Breakout Banisher Facial Cleanser by bayberry Naturals

Yes, I'm still fighting breakouts and oily skin at my increasingly advanced age.  On one hand, I'm thinking the oil is helping keep the wrinkles at bay.  On the other, my congested pores are no fun to deal with.  Sigh.

Enter bayberrry Naturals Breakout Banisher Facial Cleanser, which I discovered when  Beauty Sage launched.  This cleanser is supposed to deep clean without being harsh, with activated charcoal to remove dirt and oil from pores and organic botanical extracts to brighten and naturally exfoliate the skin.  Since I will gravitate towards products that use natural and organic ingredients, I was excited to give this a try!  Plus, I enjoy trying new product lines, and bayberry Naturals just launched in 2011.

bayberry Naturals Breakout Banisher Facial Cleanser

Here is what I know about charcoal:  among other things, it's used to filter water and to remove remaining toxins after stomach pumping.  So yes, it's got some proven toxin removing capabilities.   Plus, how cool is a blackened cleanser? 

I've been using this for over a month now, and I like it!  The smell is a bit sharp but not unpleasant - I can definitely smell the lavender.  I use a cleansing oil to remove makeup and then the Breakout Banisher, and my skin does not feel stripped or tight afterwards.  I've used about 1/4 of the bottle in a month (I use it at night only, as I've got a different cleanser for my morning routine), so while the bottle is not that large at 4.8 fl oz, it will last me a good 4 months.  In comparison, boscia's Detoxifying Black Cleanser is 5 fl oz and retails for $28 vs. bayberry's 4.6 oz at $16.95.  So that's $5.60 vs. $3.54, making bayberry the less expensive option.  I just finished a deluxe sample size of the boscia cleanser, and between the two I prefer bayberry.  While boscia does have the nifty feature of warming on contact, I find that sensation to be so brief that I doubt it has much effect. 

bayberry on left, boscia on right

Ingredients: Aqua (Water), Lavendula angustifolia (Organic Lavender) Distillate, Anthemis nobilis (Organic Roman Chamomile) Distillate, Cocoamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Cocopolyglucoside Tartrate, Sodium Cocopolyglucoside Citrate, Aspalathus lineans (Organic Rooibos Tea) Extract, Vaccinium myrtillus (Organic Bilberry) Extract, Saccharum officinarum (Organic Sugar Cane) Extract, Acer saccharinum (Organic Sugar Maple) Extract, Citrus auranium dulcis (Organic Orange) Extract, Citrus medica limonum (Organic Lemon) Extract, Vaccinium macrocarpon (Organic Cranberry) Extract, Kosher Vegetable Glycerin, Phenoxyethanol, Tetrasodium Edta, Hydrolized Wheat Proteins, Activated Charcoal, Melaleuca alternifolia (Tea Tree) Essential Oil, d-Calcium Pantothenate (Pro-Vitamin B5), Dimethlaminoethanol (DMAE), Hydrogen Peroxide, EDTA, Citric Acid

Disclosure:  I bought this.

theBalm shadyLady, vol. 1

I took advantage of a Memorial Day 3-for-1 sale theBalm had to pick up all three shadyLady palettes.  I was never lucky enough to find one at TJ Maxx that wasn't broken or dirty.  Having heard how great these eye shadows are, it was really a no brainer to take advantage of the sale.

After using them for 6 weeks, I can say they really are all that and a box of chocolates!  Soft, buttery, pigmented, just lovely all around.  I'll review each palette separately, starting with volume one.

The first row starts with the warm tones.  Caught in the act courtney, a dark brown with bronze micro glitter,was the problem child of the palette for me, as it took multiple swipes to build up color.  Next is shameless shana, a medium topaz shimmer.  Luscious lani is flesh colored with a pink undertone and makes for a really nice all over lid color.

caught in the act courtney, shameless shana, luscious lani (sun)

caught in the act courtney, shameless shana, luscious lani (shade)

The second row are the jewel tones with jealous jordana, a dark emerald green. Second is risque renee, a sapphire blue.  Last is curvy cami, a blue toned pink with a gold shimmer.  I apologize for the smearing in these photos.  I brushed up against a spider web outside when taking pictures, and had an involuntary freak out response.  Hence the smearing.

jealous jordana, risque renee, curvy cami (sun)

jealous jordana, risque renee, curvy cami (sun)

The last row is my favorite, both for the colors and how soft and buttery the first two shadows are.  Jet-setting jennifer is a lovely pale gold and one of the smoothest, softest shadows I've ever encountered.  All about alex is almost as soft and is a medium loden or golden green.  Rounding up the palette is easy wheezie, a soft blue gray.

jet-setting jennifer, all about alex, easy wheezie (sun)

jet-setting jennifer, all about alex, easy wheezie (shade)

With the exception of the one glitter shade, caught in the act courtney, all of the shadows are nicely pigmented, easy to build up, blendable and wear for a good 8-10 hours without creasing with primer.  No heavy frosts or overdone shimmers, which make them imminently wearable.  There is also a nice blend of lights, darks, neutrals, and jewel tones in shadyLady volume one.  All told, this is a great palette!

