Dior Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara

Last month, Dior announced that they would be releasing a new version of the best selling Diorshow Iconic Mascara, adding yet another selection to their award-winning mascara line.  Right after the announcement occured, Sephora was offering this mascara as a Beauty Insider sample for a very limited amount of time, I ordered mine right after I got the email from Sephora and I believe that it pretty much sold out right after that.  I have been using my sample for about three weeks now and I am much looking forward to the product itself coming out and then being able to order a full size tube.  The sample tube will be finished in less than two weeks and I hope that I can hold out until the full size is available.  I was so excited when I got this sample in the mail and I hope that Sephora continues this trend so that I can try really exciting products before they release. 

The original version of Diorshow Iconic is a favorite mascara of mine, it gives huge volume and fully separates lashes, creating a very attractive fan of full lashes.  I couldn't find any faults with the original version and I have been in love with it for several years now and then when I heard about the new version, I got even more excited to see if this version could actually improve on the original!

"A revolutionary mascara with a curved brush that offers spectacular volume and curling power.  Create glamorously curled lashes day after day. Inspired by professional curling irons, the curved brush styles every lash from bottom to top. High-precision ingredients provide intense definition and hold without clumping or smudging. Creating instant oversized volume and curl, this evolutionary formula nourishes your lashes with a unique lipid complex that strengthens and smoothes for long-lasting vitality."

"Diorshow Iconic Overcurl Mascara embodies a host of key technologies. Its K-Polymer Formula combines lifting, coating, and fixing polymers for instantly dramatic curves and long-lasting wear. Its waxes and oils offer a volumizing complex that boosts adherence, coverage, and smoothing for a dramatic lift. A lipid complex of abyssinv oil and pseudo-ceramid strengthens lashes to prevent breakage, while plant nectar boosts the development of keratin, reinforcing lashes.  An instrumental study that used before-and-after photos to measure lashes upon makeup application found the following increases: +53% in volume and +111% in curl.  In clinical studies on 31 subjects observing naked lashes after four weeks of daily application found the following increases: +31% in volume and +33% in curl."

I feel like I need to say this yet again...mascara is not made to curl the lashes by itself, it can help to hold the curl or make the lashes more bendable to curling after the mascara application.  I did use a separate lash curler with this product and I could see huge different in lahses from before I curled them and then applied the product.

This mascara line is touted as one of the best volumizing formulas on the market and I absolutely agree.  The new version of Diorshow Iconic does not disappoint and will be another great addition to the Dior mascara line up.  One coat of this mascara is perfect for the daytime work environment or night class but I have used two coats when I am getting dressed up or want a bit more drama for the nighttime.  This mascara delivers extreme colume and I loved how much my lash volume grew, this is one of the best volumizing formulas that I have ever used.  This mascara keeps the curl in my lashes longer and better than many other formulas and therefore I do really like the aspect of this product that claims to hold the curl better than the original.  I love how this formula holds the curl all day long and my lashes don't start drooping within a few hours of application.  In addition to all the above attributes, this formula lasts all day long and doesn't flake off throughout the day.

I actually have no drawbacks for this formula, even the removal of the product is very easy (when using eye makeup remover) and this is rare for a mascara formula.  I am reading the clinical trial results as though the formula provides a long term effect and the results will actually be an improvment in the bare lashes but I am not quite sure if I am reading this correctly.  Did I notice a huge improvment in my bare lashes?  No I can't say that I have but I didn't take before and after pictures during my using of this product.  I can state that my lashes are not breaking as much with this formula as I have noticed with other formulas.  Also I haven't seen as many lashes falling out with the use of this formula, there were no bald patches in my lash line (thank God!) and I guess that my lash line has improved and become more healthy in this respect. 

