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Best Body Lotions, Creams, And Body Butters

May 15, 2018 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Hey Everyone! As far as I can remember, I’ve always been a fan of body lotions, believe it or not. I know some people tend to shy away from using them because they don’t really like the feeling of the cream on their skin. I’m the opposite, as long as the lotion is non-greasy and non-sticky, it will always find a space in my home. If I’m not hoarding lipsticks or eyeliners, you will find me hoarding body lotions. Ha! Yeah, it all started when my mom used to douse me with the good ol‘ Johnson and Johnson. From then on, some things had never really changed.

As opposed to my oily-prone face, my skin overall tends to get really dry, especially during cold seasons. I’ve suffered from dry patches, skin bumps, and itchy dry irritated skin. That’s why I always make sure that I have body lotions and foot creams on my bedside table. Speaking of foot creams, check out this review of my favorite foot moisturizers, seen HERE. Anyway, if you’re into lotions like I do, or if you’re looking for some good body creams or body moisturizers in town, here are the body lotions that got me through every Winter and early Spring. Some of them are my holy grails, while some are my recent discoveries.

Nivea Cherry Blossom And Jojoba Oil Infused Lotion (16.9 fl oz: $5.49) – This is probably one of the best-scented drugstore body lotions you could find. Its floral scent smells really nice and apart from its really cheap price, it’s hefty packaging is guaranteed to last a long time. I love that it comes in a pump dispenser, which makes it really easy to use. However, this isn’t like most of the Nivea body creams and lotions that I’ve tried before which are really creamy and moisturizing. This one is infused with Jojoba oil, so the consistency of this lotion is kind of thin, yet not necessarily oily. It’ll moisture your skin well for the spring or summer but you may venture into something else for the winter because this isn’t the thick and creamy type. More like a good every affordable everyday lotion.

Belif Body Bomba Lotion in Lemon Verbena (8.4 oz: $26) – From the makers of the popular Aqua Bomb moisturizer and a true K-beauty favorite, comes a really nice lotion that smells exactly like what it says, a lemon and verbena blend that is both invigorating and really replenishing. This lotion doesn’t feel sticky nor too heavy. Its scent is not overpowering and its formulation gets absorbed by the skin easily. It has a rich soft feel that moisturizes the skin all throughout the day.

Tocca Stella Crema Da Corpo Body Lotion (9 oz: $20) – A lot of people mentioned that this particular lotion does not smell like the popular Tocca Stella Eau de Parfum. While I haven’t really sniffed the Stella Perfume to be able to compare both products, I can tell you that there’s a lot to like about this body lotion. First, it comes in a really nice vintage-looking, easy to open, unique packaging, which makes it for a great item on your vanity table or tray. Second, it has this kind of a Mediterranean scent, which will make you feel nostalgic about your previous sojourn to places like Italy or Spain. Just imagine smelling a blend of roses and mix with blood orange or mandarin while strolling under the nice warm Mediterranean sun. This lotion will set you in the mood for that. Third, this doesn’t feel too thick nor too thin, and it’s non-greasy. I believe this is a nice everyday lotion with a slightly fruity and very floral scent that will grow on you as you keep using it.

Sol de Janeiro Açaí Body Power Cream (2.5 oz: $20, 8.1 oz: $45) – I’m a big fan of Sol de Janeiro body creams. I’ve repurchased the Bum Bum Cream several times that right now I’m kind of taking a break from it. So I’m currently enjoying their Açai Body Power cream which is pretty much similar to the Bum Bum Cream in terms of texture and consistency. Both comes in cute packaging and both also have fine shimmers to them. The Bum Bum Cream has golden shimmers while this Açai Body Power Cream has a peachy glow. What I love about this is its fresh floral scent and its shimmers have a very summery vibe. On the other hand, the Bum Bum Cream’s scent can be too heady for some, but this Açai Body Power is just a delight to use every day. Overall, I do recommend both creams whichever scent you may prefer, because you won’t only get lasting skin hydration from them, you’ll also get that shimmering skin effect.

Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion (6.5 oz: $43) – This lotion has a really nice clean non-irritating scent. A scent that is reminiscent of a lot of high-end creams, which are light and luxurious. It has a very soft and very lightweight feel but very moisturizing nonetheless. It’s the kind of lotion that you know you’re going to love the moment you apply it on the skin, and it doesn’t interfere with any perfumes or colognes. Also, it doesn’t feel greasy at all and it’ll melt into your skin easily. Moisturizing even to the driest part of your body. Overall, this makes for a great everyday lightweight body moisturizer.

Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm (4.1 oz: $35.00, 17 oz: $97.00) – I love love love this body cream. It’s so good and you just can’t get enough of it. It’s like you just ate a thousand fresh oranges and the scent of its skin lingers on your hands, fingers, and all over the body. It moisturizes the skin well and it leaves rough dry areas supple. It isn’t greasy and it isn’t sticky. Your skin will absorb this easily and it will smell so refreshing and invigorating. It’s so good yet it’s so pricey, but it’s well worth it. P. S. I also use this as a hand cream because I love that it has a nice not too light and not too thick texture.

Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Lotion (8 oz: $18) – This is another great lightweight lotion that has a nice crisp slightly lemon scent. It a great unisex body moisturizer with a scent that disappears over time rather easily, which makes it ideal for everyday use, even to those who couldn’t stand any kind of fragrances in their skincare products. It’s quite similar to the Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion above, but this kind of feels even lighter and it’s perfect as a Summer body hydrator.

Philosophy Amazing Grace Whipped Body Crème (8 oz: $35) – This body cream is not only cute with its millennial pink packaging, it also hydrates the skin well like no other. It has a whipped consistency and has a very thick rich texture that softens dark rough areas of the body. It’s so moisturizing and it’s great for calluses or any other dry irritated skin. It’s lightly scented with the popular Philosophy Amazing Grace fragrance, which is fresh, clean, and light, and it comes in a hefty tub container that you can use all throughout the Winter season and beyond. Speaking of Winter, this is a great lotion to use during the dry cold months, and you don’t really need to apply a lot of it in order to get its moisturizing effect. Just a little bit goes a long way.

Fresh

Seaberry Restorative Body Cream (6.8 oz: $27) – True to its name, this body lotion is really soothing and calming to the skin. This has a bit of a curative effect, that is because this literally calmed my skin bumps at least all throughout the day of using this. Its texture is also not too thin and not too thick and it’s very hydrating. I don’t particularly like its strong lavender scent but it’s a lotion that not only keeps the skin smooth and soft, it actually softens and hydrates the dry rough areas.

Sugar Lemon Body Lotion (10 oz: $23) – I’m a long time fan of this line of body lotions from Fresh, and this Sugar Lemon scent is my second most favorite. It’s a fresh sort of sweet refreshing scent that will last throughout the day and the next. It can be overpowering at times, but it’s not bad. The lotion itself is lightweight but it moisturizes well. It’s great to use every day whether you have sensitive skin or not, and the packaging is cute and decently sized.

Hesperides Grapefruit Body Lotion (10 oz: $23) – Of all the Fresh body lotions, this is by far my most favored scent. I have used this for as long as I can remember, together with another lotion below, and it is SO good. Using this is always a refreshing experience and I love that it’s lightweight, it goes into the skin easily, and it keeps it moisturized for the whole day and the next. The fresh grapefruit scent is so irresistible and also noticeable on your clothes the following day. I highly recommend that you give this one a try.

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter in Sweet Citrus (8 oz: $35) – Here’s my other favorite body moisturizer. One that is somewhat thick, very rich, and oh so creamy. My go-to body lotion every Winter and early Spring. This is so moisturizing it literally melts on the skin like butter, and with its Sweet Citrus scent, it’s hard to find another product that could topple this. I’ve probably tried all the different scents of this particular body butter, but I always come back to the Sweet Citrus one because it’s simply irresistibly refreshing as if you’re in a spa, and it’s never boring. I get a lot of compliments about how good I smell whenever I use this. Since this body butter is infused with Argan Oil, Avocado Oil, and Shea Butter, it’s an ideal product for people dry skin, and perfect for cold dry seasons. It’s also great as a cream to heal dry cracked heels of the feet and it’s non-sticky and non-greasy

Korres Body Butters

Yoghurt (7.95 oz:$31) – This is my latest discovery from last Winter. I got so curious about this since I’m also a fan of Korres skincare products. I find that this body moisturizer really delivers in moisturizing dry rough skin very well. It’s really thick and is very creamy, because of that, it takes a good amount of rubbing and dabbing on the skin to get the product to spread evenly. If you don’t do that, it might just sit on top of the skin. But it’s really not a big deal since this body butter not only keeps the skin smooth and soft, it’s also not sticky nor greasy. The yoghurt scent is my most favorite because it’s light, clean, and calming.

