Winter Skin Saviours

This time of year, my skin gets reaaaaally dry. I think all of the low humidity finally catches up to me and I'm pretty much devoid of moisture. Combine that with the fact that I'm using a Retinol product at the moment, and my skin is basically crying. But, I've got a routine down that's been really helping so I thought I'd share with any of you who are suffering! This is kind of like a skincare routine of the moment, but I'm also including some body products because the skin on my body gets so dry it's actually unreal. On to the products!

The cleanser you use during the drier months can make or break you. A lot of them leave your skin quite stripped, and it's hard to get moisture locked back in. I've been loving the Pixi Double Cleanse recently because it's really gentle on my skin and includes nourishing ingredients that actually help my skin. Things like Vitamin E and Evening Primrose Oil condition and heal the skin, as well as protecting it from outside forces. Extra treatments are also important this time of year, especially hydrating masks for an extra boost of moisture. The Glossier Moisturizing Moon Mask is super decadent, Hyaluronic Acid and Sweet Almond Oil leave my skin feeling plump and moisturized.

Super Bounce has quickly become my favourite of the Supers. Hyaluronic Acid plumps skin from the inside out, holding up to 1000x its weight in water. Added Vitamin B5 helps to regenerate skin layers that are softer and more subtle. Hyaluronic Acid products are things you need to be a little careful with, especially if you have dry skin. Make sure you're properly moisturized on top, with something rich like Glossier's Priming Moisturizer Rich. This is pretty much the love of my life at the moment, and if you want to learn more, I have a full post here. If you're interested in any of the Glossier products, don't forget you can get 20% off your first purchase by going to glossier.com/reps/amelia (am I a broken record yet?). Throughout the day and after my makeup I love to use the Pixi Glow Mist* to rehydrate my skin. It's full of 13 essential oils as well as aloe vera and fruit extracts to help keep skin hydrated. Someone please find me a synonym for hydrated.

Like I said before, the skin on my body is unbelievably dry, and shaving during the winter definitely doesn't help that. Not to mention that 'women's' razors are often super expensive and/or suck, damaging my poor skin. About a year ago I saw a Harry's endcap in Target, and decided to pick one up. I haven't looked back. I've been using the Truman razor handle, which is super inexpensive and delivers a super close, smooth shave. A closer shave with a better quality blade means much less damaging tugging on your skin. When Dani from Harry's reached out and asked if I'd like to collaborate, I jumped on the chance! She sent me the Winston* razor handle, which is gorgeous and extra luxe. The design of all of their products is beautiful and clean, something I really appreciate (considering usually razors are packaged really obnoxiously). Another sort of gross part of winter is how dry your feet get! I tried out this Grace & Stella Dr. Pedicure Foot Exfoliating Mask and was amazed at how smooth it made my feet. The shedding process is kinda gross, but kinda fun, although I would definitely recommend doing it when you don't need to wear open-toed shoes (until the peeling stops, eek!)

The only body lotion other than Nivea that's properly hydrated my skin is the NUXE Prodigieux Body Lotion*. This is enriched with skin-loving ingredients like Sweet Almond Oil (my absolute fave), Camellia, Argan, and Hazelnut. It's got a lovely light scent, and really provides long lasting hydration. At night or if I'm feeling extra dry, I like to load up on the Huile Prodigieuse* dry oil. I have a full post on this as well here, but it's also full of reparative plant oils. Also it's a spray and I'm super lazy so yay!

What have you guys been using to keeps your skin hydrated (synonym, please) in the winter?
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*Some products featured in this post have been sent to me for consideration. This post is not sponsored and, as always, all opinions are my own.

Fab Face Masks

I am face mask obsessive. It's kind of a problem. In fact, I probably apply them too often, but what can I say? They're so satisfying because they generally garner fairly instant results! And when you're feeling down in the dumps, there is nothing better than making your skin look beautiful (it's science)!

