TLC For Your Skin with When Masks

May 12, 2016

One of my favorite things to do on a pamper evening is use a sheet mask. Since my skin is on the dry and dull side, they're an easy way to instantly perk up my skin and make it look miles healthier. When I got the chance to try out some sheet masks from the brand When, I jumped at it.

When's masks are made of a bio-cellulose material, which feels a lot like the hydrogel material some sheet masks are made of. When's bio-cellulose comes from coconuts and is ultra-gentle, gentle enough to use on burn patients. Most sheet masks are just cotton sheets, but I find the bio-cellulose to be a nice luxury. It really makes the masks feel like a much nicer quality, and they are able to hold 100 times their weight in essence - that's 10 times more than your typical fabric/paper sheet mask. You're getting a much more concentrated dose of the essence, meaning they are ultimately more effective in treating whatever is ailing your skin. The bio-cellulose material makes the masks thicker and more sturdy so I find they're much easier to apply to the face and adhere really well without sliding around - I actually was able to vacuum my whole apartment with one on without having to stop and adjust it. This makes it super convenient, because you can really wear them any time - you don't have to set aside an hour to sit and do nothing. The material also helps it stay wet for a longer period of time - the directions say to leave them on for half an hour, but I've found I can get around an hour of wear.

When's concept is that they have a mask for any occasion - there's the Travelmate (to refresh jetlagged skin), 10:00PM (for tired skin), Snow Magic (for dull skin), the Glamour Base (to prep skin), and the Last Choice (for thirsty skin). I received the 10:00PM*, Glamour Base*, and the Last Choice* masks for review.

10:00PM | My skin always tends to feel a bit worn out, so I broke open this one first. After using this mask my skin felt a lot firmer and more plump, and it also looked brighter. I found that it tightened my pores as well, and it gave my skin a good glow. It definitely perked my skin up. This would be a great one for the end of a long day, or for a morning after you've stayed up too late.

The Last Choice | When asked which mask I'd like to try the most, this was it for me. I love anything ultra hydrating that promises to give my skin a good drink. I could actually feel my skin "drinking" this one in. It almost had a bit of a tingling feeling to it - not the stinging kind of tingling you'd get from an exfoliating product, but a nice, soft tingle. It really made me feel like it was working. I tried this one night after using a moisturizer that wasn't hydrating enough, so I had a bit of flaking going on. It instantly got rid of the flakiness and I was left with completely nourished skin. This mask lasted over an hour without drying out, which says a lot about how hydrating it is. This one also evened out my skin and helped get rid of redness.

The Glamour Base | I just love the names for these. This one is meant to use pre-makeup, so I saved it for a Saturday morning. It felt heavenly after staying up late the night before (eating ice cream and playing video games). As it was on, I could really feel it calming my skin - I think this was the most cooling of the three I tried. My skin was left super bright and glowing afterwards, so it's no wonder it's recommended to use before a big event. It really plumped up my skin as well, so makeup just glided right on. After taking the mask off I was left with a bit of tacky hydration, which was great because it acted as a nice primer. I really felt it helped adhere my makeup to my skin, and it lasted quite a bit longer than usual.

These are probably my favorite masks I've ever tried - I'm definitely converted to the bio-cellulose material. I love that there's a concept behind each one and that the name reflects that. When masks can be bought from Sephora, Ulta, Anthropologie (online only), Bartell Drugs, Beautychoice.com (online only), Birchbox (online only), Rickys NYC, and Starboard Cruise Services. I highly recommend trying at least one out.

Have you tried When Masks before?

*This post has been sponsored by Brandbacker, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Pat McGrath Labs Skin Fetish 003

May 10, 2016

If there's one thing I can't resist, it's a hyped-up highlighter. When I first saw the announcement that world-renowned makeup artist Pat McGrath would be releasing a highlighting kit to recreate her signature "lit from within" skin, I knew I'd have to have it. Her new Skin Fetish 003 kit comes with a dual-sided cream highlighter and balm stick, a borderline-holographic pressed pigment, and a brush sourced from Japan made to apply the pigment perfectly. I was able to pick my set up from Sephora (heads up - they're restocking today!), and I went for the Nude shade.

Let's start with how this baby comes packaged. It comes in a sealed bag absolutely stuffed full of sequins, which is probably the coolest thing ever. It was quite the feat to get the products out without getting the sequins all over the place. I'm a bit of a packaging hoarder, so I of course dumped the sequins into a resealable bag that's now sitting on my desk.

