The Beauty Spotlight Team Winter Week in Review

Got dry/sensitive skin that is not feeling the cold, harsh winter weather? Erika at Notes from My Dressing Table has just the thing that may help. REN Evercalm Overnight Recovery Balm is a gentle, deeply moisturizing, lightweight balm that can calm, pamper and protect your winter stressed skin.

After trying out many different beauty subscription boxes through the years, Stacie from The Makeup Obsessed Mom blog has found one that has items that she actually uses month after month. Head over to see her first box for 2020.

Marcia from Beauty Info Zone is thrilled with her newest makeup applicator. The not a sponge! has been wonderful to use especially since she knows she's saving money on foundation.

Never Say Die Beauty finally got to try 5 Drunk Elephant skincare products. Find out what she thought about them!

Graydon Skincare Berry Rich Probiotic Face + Eye Cream is a super nourishing and hydrating cream that leaves skin remarkably soft, smooth and supple. It can be used as a face and eye cream as well as an overnight sleeping mask, and Lola's Secret Beauty Blog simply can’t stop extolling its many virtues!

Heather from Crazy Beautiful Makeup is sharing the hottest new concealer on the market from Doll 10 Beauty over on Instagram. This TCE concealer is great for dark circles and puffiness, you don’t want to miss out on this!

Prime Beauty reviews Japan's #1 best selling exfoliator--one is sold every 5 seconds! Natural Aqua Gel Cure will have your skin looking its best with just one use!

5 Easy Steps to Pamper & Hydrate Your Skin This Winter

Winter weather can really wreak havoc on the skin, and dry chapped skin and dehydration can cause serious discomfort. Here are five really easy steps to keep your skin comfortable and hydrated throughout the coldest months of the year. The important thing to remember is to layer your products in the proper order, from the lightest and fastest absorbing to the heaviest textures in order to maximize their efficacy.

1) Use a gentle non-stripping cleanser. When needed, use a gentle exfoliator in lieu of a cleanser.

2) Use a lightweight and fast absorbing serum, such as hyaluronic acid-based serum that will deliver much needed hydration to winter skin. Gently massage the serum into your face, neck and décolleté. Since this is the lightest of the product layers that you will be using, it should be applied first.

3) Follow by massaging your favorite facial oil into your face, neck and décolleté. Once this has begun to sink into your skin, then move on to step 4.

4) Massage your favorite lotion or cream into your face, neck and décolleté. Once it has been absorbed into your skin, then proceed to the final step.

5) Since sunscreen is one of the most important skincare products that you can use, invest in a good one that has an SPF 30 or more. Apply it generously to your face, neck and décolleté, and be sure to reapply it numerous times throughout the day (typically every 75 minutes).

At night, repeat steps 1-4 and skip the sunscreen. These 5 steps will only take you a few minutes, and the benefits are really worth the time spent. I also drink plenty of water to help keep hydrated– which helps a lot. What do you do to care for your skin during the winter?

Copyright © 2020 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

Cure Natural Aqua Gel Review

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I love to exfoliate my skin, and I am always open to trying new-to-me exfoliators. Therefore, when I was sent Cure Natural Aqua Gel exfoliator, I was very excited to give it a try.  This exfoliator has the distinction of being the #1 exfoliator in Japan, and with the bragging rights that they sell one bottle of this cult favorite every 4.5 seconds!

After washing you face, you simply pump the gel, which is a little thin and a touch watery, onto damp or dry skin and leave it on for a few moments, and then you gently massage it with your fingertips in a circular motion. I tend to massage it for about a minute, and then the gel transforms into a rather milky gel as it causes dead skin cells to pill on the skin (see the picture below– which reflects the first few seconds of massaging the gel into my skin). The next step is to simply rinse the gel and dead skin cells off of your face, and you will be delighted by the extent to which your skin is left soft, smooth, supple and luminous. I have also used it on my hands and feet, and am thrilled by the results. Furthermore, it is fragrance-free, free of harmful chemicals and so satisfying to use!

According to Cure,

Cure is a fragrance-free, color free and preservative free product made from activated hydrogen water that prevents oxidation.

General chemical peeling uses strong acids (approx. pH1.3) to dissolve protein. Cure, on the other hand, gently catches dead skin cells on the surface of the skin and removes it. It helps skin metabolism functions better. You will be surprised at how smooth your skin has become. Beneficial effects of gel should last approximately 3 to 4 months if used properly once or twice a week. There is no need to rub or scrub your skin hard.

 Note the way in which the exfoliator causes dead skin to pill up!

