Lightweight Oils for Daytime

July 25, 2017 in Skincare

I've always been into the glowy skin look, but for some reason it's taken me until now to really start using facial oils during the day. Despite having dry skin and working in a *very* dry environment, I was still worried they would make me feel too greasy throughout the day. I've been rotating through a few lightweight oils that sink into the skin quickly and work well underneath makeup.

Indie Lee Squalene Facial Oil | This one has been a favorite for awhile. Squalene is becoming a super "trendy" ingredient (more on that in a minute) in skincare, but for good reason. It's a lightweight oil that mimics the skin's natural oils, so it helps to balance the skin. This makes it perfect for daytime, as it won't make you overly oily. This is my go-to when my skin is feeling sensitive and stressed as well - it feels super gentle, and the simple formula takes care of irritation.

Drunk Elephant Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil | Another single-ingredient love of mine is the Marula Oil from Drunk Elephant. It feels extremely nourishing and yet is super lightweight and sinks into the skin with no greasiness. It feels plumping and hydrating and leaves the skin feeling incredibly smooth. It's really helped bring down my redness as well, making it perfect for more minimal makeup days.

Biossance Squalene + Vitamin C Rose Oil | I told you we'd get back to squalene. This is like a beefed-up version of the Indie Lee - one to go for if you're after serious glow. This one contains added Vitamin C to brighten the skin over time. Like the Indie Lee Squalene Oil, this is also super lightweight and sinks into the skin easily and quickly without any added grease. I go for this one after late nights when I wake up with extra dullness.

Sunday Riley Juno Facial Oil | I've mentioned this one a lot lately, but it's a standout favorite for sure. This gives the skin a seriously dewy glow (still without leaning on the greasy side) and keeps it feeling nourished all day long. This is the one I go to if I want to be sure my foundation won't cling, as it eliminates any and all dry spots on my skin. It's pricey, but such a beautiful oil.

MUN Skincare Aknari Brightening Youth Serum | Although this is technically a serum, it's a mixture of prickly pear seed oil, argan oil, and rose flower essential oil that brighten and moisturize the skin. This keeps my skin glowing all day and gives a beautiful lit-from-within glow when I've been using it consistently. This one seems to leave my skin the smoothest and is my favorite to use under makeup.

Do you use facial oils during the day, or just at night? What are your favorites?

Ingredient Spotlight | Antioxidants

July 21, 2017 in Skincare

Things are about to get a little science-y up in here. Before we can talk about antioxidants, let's go over free radicals for a minute. They sound scary and basically every skincare commercial tells you to be afraid of them. A free radical is an atom or molecule that has an unpaired electron in its outer shell. Most of them are very reactive, because basically, atoms/molecules don't particularly like having that unpaired electron, so they work quickly to find something to react with to have a whole pair again. Often these reactions are chain reactions, breaking and re-forming many bonds to finally end with a more stable form. Free radicals occur naturally in the body during metabolism or when the immune system is trying to neutralize viruses and bacteria, but they are also caused by coming into contact with environmental aggressors like pollution and radiation. The body can normally take care of these free radicals, but they can start to build up and cause damage if antioxidants are unavailable. The real damage occurs when the free radicals start reacting with cellular components DNA or the cell membranes, which can cause the cell to not function properly or die altogether.

So how do antioxidants help? Antioxidants neutralize free radicals by donating one of their own electrons to stop the chain reaction before damage can occur. They're stable in either form - pre- and post-electron donation - so they don't become free radicals themselves after donating. They act as scavengers and seek out the damage-causing free radicals, preventing cellular damage and disease. The most common antioxidants present in the body are Vitamins C and E.

Antioxidants in skincare can work as powerful antiaging ingredients by stopping free radicals from causing damage to the skin cells. I rooted through my collection to find a few great products that make use of antioxidants.

Masks | My favorite masks that have antioxidants as main ingredients are the Glossier Mega Greens Galaxy Pack and the Youth to the People Age Prevention Superfood Mask. They're both quite similar - thick, creamy masks that cleanse and purify the skin without stripping it. They both feel quite nourishing and reviving to the skin, despite containing clay. As the names suggest, they also both supply the skin with antioxidants through the use of greens like spinach and other leafy greens.