I've used tons of masks from tons of brands, but these are the ones I always come back to. I've declared my love for the Glossier face masks before, I'm sure you all know. The Mega Greens Galaxy Pack is probably my favourite face mask of all time. It's, as Glossier describes, a juice cleanse for your face. Full of detoxing ingredients like Kaolin White Clay and Parsley, plus Avacado to moisturize, and Bitter Orange Peel to exfoliate, your skin will thank you for this. A lot of clay masks dry hard and crack, leaving your skin a bit stripped. This, though, stays creamy leave you squeaky clean and hydrated. Speaking of hydration, the Moisturizing Moon Mask packs a huge punch. Hyaluronic Acid and Plant-Derived Squalene provide next level hydration, and Sweet Almond Oil soothes (and is my favourite scent ever). If you want to try these out, you can get 20% off your first order by going to glossier.com/reps/amelia!

I've also done an entire post here on all of Complex Beauty's* masks, so I thought I would highlight two of my favorites. The Godmother is a pumpkin enzyme mask, and is quite strong so definitely stay away if you have sensitive skin! All of the masks are full of amazing ingredients (you can read more about them in the post), but this one contains glycolic acid and obviously pumpkin. Pumpkin is an antioxidant superstar, protecting from free radicals, moisturizing, and promoting cell turnover. Thirst Quencher is another hydrating mask, but different in texture and formula from Glossier's offering. This one delivers more hydration to the internal layers of your skin, with things like Organic Aloe, Vitamin B5, and Hyaluronic Acid (make sure to moisturize properly after this).

I've got a few Glam Glow masks that I want to try out, but I love the Supermud Clearing Treatment for when my skin is feeling extra clogged. It's a charcoal mask that pulls impurities out, and it's one of those masks that dries but stays dark where your pores are full (gross). It's pretty strong, so I don't use it too often, but definitely effective! Last but not least is the Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask. This one is also super clarifying, but also exfoliates, leaving your skin clean and baby soft. I generally don't recommend products with physical exfoliants since they're usually microbesds which are incredibly damaging to the environment. This mask uses jojoba beads instead, which scrub just the same but are biodegradable! (YAY) Rose Clay absorbs oil and impurities, while Canadian Willowherb combats full skin and Persian Silk Tree protects from outside damage.

My actually face mask cabinet is full of many, many more, but these are my absolute faves! What are your favourite masks?
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*Some products in this post have been sent to me for consideration. This post is not sponsodered and, as always, all opinions are my own.

Skin Smart 003: Magnesium

I'm finally back with another 'skin smart' post, and this time around we're talking about Magnesium! Magnesium is a super important mineral, it's the fourth most prevalent found in cells and the third in sea water. The problem is, most humans are Magnesium deficient. Considering it's essential for over 300 biochemical reactions in your body, from muscle contraction (aka your heart beating) to easing migraines, being deficient is not ideal. Topical application is not necessarily the highest dose, but it does have incredible skin care benefits.

Using products with Magnesium in them help restore the cellular magnesium level in your skin, this is necessary for the enzymes that regulate the repair of DNA. Its antioxidant properties protect skin from free radical damage (our number one enemy) that would otherwise cause wrinkles. Magnesium can also help with skin allergies like eczema, which is often a sign of magnesium-deficiency. When Magnesium levels are low, the body begins to produce histamines which create red blotches and itchy skin. A deficiency also results in less fatty acids in the skin, leading to dry and irritated skin. Magnesium can also help with acne! Little skin superhero, innit? By reducing cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and stabilizing hormone imbalances, Magnesium helps to control some of the major causes of acne (ie, stress).

Glossier's Super Glow is my favourite magnesium product by far. Combined with Vitamin C, it's like a battery pack for your tired skin, stimulating skin's metabolism and brightening dark spots. Kiehl's Creme de Corps contains magnesium for all over your body, and comes with some intense hydration too (perfect for this dry air)! The Ordinary's Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate 10% contains (obviously) MAP, which is a water soluble derivative of Vitamin C. This means, like Super Glow, it combines antioxidant power with anti-aging benefits.

Do you guys use any products with Magnesium in them? And don't forget, if you want to try Super Glow you can go to glossier.com/reps/amelia for 20% off your first order!