 Ingredients: 

Overall Assessment: This is a really gentle and effective exfoliator, and I definitely recommend it.

$38.00 for 8.82 oz. from Amazon (Affiliate Links)
Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.
Copyright © 2020 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

BOXWALLA FEBRUARY GREEN BEAUTY BOX TEASER FEATURING VOTARY

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All of you already know the extent to which I am smitten with Boxwalla, and the eco-luxe skincare brands with which they collaborate. I am so thrilled about their February box, that I had to share a preview before I post my full review.

Boxwalla enthusiasts know that Boxwalla's eco-luxe beauty boxes are an extraordinary value, and that the products themselves are nothing short of spectacular. Their carefully curated green beauty boxes are a tremendous value, with steep discounts, and they feature truly covet-worthy cruelty-free organic beauty products.

BEAUTY BOX

February Box | $49.95

A Beauty Box for the luxury loving skincare nerd, this box lets you experience the most effective and exquisite beauty products that harness the potency of plant-based ingredients. 

- Bi-Monthly Delivery

- Free U.S. Shipping

- Effective Plant-based Ingredients

- Always Cruelty-Free

The February Box features two products from the cult favorite British brand Votary (Total Retail Value: $212): Super Seed Facial Oil ($110) and Super Seed Nutrient Cream ($102).

1) Super Seed Facial Oil ($110): "A fragrance-free, deeply nourishing & calming oil serum made with a beautiful blend of 22 seed oils including omega-rich pumpkin seed, cranberry, raspberry, chia, pomegranate, cherry, carrot seed and more! It minimizes fine lines, increases the skin's elasticity and makes the skin healthy & glowing!"

2) Super Seed Nutrient Cream ($102): "A soothing and protective cream with a luscious texture that melts into skin. Made with a blend of 22 seed oils to nourish and moisturize skin as well as hyaluronic acid for lasting hydration. Leaves the skin plump and healthy, with an almost matte, non-greasy finish."

*THIS IS A SUBSCRIPTION*  You will be charged immediately when you purchase. Automatic renewal occurs every two months until you cancel. Make sure to cancel before the 20th of the preceding month. The February Box will ship in February.

To order your Boxwalla December Beauty Box visit: www.theboxwalla.com  

$49.95 from Boxwalla (Affiliate Links).

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.

Copyright © 2020 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

MUJJO Insulated Touchscreen Gloves

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One might argue that touchscreen gloves are the best invention since sliced bread– especially if one lives in a region with cold winters. Many touchscreen gloves are quite thin so as to boast great efficacy and efficiency when put to the test of navigating the screen of your device. The problem is that the thinner gloves often do not keep your hands warm enough to make them particularly effective. MUJJO Insulated Touchscreen Gloves, on the other hand, are thick enough to keep your hands very warm and cozy during the cold months of the year, and they do so without sacrificing their efficacy when accessing your devices. If you live in a cold region, and need insulated touchscreen gloves, then I highly recommend MUJJO.

According to MUJJO,

We’ve maintained the gloves’ conductive properties while refining the design. This time around, we’ve improved insulation by adding and extra layer of Polar Fleece. Plus, we’ve optimised the thumb construction improved the touchscreen responsiveness on larger screens.

The result is a sophisticated, clean glove that won’t let you down when the weather turns. Go forth unto the cold, and do your thing. Our gloves have got you covered. Literally.

We’ve perfectly blended in the tech so that it complements the sleek style of the glove. The stretch knit fleece fabric stretches in all directions for a comfortable pre-curved fit. The fabric is given a highly conductive treatment that mimics the conductive properties of the skin to make them touchscreen compatible before being sewn into a slim, stretchy profile that conforms to the shape of your hands.

It works all the time, every time. After all, no one wants to take their glove off to scroll through Instagram, we’re better than that.

First off, the smooth outer surface is highly durable and wind-resistant. we’ve engineered a triple-layer top, laminated with 3M™ Thinsulate™ in a ‘sandwich’ construction for excellent insulation, which makes these gloves perfectly wind-resistant.

As a new feature, the entire inside is lined with an extra layer of Polar fleece that greatly improves overall insulation and makes them soft, warm and comfortable to wear.

Plus, the thumbs now include 3M™ Thinsulate™ to (again) improve overall insulation.

Features:

Optimized for larger screens
Listening to our customer feedback, we’ve re-engineered the thumb construction to make them fully conductive and optimized when reaching for corners of the larger touchscreens that we’re all using these days.