I really do love this mascara formula and I will be using my sample until I can get no more product out of the tube.  By then I am hoping that the full size tube will be out and I can order myself a full size tube.  This is another great addition to the Diorshow Mascara line up and it makes me love this company even more!!

photo courtesy of Sephora

OPI Spring Collection 2013 - Euro Centrale

Euro Centrale is the big spring collection from OPI, I have been hearing hints of this collection since the very beginning of winter and I am so excited that it is finally here for me to buy.  This collection contains a series of limited edition polishes, all of which were inspired by the major cities and landmarks in the European Union.  I loved the Holland collection from last spring and I am even more excited for this spring's collection!  This collection contains a wide variety of polish shades and many of them are not the traditional "spring" types of shades, when I looked at the collection on the cover of the newest catalogue from Ulta, I see some shades that I will wear now and then some that I will be saving until the start of the cooler weather.  I also see that there are a variety of finishes available in this line up, I see creams and shimmers and then one glitter finish too.  What a variety to choose from!

OPI is one of the best selling polish lines on the market today and therefore I know that many of these shades will sell out very quickly but I must say that OPI does a great job in getting that shades restocked in a timely fashion and therefore everyone will be able to get all the shades that they love.  I already see several that I will really want and I need to go to Ulta very soon.

We will start with the lighter shades since these would be the ones that I would purchase first and start using now.  My Vampire is Buff is the lightest of the shades and this is a pale neutral nude that will be great alone or when used as a base hue for nail designs.  This is one of the shades that I have seen the most of in magazines (as it is so versatile) and this is one of the shades that I really want to buy.  I will be able to paint my nails with this one day and then not have to touch them up for the rest of the work week, I love shades that give me this much freedom.  The next shade that is part of the lighter hues is You're Such a BudaPest and this is my early favorite of the collection, this is a pale periwinkle hue that can shine lilac in certain lights.  I must have this shade since I love it and I own nothing like it in my collection right now.  This one is going right to the top of my shopping list.

Now we are going to go onto the part of the collection that contains the brighter and deeper hues, this is the much larger part of the collection and almost makes the collection seem more appropriate for the fall months.  There are two reds in this collection, My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours! and  Suzi's Hungary AGAIN!.  My Paprika is Hotter Than Yours! is an orange red with a bright cream jelly finish, I cannot stand this shade and these never look good on me.  Even though I bet that it will sell quickly, I will be passing on this shade in the first round.  Suzi's Hungary AGAIN! is a bright pink red, in some pictures this shade looks very red but in others it looks like a bright warm pink.  In either case, it is too warm for me so I will also be passing over this shade.  The next bright is Don't Touch My Czechbook, this is a bright blue with a slight hint of aqua in it.  I love this shade and it will be on my list for the first round of shopping, this will be shade that I wear all spring and summer. 

The darker shades will be the last part of the shade collection.  A Women's Prague-ative is a deep copper foil, this shade just screams "fall" and this would be one that I would put away for later on this year.  I like shades like these but I don't always love them, I would consider buying it later on and seeing if I still like it as much.  Hands Off My Kielbasa! is a deep rose gold shimmer, normally I love rose gold shades but this one is just too warm for me, I was very disappointed when I saw more pictures of it online.  This shade will not be flattering on me and I will be skipping over it.  We are now at the deep jewel tones in this collection, there are two navys and a deep purple.  Eurso Eurso is my favorite, this is a deep cool navy cream and I must add this one to my collection.  I Saw...U Saw...We Saw...Warsaw is another deep navy cream, this one seems to have bit of a green tinge to it, it is different that Eurso Eurso, I prefer the former rather than the latter.  OY-Another Polish Joke! is a medium gold tone with lots of shimmer in it, I like this shade but I would need to see how warm it is before I would purchase it.  This shade could be really flattering or really awful on me and I want to hold the bottle up to my hands first.  Vant To Bite My Neck? is the last of the polish shades, this is a deep black purple with a bit of shimmer in, I had high hopes for this color but I find to be to be a bit on the flat side, I prefer Baptiste from Illamasqua if I am going to wear a deep purple hue. 