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Pixi Pretties First Impressions

I drove to four different Targets to get the items from this collection, dedication. Earlier this month, Pixi released a collaboration with four beauty and lifestyle bloggers and I was SUPER excited. Mostly for the Skincare Queen's item, Caroline's Double Cleanse. I only managed to pick up three of the products so far, but the entire collection has 10 pieces total! They're all totally gorgeous, so I'll be on the hunt for the others (Pixi is always out of stock at all of my Targets)!

First up is the collaboration we've all been waiting for Caroline Hiron's Double Cleanse. Years ago Caroline introduced us all to the Pixi Glow Tonic and it blew UP (rightfully so, it's incredible). I'm totally obsessed with double (or triple) cleansing so I was very excited for the solid and cream cleanser duo. It's paraben free, fragrance free, and not tested on animals! The solid oil gets off all of my makeup SO quickly, even better than the Clinique balm. It's super gentle on my skin, but still powers through mascara surprisingly quickly. The cream cleanser is also lovely, it's sort of similar to my beloved Milky Jelly but more cream less jelly (think silk instead of clouds). The oil side contains Vitamin E to protect and condition, Cameillia Oil which is rich in Omegas, and Evening Primrose Oil to heal and moisturize. The cream side contains Vitamin C to protect and promote collagen, a Peptide Complex to plump and reduce lines, Arginnie which improves cell renewal and elasticity (yes, please) This is also becoming a permanent product, and by the hints dropped will be a part of a bigger CH collection (eeeeeeeee!)!

I only managed to find one of Aspyn Ovard's Glow-y Powders, in the colour London Lustre but the formula is divine so I will be picking up the other two. London Lustre is a gorgeous icy-champagne in a beautiful velvety soft formula. This may be competing with my Cover Fx moonlight because it is amazing and has quite a high-shine while not looking over the top. The other two shades are Rome Rose, a glowy peachy pink, and Santorini Sunset which is a slightly darker more golden champagne. Both are beautiful and I'm hoping to pick them up soon!

When I saw It'sJudyTime's Eyeshadow Palette I immediately knew I needed it. It's full of super-silky neutral colours with a mix of cool and warm shades. The top half is quite warm, the second to last row has three amazing mauves, and the final row are more cool-toned dark colours. It has a great mix of mattes and shimmers, although I do wish that there was a slightly lighter transition colour. Not because I need one, but for convinience. But, I am a pale princess so it's probably just me! So far the ones that I've tried have blended beautifully and lasted well (which surprised me because my eyeshadow has been fading terribly recently). I originally wanted to pick up MaryamMaquillage's Strobe & Bronze Palette as well, but decided the colours were a bit too dark for me. However, assuming the formula is the same as the Glow-y Powders it'd be a great palette and super affordable!

Have you guys tried anything from the collection yet? What do you have your eye on?
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Shopping My Stash

As I'm sure we're all aware, I own a LOT of makeup. A ridiculous amount, really. As a blogger, I often feel like I need to buy things to review them. But one person can only use so much and things just tend to pile up in my drawers. I'm also pretty lazy, and in the mornings tend to reach for the same products over and over because it's easy. So in an effort to be more creative, stop buying makeup, and using up the products I have, I've been rifling around and discovering things I haven't used in forever. The funny thing is, these products are things that I love I just kind of forgot about them (oops).

The star of this post is the Smashbox BB Water foundation. I used to use this all the time, but I'm a foundation addict and switch pretty regularly. I decided to pull this out the other day and oh my goodness I'm angry I stopped using it. The formulation is absolutely beautiful. It's incredibly lightweight, and so so thin I thought it would be similar in coverage to the Glossier Perfecting Skin Tint. I was wrong, this feels like the skin tint on, but actually has quite a bit of coverage! Definitely enough to smooth over redness and small imperfections. It has the same quality in that it almost blurs the skin, making it look flawless without looking heavy (or feeling so). GORGEOUS. 

