Review: Revaleskin Skin Firming Serum and Replenishing Eye Therapy

I've heard a lot of good things about the antioxidant coffeeberry, one of the active ingredients in Revaleskin's skincare line, so these products have been on my wish list for years. A few weeks ago, I finally got my hands on the Replenishing Eye Therapy and the Skin Firming Serum.

Revaleskin Replenishing Eye Therapy, 0.51 oz, $90

The eye cream is great, it helped lighten my dark circles overnight and it definitely helps get rid of under-eye bags from retaining too much water. The serum is the best I've ever tried- it brightened and evened out my complexion after only a few uses. Before using it for the first time, I exfoliated with my favorite scrub and then applied the eye cream, let it absorb for a few minutes and then applied the serum.

Revaleskin Skin Firming Serum, 1 oz, $70

I love that the serum isn't full of silicones so it doesn't break me out. The serum absorbs easily and definitely improved the look and feel of my skin after only a week of use. My skin was glowing after using this! It works even better than my ex-favorite brightening serum, Lumene Energy Cocktail, and the Revaleskin serum isn't greasy and doesn't clog my pores! I only use it at night so it won't clog my pores and, by the time I wake up, my skin looks healthy and radiant! I believe that it will help firm my skin over time, too, because I've been doing the pinch test (where I pinch the skin around my lower cheeks and then release to see how fast it "bounces" back) and it's already looking a bit less "jiggly".

The eye cream is great but I do have a minor complaint. First, the packaging. It looks really cool because it's a twist-top airless pump but each pump squirts out wayyyy too much product, which leads to a lot of product waste. I've read that other people have had the same problem, so I know I didn't just get a defective one... it took me a few tries to figure out how to make sure only a little bit comes out each time. Once I twist out the top of the pump, I hold the bottle like a joystick and press down on the top lightly (and slowly!) with my thumb. So far, that's worked pretty well for me, but I definitely already wasted a lot of product before I figured that out.

I still love this eye cream because it actually works- so the packaging problem isn't enough to make me stop using it. I will still continue to buy it for as long as it keeps working =)

I've read some complaints from online reviewers who don't like the coffee smell of Revaleskin products. I actually like the mocha aroma and it's not as strong as people would lead you to believe- the smell is gone a few minutes after you apply them. Don't let that stop you from trying these amazing products! I highly recommend these to anyone who wants to brighten/even out their complexion, get rid of dark circles and under-eye bags, and protect their skin with antioxidants.

Winter Beauty Secrets

Now that I'm back in New York, I have to use different skincare products because of the harsh, dry, cold air. I tried using the L'Oreal RevitaLift cleanser that worked really well for me in L.A. but it dried out my skin too much here. =(  So, now, I'm using Olay Daily Facials Hydrating Cleansing Cloths to keep my skin soft and hydrated.

To get rid of the dead skin cells that make my skin look rough and splotchy, I give myself an exfoliating treatment with Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel System. I apply the thick, gooey scrub with an electric toothbrush and run it over my face in small circles (a trick I learned from a Michelle Phan video a long time ago). I don't usually use the Activator afterwards, because my skin is sensitive to Lactic Acid... but if your skin does well on AHAs then I would definitely recommend trying it. The mini crystals in this kit are the BEST- nothing makes my skin smoother or more radiant!



Olay Regenerist Microdermabrasion & Peel Kit

After scrubbing my skin, always use a pampering face mask so that my skin won't get irritated. I use Kinerase Pro + Therapy Ultra Hydrating Repair Mask, which plumps my skin with moisture and makes it as soft as a baby's butt. It's a little pricey but it's the most luxuriously rich moisturizing mask and there's nothing else like it! The morning after I use it, my skin looks so healthy and glows. It's well worth the money and you only need a tiny bit each time. It also comes in a hygenic airless pump jar.

Kinerase Pro + Therapy Ultra Hydrating Repair Mask

My lips also need extra moisture because they're always extremely dry, especially in the winter, so I've been using a thick lanolin ointment (ok, it's a nipple balm for breastfeeding mothers) and it works WONDERS! I use Lansinoh Lanolin ointment, which I found on Amazon for $7. You can buy Lansinoh at Walmart, too, for under $10. It seems pricey for a lip balm but each tube contains 1.41 oz (which is a TON of product) and you won't find a better healing ointment for dry, cracked lips. The consistency is very thick at first but it melts right into your lips and stays put, even while eating or drinking. You can even dab it on minor cuts to help heal and protect them.

