For this edition of The Beauty Picks, I decided to highlight some of my favorite powdered exfoliators, cleansers, and masks. I feel like I’ve been talking about these a lot lately but I can’t help it–I really love this type of product! They’re just so much fun to use! Instead of just going on auto-pilot with your regular, everyday cleanser, you can really play with the product and get your hands dirty, so to speak–really experiencing the product in a different way! These products are, for the most part, all quite gentle and suitable for all skin types if used correctly. But some are just a bit more suited to one skin type more than another, so I listed my recommendations for each. I hope you enjoy this edition of The Beauty Picks!

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Normal, Combination, and Oily and/or Problematic Skin: Osmia Organics Detox Exfoliating Mask*

This is yet another product I have fallen in love with from Osmia Organics. This mask is sooo effective–it really sucks every bit of oil and dirt from my skin. It’s kinda weird to see all this gunk slowly seeping out of your pores (refer to photo below) but also really, really gratifying because you know it’s working! Even though this mask is tough and whips your pores into shape, it doesn’t leave my skin feeling dry or taught afterwards. I believe this is thanks to the manuka honey powder and olive leaf powder–incredible stuff!

Prepare to be wowed…(or really grossed out! )

Like many of the products on this list, the Detox Mask is a 2-in-1 type of product. It not only is a purifying mask but it also an exfoliator. To use, simply wet your hands and press it around the dry mask on your face to soften the mask then massage in circular motions and rinse away. The black walnut hull powder provides quite an intense exfoliation–it leaves my skin feeling absolutely baby smooth!

*Remember, use the code “TBSTEN” anytime during the next month to get 10% off your order of $15 or more at OsmiaOrganics.com!!

Combination or Oily and/or Problematic Skin: May Lindstrom The Clean Dirt* (review to come)

In case you guys hadn’t noticed already, I am currently in the midst of a torrid love affair with all things May Lindstrom. This product in particular has really captured my heart. The Clean Dirt is a very fine powdered cleanser/micro-exfoliator that smells like chocolate spice cookies and has a unique formula that, when activated with water, puffs up into a mousse-like consistency.

The cleansing clay, as it’s called, contains a spectacular blend of edible, organic and incredibly efficacious ingredients like raw cacao, sea salt, cinnamon, clove, and turmeric. These warming spices create a tingling, warming sensation on the skin when applied. For this reason, I don’t recommend this for very sensitive skin types. If you are a regular user of retinoids or acne treatments, I would suggest doing a patch test before use (actually, all skin types should probably patch-test this one just in case).

Combination or Oily and/or Problematic Skin: May Lindstrom The Problem Solver* (review to come)

Another product I am in love with from May’s gorgeous line. I am just finishing up my posts for each product, so those will be up shortly. Until then, I will just say that this mask is just pure potent magic for my oily, acneic skin! It’s such a fun, incredibly therapeutic experience–it really stimulates the skin and the senses!

Like the Osmia Organics Detox Mask, this mask contains raw cacao, bamboo charcoal, and a mix of clays. It also works very similarly by sucking all the gunk out of your pores. The only difference? The Detox Mask is a bit more paired down ingredients-wise (which is great if you have more sensitive skin as The Problem Solver contains warming spices that might be too intense/irritating) and The Problem Solver is much cheaper per ounce. I find that The Problem Solver also creates more of a glowy skin effect. Both are amazing though, so it really just depends on what exactly you are looking for. The Detox Mask can be used more regularly and is a great bi-weekly treatment for acne-prone skin!

Extremely Sensitive Skin and/or Dry Skin: Amore Pacific Treatment Enzyme Peel

This product retains none of it’s original powdered texture when mixed with water–instead, it forms a very silky, smooth lather. I personally did not experience any exfoliating benefits from this one but then my skin is quite hardy and is used to pretty strong actives, so this one just didn’t cut it for me. However, my mom does love it. She has very dry, sensitive skin and really loved that she could use this product regularly to maintain a smooth, bright complexion.

Very Sensitive to Normal Skin: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant*

This product has extremely fine grains that dissolve almost entirely upon contact with water. There’s just the barest hint of texture felt on the skin when applied. For this reason, I do recommend it for very sensitive to normal skin types. All skin types can use this, however, and since it is so fine, it can be used daily (hence the name, I guess ). This might not be the most exciting product on the list but it definitely has its place in a routine and is great for when your skin just needs something really soft and gentle.

Sensitive to Normal Skin: TATCHA Classic Rice Enzyme Powder*

TATCHA’s version is very much suited to all skin types, though the brand has gone even one step further and offers 3 versions: Classic, Gentle, and Deep. However, as I stated in my original review, the product is just so gentle (yet incredibly effective) that I believe all skin types can use this particular one, even the most sensitive. The grains are very fine and uniform and retain their texture even after mixing with water. It’s kind of like a pumped up version of Dermalogica’s, except it exfoliates better and foams up more (doubling as a light morning cleanser). Love this stuff!

Sensitive Skin or Oily, Acne-Prone Skin: Pure+Simple Organic Vanilla Cleansing Powder*

I love this one and have actually been meaning to write about it for a while–I’ve been using this product for almost a year now and it never fails to impress me! This product is a 3-in-1 cleanser/exfoliator/treatment mask. It contains an amazing blend of french clay and incredible organic ingredients like vanilla powder, colloidal oatmeal (I love using colloidal oatmeal on my face!), buttermilk powder, calendula, and more. You might notice that these are all incredibly soothing ingredients that have anti-inflammatory properties, which makes this great for even the most sensitive of skin types! But the clay also makes this really ideal for oily, problematic skin as well. I use it all the time when I am experiencing breakouts or just have a massive pimple. It  takes it down right away and leaves my skin clean, clear, smooth, and ultra soothed.

