Skincare played a big part in the year of 2016 I became more aware of the ingredients in products and what's beneficial for my skin and what's not. After lots of trial and fail, I've discovered some great products along the way. I sorted them in each category which was tough to narrow it down. So without further ado here is my round up of 2016 best skincare products!
Cleansers
- Derma e Purifying Cleanser $15- This is a gentle cleanser for normal to oily skin type. This is one of my favorite cleansers to use in the morning it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. I love this cleanser love the minimal ingredients, and It's also very budget friendly. I featured this cleanser in my Top 5 Cleanser post here.
- Nuxe-Reve de Miel Face Cleansing & Makeup Removing Gel $19-This is meant for dry and sensitive skin. The honey infused formula makes this cleanser very creamy in texture and also very hydrating while removing makeup, impurities and cleansing the skin. I have oily to combination skin, but during winter I do get dry patches, so I love loading up on hydrating products. One con about this cleanser is the smell it's a bit strong if you're not sensitive to strongly scented products then I highly recommend this cleanser. This cleanser contains 93% of natural ingredients, and it's also on the budget friendly side.
- Mila Moursi Cleansing Foam $70- This cleanser is very gentle, and it creates a creamy foam, and I love the smell of this cleanser. I use this mostly in the morning but its great to remove makeup as well. This is my second tube and if you can fork out $$ for this cleanser just do it! This cleanser was also featured in the Top 5 Cleanser post here.
Toners
- Pixi Glow Tonic $15- I can't rave enough about this toner It's my favorite toner! What I most love about this toner is its Alcohol-free products that contain alcohol doesn't suit my skin at all. Glow Tonic helped clear my skin, and I did a detailed review of this toner here.
- Kiehl's Calendula Herbal-Extract Toner $21- As you can see this one is Alcohol-free as well and it's suitable for normal to oily skin. I have sensitive skin that's parched in the winter, so this gentle toner is perfect during in the winter time. This toner leaves my skin feeling smooth and clean it also keeps oil at bay.
- Kaplan MD Clarifying Toner $35- This toner helps soothe skin, tighten pores, and refine skin texture. It's a great toner, and you can also use this to set your makeup I did a detailed review on this toner here.
Serums
- Skin Inc Hyaluronic Acid & Licorice Serum $45 each- I discovered this brand earlier this year, and I've gone through a few of these bottles. Hyaluronic Acid helps hydrate and even out the texture of your skin. Licorice serum is very soothing, and it helps reduce redness this serum helped my skin so much during summer. I love these serums as you can see my bottle is entirely empty I need to replenish soon! I highly recommend the Skin Inc serums.
- Goldfaden MD Brightening Elixir $80- This stuff works, and I love the clean ingredients so good for my skin. It absorbs very quickly, and it contains Vitamin C, Ferulic Acid, Niacinamide all of which helps improves skin tone and clarity. I've tried other products from Goldfaden MD, and I love each and every product. This serum is perfect for all skin type.
- Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair $95- This one is a very popular one I'm sure a lot of you have already heard about the Estee Lauder ANR. I started using this from the very beginning of last year, and I noticed immediate results my skin have never looked better. I always keep a 50 ml bottle as a back up in my stash you get where I'm going with this. This is my holy grail serum! I strongly urge you to get a bottle of Estee Lauder ANR, and you can thank me later. ;p
- Derma e Purifying Youth Serum $29.50- This serum is very moisturizing if you have oily skin you can get away with skipping moisturizer. I love using this in the morning it moisturizes my skin and gives my skin a healthy glow. I love the purifying line from Derma e, and the ingredients are immaculate I love that about all the Derma e products.
- Drunk Elephant T.L.C.Framboos Glycolic Night Serum $90- This is a 12 percent AHA/BHA serum for night. I've been using this for a few months now, and I noticed a huge difference I don't break out as much as I used to and it helped improve my skin texture. This serum is effective, and it's worth every penny.
Face Creams
- Trilogy Rosapene Night Cream $51- This has been my skin savior this winter, this is a little heavy, so this will be ideal for dry skin, but since my skin is less oily during winter I've been reaching out for this cream a lot. My skin feels so hydrated, soft and smooth when I use this cream it's my go to night cream during winter.
- Dr. Roebuck's Anti-Aging Face Moisturizer $45- I discovered this product at the very end of 2016, but it quickly became a staple in my skincare routine. Dr. Roebuck's products are made in Australia with very minimal ingredients for maximum results. I use this both day and night it's very soothing my skin can get irritated quickly, and this cream helps calm my skin. This stuff is potent it makes my skin super soft and smooth, and it gets a huge thumbs up from me.
- First Aid Ultra Repair Hydra-Firm Sleeping Cream $38- This is an overnight cream that leaves your skin smooth and hydrated. This cream a must during winter it deeply nourishes my skin, I did a review of this cream here.
