When it comes to skin care, I love to stay on top of the trends. After spending several Summer’s working at our local beauty salon & spa, I attended many workshops and classes over product awareness, ingredients and skincare trends. Though I am no longer working at the salon, I still enjoy educating myself on the latest in beauty and thoroughly enjoy researching products. Does this make me a beauty junkie?
One of the biggest trends we are hearing about is a natural movement for skincare. Last April, I met with a few skin care brands and they discussed the need and desire for natural skincare. It was very eyeopening for me, as it was an area I truly hadn’t explored too much. While I was always interested, I knew those products were generally more expensive and honestly I had my doubts. Skincare is important to me because it creates the perfect canvas for makeup application. Being someone with sensitive, acne prone skin, I just wasn’t sure how well it would work. So, I did my research.
Sephora recently launched their Future Naturals Campaign highlighting several brands and natural products now carried in store and online. This is huge! While they have always had a few natural products, now they have several products to meet that need. Many of you have expressed that you would like to see more “natural” skincare on my blog, so I was thrilled when Sephora asked me to try some of their new products.
As a resource for beauty and fashion, I want to be able to provide you with honest reviews and recommendations that I have tried myself and currently use. If you follow me on snapchat, you know that not everything works and that’s ok! It’s all about finding what works for you and your skin type. After playing around with several products from Sephora, I am excited to share with you a few that worked for me.
Oh and stay tuned, I’m announcing a huge giveaway on my instagram later today and you can win this whole set of natural skincare from Sephora (everything is in the photo below)! All rules on how to enter are listed in THIS PHOTO. The contest runs through 6/14 and the winner will be announced Tuesday evening. Thank you and best of luck!
SUNDAY RILEY LUNA SLEEPING NIGHT OIL
I have been using the Luna Sleeping Night Oil for a few months now (you may have seen it appear a few times on my snapchat) and this is the only night oil that doesn’t break me out. This bottle may seem small, but it contains high potency, purified grade lactic acid which corrects dullness, shrinks pores and helps to eliminate fine lines. It is also recommended if you have hyperpigmentation or age spots.
For me, my biggest issue is pores and texture. I’ve been adding this into my nightly skin care routine for going on 3 months but like with any product, consistency is key. I try not to skip a night if possible. I only use one drop on each cheek, chin, and forehead. A little goes a long way!
Boscia Charcoal Pore Pudding
The Charcoal Pore Pudding Mask is perfect for those who are looking to tighten pores and deeply cleanse the skin. While it’s not “advertised” to help treat breakouts, I’m convinced that it does. I’ve used it as a “spot” treatment overnight and it significantly decreased my blemish. Just add a dot of the product over the problem area and wake up to clearer skin!
This treatment mask is formulated with black and white charcoal. It also has the added benefits from Kaolin Clay to detoxify and cleanse without irritating the skin. I leave on for about 20 minutes then rinse with warm water.
Has anyone tried an at home face steamer? I am thinking about purchasing this one, but I wanted to see if you had any experience with one. I’ve read it’s great to use a steamer, then apply your mask. Supposedly it makes the product work 10x better. Thoughts?
TATCHA INDIGO SOOTHING TRIPLE RECOVERY CREAM
This Recovery Cream is ideal for those who have redness or easily irritated skin. This cream wasn’t really something that I needed for my skin, but my husband has irritated skin and mild eczema. This was perfect for him! I will warn you, this stuff is pricey, but a little goes a long way.
This soothing cream is formulated with 3 percent colloidal oatmeal and was used in Chinese medicine to treat redness and pain. It contains anti-inflammatory botanicals extracted from indigo plants which work to sooth and calm skin. Like I said, this isn’t for everyone, but if you do have eczema or redness this may be worth a try!
FRESH UMBRIAN CLAY PURIFYING FACIAL TONER
I’ve been skeptical of toners. Do they strip necessary oils? Are they actually benefitting my skin? I’ve used several over the years then stopped because I didn’t notice a difference in my skin. I recently saw a segment on the Today Show talking about why you should use a toner. I was intrigued! They were talking about the benefits from shrinking pores to balancing the PH levels. That sounded like something I wanted for my skin.
Last month I received this Clay Purifying Toner by Fresh. I was anxious to test it out and see for myself if this was something that lived up to the reviews. This balancing toner is formulated with mineral-rich Umbrian clay that helps with skin congestion, oil absorption and instantly purifies skin. It is designed to not strip skin of it’s essential moisture.
I’ve been using this day and night for about 3 weeks and so far, I like it. I haven’t noticed any issues with causing skin irritation or sensitivity. I do feel like it helps purify my skin (the evidence is on the cotton ball) and shrink pores. I would recommend this to anyone who suffers from breakouts, large pores or oily skin.
DRUNK ELEPHANT B-HYDRA INTENSIVE DAY CARE GEL
Last year, I went through a phase where my makeup would not stay on my face. I was teaching and working 10 hour days, so I’m sure that wasn’t helping the situation, but I was pretty frustrated. One of my friends, who happens to be a makeup artist, told me I needed to switch my moisturizer and start using a gel based formula. She said gel based moisturizers are much better for oily skin and actually help make a smooth canvas for makeup application. She also included that it is what her team preferred when doing makeup as it helped the foundation last longer.