PS: apologies for the inconsistent background color. I tried my best but you know how it goes–some products bring out the violet and others bring out the blue. What can ya do?? (no really, that was not a rhetorical question; it’s driving me crazy! haha!)

*these products were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge for review purposes. Despite this, my opinions are always honest and I only included products in this post that I truly use and love

Just a quick filler post from me today–I wanted to say “hi” to you guys and also show you a quick pic of my current mani! I just did this the other night using Essie’s new for Summer 2013 Rock the Boat. Please don’t mind the messed up accent nail (done using Essie’s Set in Stones)–I was doing a rush-job with it and instead of a glitter gradient, I ended up with a glitter splotch Ah well…

Rock the Boat is very similar to Essie’s Bikini So Teeny except it’s not quite as bright and has a very subtle grey undertone to it. What you also don’t see is the tiny glass-fleck shimmers in the bottle. It’s subtle on the nail but still beautiful! For true color accuracy, refer to the color of the product in the bottle instead of on my nails (which, I think, appeared much brighter and more similar to Bikini So Teeny because of the 3 coats I applied and the blue sky background in the picture. Apologies!). You guys know I am obsessed with blue polishes and always look to Essie because they make such great ones! I am very happy with this polish–it’s stunning and so fun!

Oh, and one more thing before I go: I just updated my last review on Osmia Organics’ Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair to include a 10% discount code for The Beauty Sample readers! Be sure to check that out! (and yes, Tracy, they ship to Canada–I checked. Yaaay! )

Hope you all had a great day! Talk to you soon

♥Becca

*Update: I found a picture that was more true to color–here ya go!

PS: Lady says hi, too!

–Lady giving me the stink-eye because I won’t stop taking pics of her –

*This post has been updated to include a special offer. Scroll to the bottom of the post to read all about it!

Remember when I told you guys that I was obsessed with honey as an ingredient in my beauty products (click here for a refresher)?? Well the only thing I love more than honey is manuka honey! For those of you that don’t know, manuka honey is a honey that’s made by bees that pollinate the manuka bush, which is native to New Zealand. This honey is quite special–it’s said to posses powerful antibacterial properties (among other things) and is used to treat burn victims. If it’s used to treat burns, imagine the good it can do for chapped lips! So obviously when Osmia Organics contacted me about trying some of their products, I couldn’t resist giving the Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair a try!

The Lip Repair not only contains manuka honey but also rich cupuacu butter, tamanu oil, and wild myrrh CO2, another ingredient that possesses wound-healing properties. So really, this is different from all the other balms that I’ve tried in the past–it doesn’t just lock in moisture or add moisture, it actually repairs cracked, chapped, bleeding lips! Of course I had to give this a try, being in possession of one chronically dry pucker, and all!

The Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair is housed in a small frosted-glass pot with a matte silver lid. It’s a simple and clean design–I like it a lot. Of course, germaphobes that dislike lip balms housed in pots that they have to dip their fingers into won’t like this but I’ve never minded a potted balm–just keep your fingers clean and there’s no problem (I always carry hand sanitizer with me and will use it right before I apply my lip balm).

The Lip Repair has a dense, rich balm consistency–it’s thick and ever-so-slightly gooey in texture but not at all sticky. The brand’s website states that you should “‘break’ the surface of the balm with your clean finger (or the back of a clean fingernail) to get enough product.” Of course you could just swipe your finger back and forth across the surface of the balm until you’ve melted enough product off but that would take longer than just dipping the back of you nail into the balm and then picking up the product with your finger–it really does help.

Thanks to the lanolin and honey, the balm stays put on my lips for hours–about 4 to be exact. That’s better than about 90% of the balms I’ve used in the past! This staying-power really gives the balm a chance to absorb into the lips and work it’s magic.

The balm also has a very light honey and myrrh smell. It’s extremely light and pleasant–I think even the most sensitive and picky noses will be okay with this one!

Unlike other balms where you have to consistently use them to keep your good results or wait a week until you start to see improvement, Osmia Organics’ Lip Repair starts working instantly, showing an instant improvement on my flaky, cracked lips overnight and completely healing them within 2 days. My lips look smooth and supple. That, my friends, is the power of manuka honey and myrrh!

Now I know that recently, I have been raving about Hourglass’ Lip Treatment Oil but I’m going to have to admit something to you guys: Osmia Organics’ Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair is even better than that! I’m not kidding, this stuff is seriously amazing! Of course I still love the Lip Treatment Oil but let’s face it, it is seriously pricey. Not only that but I just don’t feel like when I apply it, my lips sigh in utter relief; I do feel that way with the Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair. I feel like it absorbs so much better and is much more healing. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that it’s almost half the price of the Lip Treatment Oil and it’s organic!

Of course, you don’t have to have wounded lips to love this one–it’s just a great balm overall! It wears well under my lipsticks and looks great on it’s own, lending a lovely, natural, glistening shine to my lips; perfect for day or night! It also works well as a healing, soothing balm for dry noses (Osmia Organics states that you can use it on or even in your nose–perfect for when you’re in an environment with such dry and/or cold air that it hurts to breath in and out), cuticles, elbows, wherever!

