Tag Archives: serum

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Hey! Whenever I am gifted with TJMaxx gift cards, I always like to do a full restock on my skin care. While new clothes and shoes are fun, skin care is something that I’m always going to need and buy and I’d rather get it for free! I take my beauty hoard in my bathroom cupboard very seriously and consider myself stocked up when I have: Three moisturizers, three eye creams, three serums, three cleansers, and three micellar waters. Noticing a theme? I have found that a three to four month supply works well for me so I don’t have to shop for skin care monthly. To get myself back in the comfort zone of my hoard because I was running dangerously low on everything, I bought all of the following with the glory of gift cards:

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I have loved skin and bath and body care since I was a teenager. It has always been my favorite form of self care and I have had a solid skin care routine since I was about fifteen. After all of this time, I can still count on my morning routine to invigorate me and my nighttime routine to help soothe myself before bed. Lil Red is, first and foremost, a creature of habit and with that in mind, it only makes sense that I keep a constant supply of products handy!

To begin my restock, I started with moisturizers. I have used the Vitamin C one before but I have never tried any products by Honest or Happy Dance so I decided to add both to my cart. I can’t wait to try the Honest Dew You melting balm because the name itself had me sold – it just felt lux to me and I had to have it! The CBD infused moisturizer was a bit pricey at ten dollars, but it sounded so nice that I couldn’t resist! I wasn’t particularly fond of the CBD serum that I tried a year or so ago, but I have high hopes for this cream by Happy Dance… See what I did there? πŸ˜‰

Next, it was onto serum and eye cream. I only needed one more serum to get me back to a full supply and chose another Honest product for that. I am excited to try the moisturizer and serum by Honest as I have always been interested in the brand and this is the first time I ever saw it at TJMaxx! In the eye cream department, I went with two brightening formulas by Simple and 40 Carrots. Like Honest, these were both brands that I was familiar with and never tried because they were not available at TJs. This was my lucky day of shopping because I had been using the same handful of brands for a while and was ready to switch things up!

Finally, I needed a few cleansers and wanted something light and invigorating for warm weather. I couldn’t say no to the adorable, poppy packaging of the My Beauty Spot and Clinical Works face wash and I also selected the Hydro Boost cleanser by Neutrogena. I am eager to try out the pink coconut cleanser first because it looks like summertime and I am hoping it feels that way too! However, this will be the last time I use any Neutrogena products as I was disappointed and surprised to learn that they aren’t entirely cruelty free. Every other product in this post is Leaping Bunny certified!

My beauty haul at TJMaxx concluded with more of my favorite micellar water and those stretchy gelly hair ties that I have been dying to try! I have more shoes than I can count and one hair tie to my name so that was a definite must lol. Keep it posted for brand new OOTDs coming soon this week!

What is your favorite cruelty free brand? Which brands have you stopped using that aren’t Leaping Bunny certified? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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Vitamin C Skin Care Routine

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Vitamin C Skin Care Routine

Hello!! My skin type would definitely fall under the “normal” category. I don’t experience oil, acne, or sensitivity and my woes usually only come from dry skin in the winter. Thanks to this, I get a lot of free range to try new skin care products; I can’t think of any adverse reactions my skin has had from testing new skin care and I don’t need specific products for my skin type. As you all know, I love to try new products out and the skin care I use at a given time ranges from brightening and hydrating to firming and fine line repair. However, I literally just noticed a major difference in my current routine after several weeks!

I wouldn’t say my skin has a “dull” appearance, but I can tell when I am feeling more tired than usual, which is basically all the time lol. For the past few weeks, I have found my skin to be much brighter than normal despite being a chronically sleepy gal. After examining my skin care routine, I realized that I have been using three Vitamin C products and I know I have them to tip my cap to for the brightening boost:

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It has been a good long while since I stacked like skin care products. Honestly, the last time was probably when I was a teenager and trying to figure out what would work for my skin. Individually, I could see that the Clinical Works cleanser, Spa Cosmetics serum, and Bellyssima moisturizer worked well. Then, after other products got used up and their forces combined, I felt like the sun had nothing on my radiance!

