Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser

Up for review today is a deluxe bonus of Jurlique Balancing Foaming Cleanser I received as a gift with purchase from Sephora. Deluxe size samples are much easier to test rather than those packet samples that aren't even good for one try allowing me a couple of weeks at best to use the item before talking about it or committing to a full size version. This bonus size is a decent 1 fluid ounce and it lasted me all week with day to night use. As you can see I didn't even hit the half mark so a little goes a long way with this cleanser. I'll post some product info below before adding my results.

Jurlique balancing Foaming Cleanser 

Balancing Foaming Cleanser  

What it is:

A complexion balancing cleanser.

What it is formulated to do:Jurlique's Balancing Foaming Cleanser harnesses the living energy of calendula, daisy, and peppermint to gently lift away surface impurities, leaving the skin balanced and hydrated. 

What it is formulated WITHOUT:

- Parabens
- Sulfates
- Synthetic Fragrances
- Synthetic Dyes
- Petro-Chemicals
- Phthalates

Pro: naturals botanic, lasts long, cruelty free, skin feels cleansed, good price for large size

Con: burns eyes!!!, doesn't  foam unless you apply more than a dime size

My results: I love that this cleanser is cruelty free and has a nice citrus essential oil scent to it but it burns my eyes! I have sensitive eyes and try to avoiding getting it around my eye area but can't be helped when the foam action starts. This totally kills the product for me! It's a great value but my poor little eyes are always burned with my makeup testing so alas I will have to say I won't be purchasing this item again. If you don't have eye allergies or are prone to sensitivities in this area then maybe you will enjoy it.

Formula: A fresh citrus essential oil scent with the consistency of a light gel. The scent is nice but it is a strong essential oil, if you are not familiar with essentials oils you may not like it but it is natural. It foams if you are generous with application but it burns and stings the eyes if any gets in there. Your skin is left with a clean feeling and no residue.

It's too bad that I will not be purchasing this item again due to the pain, irritation and burning sensation on my eyes but for those of you who are lucky you will enjoy how squeaky clean your skin feels and it's also a good value for a super large bottle at 6.7 ounces. This item gets a 3 starfish rating from me due to the irritation it caused to my eyes and I wish it didn't burn so much. Eye allergy sufferers skip this one. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Sephora 6.7 ounce $34

1 RATING=WORSE 5 RATING=BEST SUPER STAR=SUPER PRODUCT!

INGREDIENTS:: 4.5 stars

SENSITIVE EYE USE:: 2 stars

CRUELTY FREE:: 5 stars

FORMULA:: 3 stars

PRICE & VALUE:: 4.5 stars

OVERALL PRODUCT:: 3 star

 

Beauty Without Cruelty Facial Cleanser

Up for review is this wonderful everyday Beauty Without Cruelty 3% Alpha Hydroxy Facial Cleanser which was part of the package sent over to me from publicity. This was one of the first products tried that night the package arrived to me.  It was exciting to hold the bottle while going through all the ingredients on the label but most of all for seeing a cruelty free bunny icon! This particular cleanser is suitable for normal to oily skin other skin type formulas are also available. Let me start with what this cleansers does and the ingredients-completely organic, vegan ingredients made form essential oils, flowers and spices such as lavender, aloe vera, honeysuckle along with other essences and contains 3% AHA for clean clear skin. This gentle foaming cleanser has a light refreshing almost gel like consistency that gently cleanses, exfoliates and removes dead skin surface debris, oiliness and impurities. Other ingredient product information:Organic Ingredients, Paraben Free, Soap Free, pH Balanced, 100% Vegetarian, Never tested on Animals, No Animal Ingredients, No Synthetic or Engineered Fragrance. My results: I found the formula to be really light in texture and very fresh in scent. No heavy perfume odors were present just hints of  fresh essential oils,really nice start to your cleansing process. The formula has this gentle foam action without any harsh particles in it but it still made my skin feel squeaky clean without any dryness at all! I also did not experience any irritations or breakouts and have used this morning and night since getting it. One thing to watch out for is that a tiny drop goes a long way! I thought I would need a lot of cleansers to clean my face after seeing it wasn't thick but rather a fluid gel like substance but I was wrong because all that excess amount I used foamed all over my face and neck. This cleanser will last you a really long time! A lot of my subscribers have emailed me asking for a recommendation on a great cleanser for oily skin, well this is it. I recommend it 100% .Wait till you see the price and size for this! Most drug store cleansers charge you around $7 + for 4 ounces of product with this you get 8.5 ounces but just a tiny drop is needed so you get months use out of this making it a great value.Because this product is natural, cruelty free, vegan, gentle on your skin, does what the manufacture promises it will do along with the huge size, fabulous price and it's accessibility (sold on various online shops) it gets a full 5 starfish rating! It would get the super star if it had some crystals in it but that's a personal preference because I'm addicted to using face scrubbers. You gals who need something for oilier skin will love this plus you will feel good it's healthy for your body and cruelty free. Please purchase a jar as you won't be disappointed! Stay  tuned for more product reviews from the Beauty Without Cruelty brand. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability: Beauty Without Cruelty AHA Facial Cleanser 8.5 oz $11.95