We’ve rethought the layout of the silicone pattern and made it look much cleaner. The gloves are uniquely designed with optimized grip lines, made from sticky silicone, and strategically placed on the prevalent parts of your hand that touch your device. So, even on wet and stormy days, your phone will stay tightly nestled in your palm.

Unrestricted Experience
Competitors’ touchscreen gloves are often restricted to functionality in one or two fingertips. By contrast, Mujjo’s touchscreen gloves offer a highly accurate and responsive experience optimized for larger screens. The gloves mimic the conductive properties of the skin, completing the touchscreen circuits to make them touchscreen compatible, enabling the user to use all fingers – and even the palm of their hand.

These Touchscreen Gloves work on all capacitive touchscreen devices including - but not limited to - your iPhone 11 (and previous models), Galaxy S10 (and previous models), Apple iPad, Apple Watch or whatever touchscreen device you're using.

Claims: 

Double-Insulated Touchscreen Gloves: As if that’s not enough, we’re also expanding the line-up with a completely re-engineered version able to withstand much colder temperatures. 

Here’s how.. First off, the outer shell has been upgraded to a wind-resistant, heavier Micro Pique. Then, two extra layers of insulation were added to create a unique triple-layered construction.

To put it simply… Better insulation, better touch capabilities, and still looking cool as hell, hope you like them as much as we do. 

Overall Assessment: MUJJO Insulated Touchscreen Gloves do precisely what they claim, and are definitely worthy of your consideration if you live in a region with cold winters! A+

€41.24 and $49.95- $73.73 from MUJJO and Amazon (Affiliate Links).

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.

Copyright © 2020 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

SPACE NK FINAL REDUCTIONS! SALE UP TO 70% OFF

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Space NK has further reduced the prices of their Space NK SALE items. Save up to 70%or more off select lines. This sale is online and in select stores, and it features a wide range of products from the brands listed below, and the prices are phenomenal!

Shop their edited curated collection of the world’s most innovative beauty products and enjoy up to 70% or more off brands including: 

African Botanics, Briogeo, Jin Soon, Odacité, Rahua, FOREO, Goldfaden MD, Angela Caglia, Lancer, REN, Kevyn Auction, By Terry, Malin + Goetz, Color Wow, Miriam Quevedo, sjal, Chantecaille, Oribe, Eve Lom, Tracie Martyn, Philip B., Rodial, Surratt, Hourglass, Ilia Beauty, Mauli, Verso, Christophe Robin, Tan-Luxe, R + Co, Artis, COOLA, Aromatherapy Associates, Clarke's Botanicals, Oskia, UMA, This Works, Space NK and more. 

The discount is available online and will be automatically applied to your basket.

To check out the amazing products on sale visit: www.spacenk.com

Graydon Skincare Berry Rich Probiotic Face + Eye Cream

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Graydon Berry Rich Probiotic Face + Eye Cream is my latest love from this innovative brand, and I have to confess that I am quite obsessed with this gorgeous blue cream! Whether used alone, or in conjunction with the Graydon Berry Rich Probiotic Face + Eye Cream, this face and eye cream is a wonderfully nourishing moisturizer that is a perfect way to pamper the skin during the cold weather. It has a rich, thick and emollient texture, but it is remarkable fast absorbing. It leaves skin feeling deeply moisturized, velvety smooth, incredibly soft and quite hydrated. It brightens the skin, leaves behind no grease or pigmentation and it has a delightful faint aroma that fades immediately. This multipurpose cream can be used for as a face and eye cream, a daily or nightly moisturizer and can even be used as a deeply nourishing sleeping mask. The vegan probiotic formula boasts an antioxidant-rich blend of the highest quality ingredients that will pamper winter-worn skin, and it is a perfect choice for dry or mature skin. However, I have neither dry, nor mature skin, and this delectable cream works wonders on my normal/combination skin. This has also become one of my favorite eye creams!

According to Graydon,

As the name suggests this luxurious, probiotic face cream is infused with a plethora of superfood actives.

This velvety-rich face and eye cream includes a vegan probiotic to nourish and boost skin health. The addition of blueberry seed oil is a dream come true for dry, dehydrated, tired or mature skin since it helps diminish the look of fine lines, while strengthening your skin barrier, resulting in a more youthful complexion.

Infused with blue-green algae (also known as Blue Majik®), it is a powerhouse of amino acids, vitamins and minerals to nourish your skin. Mixed with antioxidant-rich cacao, this cream will help boost skin hydration, prevent water loss, and visibly brighten your face. The vegan probiotic helps optimize, maintain, restore bacteria in skin and help strengthen the skin barrier which makes it ideal for mature skin.