With Vitamin C times three, I feel like a whole new me and it has turned what I used to think was a very solid skin care routine on its head. And, dare I say it, I might just begin limiting myself to like products when I restock at TJMaxx to see what happens! Let’s talk a bit more about the skin care that I am currently using because I think you will love them if you are looking for an extra dose of brightness:

Clinical Works Cleanser: This cleanser is divine! It smells very citrusy and is so invigorating to use every morning. A nickle sized dollop goes a long way and it lathers well, turning into lush bubbles instantly. Not only does this cleanser brighten, but it really does cleanse too. My skin feels squeaky clean after each use and I can feel the grime and yuck scrubbing away, leaving nothing but soft, radiant skin in its wake.

Spa Cosmetics Serum: I have been enjoying this serum a lot. It has a fairly light citrus scent and is thicker in texture. Normally, I don’t like products with a thicker consistency, but I never mind if it’s a serum. Once again, a nickle sized dollop of this product is all you need for full neck and face coverage and the bottle I’m working on is lasting me a long time. It is the perfect serum to activate the work the cleanser put in even more as well as the moisturizer during the next step in my routine.

Bellyssima Moisturizer: This moisturizer is one of the best ones that I have tried in months. I was instantly enamored with the whipped orange scent and the texture is rich and creamy, but absorbs quickly. It also sits so well underneath makeup. The Bellyssima moisturizer locks in all of the good stuff from the cleanser and serum and my skin is left looking like peaches and cream. I can’t get enough of this moisturizer and am keeping my fingers crossed to find it again at TJMaxx!

It has been grey and rainy in my neck of the woods, but my skin feels like sunshine and rainbows with my new Vitamin C routine. I highly recommend each of these products and they are all cruelty free. Check them out if you get the chance!

What is your skin care routine like? Do you stack like products or use a bunch of different things? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

March 2023 Finishes

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March 2023 Finishes

Hello everyone! It’s about that time to discuss the products that I finished up this month and I can’t believe that we are already almost in the fourth month of 2023. It’s flying by! March was pretty successful as far as empties go and I was able to use up lots of new to me products, which is always nice. Let’s get started and discuss these finishes further because there are definitely a few that you can skip on:

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Would I Use Again?

Bath & Body Works Champagne Apple Honey shower gel: YES

Bath & Body Works Winter Candy Apple lotion: MAYBE

DesignLine Fiji Therapy styling oil: NO

Sujata Gazder Valinora serum: YES!!!!!!

Clear Beauty 24K Gold and Collagen moisturizer: NO

*Not pictured* Evoluderm micellar water: YES

Why/Why Not?

B&BW Lotion: I got the Winter Candy Apple lotion as a freebie from B&BW and assumed that I would love it because anything apple is alright with me. This scent, however, proved me wrong. I love apple fragrances because of the sweet/tart notes and the Winter Candy Apple was just sweet with nothing more to it. It also had some pretty strong floral notes, which I was not fond of at all. I would use this lotion if it was gifted to me, but now I know to skip on it next holiday season. It took me about five weeks of once daily use to finish the bottle.

DesignLine Styling Oil: I have been working my way through this bottle of Fiji Therapy Styling Oil for what feels like forever. I wanted to like this product so bad because the scent is nice, it’s lightweight, and applies so easily, but it just never showed me the results I wanted. After getting my hair done, it needs all of the hydration help it can get from the bleach. No matter how many times I used this oil, the ends of my hair were still bone dry. I was very happy to finish this product up because I was using it just for the sake of using it and would definitely not buy it again.

Sujata Gazder Serum: You can peep my full review for the Valinora serum with the link above. I just wanted to take the time to reiterate how fabulous it was! My skin never looked better after twice daily use of this serum and I was so sad to have finished it up in one month. Every use left my skin feeling hydrated and nourished and I couldn’t believe how effective this serum was in diminishing designer bags. I highly, highly recommend this product!

Clear Beauty Moisturizer: It took me one month of twice daily use to finish the 24K Gold and Collagen moisturizer by Clear Beauty and I was unimpressed. I noticed no real difference in my skin’s appearance or firmness, which was disappointing because all of the ingredients would make you expect to see results. This also wasn’t the best value, either, as the jar was super small so I had to ration how much I used carefully. I would not buy this product again.