  

DDF Blemish Foaming Cleanser

So I got around to using this DDF Blemish Foaming Cleanser which I had received as a bonus when I claimed my Sephora birthday gift and here is my review. It's really lightweight while you hardly feel any residue on your fingertips.It's almost like a watery solution which doesn't provide a lot of foam as the name would suggest. I had to pump out more product to get the formula to foam and lather a bit. It has no unpleasant strong odors and it didn't irritate my sensitive skin  at all. The label warns that it may cause dryness but you can cut down the amount of times you use this. I didn't experience any dryness at all,my skin felt clean and refreshed. You would have to see how this interacts with your own skin type but it seems gentle enough. The only minor irritation that I felt while using this cleanser was the fact that it felt like I was just lathering up my face with water but maybe that's just a personal quirk because I'm so used to cleansers being creamy or having beads and scrubbing bubbles. It's not a bad cleanser but not something I would rave about but if it clears up your skin in the long run and cleans your face then it does it's job. For me it felt as if it wasn't really getting into my pores. My skin must be used to more abrasive formulas that this feels almost ridiculously noneffective. LOL! Anyone using this? please comment. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability:Sephora $32

Shiseido Pureness Pore Purifying Warm Scrub

 Here goes another review for today because I'm trying to post all the older products that I tested out so I can start adding more of the new items.Hopefully I can get most of them up if not all.Shiseido Pureness Pore Purifying Warming Scrub is a great little product.I received a travel size sample but it lasted me a couple of weeks as I felt only a small amount was needed plus it should be used only a couple of times a week.The formula has gentle micro-granules that didn't irritate my skin.And no weird smell! Shiseido has a habit of over fragrance products.You get a nice warming sensation while massaging this all over your face and your skin feels soft and exfoliated when you pat dry.It thoroughly removed all the makeup on my skin leaving no oiliness behind although I didn't notice any change in pore size which is what this scrub is supposed to help with.It's great to have in your beauty cabinet as a weekly treatment and while it suggests it's for blemish prone skin if you have normal or sensitve skin it's gentle enough. Have a great weekend!

Availability:Macy's $23  1.7 ounce tube

Clarisonic Mia™ Skin Cleansing System -Limited Ed. Pink

the best skin cleansing brush you will ever use!

As I mentioned a couple of days ago I received a Clarisonic Mia Sonic Skin Cleansing System in Limited Edition Pink to test from publicity and I'm ready to post my review.But before I get started I  need to type down two things-first I would like to thank Lindsey over at the Clarisonic account for the opportunity to try this fabulous skin gadget.My experience with Clarisonic products have left me impressed with the quality and results.Secondly I was so floored with the Mia in just two uses that days or weeks aren't needed for me to test it as I'm always taking my sweet time using a product before I consider talking about it but I'm ready now because this product sells itself on the first try you have at it while completely exceeding your expectations! This Mia is a new more compact travel friendly skin cleansing brush system in a limited edition pink color sold Exclusively at Sephora.Your purchase of the Pink Mia contributes to the fight against Breast Cancer. I'm listing press info below:

Set Includes: 

Clarisonic Pink Mia One Speed Brush 

International pLink™ charger for worldwide use 

Sensitive Brush Head 

1.0 oz Gentle Hydro Cleanser

*I want to mention that I was sent the Go Clear AM-PM Clarifying Cleanser in a 2.5 oz tube.