Below is a look I did with my favorites jennifer, alex, and wheezie.

The shadyLady palettes cost $39.50 each and I got mine directly from theBalm.  However, Hautelook is featuring theBalm today, so there may be some good deals to be found!

Disclosure:  I bought this.

Buxom More to Love, Part Two

Today I've got the lip tarnish and lip gloss from the Buxom More to Love set to show you.  I love Buxom glosses, they are my favorites.  So, if there is a set released that contains a full sized Buxom lip gloss, chances are I'm going to get it.  I had not tried the lip tarnishes, however, so was especially excited that the More to Love set contained one to try.  The colors of the lip tarnish and lip gloss really do complement each other well, I think.
The Big & Health Lip Tarnishes ($18) are supposed to "tint like a stain, shine like a gloss, moisturize like a balm, and plump like nobody's business".  They do have the same vanilla smell and minty tingling sensation that you get from the Buxom glosses, which I happen to like.  They are moderately glossy and nicely pigmented, although I'm not seeing lingering stain after they wear off.

Scandal Lip Tarnish

The shade in this set is "Scandal", which is rosy mauve and just a bit darker than my natural lips, so perhaps that's why I'm not noticing much of a staining capability.  I don't find them drying to wear and they last about 3 hours on me, but I'm always drinking something, so that's about the limit for me.  These have a sharpener built into their cap. 

The lips gloss in this set is Clair, described as a diamond/moonlit mauve.  It's not as pigmented as it looks in the tube, but does provide a nice gloss and shimmer.  I love Buxom glosses as my lips do not get dry from these and feel much better when I wear them. 

Clair over Scandal

Here was the look created from both the eye and lip products from More to Love.  Even though this set was marketed for an easy holiday look, I think it works quite well for an easy, office appropriate look.  Still haven't decided what my next hair cut will be, but this is my day after being french braided aka "tousled" look. 

The Buxom More to Love set is currently on sale at Sephora for $28.  

Disclaimer:  I bought these.

Buxom More to Love, Part One

Does anyone else stalk the Sephora sale section on a daily basis or am I the only one?  Sometimes it pays off, as in last week when a slew of Buxom products went on sale.  I've had my eye on the More to Love set for a while, so when I saw it in the sale section I snapped it up.  What's not to love about getting 5 full sized Buxom products for $28, especially since I get to try out some new to me products like the lip tarnish and eye shadow?  While this set is now gone for good (edit:  as of July 19 it is now back in stock at Sephora and is on sale for $28), all of the items are available separately.  Let's start with the eye products.

I need another black liner about as much as I need um, nothing.  The  Insider Eyeliner in Onyx ($14) does have a nice thin tip which makes it easy to tightline lashes or use on your waterline.  The formula includes antioxidants and vitamins to protect the delicate eye area, which is a nice touch.  I did experience some skipping on one eye, which I didn't notice until taking pictures.  I also experienced some pooling/smudging in the corner of my outer eye, probably from the waterline.  The upper lash line wore well throughout the day.  I don't usually line my waterline as I've got small eyes to begin with, and honestly, when I see myself in the mirror I think "replicant".  So, out of the five products, this is my least favorite and will probably not get much use.

The  Stay-There Eyeshadow in Collie ($18), on the other hand, is a winner!  This champagne shimmer is a great all over color or would work well as a highlighter.  I used my finger to apply and it was smooth and even in one or two passes.  Easy peasy.  I did notice that this cream to powder shadow has separated from the edges of the container, but I can't tell any problems with the shadow itself.  This set was released last year around the holidays, so I don't know if age has something to do with that or what.  Collie wore well (I used a primer), no creasing but some fading after 8-9 hours. 

I'm neutral about the Buxom Lash Mascara in Blackest Black ($19).  The brush is a bit on the large side for my taste, and I find it hard to reach the inner corners of my eye with it.  I didn't have any issues with clumping or smudging however, so it seems to perform well.  It just didn't wow me, but maybe I'll grow to love it.  That has happened before.

Overall, an easy but pretty look, I think!  Tomorrow I'll have the lip tarnish and gloss for the finished look.

 Disclaimer:  I purchased these.

NOTD: Smooth Sailing by essie

Braziliant, Super Bossa Nova, Smooth Sailing

The second of the polishes from the essie "I Say Go Braziliant" mini set that I tried was "Smooth Sailing".  I don't know what it was about these polishes, but I was not that wild about the formula.  Of the three, Super Bossa Nova worked the best, but I don't have
pictures to show you as I used it on my toes.  My toes are not allowed to be photographed, however.  I do have pictures of Braziliant here. 

