Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rehydrating Gel Cream Review

Well, well, well, look who's back from the dead. I mean, from a long, unexpected hiatus. It's been about half a year since my last blog post, the longest hiatus I've had from the blog. Let's just say, it's been a very uneventful 6 months. I just made a few changes in my life, and had a lot of other things going on, and blogging was just in the background for me at the time. I'm happy to say though, that I am back, and hopefully I won't be gone for such a long time again! 

I'm always happy when I get the opportunity to review products through Influenster Voxboxes, especially skin care stuff! As I get older, I understand the importance of properly taking care of your skin, because you know, I plan to look like I'm 18 forever :) 

If you're new here, or maybe just haven't read any of my other Influenster posts, let me fill you in. Influenster is an amazing community where you can read reviews from people just like you, about products you like. Not only that, they send out free products to members to try and test out. Free products in exchange for your honest opinions? Sign me up! Or, sign you up maybe? Check out my previous Influenster posts, where I got things like Bite Beauty Lip Pencils, L'oreal Skincare, and even a Keurig!! Yeah you heard that right, a FREE Keurig. I also go into more detail of what Influenster is in that post, so be sure to check it out! 

Now, more about the product. The Vichy Aqualia Thermal Rehydrating Water Gel Cream is suppose to provide 48 hours of hydration to combination/oily skin. Straight from the website; it recharges dry and dehydrated skin using natural derived ingredients such as Hyaluronic Acid, fortifying Vichy mineralizing water, and plant sugar mannose. These ingredients work together to provide you with fresh, dewy looking skin. It's also paraben-free, silicone free and oil free! 

The cream itself was like a gel consistency, and absorbed very quickly into the skin. It does have a scent, but it wasn't overpowering and didn't linger once it dried. 

I've been using this as my daily moisturizer for many a little over 2 weeks now? I've got to say, it's a good cream, but not the best. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with it, but it's not so amazing that I would repurchase it. It did its job and it did keep my skin hydrated, but I mean, that was about it. I have very oily skin, with occasional dry patches. Using this product daily has vastly decreased the dry patches, and my skin was hydrated, but the oil produced on my face wasn't minimized. Of course the product itself doesn't say it minimizes an oily complexion, but I would've hoped it would help with the overproduction of oil. 

It definitely provides dewy looking skin when worn on its own, but as a person with super oily skin, I don't really need/want that dewy look at all! I'll still continue to use the product because it does keep my face well moisturized, but I probably won't be repurchasing it, as it doesn't meet my personal skincare needs!

Interested in the opportunity to receive and review free products?

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I received this product for free, complimentary from Influenster.

All opinions are my own.

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Neutrogena Light Therapy Acne Mask Review

I've always been a fan of trying new ways to improve my skin. I teamed up with Neutrogena to try and review this cool looking Light Therapy Acne Mask. 

A first few things about the mask: 

- it's an innovative LED device that uses the power of light to address the causes of acne, all in the comfort of your own home

- the mask works for all skin types

- it harnesses the power of light to treat mild to moderate acne

- it's 100% uv free and a chemical free treatment

Neutrogena is taking skincare to a whole new level. With this unique way of treating acne, this mask is suppose to reduce breakouts, smoothen skin, reduce redness and inflamed acne. In the box, you receive the mask itself, which is reusable, and an activator. 

The thing about this "activator" though. The remote looking device works for only 30 uses. After that, you can recycle the activator. Neutrogena provides a place to dispose of these activators, and lets you print out a pre paid shipping label, which you then ship out the device to be disposed of. You can find more information about that here. I'm a bit irked by this because of the fact so many activators are wasted when they clearly can be used for more than 30 uses. Neutrogena states that they've done this because they want the power of each use to be consistent. If they were to allow the device to be rechargable, or let you change the batteries yourself, you wouldn't be receiving consistent, even light treatments, and it wouldn't be safe and FDA approved. I did some research on what other people thought about this, and found that answer within the reviews. Yes it's totally wasteful, but, there's a reason for everything. 

