like it, love it, gotta have it: moisturizer for sensitive skin

being surrounded by so much plastic surgery for that last 10 months has made me really want to up my skin care game- so many people who haven't taken care of their skin, get work done and end up looking like creepy plastic versions of everyone else. with my super sensitive skin, I always need to try new products before making an investment (and quality skin care is always $$$). sephora and their sample policy make it super easy. when I popped in a few weeks ago I grabbed a few cult favorites to see what worked best.

like hate it: first aid beauty ultra repair lotion. I wanted to like this product, I really did. I had heard so many great things about the first aid beauty brand, but this product is the worst. right off the bat I was super unimpressed with the liquidy consistency, it spilled out of the sample container and made a big ol' mess. usually products that are that thin and runny don't stick around on the skin too long, and you end up feeling like you haven't even moisturized. but, I was willing to put my consistency issues aside if it proved to be a good product. spoiler alert- it did not. after using this for two days, I was left with tons of tiny little pumps and breakouts all over my forehead and along my hairline. not cute. it's been almost three weeks and I'm still combating those breakouts (more on the product that's been clearing up my skin later). this product may be a cult favorite, but for those of us #blessed with sensitive skin- beware.

love it: fresh lotus youth preserve face cream with super 7 complex. this moisturizer is an all around good product. good for you ingredients, leaves the skin feeling moisturized but not weighed dow, and from a quality company that I love supporting. it has a fresh (har har!) scent, very cucumber/spa like, that didn't irritate my skin. it claims to have seven super charged ingredients that leave the skin radiant and plump- which I think definitely added some luminosity to my skin. if I hadn't tried the next product, this would have been the moisturizer that I added to my skin care routine. but this is a battle of the best, and another product was just better.

gotta have it: evercalm global protection day cream. this was the first I tried of the bunch, and I wish that I had ended with it. it left my skin moisturized, without being overly greasy, but also didn't break me out or leave dry patches in any areas. the consistency was perfect for making sure that moisture stuck around for a little while and didn't just soak up into the skin from being too thin and liquidy. it worked great under my makeup (but note- I don't wear any foundation or liquid skin products so this may not be true if you do) and didn't make my bronzer or blush look patchy. it's been unbecomingly  muggy & super hot in LA lately, and it didn't make my skin goopy (which as a sometimes sweaty girl happens with a lot of moisturizers). it was scented with a citrus fragrance, that initially made me nervous (fragrance is usually a big no-no with sensitive skin), but didn't end up being a bad thing. the scent was actually refreshing first thing in the morning. a huge bonus for this moisturizer over any other that I tried (or have tried in the past) is the global protection aspect. living in LA (with its amazing air quality) has made me realize just how important protecting your skin from air pollution is, and this product is specifically formulated to do just that. this is the moisturizer being added to my beauty arsenal (and thanks to hitting the next level of Beauty Insider at sephora), I'll be taking it home soon & for 10% off. win, win.

are you lucky enough to have super sensitive skin too? what's your all time favorite moisturizer for keeping your skin soft & glowing without adding breakouts? 

xx, marissa

currently craving: bangs

my only personal experience with bangs (that should be classified as a personal nightmare) came right around the 11/almost 12 year mark (ie. perfect pre-teen awkwardness when everyone is their most attractive). I had begged and pleaded with my mother to cut bangs into my thick and naturally wavy hair that frizzes even at the slightest hint of humidity, and eventually won the mother daughter battle. I should have listened when she told me that they would require upkeep, daily blow drying, and about their affinity to get frizzy and look awful in the 90% humidity that New England has more than half of the year, but what did I know. I resented those bangs for exactly as long as it took to grow them out, and developed an aversion to anything bang related.

flash forward to now, and living in a place with hardly any humidity (besides this past two week long heat wave- that's enough Mother Nature! I'd like the real LA weather back please), and I've been itching for a change. now my hair is in serious need of a haircut, but any movie/show/random person the street has me craving thick, long bangs like none other.

what to do, what to do?

xx, marissa

love it/hate it: simple cleansing facial wipes

as a gal with sensitive skin, I love when companies put out products specially formulated to be super gentle (let alone a whole line!). I was so pumped when simple skin care first came over from the UK. I dove right in, experimenting with their cleansers and moisturizers- but it was the facial wipes that had me the most excited. every other brand that I tried (even the versions supposedly made for sensitive skin) would either sting my eyes, make my skin burn and itch, or leave a sticky feeling behind. now- having to rinse off after using a wipe isn't a total black mark against a product, but it definitely makes those late nights that much easier when I don't have to schlep all the way to the bathroom after using one (you know that struggle). so I gave these wipes the old college try and not only did they give me all of those problems, but they also caused me to break out along my forehead after just a couple uses. they work fine at taking of my non-waterproof mascara and eyeshadow, but on my waterproof eyeliner they were hopeless. and while that may make sense, since they are a line created to be sensitive to the skin, they werent even gentle on my skin. the wipes are scented, which I have no issues with scented products (as long as the fragrance doesn't break me out), but usually with sensitive skin products scent is one of the first ingredients left out.

do these wipes work for some people? absolutely. they are a beauty product that has quite the following of loyal fans, and if you're somebody who has tough skin that doesn't easily breakout or flare up, you may be one of them. I love the ease of a makeup wipe, super convenient to keep in your bedside drawer or makeup bag for easy touch ups and the laziest nighttime routine ever (hey, we all have those nights. no judgment.), but I've found a product that's just as easily + better for you ingredients + better formula + without all the issues (expect that blog post soon!).

what's your take on the simple cleansing facial wipes? have you tried any other products from the simple skincare line? 

xoxo, marissa

manicure monday: god's gift to nail art

slight overexaggeration? possibly, but it's pretty great. now I was perfectly content with my makeshift nail art tools (bobby pins, eyeliner brushes, and brushes from old polish), until I noticed that sephora had quite the little nail art kit on sale (thanks sephora app!) and decided that I deserved an upgrade. the sephora "art at your fingertips" nail kit has everything that you need to create so many of my favorite (and easiest!) looks. everything from brushes (for painting small designs using your favorite polishes and cleaning up any stray marks on your cuticles) and dotting tools (for making the perfect polka dots or scalloped edges) to black and white stripers (for making straight lines and zebra print or adding details to any design). it even comes with an info card with different uses for each of the items if you're new to nail aren't and just aren't sure where to start. use this with my other mani must haves (check out that blog post here) and be prepared for everyone to ask where you got your nails done.

how are your nail art skills? are you a diy type gal, or do you prefer to leave it to the professional?

xx, marissa