Sephora Acne-Fighting Mattifying Moisturizer Review

Image Courtesy of Sephora.com

I'm not going to lie.  I love it.  It's everything I've ever wanted in a moisturizer for my oily skin.  It keeps me matte, it's not expensive, and I haven't had a pimple since I started using it.  I don't really have acne issues, but I just want to take note of that.  I got this mainly for the mattifying properties.  

The product itself is lightweight with a light scent that is clean and pleasant.  It only takes about a two or three pumps for my entire face.  Being the consistency of a serum, it absorbs quickly and spreads smoothly.  The packaging makes it easy for carrying as i can be applied (or is recommended that it be applied) three times daily.

I can't say enough about it.  I'm so satisfied with the amount of time it lasts.  Sure, 18 dollars is a little steep for moisturizer, but it's well worth it.  So if you're oily like me, Definitely use this.  It is also safe to use in conjunction with a primer for added oil control.

Length Check 2013/Sephora Haul

I promised this ages ago, but my life is crazy busy.  I'm pleasantly surprised with the length of my hair.  It's difficult to tell from the photo, but it's below BSL at this point.  I won't bore anyone.  Here's the pic.  And btw, I'm needing about a one inch trim.

I also wanted to share a small haul of items I picked up at Sephora.

Here is the list of items from left to right:

• Sephora Acne-Fighting Mattifying Moisturizer
• Sephora Supreme Cleansing Foam
• Make Up Forever HD Foundation (N177)
• Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner
• Sephora Waterproof Eye Makeup Remover
• Benefit Erase Paste (No. 3 deep)

I will be reviewing these items over a period of time. So look out for those reviews. :)

With the Pudding...

I had to right this blog today, right now.

Here's the deal:  I am about 6 months post relaxer and didn't even realize it had been that long.  But that's ok.  My hair is doing fine.  But I am going to relax soon.

What I wanted to do was review a product that I've been using for a little while.  It's the
Palmer's Coconut Oil Formula Curl Condition Hair Pudding.

I'm in love with this stuff.  I had used another product they had that came in a bottle, but I wanted something a little less heavy and more value for my money.  This goes for about 5 dollars at Wal-Mart.  It's light, moisturizing, and makes my hair shiny and soft.  It smells amazing.  I also like that it doesn't contain alcohol or parabens that could damage the hair. 

This formula is supposed to be for curly hair, but here is my logic behind my purchase:  If it can tame frizz and give definition to curls, then it should be able to soften my hair as well.

I apply it twice a day to my ends and new growth to keep everything manageable and tie my hair down with a satin scarf.  That makes it work even better over night.  Especially after blow drying, which makes the hair feel bristle like and....just not very nice.

I can't get over how much I love this product.  There is no way I could have gone this long without relaxing and not had this by my side at this stage.  The detangling qualities are spot on.

I won't ramble on.  It's the week of my birthday, so a relaxer is a must so that I can look my absolute best. I'm going to attempt to locate a previous length check pic and compare it now.  My hair seems longer than I remember.  So I just want to check out where I stand.

Tangle Teezer Review

I am guilty of using every detangling device known to man.  I suffer from terrible cases of tangles and snags, especially when I'm stretching my relaxers.  My hair becomes a nightmare.  If that wasn't enough, my daughter has them even worse.  And she hates getting her hair combed.

I was just browsing YouTube a few days ago when I came across the Tangle Teezer.  I was actually looking at some other brush by Michel somebody (can't remember), and the Tangle Teezer showed up.  There were so many positive reviews.  The ringer was reviews from those with coarse hair that praised this brush.

I got my brush from Sally Beauty Supply for 12.99.  It seemed a little steep, costing more that the Denman brush I bought a few years back for 9.99.  But my optimism was high and I was desperate.  Did I mention the school time rush and pressure to make my little princess look perfect?

At any rate, I tried it on myself first.  I was shocked.  I couldn't believe it.  It easily detangled my seriously post relaxer hair.  I just added a sufficient amount of moisturizer and went to work.The price tag is nothing compared to the satisfaction I got from using the brush.  Not to mention, it worked wonders on my daughters serious tangles.  My expectations for this were fairly low, but I was quickly proven wrong.

Something else about this brush I found amazing was the easy clean up and that it pops open to reveal a compartment to store hair ties and clips.

