Ipsy May 2018 Glam Bag Review

I have always been interested in Ipsy, which is a monthly beauty subscription service. I was really happy to get the opportunity to try their May bag. 

I filled out a profile selecting my preferred makeup and beauty products and style. Based on the profile I filled out, I received a flat shader eyeshadow brush by SLMGLAMM, 2 samples of a green tea mask by Pure Heals, a sample of Doucce mascara, a Kokie nail polish in Fresh Picked, and an Elizabeth Mott eyeshadow in Mermaid Teal (even though I selected that I like neutral colours in my profile). 

I can see how this would be an o.k value for those in the USA at $10USD, but for us Canadians, these little samples would have cost $20 with the added shipping and the exchange rate! 😣 I've seen previous bags and thought it always looked like a good value. Sadly, I don't think my bag is.

I'd love to hear what is your favourite beauty subscription service! 

Not sponsored

Melissa B. Naturally Pumpkin & Coconut Exfoliating Mask Review

I love a good multi-tasking product! Read on to learn more...

Exfoliation is a big part of my skincare routine. It helps to get rid of the dead skin build up on the surface of my skin and also helps my other products work better by allowing them to penetrate deeper into my skin.

I'm a Retin-A user and I find that gentle exfoliators work best for me and they also assist the Retin-A in its job. Because Retin-A works with cell turnover and the exfoliator helps to remove the old skin that has built up on the surface of the skin, in this way, they work hand-in-hand.

I have been using this mask for weeks, and I find this mask rather addicting as its quick and easy and it's 3 steps in one: it works as a cleanser, exfoliator, and a mask! And I love the results that I get - my skin is clearer, brighter, firmer, and more even-toned.

The first time that I used the mask I experienced tingling and some itchiness, yet my skin didn't look irritated or red at all. I spoke to the company about this as I was concerned that maybe I was allergic to one of the ingredients. I was assured by them that this was a very normal reaction to the high concentration of pumpkin enzymes which is a very active ingredient. So, I started out with just leaving the mask on for 5 minutes until my skin became acclimated to it and I can now leave it on for the full 15 minutes.

The consistency on the thinner side, so a little goes a long way. It also has the perfect amount of grit. It's not too abrasive or rough, it's just right. I get the perfect facial every time.

Although this is a cleanser, exfoliator, and mask all in one, if I have the time or inclination for a real pamper session, I will often use another mask afterwards but it's definitely not necessary. Whether I choose to use another mask afterwards or just load on my other skincare product, this exfoliator sets the stage so that the other products will work even better as they will penetrate more deeply into the skin.

I would recommend using this before any event when you want to look fresh faced and bright or anytime you want to give your skin a treat!

This product is both gentle yet effective, which is the perfect combo for me.

Retail Price:
$24 USD / 30 ML

Ingredients:

Water, Kaolin, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glyceryl Stearate SE, Ecuadorian Ivory Palm (Phytelephas Aequatoralis) Seeds Powder, Bentonite, Cetyl Alcohol, Zinc Oxide, Glycerin, Lactobacillus/ Pumpkin Ferment Extract, Allantoin, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Vegetable Collagen, Phenoxyethanol, Ethylhexylglycerin, Xanthan Gum, Citric Acid, Fragrance.

This product is made in the USA, cruelty free, and eco-friendly. 🐰

All Mellisa B. Naturally products are made without harmful chemicals. 

You can read more about this product by visiting Mellisa B. Naturally. 

*This product was provided to Health and Beauty Girl free for review. All opinions are honest and my own. This post is not sponsored and no affiliate links have been used.

Review | The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask #Vegan

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask

I recently got the opportunity to try some of the Body Shop's new face masks thanks to a free sampling program that they ran to introduce these products to the market. I usually love to douse my skin with moisture, so I was surprised when my favourite of the 3 masks that I tried turned out to be the Himalayan Charcoal one. I loved the results so much that I had to buy the full size along with another product as shown in a recent haul (linked here).

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask

I realized after the first mask session that the name they chose for this mask describes it perfectly, my skin had an instant glow to it afterwards. My skin not only had a glow to it but it looked more clear, even, and radiant. My skin was also super soft after the mask. I have since used it a few more times and the results were even better. The results lasted into the next day; my skin was younger and clearer looking the next day. It was one of those things where I kept looking at my bare skin in the mirror and thought "geez, my skin looks good today." Then I realized, "oh, it's the mask!"

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION from The Body Shop: 

"Refine and revive your skin with our Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask. Inspired by Ayurvedic traditions, this 100% vegan tingling charcoal clay mask is infused with bamboo charcoal, green tea leaves, and organic tea tree oil. This invigorating charcoal face mask draws out impurities and refines the appearance of pores for healthy-looking skin with a glow that shows."

