Beauty Review: Vasanti BrightenUp!

Oh look!  Better pictures :D.  Okay, you know the drill.  Birchbox is a monthly beauty subscription for $10/month.  I love my Birchbox samples.  One of these days, I'll do a Birchbox vs. Ipsy with the finer points because each are important to me for different reasons.  If you'd like to read more about Birchbox click here.  Below is the October 2014 box I received:

My October 2014 Birchbox

So today's product review is on my 20 g sample of Vasanti's BrightenUp! Enzymatic Face Rejuvenator.  It's an exfoliating cleanser that I'm absolutely in love with.  I'm so in love with it, I gave it to Sabrina!  WHAT?!  Yes, I love it so much that I gave it away!  Sabrina, Dustin and I all suffer from horrible cystic acne.  You can't tell so much with me anymore, I only really get those wonderful monthly breakouts now.  But Sabrina has serious scarring.  We've tried everything including ProActive and prescriptions, they haven't worked.  I tried BrightenUp! and my first reaction was that it wasn't going to be able to do much to my skin.  Then I started scrubbing and ouch!  Be careful with this stuff.  The formula isn't powerful (that I noticed) but those micro-crystals, oh yeah, they do the job!  They are micro, they feel like very fine grain sugar but they work.

The smell is usually the first thing I comment on and there's not really anything outstanding about this one.  Not great, not bad, it's face cleanser, I can stand it.  Especially for the amazingness of this product.  I used it for the first time yesterday morning and my skin is still silky soft and smooth.  And I only needed a tiny bit but like I said, scrub softly, don't go all power massage like I did!

$34.00 for 4.23 ounces

Okay so the details.  A 4.23 oz. tube sells for $34.00.  It's very worth the money and I'm putting my November subscriptions on hold for both Ipsy and Birchbox to get Sabrina a full tube of this.  I have a $40/month self-given budget for beauty supplies so that's going to eat it up this month.  But once again, it's worth it!

How it works:

"This powerful exfoliator mimics the results of professional microdermabrasion, minus the potential for redness and sensitivity. First, papaya enzymes break down dead cells while evening out your skin tone. Next, dermatologist-approved microderm crystals fade the appearance of fine lines and acne scars, leaving skin smooth and free of imperfections. Finally, aloe vera, coconut, and vitamins B and E nourish fresh skin to keep it free of irritation."

How to use:

"Three to five times a week, wet your face and massage a pea-sized amount of product into skin, concentrating on trouble zones. Rinse away. Used consistently, a single tube will last you four to six months."

Ingredients:

Aqua (Water), Aluminum Oxide, Cetyl Alcohol, Decyl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Glycerin, Propanediol, Panthenol, Emulsifying Wax NF, Glyceryl Stearate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Ricinus Communis (Castor) Seed Oil, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice, Tocopheryl Acetate, Papain, Parfum, Phenoxyethanol, Caprylyl Glycol

If you'd like to try Vasanti's BrightenUp! for yourself you can order directly through their website.

***I am not reimbursed in anyway for my product reviews. Opinions are completely 100% my own***

Beauty Review: Warm Love Pumpkin Mask

So first off, excuse the pictures.  No matter how brilliant the light bulbs are that I put in my room, it still gives this warm tone that I can't get rid of, even with editing.  So let's just pretend that I put a pumpkin filter on them.

I received Warm Love by Albertini International (.05 ounces) in my October 2014 Ipsy bag.  Never heard of Ipsy?  It's a terrific monthly subscription for $10.  Every month they send four to five beauty samples, the bag is always (so far) valued over $10.  Below is the complete shipment I received.

Sabrina also gets her own subscription and we never, ever open them without the other present.  That way we can trade if we'd like.  Her October bag is pictured below.  I'm going to talk her into doing a guest post every month to review her bag as well.

If you're interested in learning more about Ipsy, check out their website:  http://www.ipsy.com/r/6vox?sid=ipsypoints&cid=general  And if you decide to sign up, make sure to use that link.  I'd love for them to know I sent you, because I receive points for referrals.  No shame here!

So anyway, back to Warm Love.  I'll admit, when I first read the name, I was wondering what in the hell Ipsy was sending me.  I was thinking maybe it was like the KY warming lubrication and was a getting a little nervous.  I felt all sorts of relief (no pun intended) when I realized it was actually a beauty product instead.  Specifically, it's a pumpkin exfoliating mask.

Smells are always important, so that was the very first thing I did (after breathing a sigh of relief that it was a mask anyway).  I opened it up and smelled it.  The smell was like a craft store in the fall.  For those who don't partake of craft stores, think dusty fake flowers and pumpkin spice.

I'd been working out in the yard today, so I was happy to try it out after my shower.  I washed my face, then applied it per instruction.  The first thing I noticed was that it was WARM.  I use an exfoliating cleanser to wash my face, so my skin may have been a little sensitive, but it was almost too warm.

I'm not an oompa-loompa I promise! #pumpkinfilter

The mask goes on clear, the picture is just using that pumpkin filter we spoke about eariler.  I massaged it in for 3 minutes and then rinsed.  After my face fully dried, I didn't notice any difference, either in look or feel.

"Albertini’s Warm Love Pumpkin Exfoliating Mask removes old skin cells and stimulates new cell growth. Warming and fragrant, this mask uses pumpkin, papaya and pineapple enzymes to purify, exfoliate and brighten skin. You will experience imitate improved skin smoothness and texture with your first application."

After another hour, my face felt greasy so I was glad I had forgone the moisturizer to fully try it on for size.  I'm not sure if the makers wanted you to be able to go without moisturizer, but their instructions say to use before moisturizing, so I doubt it.

"To Use: Use Warm Love pumpkin exfoliating mask after cleansing your face, and prior to moisturizing, 1-2 times a week for improved skin texture. Apply mask to clean, dry skin. Distribute approximately the size of a quarter over your entire face, avoiding contact with your eyes. Dampen hands and continue to massage for 2-3 minutes, enjoying the intoxicating fragrance and the warming effect. Rinse thoroughly with tepid waster. For increased benefits, wait 5-10 minutes before rinsing."

 I wasn't impressed and for the price of $23 for 5 oz., I won't be buying it unless the rest of this sample produces some amazing results, quickly.

Ingredients:

peg-8, glycerin, zeolite, kaolin, glyceryl stearate, cucurbita pepo (pumpkin) flake, cucubita pepo (pumpkin) powder, titanium dioxide (c177891), propylene glycol, jojoba esters, steareth-21, ppg-15, stearyl ether, cucubita pepo (pumpkin) seed oil, lactobacillus/pumpkin ferment extract, papain, bromelain, hydroxypropylcellulose, cetyl alcohol, tocopheryl acetate, fragrance (parfum), annatto, ethylhexyglycerin, caprylyl glycol

5 oz. $23.00 

If you'd like to try out Warm Love for yourself, buy it directly from Albertini's website:  http://albertiniinternational.com/product/warm-love

To read more about Ipsy:  http://www.ipsy.com/r/6vox?sid=ipsypoints&cid=general