I would recommend this product for all hair types.  It is well worth it's price.  It's excellent.  I will definitely be putting these in some stockings this holiday season. :)

Smelling Good 101

About a month ago, on one of my numerous Wal-Mart runs, I came across something really pleasant.  It's the Bodycology "Pretty in Paris" Body Mist and Body Cream

OMG.  It's so light and feminine.  It's not too floral, not too sweet, not to musky.  It's absolutely perfect.  It has definitely become part of my everyday beauty routine.  I would say the scent is reminiscent of Love's Baby Soft (which is a classic favorite of mine) and Marc Jacob's Daisy, just more mellow.  Just try it.  You will love it.  I can't wait to check the shelves for more.  :)

Silky Smooth

Picture provided courtesy of Sephora

Several months ago, a wrote a review on the Too Faced Editor's Beauty Editor Darlings.  There were some items that I wanted the full size version of.  I bought the lip gloss first.  Well this last trip, I bought the Too Faced Primed & Poreless Smoothing Face Primer.  However, I looked around a little more before my purchase and discovered the sensitive skin version that's oil free.

I love it.  I know that $30 seems steep, but it only takes about the size of a pea to cover the entire face.  I don't necessarily have issues with my skin as far as breakouts are concerned, but I still treat my skin as such for preventative measures.  And this formula is gentle enough that it could be worn all day.

It fills in nicely and reduces the appearance of pores.  That works for me because mine are on the larger side.  It doesn't dry my skin out either.  Some primers can be a bit chalky or not absorb well.  I don't have that issue when I use this.

With the summer coming up, I want to look my best, but there is no way I'm wearing a full face of makeup.  Especially in my line of work.  NO way.  So this gives me the opportunity to have that appearance of naturally beautiful skin without the midday melts or staining my clothing.

I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for light to medium coverage or if you want to tame oily skin.  You likely won't be disappointed. :)

Bleach!

I'm not ashamed to admit this.  I am a woman that deals with unwanted facial hair.  I do cream removal, but that doesn't help the dark area.  NO NO NO.  See, I have very dark hair.  So I can remove the hair all I want, but the little bits the cream misses, I have to deal with.  So I've decided that the best option for me is to jump on the bleach wagon.

I tried the Jolen Bleach cream on a whim because I was frustrated.  And I must say that I was pleasantly surprised.  It turn my stubbornly dark hairs a bright honey color.  It was my first application, so I'm seeing the dark patches again.  But it took a few weeks before I started to notice.  I'm guessing that it will take some conditioning, i.e. continued usage before I can see even better results.

It is fairly easy to use.  The kit comes with everything you need to do several applications.  It's a gentle formula as well (which is essential since I have sensitive skin.  I didn't experience any burning, tingling, or redness during or after usage.  I'm not sure if the results will be the same for everyone, but I would recommend it.  It's less than 6 dollars at Wal-Mart, so it's a good buy.  Much cheaper than waxing or laser hair removal.

I don't really have any complaints.  I will try to update soon to let everybody know how it's going.

I am also looking to relax here very soon.  I haven't done so since November, and I'm not loving it.  LOL.  The stretch will be ending soon.  And since I have a better camera on this phone, I will actually be able to get up some decent pics.  Cross my fingers.  LOL.  I hope this review was helpful.

I've Opened Up Shop

Not many people know this about me, but I love making jewelry. I typically work with resin because it's my favorite medium. I love the versatile qualities. Getting a mold in the mail for my resin pieces feels like Christmas. :)

 At any rate, I suggest that you all have a look at my little Etsy shop. Tell me what you think or make suggestions on what I should make next. Click here to view my shop or just go directly to the store front here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/KrissyKimonoKawaii?ref=si_shop

You can also visit my Facebook page here.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Krissy-Kimono-Kawaii/569849009691996

Making My Own Jewelry

Recently, I've gotten into the craft of jewelry/accessory making.  I don't have a ton of stuff, just a few things I've created that are tailored to my personal taste.  Many of you don't know this, but I'm an aspiring sweet lolita.  It's an expensive hobby though, so I've been taking baby steps to make it work for me.  The crafting of my own accessories is a biggie because they can get to be quite expensive.  At any rate, here is just a small sample of the things that I've created.

