Tag Archives: radiant

Feb25

Sujata Gazder Valinora Serum Review

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Sujata Gazder Valinora Serum Review

Hey! One of my favorite things to do is test out new skin and bath and body care products. Nothing pleases me more than scouring the shelves of TJMaxx’s beauty department for a good haul and trying a new product or two is a relatively cheap way for me to treat myself. As a fanatic for all things beauty, I couldn’t wait to receive a goodie box from my dear friend, Sujata, to celebrate the launch of her new website. 😀

During my unboxing, I was ecstatic to find a body bar and a bottle of Valinora serum. So much so, that I did something that I literally never do: I stopped using the serum I was working on halfway through to try out the new one! Of course, I’ll return to it later but not until I finish every last drop of the Valinora serum. It. Is. AMAZING! Let’s discuss:

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During my unboxing post, I used the word “nourishing” to describe the Valinora serum based on sight and scent alone. And, after just one use, I patted myself on the back for using the perfect description because this serum is so incredibly nourishing. I have been using the Valinora serum morning and night for the past week and every time I use it, I like it even more than I did before. All of these sentiments are mine alone and are not said because Sujata is my friend… this stuff is just that good.

The first thing you will notice about the Valinora serum is its scent. Sujata effortlessly combined a shopping list of various oils and essential oils to create this botanical serum. I can really smell the hemp and frankincense but everyone is different and will surely be able to pick up on fragrances that don’t stand out to me. At first, I thought the serum’s scent was a bit overpowering. However, after I gave it a chance, I found it to be invigorating in the morning and soothing at night. I love this, because as a permanently sleepy gal, I need all of the extra pick me ups that I can get in the morning!

This serum is actually quite different from what I usually prefer. While the texture is thin, it is jam packed with skin care magic and takes a decent amount of time to fully absorb. This is something that would normally bother me and it surprisingly doesn’t at all. In fact, I like it! As the serum sets, I know that it is working and the way my skin looks confirms it because it has never looked or felt better.

Yes, the Valinora serum is insanely hydrating and that is awesome in itself, but it is so much more than that. I never have considered myself to have an uneven skin tone and I still don’t. Regardless, whatever was going on with my skin is a problem solved now. Using this serum truly allowed my best face to come forward and my complexion really does look much more even than it did before. I also noticed a HUGE decrease in my designer bags – they are essentially gone! To top it off, my skin simply glows with each use. Like, radiant level glowing and you just can’t beat that!

The Valinora serum by Sujata Gazder is, hands down, one of the best that I have ever used and I cannot sing its praises enough. I have never used a product before and experienced such immediate results and I know all of you will love it too. Shop along at Sujata’s new site and treat yourself to the best in skin care and fashion!

What is the best product you have ever used? Do you like trying new products or sticking to what works? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Nov19

3 Top Pre-Wedding Beauty Tips

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3 Top Pre-Wedding Beauty Tips

A beauty regimen before a wedding will help you look your best on your big day. You’ll want to look back on this day fondly, so it’s only natural that you want everything to be perfect. While there are plenty of beauty preparations you’ll want to do so you’re picture-perfect for the wedding, you need to realize that there will be some things you’ll need to do far in advance. So, what are these? Keep reading on to learn all about them:

Go easy on the skincare:

It’s odd to say, as most brides will improve their skin care regimen and may even get a facial from the local spa. While it’s great and even aspiring to have that perfect skin for the wedding, you’ll have to be cautious. Getting a skin care regimen in place for your big day is crucial to looking your best. The last thing you want is a breakout or dry skin. Make sure to avoid new skincare products in the month before the wedding.

Considering a tan?

Some brides enjoy tanning, whether it’s a spray tan or visiting the local tanning bed. However, if you want to get your glow on before the wedding, you must be careful. Spray tans are a great way to add a natural glow to your skin. They can also help to camouflage any imperfections in your skin. These tans can contour and define your muscles too. Getting a spray tan before your dress fitting when starting a wedding beauty regimen is a great way to ensure you get the shade you want. You can schedule a trial tan a month before the wedding.

