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The Nécessaire Body Care Review

October 2, 2020 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hello, darlings! Happy Fall to you all. Starting to feel the chill? I’m starting to fall for Fall, even though I know I’m still wishing for Summer days. What are you hoping for this coming season? Any Fall pictorial plans?

Le’ts start this season with some exciting body care reviews. Let’s talk about this very interesting brand that I’ve been eyeing for some time. This is one of those brands that belong to the category of “Instagram Made Me Try It”, LOL :-). Haven’t y’all did? I know…right.. So, let’s talk about The Nécessaire Body Care products. Familiar much?

I have been longing to try this brand because I see their stuff everywhere on Insta. Everyone seems to be loving and raving this brand’s products and that sparked my curiosity. For starters, I really like their packaging. For me, their large tubes look sleek and have a nice and cool minimalistic flair. Theirs are the kinds of packaging I would do if I have to design my own skincare brand – simple and sleek.

So, here are my thoughts about The Nécessaire’s body wash, body exfoliator, and body lotion.

The Body Wash – For most of Nécessaire’s products, they come in three different types: fragrance-free, sandalwood, and eucalyptus. I picked the sandalwood scent out of curiosity and I really really love it. The scent is earthy and fresh, and the body wash itself foams very well. This is a daily multi-vitamin body wash with essential oils that are perfect for any skin type. I really like that this is made of clean ingredients and this feels really mild on the skin. For me, this doesn’t feel very stripping. In fact, this feels quite moisturizing. Using this feels so good as if giving me that spa-like experience. I find that this is quite softening and this gives me that relaxing feel. I also like the design of the tube, which makes it easy to dispense the product.

The Body Exfoliator – This exfoliator is also available in fragrance-free, sandalwood, and eucalyptus scents. I personally picked the eucalyptus because I wanted an exfoliator that is invigorating. I can definitely say that this exfoliator fits the bill perfectly because this will definitely awaken your senses. The eucalyptus scent is not very strong, but it’s enough to transport you into another dimension of self-care, lol. It has bamboo charcoal, AHA/Glycolic Acid, and BHA/Salicylic Acid which are perfect for a thorough exfoliation. I do feel that this scrubs gently compared to some other exfoliators I’ve tried in the past, so, this can work really well for those with dry or sensitive skin. Also, this is made of clean ingredients.

The Body Lotion – This lotion feels so creamy and so smooth. This has the right consistency and weight, which is not too thick and not too light. However, this only comes in fragrance-free type which is unfortunate, because I would love to have this in several different scents. I really like the way this feels on my skin because this doesn’t settle much on the surface. Even though this is fragrance-free, this doesn’t leave any weird lingering scent because this really is devoid of any fragrance at all. Also, this feels so calming and is made of clean ingredients, which is perfect for any skin type especially for those with very sensitive skin. Further, I like that this has multivitamins and is ph balanced.

Bottom line, I’m really impressed with this brand. Their body care products are worthy of Instagram raves. For me, their products are very interesting and I hope they’d expand to more product types and more scents in the future. Also, their products are perfect for that on the spot self-care.

Are you a Nécessaire fan? Which products do you like the most from this brand?

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Drunk Elephant Summer Skincare Faves

June 13, 2019 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey there! Summer’s almost here and I’ve got some Drunk Elephant favorites to feature in this review. When it comes to finding quality skincare products, Drunk Elephant is probably one of those brands that’s at the top of my list. I like most of their products because they work and they make such a difference in my skin. It all started when I first discovered their Lippe Balm which I will be reviewing again below. That said lip balm repaired my dry chapped lips in several instances. From then on, I’ve tried other Drunk Elephant products and they never disappoint. I don’t think I’ve tried all their products already just because they can be quite pricey.

Another thing I like about DE is the fact that they support the IEF (International Elephant Foundation) and their products are cruelty-free.

I feel like this Summer is all about the glow and clean skincare. So, for this review, there are a few Drunk Elephant products I’m currently loving and is also recommending for this coming warm season. Check them out below.

