First let me say, they tested a ton of products, and I only chose a few to try out that fit my various needs and wants of the moment. I tried most of these at the same time as they were for different parts of the body. I tested the lotions at separate times as to not attribute the results of one product to the other.
To say that the Biore Pore Penetrating Charcoal Bar was intimidating to me is an understatement. I have incredibly sensitive skin and was terrified to wash my face with CHARCOAL, but let me tell you, it is amazing! This product is by far my favorite of the ones that I tested. It produces a rich lather and spreads across the face easily, it CLEANS! My face has never felt so clean in my life. I could literally feel the dirt and grime being pulled from my skin. It leaves you with this tingly, mint-like sensation on the skin. My skin felt so rejuvenated! I highly recommend this face bar. I didn't experience any dryness or redness related to this product (which is rare for me). I am very happy with this one and plan to continue to use it. *5 out of 5 stars*In conjunction with the great face bar, I tried Rimmel Radiance BB Cream and ditched my usual foundation. It was fairly light in weight and provided great coverage without making my skin feel clogged. I did notice that my skin seemed to appear a bit shinier towards the end of the day as opposed to traditional liquid foundation, and this product doesn't get high marks for long wear. You would definitely need to reapply before transitioning to an evening activity. As far as the great benefits that it claims to provide for skin, I didn't have any noticeable differences in mine. All-in-all it is a decent product and a good price, but I won't be jumping through hoops to get it again. *3 out of 5 stars*
The first lotion that I tried was the Nivea In-Shower Body Lotion, and it was an unexpected treasure! I wasn't sure how to feel about this one prior to trying it. I imagined that it would be kind of messy and a bit challenging. The bottle clearly warns you that it can be slippery, so do not apply to the bottoms of your feet. Also, you need to rinse your shower with hot water after use. This is NO JOKE. The lotion made my shower very slippery. It was difficult to get out of the shower due to the slickness. I found that leaving a rag on the floor of my shower for me to stand on helped tremendously and prevented slipping. I really enjoyed this product. The moisturizing factor was exceptional and lasted for hours. I didn't have to apply any other lotion, yet my skin stayed hydrated throughout the day. I will continue to use this product! *4 out of 5 stars*
The second lotion that I tested was Jergens BB Protect. If I'm being honest, unimpressed pretty well sums it up. I'm seeing a pattern with BB Creams. They are just not living up to what they are advertised to be. This lotion took forever to dry (note you should not put on clothing until it dries completely due of risk of staining). Part of the appeal of this lotion for me was that it is supposed to gradually add a hint of color to the skin. It did not deliver. It did however deliver the smell of a self-tanning lotion. It was not particularly hydrating, and there was no noticeable difference in my skin. Again I say, unimpressed. *2 out of 5 stars*
The last product that I tried from the Allure article was the Gillette Venus Swirl razor. I tried this product with two different shaving gels/creams as the first attempt was a horrid disaster! I usually use EOS shave cream for sensitive skin. EOS applies like a lotion as opposed to a thick shaving cream, and due to the swiveling nature of the razor, it was a slippery hazard and impossible to shave properly. For me, the 5 razors are too close together and provide little traction on the skin to glide smoothly while shaving. Instead, it offered a less-than-close shave. I also tried this razor with a traditional shave gel (skintimate) and had pretty similar results. The thicker cream did help it to not be as slippery, but the shave was not close. I also found that the swivel took away some of my control when shaving which made shaving the knees difficult. The swivel didn't allow the razor to stay flat and caused me to have a patchy shave around the knees. Over all, not my favorite razor ever, but I have definitely used worse. * 2 out of 5 stars*
Lastly, I wanted to tried the John Frieda Beach Blonde Sea Waves Sea Salt Spray. I searched 3 stores and was unable to find it! Therefore, I went rogue on this one and tried a random product that I found at Target. I tried Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray. As a girl who grew up near the coast. I love a loose, beachy wave and all that sea salt spray does. I was very excited about this product when purchasing and couldn't wait to try , so I wasted no time! That excitement was short lived. This product was heavy in the hair. So much so that it weighed down the natural texture of my hair without any added positives. This product was also incredibly sticky, even when my hair was completely dry. I have no intention of using this product again. I was completely unsatisfied. *1 out of 5 stars*
When all is said and done, not all products are going to be winners for every person. You should definitely be testing products for yourself and not just taking someone else's word for them. If you're like me, you love new products and are constantly trying new things. For this, I recommend the Ipsy Glam Bag. You pay $10 per month and get 4-5 products sent that are tailored to you based on a survey that you take when signing up. They take your skin, eye and hair color along with your personal style, level of comfortableness with makeup and types of products you are interested in using to create a Glam Bag just for you! To sign up for this simply click the link to get started! www.ipsy.com
So go my fellow fashionistas and conquer the endless products and find what works you! Feel free to share your favorites!
Fashionably,
Kate