Polka.com is the only glitter shade in this collection, this shade contains a clear base with red, blue, and purple pieces of glitter suspended in it.  This shade would work equally well on its own or over another shade.  I would love to see this shade over You're Such a BudaPest! and Eurso Eurso, this will be lovely over blue shades!

My first round of shopping will include the following shades: You're Such a BudaPest!, My Vampire is Buff, Can't Find My Czechbook, and Eurso Eurso.  My second round will likely include the Polka.com shade and then any others that I think would work well on my skin tone.  This collection has some stunners for me but a few shades that I would be able to easily live without.  I don't know that I find any of the shades very unique but I know that I would get lots of use from any of the shades that I buy!

photo courtesy of Amazon

Lancome Spring 2013 Collection - In Love

March is here and I am hoping that the weather starts to warm up very soon.  We had two Theme Weeks last month and this month will see the end of the spring collections and then the weather should follow.  This is the month that I plan to do a lot of shopping in, both beauty and clothing-wise and I am ready to spend some time and money at the mall.  I am going to say that I am about 70% finished with the spring makeup collections but there are still some great companies that are on my list to look at in the next four weeks.  Today we are going to look at the newest collection from Lancome, the spring and fall collections from Lancome are typically the strongest ones throughout the year so I am very excited to see what is coming out for spring.

The new collection from Lancome is named In Love, a name that sounds likes a Valentine's Day collection but is actually a spring collection.  On first glance of the promo picture, I see Emma Watson (a favorite of mine!) wearing a vivid pink blush (another favorite of mine!) and these two just set the tone for the whole collection.  I am so excited to see this collection piece by piece and to visit the counter since I have been all over pink shades for the past two months!

The Lancome website doesn't have a description of the collection so I went over the Nordstrom website and I found a short description of the collection itself.  "The season of pure pleasure. Lancôme captures the colorful wave of spring with easy to wear hues for all skin tones. The In Love collection embraces springtime city style."  The bright blue eyeliner that Emma Watson is wearing is not quite my style but I love every other shade on her face.

Here is the spring collection from Lancome...

Baume in Love Sheer Tinted Lip Balm - These neon-translucent permanent shades saturate lips with comfort, moisture and lasting stain of color.  The formula is filler-free and contains a transparent ultra-shiny oil that optimizes the transluscency of colors and adds shine to lips.  When the texture is applied, its high content of light oils delivers a very smooth, thin and glinding film on the lips that provides a comfortable, lightweight feeling for the customer.  Protective jelly enhances its adherence on the lips. This adherence combined with its barrier effect optimizes comfort and protection of the skin from its external environment by maintaining moisture levels within the lips.  Shea butter has a unique composition compared to other plant-derived oils: it provides a naturally moisturizing effect and leaves the lips feeling soft.
- 120 Coral Electric - bright warm orange cream
- 100 Rose in Love - baby pink cream
- 110 Urban Ballet - satin bright pink cream
- 130 Midnight Rose - lavender violet cream

Blush in Love Powder Blusher - A new fresh glow blush to sculpt and enlighten the complexion . Designed to suit every skin tone, available in two different harmonies: Coral Electric: warms up the fair skins. Urban Ballet: adds a rosy halo on the darker skins. For a dewy finish, we recommend to use the Dewy Spray Mist after the blush application, with the Baume in Love to create a natural peachy look.
- 10 Peche Joue-Joue - light warm peach with a medium warm peachy pink center
- 20 Pommettes d'Amour - bright blue pink with a medium warm peachy pink center

Dewy Mist - Dewy Mist is a beauty water to be applied before make‐up to prepare the skin; and/ or after the make‐up to fix it. It has well‐known caring properties thanks to its 100% natural origin ingredients.  This is a favorite make-up product of makeup artists: it is an active water used prior to and after make-up application:  Before: To Prepare the skin for make-up: it refines pores and smoothes the skin. It also moisturizes and revitalizes for radiant, glowing skin.  After: It provides a natural dewy finish and keeps the complexion looking flawless and invisible with long-lasting results. It also provides continuous protection for make-up and skin to create an imperceptible colorless shield provided by active hydrating ingredients.  During the day: to refresh make-up and give skin extra glow.  Its active medical scent of essential oils provides a boosting effect for your skin and mood.

