{Review} H20+ Body Oasis Intensive Hydrating Gel

If you've been reading my blog for a while now you know that I love finding interesting H20+ products at TJ Maxx and Marshalls. Usually they are products that I absolutely love. While I've nearly finished this moisturizer and I like it, I can't say that I love it, and for a few reasons.


So what this is is a hydrating body gel. I love gel moisturizers. As someone with oily skin, I always look for light feeling hydrating gels, especially in the summer. And I love how the gel is blue. It really reminded me of a few Bliss products that I've tried in the past. I think that's what drew me to this gel.


The idea behind H20+ products is that they're supposedly filled with really really good things for skin. According to H20+ this gel contains mineralized sea water, unspecified marine extracts, vitamins A, C, E, Provitamin B, antioxidants, and amino acids. And it supposedly can also be used as a hydrating body mask. I remember reviewing Cliniques Moisture Surge gel (review here) and on that gl it also says that you can use it as amaks, but honestly I fail to see how that could possibly be better than just letting the gel be absorbed.


One place where this moisturizer fails is the dispenser. It would be a nice pump, but only with a facial product. It dispenses entirely too little product for body use and I constantly have to pump and pump and pump more out. I do like how I can twist and lock it though. It makes traveling with it a lot easier.


It looks very very blue when firs squeezed out, but worry not, it goes on clear. It looks like tooth paste lol!


My skin looks really nice after I've applied it right? Very smooth and hydrated. Or so you would think. Honestly, this gel is no where near as hydrating as the words "oasis" and "quenching" on the package lead me to believe. It is very very lightly moisturizing. Lighter I would even say than my Clinique Moisture Surge for face. I apply this and within hours my skin feels dry again. In addition, contrary to what the package says, it does leave a STICKY residue on my skin and hands after application. I've never had a gel do this. My skin felt sticky, like there was a film on it and I had to actually wash my hands after I applied it. It didn't feel like it had gotten absorbed, more like it dried. As much as I wanted to like this product, I just can't recommend it. For the retail price of $32 I was expecting a lot more. The only saving grace here is that I got it on clearance at TJMaxx for $3.

Info:

Price: $32 (retail)

Ingredients: Water (Aqua), Propylene Glycol, PEG-12 Dimethicone, Glycerin, Glycereth-7, Cyclopentasiloxane, Dimethicone Crosspolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Triethanolamine, Glyceryl Acrylate/Acrylic Acid, Copolymer, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Panthenol, Fragrance (Parfum), Benzophenone-4, Linalool, Butylene Glycol, Ulva Lactuca Extract, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Sodium Hyaluronate, Undaria Pinnatifida Extract, Crithmum Maritimum Extract, Green 5 (CI 61570), Fucus Vesiculosus Extract, Yellow 5 (CI 19140)

{Favorites} January 2011 (VERY Pic Heavy)

So I've decided to post my monthly favorites. I know that some bloggers have been doing this for years, but I just haven't had the time till now. Be prepared, though, this is a very long post. I've got my favorite makeup, skin/hair stuff, and this month I do have a few perfumes I've been wearing obsessively! Enjoy!

1. Makeup:

Kinda clockwise from the shadow: Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, Benefit Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit, Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R, Sally Hansen Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronzer in Rio Glow.

Kinda clockwise from the shadow: Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent, Benefit Cream Eyeshadow in Birthday Suit, Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R, Sally Hansen Carmindy Sheerest Cream Bronzer in Rio Glow.

Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage ($16)

Tis is a great color for when I don't feel like wearing a lot of eyeshadow. I'e just been putting this all over my lid, slightly above the crease, and then using my Lancome Artliner in Plum. It's such a pretty combo!

Benefit Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit ($19)

I looked at my Benefit cream shadows just lately for the first time in months and noticed that Birthday Suit was starting to crease, so I figured that I'd really start using it so that it doesn't got to waste. I love the color! I'ver really been into metallics lately and this color is the perfect in between for people who like silver and gold.

Lancome Artliner in Plum ($29)

If you've been reading my blog you know how much I love my Lancome Artliners! They're the perfect liquid liners. The tip is just different from most other liquid liners and makes it really easy to line. It isn't normally as wet as it looks above. I accidentally left it upside down overnight :( When I finish this one, I want to try the L'Oreal version of it.

NYC Smooth Skin Loose Powder in Translucent ($3)

This is just a great no frills cheap powder. It doesn't add anything in terms of coverage, but just sets my makeup and makes my face matte. It's a really great value. The sifter is a bit large, but I just dump some out into the cap, swirly, and apply, just like a mineral foundation. It's definitely not a travel item, though.

Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer ($8)

This stuff isn't as good as UDPP because it does crease by the end of the day. Not as much as if I didn't wear a primer, but I never have any creasing with UDPP at the end of the day. If you are looking for a decent cheaper alternative, this is currently on sale at Sephora for $8.

Prescriptives Camolflage Concealer in Light B/R ($20)

I've been breaking out a bit lately so I've been using this concealer. I'm almost done with it. I lost my Smashbox HD Concealer, which is my fave, so I've been using this. It covers really well and stays put all day. I like the dispenser a bit better than the one for Smashbox concealer (which is like a squeeze tube lip gloss) because I waste less with this fine tip.

Some swatches:

Swathces top to bottom: Sally Hansen Carmindy Bronzer, Benefit Cream Shadow in Birthday Suit, Jemma Kidd Eyeshadow in Vintage, Lancome Artliner in Plum, Sephora Tricks of the Trade Eye Primer, and Prescriptives Camoulflage Concealer in Light B/R.

2. Skin/Hair:

L to R: Pssssst Dry Shampoo, DDF Aloe Toning Complex, Philosophy Hope in a Jar, and Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream.

Pssssst Instant Dry Shampoo ($6.99)

When I got my hair cut, I had some bangs cut in and since I've got oily skin they tend to get oily faster because the lay against my forehead all day. I just use this to refresh my bangs. Since I don't use this all over my head, I don't really deal with the gray cast people sometimes complain about. I've heard that Suave is coming out with a really great dry shampoo for $2, so I am really interested in trying it out after I finish this one.

DDF Aloe Toning Complex ($32 for 8oz)

I bought this on sale at TJ Maxx for $3. you can't get the 4.5 oz size anymore, but you can get the 8 oz size at Sephora. I like this for spraying on my face when I feel like my makeup looks heavy. It just makes everything sink into my skin really nice and it gives a bit of hydration also. I feel like it calms my skin so I also use it on my face before applying my makeup. I keep it in my bag (that's why it looks so beat up, lol!) to spray throughout the day.

Philosophy Hope in a Jar ($38 for 2oz)

You can't buy this in the 1 oz jar anymore, but I'm kinda glad I bought the smaller jar because a little of this goes a long long way. I've been using this on small dry patches all over. I have oily skin so I don't use this all over my face, but it's great for around my chin and the tip of my nose where I get rally dry and rough in the winter. I also use it on super dry patches on my neck, hands, elbows, and feet. You need the tiniest amount and it works miracles!

I've had it for almost a hear and I'm not even half way through yet.

Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream ($19.99)

Ever since I've started to wear my contacts on a daily basis my eyes have been pretty sore. I guess my eyes just don't like contacts. Or the other way around, lol! My eyes have been getting sore and puffy and this is great for getting rid of the puff in the morn before I apply my makeup. I don't really need anything anti-wirnk, so I can't speak for it's effectiveness in that area, but from the reviews I've read online I've heard great things. And $20 for an eye cream really isn't that much, even for 1/2 an oz.

The fine tip makes it super easy to get the smallest amount out so that I minimize waste. I really dislike eye creams that come in little pots.

Some swatches:

Top: Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream. Bottom: Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

Top: Boots No 7 Protect and Perfect Eye Cream. Bottom: Philosophy Hope in a Jar.

Protect and Perfect is a thin eye cream. I don't like the super thick ones because I feel like they're too rich and seep down my face and make my cheeks and nose oily. Hope in a Jar is a thicker balm like cream. It really is great anywhere where you need some deep moisture quick!

I'm almost done with it!!!

3. Perfumes:

L to R: Calvin Klein Eternity, Bodycology Pick Me, Calvin Klein Eternity Moment.

I've really been into the more floral perfumes lately, maybe cause I'm pining for spring, haha! I've been using one of these three daily for the past month. Sometimes I mix them. They smell soooo delicious!!!

L to R: Calvin Klein Eternity, Bodycology Pick Me, Calvin Klein Eternity Moment.

Some pretty pictures:

I've got Eternity in a purse size from Marshalls for $10. Such a bargain!

I love the simple, yet sophisticated and elegant packaging of Eternity Moment! Soooo pretty!

Bodycology's Pick Me is $10 retail, but I found it at Kmart for $2! It smells really fruity, but also fresh, not sickly sweet like candy. My only complaint about it is that the packaging is a bit flimsy. The little plastic cap came off and the tip tends to leak a little bit w/out it, so I never cary it in my purse anymore.

I've been using them so much that I'm almost done with all 3!!! I always get compliments when I mix and match them, too! Something you might want to try at home with your perfumes.

