Let's Talk About Scrub, Baby!

I've been obsessed with this scrub for a year now and just had to share it with you.

I stumbled on the brand Peter Thomas Roth quite some time ago and have been using the cleanser, serum and scrub religiously.  Since getting pregnant though, I've found the serum and cleanser just don't quite cut it anymore (thanks to way too many hormones and tons of pimples) but the scrub is still just as amazing as it was before little bean.

According to the brand's marketing, the "peeling gel visibly rolls, lifts and sweeps away dead skin cells when massaged onto skin."  And it actually does exactly what it claims to do.  See, the best part of the scrub is that it comes out a liquid...

And then once massaged onto the skin, the peeling gel starts to "peel" off your dead skin and cells all the while leaving skin buffed, clean and smooth.

A little goes a long way with this product and I usually find that the product can last a good 3 or 4 months, which for a scrub, is amazing.

Check this scrub out, ladies.  You will not be disappointed.  Or, if you have already, what are your thoughts about it??

  

Review: c. Booth Green Apple Micro Dermabrasion Scrub

I have been buying up a storm lately.  What's good about this are the amount of haul posts I have for you coming up BUT the bad news is that my pocketbook hates me.

 However, this last purchase only cost $6.99 so I don't feel too badly about it.

On Saturday I went shopping with a girlfriend and we ended up at Winners.  (Not typically a place I usually buy skin care/cosmetics but it was a really good deal.) I found the c. Booth Green Apple Micro Dermabrasion Scrub hiding behind some awful Paris Hilton Fragrance.  I snatched it up instantly because I'm very familiar with the brand and ran out of my favorite scrub last week.

I cleansed my face and, while it was still wet, I applied a nickel-sized amount to my face.  I was instantly blown away but the lovely intoxicating smell of apples.  The other thing I noticed was how gritty the scrub is. Since this product is classified as a "microdermabrasion" treatment - or a resurfacing scrub - the grittiness is designed to remove dead skin cells, brighten skin tone, refine fine lines and even out the complexion and I have to say that it actually does a fantastic job.

Pros:

Price was phenomenal 

A little bit of scrub goes a long way

Lovely smell

Scrub actually does what it says 

My skin was extremely smooth and silky after the treatment

Assists in fading any and all scarring

Cons:

Grittiness of scrub may irritate sensitive skin

All in all, for a Winners scrub, I think it was a fantastic deal.  I would definitely buy it again should I stumble on it.  However, for those with fair or sensitive skin, the actual size of the granules may irritate you skin.  Having said that, my skin looks bright, clear and is oh-so soft!

Have any of you ladies tried this product before?

 

Olay Skin Smoothing Cream Scrub: A Review

Ladies, I did a horrible thing Sunday night.

I slept in my makeup. And even worse than that, I actually went to the gym, worked out, sweated on my face and STILL didn't take my makeup off before bed. Shame on me, I know.

I woke up Monday morning to the alarm beeping madly at 5:15 AM (poor Allan had to work yesterday whereas I didn't) and the only thing I could think about was how gross my skin felt.

It was overly dry to the touch which should be expected since it was covered in the previous day's cosmetics and, color-wise, my skin looked slightly yellow. (Again, to be expected.) However, the worst part was the texture. My skin is usually very smooth but, this morning, it was bumpy and felt almost scaly. Ewwww....just writing this is grossing me out

After cleansing my face with Neutrogena Naturals Face Bar (loooovvvveeeee this), I grabbed a container of Olay Skin Smoothing Cream Scrub from my shower, squeezed an extremely large amount of scrub into my hand and went to town applying it on my face. I left the product on for 20 minutes and when I washed it off my skin was AMAZING. Gone was the gross scaly feeling and in its place I had my normal skin back. (Yay). My face was unbelievably clean, smooth and even looked more radiant. Typically, cream scrubs are much too mild for my combination skin or never seem to give me that clean feeling. However, this scrub is different. Though it's mild, I still feel like it's cleaning my skin without being abrasive and it contains little blue microbeads that really got down and dirty to give me a beautiful clear complexion. Love it!