Kohl in Love Eyeliner Pencil - Lancôme essential Khol is reinterpreted in 3 new shades and a new gliding, smudge proof and ultra pigmented formula.  All colours have been created to be worn alone for a natural look or coordinated with the Ombre Hypnose In Love monos for a more sophisticated make‐up result.  Create a sensual, intense eye look with ease. This smudgy, creamy-smooth eye pencil delivers a dose of decadent color that glides on effortlessly and blends beautifully. In an instant, eyes are perfectly lined, defined and contoured for a smoldering effect that’s absolutely irresistible.
- 401 Deepwater Blue - dark blue
- 101 Chocolate Affair - deep brown
- 501 Jade Crush - dark green

Color Design Infinite 24H Crease-Free Luminous Eye Shadow - A revolution in eye shadow. Now, a unique creamy-powder texture creates effortlessly luminous, lasting looks. Purity of color meets exceptional long wear, for infinite intensity.  24 Hours of Wear: Luminous eye color that stays true for 24 hours without creasing. A revolutionary formula offers a silky, powder-to-cream texture that lasts all day and all night.  24 Hours of Vibrant Color: Instant eye color, infinite intensity. The highest level of pearl and pigment creates an intensely luminous makeup result, with blendable, buildable coverage.
- 200 Perpetual Pink - pale shimmering pink
- 201 Persistant Peach - pale shimmering peach
- 300 Evermore Lilac - pale shimmering lavender
- 400 Boundless Blue - deep shimmering navy
- 401 Magnetic Teal - deep shimmering blue teal
- 501 Tremendous Turquoise - medium shimmering green teal

Vernis in Love Nail Polish - Inspired by the new trendy Rouge In Love lip collection, Vernis in Love is a high potency nail laquer perfectly themed to compliment every woman's mood and style. With ultimate brillance, intense color, and a mistake-free application, your nails will love the lasting shine and pop of color that stays put for days.  Jolis Matins: Fresh shades for daytime wear. Jolis Matins shades are identified with the letter M in the shade number.  Boudoir Time: Pop shades for cocktail hour. Boudoir Time shades are identified with the letter B in the shade number.  Tonight is My Night: Intense shades for magical nights. Tonight is My Night shades are identified with the letter N in the shade number.
- 134B Peach Melodie - bright coral cream
- 301M Sugar Rose - pale sheer pink cream
- 335N Rose Macaron - bright magenta cream
- 441N Midnight Rose - deep purple cream

I love the pink shade of the powder blush that is offered with this collection, I feel like I haven't bought a new blush in several months and I think that I need to pick this one very soon.  This is one and only product that is super unique and that I really feel like I need to go out and buy right now, this is the month that I will do the heaviest of my spring beauty shopping so I am glad that I checking this collection out early enough.  The other product that I am really excited about is the Dewy Mist, I wonder how similar this is to the mists that I already own from Caudalie and I want to check this out the very next time that I go to the mall.  This is the only other product that really excites me from this spring collection. 

Even though I only consider two of the products to be must haves for me, I do like a bunch more of the products in this collection and look forward to trying them out at the counter.  The Baume in Love will be a good product for the spring and summer months, I always tend to wear bright or sheer lip shades during this time of the year and this new formula could be a great addition to my collection.  My favorite color is the bright pink shade, this will be very sheer on the lip and I will get lots of wear from it.  I love the two pinks in the nail polish collection, the pale one will get tons of use all throughout the year and I will wear the bright one in the next few months. 

