Introducing Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich

January 10, 2017 in Skincare

Brace yourselves, there's a rave coming on. Glossier's newest product, the Priming Moisturizer Rich,* launches today! I've gone on and on about how much I love the original Priming Moisturizer, so when I heard they were making a richer version I was psyched. I've been testing it for about a week now, and I honestly think it's my favorite Glossier product yet.

The Priming Moisturizer Rich comes in a weighty jar that feels super luxe - I know some people don't like jar packaging, but I don't mind it. There aren't any actives that will be rendered useless in this packaging, and as long as you wash your hands before applying you won't be spreading bacteria. It's naturally a little thicker than the original - I'd say it's a similar consistency to the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream. It's not so thick that it's almost a balm, but it is thicker than your typical lotion.

The cream is chock full of nourishing ingredients, like ceramides, fatty acids, and Red Algae Complex, which acts as a reservoir to store water and deliver hydration over time. It also contains the same priming ingredients as the original moisturizer, their Anti-Redness Complex and Oxygenating Agent, which plump and calm the skin, creating a perfect base for makeup. The cream also contains Murumuru and shea butters for a luxurious, nourishing feeling.

I love that I can use this night or day - it perfectly seals in all my serums and other skincare at night, and it beautifully preps my skin for makeup in the morning. Despite the rich texture, it sinks in and leaves the skin feeling like literal velvet - it doesn't feel heavy at all. It leaves the skin with the most beautiful dewy glow, much like the original, without being greasy. The scent is beautiful as well - it has that lavender-y smell similar to the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, so that makes it nice to use at night as well.

You can shop this new release through my rep page at glossier.com/reps/kelsey to get 10% off your first order and free shipping on orders $30+. The Priming Moisturizer Rich should be easy to find in my Top Picks section on my page as well. It is $35 for 1.7 fl oz (50 mL), and it feels so much more expensive than that - I'll be hopping online to order myself a backup or two for sure.

Let me know if you order the Priming Moisturizer Rich today, and let me know your thoughts as well!

New Year, New Skincare Routine

January 06, 2017 in Skincare

In shocking news, I've actually been able to stick to a relatively concrete skincare routine for the past few weeks now. Even more surprising, I've actually been using mostly the same products in the morning and at night. My skin has been responding extremely well to a more predictable and simplified routine - I still am getting my usual hormonal breakouts, but at least I know for sure that's what they are. This year I'm setting myself the goal to simplify my collection and routines in general. I love having lots of choices, but as I run out of room to store things, I'm realizing that maybe I don't really need all the choices of products that I have.

Morning and night, I'm still using my favorite cleanser of all time, the Glossier Milky Jelly Cleanser, as the first step of my routine. It's usually enough to take off my makeup at night, but if I'm wearing lots of eyeliner or waterproof products I'll use a cleansing balm instead. At night I like to do a second cleanse, and for that I've been using the Su:m 37 Miracle Rose Cleansing Stick. I mentioned this in my Korean Beauty Haul last week and it's quickly become a favorite. It leaves the skin feeling super clean but not stripped or squeaky whatsoever. It's got a low pH, so it won't disrupt the skin's acid mantle.

Once my skin is cleansed, I pat in a few drops of the Klairs Supple Preparation Facial Toner.* It's got a slightly viscous texture, but it sinks in immediately and really helps kick up hydration levels a notch. After the toner, I splash on the Missha Time Revolution First Treatment Essence - I'm utterly obsessed with this stuff. I'm not sure I see a visible difference in my skin since using it morning and night, but I can definitely feel that something's different. My skin feels smoother and more plump, and I think it's making my pores look smaller slowly but surely. There will definitely be a repurchase on the cards.

Serum is where I mix it up a little depending on how my skin is feeling. Most nights I use the Klairs Rich Moist Soothing Serum, as my skin can always do with a little hydrating and a little soothing. It's just a clear gel that sinks in quite quickly and really does make my skin feel a lot calmer. If I've got any spots, I concentrate a bit of the Glossier Super Pure Serum* on them to really kickstart the healing process. My go-to serum cocktail in the morning is mixing a few drops of Glossier's Super Glow and Super Bounce Serums.* The duo energizes, brightens, and hydrates my skin to get me ready for the day (and makeup application).

I usually forget about eye cream, but when I do remember I go for my trusty Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado morning and night. My dark circles seem to be caused by dehydration, because this really seems to help. If I wake up with puffy or sore eyes I'll use the Pixi 24K Eye Elixir* because the metal rollerball is super cooling and helps diffuse the situation.

For moisturizer, I just can't stop using my Drunk Elephant Lala Retro Whipped Cream. It's so moisturizing and rich, but since it's whipped, it doesn't feel too heavy on the skin. This is pricey, but I think it's definitely worth it. It keeps my skin from drying out during the day, which is no easy feat in the humidity-controlled lab I work in. At night, to seal everything in while I sleep, I like applying a few drops of the Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil. The oil and cream are just a match made in heaven, and I always wake up with the most nourished skin.

What skincare products have earned a place in your routines?

You can get 20% off your first Glossier order here - please note that I do make a commission on orders through my page, so even if it's not your first time ordering, it's still helping me out! If that makes you uncomfortable, no worries - just shop through Glossier's regular website.

*Products mentioned have been sent to me for consideration, but all opinions are my own. Please see my disclaimer for more information.

Beauty Resolutions

January 05, 2017 in Makeup, Lifestyle

I didn't put much effort into making New Years Resolutions this year, because I usually don't end up successfully sticking to them and then I just feel bad about myself. I did however think of a few tweaks I can make within my beauty routine just to get myself out of the rut I've been in for the past few weeks. By the end of the year I was exhausted and chose to stay in bed rather than put any effort into getting ready, so I want to kickstart a new attitude in the new year.

WEAR MORE LIPSTICK

I tweeted the other day that my resolutions for the year were to "wear more lipstick, take more selfies, and tell myself I'm cute more often." Towards the end of last year I really started actually getting use out of my lipstick collection. I don't know what changed in me, but suddenly I wasn't uncomfortable wearing bold colors. I took the opportunity to wear something new every weekend. I want to carry that over and not only wear my bold options, but also my more everyday-friendly shades. I got into the habit of wearing lip balm and nothing else, but I'd like to actually get use out of the collection I've poured so much money into.

TRY HARDER

This one is already proving to be a struggle, but I want to get out of the habit of laying in bed until the last possible second and rolling into work without even trying to make myself look presentable. I'm not saying I need to wear makeup everyday, but some sort of effort would really help me get into the right mindset for the day I think.

WINGED LINER

This will be the year that I perfect my winged liner. I'm getting better, but there's always room for improvement. I think it would really help define my eyes, especially when I'm wearing my glasses (my super strong prescription makes my eyes look a lot smaller than they really are). The Surratt Auto-Graphique Liner is really helping - the brush tip makes it so much easier to get a nice, not wonky wing.

EXPERIMENT MORE

I'll be the first to admit that I'm very "safe" in my makeup looks. Nothing is really too dramatic or ventures far away from "no makeup" makeup territory (with the exception of my occasional bold lip option). I want to try out bolder eye looks and get better at actually using and applying eyeshadow, and trying something cool and editorial like a bold blush look would be interesting as well. I want to create a lot more looks for the blog this year, so unless I want to create the same look over and over, I'm going to have to step out of my comfort zone and experiment.

What are your beauty resolutions for the year?