I've been shopping at Trader Joe's every since college. It's an amazing grocery store for all things. But.. Trader Joe's skin products? Hm... I've wanted a good toner for a while and decided to pick this up on a recent trip. The Rose Water Facial Toner contains rose water, rose oil, witch hazel, and bark extract as the main ingredients. I am a sucker for all things mist and pink. Also, this bottle was $4 !! I've never bought a toner at that price. It's my first of Trader Joe's skin products I've tried and I am in love with this toner. From what I understand, Trader Joe's rebrands their products, usually at a lower price than the original brand. I'm not sure what the original manufacturer of this is but if anyone knows please comment below. There's nothing like misting your face with this stuff in the morning to wake up and start your day. The scent of this toner is my favorite part. It's honestly the best smelling skin product I own. The rose aroma lifts my mood and energizes me. The divine smell is like you're running through a garden on a perfect sunny day while bouquets of roses fall down from the sky. I could not believe I'd never used rose rater before so I read some more about it. I was surprised to find rose water has a ton of history. It's been used in Middle Eastern mourning ceremonies and religious rituals for centuries. The water is made by steeping rose petals in water. Rose water has anti-microbial and anti-oxidant effects on the skin and when ingested. If you're still not convinced, rose oil helps with depression, grief, nervous stress and tension. To read more rose water about it, click here. Another thing I love about this is that the spray bottle dispenses the perfect amount of product. I'm also using another mist right now (review soon) and it leaves my face soaked after one spray and doesn't dispense evenly on my face. As soon as this bottle runs out, I'm cleaning it and pouring some of my other mists in the bottle. Overall, I love to spray this stuff on my face as often as possible. It's one of the products I look forward to in my routine everyday. While effects on the skin aren't sudden or immediate, the effect on my mood is! The only thing I wish they'd change is the added fragrance *sigh*. I will definitely be repurchasing. Rating: 4.5/5
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Timeless Skincare https://www.timelessha.com Timeless is my number one brand (for now). Timeless carries about 10-15 different products. All their products are always of the highest quality. They are paraben free and focus on active ingredients that have proven results. The ingredient lists on their products is never long with added fillers. Timeless’s popularity has slowly been increasing . I first discovered them from Hot and Flashy. The first products I used from Timeless were the Vitamin c and Matrixyl Synthe'6. Timeless sells larger bottles that can be used as refills or just on their own. Often times companies make it impossible to find their product in more than one size. Also, if you want to use Timeless you can join their mailer list and get exclusive coupons and a few times a year they have massive sales which rarely sell out. Recently, I’ve gotten really into their sprays. I always feel like a princess whenever I spray products on my face instead of use my hand to rub them in (currently I’m using their Rose Water & Matrixyl spray). Skinceuticals https://www.skinceuticals.com/ SkinCeuticals is the brand my mom used when I was younger and I quickly became a fan. Now that I have a big girl job and don’t have to sneak into my moms bathroom to use her vitamin c, I have tried multiple SkinCeuticals products (mostly samples because it’s all I can afford...) and loved them all. They are the truest science backed skincare company, with four generations of topical antioxidant formulations, 10 patents, and more than 200 studies published in prestigious medical journals, SkinCeuticals is a trailblazer in antioxidant science. Antioxidants are at the core of the product. Unfortunately, like I mentioned, their products are pricey with three dollar signs. However, buying from them contributes to further skincare science. Their cost is a reflection of how much time has gone into developing and testing these products using actual peer-reviewed studies. It really shouldn’t be so rare for a company to do that. However, it requires a ton of resources. The pioneer and world-renowned doctor behind Skinceuticals, Dr. Sheldon, worked in the field for 40 years before passing a few years ago. His main focus was on preventing skin cancer and skin aging. Who can argue with that? Stratia https://www.stratiaskin.com Stratia is a relatively new brand that was started by Alli Reed, a so-called “chemistry nerd and skincare fanatic”. I am obsessed with this brand. Alli started her skincare journey with a blog called the Acid Queen . I love how it was started by someone just like me and all you fellow readers out there. Alli uses her chemistry background to create beautiful products that work for most skin types. Only one store in New York currently sells her products so you’re going to have to order them online. She currently offers five products, her most popular being Liquid Gold. I’ve tried all of them except the AHA. The brand has slowly been expanding in the past year and I expect it to