Mega Review! Clarisonic + Sephora Haul! (: Part 2

*Takes a deeep breath* Ready for Part 2? xD  Using a Clarisonic Mia2 feels like giving yourself new skin after every use. In this post I'd like to talk about what I've been using with my Clarisonic and also give a rundown and review of the samples I received with my online order from Sephora. I hope you all enjoy!

I had never tried out any Boscia products before my Sephora purchase, so I was excited to try some out. The Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel does exactly what it says it does. It pumps out the top, and it does come out as a sheer black gel/liquid. It has sort of an odd smell..it smells fresh but it also sort of smells like motor oil or something to me but I don't really mind it. After working this into your skin, it feels as if the inner layer of your skin is being chilled (slightly tingly) and your skin is slightly tightened, minimizing the look of pores. It is perfect for morning use when you want to wake right up and feel refreshed. The Detoxifying Black Cleanser works exactly the same, only it doesn't pump out and it warms instead of cools, so it's good for when you want a nice rest. The Green Tea Blotting Linens smell fresh--exactly like sweet green tea bags. The packaging is very cool--its limited edition! It has an oriental design and looks cute hiding in your purse! They are translucent light green papers with brown specks. Not the best blotting linens I've used, but they still work very well at blotting your lipstick or picking up any excess oil from shiny spots on your face. The only problem I have with them is that they are so thin and rip easily.

The next product is an extra purchase I made in-store. It is a product I've heard many Clarisonic users rave about. It is Philosophy's Purity Cleanser..and I've heard from many people (but mostly persuaded by missglamorazzi on youtube) that this cleanser + the Clarisonic = Awesomeness. I really do like it. I love all of Philosophy's product packaging..so simple and cute! It has a liquidy lotion consistency and looks milky. I can't quite put a finger on what it smells like and I've asked several people..to me it sort of smells like a fresh..herbal bug spray? xD It doesn't smell bad it's just a unique scent. (its natural--no fragrance) You can use this without a Clarisonic (all of them can be used without it of course) as a cleanser and as a makeup remover. I would describe it as a basic cleanser, definitely great for everyday use and I'm loving it!

My birthday was last month and I added the Fresh Sugar Kisses Mini Lip Duo to my cart as Sephora's birthday gift! It comes with the Sugar and Sugar Rose Lip Treatments. The packaging is so sweet and sleek. Both lip treatments are SPF 15, and they glide on the lips smoothly and are very moisturizing. I personally have very dry lips so I usually have the urge to reapply often. The smell of the Sugar reminds me of lemonhead candy and the Rose smells almost the same with a hint of rosy scent. I really like the Rose tint, as it is very subtle and natural. I love getting little birthday gifts from them; it shows that they really care about their customers! Finally, I'd like to talk over the samples I chose with my online purchase.

The 3 samples I chose were:

-Urban Decay's Naked Skin Foundation: I liked this sample because they gave me 4 different shades to make sure mine (or similar to mine) is included--and I can give the rest away to my friends. I liked the foundation, (I was shade 2.5) but I found the sample a bit yellow..It lasted throughout the day, wasn't heavy, and it gave a pretty matte finish. It dries very quickly though, so it is one of those foundations where you have to work in sections so it doesn't dry out and look patchy.

-Clear Prep FX Matte Foundation Primer & Acne Treatment Gel: I haven't tried this yet! I'm waiting for a day where I need my foundation to stay all day long. Since I have combination/oily skin, I like that it is matte so I am excited to give it a try.

-Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil: This one is my favorite and I am planning on buying the full size very soon. Since I can have oily roots sometimes I was a little scared to try a hair oil...I didn't think I would really need it but it is so amazing. It acts as a serum and I like to apply it in the middle of drying my hair to protect it from heat damage and ensure it doesn't leave residue. It makes my hair look so silky and shiny and fresh out of the shower. (minus the water! ;P)

I also entered a code for 6 fragrance samples. I could choose from 4 themes: Playful, Casual, Addictive, or Chic. I decided to go with what I feel was closest to my personality, so I picked Playful. To cut things a bit shorter, I'll just tell you my 2 favorites. My second favorite is Giorgio Armani's Acqua di Gioia. It is very fresh, light, and aquatic. I love it..good for being outside or at the beach to work and shopping! My absolute favorite is the Versace Bright Crystal..I've already gone out and bought a full size! It is very light, playful, and girly. I am planning on wearing the to school a lot. I've been wearing it so much lately, everywhere I go!

