Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer

Ah Clean and Clear Dual Action Moisturizer, You Haven't Changed.

Good gravy, this product has been out for like over ten years. It's perhaps the cheapest acne-centered moisturizer you can get in drug stores. One 4 ounce/120 cc bottle will cost you about $4-5. It does an okay job at moisturizing my oily skin during warmer months, but doesn't do much for my dry patches. It also does an alright job at keeping acne under control so that while my pimples aren't gone completely, they're decreased. That said, since this product seems like it hasn't changed its formulation since the skin care Cretaceous period, it doesn't offer much else that pricier creams have, such as added sun protection or oil control (which would help decrease breakouts, too!!).

April 27, 2017

Clarisonic Refreshing Gel Cleanser

Pretty solid foaming cleanser

I got a small bottle of this with my Clarisonic Mia 2 set. It's $25 for a full-sized bottle, which is too pricey for me (I'm a student :( ), so I won't be purchasing this again, but it's a good cleanser nonetheless. It cleans my skin very well and removes non-waterproof makeup excellently, without leaving it feeling taut and dried out. It also doesn't burn my eyes! However, I can't vouch for its claims of evening skin tone, but it's a great product to use with your Clarisonic brush as it suds up nicely and goes smoothly over your skin.

April 27, 2017

Neutrogena Gentle Oil-Free Liquid Eye Makeup Remover for Waterproof Mascara

Not strong enough for waterproof/oil-based eye makeup

About 6 USD for five and a half fluid ounces or 160 milliliters of product, so it's pretty reasonably priced. It is a good product in that it doesn't leave an oily film (which you would wash off anyways with a face wash), but that means this eye makeup remover does not do much to remove waterproof mascara or eyeliner. It removes some, but it takes considerable effort to get rid of a majority of it. I'm not really a fan.

April 27, 2017

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Eye Cream

Burns and doesn't seem to moisturize too much

I'm in my 20s with minimal periorbital wrinkles, so I don't know if this eye cream does anything to minimize those problems, but I do know that it barely moisturizes my eye area. On the up side, this means my eye makeup won't crease and slide off my oily face, but on the down side, my skin around my eyes actually feels drier than if I didn't use the product. I notice the skin looking more crepe-like as well, probably due to this dryness (uh oh). It also burns my eyes, which is definitely not what I want from an eye cream. It's reasonably priced and perhaps the cheapest eye cream available at the drugstore ($10 for half an ounce) aside from the Olay Age-defying Anti-wrinkle Cream that goes for the same price and amount. I definitely won't be buying this product again.

April 27, 2017

Clarisonic Mia 2

Good product, but won't be purchasing more brush heads

I got this as a gift with the pore cleansing brush, so the $170 unit cost was mitigated a bit, but I unfortunately don't think I'll be buying anymore $30 replacement brushes--especially every three months like the website suggests. It really is a well made product though that is wholly waterproof and has a certain sturdy heft to it that tells me this is built quite solidly. I use this after cleansing and before adding any additional treatments to my skin, so I cannot comment on how it removes my makeup. I also use it with the Clarisonic brand Refreshing Gel Cleanser. I use the brush on the lower setting and I think I get a very thorough clean on that. I have oily skin that sometimes breaks out and has dry patches, and while I haven't noticed a large change in its texture or behavior, I did notice that it exfoliates amazingly and leaves my skin soft without any irritation whatsoever, getting rid of the flaky patches quite well. I'll be using this twice a week tops until the brush bristles start rebelling!

April 27, 2017

Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream Combination to Oily Skin

Great daily daytime product for oily skin

I use this product kind of a moisturizer + primer + SPF + foundation all-in-one product. You get 2 oz or 60 cc for about 10 USD, so I think it's a good deal especially since you only use a coin sized amount for your entire face. I think it moisturizes pretty well without going overboard and leaving a greasy film. I've not broken out with this product. As a primer, my eyeshadow, liner, and blush all seem to stay a bit longer using this, and if I choose to layer over a powder foundation for even more skin evening perfection, the BB keeps it looking nice longer. The product works as a great coverage foundation by itself as well and applies easily with fingers. It controls oil for a while, but I still have to blot my face after 3-4 hours. The only complaint I have about this product is that it tends to leak a bit too easily out of the tube so that if you store it cap down then remove the cap, the product just gushes out. Store it upside down with the cap facing upward!!

April 27, 2017

Garnier SkinActive Micellar Cleansing Water All-in-1 Waterproof

Pretty good product that tries to do a lot

I'll be reviewing the "Mattifying: formula. You get a pretty big bottle (13.5 oz or 400 cc) for a good price (6.50 USD), so this is worth trying for anything trying to simplify their skin care routine. This product does clean and remove non-waterproof makeup pretty well without burning or drying out my oily skin. I use it as a cleanser, but I think it would also make a fantastic toner if you're so inclined. It isn't extremely harsh like many toners containing witch hazel or alcohol that tend to aggravate skin. This product also doesn't leave an oily film on my skin--I'm pretty matte for a few hours after using it. Unfortunately, due to its more water-based nature, I find that it has a bit of trouble removing waterproof mascara and eyeliner without considerable rubbing of the eye area. I still had to use a separate oil-based eye makeup remover before using the product for this purpose, but it does help clean up anything the remover left behind.

April 27, 2017

Banana Boat Sport Performance Lotion Sunscreen With PowerStay Technology

Not greasy, and doesn't stain my clothes.

As much as I want to like the Neutrogena Dry-Touch sunscreen--that unfortunately comes in a fairly small tube, leaves white marks on my black clothes, and a powdery film on my palms. This, on the other hand, comes in a fairly large tube, leaves NO white marks on my dark clothing, has no smell, is not greasy, and rubs in way better than the Neutrogena one--which tends to leave white marks on my skin as well. The protection is great, and I haven't been burned yet.

May 10, 2016

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion+

A little bit heavy for oilier skin types.

I like this moisturizer, but not quite as well as the gel. This makes my face and neck a little bit more oily than I would have liked. I think this would be a great moisturizer for my face in the winter, but in the summer--the gel would be better. It's very good for your skin if you plan on traveling by plane, because it ensures you don't flake out due to the dry plane air. My skin is soft and smooth when I use this in conjunction with the 3 step system. Don't buy the bottle without the pump, that one is a huge pain to use without pouring out too much.

January 14, 2016

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil

Miracles do happen!

I don't consider myself acne-prone, but when I do get pimples--it's those nasty, painful, underground ones. Either that, or the big, conspicuous ones on the surface. After using tons of drugstore stuff, and none of it working, I decided to try out Tea Tree Oil from The Body Shop. I like the fresh scent, and just a dab with a q-tip is all it takes for my pimples to be drastically reduced overnight. Just another day and it's all gone. My only beef is when you get to a very small amount left in the bottle, it doesn't flow out due to how the stopper is designed.

January 8, 2016