Wow, it’s been a while since we chatted about skin care. Heck, I think the last time might’ve been last summer? After that trip to the Bliss Spa in SF, when those helpful aestheticians gave me those great product recs.
Anywho, last weekend I noticed I was running low on a couple of things I’ve come to adore, so on Saturday night I stopped by Sephora to restock, and I figured that while I was there, I could use one of my Christmas gift certificates to find something new. 🙂
Two of the products I picked up, Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion ($39) and Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème ($39), I’ve loved for a while.
Absolute gold!
Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion
I’ve been breaking out, off and on, around my chin and mouth (hormonal acne…UGH!) this past year, and Kate Somerville’s Anti Bac Clearing Lotion, when I use it consistently, has helped clear up my skin.
An acne treatment lotion with 5% benzoyl peroxide, it layers well beneath makeup and doesn’t have that funky, tell-tale benzoyl peroxide scent found in so many other BP products.
Now, I get a tight, panicky feeling in my chest when I think about running out and not having a spare bottle around…
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème
Second item: Caudalie’s Vinosource Quenching Sorbet-Crème. I love it so much, I’m now on my third bottle.
The lightweight, mousse-like lotion absorbs instantly into my skin, and it’s moisturizing enough to handle the driest patches on my face. And WOO HOO! — it doesn’t seem to make my breakouts worse.
MAKEUP AND BEAUTY BLOG RATING: A+
GLAMGLOW, AMOREPACIFIC and Ole Henriksen
After I re-stocked on the must-have skin care supplies, my basket still felt a little light, so with that gift certificate burning in my pocked, I also picked up…
I plan spend a couple weeks getting to know these new products, but if I strike gold I’ll let ya know. 🙂
If you’ve discovered any skin care lately that you absolutely love, please share! I’m especially curious to hear about your body care faves.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
P.S.
I’ve been loving the Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum & the First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream lately! Both fantastic for dry skin 🙂
I’ve heard so many gals rave about Ultra Repair Beauty Cream! Do you have acne-prone skin? I’m just worried about it breaking me out.
Mine is very sensitive, but I haven’t broken out so far!
Hmm, good to know! I think it sounds perfect for the extra day areas around my nose and mouth that pop up from time to time (YARGH).
Have you found any good body care products lately? I’m so curious about Kate Somerville’s ExfoliKate Body Intensive Exfoliating Treatment.
Ohh that sounds good..need to check it out. I’ve been liking the Almond Shower Oil by L’Occitane for winter and have been wanting to pick up the Crushed Cabernet Scrub my Caudalie, but its never in stock at my local store! Will be making a trip to Sephora this evening & I NEVER come out empty-handed 😀
Both of those sound delicious. I always forget to look at L’Occitane when I’m at Sephora…must remember to put it on my list.
Okay, that’s so funny the Crushed Cabernet is always out because I can never find it at my store either. I guess that’s the universe telling us it’s AWESOME. 😀 If you haven’t tried the Caudalie Body Butter yet, you need to get a sample. It’s amazing.
do let us know about the enzyme peal 🙂
I’ve used it a few times this week and I think I might already be in love, LOL! Have you tried any AMOREPACIFIC Products?
I’ve tried it before, too. A sample packet from Sephora. I thought it was good. 🙂
I got a sample of the AmorePacific moisturizer in a sample bag from Neiman Marcus last year. It was amazing and smelled great but I haven’t talked myself into $450 dollar a jar moisturizer yet.
For some reason Ole Henricksen products seem to always break me out. I don’t think I could justify paying $15 for wipes. I love my Neutragena wipes- lot less expensive, work great, and very gentle.
Bummer! Which Neutrogena Wipes do you use? I like the grapefruit ones.
I had that exact same problem with Olé! I could tell the products are good quality so I tried almost everything in the product range (literally, except for his newest products and these face wipes) and they all gave me cystic acne around my chin and jaw except for the Nurture Me moisturizer. It still bums me out because I somehow convinced my mom to try his sensitive line, the purple one, for her rosacea and she’s repurchased multiple times so I’d say she loves it.
Karen, if these don’t work for you try Josie Maran’s Bear Naked Wipes. They’re still natural and they work really well, plus I love the way they smell – like a whole package of different citrus fruits! They’ve been a go-to of mine since I got a sample as my VIB gift over a year ago.
I’ve been using Kate’s new Dscar for the past week or so. To my knowledge its the only product out that to help with depressed scars. I think it’s working already and can’t wait to see what it looks like after 6 weeks!!
Hi Krystle,
That product caught my eye! Is there an adjustment period where you skin peels? That’s the only thing holding me back.
I am curious about the enzyme peel. Glad to hear the initial review is good! Tabs looks handsome as usual. Kitty models are so lucky they wake up looking perfect. 🙂 TGIF!
You know what’s not fair? How kitty models have built-in eyeliner!
Do you live near a Sephora? I bet you could get a sample made for you if they carry AMOREPACFIC. I want to try everything just to get a whiff of the products. The Enzyme Peel smells amazing!