• 100% vegan
• Formulated without parabens, paraffins, silicone or mineral oils
• Absorbs excess oil
• Perfect for skin that needs extra purification to reveal a healthy, youthful glow
• Packed with bamboo charcoal from the Himalayan Foothills, green tea leaves from Japan and organic Community Trade tea tree oil from Kenya. 

Charcoal is great for pulling out impurities and detoxifying, and I can see that it's doing just that. It also provides a gentle exfoliation to the skin with the green tea leaves in the product. It has a cooling sensation on the skin thanks to the menthol in the product (which I could really do without) and it leaves your skin feeling refreshed. Besides the fact that I'm not a fan of cooling sensations in my skincare, it's not a deal-breaker as the results from this mask are fantastic.

The Body Shop Himalayan Charcoal Purifying Glow Mask

I  know a lot of people are into multi-masking and will place one type of mask on their T-zone and another type of mask on the drier parts like the cheeks etc. I like to multi-mask too and have done so for years, but I do it a little bit differently. I like to use a detoxifying mask such as the Himalayan Charcoal one all over my face for the allotted time and then after I remove it I apply a hydrating mask to my whole face as well. As always, I follow up with my usual skincare routine after masking.

This weekend I used this mask again but this time for my second / hydrating mask, I used The Body Shop's new British Rose Mask from the samples that I received. I loved the results so much that I may just have to go purchase the British Rose Mask as well. Although I didn't notice a difference when I used the British Rose Mask on its own, I definitely loved the results after using the Himalayan Charcoal Mask and following it up with the British Rose Mask.

Creepy Making Face!

I really love this product and it does what it says. I wasn't even in the market for a new face mask but after seeing the results, I just had to indulge. I also love that this product is cruelty-free and vegan!

Although the free sampling program for these masks is over, I'm sure The Body Shop will give you a free sample if you want to try it before you buy it. Just ask in store.

Tip: I signed up for The Body Shop's emails and received a 50% off code that was sent straight to my email. It was good for one product purchased either online or in store.

This product retails for $28 CAD for 75ml. 

Have you tried any of the Body Shop's new masks? Which one's are you loving?

XO

*This post is not sponsored. The product was purchased by Moi and all opinions are mine! 

At Home DIY Facial: nu-pore Cucumber Collagen Essence Korean Sheet Mask

A while ago a friend of mine gave me one of those Korean face masks to try. It's one of those creepy looking one's with the eye and mouth holes cut out. It's been sitting around in a box that I have that's full of samples to try out. With my skin feeling a little dry and itchy lately, I finally decided to break it out and give it a try.  This one is the nu-pore Cucumber Collagen Essence Mask.

Claims: Purifying, soothing and moisturizing. It also says on the pack that it contains vitamin E and collagen. It claims to make your tired skin moistened, elastic, clear and relieves your stress. Use 2-3 times per week.  The package also contains a number of warnings like not to use on blemished, irritated or sunburned skin.

Ingredients: Water, glycerin, butylenes glycol, hydrolyzed collagen, cucumis sativus fruit (cucumber) extract, methylparaben, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, carbomer, sodium hyaluronate, ceteth-20, steareth-20, tocopheryl acetate, glyceryl stearate, cetearyl alcohol, neopentyl glycol, dicaprate, cetyl ethylhexanoate, phenoxyethanol, sodium hydroxide, fragrance, allantoin, panthenol, disodium EDTA

Out of the package comes 1 pre-moistened mask -pictured above. It is very saturated. It says to apply to clean and dried skin and then to soothe your face with a toner before applying, unfold the mask and leave on for 15-20 minutes. Then, peel off the mask and massage the remaining collagen essence into the skin. After that I applied my normal toner and moisturizer.

It's a dark an rainy day here so I tried taking pictures in different lighting but couldn't seem to get rid of the shadowing. Seeing close ups of your own skin isn't much fun (just look at those pores!) But, hopefully you can see that my skin is hydrated after using the mask (I'm wearing a lip balm so my lips look super shiny). I have a lot of sun damage, scarring and imperfections on my skin and I didn't expect this mask to get rid of those problems (I probably need lasers for that!) What I found was this mask really did hydrate and soothe my skin as it claimed and that's just what I was looking for today. This mask was extremely easy to use and there was no mess to clean up afterwards. I would love to use these types of sheet masks but I will definitely be on the hunt for some without parabens in them.

Have you tried any sheet masks? Please let me know, especially if you know of any that are paraben-free and cruelty-free. 

Xo Amy