I wouldn't say I'd really forgotten about the Balm's Mary Lou-Manizer, because I still love it. I just haven't used it in a while. Which was stupid, because it's so beautiful. I def think I prefer this on me in the warmer months as it's more of a gold tone, and a little less icy. A beautiful formula and a pan that'll last you forever. When I went home to England a little while ago, I picked up bunches of the Sleek blushers. I'm not really sure why, as I don't wear blush all that often, but they are lovely. They're super pigmented AND super blendable and last a surprisingly long time on the face. Making an effort from now on to start using blush (particularly because I have a stupid amount of them in general). 

The years of the Naked palette popularity have been and gone, and I realized the other day that I haven't touched them in forever. I bought the first and the second and it pains me to know how much money I spent on them. So, another thing I'm making an effort to use more of. You all know that Urban Decay's eyeshadows are absolutely unreal in terms of quality, I just need to stop being so lazy! Last but not least, I have an abnormally large collection of MAC Pigments. Let's be real, these are a pain in the ass to use and they NEVER run out. But they are incredibly gorgeous, and not just as eyeshadows. Vanilla, pictured here, makes a gorgeous highlighter so maybe that'll help me use it up faster! I've also got some pretty interesting colours (why did I think I would ever use them?) so I need to get my creativity flowing.

That's it for this time around, but I think I might make this into a series if you guys are interested! What products have you found rummaging around in your makeup bag?

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Soap Brows

If you haven't heard of soap brows, you're probably not on the internet very often. It's an old industry trick that has recently become extremely popular among youtubers. I first heard of them from Sam (one half of pixiwoos) last year. I'm preeeetty sure that she was the first to make a video on the technique, and her tutorial is awesome!

I've been doing soap brows pretty much since I watched this video, but fairly recently found a soap that works incredibly well. I was using the Doctor Bronner's soap, which does work well but was a bit white and super strong. Katy (lustrelux) reccommended the L'Occitaine soap a few months ago and I've been loving it. I usually use the original, but this time around I accidentally bought the Verbena scented. I've had no problems, but if you have sensitive skin definitely stick to the original. I'm loving this look because it makes your brows look super textured. Often, I find it difficult to highlight the brow hairs I do have and stay away from blocky brows. Soap makes the brows look fuller on their own and I just have to fill the tails in a little bit.

Literally all you have to do is wet your spoolie and lather it up a bit in the soap, then brush through your brow hairs. You can style them however you want, I like to brush to fronts up a little bit to make them look full and bushy. Because they look much, much fuller all I need to do is fill in the bald- patches (wah) with the Anastasia Dip Brow Pomade or Brow Wiz Pencil. LOUD Makeup recently sent me some brushes to try out, and their E9 Bent Liner brush is AMAZING for creating hair like strokes as it is so fine. The soap keeps my brows in place alllll day, but if I want to add a tint to the hairs without filling them in, I'll use the Glossier Boy Brow. The soap is also great to give your brows a wee bit of texture on no-makeup days!

A super easy, natural way to do brows that lasts all day (and is way cheaper than a brow gel)! Have you guys tried the soap brow? What do you use?
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MAC Look in a Box: Natural Flare

Years ago MAC used to do Look in a Boxes quite often, and I was kind of obsessed with them. I wasn't really old enough to buy proper makeup then (MAC seemed very high end to me, lol), but I would follow the collections. One year they did a collection you could only buy at airports and begged my grandparents to pick it up for me. In recent years they've done away with the full-sized product boxes in favour of palettes, which aren't my favourite. Recently, they came out with a series of full-sized boxes again and when we got them in at the CCS I snatched this one up!

This is the MAC Look in a Box in Natural Flare, obviously the most neutral of the collection. It contains six products and a brush for only $56 which is INSANE, even more insane is that at the CCS they're only $45 (and it's a $145 value). This set comes with two shadows; All That Glitters, MAC's uber popular warm frosty champagne, and Raw Cocoa, a light taupey brown. There must be an error on the MAC site because it says Peachtwist blush, but the set actually comes with Coppertone (and Coppertone is on the swatch image as well). Anywho, Coppertone is a peachy-orangey brown. I don't typically wear blush, but this one is a nice neutral. There's not mention of this on the website, but it is smaller than a normal MAC blush.

