Smith Farms Hand Cream Review

Hello lovelies!

If you've been reading my blog for a while, or if you're caught up on older posts, you know that I'm obsessed with Smith Farms Marshmallow Face Cream! I'm actually running low on it and having a little panic attack about running out because it's out of my budget right now and shipping is so expensive too :(!

Today I bring you another product by the wonderful company, the Smith Farms Vitamin Rich Hand Cream!

Price: $18.00

Claim: "Sunflower oil brings a multitude of vitamins to your hands while castor oil provides the lightest of barriers with no greasy or sticky feel. This fast absorbing hand lotion applies beautifully, protects your hands from the elements while helping to soften them with healing aloe vera, chamomile flower water and vitamin E. Gentle on sensitive skin and skin conditions such as rosacea, eczema and psoriasis."

Scent: This hand cream has a bit of an odd smell, nothing bad. It almost smells like a vitamin/medicine in a way. It's nothing overwhelming, however.

Packaging: This hand cream comes in a tube applicator which pushes the product out very easily. You don't need to apply much pressure at all for this to come out.

Texture: The texture of this hand cream is really great. It's very lightweight, creamy, and almost feels like butter but in a non-greasy way. The claim is 100% true when it states there is no greasy or sticky feel. A little goes a long way with this hand cream, like the face cream, and it blends into the skin wonderfully.

Thoughts: So far, Smith Farms has not yet disappointed me. I'm so happy with their products that I've tried and I will definitely continue to use them. This hand cream has really helped, especially with colder weather approaching. My hands are in pretty good shape and have been, however I was noticing some drying from painting my nails so often but this has really helped. I've been using this for about a month or so and my hands and cuticles never get dry and my brother is always saying how soft my hands feel, haha.

Do I recommend it? Yes!

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Rating: 5/5

This product was sent to me as a gift, I was not asked to review it.

See my Disclaimer for more information.

Review: L'Oreal Magic Skin Beautifier BB Cream

I'm excited for this review for a particular reason, the BB Cream I'm reviewing was sent to me from Traci!

Both Traci and Jayne sent me goodies for my birthday and it was so sweet! Thank you both so much. ♥

I'm going to start this review off pretty straight forward, this BB Cream makes Maybelline's BB cream look like shiitake mushrooms.

(Not literally.. and in my opinion of course)

Claim: "Primes to smooth skin's texture; perfects to hide imperfections; hydrates for all-day moisture; corrects skin for a healthy-looking, even complexion. L'Oreal Paris Magic Skin Beautifier B.B. Cream instantly transforms to your perfect shade for a flawless bare-skin finish. Over time, you get more beautiful skin. Four beautifying actions in one, flawless bare-skin finish, dermatologist tested, helps protect against pore clogging."

Packaging: The packaging is nothing spectacular.. I really don't expect it to be. It does look pretty as far as packaging appearance, however. It is a squeeze tube applicator with a twist off cap.

Scent: This BB Cream has a slight scent. Nothing overwhelming at all, basically smells like lotion. It's not something I even notice when I apply it.

Coverage: The coverage of this BB Cream is light. It actually looks like nothing is going on at all (I guess it matches that well) but it does help to cover minor skin problems. I have some acne marks and it does a decent job at covering some and others it reduces the appearance of, not completely however. It does cover enough to the point where I feel pretty comfortable and don't worry about foundation too much. I really love wearing this with concealer on my lazy days when I want to cover up without the whole routine. It looks natural and works great.

Texture: This BB Cream has a bit of a "grainy" texture to it. It comes out white and contains encapsulated pigments that start to 'burst' as you rub it in. The lotion part of this BB Cream claims to contain antioxidants vitamins C and E.

(These images are of my hand in natural light)

Thoughts: I've really been enjoying this, it's definitely done a better job than my Maybelline BB Cream. I feel like I have noticed an improvement in my skin since I've been wearing it, for a while I was wearing it almost everyday. I don't feel like it gives me a "flawless" look by any means, it covers up minor problems very well though and it helps to conceal redness a bit. I've been using this as my primer and I don't notice a huge difference, not that I've really been looking for one, but I've never been unsatisfied with the results. I haven't gotten oily at all, even without powder. (using MUFE Mat Velvet+ Foundation)

I especially like that I hardly have to use any at all. I really only have to use about the size dot you see in the picture above where I blended it out in the series of pictures.

I think I'll do a comparison post about the two BB creams!

Do I recommend it? Yes.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Rating: 5/5

Please keep in mind my reviews are done based on my experience, opinion, and how it works with my skin type.

The results I get may not be the same as the results you get/have gotten.

I rated this product based on how well it performs as a BB Cream according to my standards.

P.S!

