AnyHOO, here's a rundown I've things I've been liking, loving, hating and the sort.
Face & Body L-R
MAC Volcanic Ash Exfoliator
Pros:
fine exfoliating grains
Cons:
grains dissolve almost instantly in water making exfoliation in the shower frankly impossible
smells different, like a volcano I suppose. somewhere between interesting and unpleasant.
can't tell if its working because your rinse will be full of black water regardless
Grade: :[[ -
I had high expectations about this. I read some really great reviews but when it actually came to trying it out, it didn't exfoliate. For the first 3 seconds after I applied it in the shower I was quite pleased with the consistency. The fine grains made me feel like I would be getting a more thorough but still gentle exfoliation. However, 2 seconds later, when the silica and ash dissolved on my wet skin, I was left confused and somewhat bumpy. I'll be now using it to exfoliate my face.
Mario Badescu Drying Lotion
Cons:
smells of very strong alcohol
may sting skin
you must shake it before every use
best to use a cotton swab for application
Pros:
diminishes the size of cystic acne after 1-2 days
a little bit goes a very long way
Grade: :]
For the price, the amount you use, and the output it delivers this is great product. I soak the end of a cotton swab with the shaken solution, dab it onto my cystic [nasty] acne, and in a couple days all that remains is a small red dot [not lump] on my face. Hooray!
Korres Body Butter in Guava
Cons:
Price
Pro:
Lovely fruity [not really guava] scent
very lightweight texture, non greasy
moisturizing
Grade: :]
Most body butters feel thick, go on thick, and make your skin feel moisturized but in a very thick [slightly icky] way. With Korres, instead of thick, you get slick. The body butter feels light like a lotion and amazingly absorbs with almost a matte feel to it. How much you use is based entirely on how dry you are but because of its light consistency it is able to spread across your skin and moisturize evenly, most likely decreasing the amount you'll need to use.
Pro Activ Refining Mask
Cons:
Pro Activ stuff is expensive
smells like sulfur
Depending on how large the pimple it will affect how often you need to apply it
Pros:
Dries up whitehead acne
Kaolin allows the mask to form a 'protective' crust so it doesn't easily rub off when you wear it overnight
a little goes a long way
Grade: :]
I always get this when I order the 3 step trial pack from Pro Activ. It's the best thing I've come across so far to dry up pimples. One small tube will last you years so it's a nice bonus and it's small so it's convenient to bring for travel.
Clinique SPF 50 Facial Sunscreen
Cons:
Price
Pros:
High SPF
only "slightly" greasy in texture
easy to blend into the skin
Grade: :]
Compared to drugstore sunscreen it's defintely more expensive. Compared to other 'higher end' type sunscreens it's definitely on the less expensive side. In a perfect world, sunblock would feel like lotion but since that's not the world I live in, expect some slight greasiness. [blot your face a few minutes afterwards] Slight french fry grease face aside, it's the nicest feeling sunblock I've used on my face so far and the high SPF is a nice bonus.
