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. 

Made From Earth Organic Vitamin C Moisturizer - skin heaven.... GIVEAWAY!

Made From Earth  makes amazing holistic, natural skincare! You know I love my natural products, especially when it comes to skincare, and these guys are about as natural as you can get. Vitamin C is an excellent skin saver, it makes your sun protection work better, helps to prevent free radical damage and rebuilds collagen for younger looking and smoother skin. Over time it helps lighten skin discoloration and scarring as well!  It makes my skin soooooo soft, I literally just applied some after doing a face mask and it feels UHmazing. This is highly moisturizing, so unless you have very dry skin, I recommend using it at night and in the morning your skin will look years younger.

Ingredients: Organic Plant Herbs, Organic Aloe Vera, Organic Sunflower, Glyceryl Stearate, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Octyl Palmitate, Organic Coconut, Cocoa Butter, Cetyl Alcohol, Potassium Stearate, Organic Beeswax, Organic Jojoba, Vitamin C, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), Wheat Germ Oil, Wildcrafted Willow Bark,Organic Rosemary, Tamanu, Organic Borage Oil, Organic Flax Seed Oil, Organic Evening Primrose Oil, Organic Grape, Organic Rosehip Oil, Vitamin B5, Allantoin, Organic Arnica Montana, Organic Lavender, Organic Calendula, Organic Chamomile, Grapeseed Oil, Macadamia Nut Oil, Sodium Carbomer, Phenoxyethanol, Ethyl Hexyl Glycerin.

Bonus- they included a tube of their FANTASTIC lip balm! 

CITRUS FRESH LIP BALM

Citrus Fresh tastes like a delicious mix of lemons, limes and fresh squeezed oranges.

This organic and chemical free lip balm contains vitamin-rich sunflower seed oil and protecting beeswax to avoid a chapped lip texture to aid the production of collagen in the lips, with the sweet taste of oranges.

Citrus fruits has been proven to have detoxification properties due to the high concentration of vitamin C. In topical form, they can help to alleviate skin problems, and when used on a regular basis, protect the skin from sun damage and aging.

Meadow Muffin Gardens "Beauty Is Only An Herb Away"

These all natural and organic products are made in small batches by a family that started out with herbal gardening and is now making these amazing products on a farm that is recognized by the National Wildlife Federation as a certified wildlife habitat! I highly recommend that you visit them at their website to find out more about this fantastic company. If you read my blog or watch my videos, you know how I feel about small batch, handmade products!


This picture from their website is one of the many gorgeous photos of their fantastic garden. Wouldn't you like to use products made from herbs grown like this? Well I certainly do, and highly recommend the ones I've tried.



Their Holiday Home Air Spray was a lifesaver for me this Christmas. My fiance had to work Christmas and I was stuck at home all alone. This blend of vanilla, frankincense and sweet orange gave the house a feeling of cozy warmth and took me back to holidays at home. I spritzed some of this, made a big mug of eggnog and cuddled up on the sofa with my dog to watch Santa Claus VS The Martians. Made with essential oils and a carefully distilled vanilla tincture, this spray not only cleared the stuffiness of artificial heat from the house but also cheered me up immensely! (Thanks, sweet orange for being such a happy smell!)

Another downfall of winter is the dreaded chapped lips. I keep a tube of balm in my purse, at my desk at work, by the bed, and downstairs in the living room for when I'm watching TV. I seriously have that many different tubes going at once, but I have to say that their Honey Bee lip balm is something special. No parabens or artificial gunk being swallowed into yer gullet every time you lick your lips or take a drink and a combination of honey, sunflower oil and lemon essential oil creates a moisture rich protective barrier that provides lasting relief.

Two thumbs up!