I was anxious to give it a try but I hadn’t really found something I loved until I tried the B-Hydra Intensive Day Care Gel. This antiaging vitamin B5 gel replenishes, brightens, and improves the appearance of skin texture. It almost acts as a primer for makeup, but with many benefits. This product also helps with pH levels and is intended to keep your skin hydrated without disrupting the skin’s balance.
You can use this on your face, neck, chest and even hands. I only use this during the day, and since there is no sunscreen, I make sure to use a foundation with high SPF. You can also apply an SPF directly after this if you prefer.
VANITY ACCESSORIES
“Spruce the Goose” Cosmetic Pouch | Mirror (old but I found it at Bed, Bath and Beyond) | Baies Candle | Gold Zebra Tray | Black Tassel Earrings (Love these! Not heavy at all) | Glambox (size: GLAMluxe Makeup Box) c/o | Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Parfum | White Marble Box (old, found at West Elm) | Kate Spade All in Good Taste | Chanel Book Set
If you have any questions about the skin care or makeup products I use, please feel free to comment below or email me at TheTeacherDiva@gmail.com
Thanks for reading and apologies for such a lengthy post. You know how I get when I talk about products! xx Ashley
I’m also obsessed with the Luna oil! It’s incredible, right?! I’ve also been seriously interested in trying all the other products, so thanks for your honest reviews, Ashley!
XO, Sarah | http://www.thebellainsider.com/ | http://www.instagram.com/sarah_thebella
Hi Sarah,
Yes, it’s amazing! I’m still not a huge fan of the smell, but in terms of skin care, it works great.
Thank you for stopping by! xx Ashley
which nail polish are you wearing? love!
Hi Julie,
It’s a shellac by CND called “Cake Pop”. It’s my absolute favorite!!
xx Ashley
Done and Done! PS- I am buying that mask. I too suffer from occasionally breakouts and I am in desperate need for something a little stronger than what I am using. Thank you so much for this giveaway and for your reviews. You make me laugh and I really enjoy reading what you type. Thanks! -TM
Loved this review. I am anxious to try the Drunk Elephant Gel. I’ve also heard to switch up to gel in the summer. Do you feel like it will last a while?
Hi Gina,
Thank you for your comment! Yes, I do feel like this will last longer than most bottles simply because it is a day cream. I don’t use it at night. Also- a little goes a long way.
I hope that helps! xx Ashley
ENTERED!! ***fingers crossed***
How/when do you incorporate this products along with the Tula products? Do use the Tula products primarily for travel?
Hi Iyanu!
Thank you for your question! I may do a Skin Care Routine post because I received quite a few emails requesting a step-by-step routine. I will try and work on one soon!
I purchased the TULA travel kit for our trip and it was a great way to try all the products. In terms of my routine, I use the TULA Face Wash first, followed by the Fresh Clay Toner (listed above). I love that face wash! Then, I use the Drunk Elephant Hydrating Gel as my moisturizer. I love this stuff for Summer. It’s lightweight and doesn’t leave my skin feeling greasy. For my eyes, I really like the Le Mer cream I mentioned in my travel skin care post, but the TULA Eye Cream is also really good (it comes in the Discovery Kit if you are wanting to give that a try). I use the Sunday Riley Luna Oil at night. I use it after washing my face and using a toner. I don’t put a moisturizer on top of it, but you easily could if you wanted to.
I hope that helps! Let me know if you have any more questions! xx Ashley
Thanks for the reply! I’ve recently started using Tula and I really like a lot but I’ve noticed that most bloggers who use it only use a couple of their products and mix it up with other skin care products from different brands and not necessarily the whole line together so I was just curious to know how you did that. This helps!
While I don’t use a steamer per say; I use a bowl filled with boiled water, and a towel tented over my head and the bowl, steaming really does help masks work better since it opens your pores and the mask can go deeper into your skin. I do this about 1-2x a month. People say steaming is bad for your skin because it can cause broken capillaries, but I’ve never had that issue.
Hi!
Thank you so much for your comment. Interesting! That is a great idea. I think I will try that before buying the steamer. I haven’t heard that before, but surely if you are only doing it a couple times a month it can’t be bad right? Thanks for your feedback! xx Ashley
So many great picks here!
My favorite natural products is Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate (you can read how I use it in my skincare routine here: http://bit.ly/1TNcfP3) and the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal mask. LOOOVE! I also like using a toner, but I only use it at night because I believe it helps remove any remaining makeup gunk. When I use it in the morning, it makes me waaay more oily. Also, a fellow beauty blogger I follow (@Iluvsarahii on Instagram) swears by this face steamer, but i’m sure anyone will work. I also like using hot wash cloth and placing it over my face (that works, too). You have so many great picks! xo Jessika
Hi Ashley, I loved this post. I am obsessed with skin care and bought the Luna oil a few months ago but they told me that if I use it, I can not use any other product with it. So I only apply my eye cream. Do you use it alone as well?
Such a great post!! I love natural skincare and I’m so glad that you’ve written such an informative, helpful article about it. Can’t wait to try out some of these products!
Thanks, Hannah! I love love these products!