So I shelled out for the Susanne Kaufmann Rejuvenating Eye Cream, hoping it would turn my under-eyes into the bright, smooth canvases of my pre-teen years—before the crushing weight of adult responsibilities and stress-induced scrolling gifted me with dark circles and fine lines. Spoiler alert: it didn’t. But let’s break it down. The Quick and Dirty Summary Packaging: Plastic pump top tube. Not cheap plastic, definitely won’t crack in your travel bag. Texture: Creamy. But sticky. Like Elmer’s glue before it dries. Smell: Smells like nothing. Expensive nothingness. Price: $185 per 15ml. WT actual F. Ingredients: Aqua(Water), Glycerin, Polyglyceryl-3 Polyricinoleate, Caprylyl Caprylate/caprate, Alcohol
Tag: beauty
My Beauty Haul: A Journey into Financial Recklessness and Moisturized Bliss
There comes a moment in every person’s life when they look at their bathroom shelves—crowded with half-used moisturizers, abandoned serums, and a dry shampoo that may or may not predate the pandemic—and think: What if I just bought more stuff? This is the story of that moment. And reader, I did not disappoint myself. I went on a beauty spree so excessive that it’s safe to say I’m now prepared for any scenario involving immaculate hair, flawless skin, and lips so hydrated they could host a pool party. Was it responsible? No. Was it fun? Oh, absolutely. So, grab a cup
Propylene Glycol: The Little Ingredient That Could (and Did, and Does, and Will)
Ah, propylene glycol. The silent hero of the cosmetics world, whispering sweet nothings to our dehydrated skin cells, making sure our mascara doesn’t look like a raccoon had a fight with a sprinkler system. This unassuming little compound is so omnipresent that it’s basically the Kevin Bacon of skincare. The cosmetics industry loves it. The skincare community pretends to understand it. And you? You’re probably slathering it on your face right now without even knowing it. Let’s take a moment to appreciate this tiny, unassuming molecular underdog. What Even Is Propylene Glycol? Picture a scientific lab, all bubbling beakers and slightly neurotic
Royal Fern Phytoactive Skin Perfecting Essence Review: A Love/Hate Relationship
Or: How I Spent $85 to Feel Like a Beautiful Houseplant If you’re looking for a product that will make you feel like you should be reclining on a chaise in a botanical garden, sipping a hibiscus-infused cocktail while someone fans you with a palm frond — the Royal Fern Phytoactive Skin Perfecting Essence is it. But if you’re looking for a product that makes sense to your bank account or your skincare routine, then perhaps proceed with caution. Let’s break this down with pros and cons, because apparently my life choices now include ranking how much skincare items confuse
Water in Cosmetics: The Truth Behind the World’s Most Basic Ingredient
Gather ‘round, beauty junkies, because today we’re talking about the unsung hero of cosmetics: water. That’s right, H2-freaking-O. You may think, “It’s just water, why are we having this conversation?” But oh, sweet summer child, water is the backbone of your skincare. It’s the Taylor Swift of ingredients, always there, always flawless, but never quite getting enough attention (okay, so maaaaybe Taylor Swift gets plenty of attention). Now, let’s dive into the tea (or, should I say, the water) on what it’s doing in your products and whether that’s good, bad, or ugly. Why Is There So Much Damn Water in My
Avene Micellar Lotion: Pros, Cons, and Confusion About What Micellar Water Actually Is
Look, we all want to believe in the magic of French skincare. Because when you think of French women, you think effortless beauty. You think glowing skin, chic fashion, and somehow making a baguette look like a healthy life choice. Enter Avene Micellar Lotion, which is supposed to be the key to unlocking that flawless, *je ne sais quoi* clean girl skin. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s just say I’d rather ruin my lipstick by eating more beets than waste money on this again. The Quick and Dirty Summary Packaging: Plastic with a flip top cap so
Cosmetic Ingredient: Cyclopentasiloxane
Cyclopentasiloxane? Sounds like a mouthful! Does it go by any other name? Yes! It is also referred to as decamethylcyclopentisiloxane. I bet you thought it’d be something simpler, eh? Never fear, it is also abbreviated to the humble “D5” thankfully. Cycloblaaaaaah–What is it? Cyclopentasiloxane is yet another version of silicone you can find floating around in skincare and haircare products and is part of the broader cyclomethicone category. Its main purposes are as an emollient, lubricant and a solvent. But what’s the main point of it being in skincare? Unfortunately, cyclopentasiloxane doesn’t have much benefit when it comes to the
Trash Talk, August 2020 (Empties)
Yes, what you are seeing is my attempt at a YouTube video. If I get one like, I will consider it a tremendous success! For those who aren’t into YouTube, let me share the products with you below: Elta MD – UV Clear Broad Spectrum SPF 46 – Tinted I’ve already shared my thoughts on this kick ass SPF here. It’s a 10 – Shampoo, Deep Conditioner, and Oil Treatment The shampoo and conditioner definitely did their thing, but of the three, the oil treatment is the one that I might go back for. I only had sample packets and
Blogs & Vlogs – BASE and ThisThatBeauty
I’d like to bring “Blogs and Vlogs” back to once again highlight some of my fave people to check out on the interwebs. Although a full 50% of those highlighted have been women of color, unfortunately none of them have been black. I’d like to correct this omission and reveal two who have had me addicted to their blogs for the last year. BASE – aka Beauty and Style Edit Although this site was built for and caters to women of color, I’ve been enjoying it for months. I’ve particularly enjoyed their recent series in which they ask various women
Finchberry Soapery – Sweet Dreams
This has got to be the most fancily packaged soap I’ve ever had in my vicinity. Suffice to say, this was gifted to me and what a wonderful little gift it was! Doesn’t the package scream “CUTE”? I held on to this longer than necessary because sometimes just looking at it gave me a happy little thrill. Talk about being a sucker for packaging! When you pull the soap out of the ridiculously adorable packaging, you find a sophisticated bar of soap that is mostly classy but is just girlish enough to add glitter on the top. YES, GLITTER. Granted,