All in all, you bet I would recommend this one to anyone and everyone I know. Especially those with dry, painfully cracked lips; the Lip Repair will cushion, sooth, and nurture your lips back to health. Try it out and thank me later

»»Pricing: $22/0.28 oz.

»»Availability: OsmiaOrganics.com  (the brand does ship internationally)

»»Recommended for: anyone looking for an amazing, truly healing organic lip balm/overnight lip treatment

»»Overall Rating: A+

*UPDATE*: hey guys! I know many of you have expressed interest in this amazing lip treatment so I’m happy to announce that Sarah Villafranco, the beautiful and super sweet creator of Osmia Organics, has kindly offered The Beauty Sample readers a 10% discount code for any order that’s $15 or more!!   The limit is perfect if you just wanted to try the Honey-Myrrh Lip Repair out. Or, you could really take advantage and throw a few more goodies in there (I highly recommend the Active Gel Nutrient Serum, the Gentle Foaming Cleanser, and the Detox Exfoliating Mask [reviews to come]–they’re awesome!)

The code is “TBSTEN” and again, will be good for any order with a minimum purchase of $15. The code will be good for 1 month and is limited to 1 use per customer. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

I know I am always talking about how much I love the summer collections but it is still technically spring so, as a tribute to the season, I’ve decided to post my review of Lush’s Spring Tin, an adorable Roman Klonek-designed tin filled to the brim with spring-inspired bath goodies–just in time, too!

how cute is this tin?!!

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The Spring Tin includes 7 full-sized bath gems–4 from Lush’s permanent line and 3 limited edition items: The Brightside Bubble Bar (LE), Sugar Scrub, Secret Garden Bath Bomb (LE), Grass Shower Gel, Carrot Bubble Bar (LE), Bohemian Soap, and Avobath Bath Bomb. To avoid a horrendously long, rambling novel-esque review, I’ll try to limit my review to a paragraph for each product (this is going to be sooo hard!).

(1.) The Brightside Bubble Bar is a vibrant, energizing swirl of yellow, red and orange. It has a bright, punchy citrus scent which Lush describes as a “triple orange” scent. I can make out some of the bergamot but mainly is smells like a bundle–or crate–of zesty tangerines. The bar is pretty big and I recommend breaking it up into smaller pieces (I broke mine into 4 smaller chunks) so you can get more baths out of it. Breaking it up also helps tone down the smell. I can’t imagine how pungent a whole bar would be in a bath–I’d probably get a migraine from the strong scent! The bar is quite potent, though, so even using a fourth of it still creates quite a bit of suds and turns the bathwater a shocking orange hue. To use, just crumble the bar under running water and enjoy!

(2.) The Sugar Scrub is a light green, dome-shaped bar which consists of densely-packed, large sugar crystals. The bar does feel quite hard to the touch. I thought at first it felt too hard to possibly be used on my skin but once I was in the bath and used it on my wet skin, I was pleasantly surprised. It exfoliates nicely and has a pleasant, almost-lemony lavender scent–very fresh and light!  Be careful to get it too wet though, it will dissolve and crumble! For this reason, I recommend breaking it up into smaller pieces prior to getting in the bath/shower. If you use the whole bar all over your body, even if it doesn’t crumble mid-use, leaving all that water on it will eventually make it break down. Overall, really loved it though! My skin was so impossibly smooth and soft after using this just once! I also felt like it really helped with the small bumps I sometimes get on my upper arms and thighs.

(3.) The Secret Garden Bath Bomb contains beautiful notes of rose absolute, sweet wild orange, and rosewood oil. Once you drop it into the bath, it fizzes and swirls around the tub slowly, turning the bathwater a vibrant green and scattering real rose petals around, as well–so fun! Overall, I enjoyed using this (it was my very first Bath Bomb experience!). I do wish it offered more skincare benefits though, as I didn’t feel like it really conditioned my skin at all. I think these Bath Bombs are more for adding color and fragrance than for providing any skincare benefits, though.

(4.) Grass Shower Gel is a shower gel that smells like–you guessed it–grass. This was the product I was most excited to try. I love the smell of fresh cut grass and was hoping for a very similar, authentic fragrance. This shower gel smells mostly like neroli with just a touch of earthy bitterness, or what I’m assuming is the wheatgrass. It’s not quite what I had hoped for but it’s pleasant enough and I think it’s a great unisex shower gel. It has a nice gel consistency and foams up wonderfully in the shower. I like to get really sudsy when I bathe (even though I know sulfates are supposed to be bad–I can’t help it!), so this was definitely a plus for me.

(5.) Carrot Bubble Bar is a fun little bar that you hold by the “stem” (bits of green colored straw that is attached to the “carrot”) and swish around in the tub to create bubbles. The bar has a strong, orangey-lemon scent to it. It does fragrance the water but it doesn’t end up being unbearably strong like the Bath Bombs since you’re only swishing a little bit of the product into the bathwater and not dropping the whole thing in. The carrot does bubble up nicely, though I would recommend holding it under the running tap while the bath fills up to get even more bubbles–swirling it around in the stagnant water is not as effective and takes forever! The Carrot Bubble Bar is reusable–there are 7-10 uses in each one, so you’re really getting your money’s worth!

