Author: Lindsay

h2O Waterwhite Advanced Brightening Collection

Literally hours ago I was having a conversation with a friend about how Vitamin C can be sometimes hard to use. It is often harsh and irritating. At the same time, I was planning to write about my new favorite cleanser and toner – a duo that left my skin clear, clean, bright and full of clarity. As I researched my new infatuation, I discovered that it was made with none other than Vitamin C. But without the harsh side effects.

h2o is fabulous at using effective ingredients in a calculated and soothing way. The Waterwhite Advanced Brightening Cleanser has all the foaming action I crave while still fading dark spots. Along with Vitamin C, Knotted Sea Kelp and Asian Brightening Botanicals blend into the silky formula to keep skin clear but not dry or tight. Sea minerals work to soften and energize skin, repairing signs of aging.

I am a huge convert to toners. It was a struggle to relinquish this one to try out Whitewater Advanced Brightening Toner. The new arrival is just as captivating. With the same ingredients as the cleanser, the toner rids my skin of any residue while refreshing skin. Surface cells are scooped away and my skin tone is totally brightened.

Both products are amazingly gentle on my skin – surprising now that I know they both include Vitamin C. The ingredient is crucial for correcting tone but can often cause redness on me. However, not with these guys. I get very little scent with both the cleanser and toner. One caution, the cleanser does hurt if it gets in your eyes so take care. Overall, I think this duo is perfect to transition to spring without drying on skin and working on dark spots.

Pick up this collection at h2oplus.com.

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AN EDITORIAL SAMPLE MAY HAVE BEEN PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY AND EVALUATED TO DETERMINE OUR OPINION OF THE PRODUCT IN THIS POST. PLEASE SEE THE DISCLOSURES PAGE FOR FURTHER INFORMATION REGARDING OUR POLICIES FOR USING EDITORIAL SAMPLES.

Beauty.com x MILLY Game Face Bag

I’m here to give you an excuse to shop on this (rainy here) Friday night. You are welcome. Some of my favorite beauty finds are at Beauty.com (part of drugstore.com). And my experience shopping there has always been a breeze. Now – while supplies last – one purchases of $125 or more the store is offering a MILLY Game Face Bag as a gift with purchase. So shop away, friends… shop away.

The included bag is so darn cute – bold and bright and perfect for spring. It works great as a makeup bag both for travel and every day. Included are 13 beauty samples to round out this GWP value at $145. The samples for you to try:

H2O Plus Night Oasis Oxygenating Rejuvenator Gel
Origins Original Skin Refining Serum
Nuxe Merveillance Expert Normal Skin Minis
bareMinerals Marvelous Moxie DLX Sample
Erno Laszlo White Marble Bar Soap
Phyto Secret de Nuit
ARCONA White Tea Cleanser
Paula’s Choice KP Treatment Cloths
Jurlique Purely Age Defying Serum
Ahava Age-Perfecting Hand Cream
Nick Chavez Plump ‘N Thickening Shampoo
butter LONDON, Nail Lacquer Trout Poute (full sized)
Bliss Fab Foaming Face Wash

I am currently falling in love with Jurlique all over again. The Ahava hand cream is probably one of my all time favorites. And the Bliss foaming face wash is worth it all on its own (sooo good!). Other brands available at Beauty.com include Dr. Brandt, GlamGlow, Somme Institute, bareMinerals, byTerry, and It Cosmetics.

Wednesday On The Web

There must be something about springtime – I am getting so many questions about improving skin – from gadgets to serum to retinols. I think we look to this season as a reason to start anew whether it is because we soon will be wearing swimsuits or wearing less makeup. One of the skin care lines my girls are buzzing about is Tatcha, one of my favorites (learn more about the brand here). And now is the time to let your fingers go shopping.

The line just launched their latest – Tatcha: Indigo Enzyme Powder – their gentlest exfoliator yet. Get complimentary Aburitorigami Beauty Papers ($12 value) with any order over $20 at Tatcha with code TREAT2015 through 3/31. Some other finds from around the web:

I have a confession – I don’t love beauty vlogs. But Lisa’s and this one in particular with Alexa is captivating!

Taking a cue from Taylor – I can (and have been) a dating jerk. Time to turn this ship around.

A dreamy neutral outfit.