Give up teeth-staining drinks:

Who doesn’t love their coffee, teas, red wines, and maybe even munching on berries? While these are all nice indulgences, you shouldn’t consume too much each day as you risk staining your teeth. Whether you’re looking to get white teeth for your wedding or just want to keep them bright, there are several things you can do to keep your teeth white. A dentist can also remove stains from your teeth if necessary. One of the easiest ways to prevent stains from wine is to rinse your mouth with water after you drink.This helps to loosen up the acidity that’s causing the stains.

You can also brush your teeth with whitening toothpaste. This type of toothpaste uses mild abrasives to remove stains from your teeth. However, it can take several months to see results so it’s important to do this far in advance. Another way you can kick up your teeth a notch would be through Invisalign. If your teeth aren’t straight, you can count on this to give you the smile you’ve always wanted for your wedding!

Be your most radiant, picture perfect self on your big day with the tips above!

Featured Image By: Unsplash

Mar17

Pixi Beauty Peel & Polish Review

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Pixi Beauty Peel & Polish Review

Howdy everyone! This past week, my mom treated me to a couple of new products including a face mask and the Peel & Polish by Pixi Beauty. I absolutely loved the instanatural mask as per yesterday’s post and I was eager to try the Peel & Polish because I have never used any skin care products by Pixi before. Despite its not so pleasant scent, I would use it again! Let’s discuss:

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My first impression of the Peel & Polish was how it smelled because it was… interesting lol. It seriously smelled like vegetable broth and it was quite pungent. I have never used any product that had this aroma before and I can’t say that I was relishing the fact that I had to rub it on my face! Thankfully, the directions said that it only had to be left on for two minutes because I couldn’t imagine having it on for any longer than that.

I applied the Peel & Polish just before getting into the shower and I was interested in seeing the results because two minutes isn’t a very long time for it to sit. I was surprised by how well it worked after scrubbing it off because my skin looked noticeably brighter and it felt nice and smooth. This product was also so gentle, which made me even more impressed with it.

I could tell that it had made a difference when using it on Sunday morning because Saturday night is mine and Johnny’s game night. Saturday night is our standing date night in and we stay up late listening to music, playing board and video games, and talking until we’re practically falling asleep in the living room. Needless to say, my skin always looks dull and tired the following day!

I don’t know if I would go out of my way to order just the Peel & Polish from Pixi Beauty but if it were on promotion, I wouldn’t be opposed to it. According to the reviews on Pixi’s website, it is a product that its users can’t live without so maybe I’ll feel differently after finishing up the trial size bottle!

What is a beauty product you can’t live without? What is your favorite skin care brand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Dec17

Face Mask Festivities: Burt’s Bees Brightening Sheet Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: Burt’s Bees Brightening Sheet Mask Edition

Howdy! We are nearing the end of the Face Mask Festivities posts from my Target Haul and I hope that they have proved useful to you as you purchase your last minute stocking stuffers for the holidays. I know that I have enjoyed the extra pampering! 😀

Today, we are going to be discussing the most expensive mask that I purchased – a brightening sheet mask by Burt’s Bees. I didn’t even know that this brand had face masks too and at five or so dollars, it felt like a splurge. I thought that this mask would work well considering its price but it ended up being one of my least favorite ones from my haul. Let’s discuss:

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^^^ Lol

While most of the masks that I bought were specifically for dry skin due to the cold, I never say no to some extra brightening and added the Burt’s Bees mask to my cart. I was really excited to try this mask because I had such high hopes for it and this probably left me even more disappointed with the results – or lack thereof.

I will start by saying that this mask stayed put on my face very well, which I was impressed by. It fit nice and snug and once it was on, there was minimal sliding off for the ten plus minutes of wearing it. Unfortunately, that’s about all that the Burt’s Bees Brightening mask had going for it. -_-

After removing the mask, I couldn’t wait to see how my skin looked and I noticed no visible differences. When it comes to judging the effectiveness of a mask, I hope to see my skin looking better than when I complete my normal skin care routine. While the mask did feel good, the results were pretty much nonexistent and is one that I wouldn’t buy again.

Five dollars is incredibly cheap for a face mask but the ones from Target that I was most impressed with were over a dollar less. You are not missing out by not buying this mask so five dollars saved is five dollars earned… You’re welcome! ❤ Haha, tune in tomorrow for the last face mask from my haul!

