The Cosmetic Crucible

Over the past few years matte lips have been all the rage, but recently lip glosses have made a comeback. I can't say I'm upset about this changing trend. Matte liquid lipsticks would crease, crack, and dry out my lips. Lip glosses, however, hydrate my lips while giving a nice shine with a plumping effect. My latest lip gloss purchase was Birthday Cake by the brand Winky Lux. I was immediately drawn to the packaging and the glittery product itself. I later found out upon opening that it had an intoxicating vanilla scent. Win!  The wand is a standard doe foot applicator. It's on the smaller side, however, and I found myself needing to dip into the product a few times to cover my lips entirely. I wasn't too bothered by this because it contained more product than most of my other lip glosses. The formula felt thick and slightly sticky on my hand. On my lips it wasn't as noticeable. I was able to get 3 hours of wear from this lipgloss before it began to...

The second mask I purchased this week was the Me Factory Cement Peel Off Pack. This pore refining mask can be used all over the face, or as a spot treatment for blackheads. It is supposed to dry within 15 minutes of application. After 15 minutes, the mask should be ready to peel. The labeling states that it will remove skin impurities, eliminate dead skin cells, and tighten enlarged pores. I had never used a product like this before, so I tried to keep my expectations realistic. The texture of the mask was definitely thick and sticky. It also had a strong smell. I couldn't quite figure out what it was, but it reminded me of green tea. There were no instructions regarding how to apply, so I opted to use my fingers. After applying I let the mask sit until it was completely dry. This process took about 25 minutes, which was longer than expected. The removal of the mask was not painful, although there was some resistance when I began peeling it off. It removed cleanly and...

This week I decided to pamper myself with some face masks. The first face mask I picked up was the Lush Oatifix mask for dry and sensitive skin. I wouldn't necessarily classify my face as "sensitive", but it is dry. The ingredients include mashed bananas to soften, oats to soothe, and ground almonds to exfoliate dead skin. You receive 2.1 oz for $9.95.  My first impression was that it smelled heavenly! Visually it is a bit underwhelming... but that smell! The mask is required to be refrigerated in order to preserve it. It should be applied immediately after removing from the fridge, so as you can imagine it is very soothing and cooling when applied to the face. This is a face mask which cannot be completely absorbed into the skin because of the bits of almond and oatmeal, so you must remove it with a damp washcloth. After removing the mask, my skin felt soft. I cannot say that I experienced any major change in my skin besides the softening, however. Regar...

As I mentioned in my last post, I recently purchased this Esfolio Collagen Jelly Pack alongside their peeling gel. The Jelly Pack is supposed to hydrate the skin and provide elasticity. Upon opening the lid, there is a plastic spatula inside which is used to scoop out product. While this is not necessary for most moisturizers, the texture of this product makes it mandatory. If I had to describe the texture, it would be that of gelatin that has not finished setting. I thought this was a super fun concept. The smell of this was identical to the smell of the peeling gel, but the texture was completely different. It felt nice when applied to my face, with a slight cooling sensation. I noticed a big difference in how smooth my face looked. It also made my skin look and feel hydrated. Seeing my skin so visibly hydrated was something I had never experienced before in a moisturizer. This became a new skin care favorite almost instantly. I give this product a 10/10!

The skin is something that many people take for granted. While we can't prevent aging completely (nor should we want to), it is possible to make the aging process more graceful. Taking care of your skin and investing in skin care will prevent early-onset aging, and will lessen the extent of fine lines and wrinkles in the future. It is never to late to start implementing a skin care routine. Not only am I a skin care enthusiast, but also a college student. Skin care products can reach outrageous prices, but you don't have to spend an outlandish amount of money to see results. One of my favorite places to shop for skincare is TJ Maxx. There you can find brands such as Elizabeth Arden, Glamglow, Estee Lauder, and Peter Thomas Roth. During my last visit I came across a Korean brand called Esfolio. There were several different products. I ended up purchasing the Collagen Peeling Gel and the Collagen Jelly Pack (which I will be reviewing in the next post). A peeling gel is ...

It has been roughly seven years since I began my journey with makeup, yet not once had I purchased a primer. I recently decided that it was time to bite the bullet and purchase one. After spending some time doing research I stumbled upon No Poreblem, a pore-minimizing primer. I was pleased to discover that the product retails for about $18, and contains a little over 1 fl. oz. of product. The product claims to blur large pores, even complexion, and fill wrinkles. It can be worn under makeup or alone. It is lightly scented, however the smell is light and fresh. This is a silicone primer so it is slippery and non-greasy. My main concern was whether or not I would see any difference at all between my bare skin and my skin with the primer. I did in fact see a difference, which in all honesty I did not expect. I applied the primer to the edge of my nose and alongside my cheekbone, where I have the most prominent pores. Not only did it minimize them, but it also reduced any shine in that...