Good idea! I’ll have to check my local store to see if they have the brand. I’m really curious to try it. If I get my hands on it, I’ll let you know!
I have to say that for my hormonal breakouts, I found nothing better than the Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer – if I use it every morning, i get none! Nada! I just need to keep it up…
My skin has been mess over the past few months, so I’m trying to treat it to some goodies in hopes it’ll calm down (dry patches on my forehead and around my mouth, redness on my cheeks). I’ve been using the Liz Earle skin regime for a few weeks now, morning (using the Clean & Clear moisturizer instead of her’s though) and night, plus the Brightening Mask in the morning, and the Gentle Face Exfoliator followed by the Intensive Nourishing Treatment Mask every other day’at night, and i’m really pleased with the results – redness is gone, dry patches getting better.. just hope I can keep it up. I’m lazy :\
Aww Tabs!
I absolutely love the Caudalie Sorbet too! I think it’s actually really rare to find something that hydrates so well, and it isn’t greasy at all!
Some stuff I have discovered recently include Caudalie Vinoperfect Radiance Serum and Caudalie Vinoperfect Day Perfecting Fluid. If you want brighter and well-hydrated skin, you need to take a look at these! I don’t think they have really worked on my sun spots, but my skin is definitely smoother and more radiant. Also the REN Glycolactic Radiance Renewal mask is fabulous too! The texture is sticky (not 100% pleasant), but it’s such a gentle AHA peel! OOO and you need to try some stuff from Pai. I have tried their cleanser (already on my second bottle), eye cream, and lotions. Beyond perfect performance with simple ingredients. You’ll love it!
The mud clearing treatment intrigues me. I suffer from hormonal acne, although it hasn’t been as bad lately, but I still have this ring of scars along my chin. Totally not cool…
Most of my skincare is drugstore. I’ve been using this amazing moisturizer called Tri Derma Redness Repair – OMG. I have incredibly sensitive, reactive, breakout-prone skin, and this is the only thing that adequately moisturizes (my skin is very dry) without breaking me out or giving me a rash. As a bonus, it also helps with my redness, and it’s got antioxidants and arnica.
I use the Simple Soothing Eye Balm for eye cream – very refreshing and soothing on my dry, sometimes-irritated eye skin. Fragrance-free, has antioxidants, and comes in a tube (more hygienic than a jar!)
I tried the Olay Pro-X Even Skin Tone product, and while it didn’t break me out, it didn’t do anything for my freckles either…
Oh, and I definitely need to find a hydrating face mask. I was thinking of trying Clinique’s new Overnight Moisture Surge Mask – I love the moisturizer (although not as much as I love my other moisturizer! The moisturizer itself works great as a mask too though.)
I’ve been loving my Alpha Hydrox 10% Glycolic acid lotion! It’s so effective and CHEAP. It’s really been working wonders on fading my post-acne pigmentation and believe me, those babies were DARK.
As for body care, I recently purchased Soap & Glory’s Butter Yourself body butter and I am in LOVE. Can’t stop smelling it. And myself, when I’m wearing it.
I will be eagerly waiting for the glam-a-glow review.:D
I recently purchased SkinCeuticals Phyto Corrective Gel (the green one that’s $60 – not the plus (+) that’s $75) based on Lisa Eldridge’s post on winter skin saviors and I have to say, it’s amazing. Not only has it helped to hydrate my face but, I’m noticing that red marks (acne scars) are diminishing.
For seriously cold, windy weather, I layer the Phyto Gel first, add a layer of hyalauronic acid serum, wait for it to sink in and top with La Roche-Posay Cicaplast Baume B5. Been using this routine for nearly 2 weeks with no breakouts and my complexion looks terrific. I’ve even been foregoing foundation on some days. (My skin is combination, sensitive and easily congested – aren’t I lucky?!)
I can’t live without my enzyme peel! Amore Pacific is fabulous.
This enzyme peel sounds interesting and I read the reviews on Sephora website, everyone seems to love it. I will have to ask for a sample next time I am at Sephora.
i am really curious about the glam glow since it seems sephora is really pushing it. can’t wait to hear more!
I’m interested in a lot of what you picked up, Karen! Out of the lines that you purchased from, I have used the Ole Henriksen Truth to go wipes and they were just OK for me. I love their Truth serum, however. It does a great job of helping reduce swelling if I get a hormonal chin zit and takes care of acne scarring better than any product I’ve ever tried–even though it wasn’t created per se to handle that.
Can’t wait to read about what you think of these products!
I have the Glam Glow on as I type. I got it in the special Sephora box with two deluxe samples of the tingling version. It’s a miracle worker…..but….it is very strong and may not be good for those with sensitive skin. Mine is not sensitive at all so I wouldn’t know. I have used it twice in the last week and I saw results from the first use. Smaller looking pores and a decrease in oil. I leave it on for at least 20 minutes but it gets tight and dry within 5 to 7 minutes. It is not the best smelling product but very “natural” scents. The natural ingredients are some of the best in the world for pore reduction, oil absorption,inflammation reduction, etc. The list goes on and on. Truly a SUPER mask for correcting multiple problems. I love it, just wish it wasn’t quite so pricey. No doubt, I will repurchase! Eagerly awaiting your experience…or Tabs..LOL
Amazing picks, Karen! That Kate Somerville BP moisturizer sounds really nice–I might have to check that one out. But I am using Epiduo at the moment so I’m not sure having 2 BP products in my routine is necessary. I also just *love* the Creme Sorbet from Caudalie too. Everything they make is divine but that cream is amazing! SO super hydrating but not greasy in the slightest–and I agree, it’s surprisingly good on acne-prone skin too. Actually, I’ve found that all Caudalie’s products are.