That's it for now! I really look forward to doing more monthly favorites in the future!

{Empties} A Butter & A Cream

I finally finished my Bodycology Body Butter in Grapefruit and my body cream from Bath and Body Works in Dancing Waters. I took this pic a couple of weeks ago, and have since then polished off the rest of the body butter :(


I can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment, though, haha! I haven't finished a lotion in a long long time. I'm going to start a project 10 pan challenge, and I'll keep posted with my progress!

Review: Bath & Body Works Dancing Waters Triple Moisture Body Cream

So today's review is for something I just recently realized that I am almost through with, and it is Bath & Body Works Dancing Waters Triple Moisture Body Cream. Now, I'm not a really big fan of many Bath & Body Works scents just because they smell too sweet/sugary or fake. Dancing waters, however, as well as their cucumber scent, is not too overpowering. It smells fresh and clean, so it's perfect for everyday use. My boyfriend is picky about lotions and stuff because he usually doesn't like the scents, but I would actually catch him using this stuff when he was over, which says a lot, haha! I think a lot of guys would like this scent. It actually kinda smells like mens cologne or shaving cream, but in a nice-not-too-strong way.

I don't know if you can tell, but I've used this cream so much that the clear part of the container has actually yellowed a bit!


Used a ton!!! It usually takes me months to go through a lotion, simply because I have a lot of them, but I've been liking this one so much that I've been using it consistently out of the shower.


It's a simple squeeze tube.


The texture of this cream is perfect, absolutely perfect. It's in between a thicker lotion and a body butter. Not so thin that it runs, and not so thick that it's difficult to spread. It's like a body butter in that if I put a glob of this on my hand and turn it upside down, it won't drip.

Rubbed in:


More rubbed in:

I don't know if you can see, but the more it is rubbed in, it kinda melts a bit. Where as body butters (the thicker ones from Bodycology, for ex), then to stay thick and in turn be difficult to rub in. This one softens rubs in beautifully. I love you it is as moisturizing as a very thick body butter, but without any of the greasy residue you get from cheaper butters. Also, I tend to not use body butters on my neck, shoulders, back, etc because I sometimes get the odd pimple there and I don't want to risk clogging the pores. I don't have to worry about that with this one. In all the time I've used this lotion I have never broken out because of it, which is awesome if you do have an issue with bacne. The big selling point of this cream is that it is extremely moisturizing. I put this on once and my skin is good for the day. If you have very dry skin, I highly recommend you try this cream!!! It's $12 retail, but Bath and Body Works often has sales where you can get them much cheaper.

Pros:
-Non-greasy
-Super moisturizing
-Doesn't break me out
-Absorbs quickly
-Reasonable price

Cons:
-None that I can think of!

Price: $12

Ingredients: water, mineral oil, glyceryl stearate SE, Isopropyl palmitate, stearic acid, glyceryl stearate, fragrance, sweet almond oil, avacado oil, honey extract, lemon extract, calendula flower extract, hops extract, pinus cone extract, rosemary leaf extract, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, bromelain, papin, cetyl alcohol, dimethicone, lanolin, triethanolamine, propylene glycol, disodium edta, imidazolidinyl urea, methylparaben, propylparaben, alpha-isomethyl ionone, benzyl alcohol, benzyl salicylate, butylphenol methylpropional, citral, citronellol, limonene, geraniol, hexyl cinnamal, hydroxycitronellol. hydroxyisohexyl 3-cyclohexene, carboxaldehyde, linalool.

Disclosure: The product featured in this post was purchased by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any more questions about disclosure don't hesitate to ask in comments!

{Tip Thursday} 5 Ways To Make Your Skin Care Products Last Longer

Another new segment! I think Tip Thursday's will allow me to give a lot of info and tips concisely and quickly! Let me know what you think, whether or not these hints are helpful, and if you have any hints yourself!

1. Apply your lotion, cream, or body butter on damp skin after a shower. This is a biggie for me. When you do this, the product of your choice spreads easier so you get the same result with a lot less product and hassle. This is especially true with some body butters (like the Bodycology ones) that are very thick. The only reason I use so much is because otherwise it is very difficult to spread on the skin. This also works with facial skin care. Simply apply your moisturizer after cleansing, without drying your face in between.

2. Use less product. This one is a no-brainer. Your skin can only absorb so much. When it comes to moisturizing your face, consider this: at the most, you should need no more than about a dime sized amount of moisturizer to cover your entire face. I use a gel moisturizer, and that is usually enough to get not only my face but also my neck as well. Unless you have a very thick moisturizer, this amount should be more than enough. The excess moisturizer you apply to your face and body only sits on the surface (or gets absorbed by your clothes) and goes to waste.

