fave products // goop beauty goopglow dark spot exfoliating sleep milk & microderm instant glow exfoliator

I’m somewhat new to Goop Beauty, but I always love products that brighten the skin and help with hyperpigmentation. Especially post-pregnancy, when I’m a bit prone to melasma, anything that helps combat dark spots is a game-changer. Enter GoopGlow Dark Spot Exfoliating Sleep Milk and Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator! These products are powerhouses when it comes to glowing skin. They work their exfoliating magic to fight dullness, uneven texture, dark spots, and clogged pores, leaving you with a radiant complexion. Plus both the serum and mask are cruelty free and totally clean, so you won’t find any nasty ingredients here!

The Dark Spot Exfoliating Sleep Milk is a smooth and creamy serum containing 10% exfoliating acids (glycolic & lactic) that help resurface the skin overnight while you sleep. I love how it feels on my skin- not drying, but rather super luxe and hydrating thanks to “desert milk”, beta glucan, and hyaluronic acid. Piperonyl glucose helps calm the skin, discouraging the appearance of any new spots or pigmentation as well. After using this, I wake up with dewy, baby-soft skin that is practically poreless skin- yes please! An important thing to remember: because of the high percentage of acids, always remember to use SPF in the mornings post-moisturizer.

The Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator has somewhat of a cult following, and after using it, I totally get the hype. It's inspired by professional microdermabrasion and has been clinically tested to ensure impressive results in the comfort of your own home. Plus its whipped, marshmallow-like texture is just to die for! Two types of exfoliation are happening simultaneously here: physical, by way of micro-minerals like quartz, garnet, alumina & silica, and chemical, thanks to glycolic acid. This popular AHA helps remove dead skin and promote cellular turnover, while vitamin C powerhouse Australian kakadu plum gives you an overall luminous glow. My skin feels super smooth and polished after using it- my only suggestion is to start slow, as it can cause redness for those with sensitive skin. A little goes a long way here, so don’t overdo it. What are you waiting for- go get that glowy skin you crave with Goop Beauty!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // natura bissé stabilizing mask, essence & serum concentrate

Natura Bissé is a Barcelona-based skincare brand that creates some wonderful, high quality and effective products. Their stabilizing set is one I’d been eyeing for a while, as it seemed like the perfect combo of cleanser, toner/essence, and serum to help combat breakouts or problematic skin. After incorporating this trio into my routine for a while now, I’m definitely loving the results!

The Stabilizing Cleansing Mask can be used as either a daily cleanser as part of your normal routine, or a weekly clarifying mask for something a bit more thorough. Kaolin clay, menthol and zea mays work to gently remove makeup and debris, while salicylic acid helps unclog pores. I love its creamy texture, and thanks to aloe vera, it doesn’t leave your skin feeling stripped or dry.

The Stabilizing Resurfacing Essence is powered by a trio of exfoliating acids, including AHA, PHA & BHA, that work to gently remove dead skin cells and unclog pores. This is great for those with oily or breakout-prone skin, and can be used daily post-cleansing. Whenever my skin is acting hormonal, I reach for this, and apply it with a reusable cotton round all over. I’ve definitely noticed a more even toned and balanced complexion!

Next up is the Stabilizing Anti-Aging Concentrate, which is essentially a firming, oil-control serum that produces “retinol-like” results. Yes please! Once again, three exfoliating acids work their magic to leave you with glowing, radiant skin. I’ve found an overall brighter complexion after incorporating it into my routine for a few weeks! Also important to note- all of these products are careful not to disrupt the skin’s natural pH levels, which can cause further irritation. So key! Definitely look into adding some Natura Bissé to your routine to boost your skin’s overall radiance and glow.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // omorovicza skin savior mask & midnight renewal serum

I’ve been an Omorovicza fan for a while now, so I was pumped to try some new (to me) products from their line up recently. If your skin has been acting up, whether that’s in the form of blemishes, clogged pores, or just overall dullness, I highly recommend checking out the Skin Savior Mask. This baby is the perfect targeted treatment for blemish-prone skin thanks to powerhouse ingredients like colloidal silver and niacinamide. Colloidal silver has long been associated with skin health and is known for its antibacterial and healing properties. Combined with niacinamide, it provides a potent blend that combats blemishes and breakouts. Salicylic and glycolic acids are at play here as well, working to unclog pores to reveal clearer, smoother, healthier skin. Yes please! I like using this mask once a week or so to help keep blemishes at bay, or whenever I feel a pesky breakout coming along!

The Midnight Renewal Serum is a nighttime serum designed to help stimulate skin's optimal repair while you sleep, renewing skin's youthful vitality. While some forms of retinol can be irritating for those with sensitive skin, this product is formulated with retinal, an innovative, non-irritating form of vitamin A that helps to smooth your complexion while reducing the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and preventing premature aging. It also utilizes bakuchiol, a natural alternative to retinol, which smoothes and resurfaces skin, so you still get the best benefits of retinol without the irritation! Plus, the skin's self-renewal process is stimulated, which enhances cell DNA repair and counteracts the effects of UV-induced aging.