What are your thoughts on this mask if you have used it? What is your favorite drugstore brand? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Jul20

Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: LANEIGE Water Sleeping Mask Edition

Hello! During my last online Sephora Haul, I was able to cash in on my freebie birthday gift right in the nick of time as the month of June was almost over. I went with the LANEIGE gift set which offered a travel sized moisturizer, lip mask, and sleeping mask. Since arriving in the mail, I have used all of these products and can easily say that I would buy a full size of any of them – especially the Lip Sleeping Mask!

This past week, I used the Water Sleeping Mask three days in a row and was blown away by the results every morning. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

When I saw the Water Sleeping Mask by LANEIGE in person, I remembered that I had actually tried it out before. It’s funny, because I was less than impressed in my previous review two years ago. Fast forward to present day and I am freaking obsessed with this mask!

Despite its rich gel texture, the Water Sleeping Mask applies really thin and this is so nice in my hot apartment. It can be unbearable having a thicker product on when I am sweating constantly! A little of it also went a long way and I have barely made a dent in it after three uses.

I was so excited to see the results upon awakening after my first use and when I looked in the mirror, I thought it was a fluke. When I wake up in the morning, I look and feel like the Swamp Creature lol but when I saw myself, my skin was absolutely glowing. It looked so healthy, bright, radiant, and *dare I say* younger! After three uses in a row, I woke up to the same results each morning and couldn’t believe my skin could look that good from just one product.

If you’re looking for instant radiance in the morning, then this nighttime mask is for you! I have no idea how I didn’t experience that during my first test run with the Water Sleeping Mask and am so glad I had the opportunity to try it again. Highly recommend!

Have you used any LANEIGE products before? What are your thoughts on them? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

 

Feb5

Eclat Vitamin C Serum Review

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Eclat Vitamin C Serum Review

Hey! Before my last skin care haul, I decided to look up the best recommended products for people in their late twenties. The resounding themes of the articles I read through included adding a Vitamin C serum as well as hyaluronic acid into your skin care regimen. For the hyaluronic acid, I ended up purchasing the Hydro Boost moisturizer from Neutrogena. As for the Vitamin C serum, I went with a well rated (five stars) and very cheap (six dollars) serum by Eclat. And, I will be damned if it isn’t the best, most inexpensive serum I have ever used. Let’s discuss:

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From every aspect, this Eclat Vitamin C serum rocks. First of all, it smells divine – just like freshly squeezed oranges and being able to use it first thing in the morning is invigorating. A little of this product also goes a long way because a dropper and a half full is more than enough to completely cover your face and neck. These are both important factors to me when it comes to a skin care product because I simply cannot use something that doesn’t smell good to me and having to use a lot of it to make it feel effective is definitely not the best bang for your buck.

The best thing about the Eclat Vitamin C serum, though? I am being one hundred percent truthful when I say that I noticed a difference in my skin after just one use. I had an extremely busy week at work and I was on my period so, needless to say, I was absolutely exhausted. And, when I get that tired my skin starts to look really dull. I used this serum for the first time during one of my melt into the couch tired days last week and my skin instantly looked more radiant and bright. It was amazing to me that I looked well rested when I didn’t feel it in the slightest.

I was curious to see if this product would keep seeming effective to me once I wasn’t so worn out and I was happy to find that it still lived up to the hype I built for it in my head. My skin just has this glow to it that certainly wasn’t there before with the Azure Lux serums that I have been using regularly for the past two or so years. I am beyond thrilled with the Eclat Vitamin C serum and highly recommend it because after one use I already knew that I would buy it again! GREAT SUCCESS!

What is one of your must have skin care products? Do you use any age specific products? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

May26

Face Mask Festivities: SpaLife Brightening Sheet Mask Edition

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Face Mask Festivities: SpaLife Brightening Sheet Mask Edition

Hiii everyone! While in the shower the other day, I remembered that a friend of mine gave me a Target gift card when I was moving into my apartment. I was so happy that I remembered this but was also SO annoyed because I had been to Target at least three times since moving. Smh.

But, it’s better late than never for using the gift card so I made a Target run and purchased a few essentials as well as a sheet face mask to push me slightly above the gift card limit. I have never used a sheet mask before so I thought that I would give it a try as a little treat to myself. I went with a brightening mask made with papaya by SpaLife and it was about three dollars per mask. I can’t say that it was my favorite face mask experience but I didn’t hate it. Take a look at some pics and let’s discuss:

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^^^ Hahaha, ahhhh that picture kills me! 😀

Because my skin type is as normal as it gets, I always go for masks that are either brightening or hydrating. And, with summer coming in hot, I thought that my skin could use some brightening for a more radiant appearance in the bright sun. I have also been really tired lately so my skin has been looking and feeling pretty lackluster. Needless to say, a brightening mask was just what the doctor ordered.