The lipstick is Hug Me, is a warm pink in a lustre finish, and a perfect every day colour. The lustre finishes aren't super high in pigment, but I don't mind with these colours because it means they fade easily. The set also includes the super popular Spice lipglass. It's a gorgeous medium rosy brown and has a pretty full coverage. I'm not a lipgloss person, but this colour is so beautiful I may just have to start wearing it! The Technakohl in Graphblack is a super dark black liner in a roll-up cream formula (my fave). This formula applies really creamy but then sets down and doesn't budge! Last but not least, a wee baby 116 brush, which is a very nicely shaped blush brush!

Have you guys ever bought any "Look in a Box"'s? I think they're perfect introductory sets or awesome for gifts! I'm definitely glad they brought the full-size products back, so much bang for your buck!
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Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich

It's FINALLY HERE! Over a year in the making, the Glossier Priming Moisturizer Rich has launched today and I couldn't be more excited. In case you didn't know, this product was created with tons of input from Glossier fans and Into the Gloss readers and they listened! Priming Moisturizer Rich (hereafter known as PMR) is a dense, luxurious cream that sinks into the skin effortlessly and never feels greasy. It's rich in ceramics and fatty acids, which help to reinforce your skin's barrier and lock in moisture (more on that later).

When asked what readers wanted, people responded asking for something that wasn't greasy, doesn't clog pores, doesn't contain mineral oils or fragrance, and leaves skin bouncy and primed (just like PM). A lot of people were really passionate about not having the product in a jar, but after much testing Glossier decided this was pretty much the only way to house such a heavy cream. So, they implemented a preservative system that prevents bacteria, but is also safe for skin! I personally don't mind products in jars too much, I'm just not that picky about it (you only live once, why worry so much about jars). It also helps that this jar is freakin' beautiful. It's quite a weighty double walled clear plastic with the signature #glossierpink lid. I obviously had the time of my life photographing it.

Right, so onto the actual formula. It's a super rich cream, and you only need the tiniest amount to cover your entire face. I was honestly a little worried about it feeling too greasy, but it sinks right in and my skin feels like velvet. I use it at night with Super Pure and Super Bounce, and I've also been using it in the morning under makeup with Super Glow. It leaves my skin super smooth just like the PM and makes my makeup look glowy (not greasy). I probably won't use it during the day once the weather warms up, but for now I'm loving it.

Okay, a little science for you (how could I not). Ceramides are naturally occurring chains of lipids (fats) that are major components of the outer layers of our skin. They have a huge water-retention capacity and so help skin replenish and restore itself. PMR is also made with Red Algae Complex which is another water-reservoir, providing moisture for hours. Kukui Oil (from the national tree of Hawaii!) provides five essential fatty acids that pair perfectly with cermaides. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and linolenic (yes, different) acids to help lock that moisture in. Murumuru and Shea butters provide the dense, rich texture. It also contains the same power primers present in the original PM, the anti-redness complex and oxygenating agent keeps skin smooth and even.

I'm basically obsessed with the product. The very first time I used it I knew it was special, and spent the whole day wishing I could go home and put more on. I've been using it for a little over a week, and I know it takes around 28 days to see a real difference but I've already noticed a change in my skin. In the winter months, my combination skin kind of freaks out. Those nasty dry patches you get after acne seem to linger forever, but once I started using this they disappear overnight! If you have super dry skin, you'll love this all year round. For me, it's become my holy grail night-cream and a beautiful daily moisturizer during the winter.

How psyched are you guys for this new launch? Let me know if you'll be picking it up, and don't forget you can shop at glossier.com/reps/amelia for 20% off your first order!

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*Products in this post were sent to me for consideration. This post is not sponsored and as always, all opinions are my own.

Skincare on Trial

I've done several skincare reviews lately on brands as a whole or specific products, but I also have a few other bits and pieces on trial at the moment so I thought I'd put them all together! I'm honestly a skincare addict and will never stick to a proper routine, instead I prefer to just try a million things (probably why my skin kinda hates me). But alas, it's all for you, dear readers! This is going to be more of a first impressions post rather than an in-depth review as I haven't quite had the time to properly trial these things, but if you'd like to know more in the future, feel free to ask me on Instagram or Twitter!

