Philosophy Vanilla Birthday Cake Shower Gel, Shampoo and Bubble Bath

Photo Source - Sephora

The soft scented shower gel smelled like vanilla cake batter. The scent did not last long after leaving the bottle, which was very disappointing. The shower gel did moisturize the skin but the lather was quite poor. It is a nice calorie free way to treat yourself.

Sephora Super Supreme Body Butter

Photo Credit - Sephora

I recently bought this for my trip to Amsterdam. Usually, my skin has a habit of acting up every time I am on vacation trying to look pretty. Not this time! Good bye dry scaly skin and hello smooth, soft baby skin! I love how moisturized it left my skin.  The body butter was thick and was absorbed quickly. I was especially in love with the fact that my skin didn’t feel sticky after application. I like how the butter was packed with HydroSenn+,  shea, illipe and mango butters. I will definitely stock up on this and use it through the year.

Burt’s Bees – Pink Blossom Tinted lip balm

Photo Source - Burt's Bees

As a fan of Burt’s Bees’ lip balms, I wanted to try their tinted version.   The tinted lip balm left a soft wash of color. I would recommend exfoliating and keeping your lips soft otherwise the color will build up on the excess skin [that sounds so gross..and actually it looks gross too] Although, the lip balm provided some color, it didn’t  make my lips soft or hydrated. Which after all what is the point of a lip balm if it doesn’t keep your lips soft.

Yves Rocher Jardins du Monde Brazilian Watermelon

Photo Credit - Yves Rocher

I love this Jolly Ranch scented body wash. At first, I thought it would be too strong and come off as childish. But boy was I wrong! The sweet sophisticated scent softly lingered throughout the day. I wore this on a date and my date couldn’t stop trying to sniff me. Of course, he was a bit creepy and I tried moving away but I could see why he was infatuated with the scent and how soft my skin felt. The body gel provided a nice lather and was moisturizing. All in all, I would put this in my regular rotation for body wash.

Sex in the City Body Lotion

I came across this lotion when I was cleaning my room. I am not even sure how I got it.  The scent was atrocious and the lotion was runny. It was however very moisturizing and non-greasy.   I would probably not use it again, unless it was free. Then again I would use almost anything if it was free.

Nu – Pore : Fresh Aloe Collagen Essence Mask

I love using a weekly facial mask. My friend raves about this mask and gave me one for Christmas. I can see why she loves it. The premoistened mask can be used three ways a] on a warm day, you can stick it in the fridge b] on cold day, you can submerge the packet in hot water c] or the lazy person way [I did it this way], by just opening the packet and using it.  When I first removed the mask, my face felt tight, but it slowly went away and my skin felt soft and smooth. The mask is packed with vitamin E, Collagen and aloe.

Folded

Unfolded. It was dripping wet.

Burt’s Bees – Watermelon Lip Shimmer

Photo Credit - Burt's Bees

As an avid fan of both Burt’s Bees and their lip balms, I couldn’t wait to try their much lauded lip shimmer. It is packed with vitamin E, beeswax, sunflower and coconut oil. The lip shimmer gave a pretty sheer wash of color and left a bit of shimmer behind. Although, it didn’t provide enough moisture and my lips felt dry after 15 minutes or so after application. I love the color and how it nicely brightens up my face with color but I might have to use a lip balm under this shimmer so my lip doesn’t dry up.

Essie Luxeffects Nail Polish top coat – Set in Stones

Photo Source - Ulta.com

I love doing my nails. I find it very relaxing and it’s a way to pamper myself without spending a fortune. I have tried many top coats, some with glitter and some without glitter but most of them don’t work very well.  This top coat added a nice multidimensional look when I wore it on top of another color and it looks great when I wear it by its own. I like how Essie formulates their nail polish without the use of DBP, toluene, and how it’s formaldehyde-free.

Vichy Aqualia Thermal Cream Fortifying & Soothing 24Hr Hydrating Care

Photo Source - Vichy.com

My combination skin gets really dry during the changing of the seasons. I heard many good things about this brand and I wanted to try their moisturizer. This light weight cream went on like butter and left my skin buttery soft and smooth. The hydrating cream is packed with mineral rich thermal water and active hyaluronine, which help keep my skin moisturized throughout the day.  I also like how the formula was not greasy or sticky, free of paraben and doesn’t clog the pores.

Weleda Pomegranate Creamy Body Wash

Photo Credit - Weleda

After reading many stellar reviews about this company and my fondness of pomegranate, I could not wait to try this body wash.  I was not disappointed with this body wash. It provided adequate moisturizing lather and a soft lingering scent of pomegranate that lasted well into the day.  The body wash was packed with essential oils of vanilla, blood orange and neroli. I like how body wash is free of synthetic detergent and the organic, and was fair trade pomegranate oil.

Glytone – Retexturize Exfoliating Body Wash

Photo credit - Dermstore

I love this exfoliating body wash and it is a great alternative to sugar body scrubs.  It left my skin soft and smooth thanks to the exfoliating effects of glycolic acid. This product has strong medical scent [sadly] and thick consistency, which gives a nice fluffy lather. The body wash is gentle for everyday use and a lot easier to use than traditional body scrubs. I would recommend applying the lotion after showering to lock in the hydration. Also, do not use any other scrubs, while using this product as it might cause skin irritation.

Coco de Soleil Gloss | Moderne – High – Gloss Serum

Photo Credit - Folica

When I first saw this product, I thought it was made by the creators of Cirque du Soleil, turns out it is not.  After cutting my long hair because there wasn’t much I could do with it; I realized there isn’t much to do with short hair either, if you are lazy.  I decided try this serum out after reading some really good reviews about this product. After washing my hair, I smooth in some of the serum into my hair.  I love the piece-y texture and volume it gave my hair. I didn’t notice any added shine to my hair and it made my hair a bit sticky. While I would not use this product every day, I would use it once in a while and probably wash my hair the next day. I didn’t use any heat styling equipment, as recommended. I will probably try that the next time.

Boscia Oil Free Daily Hydration SPF 15

Photo Credit - Sephora

After putting off using sunscreen all of winter, I thought I might get into the habit before the summer started. I actually found this SPF while waiting on line at Sephora. I heard many good things about the Boscia brand and since I need a sunscreen, I thought I might as well kill two birds with one stone. The lotion scent was not very pleasant; it reminded me of freshly cut grass.  I do love the scent of flowers, nature and blah blah but just not on my face. The non-greasy lotion went on smoothly and had matte finish.  You might want to follow with a moisturizer as my skin felt dry afterwards. This natural product is paraben, phthalate, preservative sulfate, synthetic fragrance and dye free.

VMV Hypoallergenics Re-Everything Lotion

Photo Credit - VMV Hypoallergenics

My hands are constantly dry no matter how many inches of lotion I pile on. I read online that this lotion gives the skin the appearance of a post peel glow. I couldn’t wait to try it.  The thick lotion goes on smoothly and my skin does look dewy after application, but it did have a bit of a greasy feel.  My hands did remain soft and smooth throughout the day. The glycolic acid removes dead skin and kinetin growth factor speeds up cell renewal. The glycerin locks in the moisture and green tea and rice phytic has proven anti-aging effects.  An added bonus for anyone who is hypoallergenic, the lotion is fragrance, dye, phthalate, paraben and preservative free.  The lotion is quite pricy, $45 for a 6.3 oz bottle, so try it out first to see if you like it.