What it does: 

From the creators of the Sonicare® toothbrush comes the Clarisonic® Mia set, featuring the handy to-go sized version of the original, groundbreaking Clarisonic Brush. Sonic technology first changed the way we clean our teeth, now it's changing how we cleanse our skin. The sonic frequency moves Clarisonic's soft, gentle brush back and forth at more than 300 times per second, thoroughly clearing pores and skin surface. 

Here are some of the benefits this revolutionary skincare tool delivers: 

Removes makeup six times better than traditional methods.

Clears pores and reduces the appearance of pore size.

Cleanses so thoroughly that skincare products absorb better. 

Creates noticeably healthier looking skin.

Now that you have some technical stats on Mia on to my findings.When I finished charging Mia for the initial 24 hours prior to use and pressed the power button,I have to admit I was a little skeptical because the brush head seemed to be moving too slow and silent while the outer brushes didn't move at all.I figured how effective can this be? I thought it was going to work like this older model Adrien Arpel battery operated skin brush but I was completely wrong! This brush system is like no other because it works on sonic technology and while you can't see it the brush rotates back and forth at 300 times per second.Unlike that Arpel brush that did nothing for my skin.But I was willing to give it a try and wet my face,applied the Go Clear cleanser on my face and on the brush head and followed the instructions for use which are 20 seconds on your forehead,nose and chin then 10 seconds on each side of your cheeks.The Mia automatically shuts off after one minute.Simple right...one minute for better skin.I was thinking is this really doing anything? Before I get to that let me tell you about the cleanser which has the consistency of clear silk without irritating,burning or drying my skin.It's really light and fresh.I accidentally got some in my eye which made it sting a little so just watch out for that by avoiding the eye area.Also if you wear eye makeup remove by hand first before using the brush.Now back to my cleansing experience:When I started working the device on my forehead in slow circular motions I was surprised to feel how powerful the vibration felt when pressing the device flush to my skin.It appears to be slow when you just power it up but when it touches your skin you can feel how rapid the soft bristles are moving with the sensation you get on face.And the outer brushes are not supposed to move because they are there as a splash guard to keep the cleanser from getting into your eyes because of how fast the brush head is moving.I contacted customer service for more info and they explained this to me.The sensory experience you get from this device is so soothing and so invigorating that you might not want to turn the gadget off which is what happened to me.I kept at it another 2 minutes! It was like nothing I ever felt before.I'm going to have to try to remember that just one minute is needed for future reference because I don't want to wear out the battery Lol! The battery is said to have a life expectancy of  3 to 5 years which is impressive and when your one year warranty expires you can call customer service for other service options.But the real aha! moment for me was when I was done patting my face dry and touched it.My skin felt like it never has before-so soft-so smooth like newly regenerated skin! For those of you with sensitive skin no need to worry because this device is so gentle that I used it on my lips.Seriously...I did and it made my chapped lips smooth and baby soft.But for me the absolute real proof of Mia's effectiveness hit me when I looked into the mirror.I need to mention here that I have had some skin issues around my chin area due to dry patches and a couple of pesky ingrown hairs which I have been treating with abrasive irritating scrubs and exfoliators and Every single dead layer of skin was gone.I may have cried just a little with joy.If you suffer from the same issue then you know how horribly frustrating it is to clear up your skin and try to repair the slight scarring that is the end result.It feels hopeless sometimes-not to mention how expensive it can get looking for solutions and nobody likes talking about their little flaws.When I was done all I had to do was tweeze that little bad boy out which had been sooo deeply lodged into my skin for months.How many layers does Mia exfoliate? I don't know...I don't care!  I can't see myself ever going back to manual hand washing my face ever again.For a little device that is so quiet and compact it really packs a super sonic punch.If you have dry skin you really need to have this.I'm not even exaggerating in the least bit.If only two uses made my skin look and feel good I can only imagine how much better my skin surface will be with daily extended use.Even if you don't have dry skin this cleansing brush will be an investment for you.Nothing ages a woman more than dry,discolored rough skin.The price may be a little steep but if you have to sell your stuff on Ebay to get it then you must.Or if you just want to make that one purchase for the upcoming year then this is a must have because you only have one face you need to start protecting it at whatever age you are.And this morning I also noticed that my makeup went on smoother and I was able to apply less than I normally do which is great for my skin.The Mia device gave me hope that reversing your skin flaws is truly possible.I haven't been excited about something that really delivers what it promises in a long time and I want to share this discovery with everyone.Go out and purchase this,try it for yourself and share the news with all your girlfriends,sisters and mothers and strange people you meet on the train even if they think your nuts they will secretly thank you for introducing the Mia to them.You have nothing to lose because you have a 30 day full money back guarantee if you decide to return it but trust me you will not return it! You also get one full year warranty protection.Plus this pink Mia is really compact around 5 inches in height and easy to hold in your hands making it really great to travel with.There are different kinds of cleansers that Clarisonic sells for you to buy according to your own skin type and replacement brushes are available and should  be replaced about every four months.Some products are just worth having to ensure more radiant,younger looking skin which will save you the trouble and cost of having to take more harsh drastic measures in the future.I genuinely recommend that everyone try the Mia out  because you won't regret it. By the way,the Clarisonic rep.told me over the phone that this system is popular with men as well so you might want to let the man in your life know about this.Don't worry you don't have to get him the pink Mia because they have the original Clarisonic brush system in white.If anyone has experienced this product please feel free to share your findings by posting in the comment section. Stay beautiful! XOXO

