NARS Aqua Gel Hydrator ($76.00 for 3.6 fl. oz.) is beyond phenomenal. It is the perfect treatment for everyone, but especially for those with normal-to-oily skin, because it is water-based (hence the “gel” in the name). It’s actually made of 87% water! It is designed to be considered a mask, rather than an everyday moisturizer, though I am sorely tempted to make it a daily staple. It is just that good.
There’s still more to rave about! Continue reading →
NARS Hydrating Moisture Cream ($72.00 for 3.4 fl. oz.) is my night cream of choice. I consider this my current staple, and I’ve actually be ignoring a lot of my other favorite night creams in lieu of this fabulous one. I also credit my lessened acne and breakouts to using this deliciously rich and quickly hydrating cream. I didn’t change anything in my skincare routine except for using this as my PM cream, and whoa nice skin! Although, I admit, I’ve been cheating on Hydrating Moisture Cream with an equally amazing NARSskin product–Aqual-Gel Hydrator–but more on that three-way relationship later on this week.
Okay, what else makes this so great? Continue reading →
Prescriptives’ All Skins Mineral Makeup SPF15 ($32.50) is described as a weightless, long-wearing mineral makeup foundation. It is supposed to be filled with “good-for-you” ingredients. I’ve yet to fall head over heels in love with any mineral foundation; I feel like I get more on my bathroom counter and my shirt (and somehow, I am always wearing black when I try a mineral foundation!) than my face. I also find that loose powders, in general, settle more into the lines and pores of my face, making my skin seem rougher. Prescriptives’ mineral makeup does not share this common trait; I find that it doesn’t settle in the lines around my lips (those pesky smile wrinkles), which is a huge plus for me. So the fact that it doesn’t settle into fine lines makes this a supreme choice for those of us who are experiencing those telltale signs of aging and want to minimize–or at least not emphasize (!)–them.
Any downsides?
Shiny skin got you down? You should check out Philosophy’s Never Let Them See You Shine line. The line is a trio of products, consisting of a primer ($20.00), a cleanser ($20.00), and a scrub ($20.00).
The primer feels smooth, velvety – it sinks into the skin and helps keep your makeup looking fresher all day. The primer both mattifies and keeps oil away throughout the day, which allows you to reduce the shine and oily appearance on your face. My skin is pretty normal, but on occasion my forehead might get a touch oily. I found this never happened when I wore the primer.
Let me tell you about the cleanser and exfoliating scrub! Continue reading →
Long-time Temptalia readers probably know that my favorite concealer is Kanebo’s Brush-Type Concealer ($33.00). Kanebo has recently reformulated and improved its popular concealer. Part of their new foundation series, the Kanebo Concealer is now touted as an anti-aging brush-on foundation tool. It has Kanzo Extract, which is supposed to soothe blemishes and reduce/prevent irritation. There is also moistened powder, which helps you retain the natural oil in your skin.
Above, the picture is of my naked eye, without any makeup, completely unretouched–truly my naked eye! I actually haven’t been sleeping very well, and I’ve cried more than usual, so it was the perfect time to check out the concealer. (By the way, can you see those awful undereye wrinkles? Sigh!)
Below is a picture with my undereye area concealed using Kanebo. The concealer has really neutralized the redness/puffiness as well as reduced the darkness of the undereye circle. I have never had a lot of bags, because I have hated, hated, HATED them. I do everything I can to keep them at bay; I’ve always been a good girl and done my best to get a full eight hours! What I like about Kanebo is its wear, because I don’t find that it migrates or emphasizes my fine lines throughout the day. It stays put, and it does its job well!
Somme Institute Mobile Travel Kit ($85.00) is the best way to try out Somme Institute’s 5-Step System without breaking the bank (plus, it is TSA compliant). The kit includes their Nourishing Cleanser, Transport, Serum, A-Bomb, and Double Defense products.
To get to where they are today, they evaluated and tracked ingredient efficacy in over 3,000 products from drugstore to private label to determine what works and what doesn’t. During their research, they used ultra violet photography to see skin damage not visible to the human eye. Their system uses technology called MDT5 (Molecular Dispersion Technology), which is supposed to allow the products to get into the deepest layers of your skin. MDT5 is a blend of six vitamins (A, C, E, D, B3, and B5).
Of the five products, I recently tried the Double Defense Day Moisture SPF30 alongisde with their Eye cream. The Somme Institute has caught me at a good skin week (well, month), so my results can never be shown to be dramatic. However, I have noticed a bit of wrinkling beneath my eyes though (which I have to say a big SAY WHAT? to), so I started using the Eye cream twice daily (AM and PM) on my under eye area. With consistent use, the line started to minimize and not appear as deep as it originally was. Though, stopping the routine has seen not a total reversion, but some.
I also used the Double Defense Day Moisture SPF30 each morning, and I liked it for its lightweight texture and the fact that is waterproof. It has both UVA and UVB broad-spectrum protection, which is a total must for me. You also know that I prefer my moisturizer to have SPF in it, thereby eliminating an additional product. I love me a good multi-tasking product!
I haven’t been able to use the actual 3-step core system nor the complete 5-step system, so my results don’t speak very loudly about the line either way. At the moment, I’m not too tempted to try a whole new system (because my skin has been behaving), but if it starts acting up again, I think I might go this route.
To read more for yourself, check out www.sommeinstitute.com.