The mask itself is made from plastic, fitted with many blue and red lights. The blue light kills acne causing bacteria, while the red light helps with reducing inflammation. In just one easy step, the dual lights help with disrupting the acne cycle, thus providing clear and healthy skin.

In the box, you get one mask and one activator. The activator works for 30 10 minute treatments. Be careful not to get trigger happy and press the button too many times, because it could accidentally count as one treatment. The activator has a countdown starting from 30, and then it counts down until you're finished. Once finished, you recycle your activator, and purchase a new one. 

Here I am, looking like a welder or some sort of pink superhero hahaha. 

The first few times, the light was super bright and bothered my eyes. I got used to it after the first couple treatments. I like that I can wear the mask and still be able to see and do stuff. To use the mask, you clean your face first, and then use it on clean skin. After your 10 minutes is up, the mask will turn off itself. 

I still have a couple uses with the mask, so I'll hopefully be able to post before and after shots once I'm done. As it currently stands, my review for the mask is quite positive, surprisingly. I felt at first the mask was a gimmick, and it wouldn't do anything at all. To my surprise, I haven't broken out since using it. I get a new pimple somewhere on my face at least once to a few times a week. I have a terrible hormonal imbalance, and it literally causes super big, painful pimples. I would say I have quite mild/moderate acne, and I feel like it has controlled it a little bit. Redness is definitely a big issue when it comes to my skin, and that is one thing I didn't see a change in. I guess it can't improve everything! Of course, acne is a big concern, and I'm quite pleased that I haven't broken out in the past few weeks. 

Is it worth a try? Yeah I don't see why you shouldn't give this product a shot. The mask itself isn't too crazy for a skincare product ($45-$50) and the activators are about $15 for a 30 day treatment. If your acne is just mild, and you want to just improve that, I say why not. I don't recommend this for people who have severe acne, I doubt this mild light treatment would do much for you. I would repurchase the activator if I was going through a really rough month and my skin was looking pretty bad. Within a week, I felt like my skin was improving and I was already cleared of mild acne I had. 

Thanks Neutrogena for sponsoring this post, and allowing me to review this product. 

All opinions are my own.

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Murad Matte Effect Blotting Perfector Review

I think I may have found the answer to my oily skin problems. Sometimes, walking through Sephora on your break can be a good thing, because you can find some neat new items. On a good day, my face stays matte for about 5-6 hours before the oil peeks through. I usually work my first job in the morning, and by mid afternoon, I have to use an oil sheet to keep my face matte for my evening job. The thing with oil sheets, it sometimes takes my foundation off my nose, which I absolutely hate so much. The mixture of oil and foundation pools on my nose and it always gets removed when I blot it off. There had to be a better way. 

I found this product sitting on the shelf of new skincare items they were selling. I did a bit of research and decided to pick it up.

A little bit about the product: 

- it's a translucent liquid blotting formula, made into an awesome portable cushion product

- it instantly mattifies your skin

- minimizes pores, creates a blurring effect

- dries quickly, refreshes your skin

It's quite the unique product, and I wouldn't have thought to add a wet product to my face to blot off oil. I also love that it comes with a sponge and a nice mirror too. The price may deter some of you from purchasing it though (it's $45), but I decided to give it a shot. Being constantly oily, I'm willing to try anything.

Up close. The one thing about the lid is that the product ends up on the top because the cushion is pretty big. It's not a big deal, but they could of made the cushion deeper to prevent that from happening. I just use the excess product on the inside lid on my face, because you know, don't want to waste any product! 

Here's my face with minimal make-up. With my ring light, you can see the reflection of light bouncing off my nose, and above my eyebrows. I got my eyebrows done so that explains why there's a bit of redness around the general area. 

To use:

Pat the product on your face where you need to absorb the oil. DO NOT rub it in. Patting it in prevents the removal of your make-up. Within a few seconds, the product is dried and you're good to go.