The last piece of this collection that I am really excited to try is the Color Design Infinite 24H Eye Shadow, this product is said to be very similar to the Illusion d'Ombre from Chanel, a formula that I love and keep hoping that more colors will come out in.  I want to try several of these shades and see how they stack up.

photo courtesy of Nordstrom

MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick

The first new collection of this month from MAC has just released and this is one of the smaller ones of the year, Archie's Girls is still going strong even though many of the products have not yet restocked.  Trust me, I still walk by the counter in Macy*s every single time that I am in the mall, in the hopes that I will see a re-stock in the Lipsticks.  Nothing so far but I am still choosing to remain hopeful.  The first collection for this month is very small and only contains a new formula of Lipstick, it might in my best interests to look in this new formula to see if I can find a dupe of the one shade from Betty that I haven't found in stock anywhere...

The Mineralize line of makeup only seems to get larger every single year, I really liked one of the foundations that I bought in the Mineralize collection but I am not one of the many people who insist that Mineralize products are the best that they have every used.  So I am not going to automatically insist that will be one of the greatest formulas that MAC has ever created but I will try it out and decide what I actually think of the formula itself.  I am hoping for a great pink shade that I can try out and use right now in the spring months.

"Introducing a new Mineralize masterpiece for lips with a luxurious, lightweight formula enhanced with 77-Mineral Moist complex for nutrient-rich moisture. The impact is instant - softer, smoother, more supple lips. The larger lipstick bullet delivers fuller, sleeker application in a single stroke. 12 new shades with bright, colour retention."

Mineralize Rich Lipstick - A 77-Mineral Moist Complex that instantly nourishes lips with maximum moisture in a lightweight, non-sticky formula. Larger bullet applies bright, long lasting colour in a single stroke. Medium shine finish, buildable coverage. Magnetic closure.
- Luxe Naturale - light beige cream
- Posh Tone - soft warm nude cream
- Glamour Era - mid-tonal warm brown frost
- Style Surge - neutral coral cream
- Lady at Play - mid-tonal coral tangerine
- Dreaminess - soft cool pink cream
- Devine Choice - mid-tonal cool pink cream
- Elegant Accent - mid-tonal warm rose cream
- Grande Dame - mid-tonal neutral rose cream
- Everyday Diva - true red cream
- Lush Life - deep cool plum
- All Out Gorgeous - deep warm red

My favorite shades are the pink hues and my plan is to buy them first and then decide what I think of the formula before I buy any others.  The first shade that I want is the one that is pictured here, Devine Choice.  I have been looking for a medium blue pink for a few weeks now and this one could easily fit the bill.  The other shade that I really want is Dreaminess,  this lighter pink is very similar to Viva Glam Gaga but it should have a more pigmented finish than the original with the Lustre finish.  If these two work (and I hope that they do!), my next purchase will be Grande Dame (deep rose) and then Everyday Diva (gotta throw the red in there).  I am very excited to try this formula because I have not really been liking shine or shimmer in many of my lip shades recently and these are almost all creams and there are some shades that hold lots of potential in this new formula.

photo courtesy of MAC

Most Wanted March 2013

March is now officially here and that means that spring will begin at some point soon.  I have started shopping for spring clothing and accessories but I still have a long way to go to buy everything that I need for a new spring wardrobe.  And this is the month that I start beauty product shopping for spring, lately I have been craving a new fragrance or three and some new pastel nail polish shades.  I am all about color this spring and clothing and accessories and my beauty product buys will follow this same trend and I am so excited to start shopping!

March Shopping List!