Thank you so so much for reading everyone! Please Follow if you'd like and feel free to comment and request anything you'd like to see on the blog! XOXO Love, Kenzie

Mega Review! Clarisonic + Haul! (: Part 1

I've really missed posting and I can't believe how long it's been but I was just feeling like I couldn't go to sleep without posting. I'm so glad I've developed a hobby that I can stick to and that I love..and I love hearing your feedback and can't thank you enough for your support! Every little thing you do really really helps out. Now into my mega haul madness! 2 weeks ago I was browsing Sephora online originally planning to get the Sephora + Pantone Universe Strokes of Nature Brush set. They really caught my eye but they were never in stock and the day after I bought loads of Sigma brushes (spoiler alert--haul + review very soon!) I received an email from Sephora explaining that they have been discontinued, and I'm assuming it's because they were limited edition, but I've seen them in store so if you still like the colors of the year you can still find them I'm sure. (The orange colors of the year are fantastic by the way.)....Warning: this is a very long post!! x.x

Anyways, back on subject..I've heard all the rave about the Clarisonic and now that the Clarisonic Mia2 is out, I decided to ponder the options and work with my birthday money. I was very very excited to see that after my bad luck with the discontinued brush set, there was a good deal on the Clarisonic Mia2 if you buy from Sephora, which is the Sonic Skin Cleansing with Boscia set, which was the exact same price as just the Clarisonic and an extra brush head, but with this set you get the  Clarisonic Mia2 and charger (duh), Travel Case, 2 brush heads (one for sensitive skin and one for deep pore cleansing), Boscia Revitalizing Black Hydration Gel (full size!), Boscia Detoxifying Black Cleanser (deluxe sample size), and Boscia Green Tea Blotting Linens (full size--100 sheets and limited edition packaging). I don't want to sound like an infomerical but I truly feel like I've gotten a great deal here. A $228 value for $149 is quite a lot of savings for me, and it was common sense to buy it over just one thing for the same price. It also comes with a 90-day money back guarantee and a 2 year warranty. My only con was that the set only comes with the white Clarisonic, so only one color option, but the savings makes up for it in my opinion. Now for review..first lets talk about the star of the show.

After I finalized my order, I was getting more and more excited over getting a Clarisonic...I've heard soo many great things about it and I have lots to say about it myself. I was very satisfied with Sephora as far as shipping goes because this was my first online order, and most anyone is always a bit worried, wondering if all your items will be shipped in the mail with no hassle and no damage. Everything came in wonderful condition! The Clarisonic Mia2 is almost alien-like; it just looks like the latest technology. It is very sleek and it's smaller than I expected, which is good for traveling. It came with a coupon for $25 off any future clarisonic.com purchase of $50 or more, and a little guide explaining features and precautions. I charged mine 24 hours before use as suggested, and the charger is really cool. All you have to do is touch it to the handle of the Clarisonic and it holds magnetically. The brush head buzzes once and the light around the power and speed buttons lights up to let you know its charging. After taking the charger off, it buzzes twice if fully charged, and once if not. Each hour of charging is one minute of use, which seems tiny but it only takes a minute to cleanse your face with each use! I times you so that you have 20 seconds on your forehead, 20 seconds on your nose and chin, and 10 seconds on each cheek. I like this because its the perfect amount of time if you're in a hurry and it assures that you don't irritate the skin. I tried it out first using the sensitive skin brush head. There are also brush heads for acne, the body, very sensitive skin, etc.

I've been using my Clarisonic for 2 1/2 weeks and now I feel like I can't live without it, It was such a good investment. I use it every night and some mornings if I have time and want to feel refreshed. No matter what product you use with it, the result is soft and smooth skin and it takes off any dead skin you may have for a soft and refreshed face. I love that it has 2 speeds so that you can either have a routine cleaning or a nice deeper cleanse every once in a while. My skin looks fresher and clearer than before I started using it. At first I was a bit worried because once I started using it I broke out for a few days, but now it does magic for my skin. Its so easy..1 minute, and all you have to do is wet your face and put the product on your face or the brush head, wet the brush head and turn it on..it's really that simple. Thank you so so much for reading and Part 2 is coming very very soon!

Love, Kenzie

Review: St. Ive's Apricot Scrub

I'm so excited to talk about these! This is sort of like unicorn poop in a jar, magical. I first tried a St. Ive's face scrub when I was at a camp with my church and my group leader had a travel sized fresh skin scrub that she didn't need to take back with her and said that someone could take it. Of course I'm all into beauty and skincare products so I said I would. The first kind I ever tried was for fresh skin, but it also has scrubs for clear skin, sensitive skin, and timeless skin. And that is just the apricot..they also have herb and tea scrubs to try out as well. Elonzia was on the trip with me and when we got home, we had like a 7 step facial product testing extravaganza. This scrub is the first thing we tried out. This is what it looks like. It isn't runny, so if you turn it upside down or if it tips over it won't make such a mess all over the place. The color is a light peachy tan with tan and light brown specks in it. It has a very very fresh scent, like a right out of the shower smell with a hint of apricot, so it smells more fresh than fruity. It is oil-free which is very good for my oil and acne prone skin. It is creamy, and the specks of what I think is walnut (because the main ingredient is water, second is walnut) give it a sandy feel. The scrub is on the rough side, but it isn't the roughest scrub I've used and I'm sure the scrub for sensitive skin is a lot gentler. It leaves my skin feeling so smooth, cooled, and refreshed. I like to use this in the morning a lot because it helps me wake up too because of how refreshing it is. The big tub (pictured) I got only cost $5 at Target, and it is well worth the money. There is 10 ounces worth of product, and the expiration is in 2014, so this will last me a long time, and I can share with friends! This scrub was a great first impression to St. Ive's products. They're cheap, they exfoliate, they WORK. Another product that is definitely worth a try, and is a bang for your buck! Love, Kenzie (and I'm sure Elonzia would agree!)