I am so happy that I tried this product out and will continue to use this as my cream scrub staple. Just in case you're wondering, I purchased it from Shoppers Drug Mart for under $10. Such a good deal.

Has anyone tried this product before? If so, what were your thoughts?

Cheers

The Joys of Scrub

Who, honestly, dislikes a good scrub? There is nothing more rewarding than slapping on an intense, gritty scrub and, after ten minutes and some washing, revealing a new, glowing you.

Last night, after work, I ran to London Drugs to pick up an anniversary card. Since I was already shopping, I thought it a good idea to beeline for the cosmetics section. (For research, of course....ha.) Now, when it comes to skincare, I'm most definitely a brand snob, so I was surprised when the St. Ives Apricot Scrub Blemish & Blackhead Control caught my eye. I bought the sucker, since it was only $4.99, and went directly home to try it out.

I put this on immediately after cleansing my face and was very impressed with the smell. (Good smell, by the way; it lives up to its apricot name.) I let it sit on my skin for about ten minutes and once I washed it off, I was impressed immensely. My skin felt tighter, looked refreshed and my pores appeared to be smaller. I will definitely use this again, without a doubt, and am actually eager to try the entire St. Ives facial product line.

Try it out guys!!! For under $5, you're getting a natural scrub, with no parabens and no animal testing. Oh, and you can get it at a drugstore. Doesn't get much better than that...

For the people that LOVE homemade products, check out this awesome article for some easy spa-at-home recipes... http://hubpages.com/hub/Cleanser_Recipes

Guest Blog from the Smashing Ariella

I love guest blogs....it's so great to learn from others who have experience in so many different areas. My good friend Ariella is a phenomenal make-up artist who has amazing experience with cosmetics as well as application tips. (As well as secrets of the trade.) So, here she is......


My fabulous friend Christina asked me to let you guys in on a couple tricks of the trade. Being a make-up artist and a lover of all things natural, I have had the pleasure of trying out many products and have dabbled in creating my own concoctions.


1. Brushes. I am a firm believer in having great brushes. They allow you to apply your make-up better and are reusable (aka better for the environment). My two favourite brush lines are Quo(Shoppers Drug Mart Brand) and EcoTools (Alicia Silverstone’s Line). Both are inexpensive and durable. *Another great solution to make-up brushes are art brushes; some of my longest lasting and personal favourites are from my art store days. They are usually less expensive and just as effective. Another great note about brushes is this…Clean them! It’s important to keep your tools clean and sanitary. I can’t tell you how many make-up bags I have looked into that give me the creeps. I personally don’t bother with expensive brush cleaner since some 70% or 99% alcohol (and a shampoo every once in a while) will keep them as good as new.

2. Home-Made Scrubs. I don’t know about you, but I love a good scrub! I often make my own face and body scrubs because I haven’t found one that I love as much as the ones I make myself. Cetaphil and baking soda make a great daily exfoliating cleanser, while brown sugar is a great body scrub. That’s right, just some brown sugar (white sugar if you prefer a coarser scrub) and go to town with damp hands. Yes, it will start to melt, but no worries there as you'll taste nice and sweet.

3. Eye Liner. This is the topic I get asked about the most: How to apply liquid liner? How to get a straight line? Christina and I are hoping to make some how-to videos this summer to better illustrate some techniques, but in the meantime let me share a couple of points with you.

• Liquid Liner - just because it comes with an applicator, doesn’t mean you have to use it! Use your favourite synthetic angled brush and it will give you more control.
• Turn your favourite eye shadows into soft liners by dampening your brush before application.
• Tight Liner – this is when you work eye shadow into the lash line from just below your lashes. It creates a fuller lash effect without looking like thick liner. (My daily wear.)
• Practice – Liner isn’t easy and your eyelids aren’t carbon copies of each other which means you need to practice your application until you are at ease with it.

I would love to answer any of your questions as well so email cmwolthers@gmail.com should something pop into your head!