Lansinoh 100% Natural HPA Lanolin Ointment

Baby, It's Cold Outside!

Village Naturals Aromatherapy Relax Vanilla & Cinnamon Body Butter, $8

Brrrr! I'm sitting at the computer with a winter coat and fuzzy boots on as I'm typing this post. It's COLD! Turkey Day is tomorrow and the Indian Summer that we had in L.A. last month is looong gone. :(  I get cranky when the weather changes because I usually get sick. I always complain and mutter something about how "island people" aren't meant for the cold, but the real reason I hate cold weather so much is because it's so DRY.

Product Review: Kate Somerville 360 Tanning Towelettes

For Halloween weekend, I was dressed a sexy Native American Princess... *ahem* I believe the costume was called "Poke-My-Hontas". (Don't judge meeeee lol)

Anyway, even though I'm Filipino, I'm definitely sort of a guidette at heart (it's the New Yorker in me), so getting tan was essential before putting on my outfit. Unfortunately, there are a lot of self-tanners out there that smell disgusting, so I had to pick one that wouldn't make me reek of sweaty fake bake while I was out partying and dancing my ass off
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Luckily, the sweet team at Beautylish.com sent me some free swag since I wasn't able to make it to their Beauty Social event last week and in my box of goodies was two packs of Kate Somerville 360 Tanning Towelettes... yay! They saved me from what would probably have been hours of aggravation trying to find the right self-tanner. (I was leaning towards Sun Labs Sunless Tanning Spray.)

$10 for 2 at Sephora

Kate Somerville's tanning cloths are like big wet-naps that are soaked with self-tanning solution. I needed two to cover my whole body, so at $10 for 2 the price is a little steep. But the tanning solution did its job and I immediately started getting tan. After only a couple hours, I was very bronze and my boyfriend's brother even commented on how dark I looked. Thankfully, there was no strong smell at ALL- even while I was out dancing and sweating at a Halloween party. The next morning I was SNOOKI dark. For the price, though, I was disappointed because I was orange :(

Short & Sweet: Kate Somerville's 360 Tanning Towelettes are great in a pinch, when you're short on time and need to tan ASAP without having a gross, lingering sunless tanner smell. However, the are pretty expensive ($10 for 2 or $48 for 8) and turned my skin orange-y when the color fully developed, so I would only give them a 3/5.

Tip: I used Glytone Exfoliating Body Wash with a Salux Japanese Exfoliating Washcloth to scrub off any dry, dead skin before using the Tanning Towelettes. Always exfoliate before you tan so you won't look splotchy! Then, rub a thick moisturizer into your elbows, knees, ankles, hands, and feet so they won't absorb too much of the solution. Finally, start at your ankles with the towelette still folded and work your way up, unfolding the cloth as you go.

5 Beauty Products I Never Knew I Needed

Whoever said, “Less is more”, must not have been a beauty addict. In my world, more is always more… and I’m always discovering new products to add to my “Can’t Live Without” list:

1. Salux Japonese Exfoliating Washcloths
Loofah schmoofah! This nylon exfoliating washcloth is amazing for getting your skin silky-smooth. Just use it with your favorite body wash and scrub your body gently. (It’s best to use it towards the end of your shower, after the steam has had a chance to soften your skin.)

Salux Japanese Exfoliating Washcloth, $8, Amazon.com

2. Clinique Lash Building Primer
On my recent weekend trip to Arizona, everyone was asking me what mascara I use… I had just gotten a sample tube of this lash primer and have been using it under my L’Oreal Telescopic Mascara ever since. Needless to say, I will definitely be buying a full-sized tube.

Clinique Lash Building Primer, $14, Nordstrom

3. Brush Guard Makeup Brush Protector Sleeves
If you’ve ever traveled with your makeup brushes, you know how dirty and misshapen they can get from being thrown into a makeup bag. These sleeves come in different sizes to protect your brushes from getting everything else in your makeup bag all grimy and keep the bristles in tact.