Omorovicza products harness Hungary's healing waters using a patented process called Hydro Mineral Transference™, which makes for super nourishing products that help leave skin firmer, suppler and more youthful. Plus, they are all cruelty-free as well, so you can feel good about using them on your skin. Some other Omorovicza faves of mine are their cult fave Acid Fix, along with the Balancing Moisturizer, which I highly recommend checking out as well!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // fresh beauty black tea age delay serum, eye concentrate & mask

Black tea in your skincare products? Yep, you heard me right! And not for the first time either. Remember this Fresh Beauty Black Tea Kombucha Facial Treatment Essence from a while back? This age-delay, anti-pollution toner is great for fighting pesky environmental stressors that cause your skin to age. I was and still am a big fan to pat some on post-cleansing! Lately I've been trying out some more products from Fresh's black tea line, and am happy to say I'm super pleased with the results! 

Let's start with the Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Firming Serum. It works to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, offering an overall corset-like effect on the skin with its lifting and tightening properties. Ingredients like black tea ferment (aka kombucha) and extract, blackberry leaf extract and lychee seed extract fight free radicals that increase signs of aging while also improving your skin's elasticity. I love the combo of a super concentrated blend of peptides along with the antioxidant-rich honeysuckle leaf extract- this baby is no joke! I definitely feel like it helps define and contour the skin with continued use.

The serum pairs wonderfully with the Fresh Black Tea Age-Delay Eye Concentrate, which is great for any puffiness and dark circles you may have, and is also extremely hydrating for the delicate skin around the eyes. Black tea is obviously at play here as well, along with noni fruit juice, a powerhouse ingredient known to retain and increase moisture and protect the skin. The cooling formula is great for use both morning and night!

Whenever I feel like I need to take it to another level, I reach for my Fresh Black Tea Firming Overnight Mask. This leave-on mask provides intense moisture to dehydrated skin, and leaves you with a firm suppleness come morning. In addition to the ferments and extracts featured in most of the black tea products, the mask boasts belle de nuit extract, which is a real game changer when it comes to soothing and rebalancing your skin. Plus, super hydrator hyaluronic acid is present to provide and lock in ample moisture! I love waking up to wonderfully hydrated and plump skin. Now I'm craving a kombucha- thanks Fresh Beauty!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // huxley secret of sahara face masks

Masks come in many varieties, be it a sheet mask or, more commonly, as a liquid concoction applied to the skin and washed off after a short time. Masks can help treat various skin ailments, including dryness, breakouts, oiliness, dullness, wrinkles, etc. While it may be tempting to try out all the popular new products, it’s important to use a mask that truly caters to your skin’s specific needs. Huxley is a Korean skincare brand quickly gaining fans stateside thanks to a highly effective range of natural skincare. Sahara-sourced prickly pear is the key component in all Huxley’s products, and for good reason. The prickly pear oil extracted from this potent succulent is rich in vitamin E, an anti-inflammatory antioxidant found in many skincare products these days. Vitamin E is a powerhouse of an ingredient, working to help skin heal faster, reduce redness, and slow the breakdown of collagen! Huxley’s prickly pear seed oil is certified organic and maintains a high level of moisture in even the harshest of environments. Sign me up!

The Huxley mask trio is the perfect treat for your at-home spa day. The Scrub Mask Sweet Therapy exfoliates and polishes the skin using sucrose and walnut shell powder, revealing baby soft skin underneath. I like applying it in a circular motion with my hands, creating a thermal warming effect. This helps reduce swelling and draws out impurities from the pores. The Healing Mask Keep Calm soothes sensitive skin thanks to centella asiatica, while nourishing and hydrating with hyaluronic acid. I love the funky jelly-like texture (like grated cactus), which makes for a truly nature-inspired masking experience! The Sleep Mask Good Night helps lock in moisture and softens skin overnight! Plant based botanicals work their magic while you sleep, promoting skin regeneration and reinforcing the skin barrier, while also boosting radiance! Don’t worry- the refreshing gel texture quickly absorbs into your skin, so the mask won’t end up all over your pillowcase. Feel free to use all three for a DIY facial of sorts, or pick and choose depending on your skin’s needs! 

* This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // sk-ii facial treatment masks

Sheet masks are all the rage these days. I’m sure you’ve seen the (slightly eerie looking) selfies posted by models and bloggers alike, faces covered in serum-soaked masks with small cut outs for the eyes and mouth. There are tons of these on the market, but one I continually come back to is cult-favorite SK-II Facial Treatment Mask. Drenched in pitera, this sheet mask immerses your skin in intense hydration, leaving it plumped and renewed. What’s pitera you ask? It’s a bio-ingredient rich in vitamins, organic acids, minerals, and amino acids that work together to enhance skin cell renewal. And yes, that’s the same pitera that’s in SK-II’s Facial Treatment Essence- the same amount of pitera in a 30 mL bottle to be precise!

I love to pop one of these babies on whenever my skin needs a little extra help looking its best. Dullness, uneven skin tone or texture, and loss of firmness or elasticity are pretty common issues, and this mask helps you regain a healthy glow. They’re also great for post-travel, since recycled airplane air can be so drying, and can even work their magic mid-flight! That is, if you don’t mind a couple strange looks from your fellow passengers (speaking from experience here)! Heads up, these aren't the cheapest masks out there, so if you want to try out one before buying a whole pack, I don't blame you! Give it a go, and see what you think about the results!

* This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support!