This is just a sampling of some things that I've learned to do. Hopefully, in the future I will get better at my craft and make my items available to everybody. That's the goal at least. What do you all think? I need some feedback. :)

Personalize It

I know that phones don't necessarily fit into whole hair and beauty genre, but it does relate to personal style. Most of us select a phone based on our needs wants, and budgets.  It is an extension of who we are as we move through this increasingly technological world.

Something that many of us do is take the extra steps are personalizing our phones to suit our personalities.  In my case, it has to be super cute and over the top.  I can't be usual if I tried.  LOL.  Recently, I became the owner for the Samsung Galaxy S III.  It's everything I ever wanted in a phone.  (And I'm not being paid to say any of this in case aybody is wondering.)  Before the phone even arrived, I had purchased covers to go with it.  One of my favorites is a pic of one that arrived today.

When I saw this cover is just screamed "Take me!  I fit you!"  I had to have it.  I know, covers come a dime a dozen, but something about this one really spoke to me.  It's pink, it's shiny, and covered in rhinestones.  What more could a girl ask for? :)

On a more serious note, I encourage all of my readers out there to be yourself.  Express who you are and don't be afraid.  We are all beautiful and unique creatures.  Personalize your world to work for you while still being considerate.  Even if it's something as small as changing a phone cover or a total makeover, just do you.  Love the skin that you're in.

By the way, I know that there are few out there that are in love with this case, so I'll post a direct link to the item on eBay.  Just click here.  And the direct link for the store is here

Clear and Clear Mattifying Review

Kristin, why are you blogging in the middle of the day?  Because I'm home sick from work.  Being sick sucks, but it allows for some good blogging time. :) Anyways...

Last week, I purchased the Clean and Clear Mattifying Cleanser and the moisturizer.  This is just a review on those products.

Let's start with the cleanser.  The texture is a cross between a foam and and exfoliating wash.  It's super lightweight.  I'm not huge on gritty things being used daily, but it's not chunky grit.  It's fine like sugar sort of.  Maybe a little finer.  It has a an extremely light scent.  It just smells clean.

I've been using it for about 5 days now, and I must say that I'm super impressed.  Initially, I thought it would be drying and make my skin look like I had on a full face of powder.  But it's not like that at all.  It really does help control the oil without making me look dry at all.  The texture of my skin feels smoother and appears clearer.  I'm in love with this stuff.  It doesn't create that gross cakey look on the skin.  That's a huge plus.

The moisturizer is a bit tricky.  See, it has a sunscreen in it which is fantastic for the skin.  But this is not a chemical sunscreen, so applying too much will make the skin look chalky.  However, it applied in small amount and full rubbed into the skin, it does the job of mattifying and controlling oil.  I would recommend mixing a tiny amount with a daily serum or tinted  moisturizer to get the coverage and protection.

Like the cleanser, the smell is very light and clean.  It absorbs into the skin fairly well.  I also like the way it makes my skin feel.  It's smooth and gives a youthful look.

I would recommend this duo for combination/oily skin.  It gets the skin so clean.  It's rejuvenating.  Not to mention, it's fairly inexpensive.  I got them at Big Lots for just 3.80 USD a piece.  I hope this review was helpful and that you all give it a try. :)

A Little Big Lots Haul

I love Big Lots.  I don't know why.  I just do.  It's just awesome.  I'm not going to try to explain it.  LOL.  At any rate, here is what I got today.

This is a mattifying cleanser and moisturizer that I got.  I won't lie.  I was attracted to the packaging.  Plus, I know that Clean & Clear make pretty decent products.  Plus, I'm wondering if this product can achieve the matte look without drying my face out.  I was looking to a cheaper alternative to the Too Faced Primed and Poreless.

Hmmm....This pic keeps turning the other way.  Oh bother.  Anyway, these are just some fun sleeping masks that were only a dollar each.  I got them because I heard that sleeping in complete dark could help you fall asleep faster.  Well, I have a child, and I don't trust the dark.  LOL.  So I got these instead  so that I can still get the darkness I need.

These E.L.F. brushes were only 95 cents a piece.  I couldn't pass that up.  So I got a smudge brush and a concealer brush.  I like their brushes. :)

I know.  It's childish, but I LOVE Barbie.  I always have.  Even as a child.  And this little bottle is perfect for the purse.  It's a light floral scent and it was on clearance for a dollar fifty.

That completes my little haul.  I'll be back to review the facial products and makeup brushes.  :)