Product Review: REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial

It’s no secret that I’m a believer in good skincare. So when my cousin, Saint Maria, gave me a sample of the REN Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial, I was of course excited to try it. REN has a great reputation among legit pro makeup artists like Lisa Eldridge, so I considered it pre-approved.

Flash Rinse claims to rejuvenate, firm and smooth skin. You apply it to dry skin, massage it in, add water to activate the Vitamin C, and let it sit for one minute. The directions say to do this every three days. So another reminder to go in the Google Calendar…

Other than following the directions, I like to go into trying product samples blind, meaning I don’t read any reviews or do product research first. I’m afraid I can be an impressionable little makeup artist who is easily swayed by the written word. So I prefer to try a sample without really knowing what it’s supposed to do or what others thought of it.

The sample size allowed me to try the Flash Rinse three times. Here’s what I thought of it:

1. It’s Got Grit. The formula is oily and gritty, which surprised me as I was expecting a cream. There’s nothing wrong with a little grit but if you have a spray tan, I would avoid this as grit = exfoliation, and you’ll lose color if you exfoliate.
2. Hibachi Craving. I read reviews after I used the product and it’s described as having a metallic scent. I don’t know what the problem is with my sensory synapses, but I thought it smelled like soy sauce. I don’t mind the smell of soy sauce but my brain was having a tough time connecting that smell with a beauty product. It’s like if you went to eat some chocolate cake and it smelled like roses. Even if you like the smell of roses, that’s not what you are used to chocolate cake smelling like so it might throw you. There was also a vitamin scent to the Flash Rinse, which makes sense since it contains Vitamin C. Ah, something my brain can accept.
3. Feel The Burn. After I rinsed off the Flash Rinse the first time I tried it, my skin felt like it was on fire. Oh, shit, I thought, I’ve had a bad reaction. I put a cold compress on and waited for some angry, red skin to show up, but I was fine. It was then that I realized how powerful this product is. The Vitamin C in higher end products is more concentrated and potent than what is in most Vitamin C containing drugstore products (10% Vitamin C in this one). The first night I used the Flash Rinse, I applied it within minutes of cleansing my face. The second and third times, I waited 20 minutes to apply it so my skin’s acid mantle (basically a ph balanced protectant layer over the skin) had time to come back. I had no issues with burning, at least at that level, when I waited for 20 minutes.
4. Yo, That’s Tight. My skin felt super tight after rinsing off this product. I don’t like that feeling, but it’s nothing a little face oil didn’t fix. I have combination skin but I know many oily skin people like that tight feeling. It may be more bothersome to those with dry skin but again, a little face oil will solve the problem.
5. Time Sensitive. You’re looking at about 90 seconds total for this product (30 to apply, 60 to let it do its thing). That is a perk for those of us who already have 8 million things to do every day and zero time left for anything else. I appreciate an efficient product the same way I appreciate a cashier who has my stuff wrung up before I even have my wallet out or an oil change that’s done in the time it takes me to answer three emails.

The Verdict: I know some of these things sound negative, but none of them were enough to turn me off from the product (after I confirmed that I wasn’t having a reaction to it, anyway). My feeling was if my skin looked considerably better after the Flash Rinse, it would be a winner. So was it? You’ll have to read next week’s post to find out….

I’M PLAYIN.’ Although my skin looked good after the Flash Rinse, I wasn’t blown away. My skin is already in good shape, but my beauty intuition tells me that someone whose skin doesn’t get much attention and looks dull would benefit from this. I would not recommend this for anyone with sensitive skin (REN says the same thing in their product description) because of the potency, but if you are not sensitive and your skin needs a serious pick-me-up, this could be a great match for you. REN recommends doing a patch test on your inner arm before applying it to your face.

I suspect I would have seen more of a difference if I had a full-sized bottle of the Flash Rinse and used it every three days for a month. But I normally don’t buy a full sized product based off a sample unless that sample really impresses me. I would definitely consider buying a full sized bottle if my skin goes through a rough patch (or gets rough patches on it) in the future.