Right to Left: balm, cream highlight, pigment, cream highlight with pigment on top

Although I've got a whole drawer full of highlighters, I've come to find this set is really all you need. The balm is good for days you really want that glossy, "wet" look. It glides effortlessly onto the skin. The cream highlighter end of the stick is perfect for days when you just want a natural glow. It's definitely noticeable, but the formula is so impeccable that it just looks like your own skin's sheen. There's not a shimmer or glitter particle in sight. This is a more stiff product than I'm used to in a cream, though I find it doesn't move my makeup around if I apply it straight from the stick. It blends out easily with fingers, and because of the drier texture, it stays put all day. The pigment is definitely what you need if you're after a unique, ethereal glow. McGrath calls the look "aliengelic." It almost has a bit of a duochrome finish to it that you can even see in the pan. The Nude shade has a pink shift to it that looks perfectly natural on my fair skin. The brush is now my go-to no matter what highlighter I'm wearing. It's got a mix of long and short hairs on it, so it picks up the perfect amount and effortlessly blends it onto the skin.

Using the products in conjunction with one another really creates the most intense glow I've ever seen. Because I'm not one for subtlety (when it comes to highlighting at least), I've been streaking on the highlighter first, patting a little of the balm on top, and finally brushing on a little bit of the pigment over the top. It really creates a "wow" glow that will catch everyone's attention. These have absolutely become my favorite products to reach for when adding a glow, and I'd highly recommend trying to get one, either from the brand's own website or Sephora.

Have you tried the Skin Fetish yet?

For Stressed-Out Skin

May 07, 2016

One of my skin's greatest talents is its ability to show every tiny bit of stress I'm feeling as patchy redness, blemishes, and just an overall angry look. Whenever these signs start showing up in my face, I immediately start reaching for more soothing skincare. I've admittedly got quite a bit because my skin's the type that could always go for some soothing.

My go-to cleanser when I'm feeling stressed is the same cleanser I use every morning - the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser. I've been using it since it came out in January, and it's pretty much my favorite cleanser ever now. The name describes it perfectly - it's a milky, balmy gel that doesn't foam up at all but instead leaves the skin feeling clean but not stripped. They replaced a quarter of the water content in this with rosewater, meaning it's definitely great for soothing irritated skin. This feels so lovely at the end of a long day, and it's equally nice on early mornings.

I own probably way more facial sprays than one person needs, but I find that most of them are really great for soothing the skin. They add a nice hit of moisture and just feel so refreshing. I typically love any that contain rosewater, but my favorite when I'm feeling extra stressed is the Lush Eau Roma Water. It contains both rosewater and lavender water, so I find it not only helps my skin when it's irritated, but the scent of it helps relax me as well. Lavender is known to be an irritant for some people, so be aware of that. I've got a few products that contain lavender and they always just help with my irritation rather than adding to it.

The category in which my collection of soothing skincare really shines is the masks. Cooling, gel-like masks are a must for stressed skin. I find myself slathering on either the Fresh Rose Face Mask or the Belif First Aid Anti-Hangover Soothing Mask at the first sign of stress. They both feel refreshing on the skin due to their textures, and they're ultra-nourishing as well. I pretty much use them interchangeably, but when I'm still feeling the effects of stress and anxiety and need to relax, I use the Fresh one because the smell is divine. One other mask I've been reaching for a lot lately is the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Instant Oatmeal Mask. This one is more of a super thick cream, and it's even more hydrating and nourishing than the other two. This is the one I've been reaching for when my skin's feeling rather delicate and flaky, and it cures it right away.

My go-to moisturizer for stressed skin is always the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. This is an interesting one - it feels quite thick but sinks into the skin easily and doesn't leave a greasy film on the skin. It's amazingly hydrating, and because it's such a no-frills cream, I can always count on it to treat any irritated skin without damaging it further. I love using facial oils every night without fail, but a lot of mine are a little too heavy duty (with retinols like Luna or strong smells like the Clarins Blue Orchid) for when my skin's feeling delicate. I'll always go for the Indie Lee Squalene Facial Oil. It has no fragrance and sinks into the skin quickly. I don't know what it is about it, but my skin instantly feels better once I put a bit of this on. Slathering the Kiehl's cream on top makes it the perfect ultra-hydrating nighttime duo.

What do you reach for when your skin's showing signs of stress?