I’ve been wanting to try that GlamGlow mask for a while, so I can’t wait to hear your thoughts! The AmorePacific Enzyme Peel is okay…it’s a bit too gentle for my taste. I prefer there to still be a bit of graininess after adding water (like the TATCHA rice powder) but this one turns into a straight foam–albeit quite a rich and super silky foam. And lastly, the Ole Henriksen wipes. They’re not bad but I find the scent SO extremely overpowering that I just can NOT use it! I’m not even that sensitive to fragrance and this one kills me! 😛
I use a lot of drugstore skincare stuff, haven’t gotten into the more expensive stuff yet. My fave cleansers are good ol’ Cetaphil and L’Oreal 360 (with the scrublet) Deep Exfoliating cleanser. For night stuff I use a Mary Kay time-released night serum, Garnier Fructis overnight peel, and Neutrogena Deep Wrinkle Repair night cream with retinol (I alternate nights with each product), all three work great, and have helped with the cystic zits I get. For day stuff I typically use Neutrogena retinol serum SPF 15, Aveeno Positively Radiant daily moisturizer (good for sensitive/acne prone skin), or Garnier Moisturizing Gel Cream for normal/oily skin (moisturizes all day without being greasy).
As for good BB cream/foundation, Garnier finally came out with a BB cream for oily/combo skin that is oil-free and helps mattify skin. I like it so far, though I think the light/medium shade goes on a bit light for my complexion. If I go to Sephora I am typically buying makeup that I don’t normally get to buy. Thanks to you, Karen, Laura Mercier is a new fave line of mine, and I always go to check out Urban Decay, Smashbox, Kat Von D (love her eyeshadow palettes – they are amazing – and she came out with great duochrome singles that I love), Make Up For Ever, Clinique, Dior, and Benefit.
Hi Katherine,
Thanks for sharing your drugstore recs for oily skin! I keep meaning to try that BB cream; I hope they have a shade that works for my skin.
I’m so pleased to hear that you are digging Laura’s line! I think her stuff is tops. Now you need Grey Pearl!
Ahhh! I got the caudalie moisturizer and I feel so awesome when I buy it then i find a beauty blogger review with a A+! Lol
These are great products. Kate Somerville and Caudalie make awesome products. I really want to try out GLAMGLOW and I actually saw it at Costco the other day.
Not skin care per se, but I do love Deramologica Pre Cleanse .. it takes off all my makeup – even mascara.
Monica
My skin wouldn’t survive without that AmorePacific Enzyme Peel. I love that stuff! I got I bottle and it lasted me almost 2 years, so it’s about $30 a year…not bad at all.
I’d love to hear what you think about GlamGlow!
Here are some of my favorites:
Face-washes/cleaners: Cera ve (mositurizing and yet, no break-outs), The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Oil cleanser, Philosophy Purity Made Simple (i know, i know-hyped up, but i like it!)
Toner: Clinique!
Exfoliators: Exfolicate by Kate Somerville, St. Ives Apricot Scrub.
Basic moisturizers: Clinique dramtaically different gel and lotion, Clinique moisture Surge, Kiehl’s ultra facial cream. All very good deep hydrating moisturizers, with no trouble for my hormonal acne prone skin.
Night serums/anti-aging/intense mositurization: Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery (oil based, absorbs quickly), Pure squalene, Argan oil, Burt’s Bees Oil based serum (I forget the exact name)-none of them irritate my skin and all of these absorb well and hydrate well. I also use Philosophy’s retinol based treatment serum in the night-good for dark-spots and acne marks.
Best face mask: Full fat yogurt, slather it on and leave for 5-10 minutes. Gentle exfoliation and moisturization in one go. Lush’s Ayesha and Oatifiz are also quite good.
Oh no Karen! Skin care is so much more affordable before you try and inevitably fall in LOVE with the Amore Pacific line. Seriously amazing shizz. I got hooked by a sample in a make-up box (their face cream) then grabbed the Sephora 500 point perk that had a bunch of their products. They’re all amazing.
And…expensive.
Have you tried Kate’s Exfolikate? OMG BEST SCRUB EVER!!! EVER!!!!
I just bought the new cleansing oil by Ulta. I love it. My face gets super clean, but not tight. My skin has been extra smooth and my makeup applies so much easier. It was a steal at $13!
Its my acne phase too 🙁 My skin is breaking out badly and I am just using a calamine lotion to calm down my skin.
Btw, Where tabs is looking at on the first pic? 🙂