3. Reuse bottles that come with pumps. I find this particularly helpful with thin lotions (like St. Ives or Vaseline) that come on a squeeze tube. I find that it's a lot easier to not only use (because you don't end up with a greasy bottle), but it's a lot easier to get to all of the product. What I do is I squeeze as much of the lotion as I can into clean bottle and then I cut it open and use a spatula to get to the rest of it. Then, when the pump bottle is almost out, all I do is remove the pump and prop it upside down onto a little sample jar/container to catch the lotion the pump couldn't get too. This way I waste the least amount of product possible. If you can, find a nice clear pump dispenser. I had an old Taylor of London Rose lotion that I finished. It came in a clear bottle and I've been refilling it ever since. It makes it a lot easier to see when you've used up all of the products.

4. Purchase moisturizers that suit your needs. If you have very dry skin, don't buy a light lotion that you will have to constantly use and re-buy. Instead, purchase a thicker cream or body butter that you will need to use less of to get the same results. You will end up saving a lot of money this way.

5. Massage moisturizers into your skin. So many people I know just quickly slap on the cream and then forget about it. Taking an extra minute to massage the cream into the skin ensures that more of it gets absorbed into the skin and goes on more evenly. In addition, it will get absorbed into the skin faster and give you the full effect of the moisturizer.

Next week I'll be talking about ways to reduce the oiliness on your face that don't involve using makeup! Stay tuned!

Review: The Body Shop Body Butter in Satsuma

I first heard about this body butter from a friend of mine. I'd never really stepped foot into The Body Shop before and just thought that their products were just like those from Bath and Body Works, which I have a ton of. She bought this stuff and let me get a whiff of it...and I was a gonner, lol! This is one of my favorite body butters. I had the smaller size, but on Black Friday decided to get the full size.


It contains satsuma oil. If you don't know what that is, don't worry cause you're not alone. I had to Google it, lol! Satsuma is just another type of orange. I guess that's what they put into this stuff to make it smell sooooooo delicious!


It looks kinda strange, but that's only cause it was lying on its side in the bag. As soon as you open the container, the aroma of tangerines/oranges hits you and oh man, it smells soooo good. If you don't believe me, just stop by a Body Shop store and sniff for your self. I've never really been fond of fruity smells--I'm more partial to minty or fresh ocean/linen smells--but this stuff smells like no beauty product I've ever smelled before.

Some closeups on the texture:


And closer still:

I find the texture of this body butter to be lighter than other body butters. Usually with body butters, they're very thick and greasy. I have one from Bodycology that, if I turn it upside down, it doesn't fall out of the container. This stuff, if you try that, will. It's much thinner than most body butters, but no less moisturizing. In fact, I think this one does a much better job and leaves my skin feeling less greasy.

On the hand:

Can you tell how it almost looks like a lotion?

Rubbed in:

It leaves my skin feeling very moisturized, but not as greasy as other body butters in the past. Another thing I like is that it absorbs VERY quickly, but still leaves my skin feeling moisturized all day long. I tend to get ashy skin, especially in the winter. I'll put cream on and a couple hours later my skin is dry again. This stuff works all day long. Also, I'm sure that people worry about this clogging pores, but I haven't really had a problem with that. Usually I only use body butters on my legs and fore arms, never my shoulders or neck because I worry about getting acne there, this stuff doesn't break me out. It leaves my skin feeling sooooo soft and I always get compliments on the clean, crisp orange scent. The only downsides to the product are the hefty price tag ($20 for 6.7 oz) and, if you don't like strongly scented body products, the smell. But if the smell doesn't bother you, The Body Shop frequently has promotions and sales during which you could get this for a lot cheaper. I got mine for $10! Definitely my favorite body butter ever!!!

Info:

Price: $20

Ingredients: Water, Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter), Cyclomethicone, Glycerin, Citrullus Vulgaris, Glyceryl Stearate, PEG-100 Stearate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Lanolin Alcohol, Fragrance, Limonene, Phenoxyethanol, Theobroma Cacao (Cocoa) Seed Butter, Methylparaben, Propylparaben, Xanthan Gum, Citrus Reticulata (Satsuma) Oil, Hexyl Cinnamal, Citral, Tocopherol, Benzyl Alcohol, Disodium EDTA, Linalool, Sodium Hydroxide, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Peel Oil, Citronellol, Geraniol, Yellow 5 (CI 19140), Red 4 (CI 14700).