If you haven't heard of Klairs* yet, they're a Korean beauty brand and I've been dying to try out some Asian skincare. When they offered to send me a few things to try out, I leapt at the chance. The Midnight Blue Calming Cream not only looks amazing, but is also incredibly soothing and hydrating. Its main ingredient, Guaiazulene, is a crystalline hydrocarbon derived from chamomile oil. This is helpful in the calming on inflammation and also actual repair of skin cells! If you have quite dry or sensitive skin, you'll love this. I also received the Freshly Juiced Vitamin Drop  which is different than anything I've ever tried. It's almost like a cross between an oil and a serum and is always raved about. Now this packaging is absolutely gorgeous (I love the holo on the box especially), but typically Vitamin C products aren't housed in clear containers because they oxidize with sun exposure. Apparently the Ascorbic Acid is stabilized, so we shall see. Anyways, Ascorbic Acid helps to protect the skin from UV damage and also has antioxidant properties. Centella Asiatica extract provides anti-bacterial properties and is also soothing to the skin. Definitely use this in the evenings and follow with sunscreen during the day, but another great option for sensitive skin!

The Pixi Glow Tonic has been on my radar for a long time, and I picked it up in a set a few months ago. I finally got the chance to start trying it recently, and it's safe to say that I'm pretty much in love. It's an oil and alcohol free toner that uses witch hazel to tighten and firm the skin. Its second ingredient is Aloe Vera, and uses Glycolic Acid to gently exfoliate the skin. I've been using this twice a day for the past week and have already noticed smoother skin (miracle). I'll definitely be repurchasing. If you read my Pur~Lisse review a few weeks back, you know I also received their Blue Lotus serums*, and was still testing them. The Blue Lotus 4-in-1 Eye Adore Serum is a beautifully light-weight under-eye serum that is anti-aging and helps with dark circles and puffiness. It is definitely moisturizing, and the dark circles under my eyes seem to be fading. Fingers crossed this helps prevent future wrinkles! The Blue Lotus Brightening Serum is formulated with similar ingredients, but is obviously meant for your entire face. Blue Lotus extract is a powerful antioxidant which fights free-radicals, resulting in brighter, more even skin! If you're worried about Vitamin C products because of their tendency to make skin sensitive to sunlight, this one is a great option.

What skincare products have you guys been loving lately? Anything I need to try?
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*Products mentioned in this post have been sent to me for consideration. This post is not sponsored, and as always all opinions are my own

Cover Fx Primers

It seems that nowadays brands are finally realizing that we don't use the same products every single day, and often switch things out based on our skin concerns. Cover Fx's Primer Collection* does just that. It features four primers, each created with a specific skin goal in mind. They're all vegan (hallelujah) and contain ingredients that are actually good for your skin! It's worth mentioning that I'm not typically a primer person (mostly because I'm lazy), so I don't use these on a daily basis, but mostly when my skin needs some extra help.

The Illuminating Primer is a radiance-boosting primer for glowy, luminous skin. It contains Hylasome EG10 (a Sodium Hyaluronate Crosspolymer) and Panthenol (a Provitamin B5). Those sound a bit scary, but they're actually ingredients that help retain moisture in the skin, leaving you looking hydrated. Rather than being super glittery or shimmery, the particles in this create more of a glisten, and you just look like you have super glowy skin all on your own!

The Anti-Aging Primer is both a smoothing primer and anti-aging serum. It contains skin repairing ingredients like Vitamins F, C, and E, to protect, smooth, and reduce redness. Hyaluronic Acid retains moisture, Coenzyme Q10 reduces the appearance of fine-lines and wrinkles, and a MultiPeptide Complex supports cell turnover and collagen production. I generally don't like silicone-based primers, but this one is SO smoothing that I'll let it slide. It creates a seamless base for makeup, smoothing over pores, fine lines, and even gross post-breakout scars/scabs (ew).