(6.) Bohemian Soap, again, smells like lemon, which as you can see by now is a prevalent theme in the Spring Tin. However the scent of this soap is the most true-lemon scent out of the bunch. It’s very light, bright, and cheery–it really smells like you’re holding a fresh lemon to your nose! This soap is palm-free and cleans/tones really well thanks to the lemon oil. It can be a tad bit drying, so those with drier skin beware! It’s perfect for my oily skin, though. I’ve also read on Lush’s website that this soap is perfect for “bacne”! The soap creates a light, thin lather–if you want to make it a bit more sudsy, I would recommend using a bath poufy with it.

(7.) Avobath Bath Bomb smells like lemongrass–it’s very fresh and invigorating. It is a bit lighter in scent than The Brightside Bubble Bar, Carrot Bubble Bar, or Secret Garden Bath Bomb but the smell is still quite strong. Still, I preferred this one to the Secret Garden Bath Bomb as I did feel it did a bit more for my skin, thanks to the avocado and olive oil in it. It might not be as colorful and fun to watch as the Secret Garden bomb but I like it a lot! It turns the bathwater a very light green. I ended up splitting this one in 2 so I could get more uses out of it–it still worked really well with even a half.

Even though Lush calls this the Spring Tin, I think it would work really, really well for summer too. The bright, effervescent scents really stimulate the senses and are peppy and uplifting, if not a little bit strong. Still, they’re sure to perk you up and leave you feeling awake and refreshed–and who wouldn’t want that in the dead of summer? I will say it again though, these products are most definitely not for the weak of heart…or nose, as the case may be. I don’t think of myself as being particularly sensitive to fragrance and even I struggled a bit with these.  There’s no denying that these are incredibly fun to use, though, and I definitely recommend this set to all Lush devotees and those who really enjoy taking long, leisurely baths. It’s a fun set to treat yourself with and when you’re done, the tin is really cute for storing makeup in!

»»Pricing: $56.95/7 products +reusable tin (The Brightside Bubble Bar=7 oz., Sugar Scrub=3.5 oz., Secret Garden Bath Bomb=3.5 oz., Grass Shower Gel=3.3 fl. oz., Carrot Bubble Bar=4.2 oz., Bohemian Soap=3.5 oz., and Avobath Bath Bomb=6.3 oz.)

»»Availability: Lush.com and Lush stores (this was a spring set so check the Lush location nearest you to see if they still have it!)

»»Recommended for: die-hard Lush fans; anyone that loves turning bathtime into play-time! ; anyone that isn’t very sensitive to fragrance

»»Overall Rating: A- (The Brightside Bubble Bar=A-, Sugar Scrub=A-, Secret Garden Bath Bomb=B+, Grass Shower Gel=A-, Carrot Bubble Bar=A, Bohemian Soap=A-, Avobath Bath Bomb=A)

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

I’m back with another The Beauty Picks post! This time, I’ll be outlining all my favorite oils for you, whether it’s for hair, face, body, lips, whatever! I mentioned this on twitter but I was really surprised when I thought of the idea to do this post because growing up, I always equated the word “oil” with “breakouts”. From magazines, I was taught at a young age that oils were a big no-no for those with oily skin, like me. I religiously went oil-free with all my products, from moisturizer to foundation, for years. As I got older, however, and oil treatments became more and more of a “thing”, I realized that even those with the most oily or acneic skin could indulge in these wondrous oils–it was just all about finding the right one for your skin type! So I decided to put together a post highlighting some of my recommendations for each skin type or use. I hope you enjoy!

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1. Face (Oily Skin): Caudalie Vinopure Balancing Concentrate (aka: Vinopure Purifying Concentrate)

This product was unfortunately discontinued in March but it still is available on Beauty.com and a few other sites online. If you can find it, I highly recommend swiping it up! This is a great option for oily skin. With regular use, it leaves your skin calm and less oily overall. It doesn’t leave a shiny, greasy finish, smells wonderfully invigorating, and doesn’t break me out. Sad they discontinued it :/

2. Face (Dry and/or Dehydrated Skin): Nude Skincare Pro-Genius Treatment Oil*

I received this one a little while ago and while I love it, I don’t think it’s ideal for my acne-prone skin as it broke me out after I used it for 3 nights in a row. It did work well when used sparingly though, providing intense hydration and ridding me of any flaky bits overnight. For this reason, I use it as an emergency hydrating product–especially during the winter-but other than that, I’ve relegated its use to the backs of my hands. I think it would be an amazing option for extremely dry and/or dehydrated skin though. I can just imagine dry skin drinking this stuff up in an instant! It really plumps and smooths the skin beautifully. It might be a bit pricey but it truly works!

3. Face (All Skin Types): May Lindstrom The Youth Dew* (review to come)

Ahh…words can’t describe how much I love this oil. I won’t say too much since I have a review for it coming up but I will say that if you haven’t tried this or anything else from May’s line, you need to do so immediately! The well-edited 4-piece line doesn’t leave you feeling confused or overwhelmed–each product is designed to work with all skin types and does what it says it will do. The Youth Dew is SO light and silky smooth, it absorbs into the skin almost immediately and leaves behind the most beautiful, velvety finish. I love this stuff! Again, for my skin type I try not to use it for more than 2 nights in a row but so far, so good–no breakouts!