continue to expand. She has sales a few times a year but her products sell out extremely fast. Even without the sales, the prices are very reasonable and I feel great supporting new businesses and entrepreneurs like her! Cerave https://www.cerave.com I’m sure you’ve seen Cerave and maybe even used it before. Cerave is the bomb. One reason for that is it is sold everywhere. I started out using Cerave PM, still a staple in my routine, and now use their cleansers and body lotions as well. Dermatologists developed Cerave over ten years ago. Ceramides are the heart of their product, specifically (Ceramides 1, 3, and 6-II). They tout their "MultiVesicular Emulsion Technology (MVE)” as a revolutionary way to deliver their products to the skin over a period of time. I’m not entirely sure what their “emulsion technology” is but I know Cerave makes amazing products at a very affordable price point. Also, unlike a lot of other popular brands, they never reformulate their products. Ceramides are a proven ingredient which helps the moisture barrier or skin. I love that Cerave products are fragrance free. They have a ton of lines and products for different skin types so every skin type can find their perfect product. Cosrx You guys know my affinity for asian skincare. Cosrx might be my favorite asian beauty brand. Every product I’ve tried from them has blown me away. Some of my favorite Cosrx products are the low ph cleanser, snail mucin, and the rice overnight sleeping mask. Cosrx is extremely affordable and has great products. They make simple products focused around a few ingredients. Many ingredients in the asian beauty space haven’t been as scientifically proven and tested like in the western world. Some examples include ingredients like snail mucin, rice, birds nest, and birch sap. Snail mucin is a staple in my routine for hydration. However, it does not have a sizable trail of peer reviewed evidence. Upon further research, I could only find one 2013 study in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology on snail mucin improving fine lines… but then I realized it was funded by Biopelle, a snail serum manufacturer. In my experience, snail mucin is amazing but if you are looking for more “proven” ingredients Cos Rx also sells products with ingredients like acids and hyaluronic acid. I couldn’t find their website or much about their company online (perhaps because I’m in the US?). If anyone has it, please comment below! I am the first to admit I am not the healthiest eater. I am the type of person who will eat horribly one day and the next eat nothing to try and make up for it. At 24, I am still barely able to get away with it without blowing up. However, there are a few things that I have noticed affecting my skin relating to my diet. Water. It’s not that when I drink a lot of water my skin looks amazing, its that when I haven’t had enough water my skin looks awful. I’m talking about dehydrated, dull, older, bleh. I’m not the best about staying hydrated because I hate having to run to the restroom every 30 min but I have been trying to make a conscious effort to have a water bottle with me most of the time. This guarantees that when I am starting to feel dehydrated, I can quickly quench my thirst and go back to applying my products :) Tea. Honestly I never bought into the hype of tea until I started drinking it consistently and saw what it did to my skin. Now I try to have one or two cups a day. I usually still have a coffee but I am slowly trying to replace it with tea (I just love the taste of coffee so much). In my office we have all types of teas and I’m still trying to figure out my favorite. However, I will say almost every kind of tea has benefits. I’ve never used green tea skin products (if anyone has any recommendations please comment below) but when I drink it I can definitely see the glow and benefits people are talking about. Good fats. Like many millennial (ugh I can’t believe I just identified myself as a millennial) I am addicted to sushi. Despite the mercury, PCBs, and all the other potentially toxic ingredients in raw fish, I really believe my salmon avocado rolls I hold so dear to my heart make my skin better. Healthy fats are supposed to help your skin maintain its moisture barrier and keep your skin plump. I also cook with olive oil and avocado oil over butter any day and my skin loves me for it. The Chemistry Brand is a subsidiary of Deciem, The Abnormal Beauty Company. The Chemistry Brand Hand Chemistry hand cream is my first product from the Chemistry Brand. The product claims to "target 8 signs of aging simultaneously". Currently, I use the same products on my face as my hands, usually Cerave PM. First of all, I don't believe it's necessary to have a new product for your hands. Some of the notable ingredients in this cream include Peptide GHK, Sacha Inchi oil, and Tremella fuciformis. Most of these ingredients are understudied and experimental. I've been using this cream during the day for about a month now. Upon application of the Chemistry Brand Hand Chemistry cream, I notice it is very thick and requires more force than I'm used to to push it out. The fragrance is a bit nauseating. The scent is like a perfume. It doesn't smell natural but it is bearable. You need a very small amount of product to coat your hands. In my photos below, the amount on my