5 Bling Reviews, Beauty, Beauty Product Reviews, Face Mask Reviews, Skin Care Reviews, Spa(ahhh) Day Sunday, Strivectin, Weekly Bling

Spa(ahhh) Day Sunday: Try StriVectin Instant Revitalizing Mask for Brighter Skin

April 12, 2015 / No Comments

It’s Sunday, the perfect day to treat yourself to an amazing spa(ahhh) day skin care ritual. This week, I highly recommend that you check out StriVectin Instant Revitalizing Mask for Brighter Skin. It’s spring, and summer is right around the corner, so it’s time for less-is-more makeup. That means, of course, that skin must be in prime condition — bright and even toned.

To that end, incorporating a mask like StriVectin Instant Revitalizing Mask for Brighter Skin into your weekly routine, will get you to your goal of naturally gorgeous skin.

Here are the details for StriVectin Instant Revitalizing Mask for Brighter Skin $62

StriVectin’s Instant Revitalizing Mask is an intensely nourishing 15-minute facial mask that restores clarity and immediately illuminates the complexion. An effective dual-action complex of skin brighteners and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) helps unify uneven skin tone and promotes a smoother, younger looking complexion.How does it work? Patented NIA-114 technology strengthens the skin barrier as it hydrates and boosts the efficacy of the Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs) to visibly renew and revitalize skin. An effective dual-action complex of skin brighteners works synergistically to help even skin tone.

Why I love it:

The first time I used Instant Revitalizing Mask, I cleansed, scrubbed and then applied the mask, leaving it on for 15 minutes. What I noticed is that in those 15 minutes, it didn’t dry to the point of “cracking” as most clay masks do if you leave them on that long. It did dry, but so dry that my skin felt uncomfortable. After removing the mask with warm water, my skin looked amazing — definitely brighter and refined.

After a week of using this mask — 3 times — my skin is so clear and bright without makeup. My pores are diminished and the areas where I usually see extra pigmentation are definitely lessened.

This mask is creamy, comes from a tube (my preference — I hate digging my fingers in a jar) and a little goes a very long way. I estimate that using it 2-3 times per week it will last me at least 3 months — great bang for my buck.

I love that with just the use of a mask (and daily SPF of course) my skin can look and feel so much brighter. If you are looking for a way to improve the clarity of your skin without seeing a professional, I suggest doing a weekly spa treatment of cleanse, scrub and treat with this mask.

Bling Factor:

Pro: Lives up to claims of brightening skin, clarifies pores, doesn’t dry skin out

Con: None

Price: $62

Buy Again: Yes

Packaging: 5 Blings — love a tube for masks

Overall: 5 Blings

Hero Ingredient: Alpha Hydroxy Acids

Natural/Organic/Vegan: No

Cruelty Free: Not sure, I keep finding conflicting information, will contact the company and update this post

Shop:

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received one or more of the products or services mentioned above for free in the hope that I would mention it on my blog. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."

I'd love to hear your thoughts!Cancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

10 Winter Must-Haves for Your Closet

Now that winter is upon us, it’s time to upgrade your wardrobe and add some essentials for the cold to your closet. This way, you can stay warm as the temperatures drop. Here’s a list of must-haves for winter that you should definitely not miss out on. 1. Sweater You can’t complete your winter essentials without adding a sweater to your closet. In fact, a warm sweater should be one of the first things you get for this cold weather. While it’s easier to shop for men’s sweaters, women’s sweaters are a different story. But to find the perfect fit, think about the style that best suits your body shape. Do crewnecks or V-necks look more flattering on you? What material is soft on your skin? You can also buy a cashmere sweater for a more luxurious look or a beautiful sweater in a unique color to make your outfit pop. 2. Turtleneck A turtleneck is a versatile must-have that you can wear alone or pair with skirts, pants, or jeans. They’re also a great option to wear under a summer dress to protect your skin as the evening approaches and the temperature falls. 3. Cardigan A cardigan is another must-have. In particular, long cardigans are a great option as they help you look slimmer and taller. They are also a great option if you want to hide your body shape. 4. Long-sleeved tops Winters are all about layering yourself, and a long-sleeved top serves as a nice, warm layer under your clothing. 5. Leather jacket Leather jackets are best for transitional weather so that you can wear them over your summer fashion items as it starts to get a little cold. Plus, it’s always easy to style a women’s leather jacket. For instance, you can wear long layers underneath a short leather jacket to create a unique outfit. 6. Casual coat While both short and long winter coats are a staple, you should consider getting a casual coat. These are best if you are just going out for a cup of coffee with your friends or if you just want to have a lazy day. 7. Shacket If you’re following the latest beauty hacks and trends, you might have come across a shacket, which is essentially a hybrid of a shirt and jacket. It’s a cool and trendy way to upgrade a simple outfit! 8. Leggings or pants Protecting your legs from the cold is also essential, which is why you should invest in a good, cozy pair of winter leggings. The best thing about leggings is that they are easy to style, and you can pair them up with a sweater, long shirt, or even a dress. We recommend fleece-lined leggings to stay warm. If you don’t like leggings, you can always go for winter pants. These also go well with sweaters. In fact, black winter pants are so versatile that you can style them with almost every outfit. 9. Jeans Jeans are an all-year-round essential, and it’s easy to style jeans with your winter tops. Plus, you can use them for both casual and semi-casual events. And apart from regular jeans, you can also opt for skinny jeans and style them with knee-length booties! 10. Leather skirt A great thing about winters is that you can play around with different textures and fabrics. And one of the best clothing accessories to experiment with is a leather skirt. Whether you pair it with a sweater or a blouse, it will look great! Gear up today! These are just some of the winter must-haves for this season. Of course, there are a plethora of others, like boots, hats, and scarves, that you should definitely check out. Remember, your closet should reflect your personal style, so make sure you purchase items you really like!
...
Editor’s Picks: Best Facial Cleansers for Cold Weather