4. Face (All Skin Types): Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate

This was actually my very first face oil and I couldn’t have made a better choice. It really sinks into the skin quite beautifully and while it does a good job of hydrating, it’s not too rich or heavy–perfect for all skin types! I have never broken out from this but then, I’ve also never used it for longer than 4 consecutive days for fear or breakouts. Still, my oily skin wouldn’t need much more than that anyway–by then, the oil concentrate would’ve already done it’s job and hydrated and conditioned my skin. I would then switch to my stronger skincare products until I needed a little extra TLC again.

What I also love about this one is the lovely calming lavender scent. A trick of mine is to put 3-4 drops on my fingers and slightly warm it up then press into my pillow case. The lavender scent is soothing at night and helps me fall asleep (I used to put it on my girlfriends’ pillows all the time when they couldn’t sleep!). An added bonus: it lightly conditions your skin and hair overnight!

5. Face (Very Dry or Mature Skin Types): REN Bio-Retinoid Anti-Ageing Concentrate*

My apologies–I forgot to photograph this one along with the others. But I have reviewed it before so click on the link above if you’re interested in seeing it.

This oil is very rich and smells so heavenly–like apricots! It also contains natural retinol so it’s a great, natural anti-aging product for mature skin!

6. Hair: Leonor Greyl Huile de Palme*

Hands down the best hair oil I have ever tried. I don’t know if I’ve told you guys this but the smell of a hair product is a huge factor in whether or not I will use it/like it. I am very picky about how my hair smells, which is about 90% of the reason I don’t use hair styling products–I just don’t like how most of them smell. But I loove how this hair oil smells. It works really well as a leave-in hair treatment but I also use it as a styling product of sorts. I find that a few drops applied to the ends of my hair after showering not only keeps my hair soft and shiny but also gives me those gorgeous, slightly peice-y separated ends that everyone loves. It also protects your hair from the sun. I’ve been spending a lot of time outside so I like that it makes my hair look and feel good and helps keep it looking that way!

7. Body: May Lindstrom The Good Stuff* (review to come)

Another winner from May Lindstrom’s beautiful artisanal luxury brand, this body oil is one of the lightest, silkiest oils I have ever tried. Not only is the texture beautiful but it’s wonderfully hydrating, smells amazing, and the little golden shimmer particles really add a luxe feel! Can’t wait to tell you guys more about this one!

8. Body: Bare Love Beauty Luxury Body Fuel*

I received this one recently and have been using it after showering. It leaves my limbs feeling so smooth, silky, and hydrated! But the real winner for me is the smell. I don’t usually like vanilla scents (or any gourmand-type scents, really) but this body oil changed my mind. It’s very sweet but somehow doesn’t enter into “cloying” territory; it almost smells like a creamy vanilla soy latte. The scent supremely delectable without making me nauseous.

9. Nails/Cuticles: CND SolarOil

This is a great cuticle oil–it’s not greasy but it’s really rich and does an amazing job at moisturizing my raggedy cuticles. No matter how cracked and bleeding my cuticles are, one night’s use of CND’s SolarOil is enough to bring them back to life. With regular use, they look great–always in tip-top shape!

I recently tried Essie’s Apricot Oil for cuticles and while I did like it, I went back to CND because it didn’t contain alcohol or a jumble of other chemicals like Essie’s did–it just contains oil and a bit of fragrance. It’s also nice that SolarOil is easily available at the drugstore–I buy mine at CVS.

10. Lips: Hourglass N°28 Lip Treatment Oil*

Another pretty recently reviewed product–click on the link to read more. This is the first oil-type lip treatment I’ve tried and I was blown away. I use this every single night and my lips have never looked better! Love love love this product!

Remember, if you ever purchase an oil that turns out to be too rich for your skin, you can always use the product on the backs of your hands and décolleté. It really makes a difference and will help keep those areas (which are among some of the first to show age) looking plump and youthful! I like to apply an oil treatment to my hands every night and seal it in with a rich hand cream. Try it–it really works!

*these products were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge for review purposes. Despite this, my opinions are always honest and I only included products in this post that I truly use and love

As a makeup devotee, there are many brands that I love–I could never choose just one favorite. It’s always a treat to see what brands’ have in store for each new seasonal collection. But there is one brand’s collections in particular that I’ve come to really look forward to lately; that brand is Paul & Joe. My first experience with the brand was when I tested their Holiday 2012 set last year. Since then, I’ve eagerly awaited each new collection they’ve put out. To me, Paul & Joe’s collections always seem so fresh and spirited, no matter what the season. They just have a way of injecting their particular brand of charm and whimsy to everything they do and every product they put out.

The Summer Creation 2013 Beach Baby collection includes 20 pieces, including 5 limited-edition shades of their Eye Gloss & Lip Gloss Duos (Santa Monica, Nice, Monaco, Maui, Bahamas). Today, I’ll be showing you the Eye Gloss & Lip Gloss Duos in 003 Monaco and 004 Maui.

Monaco ingredients (click to enlarge):

Maui ingredients (click to enlarge):

Monaco is described as having “sandy beige notes [that] add a natural glow”. The eyeshadow is a very sheer, antiqued-golden brown shot through with a generous helping of gold shimmer and very fine, silvery micro-glitter. The lip gloss end is a very pale milky-beige that goes on translucent. It contains some pink and multi-tonal micro-shimmer that can be seen in the tube but once on the lips, it’s not very noticeable at all. The Maui duo is described as a nectarine and lemon that “add[s] a kiss of citrus style”. The eyeshadow is a light, lemony-gold with iridescent pink and golden micro-shimmer. The lip gloss is a stunning mid-tone, slightly milky coral-orange.