How does this help me??..with Shea Butter!

I can't be the only one who sometimes mimics shampoo commercials and other cosmetic commercials that exaggerate their use of Shea Butter, Lemongrass, Argan Oil, along with other herbs and oils all the time. I decided to uncover some of the mystery that causes people to run out and buy a product just because it says that it contains something good..I'd like to start with the big one: Shea Butter. Shea Butter is extracted from the nuts of the Shea Tree, which grow in the Western African savannah. I found out that it's no wonder so many companies strive to stock up on this natural butter. It's essential fatty acids and other vitamins give it the power to reverse the look of wrinkles and scars while deeply moisturizing your skin at the same time. The butter strengthens and protects the skin, as it even provides UV protection. It helps to stimulate the production of collagen, which makes the skin soft, supple, and younger looking. When in products it can be therapeutic and promote healing within your skin. It is mostly used in body washes, lotions and conditioners. If you want these kinds of benefits, look into the ingredients of these products when you're on your next shopping spree.

Next is a fragrant grass that grows in tropical climates that is seen mostly in hair products and lip balms: Lemongrass. It is used for medicines and aromatherapy, but the extracts from the grass are also used in cosmetics everywhere. When it comes to the skin, lemongrass extracts can help to repair both dry and oily skin types. It is also known to be refreshing and to help with energizing the skin, mostly because of the scent. Surprisingly, it can help to get rid of acne too! Lemongrass within hair products is mostly included to boost blonde hair or brighten your hair color. Recently I've seen lemon grass in some of my shampoos and body washes, and I've noticed that Burtz Bee's products often have it as an ingredient.

Lastly (for today at least), another big and buzz worthy ingredient in cosmetics is Argan Oil. It comes from the kernels of the Argan tree, native to Morocco, which is why it is also called Moroccan Oil. Argan Oil appears soo much in hair care, and it is sometimes referred to as liquid gold. Sephora is known for carrying the coveted Josie Maran 100% pure Argan Oil. It is very moisturizing as it helps retain moisture on the skin surface or in hair. Over time, Argan Oil can dramatically reduce wrinkles, fine lines, dark spots, and acne. It gives skin and hair a healthy glow.  You can add it to almost any of your liquid or cream beauty products to give the benefits a huge boost.

Thank You for Reading! Love, Kenzie

Protect Your Skin From the Sun!!

I know what some of you are thinking already..."Not another one I already know how to put on sunscreen, I know tanning is bad, I know what skin cancer is..", but stick with me there's more to it than that and I promise to try as hard as I can to get it across without...hey...wake up! Anyways, It's gonna be pretty interesting, I promise. Today on the east coast it's around 106 degrees and I really like the heat but this is just too much. The sun is beaming down full force which is why I chose to talk about protecting your skin from it. I'm young and I know when I'm older I'll want my skin to be wrinkle free with no blotches or spots but we all know what reality hands us. Girls who are as pale as I am want their skin to be tanner, but a gradual self tanning lotion or spray is much better than frying yourself in the sun, just to get a burn that will sink in after a few days, resulting in a tan that lasts 1 or 2 months, causing long term damage to your skin. Long chain, huh? And that long term damage can be anything from deep wrinkles to dark spots, and of course the risk of skin cancer. This picture really caught my attention on the news recently:

This is 69 year old Bill McElligott. He was a truck driver for 28 years, and the driver-side of his face looks much older than the other side. Glass does not block UVA rays, so without sunscreen you could end up with skin like this. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, up to 90 percent of visible signs of aging are caused by the sun. When it comes to tanning beds, people who use them are 74 percent more likely to develop melanoma than those who have never tanned indoors. Speaking on a more personal level, my neighbor has had skin cancer, which was most likely caused by outdoor exercise without SPF protection. She had to have a patch of skin removed from her nose which has left a permanent scar. 

If you apply sunscreen and still burn, keep in mind that you should use at least 15spf, and preferably 30spf sunscreen and apply it 30 minutes before sun exposure, making sure to reapply every 2 hours, or the time suggested by the label on the bottle. If you never burn and think you don't need sunscreen at all, think again. A lot of sun damage developed within the skin cannot be seen with the eye alone. It makes me happy to see lots of new makeup with higher levels of sun protection aids in them. You can find it in almost any product now, so you can be protected everyday and grow up to be astonishingly beautimous (; See, sun protection and beauty do go hand in hand! You can be protected and still look cool! Hat hair is...the next big trend! heh..

  Thanks for reading! (: