skin care

February Empties with Mini Reviews

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

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My trash basket is overflowing with goodies to talk about this month. Wanna go through my beauty related trash that will include mini reviews? Keep reading!

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Olay Daily Moisture Body Wash– This is a huge thing of body wash. It claims to have a whole thing of lotion per body wash container! I did enjoy this body wash. It has a very nice and fresh scent, and it’s common to find this brand on sale and very easy to find coupons. Other than it cleaned my butt, I don’t know what else to say about it.

Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Argan Oil– I found this while cleaning and realized I hadn’t used it up. I received this in an ipsy bag a decent amount of time ago. Don’t worry, I did the sniff test and it didn’t smell funky or anything so my hair didn’t crumble up and fall out or anything. I do like this oil and it made my hair shiny and soft. However, given the price tag on a full sized container I don’t think I will purchase it. I have drugstore items that make my hair feel just as soft and shiny.

Dr. Bronner’s Peppermint Castile Soap– I bought a mini version of this to see how I would like it. I’ve always seen people using this soap to clean their brushes and sponges, so I figured I would give it a go. Oh my, this stuff will clean any kind of goop off your brushes without damaging them! I love it, and I’ve already bought a giant bottle of it! A little goes a long way, and it leaves my brushes feeling soft and they smell minty. New holy grail brush cleaner.

Lady Speed Stick Deodorant– Um, not too sure what I can really say about this, or why I decided to include it in this post. It smells nice and doesn’t leave weird white marks all over my clothes. And it’s cheap.

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Aussie 3 min miracle deep conditioner this is a product that I always seem to repurchase and use. It’s very inexpensive and very effective, or at least for my hair it is. My hair is very thick and coarse and I like conditioners that weigh it down a bit without making it greasy. This conditioner does just that for me, and I use it 1-2 times a week. I go through them fairly quickly though because my hair is so long and thick, but at $3 a bottle I can’t go wrong with it.

Got2B Smooth Operator Leave in Conditioner I needed to use this stuff up so I could finally throw it away. I don’t hate it, but it’s wasn’t spectacular either. Is this even in stores anymore? Anyway, it did leave my ends feeling nice, but I have cheaper products now that do the same thing.


Suave Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo Ah, another product I have about a million of because I got them for free once upon a time when I couponed. I do like the smell of this dry shampoo, but it left a weird feeling in my hair afterwards. I mostly used it up just to throw it away and start on my new bottles of rockaholic.

Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Face Mask I typically only keep masks and cream face washes in my collection for 6 months at most…I don’t like the idea of bacteria collecting on masks. It’s a weird/personal thing. However, I did use up most of this and it was technically almost empty. It’s a great mask! Very hydrating and soothing. It didn’t break me out or irritate my skin, which is a plus considering my skin is very snobby and sensitive.

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Revlon Colorstay Lipstick Well, as you can tell this tube was pretty loved. I couldn’t find the name of the color anywhere on it…the sticker had fallen off. This color was pretty though despite how I recall not liking the stickiness of it after application. I needed to throw this out, and thought I would include it in this post…because why not?

Wet N Wild Lengthening Mascara I used this product up. It was super dry and needed to be retired and thrown into the makeup graveyard. This is a holy grail product for me, and it’s the only thing that works on my bottom lashes. It’s precise and doesn’t smudge and run everywhere. I’ve already repurchased another tube.

Purlisse Moisturizer I have like 3 more of these stored away because I get them in subscription boxes constantly. A full sized tube is about $55, so no I will probably never purchase a full sized one. However, I do like the way this feels on my face. It’s hydrating but light on the skin. I used it on days where my skin wasn’t as dry.

Loreal Youth Code Texture Perfecter Serum This is a newer holy grail product added to my skin routine. There’s still a bit of visible product left, but it won’t come out and I can’t get the bottle open. I use this serum mostly in the morning when I wake up, and it’s incredible! It leaves my skin feeling soft and ready for makeup. It’s also evened out the redness in my skin a lot. I’ve already repurchased. Many other serums like this one cost $50 or more, so this one is very affordable. However, if you have any other suggestion for serums that aren’t loreal…please let me know. I’m always down for cruelty free/vegan suggestions.

Those were my empties for the month! I tried to keep this post as short as possible…but I love to talk.
As always, thanks for stopping by and please follow me and stuff if you wish to see more of my posts and reviews!

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Winter Favorites

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

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Brace yourselves, winter is coming. Oh no…it’s here!
Corny (and terrible, I know) jokes set aside, it is winter for many around the world. Or at least in the northern hemisphere. That means snow, lots of layers, red noses, and dry skin.
A little bit of background about my skin: my skin is super dry and peely, especially in the winter. I struggle with eczema, and it’s a bit of an embarassing problem at times.

Example: last week the face on one of my tattoos legitimately had an eczema patch. I felt a bit bad for her. Even more worrying though, I am very careful with the way my skin looks on my tattoos, because constantly peeling skin can result in faded colors in tattoos, and I want my tattoos to always look fresh and bright.

That’s the subject for another post though.

I live in Tennessee, so I know the winters here are not as harsh as they are up north. However, I think we can all agree that winter is a bad time for almost everyone’s skin. The heat we run tends to dry our faces out, and seasonal depression affects many of us as well and sometimes self care is put on the back burner.

So today I just wanted to share a few of my personal winter favorites that are quick (and inexpensive…most of them) and can help your skin out a little, if needed.

1. Vaseline Creme Brulee Lip Treatment If I recall correctly, these range between $1-2 at most drugstores. These little tubs of glory have been life savers for my lips. On top of having eczema problems, I also have asthma, and that means during the winter I breathe out of my mouth way more often, resulting in very chapped lips. Like painfully chapped some days. This can be a huge damper for someone like me that loves lipstick, so I make sure to try and take care of my lips before they get chapped. This product helps me with that. I slather this stuff on before bed most nights, and it’s still holding strong when I wake up. It’s an amazing product, and I highly recommend it to anyone and everyone.

2. Blistex Lip Medex I’m probably going to have a lot of lip products in this post, but that’s you all love me, right? I will just keep telling myself that. Anyway, I use this product when my lips are really really chapped and I need a quick fix. I think I bought this by recommendation from Dani from CoffeebreakwithDani (look her up, she’s so funny and genuine) for about $2 at cvs. Warning: this stuff is strong, and feels (and smells) like straight medicine going on your lips. However, it works wonders. I reach for this when I need quick relief on days when my lips are chapped from the cold wind.

3. Sonia Kashuk Body Oil This was a recent discovery. I foung this on clearance for $5 at Target (hollaaaa) and decided to pick it up and try it out. I have “Red Promisa” which has sandlewood, jasmine, and vanilla, and this oil is heavenly. It feels luxurious without the luxury price tag. It smells like a floral paradise (my favorite) and it hydrates my skin very well. If you see this at your Target on clearance, grab it. It’s worth every penny. I would have paid full price for it though.

4. First Aid Ultra Repair Cream This is probably the one thing out of everything in this post that I absolutely cannot live without. This lotion does it all. No joke. It can be used all over the body, including the face. It’s sensitive skin friendly, and it helps with eczema. This lotion has been my saving grace this winter. I use it once at night, and again when I wake up and my skin feels so supple and hydrated and ready for makeup. It’s also cleared up the eczema patches on my arms. I think this is $12 at sephora for 2 ozs, which sounds pricey, but it is so worth it. I can’t live without this stuff now, and I will probably take the plunge and buy the bigger one once I run out. A little goes a long way with this product though.

5. Laura Mercier Hydrating Primer Okay, I lied about all of these products being inexpensive. In my defense, I have tried so many primers and none compare to this one, in my opinion. It does what it says. It’s a hydrating primer. If you have very dry skin, in the winter time it’s best to avoid mattifying primers because they’ll dry your face out even more. This primer is more like a moisturizer, and gives your skin an extra boost before you apply makeup. I just bought this primer this year, and my makeup has never looked better in the winter. I know there are other hydrating primers like from Too Faced and such, but if anyone has a nice drugstore primer that’s hydrating, let me know.

6. Malin and Goetz Mojito Lip Balm I received this product in my January Ipsy bag, and I have not been able to stop using it since I got it. It has a really nice lime scent to it, and it’s thick so it really hydrates and protects my lips from winter wind damage. It’s very thick, so if you don’t like thick balms on your lips this won’t be for you, but I like to use this particular balm at night. I can put a layer on before bed and wake up and it’s still there. That’s pretty amazing considering I am a well known snorer and nighttime mouth breather (thanks, asthma).


Those are a few of my personal winter must haves. What are some of yours? Comment and let me know, I may try out some of your suggestions!

First Impression: Origins Face Products

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

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So, this cute little set was one of the two things I *limited* myself to buying from Sephora on Black Friday. The reason I chose this was because I’ve seen so many people say these products are amazing, but I couldn’t see myself paying $25 for something that might not work on myself. When I saw this set for $10, I just put it into my cart without thinking too much on it.

Now that I have tried all 3 little things that came in the set, I wanted to post a first impression on each.

Clear Improvement Mask This mask claims to actually pull junk out of your pores and clear them out with active charcoal. When I started to put this mask on my face, I realized that a little bit of product goes a long way. I decided to mainly put this mask on my most problematic areas such as my nose and chin, since there’s not much product in the samples and I didn’t want to waste any. I will say that this mask made my face feel so soft and amazing after I washed it off. The pores on my nose do look better than they did before I put the mask on, which is saying something because I do not have nice pores on my nose. It’s something I’m self conscious about and have been working on.

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I mean, it also looks so pretty on, right?

Modern Friction Dermabrasion This claims to take your skin from “rough to smooth” without pain. This dermabrasion is indeed very soft on the skin and did not hurt to scrub into my skin a bit. My skin seriously felt so soft afterwards! I had to stop myself from just petting my face constantly. My skin is so dang dry this time of year, and it hasn’t felt this nice since fall started. My makeup went on smooth the next day and looked flawless. This may be a product from this set that I need in the full size once I am done with the sample size.

Drink Up Overnight Mask This claims to rehydrate the skin overnight working and the suggested usage is twice a week or as often as desired. I put this on after I had used my toner and just before I was going to bed. It definitely lived up to the claim. My skin felt very soft and hydrated. I’ve also been using the Loreal Youth Serum at night though, and I will say that my skin felt similar with the overnight mask as it does with the serum. So, I don’t know if I will personally be purchasing this one in the full size, but it is an extremely nice moisturizer!

This set was $10 on Black Friday and there are 0.5 oz in each sample. That doesn’t sound like much, but none of these take very much product at all to get the job done. I know I will get my money’s worth and then some. It was worth it just to be able to finally try this line without stabbing my bank account too hard.
Let’s not talk about what else I got on Black Friday and Cyber Monday…

Anyway, this was just a short and sweet impressions today. I still have some other goodies to review in the upcoming weeks that I can’t wait to play with and share with you all! Please follow me if you’re new and reading this, or talk to me and tell me about your experiences with these products if you have any!

Clear Proof Acne System: Final Thoughts

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

A few weeks back I did a first impression post for the Clear Proof Acne System that Influenster sent me. Now I have completed my review and I decided to film my final thoughts with more detail, but I will also link my first impressions post 🙂
Subscribe to my new channel if you wish, or follow me on here…or both!

https://kaylahutchison.wordpress.com/2014/10/21/first-impression-clear-proof-acne-system/

First Impression: Clear Proof Acne System

/ Kayla Hutchison / 1 Comment

Before I begin this post, I was sent these products by Influenster complimentary to try and test out. However, these opinions are my own and I will not spare my true opinion of this product over the next 30 days I am set to test it.

I was really excited when I learned I was one of the bloggers chosen to try this product out and review it. It came right in time, at 4 months postpartum my skin has been less than satisfactory, and with fall upon us my already dry skin is drying out even more. I love Mary Kay products. I am not a consultant, however I know a pretty awesome lady that does sell their products in case anyone was wondering.
Anyway, I am going to do a first impression (this post) for the very first time I try the product and then another after 15 days (halfway) and then a final post with all of my thoughts of the product overall after 30 days. Unless this sets off a bad reaction with my skin I will be doing all 3 posts, so if you are a first time visitor to my page and want to know more about the product outside of my first impression, feel free to subscribe.

I want to start off by saying that my skin problems right now are mostly hormonal. I just had my second daughter 4 months ago, and I have been losing weight and such, but my skin still hates me. Mostly around in my jaw line area. I’m also on birth control, which is also a factor. My skin type is very dry. Like…super dry. This time of the year is awful for me in terms of skin moisture. The fall air seems to suck every bit of happy moisture out of my face.

Alright, on to the routine and first impression.

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This is what the box looks like. It came with 4 full sized products in the system, and I am pretty excited that this comes with both a toner and moisturizer to start out with. I’ve noticed that many acne systems either have one or the other in their systems, and sell the toner or moisturizer as a separate part of the system itself.

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Also included was a card giving detail as to what to use first and what the products do. Nothing fancy in terms of how most acne treatments work. Wash, tone, spot treat, moisturize. I like simple and to the point. Because really, who has time for a one hour skin routine every night? I have 2 kids, so I know I don’t. I want something quick and effective.

First use (bed time)- I typically take most of my makeup off first with a Burt’s Bees sensitive skin makeup wipe. I used the gel cleanser in the package first and massaged it into my skin, focusing on my trouble areas. I noticed this product doesn’t have much of a smell, which I like. I tend to wash my skin with cold water because warm/hot water dries my skin out so I avoid it when I can.

I then put the toner on a clean cotton round and dabbed it on my face. The toner’s main ingredient is salicylic acid, which is pretty typical for many acne treatments. It can be drying, but it’s typically an effective way to clear acne up for me. Also no smell for this product either.

I put the gel spot treatment on a few spots on my chin and along the bad area on my jaw line.

I don’t moisturize before bed because it can break already broken skin out, so I will try that in the morning before I start my morning routine and report back.
Okay, so when I woke up this morning my skin felt fresh still, but a bit tight and a little dry. I expected it, so I put on some of the moisturizer before starting my routine. I did notice some of the spots that were trying to come up on my jaw line are already looking less red.
The moisturizer did feel light on my face. Maybe too light. I have extremely dry skin though. To truly test the product I did not put any other moisturizers on my face and did my regular makeup routine, but I did notice some dry patches around my nose and on my cheeks. So, I may personally need to use another face lotion on top of it, but it’s not a huge deal.
At the end of the day my skin does not feel irritated or anything, which makes me even more excited to potentially see results over the next 30 days.
Overall, I am impressed so far, but it’s hard to tell with many acne clearing systems how/if they are going to work with simply a first impression. Stay tuned for my next posts regarding this product 🙂

September Empties

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

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Wanna go through my trash with me? I promise some of the things are pretty cool! I will start from the top left corner and make my way to the bottom.

Cover FX acne clarifying primer- I received this deluxe sample in an ipsy bag I don’t even know how long ago. I kinda kept putting off trying it because I assumed since it has salicylic acid in it that it would dry my face out. I was so wrong. This stuff was amazing, and I did see a difference in my face in terms of breakouts! I squeezed the life out of that thing. I wish the full sized product wasn’t so expensive :/

Tone soothing body wash- this was a sample I got in the mail and I used it just to try it and throw it away. I was pleasantly surprised at how fresh it smells. I like fresh body wash smells with no fruity scents, and this one does not have a fruity scent.

Natural Style deep conditioning treatment- This sample came in my beauty box 5 last month with another hair treatment, and I am probably going to end up buying the full sized product. I love the way this made my hair feel super soft the next day without weighing it down or making it look greasy.

Barefoot exfoliating scrub- another product I got in a subscription box of some sort. I wasn’t too impressed with this exfoliating scrub. It smells nice and fresh, but it’s not very exfoliating? Just feels like a body wash with beads.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Mask- this is actually my second time using this mask and I LOVE it. Seriously, next time you’re at The Body Shop or Ulta pick one up. They are tingly and fresh feeling, but don’t leave your face feeling dry and dehydrated. I have noticed a difference in my skin the next day if I use this mask at the beginning of a breakout.

Dove Oxygen Moisture shampoo and conditioner- more samples! I’ve been pretty bored lately since one of our cars bit the dust (rest in pieces, junk car) so I have been trying everything I’ve been meaning to try. These came in a walmart beauty box that a friend recommended to me, and I actually like it. Dove isn’t normally a brand I reach for, but the smell of these was nice and left my hair feeling fresh and soft.

Vitabath body wash- I got this in a beauty box 5 box a few months back, and looking back I remember why I put off trying it. It’s cherry scented. Maybe it would be nice for others, but I hate the smell of fruity body washes. Other than the awful (to me) scent it felt like your typical everyday body wash. Nothing special about it.

Aussie Moist Shampoo and 3 min miracle deep conditioner- This is actually a normal everyday product for me. I love the scent of Aussie products and even more so I love how they make my hair feel. I use the 3 min miracle deep conditioner instead of the moist conditioner because I only wash my hair once per week, twice max. So, that little thing lasts me on average a month (I have super thick and long hair) and the shampoo on average lasts me 2-3 months. This is a staple for me though and I would recommend it to anyone with frizzy, curly hair.

Lady speed stick deodorant- also another staple for me. I have about 1 million as back ups in this since I coupon and got a ton for free. I love it. It’s not overly scented and keeps me dry, even when I am cleaning or running errands.

Ulta warm vanilla sugar body scrub- another product that I tore the top off of so I could squeeze the life out of it. I love this stuff. It’s a body scrub that foams. That’s right, it foams up. It’s an actual scrub so it does exfoliate the skin and smells like vanilla. This was always my go to scrub if I was having a bad day and just wanted to feel soft and pretty during a hot shower. I may cut the top off and try to get the rest out…
cheap girl problems.

Burt’s Bees sensitive skin makeup remover wipes- yet another staple in my routine. These are the only wipes that remove my makeup without burning my skin or breaking me out. I received a ton of coupons for this product just so I could stock up on them. My love for them is that real.

Frank’s all natural body scrub- I saved this one for last since it will probably be the one thing I talk about the most. This was a new product for me, and I tried it simply because so many bloggers were raving about it. I wanted to see what the hype was about and also see if it was any different from homemade coffee scrubs. Yes, it is so different from homemade coffee scrubs. The product itself arrives in an envelope that you just open and use. It’s not dry, but it’s not wet. It smells amazing! Mostly like coffee, but there’s a faint orange smell to it as well. I usually shampooed and rinsed my hair and then turned the shower off and scrubbed this in and waited for 10 mins. It made my skin feel so soft! I am seriously so impressed with this product, and I can’t wait to purchase another pack of it. It lasted me about a month at using it 2 times per week, which is how long it says it will last on the website. Definitely worth the $15 if you’re looking for a product to pamper yourself with sometimes. We all deserve to feel pampered.
Warning: There are a lot of sexual innuendos on the packaging (I love them, personally) and this stuff does easily get into your hair and is a bitch to clean out of your shower. The first time I used it I thought someone had crapped on my shower curtain. Still worth it.

Skin Care

/ Kayla Hutchison / Leave a comment

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*These are all products I have purchased myself. No one is sponsoring me to talk about any of the above products.

 

I have learned over the course of a few years that a great skin care routine is essential. Makeup does not cover everything up, and I don’t always want to wear heavy foundation, especially in the summer time. That means I have to try to take care of my skin year around. I do not have great skin. My skin is super dry all year, and I have a natural red tone all over. It’s so wonderful. By wonderful I mean frustrating.

However, I have finally found a skin care routine that works for me. I have started to see drastic changes in my skin, and much of the redness is even starting to go away. This is my own personal routine. I feel that anyone should have one. I will say that switching over to all natural products has probably been what has been changing my face for the best.

As you can probably see in the picture, I am a huge Burt’s Bees fan. I snagged a few of their products last year on sale and I have been hooked ever since. Their makeup wipes smell clean and fresh and are not harsh on my face at all. They remove most of my makeup with no problems. The face wash I use is Burt’s Bees Intense Hydration Face Wash. This stuff really does hydrate my face. I’m addicted. I have the type of skin that can be moisturized 100 times a day and still have dry spots, but when I use this wash I don’t have to worry about it.

Witch Hazel has become one of my best friends. I’m pregnant, so I try to avoid face products with weird acids and such. Witch Hazel is cheaper and WAY better than any weird acid toner on the market, in my opinion. The smell is kind of funny, but the results are amazing. After I use Witch Hazel I dab Vitamin E oil on any dark marks on my face from previous breakouts. Vitamin E can be found in a liquid pill form, or just a liquid like the one I have (found at Walgreens for $8). It lasts forever. It’s a great product to have for any scars on your face or body. My mom was actually the one that introduced this to me when I was a kid. I had chicken pox, and of course like any kid I scratched my face when I wasn’t supposed to. She put Vitamin E oil on my face and now I have no scars whatsoever.

Once a week I use Burt’s Bees Intense Hyrdation Face Mask. All you do is rub the product on your face and wait for 10 minutes (I let it sit for 20). Afterwards, you just wipe it gently with a cloth and rub the rest into your skin. It’s wonderful. My face feels so soft and smooth every time I use this mask, and I’ve been using it for a year now.

The brush in the above picture is actually a new addition to my skin care routine. I need exfoliation, but most exfoliators are too harsh on my face and make me look like a lobster afterwards. I got this brush at Sephora for about $16. It’s called the dual action face brush. It has a bristled side and a pink padded side that works as an exfoliating brush. I alternate sides on this brush when I am washing my face at night. This has been a saving grace for my face the past few weeks. My pores look smaller, and my skin feels smooth and clean at all times. I would highly suggest this brush for anyone with sensitive skin like myself.

Anyone that knows me knows that I am obsessed with coconut oil. I use it for everything. I use it to cook. I use it as a diaper rash cream. I use it to clean at times. The possibilities are endless. This amazing oil is also my face moisturizer. It is the best moisturizer I have ever used. It’s not thick or weird feeling on my face. It goes on smooth and keeps my face soft all day. On days where I want to wear foundation I can wear it without worrying about dry patches thanks to coconut oil. I would say that anyone and everyone needs coconut oil in their pantry. It has so many uses.

That is my skin care routine at the moment. My skin has been responding so well to it that I will be sticking with this routine until further notice.