The Eye Gloss & Lip Gloss Duo comes packaged in a plastic double-ended wand. The tubes holding the product unscrew and reveal a doe-foot applicator on each side. Both ends are printed in white with Paul & Joe’s stunning chrysanthemum prints.

Both the eye glosses and lip glosses have the very faint traditional Paul & Joe fragrance to them; it’s really not heavy at all. I say if you’re going to add fragrance to a product, make it light and innocuous at least. Paul & Joe has done just that so I think that even though it contains fragrance, even those with sensitive noses will be able to handle these.

The Eye Glosses are very light and smooth. They are water-based and as such, feel very cool and wet on the eyes–very refreshing. Even though it’s quite a wet formula, the shadows do dry down pretty quickly–in under a minute–especially if you blend them out with either a finger or brush. The thicker the layer, the longer it will take to set.

Both shades are fairly sheer, the Monaco shadow quite a bit sheerer than the Maui one. You can layer the shadow for more intense pigment. However, it is worth noting that if you apply too thick a layer and fail to blend it out, it can end up looking a bit dry and crusty. Not to worry though–as long as you apply one thin, even layer at a time and blend between each layer, you’ll be fine and be able to build up the opacity easily. I got the best results when I dotted the doe-foot applicator along my lid about 3-4 times then used my finger to blend the eyeshadow across my lid in a gentle patting motion.

The Monaco gloss, as I mentioned, goes on clear, basically. I was a bit disappointed with it and do wish it were a hair more pigmented. But it is a nice clear gloss and layers beautifully over my stains and lipsticks. Maui, on the other hand, is surprisingly pigmented. The touch of milkiness really adds a beautiful finish to the lips. It is hands-down my new absolute favorite lip gloss! Both lip glosses had a nice medium consistency that helped it stay put on the lips for about 4 1/2 hours. They kept my lips moisturized and weren’t sticky at all.

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Without primer, both shadows showed a tiny amount of creasing just at the inner corner of my lid within about 2 hours. With primer, the shadows lasted about 7 1/2 hours before I saw a bit of creasing. Fortunately, I do want to note that the creasing isn’t noticeable at all since both shades are very shimmery and not super pigment heavy. I didn’t experience any migration or fall-out from the micro-glitter/shimmer.

Overall, I like these a lot and am very glad to have them join my makeup arsenal for summer. These duos won’t be for everyone but for Paul & Joe lovers and anyone looking for a fun, shiny, easy-to-wear 2-in-1 product, you have to check these out. I have to say, they pair beautifully with clean, minimal makeup. Just a bare complexion with perhaps a slight, creamy flush on the cheeks, a bit of black or, better yet, dark brown liner smudged onto the upper lashline, and black mascara. Add the eye gloss (I like to just apply it across my lid, being careful not to extend it too far past the crease because then, it’s kind of a “controlled” sparkle!) and lip gloss and you’ll be set for the bright, sunshine-y day. It feels very effortless and fun–which is the way makeup is supposed to be during the summer!

»»Pricing: $34/Eye Gloss=0.11 oz. (3.3 g.) & Lip Gloss=0.08 oz. (2.5 g.)

»»Availability: b-glowing.com, BeautyHabit.com, Bergdorf Goodman (in-store at NYC location only)

»»Recommended for: anyone looking for a fun 2-in-1 product that’s perfect for toting around on summer beach days!

»»Overall Rating: A-

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

I just wanted to give you guys a quick peek at some products I’ll be testing for the next week or so. Say hello to all the pretties from Senna’s Spring 2013 collection! I’m super excited to try the Barely Base, the lovely blush, and those 2 stunningly vibrant glosses! I’ve loved everything I’ve tried from Senna so far so I do not expect to be disappointed!

Hope you all are having a fantastic week so far! Stay tuned for the reviews coming up!! ♥

You know that beauty urban legend of sorts that has been circling the web about how the average woman consumes between 5-10 lbs. of lipstick in her lifetime? Though the facts are debatable (you’d have to not only purchase but completely use up hundreds upon hundreds of lipsticks in your lifetime in order to accidentally consume anywhere near even 5 lbs. of product!), it kinda gets you thinking about the products you’re wearing on your lips, doesn’t it? If I were going to accidentally ingest anything, I would hope it’d be an all-natural product made with food-grade ingredients instead of packed full of complicated and potentially harmful chemicals. That’s where BITE Beauty comes in…

BITE Beauty’s motto is “Natural, anti-aging beauty for lips that’s good enough to eat.” The brand’s focus is lip products, with each creation carefully formulated with the best of the best, lip-nurturing, food-grade ingredients and spiked with antioxidant-rich Resveratrol for good measure. Their line covers everything from bold matte lips to soft,shiny, semi-sheer tints. Today, I’ll be showing you their Lush Lip Tints in the shades Juice and Tangelo.

