Pacifica Skin Revival Micro Dermabrasion Scrub REVIEW

Okay, so normally I like to test products out for a longer period of time than just one use. But this is a product that, considering the hefty price point and the tiny amount you get, I cannot stand. This review is going to go up ASAP so I can rehome this product to someone else who, hopefully, loves this product. Sadly, I did not. This is not intended to be a slight on Pacifica products as a whole. I have a handful of their products that I really enjoy (a couple of cleansers that should be getting some review love on here pretty soon!!) Plus, I love what the company stands for; it's cruelty free and all natural and also produced locally in the USA (holla at my Portland people!)

What's in my overnight makeup bag! Pt. 1 - Skincare

Long time, no see! I'm staying overnight and I have nothing better to do, so might as well actually blog, right? This post is going to be entirely mobile (camera phone pics and Blogger app) so I apologize if it's not quite the usual quality I try to have on here.

So, let's talk about skincare. It's only overnight so I tried not to overload with the skincare (but since I *AM* working, I did not skimp on the makeup portion lol). This is going to be like mini reviews!

1.) Neutrogena Makeup Remover - I love that stuff and I decanted some into a tiny container. I just use regular cotton rounds.

2.) Simple Micellar Facial Wipes - I was so excited when I heard about these and frankly they're pretty disappointing. I love the regular micellar water from Simple but these wipes just do not remove much!

3.) Karuna Age-Defying Face Mask - I haven't actually used this one yet, it's just a sheet mask that I received as gratis (I work at Ulta) so I figured might as well try it now.

4.) Bliss Fabulous Foaming Face Wash - This is gratis as well, I'm going to try it out in the morning!

5.) The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Lotion - Holy grail product right here, I LOVE this moisturizer and I've been having a few mini bumps here and there.

6.) Lancôme Génefique & Rénergie Lift - Really fond of the Génefique serum, and I'm trying to finish off the sample of my Rénergie Lift!

7.) Tony Moly Panda's Dream Cool Eye Stick - Moisturizing but not super heavy and also refreshing!

Things I skimped on: I didn't bring my beloved Clarisonic because it's just an overnight stay. Nor did I bring a toner. Oh well! These are my overnight skincare necessities! I completely forgot about my hair, go figure, I'm going to have to buy a brush and some dry shampoo in the morning. Next post will probably be my brushes and tools!

Exuviance Sheer Daily Protector; the best sunscreen I've ever tried (REVIEW)

Let's talk about skincare today. I don't often do this because I consider myself to be a skincare n00b. In fact, I admit; I was TERRIBLE at taking care of my skin when I was a teenager. I broke every skincare rule in the books; I slept in my makeup, I didn't moisturize, and I never wore sunscreen. Now that I'm 27, skincare suddenly seems crucially important. I invested in a Clarisonic. I'm diligent about cleaning my makeup off. And I wear a daily SPF. Exuviance is a brand that I never had access to until working at Ulta. I'd heard of some of the bigger brands, such as Mario Badescu, Dermalogica, Philosophy, and Murad, but this was a new line to me.

Exuviance is a skincare line created by two doctors who are widely considered to be leaders in the field of cosmetic dermatology and who also patented the first glycolic peel. This sounds like the type of line for me! One of my biggest issues, and the main reason why I never wore sunscreen much as a teen, is the feel of sunscreen. It's usually that thick, white goop that has a strong smell and leaves that grayish cast on your skin and takes forever to sink into your skin. The other thing is that sunscreen should be reapplied every few hours...and let's be real here - who is going to do their makeup and then rub sunscreen all over their face in a couple of hours?

No one. That's who. Enter the Exuviance Sheer Daily Protector Broad Spectrum SPF 50 PA++++! (Speaking of "enter", if this is the type of product you think you'd be interested in trying out and you live in the US, definitely enter the Exuviance GIVEAWAY! 25 lucky people will win one of these babies...and this sunscreen retails for $42!)

FTC Disclaimer: I purchased this product from Ulta with my own money. My opinions are my own and do not reflect those of my employer. I am not receiving monetary or physical compensation for this post. It IS in conjunction with Brandbacker, which anyone can sign up for and take part in. My integrity is very important to me - I would not have chosen to make this post if I did not enjoy this product.

January-March Empties!

Okay, okay, so that title is a lie; some of these empties are from as long ago as last July. I'm always torn between wanting to do a substantial empties post...and not wanting it to be ridiculous. This post is going to be ridiculous, sorry to say, because I really want to through out my trash, haha. So, basically, this is about four months worth of empties, give or take a bunch of things that I forgot about and just tossed.

I'm doing this in blog format because it will be way easier to scroll to relevant parts than in a long-ass video. I hope to never acquire this much trash again. I'm hoping to do one of these every other month, if it's interesting. (If all I have is a bunch of cotton and products that I've shown before, don't expect an empties post - I enjoy these types of things...but not when they're redundant.)

Montagne Jeunesse Chocolate Masque Review

Hey there! Check it out, another blog. this is going to be a review on a face mask by a brand called Montagne Jeunesse. These masks are widely available: we sell them at Ulta and I've seen them at Meijer, Walmart, Walgreens, and Targets. I have a love/hate relationship w/ face masks. I'm so bloody impatient, that waiting for masks to dry is absolute torture. Plus, I wear glasses, so when I'm waiting for a mask to set, I can't do anything else b/c I am blind as a bat w/o them and I don't have contacts. Sometimes I just wear them anyway, but then my nose piece gets all funky and dirty. (FIRST WORLD PROBLEM ALERT!)

I received this mask from Influenster in my Holiday 2012 VoxBox. (For my initial thoughts and unboxing video, click here!) This was a product that not every person was eligible for (it said on the info card that it was based on demographics) but I guess I lucked out! I don't want to go into my whole Influenster spiel again, but I did an introduction post right hurrr. But, basically, Influenster is a site based on the idea of social media; you sign up and can actually get involved w/ different brands and receive products to test and review, etc. It's pretty cool, so check it out!

FTC Disclaimer: I received this product free through Influenster. I am not being paid or compensated in any way by the company being reviewed. My opinions are entirely my own! :)

boscia Skincare Review

I actually kind of like doing those product battle posts. I know the first one is going to raise people's hackles but it happens. We don't all like the same things. I have another one planned, actually, between Benefit and Revlon (spoiler: Revlon wins, by a long-shot.) ANYWAY, this is a review post. About skincare, that I've been using for little over a month now, albeit on and off.

I should mention that I have oily/combo skin. It gets severely dry in random little spots, but, for the most part, is oily as hell. I do not have sensitive skin, nor do I have issues w/ acne. I got in a car accident eight years ago and the airbag left some rough, red patches along my jawline; I also have typical redness. I am sensitive to heat, so my face is often red, but the redness is usually my only skin issue. Sometimes it looks a bit textured and dull.

I'm not even sure if there is a crazy demand for boscia reviews, but whatever, let's get this started!