Eye creams
- Derma e Firming DMAE Eye Lift $24.95- I tested so many eye creams this year I finally found the ones that work the best or me. This eye cream really lifts and firms the eye area, and you can see the result within a few weeks. I use this product morning and night its very lightweight and a little goes a long way.
- Kiehl's Creamy Eye-Treatment with Avocado Oil $29- This cream is very thick in texture, and it really moisturizes the under eye area. I think this is a perfect cream for someone in their early 20s who is just starting out with eye creams. This cream also pairs well with other eye serums.
Face Oils
- Trilogy Rosehip Oil $29- This oil helps fade acne scar, and this is exactly what you need during the harsh cold weather. This oil will leave your skin feeling soft, smooth and glowy! I use one little drop of this, and it's enough for my whole face it's thick in texture, so a little goes a long way.
- Kiehl's Daily Reviving Concentrate $46- I think by now I pretty much got all my friends and family hooked on this product. For me, I noticed immediate results my skin looked so glowy and healthy I couldn't stop staring at it. I'm obsessed with this stuff, and I honestly can't recommend it enough. I use this during my night time routine, and I wake up with radiant looking skin.
- Jurlique Skin Balancing Face Oil $50- This is my go-to oil when my skin is very irritated it soothes my skin. I love that the oil just sinks in and it doesn't cause any breakouts. This oil helps balance all skin types, leaving skin smooth, soft and glowing.
- Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intensive Recovery Ampoules $110- If you're looking for a product that will help you get rid of the dull, dry skin, and give you a radiant looking skin overnight, look no further. I absolutely love this product this feels like oil, and one capsule holds more than enough product I mix this with my hand cream as well. ( tips from Michelle) I use this only during my nighttime routine, and it pairs well with the Estee Lauder ANR serum.
Masks & Exfoliant
- Peter Thomas Roth 24K Gold Mask $80- I purchased a mask set from PTR last summer, and this was my favorite mask out of the whole set. This mask gives me a luminous glow and my skin looks so incredible after I use this mask. Love this mask its very gentle, firming, and it's totally worth the splurge.
- Kiehl's Turmeric & Cranberry Seed Mask $32- I just emptied the second jar of this mask so you can tell how much I love this mask. This mask does exactly what it claims it brightens my skin leaving it refreshed and glowing. I reviewed this mask here.
- Dermalogica Gentle Cream Exfoliant $41- I picked this up after I watched a video of my favorite Mua and YouTuber Lisa Eldrige, she recommended this gentle exfoliant, and I had to try it! This is a two-in-one masque and chemical exfoliation treatment that increases hydration and smoothness through alpha and beta hydroxy acids, which speed cell renewal. I love how my skin feels after using this product you can see the difference in your complexion this is gentle yet very effective.
- Drunk Elephant B-Hydra Intensive Hydration Gel $52- I'm all about hydration the more, the merrier. This little gem came in a set I bought, and I'm totally hooked! I use this 2-3 a week I apply this after my serum, and it helped with the dry patches.
- Skin Inc Pure Deepsea Hydrating Mask $75- This is very similar to the Drunk Elephant hydration gel, this is an overnight mask that nourishes the skin and refines skin texture. This mask is very lightweight, and it absorbs quickly sometimes I use this as an eye cream too!
- Nugg Beauty Masks $5- I was sent a few of these masks last year, and I love bringing these masks with me while I travel. The best thing about these mask pods there is a mask for everyone they have many different masks you can choose from. My favorite is the Cucumber Extract & Jojoba Oil mask it's really refreshing.
Hope you made it this far and let me know if you'd like a detailed review of any products I mentioned here.
Thanks for stopping by!
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Happy Holidays!! Only 13 more days left till Christmas so let's get down to some gift ideas. I put together a few items I have used and can vouch for, all of these items will make great stocking stuffers. These are all beauty items and they're all under $50 and I hope this will give you some ideas to pick out gifts for your friends and family.
- Kiehl's 'Jeremyville- Dry Relief' Duo $16- This set contains a Creme De Corps and a Lip Balm. I like both of these products especially the body lotion it's very moisturizing it's also one of their best sellers!
- Deborah Lippmann Ice Queen Nail Polish Set $12- I love Deborah Lippmann polishes, great quality, long-lasting and very pigmented. This set contains a red shade called Lady is a Tramp and a gold shimmering polish called the Golden Rule. Also, this is on sale which makes it perfect stocking stuffers grab it before it's gone!
- Fresh Sugar Lip Bliss Collection $30- I love their lip balms the tinted one is my favorite. It nourishes my lips without it being waxy or sticky. It also has SPF 15 and I always keep one in my makeup bag.
- Tom Ford Noir Rollerball $45- I'm very picky about fragrances there is only a handful of perfume I love and recommend, this is one of them. I just love how this smells and it actually lingers for quite long. I always get compliments when I wear this perfume so I can't recommend this one enough.