TIP: Mix with one of our water-based products like Face Food for maximum absorption, or Fullmoon Serum for additional superfood active ingredients! TIP #2: Leave on a thick layer overnight for a super hydrating overnight mask!

What Else You Need to Know:

• Maximize your skin nutrition with our concentrated formula, free of added water

• Berry Rich is vegan and 100% essential oil free

• Our Berry Rich is formulated with a skin-friendly, never-stripping pH value of 4.5-5.5

• Our products are cruelty free, and we never use SLS, sulphates, parabens, synthetic fragrances, petroleum, or other questionable ingredients

• Due to the nature of our botanical ingredients, the colour of Berry Rich may lighten over time

•The aroma of this product comes from the wonderful, natural aromatic fruit extracts

• For sensitive skin, always do a patch test first and/or purchase a sample sachet

•  This product is housed in an airless pump to increase shelf life so you get all the benefits from the amazing actives. It requires some 'priming' on your first use to activate the pump, so please pump in a slow and controlled motion up to 14 times to start the flow of product.

Features:

BOOST skin health and allow healthy bacteria to flourish with vegan probiotics

NOURISH and deeply hydrate with blue-green algae (aka Blue Majik®) which is rich in minerals and protein-building amino acids

REVITALIZE dehydrated skin and combat free radical damage with antioxidant-rich blueberry seed oil

RESTORE elasticity and suppleness with creamy cocoa butter

Directions: Gently massage a pump or two over your freshly cleansed face, neck and eye area. Suitable for use morning and/or night, especially good for dry and/or mature skin.

Ingredients: Arthrospira Platensis Extract, Cetearyl Alcohol, Glycerin, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, *Phenethyl Alcohol, *Pentylene Glycol, *Propanediol, Vaccinium Corymbosum (Blueberry) Seed Oil, Lactobacillus Ferment Lysate, Algin, Sodium Chloride, Sodium Stearoyl Glutamate, Triethyl Citrate, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Extract, Ananas Sativus (Pineapple) Fruit Extract, Coffea Arabica (Coffee) Leaf/Seed Extract, Prunus Armeniaca (Apricot) Fruit Extract, Jasminum Officinale (Jasmine) Flower/Leaf Extract, Musa Sapientum (Banana) Fruit Extract, Cucumis Melo Cantalupensis Fruit Extract, Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Bark Extract, Vanilla Planifolia Fruit Extract, Limonene, Linalool, Citral. *100% Natural based preservative.

I have mixed Graydon Berry Rich Probiotic Face + Eye Cream with Graydon Fullmoon Serum ($87.00 for 1 oz. from Graydon Skincare, The Detox Market and Credo Beauty. Reviewed HERE), and the serum is a featherweight gel-like, ultra-luxe, vegan serum that immediately melts into the skin, and that is formulated with potent actives that, among other things, help soften the appearance of fine lines. High quality Vitamin C brightens the complexion, Hyaluronic Acid plumps fine lines and facilitates serious hydration, Retinol exfoliates dead skin cells and reduces the appearance of fine lines, Peptides help to firm the skin and Collagen proteins help diminish the appearance of enlarged pores. Furthermore, Blue Tansy, which is an effective anti-inflammatory ingredient, calms red and irritated skin, while a whole host of plant actives hydrate and nourish the skin. Combining this cream and serum is an ultra-luxe experience that it nothing short of sublime!

Overall Assessment: This is the second product that I have tried from Graydon Skincare, and both of them are truly excellent. I am so impressed by these products, in fact, that I can hardly wait to try more products from this innovative brand. A+

$43.00 for 1.7 oz. from Graydon Skincare, Beauty Heroes and The Detox Market. (Affiliate Links).

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.

Copyright © 2020 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.

SPACE NK SALE HAS FURTHER REDUCTIONS AND FANTASTIC FEATURED PRODUCTS

Affiliate Links

Space NK has further reduced the prices of their Space NK SALE items. Save up to 50%or more off select lines. This sale is online and in select stores, and it features a wide range of products from the brands listed below, and the prices are phenomenal!