I'm also testing a new mascara here, so don't worry it's still the same day. You can see that the shininess on the tip of my nose is gone, and the glossiness above my eyebrows is gone as well. I've been using the product for a few days and so far I really do enjoy it. It does a great job removing excess oil from my face and keeping me matte for the rest of the night. I also love the blurring effect it gives you. It does wonders with blurring your face and hiding pores. I've only used it on top of my make-up and not as a primer, but on the Sephora website, it says most testers have said it works best after make-up is applied. It definitely is a great alternative to using blotting sheets, and I think it has a lot more benefits to it as well. The downside for many would have to be the price though. Otherwise, I absolutely love this product, and I'm happy that I have something that can make my make-up look good and last throughout the whole day.

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Tatcha Polished Classic Rice Enzyme Powder Review

Okay, so I definitely went MIA again with no explanation this time, because I literally didn't have time to explain anything to anyone! I recently started at a new job, so I have really been focusing on that. Now I work two jobs and about 15+ hours a day! I'm up around 5:30am getting ready, and get home to have dinner by 12am. On my "days off" (technically aren't days off, more like the days I work one job only), I help my mom at her workplace because she doesn't know much about computers and the interwebs. So it's like I have three jobs at the end of the day. People think I'm crazy, and honestly, I completely agree. I'm pretty much tired all the time, and I have zero social life. I guess it's okay though, because that's what's being an adult is all about right?? LOL. 

I thought I would write a short blog post about a product I've been loving, especially through my stressful long days. 

I saw the Tatcha Polished Classic Rice Enzyme Powder at the Sephora checkout line (who doesn't grab something from that area when they're lining up?) and knew I had to try it based on the packaging alone. I fell in love with the wood design on the box and was like "yes, I need this in my life". 

Now this is the baby version of the original size, so it only runs for $19. Makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone who loves skincare! 

I was in the market for something that would be a quick and easy way to clean my face. The rice enzyme helps with uneven skintones, minimizing pores, and also evening out skin texture.

To use it, you pour a bit of the white powder into your hand. Add a few drops of water into the powder and rub it in your palms. It creates a paste like texture and then rub it all over your face for a few seconds. Rinse and then you're done! 

It's definitely different from face washes I've used in the past, but boy does my face feel squeaky clean after using it. I love the refreshing, soft face I have every time I use it. It has a mild scent to it, but nothing that would bother anyone who hates scented face washes. The rice enzyme powder does a great job making my face baby soft and free of bumps and oil.

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Arbonne Seasource Detox Spa Mask Review

After a long day of wearing a ton of make-up, there's nothing I like more than removing everything, cleansing my face, and relaxing with a nice face mask. 

Arbonne's Seasoure Detox Spa Mask works by drawing out impurities from the skin's surface, and helps prevent clogged pores. The mud mask is made with marine botanicals, which helps your skin feel smooth, hydrated, firm and invigorated. Lately, my pores have been looking pretty big and clogged, so it was a great time to try the mask. 

First application:

After 15 minutes:

Upon application, the mask starts to tingle a bit. You're suppose to avoid your eye area, and I'm so glad I did. This stuff really burns when you use a lot! I definitely felt some tingling sensations along my face for a few minutes. As the product sets in and starts to dry, you can really start feeling the cooling and cleaning sensation.

The instructions say to apply the mask after cleansing your face. I used it after cleansing my face with my Foreo Luna Mini 2, and I think that definitely made it burn a lot more than it would have normally if you didn't scrub your face.

After washing it off, my face still had the burning feeling for a good five minutes. I did notice that my pores appeared unclogged, and my face felt very soft. 

Overall, it wasn't that bad of a product, but I wouldn't recommend it to those with sensitive skin. It feels very harsh since it does burn, so I think it would only make your skin sensitivity feel worse. 

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AmorePacific Future Response Age Defense Serum Review

Just look at it. The beauty that radiates from this product I'll be reviewing for you today. This is the first time I got the opportunity to review some high end skincare, and you know what? High end skincare is amazing. I can see why people pay a pretty penny for the good stuff. Because it works. 

Before I get ahead of myself, today I will be reviewing the AmorePacific Future Response Age Defense Serum which I received in exchange for my honest opinion. I've told you all countless times, I'm not a skincare person, but recently, it's been growing on me. Now that I'm discovering the new world of high end skincare, I am addicted. I love my skincare routine now (which I will write an updated post on soon), and I enjoy trying new skincare products that work. 

So let's get into the details for this serum. The AmorePacific Future Response Age Defense Serum is suppose to be the first layer of skin defense; a concentrated blend of green tea and pine mushroom, which will help with protecting skin from environmental and lifestyle aggressors that cause premature aging. 

Is this just another anti-aging product? No, it's so much more than that. I typically don't like using anti-aging products because I don't notice a big difference since I'm still pretty young and don't have wrinkles yet, but this product does more than defend against premature aging. 

I've been using this product sparingly for 3 weeks(because it's fairly expensive!), and even so, I noticed a change in my skin. My skin now feels very smooth, plump and firmer. The serum provides a luminous glow and a lot of hydration. Since I do have oily skin, I try to avoid putting too much on my t-zone area, but areas around my mouth which need the moisture, are no longer dry and patchy,

The serum dries super fast and smells absolutely divine. It smells exactly like matcha green tea ice cream, which makes me super hungry thinking of sushi now. The product doesn't get too heavy if you do apply more, but you never need to apply more than 1-2 small pumps. 

Being someone who has oily, sensitive, acne prone skin, I would also like to point out that I didn't break out using the product! Usually my skin will react to a new skincare product immediately after use, and then eventually it will get used to it, but using the AmorePacific Future Response Age Defense Serum; no pimples! 

Overall, it's a great product and it definitely worked for me, regardless if I'm the target market for this product. Despite being an anti-aging product, it did more than just "get rid of wrinkles", which encourages me to try more mature skincare products. If I can avoid the breakouts then why not! 

Since Mother's Day is around the corner, I think anything from AmorePacific would make a great gift!

This product was sent to me for reviewing and testing purposes. 

All opinions are my own.

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Lise Watier Hydraforce Hydra-Protective Comforting Creme Review

 Being a beauty blogger, reviewing good products is fun, and with that come the products we dislike. My least favourite thing to do is to write a review on something I didn't enjoy, but the most important thing is that I'm getting my point across on why I didn't like it. 

I got the opportunity to work with Glam Sense and Lise Watier to review the new Lise Watier Hydraforce Hydra-Protective Comforting Creme. 

The formula is suppose to protect and improve your skin against harsh, cold weather, and it's suggested for normal to dry skin. Having oily skin, I already had my doubts that this product would work for me. 

The cream was thick, gel-like and absorbed quickly into the skin. I felt like it was too heavy to wear underneath my make-up, so I only used it at night. I was not a huge fan of the perfume fragrance though. It was quite overpowering and a little nauseating for me. Though the product dried fairly quick, I felt like it was too heavy for my oily skin.

I also received a moisture checking device to use alongside the cream. It connected to my phone and once I downloaded the Hydraforce app, it would let me know my skin's moisture levels. For whatever reason, the device didn't work for me, so I don't have any stats to share with you guys! Every time I plugged it in, it stayed at 0% no matter how many times I tried or even when I reset my phone. Regardless, I didn't think I needed this device to know whether or not my skin was hydrated enough. 

Overall, the product was okay, but just didn't suit my skin concerns. I'm sure if I had very dry skin, this would work great for the dry winters.

This product was sent to me for reviewing and testing purposes.

All opinions are my own.

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Foreo Luna Mini 2 Review

I have to be honest here, I don't take care of my skin. I'm lazy by nature, and nothing has changed that, until recently. I was shocked to receive the brand new Foreo Luna Mini 2 in my mailbox, and boy oh boy was I excited to try it. Like I said though, I don't take care of my skin, so I didn't have high expectations for this product. I normally will try something skincare related for maybe a week, and then forget about it. 