hand is enough to cover my arms as well as my hands. My main issue with the Chemistry Brand Hand Chemistry is that it doesn't soak into my skin. Especially on my palms, the cream leaves my skin feeling sticky and filmy. I try not to rub it on my palms for this reason but usually I get the urge to wash my palms after I apply or rub them on something to get the film feeling to go away. The extremely thick texture of the cream might be good for very dry skin like on elbows but unless your hands are so dry they're cracking I don't think you'd need something this heavy. I really only need a small drop to cover my hands. However, all in all, I definitely will not be repurchasing this product. Skin Score: 2/5 Stratia rewind is an essence which contains DMAE, 5% niacinamide, licorice root, and tamarind seed extract. Stratia is a new company started by a fellow evidence-based skincare fanatic. I’ve used almost the whole bottle after applying it on and off for a few months. The main ingredient, DMAE, is found in fish and often known as a popular “brain food”. When applied to skin, DMAE has been proven to increase thickness in skin by stimulating collagen growth. I've never used DMAE in my skincare products before so I was excited to use Stratia Rewind. I usually apply this product at night after cleansing. The essence has little to no fragrance. It melts into skin quickly and absorbs fast. In the morning my skin looks more plump but I haven’t seen much improvement beyond that. The bottle is 30 ml for $16. The Stratia Rewind essence itself is quite watery (photos below), but as are most essences. My main caveat is sometimes when I apply the essence I experience a strong burning sensation for a few seconds. This feeling goes away quickly but I'm not sure of the cause. For this reason, I don’t think I will repurchase again. However, I may continue to use a DMAE product in the future. 3/5 I recently learned about Stratia, an LA company, from a post on Reddit. The founder, Alli Reed, a fellow skincare junkie, makes the products all by herself and started her company less than a year ago. A few months ago I ordered Stratia Liquid Gold and Rewind. The Liquid Gold costs $24 and the Rewind is $16. I will post the review for the Stratia Rewind shortly after this one. My products arrived very quickly (less than a week). The color of Liquid Gold is a very bright almost neon yellow color. According to the website, the color comes from sea buckthorn oil. Almost all my beauty products are clear or white so this is a fun addition. (continue below) Upon dispensing the product, you can smell the Stratia Liquid Gold has a hint of earthy smell but it goes away after you rub int in. It instantly melts into my skin when I apply it. A few drops is really all you need. It rubs in within a few minutes. The consistency is like a creamy oil. It absorbs fast leaves my skin feeling very moisturized and smooth. It seriously makes my skin glow. This formula is PACKED with effective and moisturizing ingredients including several oils, Niacinamide (4%), Ceramides and Squalane. I love using essential oils in my skincare routine as well as lotion products. Liquid Gold is the best of both worlds. Basically all my favorite ingredients packed into one beautiful glass bottle. As you can see, I've used almost the whole bottle (it's been a few months since I ordered it). If I could buy it in a larger bottle I definitely would. I use it everyday on my face, neck and hands. Since I've started using it, I noticed my skin has been less dry and insanely soft. As soon as you apply it you can feel the difference. My dream is to just bathe in it. I will sometimes use a heavier cream moisturizer on top of this before bed but this product has everything I need in a daily moisturizer. Definitely repurchasing. 5/5
My Beauty Diary makes some awesome sheet masks. I have slowly been trying them all (thank you Amazon). These retail at $13 for a ten pack which is hard to complain about. I have gone through almost all of these masks from the pack so I thought it was time to make a review for one!
After about 30 minutes, the mask started to dry on the edges. After about 45 minutes I took it off, my skin looked bright and new. I'm not sure if it's the birds nest or one of the many other ingredients, but this mask definitely does what it says. The effects last about a day but if you have a special occasion or just want to relax, this mask is great!
Skin score: 5/5
This product looks pretty good according to CosDNA! Upon arrival, I immediately opened the package and took a photo because I knew I would be writing a review. I love the simple packing for this product. It's like it came straight from the doctors office! The product dried a few seconds after application. However, it left a very unpleasant film and sticky feeling on my face. This stickiness is the opposite of how I want my face to feel, which is like nothing is applied at all (i.e. everything is absorbed). The serum just kind of sits on top of my face and feels bad. When I applied my second product over it (after waiting 20 minutes), I could still feel that the Ordinary serum wasn't absorbed at all. Putting the second product on top caused a really unpleasant balling effect. I had to wash both products off and then reapply the second one.
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