Shop their edited curated collection of the world’s most innovative beauty products and enjoy up to 50% or more off brands including: 

African Botanics, Briogeo, Jin Soon, Odacité, Rahua, FOREO, Goldfaden MD, Angela Caglia, Lancer, REN, Kevyn Auction, By Terry, Malin + Goetz, Color Wow, Miriam Quevedo, sjal, Chantecaille, Oribe, Eve Lom, Tracie Martyn, Philip B., Rodial, Surratt, Hourglass, Ilia Beauty, Mauli, Verso, Christophe Robin, Tan-Luxe, R + Co, Artis, COOLA, Aromatherapy Associates, Clarke's Botanicals, Oskia, UMA, This Works, Space NK and more. 

The discount is available online and will be automatically applied to your basket.

To check out the amazing products on sale visit: www.spacenk.com

The Beauty Spotlight Team Week in Review

Lola's Secret Beauty Blog just published the Best and Most Covet-Worthy Luxury Skincare Repurchases of 2019, and these products are so fantastic that they are destined to be repurchased again in 2020!

I can’t believe I have found the answer to my oily skin issues. I have been able to wear my makeup for 12hrs in the Florida sun without issue thanks to these new Urban Decay All Nighter products! Check out my most recent post over on Crazy Beautiful Makeup to see just what I am talking about!

Beauty Info Zone has always been a fan of Jane Iredale cosmetics. They've recently added some products that help bees so now we're mesmerized. Oh and there's a giveaway for some along with the review.

Pammy Blogs Beauty shares how to get Kerry Washington's and Nicole Kidman's gorgeous makeup looks from the Golden Globes with Neutrogena!

For January "skincare month", Never Say Die Beauty is hosting a giveaway of two fabulous gel-creams - an eye cream and a firming product - from Robin McGraw Revelation's line of luxury skincare. Enter to win them!

Erika, chief chick over at Notes from My Dressing Table reunited with a once much loved lippie line Buxom Plumping Lip Cream. Are they both so excited because they're reunited? Come on over and find out.

If you want to stay organized in the new year you should check out Stacie's latest post about her favorite planner on The Makeup Obsessed Mom blog.

New Year, New Clear: Revisiting Goldfaden MD Facial Detox Clarify + Clear Mask #GoldfadenMD

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As I reflect upon the most effective skincare products that I used in 2019, Goldfaden MD Facial Detox Clarify + Clear Mask was definitely one of my favorite masks to draw out impurities, eliminate blackheads and whiteheads, heal the occasional pimple and my calm skin. I am on my second jar, and this is not my last! While I have normal/combination skin, I still like to use products that help to clear my pores. While my T-Zone creates a bit of extra oil, it is within a very normal range– particularly since my skin leans more normal than combination. 

Goldfaden MD Facial Detox Clarify + Clear Mask is a very effective face mask that clears blemishes, draws out impurities, soothes and calms the skin and leaves skin looking radiant, soft and smooth. Simply apply a thin layer to the entire face, avoiding the eye area, or use a a spot treatment on blemishes. Leave it on for about 10-15 minutes and then thoroughly rinse the skin. The combination of Camphor and Sulfur cause the skin to tingle, but I neither find it uncomfortable nor irritating,  and it does not leave my skin taut or dry. If you have very sensitive skin you might want to patch test it first, but if you have a sensitivity to Camphor– or any of the other ingredients– then this mask should be avoided.

According to Goldfaden MD,

Dr. Goldfaden's gentle mask’s ingredients go beyond targeting existing problem areas to improve the look of overall complexion and avoid the appearance of future breakouts.

Facial Detox is an advanced purifying mask which employs the soothing benefits of Zinc Oxide, Sulfur and Camphor to effectively deep clean blemish-prone skin, minimize the appearance of pores, soothe the skin, and give it an even, youthful-looking tone. Developed to use as an overall facial mask, this powerhouse formula works to unveil a clearer looking, radiant even-toned complexion.

Directions: Apply a thin layer to the entire facial area or use as a spot treatment on existing flaws up to 4 times per week. Leave on for 10-15 minutes and wash off with water. Can also be used as a spot treatment to reduce the appearance of existing unwanted marks.

Overall Assessment: If you have oily or combination skin, this mask is a great choice for weekly treatments. It is also a nice mask to have on hand for periodic breakouts and spot treatments. If you have normal/combination skin, like me, then this is a very effective treatment mask to help decongest your pores and keep your skin clean and clear. If you are sensitive to Camphor, then you should probably skip this mask.

$65.00 for 1.7 oz. from Goldfaden MD, Space NK, Net-A-Porter, Revolve, Skin Care RX, Cult Beauty, Skin Store, Goop and Credo Beauty (Affiliate Links).

Press Sample. All views expressed are categorically my own.
Copyright © 2020 www.lolassecretbeautyblog.com All Rights Reserved.