This was different though, the Foreo Luna Mini 2 definitely intrigued me, and I wanted to use it long enough to see what results I could achieve. This was a face cleansing device I was actually interested in purchasing, on those days where I despised my skin as I was breaking out horribly in pimples. I have heard great things about the Clarisonic, but not enough to encourage me to make the purchase.

First off, what is the Foreo Luna Mini 2? Of course being number 2, this is the new and improved version of the Luna Mini. This derives from the original big sister, the Foreo Luna, and they all have one thing in common; to help us all improve our skin-cleansing experience. 

So what makes it so amazing compared to the Luna Mini and other competitors? 

• 50% Bigger Brush Head enables more efficient cleansing in the same amount of time (compared to the Luna Mini)
• 2X More Powerful Motor for an Enhanced T-Sonic Cleansing System meaning that the Luna Mini 2's 8000 T-Sonic pulsations per minute will help dislodge more impurities from pores.
• 8 Adjustable Pulsation Intensities to meed your needs depending on your preference - slow down for a gentle cleanse, speed up for a powerful deep clean
• It's 100% waterproof and 1 full charge will allow you to be able to use it for 5 months (if you use it twice a day)
• Travel Friendly - it's cute and it's easy to take along with you. 

I love that the Luna Mini 2 has a silicone body, meaning that it is less likely to have bacteria build-up. This device is 35x more hygienic than nylon-bristled brushes, which also have to be replaced every few months. With the Luna Mini 2, the one device you have is all you need. No worrying about getting replacement heads! 

I was pretty surprised at how soft the bristles were on my sensitive skin. The side with the smaller bristles is for general cleansing, and the tip of that section is for precision cleansing. 

This back side with the big bristles works great if you want a deep cleanse.

In the box it came with the USB charger and a small, simple instruction manual. Detailed information on how to use the Luna Mini 2 could be found on the Foreo website. The Luna Mini 2 allows you 1 minute to cleanse your face, by dividing your face into 4 sections: Your left cheek, right cheek, nose, and forehead. It gives you 15 seconds on each section and alerts you by pulsing differently than normal, meaning it's time to move on to the next part of your face. Pretty genius I must say. 

After using the Foreo Luna Mini 2 for two and a half weeks now, I am impressed. My skin has gotten significantly softer, and my nose is smoother than ever. I've gotten the hang of it, and now I actually look forward to cleansing my face at night. 

The small, sleek, portable design allows me to pack it in my make-up bag to bring to my boyfriend's on the weekend, because for some reason, I break out the most when I'm there! Partially because I get lazy and removing my make-up there is never done correctly. With the Luna Mini 2, make-up removal has become quicker and easier. My face has never been cleaner.

I also noticed whenever I did have a pimple that was emerging, after using the Luna Mini 2, the next day, the affected area didn't look as swollen and big as the previous day. 

The only thing I need to improve about this experience is what cleanser to use! If you have any recommendations for cleansers please feel free to leave a comment below on what I need to try. Preferably something for very oily, sensitive, sometimes acne prone skin! 

Explore the Foreo Luna Mini 2 and other Foreo products here.

This product was sent to me for reviewing and testing purposes.

All opinions are my own.

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Arbonne RE9 Advanced Anti-Aging Skincare Line Review

Hello friends, hope you all had a wonderful Easter long weekend. I found that this was a great time for me to catch up on blogging, and I feel like I'm finally back on track (hopefully). I recently reached the milestone of 200,000 pageviews for my blog, and I couldn't be happier. I started reflecting on my blogging experience, and I must say, blogging has opened many doors and opportunities for me, and I'm quite thankful for that. I never thought I would get the chance to work with so many great companies, and try things I would never thought of trying. If you're new to blogging and have thought about creating content and making a blog, I would say you should make the jump. It's never too late to chase your dreams! 