- Butter London 3-Free Nail Lacquer in Molly Coddled
- Illamasqua I'm Perfection Nail Varnish in Speckled
- Illamasqua I'm Perfection Lipstick in Immodest
- Tarte Maracuja C-Brighter Eye Treatment
- Bond No. 9 I Love New York - Earth Day
- Dior Cherie Bow Eye Shadow Palette
- Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Dab
- Philosophy Hope in a Jar Night Cream
- MAC Extended Play Gigablack Lash Mascara
- Balenciaga Florabotanica

I seem to be all about Illamasqua this month, I want at least one or two of the Speckled Nail Varnishes and I can't wait to try them.  I am so ready for a new fragrance for spring, I am getting sick of the ones that I have been using all winter and it is now time for a change.  I cannot wait for my vacation this month so I can do some serious shopping!

Skincare Ingredients Week Day Seven - Korres Wild Rose Face and Eye Serum

Today we one the last day of my Skincare Ingredients Theme Week, yesterday we looked at what might be one of my new favorite ingredients and today I have saved my favorite ingredient ever for the last day of the week.  I have loved Rose in all forms; skincare, perfume, and body products.  I have used rose in every single form that it is available in and I am also burning a rose candle made for me by a friend while I type this, I love rose fragrances and I also enjoy reaping the beneficial ingredients to the skin.  Rose is one of the oldest ingredients and one of the best soothing and hydrating ingredients that can be used in skincare, I need as much as soothing and hydrating as possible so I am all about roses.

Korres has one of the most popular wild rose skincare product lines and the company also provides lots of information about this ingredient on the Sephora website so I am just going to pull all my information from here rather than searching on botany and chemistry website as I was doing for entries earlier this week.  "Whether you covet long-lasting hydration, skin-perfecting makeup, or an intensive treatment product, Korres' Wild Rose Collection offers a complete regimen designed to brighten, revitalize, and protect your skin. As with all Korres' natural skincare and color products, the Wild Rose collection is formulated to achieve maximum, long-lasting results using highly effective, natural extracts. What you won't find: harsh chemicals and synthetic ingredients. What you will find: skin-friendly products loaded with wild rose oil. Rich in vitamin C, wild rose oil offers potent antioxidant protection and also works to fight fine lines and hyperpigmentation. It can even assist in cell regeneration and in improving skin texture. End result? Gorgeous skin with a natural glow."

To reap all the benefits of wild rose, I decided to purchase the serum that is packed full of this ingredient.  I have used the moisturizer in the past and loved it so I am more than happy to order more items from Korres.  "Rich in wild rose oil, Wild Rose skincare formulas form a protective barrier on the epidermis that improves the texture of the skin and, more importantly, allow cells to regenerate. That’s great news for those with fine lines and wrinkles; dark under-eye circles; a dull, uneven skintone; and hyperpigmentation.  An ultra-concentrated vitamin C face and eye serum that is clinically proven to brighten skin, smooth the look of fine lines, and improve skin texture.  Brighten skin, smooth fine lines, and even the skin texture with this potent natural serum. Ultra-concentrated vitamin C found in wild rose helps to repair skin discolorations while boosting skin’s brightness and radiance. Baobab tree extract, in combination with a wheat proteins agent, provides an instant firming and line-smoothing effect and has been clinically proven to considerably reduce the number, depth, and length of wrinkles. "

A few lab results from the testing phase...

Clinically proven results after 60 days:
- 100% of women showed improved skin brightness and radiance
- 100% of women showed improved skin smoothness

This serum is best when used twice a day, I started out with one usage a day and after two weeks, I saw absolutely no results.  I decided to change up my routine and begin using it both morning and night.  After two weeks using it in this method, I got much better results so I guess sometimes it pays to actually read the directions.  The serum has a thicker texture than most, I would say that this serum is best for normal to dry and sensitive skin types.  It absorbs in quickly and my skin seemed to simply love the texture of this serum. 

This serum mostly hydrated and brighten my complexion, it has Vitamin C in it to enhance the wild rose extract but I didn't reap any of the anti-aging benefits since I have no visible signs of aging.  My overall complexion looks much better than it did before and I would purchase another tube of this without hesitation, I know that I will buy another bottle of this before winter comes around next week since this is the time of the year when my skin gets really ugly.  I will also be ordering more from the Wild Rose collection over the next few months.