ACTIVE INGREDIENTS

10 mg Trans-Resveratrol from red wine polyphenol & polygonum cuspidatum

OTHER INGREDIENTS

Organic Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Organic Argania spinosa (Argan) Oil, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Triisostearyl Citrate, Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, Euphorbia Cerifera (Candelilla) Wax, Organic Cera alba (Beeswax), Acacia Decurrens/Jojoba/ Sunflower Seed Wax/ Polyglyceryl-3 Esters, Siraitia Grosvenorii Fruit Extract, Polygonum Cuspidatum Extract, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Vine Extract, Tocopherol, +/-, Titanium Dioxide (CI 77891), Iron Oxides (CI 77489, CI 77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Carmine (CI 75470), FD&C Blue No. 1 (CI 42090), FD&C Yellow No. 5 (CI 19140), FD&C Yellow No. 6 (CI 15985), FD&C Red No. 40 (CI 16035), Manganese Violet (CI 77742)

The Lush Lip Tints strike the perfect balance between rich, pigmented color and sheer, moisturizing balm. The formula is packed with organic oils and fruit butters. You may have also noticed that each product features a white core in the middle in the shape of a “B”–so adorable! This unique moisturizing core is packed full of Resveratrol–a powerful antioxidant. The core is 10 mg. in size, which is roughly equal to 10 glasses of red wine! That’s a lot of antioxidant power!

Juice is a light-medium watermelon pink. Tangelo is a soft, light-medium orange with slight pinky tones. On my lips, it turns a beautiful coral-orange. The shade will vary depending on how pigmented your lips naturally are. Both shades are so, so lovely on and really are perfect for spring/summer. According to BITE, the colored part of the product contains a soft pearl highlighter to “make lips look plump and healthy”. The finish is quite glossy and luminous, giving the lips a very lush, juicy look but to be honest, I am unable to pinpoint any pearliness to the finish.

–Juice on left, Tangelo on right–

–another view of the moisturizing core–

The Lip Tints are packaged in an elongated, charcoal-black metal tube with a matte, slightly rubberized outer coating. It’s a very simple yet sleek and sophisticated presentation. The packaging has a nice heft to it and the cap shuts with a very satisfying and secure click. They have a slightly sweet and fruity scent and taste to them but it’s very light and un-offending. The texture of these is very, very smooth and balmy. Tangelo is just a hair creamier than Juice, which is a bit more slick and balmy. Both are wonderfully moisturizing, though, and lend a beautiful, glossy shine to the lips. I wouldn’t exactly call this product a tinted balm–it’s more a sheer lipstick, I think. The color is sheer with one pass but you can build up the color to a solid light-medium coverage that still retains its lovely translucency. I think everyone will love these Lip Tints–there’s enough pigment to satisfy even the most devoted lipstick-lovers yet sheer and balmy enough for lipstick-phobes like me.

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Not only was the formula phenomenal but the longevity was nothing to sniff at either. Both Tangelo and Juice wore for almost 4 hours on my lips–not bad at all! The verdict? Love love love these! These have already become some of my most coveted lip products. I cannot wait to get my hands on more (check out Lychee and Black Currant–gorgeous!). I think this is the perfect lippie to take you from spring and into summer. It’s easy to customize you coverage from sheer to light-medium, leaves your lips soft and conditioned, and the shades are absolutely to-die-for! I am so happy I finally gave BITE Beauty a try–it’s definitely everything I had hoped it would be and more! So what about you guys? Have you tried anything from BITE Beauty yet? Will you be checking out these Lush Lip Tints?

»»Pricing: $24/0.13 oz.

»»Availability: at select Sephora locations and Sephora.com (Sephora is the exclusive retailer for this product)

»»Recommended for: anyone looking for the perfect sheer pop of color for summer!

»»Overall Rating: A+

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

Despite having quite oily skin, powder foundations (along with matte foundations, as I will get to in another foundation review coming up) have always been something I’ve shied away from. Just the thought of an obviously powdery, caked-on complexion strikes fear into my liquid foundation-loving heart. But then a while ago, I finally gave into my skin’s craving for a drier formula and bought the ever popular bareMinerals Matte Mineral Foundation. After a few uses, I was left not so afraid of powder foundations but also not very impressed. I tried to give up the idea that a powder foundation could ever hold up to a liquid foundation but kept hearing so many good things about them. So I decided to give it one more shot with the Gorgeous Cosmetics’ Powder Perfect Powder Foundation.

Gorgeous Cosmetics, as you know, is fairly new to the U.S (see my reviews for their Colour Pro Blush and iINK Liquid Eye Pencil). The brand describes this product as a “triple milled foundation powder [that] feels as soft as silk. Illuminative properties correct and even the appearance of skin tone, providing a naturally healthy finish.” You can use this powder alone as a light base that subtly corrects and perfects the skin while still allowing the skin’s natural beauty to shine through. You can also use it to set liquid foundations for more added coverage and shine-control.

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The foundation comes packaged in Gorgeous Cosmetics’ signature rubberized black compact, similar to Nars’ packaging. There are 2 tiers inside: the top tier holds the powder foundation while the bottom is a small compartment that holds the accompanying sponge applicator. The powder itself is embossed with the Gorgeous Cosmetics “g” logo.

I received the shade PP-03 to review. I would call it a light-medium yellow beige. Now I have to say first of all that the powder looks a lot lighter in the pan than it does on the skin. When I first received this, I thought there was absolutely no way this shade would suit my NC25-ish skin–it just looked so pale! But I gave it a try and was amazed that it blended beautifully on my skin. This is in part, however, due to the powder oxidizing just a bit. Within about a minute of application, it darkens slightly to become my perfect shade. I personally don’t mind since in this case, it works to my advantage, but I know this will bother some people.

Now the texture of the powder itself is very nice. It’s incredibly finely milled and silky to the touch–dense but smooth. It definitely applies that way, too. Because of the fine texture, it does have a tendency to kick up dust if I use a harder brush but with a sponge or very soft, dense kabuki, I have no problems.