I'd really appreciate if you guys could comment below with some FAQ/Q&A questions. I want to make a section to answer questions for new readers on my blog. Even if it's a question you know the answer to, leave it, leave a list if you want! What do you usually want to know about a blogger/blog? Please let me know some questions, I'd really appreciate it!

Review: Smith Farms Marshmallow Face Cream

As most of you know, I won Jayne's Smith Farms Marshmallow Face Cream giveaway.

I've been able to try it within the last week and I've been really satisfied with how it has worked.

Price: $26

Size: 2 fl. oz.

Claim: "This rich and fluffy cream applies smoothly and absorbs quickly, leaving skin hydrated and protected without making it greasy. Mallow root extract gives the cream its mousse-like texture and most importantly, softens skin giving it a smoother, healthier feel. The addition of yeast derived collagen further moisturizes and helps strengthen skin while antioxidant rich rice bran oil helps heal and regenerate."

Packaging: The packaging of this product is really great. It comes in a glass bottle with a secure plastic top and a pump! I really like pumps because they make getting the right amount so much easier. I'm really happy with the packaging of this, my only concern is since I'm a klutz I'm worried about dropping it. (Though the glass does seem pretty thick) However, I do have one minor complaint. It seems like when I push down the pump, it wants to squirt out at me!

Scent: Like Jayne, I was surprised by the scent. I was a little less surprised since I read her review first and had a heads up, but something about seeing it and then smelling it was still surprising. It has a citrus smell to it  which made sense when I saw the "orange blossom waters" on the ingredients list. Nonetheless, it smells lovely.

Texture: I love the texture of this face cream. It's so thin and creamy, a little really does go a long way for me. It blends out so easily and leaves my face feeling really fresh, soft, and moisturized. I definitely agree with the claim, it doesn't make me greasy and it absorbed into my skin effortlessly. However, I wouldn't really consider it a "fluffy" texture, like Jayne said in her review it feels more like a gel-cream.

Thoughts: This face cream is very moisturizing and I love that it's all natural. I'm not really 'vegan' or anything but I always feel better using things I know are all/mostly organic and have less harsh chemicals. My skin does feel softer and definitely more moisturized since I've been using this. I'm really happy with how it's going and I'm really grateful I won the giveaway and was given the chance to try this out! I use this every night and even just using it at night has helped. My face feels a lot more "calm" and I notice a decrease in redness from blemishes and an overall more even skin tone on my face.

Do I recommend it? Yes, definitely.

Would I repurchase? Yes.

Rating: 5/5

Thanks for reading!

~♥~

Review: Maybelline Dream BB Cream

As made obvious, this post is a review on Maybelline's Dream Fresh BB 8-in-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector!

I have this in shade Light, which is the lightest shade.

I'm going to try a new format with this review and see how it goes.  I've been reading Jayne's reviews for a while now and they're always so organized. I have days, as I think we all do, when I don't feel like reading a whole lot to find out the information I want to know. Her reviews are always so easy to go through because it's so easy to find what you want to know and read it. Therefore, I was inspired to organize my thoughts in my reviews a bit more in attempt to not have them so jumbled as I feel they have been in some previous reviews.

Price: $7.44 - 8.99 

Size: 1 fl. oz.

Claim: "Dream Fresh BB Cream 8-in-1 Skin Perfector is the 1-step wonder for a good skin day, everyday. Get 8 skin benefits in 1 simple step: * Blurs imperfections* Brightens* Evens skin-tone* Smoothes* Hydrates* Enhances* Protects with SPF 30* 0% oils and heavy ingredients"

Packaging: This comes in a small tube which actually surprised me because it feels so small. The cap twists off and is a squeeze tube applicator.

Scent: The scent of this is kind of like a toned down sunscreen smell. Nothing overwhelming at all and I don't smell it when it's on my face.

Coverage: This BB Cream is what it claims, a sheer tint. I wouldn't even say it has any coverage other than the small amount of tint you get. I feel it did help even my skin out some, however this is not by any means going to cover up any major skin problems. It did help to "blur" out minor problems, however.

Shade: As I said, I have the shade light. This did worry be a little because as you can see below, it comes out looking kind of yellow. However, after it was oh so easily blended out, it matched perfectly.

(Sorry, no face shots. Getting through a 'hormonal breakout')

Thoughts: This BB Cream blends very well and matches great, despite how it appears when it first comes out. It is very very light coverage, though I will say I'm really pleased with the SPF 30 it contains. When I applied this, it gave my skin a nice dewy "fresh" look to it which I liked. However, hours later that turned into  an oily mess throughout my T-zone and cheeks. (I have Combination/Normal skin) Taking into consideration, it is summer and I didn't wear any powder, I still enjoyed this product.

Do I recommend it? Yes, if you don't mind very light coverage and aren't very oily.

