skin care


L’Oreal Paris Pure-Clay Mask review

loreal pure clay masks

Pictured: c/o L’Oreal Paris Pure Clay Mask from left: Purify & Mattify, Exfoliate & Refine, and Detox & Brighten.

I’m so excited to share these fabulous new clay masks from L’Oreal Paris with you!  The new L’Oreal Paris Clay Mask comes in three different formulas; Purify & Mattify, Exfoliate & Refine, and Detox & Brighten. Each one has an active ingredient which makes it unique, and perfect for different skin problems.

All three masks use three pure clays as their base:

  1. Kaolinite: This is a soft mineral present in kaolin clay and it is the ideal ingredient for skincare masks because it is really absorbent. It helps to rid skin of built up; unwanted impurities without stripping away any natural oils. This clay absorbs skin impurities and helps to remove excess shine. Love that! -I can get shiny!
  2. Montmorillonite: This clay is derived from igneous rocks of the smectite family. It is creamy and swells up with it comes into contact with water. It is known for its purifying and re-balancing properties.
  3. Ghassoul: This is a clay of volcanic origin which has been extracted in Morocco’s Middle Atlas Mountains. Women in that region use it in face masks and in poultices for their bodies.

Let’s start with my favorite; the Purify & Mattify mask. This is the light grey-green mask pictured above on the left. The secret ingredient is Eucalyptus! My skin creates blackheads, and can get quite shiny. This mask helps to draw out dirt and excess oil; I have a lot of that! After two uses, my pores were clean! It takes a small miracle to remove my blackheads, so I am in deep love with this mask!

I also had a fabulous time testing out the Exfoliate & Refine mask. This red clay mask contains Red Algae as it’s key ingredient. This mask also unclogs pores. It also exfoliates rough texture, which unmasks smooth, unclogged skin. My skin is fairly smooth already, so the difference I noticed after using this mask the first time, were clearer pores. The second time I used it I did feel smoother skin on my face, but the big difference were the cleaner pores, which also seemed minimized.

The Detox & Brighten mask contains charcoal as it’s key ingredient. This mask removes dirt, and impurities. It also removes dead skin cells. The result is healthier, even looking skin. This was the last mask I tested out, so my skin was very clean by the time I tried it. I used it once and my skin felt great! I feel like this is a great mask to keep on hand to use once or twice per month.

Overall, I loved all three masks. The Purify & Mattify clay mask is my favorite mask, and I plan to use it one day a week. I will keep the other two masks on hand to use as needed. The incredible thing about the L’Oreal Pure-Clay mask collection is the fact that they are priced under $13! Whaaaaaaaaat???? Yes, your eyes are working, that is not a typo, they are priced at under $13 each!

You can find the L’Oreal Pure-Clay Mask collection online here, or at your favorite mass food, and drug retailer nationwide starting in July 2016. I would love to hear your results!


No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum

no7 protect and perfect intense advanced serumno7 protect and perfect intense advanced serumPictured: c/o No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum is a serum which is targeted at decreasing visible signs of advanced aging. It is clinically proven to be effective at visibly reducing deep lines, and wrinkles, in a mere two weeks.

As an aging GenX-er, I am just starting to see fine lines on my forehead, and around my eyes. I have been using products targeted at keeping my skin moisturized, and reducing the signs of fine lines. No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum is meant more for someone who has deeper lines than me. That being said, I did test it out for two weeks because if it can reduce deep lines, what can it for fine lines?

I used No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum with my current day cream, and night cream. I did feel a little bit of tightening in my skin, which slightly reduced the signs of my fine lines on my forehead. I did not use it on the lines near my eyes since I prefer to use an eye cream in that area.

No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum is a great product to use if you have visible lines. It will not erase them completely, but it does reduce their depth, which in turn, reduced their visibility. I felt like it added moisture to my skin, and tightened it as needed.

Since No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum is hypo-allergenic, and fragrance free. It is an easy product to use if you have sensitive skin. If you have deep lines and wrinkles, give it try!

You can find No7 Protect & Perfect Intense Advanced Serum online here and here.


My summer skin care routine

my summer skin care routine

Pictured from left: eye cream / neck cream / day cream / night cream / acne treatment / chapstick (flavor not online, also love cherry)

Skin care is so important all year long; but in the summer months, it becomes even more important. My kids are always outside; whether we are swimming, walking, playing sports, etc., summer is spent in the sun. This means using products with spf protection, and products which keep skin moisturized, are extremely important.

In order to keep my skin at its best, I live by ReVive skincare. They have the best neck cream, and face cream on the market; in my opinion. I have been using the neck cream for over ten years, and my neck looks fabulous! It also has spf protection, which is key here in California. Sun damage can make one’s neck look droopy over time; not to mention increase one’s risk of skin cancer.

ReVive’s face cream has also been a favorite of mine for over ten years. The night cream is something new for me. I just started using it less than two years ago. You can see my full review here. It is so good at repairing my skin overnight. It seems like it takes years off my skin every time I use it. Love love love it!

I have tried so many eye creams over the years. My all-time favorite is by Dolce & Gabbana. It firms up my skin, leaving it silky smooth, younger looking, and fully moisturized. Did I mention it minimizes lines too! Love that!

So you might be looking at my Chapstick and wondering, how does it fit in? Well, I have used Chapstick since I was five years old. It is the only lip balm I will use, and I love it! My favorite flavors are cherry, and strawberry. Sometimes I buy special edition flavors such as orange cream, raspberry, or pomegranate punch. I wish those special flavors were in the permanent collection! The orange cream is to-die-for!

I always joke that I have a combination of wrinkles and pimples on my face. Ugh, it is so true! I have combination skin, so it wrinkles, and gets pimples. It can be really frustrating. I had clear skin in high school, then as an adult, I started to get acne. I wish I had it in high school instead of my adult life, like the rest of the world! I swear I am the only GenX-er still getting breakouts. Ugh, so frustrating. My go-to acne weapon is the on-the-spot treatment pictured above. I love love love it!

What are some of your favorite summer skin care products?