Smooth Sailing is a medium denim blue with a silvery shimmer.  Quite pretty, actually. Oh, and that lime you see?  I grew it.  Or, it grew in spite of me.  I've got a very neglected potted lime bush and it managed to grow three limes this year. 

 The essie braziliant kit is a Macy's exclusive and costs $12.

Disclosure:  I bought these.

stila Monaco Eye Shadow Trio Set

Monaco eye shadow trio set

I received a stila shadow card in my March Birchbox that contained 3 shadows.  One was Diamond Lil, a shimmery taupe or shimmery metallic platinum, as described on Sephora.  I liked it enough that Diamond Lil stayed in my brain, and when stila had their recent sale, I went looking for it.  Diamond Lil wasn't one of the shadows on sale, however, and I went back and forth about some other shadows and a palette to put them in but never pulled the trigger.

Then I see that Sephora has some new stila eye shadow trio's available.  One of them looks like it might have Diamond Lil in it, but they don't list shadow names!  I take a chance and order Monaco, and am rewarded with my coveted shadow.  At a fraction of the price, which makes her even sweeter.  The eye shadow trios come boxed with the empty palette and 3 separately boxed eye shadows that fit into the palette's magnetized slots.

Taken outdoors

Monaco also contains Chinois, a matte cream, and Ebony, a matte black.  I'm glad that Kitten wasn't the lighter color included, as it was on the shadow card, since I've already got one.  I'm sure everyone does, based on how stila includes it with everything.   Although I will admit I used Kitten to highlight my inner eye for the shots below.

The shadows are soft and nicely pigmented, but I did experience a fair amount of fallout when applying.  I don't have lots of experience with stila shadows so I don't know if that's normal or not.  Anyone?  These do blend out easily and other than the fallout, I had no complaints.

Taken indoors

I used Chinois over my entire lid, Diamond Lil along the crease, outer edges and lower lash line, and Ebony over a black liner on the upper lash line.  I don't usually use color on my water line since my eyes are narrow, but I'm testing the Sephora/Pantone pencil set, review coming soon. 

The stila eye shadow trios are $16, which is a fantastic price!  The shadows are normally $18 each, so you are getting 3 shadows for less than the price of one, with a free palette thrown in as well.  Currently, there are five sets available:  French Rivieria, Monaco, Cape Town, Rome, and Amsterdam.  I bought Cape Town as well and am looking forward to trying it out!

Disclosure:  I bought this. 

Bubble & Bee Coffee Vanilla, Lemon Poppy, & Mint Tea Organic Soaps

Lemon Poppy, Coffee Vanilla, Mint Tea

I've got a thing for soap.  I will use shower gels, but I actually prefer a good bar soap.  I've been swimming in soap for the past few years, as I've got a family member that started making her own.  Occasionally though, I'll get tempted to buy soap even with my surplus, and Bubble & Bee is the most recent soap siren that got me.

Coffee Vanilla organic soap

I bought Bubble & Bee's Coffee Vanilla soap a while back just to round out an order.  When I got it, I was disappointed that it didn't smell like coffee or vanilla (maybe a bit like vanilla extract).  Despite my disappointment in the lack of fragrance, I then proceeded to fall in love with it.  It has such a creamy lather and I can see the little ground up vanilla beans in it.  So, when Bubble & Bee had a 30% off sale on their soaps, I bought another Coffee Vanilla, along with a Lemon Poppy and Mint Tea so that I could get the 3 pack deal.  There are actually 15 different soaps to chose from, including an unscented version.  

Lemon Poppy organic soap

The benefits listed for these soaps are:  100% natural, contains no water, contains absolutely no synthetic chemicals or estrogen mimickers, contains absolutely no synthetic detergents, completely free of synthetic fragrances and colors, lathers up really well, one bar lasts a long time, can be used in the shower or as a face and hand soap, vegan, no animal testing, gluten-free.

Mint Tea organic soap

The Lemon Poppy does indeed smell like a lemon poppyseed muffin and is supposed to be good for exfoliating.  I'm currently using Mint Tea, a refreshing combo of spearmint and peppermint that also contains french green and kaolin clay to draw out impurities.   The lather on this one is divine.  Of the Bubble & Bee soaps that I've used thus far, I do not find them drying, perhaps because they contain moisturizing vegetable glycerin. 

The soaps retail for $6 each at Bubble & Bee or you can purchase three for $15.  

Vanilla Coffee ingredients:  Organic coconut and palm oils saponified, vegetable glycerin, vanilla bean fiber, organic vanilla extract, organic coffee extract, sorbitol (from sugar beets). 

Lemon Poppy ingredients:   Organic coconut and palm oils saponified, vegetable glycerin, sorbitol [extracted naturally from sugar beets], organic poppy seeds, organic lemon essential oil.

Mint Tea ingredients:  Organic coconut and palm oils saponified, vegetable glycerin, french green clay, kaolin clay, organic spearmint essential oil, organic peppermint essential oil.

Disclosure:  I bought these.