The Brush Guard Makeup Brush Protector Sleeves, $5.50, thebrushguard.com

4. Laura Geller Lip Spackle
If you’ve ever tried to use super-bright lip color, like my beloved Obsessive Compulsive Cosmetics Lip Tar in Anime, you know that color-bleeding is your worst enemy and can leave you looking like Bimbo the Clown. This lip color primer not only keeps your lip color exactly where you want it- it also helps your lipstick’s true color come out, instead of mixing with your natural lip color.

Laura Geller Lip Spackle Lip Primer, $24, CVS.com

5. DHC Revitalizing Moisture Strips for Eyes
These adhesive gel strips contain super-moisturizing and nourishing ingredients for the delicate skin around your eyes… use them overnight when your peepers could use a little TLC and you’ll wake up looking bright-eyed and more youthful!

DHC Revitalizing Moisture Strips for Eyes, $13 for 12, Amazon.com

Have you ever tried any of these products? Let me know if you liked them!

Trick-or-Treat Yourself to Homemade Halloween Goodies on Etsy

I love summer...but when it's 103 degrees out in October, I'm gonna get a little antsy about when I can finally start using my Fall bath and body stuff. Every year, when the seasonal Autumn bath and body products start popping up on store shelves everywhere, I get so excited for all the pumpkin and cinnamon scented goodies. Pumpkin pie is one of my favorite foods in the whole world and nothing makes me feel cozier in cooler weather than sweet, spiced, food-y lotions, shower gels, and bubble bath.

This year, I found a ton of bath and beauty confection perfection on Etsy.com:

Poison Apple Apothecary Pumpkin Marshmallow Embalming Cream, $12

More yummy products after the jump!

Little Luxuries by MOR Cosmetics

While I was out shopping this weekend, I discovered MOR Cosmetics' Pomegranate French-Milled Bar Soap, the most divine berry scent I've ever smelled, and bought all of the bars I could find in the store.

MOR Cosmetics Pomegranate French-Milled Bar Soap, $9 at Amazon.com

MOR is an Australian company that makes cosmetics and bath products that look and smell luxurious. Their products include body butters, lotions, soap, bath soaks, lip gloss, candles, perfume oils, scrubs, hand creams, and more. I love the cute little Lip Macarons:

MOR products would make amazing gifts because of their uber-cute packaging. You can find gift sets on their website and you can also find some of their older products at BeautyTicket.com, TJ Maxx, and Marshall's.

5 Weird Ways to Get Gorgeous

We've all tried a few unorthodox things in the name of beauty- but have you heard of these?

1. Poke your face with hundreds of tiny needles
Whoever said "Beauty is pain" wasn't kidding! A process called "dermarolling" involves rolling a tool with hundreds of needles (the length of the needles vary for depending on the results you're looking for) all over your face. The thought process behind it is that, by pricking your skin, it stimulates collagen production in those injured areas. The longer the needles, the more "injured" your skin gets and the more collagen you'll produce. A dermaroller with 1.5mm needles would be good for wrinkles, scars, and cellulite on thighs. For acne, or for making serums/treatments penetrate the skin better, you'd only need .5mm needles. Some people even use dermarollers on their scalp for hair loss. If you're interested in learning more about dermarolling, check out Dermaroller.com.

No pain, no gain?

2. Rub coffee grounds on your face to reduce bloating and bags under your eyes
We all know that drinking coffee makes you feel and look more awake and also acts as a diuretic to rid your body of excess water. But did you know that caffeine works topically as well? When you rub freshly-used coffee grounds on your face, it helps get rid of that puffy-faced look that happens when you consume too much sodium. Scientists believe that it may even help burn fat cells. Caffeine also acts as a vasoconstrictor, which means it helps shrink blood vessels- which means it'll help diminish bags under your eyes.


3. Use Monistat Chafing Relief Gel as makeup primer
One of the weirdest things I ever learned from a makeup forum was that Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel, a product meant to be rubbed on your thighs so they won't chafe, makes a great face primer. Basically, it's a silicone gel, which is the same main ingredient that gives Smashbox Photo-Finish Foundation Primer and many other popular primers their "slip". So, if you're looking for a really cheap alternative for primer, definitely try the Monistat Gel. I've tried it before and it works! Makeup applies like a dream on top of it!

