Facial Scrubs for Body Scrubs

On March 28, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, lifestyle, skin careLeave a comment

While I was at the New York International Beauty Show (#IBSNY2016 if you want to search the Instagram tags), I made several interesting purchases, along with things from my Sephora haul last month.

I’ve already got combination skin so I know that heavily moisturizing facial scrubs tend to trigger acne for me. Since I still wanted to try stuff out I decided I’d use them as body scrubs instead. This is actually one of my favorite uses when I buy or receive products that aren’t quite a perfect fit for me.

First up was Rebels Refinery Advanced Clear Skin Facial Scrub which was absolutely awesome and comes from a very cool company with the most amazing smelling Moisturizing Beard Oil that I’ve ever smelled. This scrub had a really nice gritty texture and made me feel super clean, but it’s definitely designed for men’s skin and to pair with a lighter moisturizer than what I use (and probably not use make-up with either). I did notice that my skin was super smooth, and when used as a body scrub all over I had no ingrown hair issues, razor burn, or even a need to use body lotion. For someone with dryer skin, or as a body scrub I rate this as one of the best I’ve used, but for my face it’s a waste.

Second I tried my luck with Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub which had similar issues. Absolutely wonderful as a combination body scrub body wash but not really working for my face. Great texture, and decent lather when mixed with water, nice smell.

Hopefully the next set of things I get my hands on prove to be a better fit for my skin type as we approach warmer weather again. Get stoked!

Got any recommendations you think I should check out? Leave them in the comments section and I’ll be sure to take a look.

Not Always a Win

On March 16, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, lifestyle, skin careLeave a comment

Not everything I buy to try is a product I’m destined to love forever.

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Recently, in my Sephora haul, I purchased Glam Glow Super Mud to try. My good friend and former assistant, Vanessa who works at the Springfield Town Center Sephora location, assured me I would love it. While I acknowledge it is a beauty junkie favorite, and it did great things for my skin, I just can’t get past the scent.

It contains several herbal extracts, like licorice, which give it a distinct smell that ends up being extremely reminiscent of Jagermeister. I just can’t handle it.

This is a bit of a loss because my skin does feel incredibly refreshed and clean. The goal of using it tonight was to make up for three days of chain-smoking in my car traveling to teach hair extension classes out of town. It worked amazingly so I’m disappointed a bit, but I’m planning on gifting it to a current staff member who really enjoys Jager.

My Winter Face – Favorite Things

On December 27, 2012 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, lifestyleLeave a comment

With the weather all wonky for Winter skin can be dry and lips can feel like they need some extra oomph (technical term, I swear). So today I reached for some of my favorite Winter products to protect and emphasize.

I’ll start off with Barrier Repair, a calming “moisturizer” for sensitive skin by Dermalogica. Barrier Repair is a water free silicone and natural oil based “moisturizer” designed to instantly form a soothing barrier for your skin. You’ll notice I keep putting moisturizer in quotes. This is because it’s not a moisturizer in the traditional sense. Most moisturizers add lots of oils to your skin to fill it up and keep it feeling supple, what Barrier Repair does is different because it’s not creating moisture so much as it’s protecting it. It’s also full of other vitamins to keep the health of your skin up during these chilly dry months. Think of it as the grown up version of when your parents put Vaseline on your face before you went out to play in the snow. Added benefit: it can be used as a primer before make-up or instead of make-up because the silicone adds a soft focus feeling and reduces the appearance of pores. Really a great multitask product. That’s what we all need right? Fewer things in our bag?

My other favorite Winter product isn’t as much a multitasker or hugely beneficial, but it always makes me feel like my lips really pop. In the Winter I feel like my lips start to disappear on my face because they get dry and they aren’t shiny so they look thin and, well, blah. Enter Du Wop Lip Venom (I prefer the Gold Flash version for added sparkle). Unlike many other lip plumping products this one stays shiny all day so that long after the effects have worn off it still feels like it’s working. It also has more of a cinnamon “flavor” than mint so I’m quite appreciative of the warmth during Winter instead of just the tingling you would normally get from other products.

So those are my gotta have Winter favorites for my make-up kit. What about you? What Winter product do you always turn to?

I Just Wanted To Share This

On August 29, 2012 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, lifestyleLeave a comment

Is Organic Really Better?

On March 7, 2012 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hairLeave a comment

Short answer: Not always.

Organic foods may be good for your body, but there isn’t clear proof that organic beauty products are healthier for you externally. Actually, lots of organic beauty products have a shorter shelf life than their “non-organic” counterparts. To make matters worse, they can even cause harm if the product is expired. Many organic products can cause irritation and allergy flares from various nuts, fruits and oils.

The industry isn’t effectively regulated at this time, so please read the ingredient labels carefully. A bottle labeled “organic” must contain only 95 percent organic ingredients. Those marked “natural” or “made with organic ingredients” usually have no regulation against many inorganic ingredients. Do your own research and find companies that make great products you can trust in.

Some of my favorites:

— Burt’s Bees

— Davines (probably my favorite)

— Pureology (100% vegan, too)