I am posting this review because I know that many people don’t have a consistent skincare routine, sometimes because they don’t have the time. But 90 seconds every three days? Everyone has time for that. If you go from doing nothing to regularly cleansing, moisturizing and using the Flash Rinse, I predict a noticeable improvement of your skin. You can get it at Sephora, $48 for 2.5 oz.

Have a beautiful day 🙂

 

 

 

Product Review: Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base

My mother is a fantastic cook. People request her chicken parm, they eat six slices of her pizza and they know whatever meal she puts in front of them is going to be delicious. She is not, however, a baker. I thought things that happen in the kitchen are all part of the same category, but Mammamia says she doesn’t like baking because she has to follow recipes. (We’ve got rebel blood in our family.) Substitutions, she says, work fine in cooking if you know your stuff, but you can’t go rogue with baking. (Hence her recent banana bread fiasco–turns out whole wheat flour should not replace regular flour.)

So when I see a primarily makeup company create a skincare product or vice versa, I don’t have high hopes.  Many makeup companies excel in their products–eyeshadows, lipsticks, foundations, etc.–but that doesn’t mean they understand skincare. That’s why I was pleasantly surprised by the Bobbi Brown Vitamin Enriched Face Base.

This product is meant to be both a primer and a moisturizer. It contains shea butter and vitamins C and E. Shea butter has become very popular the past few years due to its moisturizing properties, and vitamin E is known to have a healing effect on scars and marks. Vitamin C is a winner in the anti-aging category. So that trio is impressive, especially coming from a cosmetics company.

Face Base comes in a plastic black and white jar. I have a sample size (.24 fl oz) but the full size is 1.7 oz. The packaging is simple and classy, like every other Bobbi Brown product I have seen. The lid closes tightly and stays on. My only issue with jars is that if you use your fingers to retrieve the product, you are introducing bacteria into the product. When you seal the jar, you are basically throwing a bacteria party. You remember the “warm, dark and moist” breeding ground thing from Bio 101, right? Bacteria can cause breakouts and skin irritation so especially if you are acne-prone, use a clean tool of some sort (makeup spatula, scoop, even a cotton swab) to retrieve the product.

The formula itself is–say it with me–like buttahhhh. But it absorbs quickly and doesn’t leave an oily residue. To borrow a term from Lisa Eldridge, one of my makeup artist idols, this product is nourishing. It made my skin feel considerably softer. I am a combination skin gal and I tend to get more oily as we get into the warmer months, so I think this could be a little too heavy for me and others like me during the summer. It’s not the heaviest cream I’ve ever used, but anytime you see shea butter listed as an ingredient, you can assume the product is geared more towards a normal, normal-to-dry or dry skin. As a moisturizer, this product does a great job. I used it on my neck overnight several times and woke up with crazy smooth skin.

Face Base has a moderately strong grapefruit scent. That doesn’t bother me, and the scent disappears after you apply it, but if you are sensitive to scented products, this might be a turnoff. It’s not perfume-y though. It has more of a fresh scent, which I know many people like.

Primers are supposed to do one or two things. One is to prep the skin to allow for a smoother makeup application. A good primer in this sense will allow your makeup to glide on, and can give a little glow to your skin. The other priming factor is longevity. In that arena, a primer should extend the wear of your face makeup. It does that by forming a kind of protective layer between your skin and your face makeup so the oils from your skin–the culprits behind makeup fading–can’t sneak through as easily. Face Base excels in the skin prep area. My foundation sat beautifully on top of the Face Base and I did see an undeniable glow. (What’s up now, JLo?) As far as extending makeup longevity, I saw no difference. I prefer that my primers take care of both prepping the skin (although I often use moisturizer first) and extending the wear of face makeup, so this isn’t the right primer for me. Longevity is important to me because I do a lot of wedding makeup, which needs to last all damn day. Face Base might be fine as a primer for someone with dry skin, since they don’t have as much oil coming through, but I don’t consider this a good longevity primer for my oily or combination skin peeps.

There is no SPF in Face Base, so if you use it during the day, make sure to use a separate SPF. If you use it only at night, you don’t have to worry about that (unless you live in Alaska and sleep outside during the summer).

Overall, I do like this product. I think it’s great day cream and primer for anyone with dry skin (just make sure to use SPF too). For someone with combo or normal-to-oily skin, you might like this during the winter (still use SPF) or as a night cream.