Would I repurchase? Probably not. Not because I don't like it but because I really prefer medium coverage and the price isn't exactly desirable for sunscreen.

Rating: 3.5/5

Thanks for reading!

~♥~

How I Treat My Acne

(Long Post)

Clean & Clear Advantage

2-in-1 acne & mark eraser kit.

I'm not claiming to have perfect skin. My skin is far from perfect. This is just what I use to keep my acne under control.

It is what works for me.

What You Get

Breakout Erasing Cleanser (4 oz.)

Mark Erasing Spot Treatment (0.5 oz.)

Nightly Mark Clearing Lotion (1 oz.)

Daily Protecting Moisturizer SPF 15 (2 oz.)

Ingredients

Benzoyl Peroxide (10%)

Titanium Dioxide

Mineral Oil

Avobenzone (3%)

Zinc Lactate

Octisalate（5%)

Octcocrylene (1.7%)

Suggested Usage

AM / Morning

1. Wash your face with the breakout erasing cleanser.

2. Apply the daily protecting moisturizer.

3. Apply the mark erasing spot treatment to desired areas.

PM / Evening

1. Wash your face with the breakout erasing cleanser.

2. Apply the nightly mark clearing lotion.

3. Apply the mark erasing spot treatment to desired areas.

My Experience

How I use it and how it works for me.

I started off using this kit as suggested. In the morning I would use the cleanser, moisturizer, and then the spot treatment. Then at night, the evening steps listed above. I noticed after about 3 days my acne was significantly reduced. I was using this religiously. After about 5 days, my face burned. My acne was almost completely gone and as far as redness, nowhere to be found. I found out that not only due to my sensitive skin, the benzoyl peroxide really dried my skin out. I don't have really oily skin, it's not exactly dry though either. (Combination / Normal) I reduced my usage of the cleanser to once a day--at night. I stopped using it for a day or two before I began using it once a day. The burning stopped. I think the problem was since the moisturizer also had acne fighting ingredients, it wasn't exactly moisturizing as well as it could.

Now I'm going to share something I find pretty interesting.

I don't have severe acne but I can get quite a handful of bumps, especially around that time of the month.

Before this kit I really didn't use much of anything since I ran out of my morning burst cleanser.

I was using this for a few months when I took it to a friend's house and forgot it there.

I went without it for months. I thought "Great. Now the breakouts are going to begin again."

They didn't. Not like they had before, anyway.

Even after I stopped using the cleanser for months, my skin never went back to the state it was in.

Like I said, it wasn't awful, but it was no dream either.

I don't use it now like I used to, and I get the occasional bump here and there but overall my skin stays pretty clear except for a certain time each month when my skin decides to rebel.

The Products Individually

Breakout Erasing Cleanser

"Knock out breakouts with CLEAN & CLEAR® ADVANTAGE® Breakout Erasing Cleanser. 

This maximum strength facial cleanser goes beyond just cleansing skin to penetrate to the pores with Benzoyl Peroxide. It keeps fighting breakouts long after you wash."

I think using this is what really gives the rest of the products that extra push they need.

It definitely plays a big role in clearing up my skin.

Nightly Mark Clearing Lotion

"Apply this dual action formula before you go to bed and let it work through the night. The lotion will work to visibly reduce the look of dark marks caused by acne while clearing your skin and helping prevent future breakouts all while you’re sleeping!"

I really love this lotion. I love the way it smells, how light it is, and how it works. 

On the tube it says it has a "unique combination of vitamins A, C, & E"

This definitely helps my acne and the marks. I notice I get a lot fewer marks from acne and less redness since I've been using this and I really love the way it smells.

Mark Erasing Spot Treatment.

"The pimple may be gone but now it is time to tackle the mark it left behind. CLEAN & CLEAR® ADVANTAGE® Mark Erasing Spot Treatment diminishes the appearance of post-acne marks."

This products kills redness. KILLS it..and fast.

I really love the results I get when I put this on at night after the lotion. I've only found one thing that works close to this and that's the Clearasil 4 Hour Rapid Vanishing Treatment.

This spot treatment works amazing for me.

Daily Protecting Moisturizer SPF 15

"Uneven skin tone and marks can become more visible with daily exposure to the sun&;this product contains SPF 15 so you can moisturize and help protect your skin from sun damage at the same time."

To be honest, I don't notice much of a difference from when I use this and I don't.

Price

I bought this kit for $16.xx ($17) at Walmart. I've seen that the price is $24.87 so I'm not sure if it was on sale at the time or what.

Would I Repurchase

Definitely. & I plan to soon.

I bought this set around October of 2011 and I still have an okay amount of product left in each tube.

(I like to try and use my own pictures in my blog but for the sake of this post and the fact that my tubes are almost empty and I need to get more, I just used images from Google.)

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed.

~♥~