- Drunk Elephant Nightbright $28- I've recently discovered this brand and I immediately fell in love with a few of their products. I received a deluxe size T.L.C in one of the Sephora Playbox and after using it for a few nights I had to purchase the full-size bottle. NightBright set contains 8 ml T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Night Serum and a 8 ml Virgin Marula Luxury Facial Oil. I used the Marula oil and let me tell you it's a skin saver for dry dehydrated skin during winter. This dynamic duo makes a perfect gift for any skincare junkie!
- Tom Ford Lips & Boys Lip Color $36- Mini lipsticks are just we needed and Tom Ford gave us just that. These Lips & Boys lip colors are a pure luxury from the sleek packaging to the TF engraving on the lipstick bullet. There are a few different formula matte, metallic and satin finishes to choose from. My favorite shade is Addison it's a satin finish, very pigmented, long lasting and it isn't drying on the lips. Overall these bad boys get a thumbs up from me.
- Stowaway Dawn To Dusk Eye Palette $25- I received this last month from the Popsugar Must-have Box. I love how tiny and cute the palette is but don't let the size fool you, the shadows are excellent I'm quite impressed with the pigmentation and performance. The best thing about this palette, you can use it as an everyday palette very versatile, it's got matte and shimmer shadows a perfect balance that a palette require.
- L'Occitane Hand Cream Trio $28- Every year I get a whole bunch of these hand creams sets these are the ideal gift for anyone and everyone. I personally love the L'Occitane hand creams they're very moisturizing and I always keep one or two in my bag at all times. Don't forget to treat yourself with one of these sets trust me your hands will thank you!
- Sephora Gift Card $10-$250 - I know picking out a good gift can be hard you never know how much it will be liked or disliked so these gift cards come in handy for times like that. The card value starts from $10 to $250 so this can be a perfect gift for a co-worker, friend or a beauty junkie who loves Sephora.
- GlamGlow PoutMud Fizzy Lip Exfoliating & Wet Lip Balm Treatment Duo $39- I love their Super Mudmask and I'm also loving this treatment duo too. With the weather being so cold we can all use a good old lip balm. The exfoliator is so good it smells pleasant, gets rid of the dead skin and leaves my lips feeling soft and smooth. Also, I must mention it taste really good too!
- Nest Holiday Votive Candle $16- My mom loves this brand I got her a fragrance set once it came with 5 mini Nest fragrances. I'm actually going to pick this candle up for my mom the packaging is so cute and festive. A perfect gift for all the candle lovers.
- Kaplan MD The Blackberry Lip Kit $18- This trio is now on sale three products for only $18! This set contains a Sheer Lip 20 Treatment in Blackberry, a Lip 20 Treatment Gloss in Blackberry and a Matte Lip 20 Liner in Blackberry.
- Kiehl's Soy Milk & Honey Whipped Body Butter $15- I had to include this one cause this product serves a great purpose. All of the profit from this Limited Edition Kiehl's Faile Collection will support Feeding America. This whipped body butter keeps your skin hydrated, soft and also, its quite affordable.
- Pixi Glow Tonic $15- I give these out all year around! Honestly love Glow Tonic and can't get enough of it. I did a detailed review on this you can check it out here.
- Molton Brown 12 Days Of Christmas Collection $50- Saved the best for last. I love Molton Brown shower gels and you can break this set up to two or three per person. I love how the scent lingers on and it doesn't dry out my skin like some shower gel can. You can't go wrong with this one.
This concludes my Stocking Stuffer Ideas. Happy shopping and Happy Holidays!!
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KaplanMD Clarifying Toner $35.00 for 3.4 oz
Where To Purchase: KaplanMD, Dermstore
KaplanMD is a luxury skincare brand created by Beverly Hills Dermatologist, Stuart Kaplan, M.D. He's a world-renowned anti-aging expert for both medical and cosmetic Dermatology. As I am getting closer to the big 30 I'm more open to skincare products that will help my skin in the long run. I've been testing out this Glow-Getters Set for a while now so keep reading to find out my thoughts on these products.
Key Ingredients:
- 22 Organic Extracts- An exclusive complex of 22 potent plant extracts that provide exceptional skin nourishing, skin healing and skin soothing benefits.
- Rosewater- Has astringent qualities to soothe and tone the skin for a balanced complexion, without dying the skin.
- Eucalyptus Extract- Purifies the skin by breaking down oil and other residual impurities, it's healing, and soothing properties work to reduce inflammation and refine the texture.
- Salicylic Acid- Its patent water based version and it has mild exfoliating properties to remove pore-clogging dead skin.
- Biofusion-3S- An exclusive complex of plant stem cells obtained from the Alp Rose, Gamay Grape, and Swiss Apple to help increase the skin vitality, protect against environmental stress and regenerate new collagen.