Feelin’ it? You can get it at Sephora, Bobbi Brown or Bobbi Brown counters. It retails for $58. I realize that’s not cheap but I can see this being a game changer for people with normal-to-dry or dry skin who want a smoother foundation application and some glow.

Have a beautiful day 🙂

 

 

 

 

She’s So Basic

Which one of these scenarios do you think is realistic?

1. Your college roommate loses 20 pounds and 8 inches off her waist in one week by working out and eliminating gluten.
2. A former coworker opens a new business on a Monday and is millionaire by Friday.
3. Your funny neighbor does three open mic nights and has an HBO comedy special by month’s end.
4. Your sister, who sporadically uses moisturizer and sometimes washes her face, takes 5 minutes to apply her makeup and has the dewy look Jennifer Lawrence had at the Oscars.

Anyone who has ever tried to lose weight will admit that it takes a lot of time, discipline and effort. Entrepreneurs understand that you are lucky to turn a profit after a year in business, never mind a week. And if you’ve ever known an aspiring comedian or seen interviews with someone who made it big, you realize it’s often a decade before they have a solid career. I think most people would agree there are no overnight successes in these areas.

But when it comes to beauty, many people expect results quickly and with little effort. In a world of celebrities who don’t disclose their actually beauty routines and Instagrammers who use filters and editing to achieve perfection, it’s not surprising that many people think it doesn’t take much to look flawless.

There is going to be a follow up to this post to help you understand what goes into red carpet makeup, the photos you see in magazines and all kinds of advertisements. But for now, I want to talk about what non-celebrities can do to get good skin.

If you want your makeup to look great, you have to start with The Basics. Amazing in-person makeup always starts with good skin. There is no way around this. A picture, as we all know, can be edited into perfection but I think most of the readers of this blog want skin and makeup that looks good during actual human interactions.

Unless you are someone who is genetically blessed with soft, even-toned skin and no undereye issues (aka the unicorns of the beauty world) you are going to have to put some effort in. I want you to re-read that sentence and let it sink in. If you are not willing to put some time and effort into your skincare routine, this is not the post for you. But before you leave, please know that your makeup will never look its best if you don’t take care of your skin. Okay, bye!

For those of you who know it takes work to get results in life, this is for you. It doesn’t even take that much time out of your day, so you can drop that excuse. Here is the bare minimum of what you need to do to keep your skin in good shape.