Monistat Soothing Care Chafing Relief Powder-Gel as Foundation Primer

4. Use a coil to rip out facial hair
Many people love threading because it quickly plucks hair out from the root, which means less stubbly regrowth, but few people can actually do threading themselves. This Bellabe hair removing coil takes the complication out of the threading process. It has foam grips on either side of the coil, and you just bend and roll it from side to side.

5. Exercise your facial muscles
Many women believe that, by strengthening certain muscles in your face, their skin gets better support, which means less sagging and wrinkles. It sounds odd to workout your face, and for good reason: most of it involves making funny faces and other methods that you should probably do in the privacy of your own bathroom (otherwise people might think you're crazy). You can find many videos and tutorials with a simple Google search of "how to exercise facial muscles"

Exercising facial muscles? She's starting young!

Have You Taken Your Pretty Pills Today?

 

 These vitamin and supplement packs are like the Fountain of Youth in pill form. I bought a 7-day trial pack at Walgreens for $2 (the vitamins are individually packaged for daily use, with 5 different pills in each daily package:

1) Green Tea + Alpha Lipoic Acid
2) Lycopene
3) Biotin
4) Vitamin C
5) Multivitamin

I did a lot of research on what vitamins/supplements the body needs to prevent wrinkles and signs of aging and these packets contains sooo many beneficial ingredients.

If This Clay Mask Were a Man, I'd Marry it

I couldn't sleep the other night, so I ended up window-shopping the skincare goods on Amazon. Somehow, I stumbled upon a product called Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay. I was immediately attracted to the mystical sounding name- I envisioned witch-doctors using the clay to heal their patients' wounds... (It was 3 AM, okay- I was delirious.)

Aztec Secret Indian Healing Clay, $7-9, Whole Foods or Amazon.com

Then, I noticed that this product had great reviews from over a hundred people who all swore that this stuff could get rid of everything from acne to poison ivy to spider bites. I was definitely intrigued and, after Googling it a bit more, I found out that this calcium bentonite clay has tons of uses and rave reviews all over the internet.

Get Skin as Smooth as a Baby's Butt

Kinerase Ultra Hydrating Repair Mask is like a miracle in a jar...

There are tons of masks that claim to moisturize facial skin but, like men, it's hard to find one that comes through on all of its promises. Kinerase Pro + Therapy Ultra Hydrating Repair Mask ($65, amazon.com) is one of the good guys. After one use, my dry, irritated skin felt softer, super moisturized, and much more comfortable. It also helps plump skin, which is great for fine lines.

DIY Skin-Softening Oatmeal and Honey Milk Bath

This DIY milk bath is perfect for fall and winter because the pampering ingredients soften and hydrate your skin:

You'll need:
1 cup of whole milk
2 tbs. of honey
1 cup of liquid strained from cooked oatmeal (you can use whole oats but it can be a nightmare to clean them out of the drain)

Give yourself the royal treatment by adding flower petals or candles to get the full Cleopatra experience

Pour these ingredients into your bath water and let your skin soak for at least 15 minutes. The lactic acid in the milk helps slough off dry skin while the honey and oatmeal comfort and moisturize your skin.

The Cure for Dull, Dry Winter Complexions

Lots of companies are coming out with products that promise to help get rid of dark spots but they can take a huge chunk out of your wallet or take weeks to see any results. The lightening ingredients in those products can also be allergenic (i.e. soy proteins and extracts) or drying (i.e. hydroquinone).

Lumene Vitamin C+ Energy Cocktail

Me, I just rely on good ol' vitamin C, a natural skin brightener, which can be found in Vitamin C + Energy Cocktail Intensive Care ($22, Dermstore.com). apply just a few drops of this anti-aging serum to your face and neck before bedtime and you'll wake up with a brighter, glowing complexion! and at under twenty bucks, you can't beat the price :)

Tip: At night, cleanse face, then apply serum and allow to sink in for a few minutes before applying your usual moisturizer.