Clinique's Turnaround Concentrate Radiance Renewer: A Review

Occasionally, I fall in love with a product that's been recommended to me.

The neat thing about this referral was the referrer: my mom.  I'm sure that most of you know by know that my mom works for Clinique but despite her working for this cosmetic/skin care company, it's never really been my favorite product line.  (I can hear the cursing through the computer screen as I type this.)  Having said that, I faithfully use Clinique's powder makeup and adore it but when it comes to skincare, I usually go in a different direction.

However, I received Clinique's Turnaround Concentrate as a gift from my mom a few weeks ago and am absolutely impressed by the results.  I've been using this twice a day, every day, for the past three weeks and my skin not only looks radiant BUT my acne scarring and redness has actually dissipated.  It's completely mind blowing.

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Radiance Renewer

Pros:

Super lightweight

Makes skin smooth

Buff's skin texture

Goes on like a primer

Unclogs pores

Helps reduce fine lines

Creates radiant looking skin

Cons:

Size of the bottle

I literally have no negative points about this product!  After using the serum for about three weeks, I actually feel comfortable without wearing makeup.  (Check out me with no makeup on...AND I just washed my face in this pic.)

If you've been having skin issues like I have AND are looking for a product that will clear your skin, buff your skin's texture and be a primer, I HIGHLY recommend this product.  Plus, it's only about $43 USD.  A steal when it actually does what it's supposed to.

Have any of you ladies tried this before?  What are your thoughts?

 

HerCut The Shag Styling Catalyst: A Review

I like hair products almost as much as I like eye shadows and lipsticks. Seriously, I really do. Which is why I'm always on the hunt for a hair product that actually prevents or smoothes frizz, provides texture and doesn't weigh my hair down.

While out and about one weekend with a friend, I found a new product line claiming to do all of the above. The line is called HerCut and it's taken hair care to a whole new dimension. (Well, according to their advertising it does.) The company explains that HerCut "redefines hair care by working with the form, shape and movement of your own personal haircut" and, since I'm always a sucker for beauty product claims, I purchased it. (Plus, it was also on sale for 50%.)

I purchased The Shag Styling Catalyst product because it's claim is to lift and separate, lighten my layers and give texture and dimension. However, if The Shag is not your thing they also have The Pixie, The Bob, The Curly Bob, The Blunt, The Long Layers and The Curly Long Layers. In terms of packaging, I think they actually hit the nail on the head. Most mornings I use an Argon Oil serum on my hair but dislike the way the product comes out of its container. This container works because of its well developed pump that pre-combines both the gel and cream together without the messiness of opening a lid and pouring the contents into your palm.

As you can see, this container contains two separate products: the gel and the cream. The first time I used this product, it took me 8 pumps before the cream would come out though the gel was having no problems at all. After that initial try I haven't had any issues with the pump. Another good thing about this product is the smell; it's not overbearing at all. In fact, unless you've pressed your nose against the product, you can't really smell anything. (A huge plus for me as I work in a scent-free building.) Once the product was in my hair, it was drying faster but made my hair less pliable. (In other words, it felt slightly crunchy from the gel.) After I blow dried my hair though, that crunchy feeling went away and my hair was full of volume. Once I finished flat-ironing and applying pommade, my hair looked like I'd just had a hair cut. (For a girl with short hair, this is a huge plus.) It seemed more dimensional but most of all, it looked like it had more texture.

During the day, my hair kept its style nicely and didn't fall flat, which is great. The next day, though, was a lot harder to style. I rely on a great dry shampoo for my second day hair styling but for some reason, my hair was a lot harder to style and the dry shampoo was not getting to my roots. (It took a lot more time than normal for me to re-style it.) I think this has a lot to do with the gel portion of the catalyst.

All in all, I think I'll continue to try this product (at least until the bottle is done) because it does have some great qualities. If someone else has tried this product line, I'd be very interested to hear your thoughts...

Cheers

Happy Skin Calls for Clarins

So, my skin has been an absolute disaster this past week. Instead of the occasional breakout or irritation, my skin felt like sand. Literally, I would apply my moisture in the morning, add my primer and within two hours, my skin would look and feel flaky. (Definitely not attractive...) Now, I have never, in my entire life, had dry skin. Pimples, sometimes, irritation, absolutely but flakiness, NEVER! I'm still not sure why my skin decided to pick this week to go crazy but I was so very fortunate that my mom was here visiting. Not only is she a cosmetician for Clinique BUT she knew exactly which product line would cure my rough patches: Clarins. We went shopping promptly and ended up at the Clarins counter in the Bay. After browsing for about four minutes (literally, my mom is that good) she'd picked out two products: Clarins HydraQuench Cream for Normal to Dry Skin and Clarins HydraQuench Intensive Serum Bi-Phase for Dehydrated Skin. Now, I am a huge serum fan. Serum is like an all-in-one product because it hydrates, smoothes and softens your skin. This one, in particular, is very nice and light. You only need a couple pumps to cover your entire face and, once on, it's sucked instantly into your skin making a clean canvas for your moisturizer. Oh, and your skin feels amazing with this product on! The moisturizer is very luxurious. It's nice and thick but still manages to soak nicely into your skin. (I will say, though, that this moisturizer does not have any anti-aging benefits so if you're suffering from dry skin like I am, ensure you're putting your anti-aging product on as well.) Best of all, both products smell absolutely gorgeous. My boyfriend says they smell flowery but, to me, they smell fresh almost like standing by the ocean. All in all, I have been using both products for the week and my skin has done a 180. Not only is my skin not flaky anymore but it actually feels completely rejuvenated. All this for a measly $50???? Not too bad, if you ask me. (My cream was $49 and I got a 15 mL serum for free.) For all my Canadian friends...Clarins is having it's Gift with Purchase (the Bay) starting April 6th. If you're spending the money on good products, it's definitely nice to get some freebies. XO

The Price of Eminence

On a whim, I purchased two facial products after my massage. (Definitely not the best time to shop.)

That day, not only had I received a massage, but also a facial, pedicure, reflexology and a lip treatment, so I'm not too sure if I purchased these ridiculously expensive products because I was EXTREMELY relaxed or I'd inhaled too many different fumes.

For those that haven't heard of Eminence Organics, they're a Canadian product line free of parabens and sulfates AND the products are award winning. (The skin care line has won many, many, many awards for being the "Best of the Best".) Now, of course, not every spa uses Eminence, but if they do, you're definitely in for a real treat.

There was a huge variety of products used by Jasmine, the Technician, but I purchased the Strawberry Rhubarb Masque and Couperose-C Antioxidant Serum. The masque is an amazingly indulgent treat, since it smells just like strawberry yogurt, AND there are real chunks of rhubarb and strawberry right in the jar.

Product is very simple, scoop a little in to your palm, dilute with water, and apply to face and neck, BUT the price tag is heavy: $58 for only 2 fl. The serum, meant to be worn prior to moisturizer, smells like rosehip and peppermint. Application is extremely simple too, since it comes with a squeeze top eye-dropper, but again, $48 for 1 fl. oz is not a great deal.

Big question of the day: Do they work?

I love the masque. All the ingredients work together to moisturize, brighten and heal your skin, all the while smelling fantastic. It goes on nicely and does work to take away redness and even out your skin's texture. The serum, though, I'm not a fan of. It does hydrate and nourish, but it doesn't do a good job of reducing redness or irritation. (I want to find a better serum without the hefty price tag.)

As you all know, I love indulging, but next time I want to purchase an Eminence product, I'll wait for the Spa Show and purchase it at the wholesale price....

Have you ever spent a lot of money on something which turned out to bomb??? If so, tell me about it....