Winter can be a beast when it comes to the way it treats our skin. Cold, harsh weather can dry and strip our skin of it’s natural oils. So, the last thing we need to do is wash away the natural lipids on our skin when we cleanse our face. Rather, a cleanser that’s gentle and replenishes the natural oils on the skin is preferable. Even the oiliest skin types can benefit from a gentle non-stripping cleanser. We have road tested dozens of cleansers and these six are the best of the batch to keep your skin in it’s optimal health during these cold weather months. First Aid Beauty Milk Oil Conditioning Cleanser $26 (read my review here) Remove stubborn and long-wear makeup while you cleanse and condition the skin with Milk Oil Conditioning Cleanser, First Aid Beauty’s modern take on the beauty classic, cold cream. This multiaction cleanser dissolves skin-hugging makeup and impurities in just one step—even waterproof formulas—while simultaneously nourishing the skin. Enriched with skin nourishing oils—meadowfoam seed oil, coconut seed oil, and avocado oil—it protects and boosts the skin’s moisture levels. This “no-water-needed” formula leaves skin clean, nourished, comforted, and perfectly prepped. KORRES Greek Yoghurt 3 In 1 Cleansing, Toning And Eye Make-Up Removing Emulsion $24 (read my review here) The original Milk Proteins Cleansing Emulsion is back and boosted with Greek yogurt for two and a half times more skin-nourishing proteins, vitamins, and minerals. This multitasking, calming, and healing emulsion features euphrasia—also known as eyebright extract—which reduces redness, swelling, and irritation, along with antioxidant macadamia and sunflower oils to moisturize and protect skin. The result is a formula that cleanses, tones, and removes even the most stubborn makeup from face and eyes. Ole Henricksen Empower™ Foaming Milk Cleanser $26 (read my review here) This unique, lightweight milk transforms into a creamy lather to effortlessly and gently dissolve all traces of dirt, impurities, and makeup, while helping preserve skin’s moisture mantel. It’s infused with antioxidant-rich artic cloudberry to protect from the onslaught of damaging free radicals, omega-6 powerhouse nordic cotton extract to deliver weightless hydration, and gentle willowbark extract to smooth skin. This nourishing cleanser leaves skin soft, supple, and revitalized. Josie Maran Argan Cleansing Oil $32 (read my review here) This effective, multitasking cleanser removes makeup and skin impurities while providing essential hydration. Sunflower, safflower, and grape seed oils cleanse the skin’s surface and renew the complexion, leaving it healthy-looking and refreshed. Ideal for all skin types, the non-greasy texture leaves skin feeling moisturized—never tight or dry. Aromatica Orange Cleansing Sherbet $35 ( review coming) This unique oil-based cleanser starts off solid with a sherbet-like texture and then melts onto the skin to gently yet effectively cleanse the skin of makeup, oil-based impurities and dirt while hydrating the skin. Babassu oil helps clear pores while orange peel extract refreshes and lightly exfoliates without irritating the skin. We especially love that this comes in a super-sized generous tub and think it’s perfect for your double cleansing routine. AHAVA All-In-One Toning Cleanser $30 (review coming) A light, all-in-one, triple performance formula that effectively removes makeup, dirt and impurities from face and eyes. It helps to tighten pores, leaving skin feeling clean, toned and soft. A 3-in-1 Performance: Cleanser, Eye Makeup Remover and Toner for gentle and effective cleansing. Botanical toner with Witch Hazel extract to help minimize pores and rebalance the skin. A vitamin rich cleanser with anti-oxidant agents such as Dunaliella Algae and Date extract. Shop:
...
Waterproof Makeup: Keep Your Makeup in Place When It’s Raining