1. Cleanse Your Sins. You absolutely have to remove your makeup and cleanse your skin every night. Sleeping in makeup–or even just the dirt, oil and other junk that makes its way onto your face every day–is a great way to cause breakouts. And sleeping with eye makeup on can contribute to undereye puffiness and cause eye infections. If you are not using an oil cleanser, I recommend using an oil makeup remover, like Dermalogica PreCleanse, first. Then use your cleanser. In my opinion, nothing breaks down makeup like oil. You can also save a step and do what I do–use an oil cleanser. My favorite is NUDE Perfect Cleanse Nourishing Cleansing Oil. Unless you have very oily skin, cleansing once a day before you go to bed is enough. Total Time Needed: 5 minutes.
2. Be A Softie. Your skin needs moisture. Dry skin peeps often inherently understand this, but if your skin is oily or normal, that doesn’t mean you can skip this step. When oily skin is stripped of its oils (which can happen during cleansing, especially if you are using an oil-free cleanser), that sends a message to the skin to produce more oil, thus making the skin even more shiny. If you have oily skin, use an oil-free moisturizer like Neutrogena Oil-Free Moisture with SPF 35 to make sure that you nourish that epidermis. That’s a great moisturizer for combination skin as well. Dry skin benefits from a thicker formula like Embryolisse Lait Creme Concentre, and normal skin does well with a moisturizer like Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream. In terms of makeup, a dewy look will never work on un-moisturized skin, nor will a matte look, as the foundation will cling to dry patches and not apply evenly. Apply moisturizer once a day and you can check it off your To Do list. Total Time Needed: 30 seconds. 
3. Protect Ya Neck.  And your face. If your moisturizer does not contain SPF, you must must must apply it separately. Skin cancer is real–take it seriously. And in terms of beauty, nothing ages a face faster than sun exposure. UVA and UVB rays break down collagen, which is what keeps skin smooth and firm. When collagen diminishes, skin sags and fine lines and wrinkles form. The sun also causes hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation (that’s light spots and dark spots). Uneven skintone is just as aging as fine lines, so keep that in mind while you’re people watching at the beach. I live in an area of the country where we have seasons, so the sun is merely an acquaintance during the winter. Even so, I use a moisturizer with at least an SPF 15 to guard my skin during the three hours of daily sunlight we get in January. Come springtime (oh, joyous springtime) I bump it up to an SPF 35. In the summer, I sometimes use a separate sunscreen with SPF 30 (SPF 50 if I’m going to the beach). I currently use Aveeno Protect + Hydrate which absorbs nicely and does not cause me to breakout. Total Time Needed: 30 seconds. 
4. Slough It Off. Skin cells die. It’s a fact of life. But unless you remove them from your skin, they hang around like that last party guest who just doesn’t get it. And when they hang around, they absorb your moisturizer, which is meant for your living skin cells (so rude!). They also grab onto makeup, causing it to be uneven. Dead skin cells give an overall dull look to your skin, which does you no favors whether you are barefaced or wearing makeup. Luckily, there is a super easy solution–exfoliation. This really deserves its own post, so I’ll put that on the list. Until then, please get yourself an exfoliant and use it twice a week. Kate Somerville ExfoliKate is bomb, as is Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant (that one is a mask but does the same thing). Disclaimer: If you use prescription retinol or any other product that is contraindicated with exfoliation, skip this step. Retinol exfoliates on its own so you’re not messing anything up by omitting this. Total Time Needed: Anywhere from 3-15 minutes, depending on the type of exfoliant you use. An enzyme exfoliant usually needs to sit on the skin for a bit to work, but the only active work you have to do is apply it and rinse it off.
5. Oil Based. Unless you have truly acneic skin, you will benefit from using a face oil. The exact oil you use is going to depend on your skin type and needs, but I believe that like soulmates, there is one out there for everyone.* Check out this post for more info on face oils: https://allisonbarberamakeup.wordpress.com/2016/02/25/how-about-an-oil-change/   Total Time Needed: 1 minute.
6. Treat Yo Self. I’m going to heavily generalize here and call everything that is not mentioned above a skin treatment. The treatments you use are to address your individual skin concerns. That could be rosacea, fine lines, dull skin, pigmentation, etc. I suggest finding a product that addresses that concern and use it consistently. Vitamin C is a great choice for someone who doesn’t have a specific concern but wants their skin to look its best. Total Time Needed: Varies by treatment. 
7. Cut the Crap. Even if you do all of the things I mentioned, your skin will never look its best if you smoke, regularly overindulge in adult beverages, skimp on sleep or eat unhealthy foods. You may not want to hear that, but I speak the truth. Total Time Needed: N/A. This isn’t so much a time thing as an effort and lifestyle thing. 
8. Pay Attention. Often times, the things not working as they should inside your body will show up on your skin. The skin is an organ that can outwardly show there is a problem on the inside. A breakout, for example, can indicate a hormonal issue or a food allergy. So if you notice changes, get your ass to a doctor. Skincare can address what I consider surface-level issues (i.e. dryness, dullness, some types of breakouts) but a systemic issue can not be resolved with salicylic acid or a good moisturizer. Total Time Needed: N/A. This is my way of sneaking in some information I wanted to relay.

If you do not fully remove your makeup and cleanse your face every night and you never use moisturizer with SPF (or moisturizer and a separate SPF), you should really lower your expectations for how your skin and therefore makeup will look. Consistently doing all of the steps I recommend doesn’t guarantee your skin will be in great shape, but it will give you a solid base. As you can see, none of these things take a huge amount of time but they do make an impact. Very few good things in life come with no effort and no time spent, and your skin is no different. (That one should be in fortune cookie.) But you can definitely do it. I have faith in you!

Have a beautiful day 🙂

*Not sure I actually believe that. My personal jury is still out on soulmates, but I stand behind that theory for face oils.