The Calming Primer is probably my favourite at the moment as it soothes irritated skin, but also helps to keep it bright and radiant. It contains Endothelyol to reduce redness (uses both Caffeic acid and Rosmarinic Acid for their antioxidant properties), St. John's Wort (horrible name) to soother, Defensil-Plus which helps to repair skin, and Tego Pep 4 which can improve skin tone. It's a much creamier consistency without feeling sticky on the skin, and creates a smooth base without the awful silicone feeling.

The Mattifying Primer is both a matte primer (obvs) and an acne treatment, which is an interesting combination. It's a lightweight gel that helps smooth skin, but also contains Willowbark Extract (naturally contains Salicylic Acid), Ancient African tree bark to help with inflammatory acne and sebum-production, as well as hydrating ingredients mentioned in the other products. I think if you have dry-combination skin with acne, you'll like this because it is quite mattifying and very smoothing. However, if you have very oily skin this probably won't be oil-controlling enough for you. I can't comment on the anti-acne ability as I don't use this every day, but I prefer to keep my skincare treatments separate from my makeup products.

Overall this is a great line, and I love that you can pick and choose products based on your skin rather than just having a "does it all" product. Do you guys use primers every day?
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*Products mentioned in this post were sent to me for consideration. This post is not sponsored and as always, all opinions are my own.

Get the Glow: Pixi Beauty

About a month ago, Pixi* very kindly sent me some of their glow-inducing products to try out. They've been on rotation ever since and I'm pretty much in love with all of the products. Pixi has definitely upped their game, and the entire Skintreats line is amazing (everyone knows it for the Glow Tonic).

I talked about the Glow Mist a little bit in my Makeup Medley No. 4, but it's become an every day product for me. It's definitely a key to glowy skin, containing 13 natural oils plus aloe vera and fruit extracts, it creates a hydrated and nourished base for makeup. It ALSO works as a makeup-setting mist, somehow managing to both make my makeup look incredibly dewy as well as helping it last. Magic, I tell you. A little side note, but I'm also obsessed with the spray nozzle. Not really sure why that's important, but it is.

The Glowtion Day Dew is a gorgeous lightweight moisturiser that preps the skin beautifully, but also adds an amazing radiance. This is another fab packaging feat from Pixi, as the tube with the pump is the most convenient freakin' packaging ever (don't tell me I'm wrong). The actual product within is a featherlight moisturiser that provides a surprising amount of hydration, but also somehow blurs the skin. It adds radiance with it's tiny shimmer particles, which some people may not like, but I love. If Paula recommends it, you probably need it.

Pixi's nighttime partner to the Glowtion is the Beauty Sleep Cream. This is a much richer, heavier cream to nourish the skin at night, but it still absorbs super quickly and doesn't leave the skin feeling sticky. Heavy creams that leave residue are one of my biggest pet peeves, so I love this. It is super hydrating and smells divine to put on before bed. However, if you have even slightly sensitive skin you might want to stay away as it contains lavender oil. Lavender is a part of the mint family and is a skin irritant, despite the delicious smell. I've been using this for almost a month and haven't noticed any effects, but a word of warning!

Last but certainly not least is the 24K Eye Elixir. I absolutely love cooling rollerballs for the under-eyes and this is no exception. It contains collagen to help repair the skin, peptides to plump fine lines, and apparently raspberry can even skin tone (raspberry has antioxidant properties, antioxidants fight free radicals which cause change in skin tone). In case you couldn't tell it also contains freakin' gold (so luxe) which is supposed to help increase circulation. Now, the other ingredients I'm on board with, but there's no published research that I can find saying that gold has anti-aging properties. Anywho, the product itself is lovely, and I definitely think that the collagen and peptides have helped revive my poor under-eyes which were still suffering from finals.

So far, my introduction to the Pixi skincare line has gone very well! I definitely want to try out the H2O Skindrink next, what are your favourite Pixi products?
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*Products mentioned in this post were sent to me for consideration. This post is not sponsored and as always, all opinions are my own.