has a lot of control, as that liner is gel-going-on-liquid and could result in icky smudges otherwise. 

 The shadows are a little bit unmanageable once they’re actually on. Clear up any mistakes with a Q-tip dipped in eye make-up remover.

 

The end result, however? Totally worth it!

Let’s try out our other, less high-drama look. This one will flatter brown-eyed girls the most and is completely wearable to work or school. 

Just a little dab of turquoise at the corners brings lots of color to this simple look.

The end result is pretty and warm, but not over-the-top.

In conclusion, this kit is worth having around and would be especially good for traveling or gifting, as you get two different and versatile styles in a slim little package that can fit in anywhere. 

Final Verdict: Like it!

Ingredients: Eye shadow- Talc, Boron Nitride, Zinc Sterate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-1, Cetyl Acetate, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Ethylhexyl Palmitate, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Dehydroacetatem Acrylates Copolymer, Polyurethane-11, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Synthetic Fluorphlogopite, Calclium Aluminum Borosilicate, Silica. MAY CONTAIN: Aluminum Powder (CI 77000), Manganese Violet (CI 77742), Mica, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Ferric Ammonium Ferrocyanide/Ferric Ferrocyanide (CI 77510), Blue 1 Lake (CI 42090), Iron Oxides (CI 77491/CI 77499, Carmine (CI 75470), Red 40 (CI 16035), Yellow 5 (CI 19140). Eye liner- Isopropyl Palmitate, Phenyl Trimethicone, Microcrystaline Wax, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Talc, Dimethicone, Kaolin, Silica, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Iron Oxides (CI 7749). 

Ulta Eye Shadow Review and Swatches

I have a complicated relationship with Ulta brand cosmetics. On the one hand, I love that they’re budget friendly, frequently have good promotions, and come in a wide variety of colors. On the other hand, it seems that more often than not you’re getting what you pay for… and it can sometimes leave a little to be desired. 

That being said, I’ve found myself with a pretty healthy (those darn promotions!!!) collection of Ulta shadows. These come in Shimmer, Matte, and Glitter finishes and offer a large range of colors from neutral to colorful. 

The following swatches are applied twice, plain on the left side, with Urban Decay’s Primer Potion on the right. It’s pretty clear that if you want colors that are vibrant and pop, you can’t use these on bare lids. They can also, occasionally, be a little bit difficult to apply, but it varies from shade to shade.

*= Shade is no longer being sold through Ulta.com, but may be available in stores. 

Amethyst                                    Love

Aztec Gold                             Bermuda Sand

Brass*                                    Flirty

Truffle                        Trendsetter

Platinum                     Granite

Pearl                                Pink

Mystical                              Silk

Verdigris                           Galaxy

Smoke*                          Black Ink*

Polished*                             Milk Chocolate

Au Naturel                         Seashell

Lustre                             Toast

Sable                                 Chianti

In the Buff                             Molten

Mint                                     Bone

Envy                             Naked

Sage                                    Stardust

Brown Sugar                         Zephyr

Bloom                                 Wisteria Lane

Majesty                               Calla Lily

Bayou                                  Sterling

Glamazon                              Ice Queen

Peacock                                   Deep Sea

There we have them. Though the colors are fun, I feel as if I’ve done a better job advertising the Primer Potion, rather than the shadows. That being said, if you like the colors there’s no need to not enjoy them. Just be willing to invest in a good eye base/primer, unless you’re a fan of the super-sheer look.

One final plus is that Ulta often includes these in Gift-With-Purchase promotions and they come in neat little quads that are amazing for travel.

Final Verdict: Like it! 

Ingredients:

Talc, Corn (Zea Mays) Starch, Nylon-12, Magnesium Stearate, PTFE, Dimethicone, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Octyldodecyl Stearoyl Stearate, Bis-Diglyceryl Polyacyladipate-2, Methylparaben, Phenoxyethanol, Propylparaben, Tocopheryl Acetate, Silica. May Contain: Mica, Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Black 2, Tin Oxide, Ultramarines, Chromium Oxide Green, Chromium Hyrdoxide Green, Carmine, Ferric Ferrocyanide, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Polyurethane-11, Aluminum, Polyethylene Terephthalate, Acrylates Copolymer, Calcium Sodium Borosilicate, Bismuth Oxychloride, Yellow 5 Lake, Blue1 Lake, Manganese Violet.