D-Bronzi Anti-Pollution Sunshine Drops (1 oz: 36 USD) – True to what DE stated, this product is literally sunshine in a bottle without the damage. Out of all the fake tanners I’ve tried, this probably is the best because this goes on soft and light, and it feels nice on the skin. It contains Virgin Marula, Black Currant Seed Oils, fatty acids, raw unrefined cocoa powder, as well as antioxidants to boost the skin. The effect is a post-vacation glow that resembles a sunshiney bronzy shade sans any UV damage. To apply, just mix this (1 drop) with your favorite serum, moisturizer, or even foundation. A drop of this can look very concentrated or too pigmented, but once spread, it becomes very wearable yet buildable as well. I tried wearing this alone without mixing it with anything and I thought I would look ridiculous on it, but I think it still looks very wearable on me, and it does seem to flatter any skintone. You can also use this product on the chest, legs, or arms, etc.

Lippe Balm (0.13 oz: 18 USD) – This is definitely my favorite moisturizing lip balm. It’s plain and simple without any strong fragrance etc, and it works really well at delivering, maintaining, and restoring hydration on the lips. This is perfect for traveling and for the dry Winter season. It’s pricey and you may find that there’s not enough product in it even if its whole packaging/diameter looks larger than most lip balms, but this does a good job at conditioning the lips.

C-Firma Vitamin C Day Serum (1 oz: 80 USD) – I’ve always wanted to incorporate a Vitamin C product in my daily skincare regimen, I was just not sure which one. Enter this Drunk Elephant C-Firma Serum, and it works really well for my skin. I love that this never caused me any irritations and my skin looks even more glowing since using this regularly. This serum has a bit of an oily feel but it’s neither sticky nor super oily at all, and it is yellow-tinged. It contains 15% L-Ascorbic Acid, 1/2% Ferulic Acid, and 1 % Vitamin E, plus powerful antioxidants. It also stays active on the skin for up to 72 hours and has a tolerable pH. I use this in the morning as a serum, and this helps with brightening my dark spots from zits, and it gives a nice healthy inner glow.

There is one Drunk Elephant product not photographed here, and it’s the C-Tango Multivitamin Eye Cream (0.5 oz: 64 USD) which I’m currently using as my eye cream and it helps in managing dark circles, tired undereyes, as well as lightening any dark spots. Further reviewed HERE.

Have you ever tried any of these products before? What’s your favorite Drunk Elephant product/s? and What skincare items do you recommend this Summer?

The Drunk Elephant Skincare is currently available at Sephora

(Disclosure: Product samples sent by Drunk Elephant. The reviews, photos, and opinions herein are solely mine)

Favorite Body Oils

August 17, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey All! One of my latest skincare obsessions are the dry body oils. I’ve been crazy about them that I pretty much hoarded every single body oils I could find, LOL. I tested several and a lot of them are really good, but I do have some personal favorites that we will be talking about today.

A lot of these dry body oils are great for the summer and are also perfect for the coming Fall and Winter. They’re not the typical oils you commonly associate with massage oils or some other oils that are wet, shiny, greasy, and sits on top of the skin. Dry body oils are different, they’re very lightweight, quick-absorbing, non-greasy, and they moisturize the skin very well, even better than most body lotions. Some of them can be also used as hair oils. They’re basically ideal for those who cannot stand the feeling of using body creams and lotions on their skin. Speaking of body creams, check out a review my favorite body creams, lotions, and body butters HERE.

Back to dry body oils, they’re relatively a new trend though they’ve been out for quite some time. A lot of them have been popping out lately in several different packaging and ingredients, and they’ve been well-received by the general public. So for this review, let’s take a closer look at the dry body oils I absolutely adored.

With Shimmers

Darphin Soleil Plaisir Sultry Shimmering Oil (1.7 oz: $55.00) – This body oil gives a nice subtle shimmer that makes your skin glow. It has a soothing floral scent like a rose and something herb-like. The kind that makes you imagine you’re in a spa. This oil sets well on the skin and it hydrates well. It’s not greasy and it’s not sticky. The packaging is small enough to fit inside a purse, but for its price, it’s a little too small. However, you don’t really need to use a lot.

Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil (3.4 oz: $100) – What can I say? this is one sexy and sultry body oil. I love the shimmers of this and it’s really hard not to notice it. It makes the skin glow and sparkle in a gorgeous way. The formula doesn’t feel sticky, it’s quick absorbing, and it’s also not greasy. The scent is alluring like a warm beachy tropical fragrance. On top of that, this body oil’s bottle looks so luxurious and so pretty, you can’t help but stare at it all the time. There is also the Rose Gold version/shade of this which has been recently released, and I can’t wait to try it.