Although there were a decent amount of duds in this month’s finishes, that is fine with me. Now, I don’t have to use them anymore! Lol, here’s to using lots of products that I actually like next month! πŸ˜€

What products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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. πŸ˜€

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

Sujata Gazder Skin Care Unboxing

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Sujata Gazder Skin Care Unboxing

Hello!! I met my dear friend, Sujata, seven years ago thanks to lifewithlilred. She was the first person who I ever wrote a guest article for and it featured one of her drop dead gorgeous wedding dresses. We have kept in touch through social media ever since and I always enjoy catching up with her and keeping tabs on her fashion and skin care line. Sujata recently launched her brand’s website and I was lucky enough to be sent some of her skin care products. Check out my unboxing and keep it posted for reviews coming soon:

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Receiving my package in the mail from Sujata was like Christmas day all over again and I couldn’t wait to tear it open! My first impression during my unboxing was an important one: The packaging itself. Skin care can be tricky to ship and it is not uncommon for bottles and jars to leak or crack. The products that I received were handled with so much care and wrapped tightly in tissue paper. The box was also filled with extra tissue and crinkle paper for additional padding. I could tell that Sujata wants everything she ships to her customers to be in absolutely perfect condition and it was very appreciated.

In my goodie box, I was so excited to find a body bar and face serum. The body bar came in an adorable individual box, which was a really nice touch! I am eager to try the bar out because I have never seen or used a product like it before. It is essentially cocoa butter with a shopping list of essential oils that you rub into your skin. This seems like the perfect solution to eliminate dry winter skin and it smells lovely. I love the notes of citrus and rose and I like it even more because it isn’t overpowering. Sujata expertly handled the delicate dance of combining fragrances and I was so impressed by how light it smells because products like that have the potential to go either way.

The Valinora face serum was also included in my gift and I can’t wait to use it. So much so that I am willing to put aside the half finished bottle of serum that I’m currently working on, which I never do! This serum targets fine lines and wrinkles and will also help to even out your skin tone. I will admit that when I first took a whiff of the serum, I thought that it was fairly pungent. Then, I kept smelling it and realized how awesome it is! Like the body bar, the ingredients consist primarily of essential oils. I could really pick out the hemp oil and frankincense but I think that this product will smell different to everyone, which is cool! I can already tell how nourishing the Valinora serum is going to be and I am so proud of my friend for creating this magic in a bottle.

If these products look as amazing to you as they do to me, be sure to shop along on Sujata’s brand new website. Stay tuned for reviews and thanks again to Sujata for her generosity! ❀

What is your favorite essential oil? How do you pamper yourself? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Hello! After reorganizing my work bag, I realized that I had a ten dollar rewards certificate from TJMaxx due to my expert spending this year lol. I couldn’t have stumbled upon this at a better time because I was running low on lots of my skin care staples and decided to take a TJs trip during a free afternoon. As always, I told myself that I was only going to look at beauty products but that was just a lie to make myself feel better because you all know I got some clothes too! Take a look at what should have been my only purchases during my shopping and keep it posted for what I treated myself with:

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Prior to the pandemic, I would say that I was going to TJMaxx at least bimonthly and would restock my beauty products as needed. This worked for me at the time but my shopping process has certainly changed since 2020. Now, when I make it to my beloved TJMaxx (It has been over three months since my last visit!), I stock up on what I need so that I don’t have to keep returning back. An all around restock was definitely what I needed this time around and all of the products seen above will last me close to four months. I consider this a blessing because it will keep me away from all of the temptations of winter clearance! πŸ˜€

My skin care routine is a fairly simple one that includes a scrub, cleanser, micellar water, serum, eye cream, and moisturizer. I use most of these products twice daily and it is easy to see why I would go to TJs in shorter intervals because some of the items can get used up rather quickly. I am used to finishing a product like a serum or moisturizer every month but I had a revelation while writing my November 2022 Finishes post: Sometimes, bigger is better. This past month, I finished up a gigantic tub of moisturizer that lasted me close to a month and a half. It really blew my mind and I thought that I would incorporate my discovery into this skin care restock, as you can see by the huge bottles of serum! I was disappointed that I couldn’t find any similar sizes of moisturizer to the Pearlessence one that I used and loved but what can ya do?

