Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque

I've been having fairly problem skin recently, which is pretty unusual for me. I'm hoping it's the dreaded "purge" that comes from starting and sticking to a proper skincare routine (and using a Clarisonic). But, I went on a hunt to find something that would help me clear up my skin. I've been really into Kiehl's as an entire brand, especially recently, and I've heard some great reviews about the Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque so I picked it up.

The Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque ($28) is a clay cleansing mask meant to 'purify skin' and 'visibly minimize pores.' I've never really spent a lot of money on face masks (except for the GlamGlow one I got at work) because I feel like I go through them so quickly. This guy, however, comes in a whopping 5oz tub so you're definitely getting a lot of bang for your buck. I've been applying a thin layer of this all of my face after cleansing, leaving it on until it's dry (but not too dry) and then rinsing it off or using a warm wash cloth to remove. I was a little shocked the first time I used this, as it really does clean out your pores. I've tried countless black head removal strips, etc. but nothing made my poor nose look as clean as this does. My skin looks very fresh and glowy immediately after use, instead of red and irritated. It's also one of the only clay masks I've used that doesn't make my skin feel dry after using! I've definitely noticed that my breakouts are going away faster and my pores look less obvious. Emphasis on the look, because as I've said before, pore size is genetically determined and nothing will actually minimize them.

Overall, I'm really loving how clean my skin looks and feels after using this. I've been using it around twice a week with no irritation, but if you have sensitive skin I'd probably only use it once a week. I've also read some reviews saying it's great to use as an overnight spot treatment, so I will be trying that next!

Have you guys tried this yet? What's your favourite Kiehl's product?
x

July Favourites

This month I've been obsessed with skincare, and Bobbi Brown if you couldn't tell, but not really wearing much makeup. So this favourites post is going to be fairly focused on skincare.

The first thing I've been absolutely loving is the Bobbi Brown Balm Rinse. I did a post on it here if you want to read more, but I love that it makes my skin feel really really clean without being stripped. It can also be used as an overnight mask which I've been doing around my nose for some extra hydration. I also talked about the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base in that post and I'm still loving how smooth it makes my makeup go on. I've somehow been having quite a dry skin spell even though it's hotter than Hades in the south this summer. Honestly I've just been slicking this all over my face and wearing a tiny bit of concealer.

The Origins Original Skin Serum is a fairly recent purchase, but I adore it so much that I had to feature it. This is one that can be applied morning and night and is supposed to help with skin texture and brightness. I'm going through a bit of a purge stage right now since I'm actually taking care of my skin, all of the gunk is coming out. I've had those annoying little bumps and this has already helped with smoothing them out. It also makes your skin SO soft. Like I actually can't explain how amazing it makes my skin feels. Definitely one to try. Because I've been breaking out a bit, I've been using the Bobbi Brown Foundation Stick as a concealer and it is amazing. All over the face I find it a bit too heavy coverage, but it is absolutely wonderful for spot concealing.

The Smashbox Full Exposure Mascara is pretty much all I've been using. I'm a huge mascara layerer, so this is really unusual. I just can't get over how voluminous this makes my lashes look without being clumpy at all. My final favourite is my beloved pair of Desi x Quay High Key sunnies. I am as blind as a bat without glasses, but I can't help but wear this a feel absolutely fabulous as I run into bushes, trashcans, and one time a poor lady having lunch outside at Panera. Sorry, love.

What have you guys been loving this month?
x

Bobbi Brown Pore Perfector

If you saw my post the other day about picking this up over the YSL Blur Perfector then you know that I was instantly impressed. The Bobbi Brown Skin Smoothing Pore Perfector is a lotion like powder that contains a "blend of powders" to perfect the skin. And perfect it does.

I am not a fan of usual makeup primers, as I can't stand that silicone feel on my skin. I'll usually use something like the Bobbi Brown Face Base or Glossier Priming Moisturizer. Those I both love and they make my makeup go on smooth, but this makes my skin itself look so amazing. I've had pretty large-looking pores lately, and in this summer heat my skin gets greasy pretty quickly. Because of that I haven't been wanting to wear heavy bases, but my skin isn't really at a place where I'm okay not wearing makeup (unless I'm just running errands). This Perfector, however, makes my skin look beautiful. It really smooths out the skin and although there's still some redness the even texture just makes it look so much better.

I often find that similar products tend to dry out the skin, but like most of Bobbi's other products this is actually quite hydrating and very comfortable. It's also meant to have skincare ingredients that over time reduce the appearance of pores. This doesn't mean it literally reduces the size of pores, which I think is why there's a few not-so-great reviews of this products online. Pore size is genetically determined and they cannot be resized physically. However, this product is supposed to help them be less noticeable, I suppose. I obviously haven't been using it long enough to attest to that, but I will check back in if I do notice a difference.

For now, this is a gorgeous makeup primer or just skincare product for no-makeup days! Have you guys tried it?
x

Nars Hardwired Eyeshadow in 'Stud'

In my most recent post I told you I picked up this little Angel from Sephora and I already want to show you it in all its glory. Two days later. NARS' Hardwired Eyeshadow in Stud is a soft pewtery bronze in this absolutely gorgeous metallic finish. I honestly could just stare at it reflecting in the light all day. You might initially think that this is a normal shimmery taupe but there is something very different about it. I've tried swatching it next to several similar shades and it really stands out. I love that you can wear this formula quite sheer or build it up to be super metallic. I will say that there can be a wee amount of fallout if you're not careful because of the glitter. I've been applying with my finger instead of a brush and that seems to make a big difference. I'm so glad they re-released this shade because it is really, really beautiful. Now I must decide if I need any of the other shades, hehe.

Have you tried the new Hardwired shadows yet? What did you think?
x