Today I will be reviewing the Arbonne RE9 Advanced Anti-Aging Skincare Line. Even though I'm fairly young still and am not in the market for this kind of skincare line, I felt I should still give it a shot and provide you with my honest opinion on Arbonne's skincare products. 

I got a sample size set to try all the products from the RE9 Advanced Skincare Set, and it lasted me a little under a week. 

Here were the claims of using the product. I'll go over what changed about my skin within the use of a week. 

Step One - Smoothing Facial Cleanser: When I used the cleanser, I found that it worked best when you used less and mixed the lather with some water. The day I used too much, my skin felt extremely tight and dry. Using the right amount provided me with clean feeling skin, and no tightness. It definitely helped with removing excess make-up that didn't come off after using a make-up wipe. 

Step Two: Arbonne Regenerating Toner: I found that the toner refreshed my skin, and didn't leave it feeling tight. Didn't really do anything amazing or significant. 

Step Three: Intensive Renewal Serum: Personally, using the product for a week I didn't see any significant changes in my skin. If I were to repurchase anything from the line, I would skip on this (based on a week of use). 

Step Four: Corrective Eye Creme: The corrective eye creme was one of the products I found to make a bit of a difference in my skin. I noticed that my dark circles/bags looked a bit less puffy and appeared to be a bit lighter than usual. 

Step Five: Restorative Day Creme with SPF 20: I'm not a huge fan of moisturizers with SPF in them because I feel like they always give me a white cast. I always look significantly whiter even under my foundation. 

Step Five Night: Night Repair Creme: The night creme was a lot better than the day creme in my opinion. It didn't feel as thick and it provided my skin with the moisture and no greasiness. 

Overall, I was pretty neutral about the Arbonne RE9 Advanced Anti-Aging Skincare Line. I personally can't comment if they work well or not because I don't think I'm suited for anti-aging products yet, so I wouldn't know if they truly improved my skin in that way. I have enjoyed Arbonne as a brand in the past, after using their many lipsticks. Based on this skincare line, it wasn't for me, because I'm not in the market for anti-aging products as of now. 

This product was sent to me for reviewing and testing purposes.

All opinions are my own. 

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Les Soins de Jacynthe Skincare Review

I love supporting Canadian based companies, so it's nice to get the chance to review products coming from my own backyard (not literally). Les Soins de Jacynthe was created by Quebec actress and producer Jacynthe Rene. Her skincare line has 100% natural ingredients and is made without chemicals, GMOs and is gluten free. 

I used these products for about a week and I shall share the results. Personally, as much as I want to like natural, organic skincare, it's never proved to work that well with my skin. These products weren't bad, but they didn't wow me either. 

Cleansing Oil

I'm not the biggest fan when it comes to using oils to clean my face. Many people claim that adding more oily to oily skin is what gets rid of oil. For me? Not so much. The cleansing oil itself did a great job in loosening my make-up and having it come off easily. I wasn't a fan of the oiliness it left behind though. I also am not the biggest fan of natural/floral scents (probably why I don't like natural skincare products), so I was quite turned off by that. If you have dry, acne prone skin, I feel like this would work wonders for you. 

Floral Water

The floral water was probably my favourite of the three items. It felt very refreshing and did a great job prepping my skin for the next step. This product also worked well in the mornings before I primed my face and then applied my foundation. A great way to start your morning feeling refreshed and clean. 

 Serum 

Made to help with anti-aging and repairing skin, the serum wasn't all too bad. For the rough Canadian winter, this serum came in handy to help replenish my dry, cracked skin. It provided moisture without feeling too oily, so it definitely did the job without making my face feel too heavy. The product dried fairly quick, so I was able to apply my make-up on right after with no problems. 

How do you feel about natural skincare products? 

Try Les Soins de Jacynthe at jmagazine.ca

These products were sent to me for reviewing and testing purposes.

All opinions are my own. 

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