Sol De Janeiro Glow Oil in Ipanema Sunset (2.5 oz: $35) – This body oil will definitely give you that extreme glow and sheen, and it has a nice scent that lingers for several hours up to the next day. The scent is similar to the Bum Bum Cream, only it’s a lot stronger and kinda pungent at first. I love this body oil for its massive amounts of micro shimmers, but it can feel a bit sticky and thick if you use a lot, and it may transfer and stain the clothes as well. However, if you apply just enough product on the skin, then this oil can moisturize and sinks in the skin quite well. Apart from the pungent scent, I think the packaging could be improved by using a pump so that it’ll be easier to control the amount of product dispensed from the tube.

Without Shimmers

Clarins Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 for Skin & Hair (5 oz: $36) – I love this oil especially when I spend a lot of time outdoors and whenever I don’t feel like wearing the usual sunscreens or even the cream ones that tend to get sticky on my skin. This is one of the few body oils with added SPF that doesn’t feel sticky and greasy on the skin even after hours of staying under the sun. There’s not a lot of this type of body oil formulation nowadays, and this one sets on the skin immediately and it can also be used for the hair. It also smells amazing. I have a lot of love for this body oil and this is my fourth bottle already since last Summer.

Fresh. Fresh LifeBody Oil (3.3 oz: $48) – This oil is probably the thickest and warmest oil of all the body oils mentioned in this review. This also doesn’t feel so “dry”, but a bit sticky and it takes a while for it to set on the skin. This has a nice sweet lemon scent that moisturizes the skin but its formula is a little too moisturizing for this Summer. This is more like a made-for-Winter type of body oil. Additionally, this has a nice beautiful heavy glass packaging that looks sleek and simply pretty, especially the marbleized cap.

Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil (3.4 oz: $64) – This is the body oil my preggo friends swear by. They said this basically tones the skin and reduces the appearance of stretch marks. You’re supposed to apply this while in the shower and then rinse thereafter, but with me, I apply this right after showering while my skin is still damp and this oil feels so soothing and relaxing since it smells like lavender. I haven’t noticed any improvement on my stretch marks yet, but I did notice the firming and toning effect on my skin, which is amazing.

Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Nourishing Dry Body Oil (2.5-5.9 oz: $17.50-$34) – This has got to be one of the best-scented body oils I’ve ever tried. It has vanilla and something else I cannot quite discern, but it’s good. The performance of this body oil is just perfect, from its non-sticky, non-greasy, and lightweight formulation, to its hydrating ability, I cannot say anything off about this. I love its easy-to-apply packaging, it’s quick-absorbing texture, and I can only wish that it comes in a shimmery formula as well.

Nars Monoi Body Glow II (2.5 oz: $59) – I was so curious about this body oil before trying it, and when I finally did, I felt like I didn’t really like its strong gardenia/jasmine-like scent. However, after a few hours of using it, I seem to like its drydown, which became something like a light floral tone that stays on the skin and to the clothes even up to the next day. The oil itself doesn’t feel greasy or sticky and it moisturizes my skin excellently. Also, its packaging looks simple yet unique and beautiful.

Moroccanoil Dry Body Oil (1.7 oz-3.4 oz: $29-$48) – This body oil is as good as Kiehl’s and it has argan, avocado, and olive oil. The scent is kinda fruity and floral and this pretty much sinks into the skin immediately. It’s a very good body oil that doesn’t feel heavy, sticky, or too shiny. Instead, this has a nice silky texture that leaves skin feeling soft and hydrated throughout the day.

Caudalie Divine Oil (3.3 oz: $49) – This is another great body oil with grape, sesame, hibiscus, and argan oil, plus antioxidants. I love its floral fruity and woody fragrance. The bottle of this feels really robust and it has a sprayer that throws a very fine mist of oil, perfect for a more controlled application. I love that this is fast-absorbing, light, non-greasy, as well as non-sticky. This is even great for the hair.

Overall, I love dry body oils. They’re just so easy and so quick to use. I love that they set fast into the skin and that unlike most body lotions, I no longer have to worry if they’ll transfer to my clothes, or whether they’d feel sticky, greasy, or too warm. If I have to choose my top 3 of all the oils reviewed here, it would be first – the Tom Ford Soleil Blanc Shimmering Body Oil, second- the Clarins Tonic Body Treatment Oil and the Sunscreen Care Oil SPF 30, and third would be the Kiehl’s Creme de Corps Dry Body Oil or the Caudalie or the Moroccan body oil.

What’s your fave dry body oil?