Disclosure: The product featured in this review was purchased by me for the purpose of of my personal use. If you have any more questions about disclosure don't hesitate to ask!

Review: 2 Lotions I'm Lovin Right Now For Very Different Reasons

I'm very picky about lotions and creams that I use. I absolutely hate ones that leave my skin feeling greasy or smell strange. However, every now and then I come across some great moisturizers that I've just got to share. This will be a mini review for two of them (with more to come), the bodycology White Gardenia Body Creme and Lubriderm's Advanced Therapy Moisture Lotion for Extra Dry Skin. Both come in the smaller, purse friendly packages which is why I grouped them together.




White gardenia's are my favorite flowers. They are beautiful and they smell sooooo good. In fact, if I ever get married, I'm planning on having these at my wedding, haha!

Here's a look at the textures:

**excuse my creepy veins**

The Lubriderm's on top and bodycology on the bottom. As you can see the Lubriderm is a lot thinner, more like a lotion, whereas the bodycology is definately a creme, with a much thicker texture. I find that of the two the Lubriderm is more moisturizing and surprisingly less greasy as well. I think that when I think of super moisturizing (in terms of body cremes) I expect them to be super greasy, kinda like petrolium jelly or a dry oil. But Lubriderm is great. I can use it on my hands and not worry about leaving everything I touch feeling oily and gross as it's very fast absorbing. I actually use this before using any sunless tanner as it absorbs very very quickly and leaves my skin feeling super smooth. Of the two, it is definitely the better moisturizer. It also smells very fresh, which is nice. And you get 3.3 oz, which may seem small, but a little goes a long way (or you can buy the larger size).

The bodycology creme is an ok moisturizer, but as it is heavier and therefore greasier I don't really use it as a body lotion because feeling oily annoys me. Instead I have been using it on my pulse points, layering it usually under my Marc Jacobs Splash in Gardenia, which I will review later. It is very heavily scented so when I apply it under a perfume it intensifies the perfume and makes it last longer. I've purchased gift sets before that come with a scented lotion but I've never had a use for the lotion as the perfumes would usually be strong enough on their own. However, the Marc Jacobs Splashes are more like body sprays so layering them over a cream not only intensifies the scent but also makes it last longer (kind of like applying a perfume over some petrolium jelly). In general though, if you are looking for a super moisturizing lotion or don't like scented creams I would avoid this one. I do like how bodycology is like The Body Shop or Bath and Body Works as they have several different products in the same scent. If you like the scent of white gardeina but need something a bit more moisturizing then try the bodycology body butter. I've been using them for years and I love them.

Info:

Price:
Lubriderm: $2.99 (for 3.3 oz)
Bodycology: $1.99 (for 2.7 oz)

Ingredients:
Lubriderm:Water, Mineral Oil, Glycerin, Cetyl Alcohol, Sorbitol, Capric/Caprylic Triglycerides, Cetearyl Alcohol, Stearic Acid, Dimethicone, Polysorbate 60, Tocopheryl Acetate, Panthenol, Phenoxyethanol, Lecithin, Carbomer, Sodium Hydroxide, Ceteareth 20, Diazolidinyl Urea, Sodium Citrate, Methylparaben, Titanium Dioxide, BHT, Sodium Pyruvate, Retinyl Palmitate, Propylparaben, Fragrance, Citric Acid, Ethylparaben, Tocopherol
Bodycology: Water, Glycine Soja Oil (Soybean), Stearic Acid, Isopropyl Palmitate, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Glyceryl Stearate, Fragrance (Parfum) (Parfum), Dimethicone, Acetylated Lanolin, Theobroma Cacao Seed Butter (Cocoa), Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter) (Shea Butter), Aloe Vera (Aloe Barbadensis) Leaf Juice (Aloe Vera), Tocopheryl Acetate, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Cetearyl Alcohol, Triethanolamine, Disodium EDTA, BHT, Benzyl Benzoate, Benzyl Salicylate, Butylphenyl Methypropional, Eugenol, Hexylcinnamal, Linalool, Glyceryl Caprylate, Methylisothiazolinone, May Contain: Red 4 (CI 14700, Aka504), Yellow 5 (CI 19140, Ki4), Yellow 6 (CI 15985, Ki5), Blue 1 (CI 42090) (CI 42090, Ao1), Red 33 (CI 17200, Aka227), Ext Violet 2 (CI 60730, Murasaki401), Green 3 (CI 42053, Midori3)

Disclosure: The products featured in this post were bought by me for the purpose of my personal use. If you have any further questions about disclosure, don't hesitate to ask in the comments.