Well Skincare Ingredients Theme Week has ended and I hope that I have given you some new products to try and ingredients to look for.  Feel free to add any comments about your favorite products with these ingredients in and I will look for them.

photo courtesy of Sephora

Skincare Ingredients Week Day Six - Fresh Soy Face Cleanser

Yesterday we looked at a very effective treatment ingredient for oily and acne-prone skin and today we will look at an ingredient that is recommended for all skin types.  Soy foods and soy milk are fast becoming part of the mainstream and now soy-based skincare products are quickly beginning to catch up their fame.  Whenever you mention soy products to anyone beauty and skincare addict, the first line that will pop into their head is the best-selling and top-rated line of soy-based face products from Fresh.  Indeed, these are some of the best-selling products are from this collection but I don't believe that all their fans truly understand what makes this line so great.  I have just started using face care from Fresh slightly over a year ago, starting with a eye cream and now I have been branching out to the rest of their skin line.  I have had many people recommend the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser to me over the years and when I was listing ingredients that I wanted to look at, soy and Fresh seemed to be a very natural combination.  I know how much love this product gets and I wanted to look into the formula and learn why I love it so much.

Soy is a calming and hydrating ingredient that also helps to deal with redness and pigmentation issues.  Soy can penetrate underneath the top layer of the epidermis and will help to correct signs of depigmentation on a deeper level by promoting healthy cell growth.  The presence of soy and the plant phytoestrogens contained in it will help to stimulate the production of collagen and elastin and help your skin cells regenerate.  This ingredient can be used for both correcting the visible signs of aging and helping to ward off some of the signs, this is an all-around hard working ingredient and can achieve results without a potentially irritating mix of ingredients.  In addition, soy hydrates below the skin's top layer and contains anti-oxidants yet too.  After learning all this, I decided that soy might be one of my new favorite skincare ingredients and one that I want to be purchasing more of in the future.

I have started my journey with soy skincare products with the Fresh Soy Face Cleanser and now I am very much looking forward to buy more products from this line.  "A multitasking gel that gently removes impurities and makeup.  The Soy Face Cleanser from Fresh instantly whisks away everyday impurities and makeup—even mascara—without stripping the skin of essential moisture. Rich in amino acids, soy proteins promote moisture retention, elasticity, and firmness. Rosewater balances and tones the skin. Fragrance-free and soap-free, calming cucumber extract and nourishing borage seed oil enriches its formula.  This product is extra gentle and ideal for all skin types. "In the early nineties, there was a buzz about the health benefits of soy, but no one was exploring its effects on the skin. We found that it is highly rich in amino acids, which help with cell turnover and introduced soy to the beauty market in 1999." —Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg, Fresh Founders.

This face wash is technically a gel formula but I feel that it is best described as a cream-gel.  A dime-sized drop provides enough product to cover my entire face and it really foams up, in fact I was surprised at the foam level that it provided as it is creamy than your typical gel cleanser.  I didn't like the foam level the first time that I used it, I immediately assumed that it would dry my skin out and that this would be a product that I wouldn't like but I soon changed my opinion.  This product didn't dry out my skin or make my redness any worse, my skin actually felt better after using this product than it did before and I was very happy that I had decided to buy the largest size of this product at Sephora.  I did not even try to use this product to get my eye makeup off, there is simply no plain face wash that will get all of my eye makeup off and I always use a separate eye makeup remover, I will not comment on how well/not well this product gets eye makeup off.  It removed the rest of my makeup without an issue, an aspect that makes me very happy.


Based on the hydrating and anti-oxidant properties of this ingredient, I am very much looking forward to buying this ingredient in a day cream or perhaps a sunscreen.  Fresh has several products in the soy line and I will be checking them out the next time that I go to Sephora.

One more day and one more ingredient!

photo courtesy of Sephora