When I took the sheet mask out of the package, it was absolutely dripping with the papaya serum. I was a little surprised by this because the mask was inexpensive. I wasn’t expecting it to be bone dry but I also wasn’t expecting it to be jam packed with papaya goodness, either. This mask smelled really good, too. I caught a whiff of papaya as soon as I opened the packet and it lingered for the duration of having the mask on.

I left the mask on for about twelve minutes and then it fell off while I was in the shower. The mask wasn’t uncomfortable by any means but I didn’t like that you essentially just had to sit there with the mask on to avoid it falling off. This is why I prefer your standard face mask from a jar or tube so that you can continue going about your business until it’s time to wash it off.

Although the mask came off prematurely, I can say that I definitely saw some results from it. I had literally no expectations for this mask so maybe that’s why I was more keen to pick up on any differences in my skin. But, my under eye circles seemed less prevalent, my skin looked brighter, and it felt insanely smooth so I was very happy about all of that.

I can’t say that I would go out of my way to use a sheet mask again because I enjoy normal face masks so much but I’m glad that I tried it. And, if you haven’t tried one before, then you should go to Target and grab a SpaLife mask. It was inexpensive and an overall pleasant experience for what it was!

How do you feel about sheet masks? What is your favorite face mask to use? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

Apr2

5 Changes To Your Diet That Will Make Your Skin Glow

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5 Changes To Your Diet That Will Make Your Skin Glow

Tired of having dull, lackluster skin? Want to achieve that natural glow that makes you feel great inside and out? Of course you do! While a good skincare routine goes a long way, the key to radiant skin starts from within. Read about five simple diet changes that will help to make your skin glow:

1. Drink more water:

You might be tired of being told to drink more water, but you won’t know the difference it can make to your skin until you give it a try. Drinking more water has many beauty benefits, and it can be a great anti-ageing tool to keep your skin looking plump and wrinkle-free. Start drinking around eight glasses (more if you’re exercising) and keep yourself hydrated.

2. Ditch the caffeine:

Caffeine might make you feel more awake, but it’s not great for your skin. While caffeine alone isn’t responsible for cellulite, it can add to its appearance – so you might want to lay off caffeine as a way to reduce it. If you’re already dealing with cellulite, you can get advice on how to get rid of it from cellulite.com – it’s a great resource for finding creams and lotions to help improve that. Try caffeine-free versions of your favorite hot drinks or beverages or, better yet, go for natural juice and water, instead.

3. Eat more fruits and vegetables:

Fruits and vegetables are packed with vitamins and minerals, which are all essential for helping your skin to glow. Some of the fruits and vegetables for good skin include vitamin C rich foods like green peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes. Selenium is a mineral that will boost skin elasticity and keep it firm, and you can find it in spinach, lentils, and carrots. Fill up your plate with healthy fruits and vegetables and feed your skin the goodness that it needs.

4. Switch to healthy fats:

We all know that consuming too many fatty foods is bad for you, but that doesn’t mean that all fats are bad. There are healthy fats that can help give your skin a boost, including omega 3, which is found in oily fish like salmon and mackerel. Avocados, walnuts, and olive oil also contain beneficial fats that will help to nourish your skin. Breakfast is a good place to consume healthy fats, so start your day off right with some eggs and other good fats to help your intake.

5. Lower your soda intake:

Soda isn’t recommended for living a healthy diet, and this is particularly true when it comes to your skin. The syrups and sugars contained in soda can have different effects, including the ageing of your skin. Sodas are also very high in calories, and consuming too many calories can lead to weight gain. Opt for sugar free versions if you must drink soda, or cut them out altogether and stick to water.

Glowing skin is an amazing confidence booster that will help you radiate from within. By starting with a good diet, you can help create a glowing complexion and keep your skin looking healthy and youthful. Make some changes to your eating and drinking habits today to experience the benefits for yourself.

Featured Image By: Pxhere