I live in the Bay Area of Northern California, and we have been getting pounded with uncharacteristic torrential rain. Well, maybe torrential is a bit of a stretch, but nonetheless, we are getting drenched. If you, like me, take the time to apply makeup, I’m sure that you want it to be in place even after you face the elements. Over the years, I have learned a few tricks and found a few product that help makeup last through various forms of attack by water—be it sweat from extreme temperatures, water at the beach or the winter rain we are currently experiencing. 1. Primer This magic potion helps makeup stay in place and prevents skin care (moisturizers and serums) from leaving the skin. Try: Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Foundation Primer $38 A luminizing primer that fills in fine lines and pores while imparting a beautiful luminous glow to skin. 2. Foundation A foundation that repels water is a must. Try: Make Up For Ever Face & Body Liquid Makeup $38 This waterproof, ultra-light, water-based gel contains no emulsifiers and provides a totally natural, satin finish. 3. Cheek Stain Flush your cheeks with color that stays put. Try: Vapour Beauty Aura Multi-Use Blush – Stain $28 Multi-tasker for cheeks, lips and eyes, with all-day high-impact color. 4. Waterproof Eye Makeup Keep eyeshadow, liner and mascara in place with water resistant formulas while not sacrificing on color, starting with and eyelid primer. Try: Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion – Eden (nude and matte) $18 or $23 or XL An eye prep product that provides smoother, longer-lasting, and absolutely crease-proof eyeshadowin a very-wearable, tawny, matte hue. Try: SmashboxWaterproof Shadow Liner Duo $25 A waterproof and crease-resistant cream shadow and liner duo. Try: L’Oreal Voluminous Waterproof Mascara $7.99 5. Long-Wearing Lip color Whether it’s a rainy day or the sun is shining, you can’t go wrong with a natural lip stain. Try: TarteLipSurgence™ Natural Lip Tint $24 A natural lip stain that is clinically proven to increase lips’ moisture content by 6000%. Shop: Eye Shadow by Smashbox Face Primer by Smashbox
...
Trending-Winter Beauty Tips: Beat Winter Doldrums With CATRICE Makeup

Kick winter doldrums and dull skin to the curb and dive into a winter wonderland with shimmering and sparkling products from CATRICE! Add some glow, glam, flirty lashes and a luscious lip, and no one will ever think you are suffering from the winter blues. CATRICE Highlighting Powder ($5.99): Incite an avalanche of awe with this soft velvety powder with a pearl effect that gives cheekbones a frosty glow and radiance. CATRICE Glam Fusion Powder to Gel ($5.99): Shimmer like the morning of a fresh snow with this first of its kind, show-stopper formula that changes from a delicate powder into a gel upon application. CATRICE Lash Boost Lash Extension Fibres ($6.99): False-like-lashes are a few of our favorite things! These snowflake-like-fibers cling to eyelashes giving you extra lash length without the annoyance of glue or expense of extensions. CATRICE Luminous Lips Lipstick ($5.99): Let’s face it – fireside smooches are the best kind. Lock in moisture and create plump, shiny lips with this formula fortified with hyaluronic acid. Shop: CATRICE Cosmetics is available for purchase at Ulta and online at http://www.ulta.com.
...
Bad Beauty Habits: R’Chelle Will Take Better Care of Her Hands

As much as I advocate for skincare and beauty routines to enhance your outer beauty I fall terribly short when it comes to one important area, my hands! Last week I took a look at my hands and they looked like I’d been playing in a box of rocks. Without question my beauty resolution will be to take better care of my hands this year. In an effort to restore the moisture and health into my hands, I’ll be using Clinique Even Better Dark Spot Correcting Hand Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 15 $29.50. What it is: A soothing hand cream that moisturizes and helps create a more even skintone. What it does: This rejuvenating hand cream helps reverse the appearance of dark spots, age spots, and discolorations, producing a smoother, clearer skintone. The gentle UVA/UVB sunscreen and calming botanicals work to prevent future darkening, leaving hands feeling soft, supple, and moisturized all day long. Shop:
...