When applied with a brush, I get a sheer-light overall coverage. It’s quick, it evens out my skin tone, diffuses some of the redness around my nose area, and it doesn’t sink into my pores (a huge problem I had with the BM foundation). It doesn’t cover all the dark redness on and around my nose, though, and it definitely doesn’t cover any of my discoloration or scars around my face like the BM foundation does. For this reason, I have taken to either just using the BM foundation or, if I have more time, applying some concealer around my problem areas and then doing a quick sweep all over with the Powder Perfect Powder Foundation.

When applied with the accompanying sponge, I get a solidly light coverage. I do prefer application with a brush, though. I found that when I applied it with a sponge, it did look pretty powdery and dry. It doesn’t stay that way, though–after a couple minutes on the skin, it has lost its powdery look and melds into the skin. Still, applying with a dense kabuki brush avoids that problem entirely and creates a softer, more natural and diffused look.

The Powder Perfect foundation lasted about 3-4 hours (depending on the weather) on my skin before I needed to blot. Overall, the foundation lasted almost 8 hours on my skin before I felt I needed to reapply.

–PP-03 swatches heavily on left and blended on right. I know it’s really hard to see the product but I thought I’d include swatches anyway. Click the image to enlarge–

I’d say this is a good powder but it’s definitely not for those looking for a true powder foundation and definitely doesn’t take the place of a liquid base, for me. I think this one’s best suited for those with nearly perfect skin who just need a light powder for evening out the skin tone and taking care of shine. Since I don’t even have close to perfect skin, I can’t say I fell in love with this. Still, it is quite nice and I like that it comes in 12 shades. I’ve been super impressed with everything else I’ve tried from the brand though so definitely do check them out if you get the chance!

»»Pricing: $46/0.5 oz. (12 g.)

»»Availability: Nordstrom.com and GorgeousCosmetics.com

»»Recommended for: those with normal to oily skin who don’t need much coverage at all

»»Overall Rating: B

Disclaimer: the product(s) featured in this post were provided to The Beauty Sample free of charge by the manufacturer/PR for review purposes only. Regardless of how the product was obtained, my priority is to you, my readers, and I will always give you my honest opinion.

Have I ever told you guys that I have a serious weakness for beauty products with names that pertain to food? Example: Lid Smoothie. Skin Food. Lip Butter. Soufflé Blush. This may or may not also be about 90% of the reason I am dying to try the new Josie Maran Coconut Watercolor Cheek Gelées. But I digress–when I was at the Dior counter a few weeks ago to purchase the new Diorskin Nude Tan Paradise Duo Iridescent Blush & Bronzing Powder, these new Jelly Lip Pens caught my eye immediately. Doesn’t it just sound so squishy and delicious?? Who could resist a name so cute?!!

The Jelly Lip Pen is a brand new, limited-edition product from Dior’s Bird of Paradise Collection. They describe it as “a true beauty multitasker” that features “an exclusive jelly-like formula [that] is available in richly saturated hues offering an all-in-one treatment to deliver the hydration of a balm, high shine of a gloss and pigment of a lipstick.” The Jelly Lip Pens are available in 3 shades: Copacabana, Carioca, and Gaïa.

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Gaïa is a light-medium, brightened watermelon-pink with silver micro-shimmer. It’s a gorgeous shade for spring and summer! I actually meant to pick up Carioca because, as you know, I just can’t resist a warm, pinky-peach/apricot ever, but I accidentally went home with Gaïa instead. Still, when I came home and pulled off the cap, I was instantly smitten. I don’t have a shade quite like it in my lip collection–it’s beautiful!

Unfortunately, it is quite sheer–sheerer than I was hoping for it to be (and I love sheer lip color) and definitely not the “richly saturated hues” that Dior promised. The bright, juicy pink comes through just a bit better in my swatches than on my lips. It’s not quite as bright and the kick of watermelon is toned down but still, it lends a really pretty, happy pink flush to the lips.

The formula is really nice though, but not quite as “jelly-like” as I was expecting. The finish, however, is quite luscious and shiny–very jelly-like, indeed. The Jelly Lip Pen is pretty firm and retains it’s shape/tip nicely despite me pressing on it quite firmly and swatching on my arm back and forth several times. It applies smoothly and evenly and is really moisturizing, as well. I didn’t have any problems with flakiness or dryness when wearing this and once it has worn off, it leaves my lips feeling conditioned and smooth.

Gaïa does have a very, very slight sweet, fruity scent to it–it’s hardly noticeable at all in the tube and I didn’t even catch a whiff of it on my lips.

Gaïa wore for a little over 2 hours on my lips without eating or drinking. It’s not the best I’ve tried but not bad for a moisturizing, sheer formula. I definitely don’t think you necessarily “need” this one though. It really is nice–I like everything about it, from the beautiful color to the moisturizing formula to the shiny finish to the sleek, convenient packaging. But you definitely are paying the price for a Dior lip product when you could get pretty much the same product for much cheaper.

However, if you love Dior and love a good tinted balm in chubby lip pencil format, you will love this one! It’s beautiful–there’s no doubt about that!

»»Pricing: $26/0.097 oz. (2.75 g.)

»»Availability: Nordstrom, Macys, Bloomingdale’s, Dior.com, and all Dior counters

»»Recommended for: everyone!

»»Overall Rating: B+