This toner sounds like a dream for those who have sensitive skin like mine. The second ingredient on this toner is Aloe Barbadensis Leaf juice, which helps soothe skin and serve as an anti-inflammatory. Sometimes my skin flares up and during those time this Clarifying Toner really came in handy it really helped soothe my skin, it works like a charm. This is a very gentle toner and it leaves your skin feeling refreshed and glowy, the best part is the smell of this toner is not overpowering it's a pleasant scent. You can use this directly onto the face which is what I do or you can spray onto a cotton pad, this toner can also be used as to set your makeup. I've used it to set my makeup and it did give a natural dewy look, as the colder seasons are approaching this will be an ideal setting spray or a midday perk me up spray.
KaplanMD Clarifying Toner Ingredients
KaplanMD Hydrating Essence
Hydrating Essence- A nourishing complex of 8 essential oils to promote firmness and elasticity while preventing dryness. It's formulated without Parabens, Sulfates, Gluten, Petrolatum and Castor Oil.
Key Ingredients:- Acai Oil- Heals and nourishes the skin with its abundance of Vitamins B1, B2, B3, Vitamin C, and E.
- Argan Oil- Fights free radical damage, while soothing and hydrating the skin by restoring the skin's hydro-lipid layer. Argan oil also contains rare plant sterols, which have anti-inflammatory properties to help heal and calm skin.
- Kukui Oil- Harvested from the Hawaiian Kukui Nut, which has been used for centuries by native Hawaiians to protect and heal skin exposed to harsh sun, drying winds, and salt water. It was also used as a natural remedy for skin conditions such as sunburn and dry, patchy skin caused by eczema. Absorbs quickly and easily without blocking pores.
- Grapeseed Oil- Contains essential fatty acids and potent antioxidants that fight free radicals, and helps diminish the sun’s damaging effects on the skin.
- Borage Oil- Harvested from the Starflower, it helps reduce skin redness and inflammation, while restoring the skin’s moisture content.
- Passion Flower Oil- Superior emollient rich in vitamin C, calcium, and phosphorus. Contains a high content of essential fatty acids and antioxidants to nourish and hydrate the skin.
- Soybean Oil- Bursting with antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, proteins and fatty acids that aid in healing, maintaining and restoring the health and the balance of the skin. In addition, Soybean oil is very instrumental in helping to control and prevent the development and appearance of wrinkles.
- Lavender Essential Oil- Aids in skin healing, soothing, and calming. Provides wonderful aromatherapy benefits to calm and relax the senses.
- Vitamin E- Known for its antioxidant properties, it relieves dryness and promotes healing of the skin.
This Essence helps hydrate and repair dry skin and the wind damaged skin, you can use this on your hair, skin, hands and feet. You can also mix this with your foundation to add hydration and a dewy finish, however, if you have oily skin that might not be the best way to use this Essence so I suggest this method for very dry skin. I use this Essence with my night time routine and you only need a little bit of this since the consistency is quite thick so a little goes a long way. Also, I would like to point out this essence didn't cause any breakouts and my favorite way of using this is, mixing it with my night cream and hand cream. I use 1-2 drops of this mix it with my night cream and hand cream (right before bed) and I wake up with ultra soft skin. This Essence smells quite nice just like the Clarifying Toner. When it comes to skincare products, I hate when they smell like perfume so I'm quite impressed with both, the packaging and the soft aromatic scent of the KaplanMD products.
KaplanMD Hydrating Essence
Ingredients:
Argan (Argania Spinosa) Oil, Grapeseed (Vitis Vinidera) Oil, Kukui Oil, (Euterpe Oleracea) Oil, Passion Flower (Passiflora Edulis) Oil, Soybean (Glycine Soja) Oil, Borage (Borage Officinalis) Oil, Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil.
Overall
This Glow-Getters set is quite impressive, both products quickly became my favorite over the past few weeks. I must admit these are a little bit on the pricey side and if I had to pick one out of the two, I would definitely recommend the Clarifying toner. As for me, I personally love them both and I will continue incorporating this amazing Glow-Getters set into my daily skincare routine.
Argan (Argania Spinosa) Oil, Grapeseed (Vitis Vinidera) Oil, Kukui Oil, (Euterpe Oleracea) Oil, Passion Flower (Passiflora Edulis) Oil, Soybean (Glycine Soja) Oil, Borage (Borage Officinalis) Oil, Vitamin E (Tocopherol), Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil.
Overall
This Glow-Getters set is quite impressive, both products quickly became my favorite over the past few weeks. I must admit these are a little bit on the pricey side and if I had to pick one out of the two, I would definitely recommend the Clarifying toner. As for me, I personally love them both and I will continue incorporating this amazing Glow-Getters set into my daily skincare routine.
*PR Sample
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