The Good, The Bad And The Ugly - Jane Iredale, Dr. Brandt, Dermstore

The GOOD

Jane Iredale Magic Mitt - 1pc

-A convenient & time-saving way to remove makeup & protect skin-Helps rapidly & comprehensively eliminate makeup without using cleanser-Promotes healthy skin without disturbing skin s natural acid balance-Allows skin to protect itself from damaging pollutants & bacteria. 
A knitted micro-fiber cleansing cloth that quickly and completely removes makeup using water only. Promotes the health of the skin because it does not affect the acid mantle. When this beneficial barrier is intact, it aids the skin in protecting itself from harmful and invasive bacteria. Made from a new generation of specially knitted micro-fibers many times thinner than a human hair and which are able to penetrate oil films. This hydro-mechanical process breaks the surface tension of the oils that bond makeup to the skin while the fibers gently exfoliate. The combination of warm water and micro-fibers turn the makeup into an emulsion that is easily swept away by the mitt. It will even remove mascara.
So help me, it really DOES even remove makeup- including mascara!- with absolutely no cleanser at all! i don't care HOW tired you are, with this thing there's no excuse. It only takes a few seconds to get your face as clean as an angel's wings. Bonus; it mildly exfoliates so you have smoother skin as well. You save both time and money by eliminating a slew of products - makeup remover, cleanser AND toner!- and it's all boiled down into one simple step. You can use it for months as long as you wash it out and keep it clean. A Must Have in my arsenal. 


The BAD


Ah, Dermstore.... I love you guys, but the Lip Quench Lip Treatment irks me to no end. It has a cult following so not everyone feels the way I do about it but personally I find it to be gunky and sticky. It doesn't stick to the wet portions of your lips so you can feel where it isn't applied; what I call "the waxy tectonic lip plate". It does make my lips soft, but it irritates me too much to make it my first choice. I have somehow managed to accumulate a few tubes and I'll use them because I have them, but I'd never go out and buy it, especially at $12 a tube.


THE UGLY



Dr Brandt BB Cream With Flexitone

"The first BB cream to incorporate tone-blending technology to provide flawless, skin perfecting coverage with just one shade. Formulated with Dr. Brandt's signature flexitone technology that blends seamlessly with most skins." 

Apparently I am not "most skins". I can't be the palest person on Earth, so I don't know how "most" people could use this, unless Oompa Loompas have taken over. It doesn't matter how thin a layer I apply, it turns orange on my skin and leaves a HORRIBLE dark demarcation line on my jaw no matter how much I blend. I have used dozens of different BB Creams and this one that claims to be self adjusting is the least adjusting one I've ever used. I was downright shocked since Dr Brandt has never done me wrong before. I'll stick to his normal skincare line but give this one a wide berth. It looks like I've applied an instant tan lotion to my skin. I hate to waste products so I mix it with other BBs to tone it down and only use it around the house. It also makes your skin look super greezy. 

Maybelline BB Cream & DDF Wrinkle Resist Pore Minimizer

Dream Fresh BB 8-In-1 Beauty Balm Skin Perfector Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream 8-in-1 Skin Perfector is the 1-step wonder for a good skin day, everyday.

Maybelline Dream Fresh BB Cream may not be the best BB cream out there, but for the price, it can't be beat. I was pleasantly surprised by this cream- it actually came pretty darn close to living up to it's hype. It took a while for the drugstore brands to catch up to the BB phenomena, surprisingly (the big guys are already off onto a new dream elixer) but the payoff is worth it- inexpensive BB creams that actually come close to competing with the more expensive brands.

blurs imperfections, brightens, evens skin tone, smoothes, hydrates, enhances and protects with SPF 30.

BB creams are perfect for the gal on the go- pretty much one step to replace the normal 4 or 5, in theory, anyway. Because it is sheer, you may still want a concealer for blemishes or red spots. This one is much less sheer than a tinted moisturizer, but if you want any real coverage you're better off with a foundation. I was having a slight rosacea flare causing my skin to be redder than normal and when I tried to build this on my cheek areas it DID cover the red, but it also made my face look like I was wearing a creepy plastic mask of my face. 

I also needed extra moisturization, my skin didn't feel QUITE hydrated enough. I have combination skin so I imagine if you have dry skin you'll definitely want to use moisturizer under it. What worked perfectly for me and made the best balance was to use my beloved DDF Wrinkle Resist Pore Minimizer first. The combination of the two was a match made in heaven. So yeah, I'm using an $85 serum under a $7.50 BB Cream. Go figger. But the DDF is WORTH IT! 

This exceptional formulation features a two-in-one design that offers both immediate and lasting anti-aging benefits. A vitamin peptide complex exfoliates to refine the appearance of wrinkles and enlarged pores while silicone elastomers, pigments and titanium dioxide offer an immediate reduction in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Vitamins E and B5 work with glycerin to thoroughly hydrate and plump the complexion, leading to a smoother texture and more radiant tone.

In other words, this stuff is FABOO. It may seem expensive, but one bottle has lasted me 6 months with no end in sight, I'll easily get a year out of it, so when you break that down it's really not so pricey after all. After about a month of use, you see your pores are shrunken and your skin is smooth and clear with wrinkles minimized and the an overall glow to your skin. Immediate benefits are the temporary pore shrinking, the non greasy but skin plumping hydration and a smoothness to your skin that makes makeup go on flawlessly. If you don't have particularly oily skin, you can forgo the separate moisturizer all together, thus making this again not nearly as pricey as it seems. I'm on my 2nd bottle with no regrets. 

DDF Wrinkle Resist Plus Pore Minimizer 50ml/1.7oz Hydrates & gently polishes skin Instantly reduces & minimizes look of pores Continuously reduces appearance of fine lines & wrinkles Improves skin texture & condition Leaves skin velvety smooth supple & youthful

The link above is for Strawberry Net who has it for almost $20 less than other places, and you also get to pick a full sized freebie with your first purchase.