There are lots of new to me products in my skin care haul that I am excited to try out like the eye cream and Neutrogena cleanser. I actually just used the SpaLife serum with the beads in it and it was pretty good. Yes, I mainly bought it because it looked cool! But I digress. I am most looking forward to trying the Dope Dreams sleeping mask by ELF. I have used a CBD moisturizer before that I wasn’t too impressed with but this mask intrigued me. Keep checking back for a new Face Mask Festivities about it soon!

I am obsessed with skin care all year round but it just hits different in the winter. When I saw my go to products running low, it was off to TJs I went and I think I should be pretty well stocked until spring! πŸ˜€

What is your winter skin care routine like? 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

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August 2022 Finishes

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August 2022 Finishes

Hi everyone!! We’re going to wrap up August here on lifewithlilred by talking about the beauty products that I used up this month. I don’t know about all of you, but August sucked majorly for me so here’s to September being friggen awesome. God knows I need it! One thing that I always find awesome is using up products, though, so let’s get to it:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Provence Beauty Serum: I love me a Vitamin C serum and this one by Provence Beauty, unfortunately, missed the mark. I didn’t experience any noticeable differences in the way my skin looked or felt after a month of morning and night use. This serum was also quite thin in consistency, which was a pain because it was constantly falling out of my hand. This is a product that you can definitely skip on.

Evoluderm Micellar Water: You guys already know that this is my A1 favorite micellar water so there is no need to discuss in too much detail. I will say that this product blows me away every time I use it. It removes makeup so well and acts as a nourishing toner for me every morning. It takes me about five weeks to finish one bottle.

St. Ives Scrub: I have finally used up the last St. Ives scrub in my stockpile and I am SO happy about it. These scrubs are not good for your skin and the walnut shells they use as an exfoliant can subject your skin to micro tears. Waste not want not, though, and I finished it anyways lol *face palm*. It took me over a month of once daily use to finish one bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: First and foremost, I LOVE GINGHAM! It is, easily, one of my favorite Bath & Body Works scents and is nothing short of a delight in shower gel form. It is so crisp and refreshing and lathers into the most luxurious bubbles. It is the perfect way to start every morning! It took me about three weeks to finish the travel size bottle and I really wish I had a full size one because I am now all out of Gingham! 😦

August was pretty bad for me personally but the product finishes were pretty good. Keep it posted for more fun on lifewithlilred come September!

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

TJMaxx Haul: Skin Care Edition

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TJMaxx Haul: Skin Care Edition

Hello everyone and welcome to the last of my TJMaxx Haul! Today, we are going to be discussing some brand new skin care and then it’s onto bigger and better things. Keep it posted for a new OOTD and a few watercolor paintings by yours truly. They aren’t museum worthy but I’m pretty proud of them! Now, let’s get to it:

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The main reason for this haul in the first place was to get some skin care with my birthday gift card from my sister. Cut to two hours later and I had a cart full of goodies! As the old saying goes, you don’t go to TJMaxx for what you need… It tells you what you need lol at least that’s what I say, anyways. πŸ˜€

Although I was looking for some eye cream and cleansers, I was happy to walk away with a new serum (which I can always use) and two micellar waters by Evoluderm. I have been obsessed with this product since I tried it out over three years ago and just have to grab a bottle or two whenever its available at TJs. It is, hands down, the best micellar water I have ever used and makes everything else pale in comparison.

I am a faithful user of micellar water both morning and night and love the way the Evoluderm makes my skin feel. While the Garnier micellar water is great at removing makeup, it never made my skin feel nourished. The Evoluderm is the polar opposite and not only leaves my skin feeling squeaky clean but hydrated and well protected. I can’t recommend it enough if you are on the hunt for a micellar water or if the Garnier brand just isn’t cutting it anymore!

There you have it, a fabulous haul for the ages at TJMaxx in its completion. Is it bad that I’m already daydreaming about a fall haul?!

What is your favorite skin care brand? Where do you like to shop skin care? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

June 2022 Finishes

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June 2022 Finishes

Hello everyone!! My birth month is drawing to a close and it has been a whirlwind time indeed. Between birthday celebrations and working with new clients, I have been busy but in the best way! No matter how jam packed of a schedule I have, I always have time for my daily beauty routines and am so happy to have finished up products this past month that felt never ending. Let’s discuss:

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Would I Use Again?

Why/Why Not?