Serums | The first serum that came to mind was the Kypris Antioxidant Dew - it gives the skin such a dewy, radiant glow. It uses Superoxide Dismutase (another powerful antioxidant), as well as Vitamins C and E. It replenishes the skin after a long day, and it mixes well with other serums. The Drunk Elephant C-Firma Day Serum is another favorite, and uses Vitamin C as part of an antioxidant complex to brighten the skin and restore firmness. This is my favorite to use in the morning - it makes the skin so radiant.

Facial Oils | Another obvious example of a product full of antioxidants is the Sunday Riley Juno Oil. It says right on the label it's antioxidant-rich, coming mostly from Blueberry Seed and Cranberry Seed Oils. I've also been using the Biossance Squalene + Vitamin C Rose Oil a lot, and they're quite similar. They're both lightweight and can be used day or night, and they both leave the skin almost juicy-looking. I can't pick a favorite.

Sunscreen | Since UV radiation creates free-radicals, it's only natural that a good sunscreen would contain added antioxidants. The first that comes to mind is Glossier Invisible Shield. It has an antioxidant complex containing Vitamin E, Vitamin P, broccoli, and aloe leaf extracts. I've raved about this over and over, but it's really my favorite face sunscreen because of how lightweight it is. I love that it's not only protecting my skin with SPF, but also with the added antioxidants.

What are your favorite products with antioxidants?

Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipsticks | Whip & Chutney

July 20, 2017 in Makeup

I've been trying so hard to ignore new releases while I'm on this spending ban, but the one I made an exception for was the Bite Beauty Amuse Bouche Liquified Lipsticks - Bite is probably my favorite brand when it comes to lipstick, so I just had to. I told myself when it was announced they'd be releasing this month that if I could stick to my "no beauty spending" rule until their release, I could treat myself to a couple shades. I even was able to talk myself out of getting three or four shades for the purpose of this review and settled on two shade I know I'll get a lot of wear out of - perhaps not the most exciting review material, but it's better on my wallet (winking emoji & money-flying-away emoji).

Bite Beauty has finally jumped on the liquid lipstick bandwagon, but with a twist - they've taken their cult-favorite Amuse Bouche Lipstick formula (a personal favorite of mine), and literally liquified it. The result is a dense, almost whipped liquid that's incredibly pigmented and doesn't set to a fully matte finish. I'm honestly pretty much over the matte liquid lip trend, so I knew these would be right up my alley and a breath of fresh air.

I've only had these since Monday, and I think they've already become my favorite liquid lipsticks. I've never tried a more comfortable formula, and despite being so creamy, they really stay put. They do fade, of course, but they do so gracefully without leaving uneven patches of color. The color remained fully intact while eating dinner, although it lost some of its sheen. They feel and look so similar to the original Amuse Bouche Lipsticks, but they have a bit more of a glossy finish upon initial application. Once they set down, they have that same beautiful satin finish.

Application-wise, I was afraid they'd be difficult to apply and get an even line with, but it's actually just fine. The doe-foot applicator has a unique pointed shape that makes it easy to outline the lips, and then the flat edge deposits the perfect amount of product to fill the lips in. If you follow Bite Beauty on Instagram, they've been showcasing what Lip Pencil shades to pair with the Liquified Lipsticks, so that's always an option, too.

The two shades I picked up are Whip, described as a "blushed beige," and Chutney, a "rich mauve." They're the kind of shades I always gravitate towards and work with just about any look. I've been blending a small amount of Chutney into the lips most days this week, and it gives a perfect "my lips but better" shade for my typical minimal makeup look. I've also tried mixing the two shades together as well, which is super easy because of the creamy formula. These are just too beautiful, and it's making it so difficult to stick to my spending ban - I really wish i could just go buy every shade. I've at least got Eclair, Marsala, and Cava on my list for the next time I can treat myself a little.

Have you tried Bite's new Liquified Lipsticks yet?