Availability:Sephora Exclusively:Mia Sonic System Ltd. Edition Pink $149 Ships Free

replacement brush head $25 twin pack $40

Shiseido Benefiance Cleansing Foam

I recently received a box filled with tons of samples,most of which are from the Shiseido brand and I'm in the midst of testing them out so look out for my reviews.In the meantime I'm ready to do a review for a product I have been using all week.Shiseido's Benefiance Creamy Cleansing Foam.It's really creamy and gentle on the skin.The best part is the fact that you only need just the tiniest drop to achieve a super foam lather.I would say about half the amount of a pea size.You just wet your face and work in that tiny dab of cream cleanser and watch it build up to a foamy mousse on your skin-enough to cover your face and neck area.After you skin will feel soft but cleansed at the same time.There's no oily residue left behind so you can apply your foundation with a nice dry face.The only thing I don't like about this product is the smell.It's almost like that vintage pharmacy powdery cologne scent.Reminiscent of something your aunt or grandmother might have worn,it's just too strong.But it goes away and doesn't linger on your skin so that good thing.I like that it gives your face that squeaky clean feeling without over drying it.It's also a great value because of it's foaming formula and the amount of minimal product that you need,this cleanser will last you a good long time.I would buy and recommend this. Although I think they should improve on the scent a little.

Availability: Sephora $34 for 4.4 ounce size

Patricia Wexler Exfoliating Cleanser

It's that time of year again when brutal humidity overtakes Manhattan,it's sooo not pleasant for your skin.For me this signals that it's time to switch cleansers, my product of choice is Patricia Wexler Exfoliating Cleanser.I don't have an acne problem but I always keep a few of these on hand because I find this product is the best for giving your skin that cool squeaky clean fresh feeling in summer weather at the same time allowing your skin to be prepped & primed for a more flawless matte application for your foundation.This brand doesn't strip my sensitive skin of moisture while soothing any redness.You'll find this creamy foamy cleanser doesn't irritate either while keeping the breakouts at bay.Your face will feel clean and clear.Plus it has the added benefit of the exclusive anti-aging formula that plumps up your skin from New York's leading dermatologist to the stars.If you never tried Wexler products you should, they genuinely work.
Availability:Bath & Body Works 5.1 0z $10 reduced from $16.