OMG a cocktail tower on my (future) property? I think yes!

I LOVE MAPS.

This game full of design inspiration will be filling my entire weekend.

image: a peony (Tatcha uses peony extract in their products). Source here.

Radical Age Defying Exfoliating Pads

Do you ever get into a lazy skin care funk. I admit to occasionally getting into a rushed state with my skin care. Although I pretty consistently always wash and moisturize, sometimes I skip extra steps. Radical Age Defying Exfoliating Pads make it a breeze to go the extra mile.

A couple times a week, I have been whipping these out after washing and applying over my skin at night. No need to rinse. The pads deliver AHAs to exfoliate the dead skin while allowing other ingredients to take a deeper dive. Willow bark clears pores, witch hazel works as a very mild astringent and Osilift tones and smooths.

Even on my sensitive skin, I get zero redness. And my skin’s hydration getse a boost. But cleaner, brighter and calm skin is revealed. Win-win. Available at Sephora.

Cle de Peau Beaute Concentrated Brightening Eye Serum

I knew it was going to take a lot to get me off this eye cream bandwagon, but I figured no time better than “sinus infection time” to give another version a roll. I was faced with puffiness (which I usually don’t have to deal with) and dark circles. So, it was Cle de Peau Beaute Concentrated Brightening Eye Serum to the rescue.

This luxe eye cream is housed in a chic grey pump with the classic Cle de Peau elegance. The serum (which is almost creamy in my mind) is designed to provide brightness below the eyes while casting it with an infused light. While some might want to save this for AM application because of that point, I found the serum so hydrating and soothing that I use it at night too.

The formula contains Cle de Peau’s Illuminating Complex that emphasizes both moisture and radiance. It also works against pigmentation – my persistent foe. The best effect is a certain dewiness that I find especially hard to achieve on the under eye – I am always battling that “crape”-iness. Somehow this masked my puffiness as well, eliminating that nasty “shadow”. While I don’t think I had immediate de-puff effect, my skin looked so much better, I no longer noticed it. This one is worth the splurge.

Samples generously provided by Neiman Marcus as part of the Beauty Ambassador Program. I consult for Neiman Marcus which is affiliated with the Neiman Marcus Group, but as always, opinions are my own.

La Lumière illuMask Anti-Acne Light Therapy Mask

I had reviewed this mask way back when, but asked some bestie blog friends to try it out on their slightly more acne-prone skin. Alas, my skin suffers from dryness and hyper-pigmentation. No complaints here, but wanted to give this gadget a real whirl on complexions dealing with breakouts.

A little about the mask: Using specific wavelengths of red and blue light, this mask prevents and treats breakouts. The red light reduces skin’s inflammation (the part I loved on my sensitive skin) and heals break outs. Red light also works to even skin tone. Blue light kills acne-causing bacteria, reducing current acne and future blemishes or breakouts.

I certainly did not expect a resounding love of the “Pink Power Ranger” mask (gotta love my testers’ sense of humor). Lauren‘s first reaction was “This Daft Punk mask really works! I had a zit at the outer edge of my cheek that just WOULD NOT go away for like a month, and now it’s gone after using this for a solid week!“

In Lisa‘s words:

I have combination skin, and if I get lax in my regular routine (which happens a bit more often than I care to admit), my skin starts to revolt in the form of patches of tiny breakouts, primarily on my chin and cheeks, and occasionally my forehead. This was the case when I started using Illumask.

Though Illumask has an opening for your eyes, with the light on it was hard for me to see — but I quickly came to embrace that as it forced me to relax for at least a short bit of time in my day. It feels a bit like sticking your face in a tanning bed, only the light is far more pleasant, and the heat very gentle. I’d put on an audiobook or some music and just lay on my bed for 15 minutes.

I noticed some slight dryness and tightness of my skin after each use, but I followed each treatment with my regular nightly moisturizer and my skin felt normal after that. The mask is good for 30 uses, but I actually stopped at 7 because it had done its job — my skin was clear again. I’ve been a bit lax again lately so I think it’s time to pull it back out again!

Lauren adds “Either way, having that zit go away was as fast as an anti-inflammatory injection from the derm, but cheaper.” I am all for a cheaper solution to a skin nightmare!

Available for $30 at Ulta, Walmart and Target. Thank you so much, Lisa and Lauren!