Evoluderm Micellar Water: This micellar water is a TJMaxx find and I was thrilled to be able to buy more of it during a haul this past February. I loved it as soon as I tried it at least a year ago and *pun intended* it blows the Garnier micellar water out of the water! The Evoluderm micellar water removes makeup effortlessly and feels so nourishing to the skin. It leaves my face feeling refreshed, hydrated, and clean. It took me about a month and a half to finish one bottle.

B&BW Shower Gel: Pearberry is a retired scent from Bath & Body Works and I always have to snag more of it during their Semi-Annual Sale. I love fruity fragrances and Pearberry’s crisp scent of juicy pears mixed with tart berries was so invigorating every morning. I was very sad to finish this bottle because it was my last one and it took me close to two months to use it up.

St. Ives Scrub: I used to love me a St. Ives scrub until I learned that they are not the best for your skin lol. Unfortunately, you all know that I simply refuse to not use up a product so I finished the Pink Lemon & Mandarin Orange Scrub out of spite. Although I wouldn’t use a St. Ives scrub again once I’m done with the one I’m currently using, I will say that they would be the bomb if it didn’t use crushed walnut shell as the exfoliant. It took me about a month and a half to finish this scrub.

Provence Beauty Serum: I have been having some fun testing out new serums after I felt like I reached the limit of effectiveness with my normal Tree Of Life serums. I found the Provence Beauty Vitamin C serum to be pretty good and I would probably buy it again if I didn’t have any other options at TJMaxx. My main qualm with this product is how liquidy it is. It had the tendency to fall right out of your hand after using the dropper and it didn’t feel as nourishing as I would like. However, I did notice a difference in the brightness of my skin. It took me five weeks of twice daily use to finish it.

Hope Soap Lotion: I received this lotion from a local shop in my neck of the woods as a Christmas gift. The Gingerbread Caramel scent was divine and it smelled good enough to eat. It also did make my hands feel nice and smooth, without a doubt. Although, similarly to the Provence Beauty serum, its texture was very runny. I prefer a thicker lotion at nighttime so this was definitely a negative factor for me. It also took for freaking ever to use up and took over four months (And accidentally dropping it!) of once a day use to finish it. If I were gifted with it again, of course I would use it but I wouldn’t go out of my way to purchase it for myself.

There is nothing better than using up products that took a long time to finish and, despite some wishy washy reviews, I am still pleased with my empties this month. I can’t wait to try lots of new products out in their place this July! πŸ˜€

Which products did you use up this month? What are your thoughts on any of the above products if you have used them before? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

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TJMaxx Skin Care Haul

Hey! During my last TJMaxx outing, one of my main goals was to restock my skin care stock pile. I was currently on my last jar of moisturizer from my last skin care haul and the timing was perfect because I had lots of birthday gift cards to spend. Although they didn’t have any micellar water or eye creams that looked appealing, I did purchase the following:

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^^^ Clean Beauty and Pearlessence are both Leaping Bunny certified!

During my last skin care restock, I began using serums by Pearlessence and am a huge fan. They are effective, long lasting, and nice and light making it perfect for summer. I was happy to find the Dewy Glow serum, which I haven’t tried yet, and was also surprised to see so many moisturizers by Pearlessence too. I just had to give them a try and couldn’t believe the six dollar price for the huge jar of Big Sky Cloud Cream. The name, itself, sounds delightful and I can’t wait to try it out!

Now, take a look at each new product that I purchased and you will notice a theme: So. Much. Hyaluronic. Acid. About two years ago, I began researching the best skin care ingredients for late twenty somethings and the advice was almost unanimous – Products with Vitamin C and Hyaluronic Acid are the way to go. I haven’t strayed from these findings (Obviously!) and try to incorporate each of these ingredients in some way to my skin care routine.

It wasn’t until I was lining up these products to snap a pic that I realized it was a Hyaluronic Acid kind of day and I wasn’t mad about it! Pre pandemic, I loved visiting TJMaxx whenever I needed new skin care and it’s so nice to be able to do that again. It’s such fun for me to try out new products and I am eager to test out the moisturizers and serum from this haul!

What is your favorite skin care brand? Which ingredients work best for your skin? I want to hear from all of you, so leave me a comment and let’s chat! Much love. -Sarah

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