Guava (7.95 oz: $31) – Smells like sweet guava. This is ideal for those like tropical scents in their body lotions. This body butter is really thick that it’s a good idea not to put a lot of it on the skin due to the richness of its consistency.

Best Lightweight Lotions:

.Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion

.Fresh Body Lotions

.Peter Thomas Roth Mega-Rich Body Lotion

Best Moisturizing Body Lotions (Thick & Creamy):

.Korres Body Butters

.Philosophy Amazing Grace Whipped Body Cream

.Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

Best Midweight Body Lotions:

.Sol de Janeiro Açai Body Power/Bum Bum Cream

.Tocca Stella Crema Da Corpo Body Lotion

.Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm

.Belif Body Bomba

Best Scents:

.Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

.Fresh Hesperides Body Lotion

.Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm

Best Packaging:

Simple, fast and easy to use:

.Nivea Cherry Blossom and Jojoba Oil Infused Lotion

Unique aesthetics. (Not necessarily practical to use):

.Tocca Stella Crema Da Corpo

.Aesop Rind Concentrate

.Sol de Janeiro Açai Body Power

.Philosophy Amazing Grace Whipped Body Cream

Personal Favorites:

.Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil Body Butter

.Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit Body Lotions

.Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm

.Sol de Janeiro Açai Body Power Cream

.Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion

Most Affordable:

.Nivea Cherry Blossom and Jojoba Oil Infused Body Lotion

Best High-End Body Creams:

.Aesop Rind Concentrate Body Balm

.Clarins Moisture-Rich Body Lotion

Have you tried these body lotions before? If yes, which ones are your favorites?

La Mer The Moisturizing Soft Cream Review

May 22, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Oh hey everybody! The brand that we’re gonna talk about needs no further introduction, except only that you could say the brand makes the cream of all creams, perhaps? Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m implying and asking that because who doesn’t know La Mer and its miracle broth ingredient? It’s like a magic potion for the skin that everyone raves and swears by through time.

The original La Mer Cream or Crème de la Mer has come a long way than when it was first unveiled, especially in terms of texture. In fact, the entire La Mer brand has branched out into making products that are not just creams. But for this review, let’s start with the “almost equally” popular La Mer Soft Cream, plus a bit of comparison with the original cult-classic Crème de la Mer.

When I first decided to finally pull the trigger and try my hands into La Mer, I went into my local Nordstrom that has a La Mer counter. The lady at the counter had me try the Crème de la Mer first and told me to rub the cream between my palms or hands to warm it up because the cream is really really thick. Soo thick that you’re really gonna need the provided spatula in order to scoop it out. It was funny because I asked the La Mer lady if their creams have Spf (yeah, ignorant me) and she’s like “nope, just a classic cream” and then she proceeded to instruct me to rub the products more between my palms, and I was like “but I rubbed it already? And she be like “you gotta rub and rub and rub a dub dub” and I thought “how long do I have to do this? Is it supposed to be like this? I don’t have all day.” So, long story short, I was finally recommended something that can be easily spread on the face. The lady made me try the La Mer Soft Cream and I love it at first application. Sans rubbing.

Unlike the Crème de la Mer which is thick and time-consuming to apply, the La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream has a more luxurious soft creamy feel. Of course it still has the same scent and hydrating property as the Crème de la Mer but way easier to use. As someone with an oily-prone skin, this is my preferred La Mer cream as it doesn’t feel too heavy. Although I haven’t really tried the Gel Cream, but I would eventually. Who knows? My opinion might change later on and I’ll update you ASAP.

Both the Crème de la Mer and the Moisturizing soft cream requires you to only apply a little bit due to their creamy consistency. However, you may still need to apply more of the Soft Cream.

For the price and packaging, I don’t know why but I was really kind of disappointed when I had my first ever La Mer Soft Cream, which I bought in small size at 0.5 oz for $85. I remember that I first thought there must be a mistake and I was probably given a sample. For that amount of money, the packaging is way too small. Much like a travel size that felt tiny with respect to the palm of my hands. For someone who likes to douse her face with moisturizers, I felt like I couldn’t really do this with La Mer’s, at least not for some time. I mean don’t get me wrong, but I’ve had creams this worth before yet they weren’t really that small, you know. It’s just disappointing. Oh well, I guess, La Mer is La Mer, they must have a desired or specific clientele that can truly afford this stuff. Buy why so small? It’s almost insulting. Yet still, La Mer remains popular and a cult-favorite. Simply because they always say that this cream works. PersonalIy, I really love the scent of this cream. It smells like a freshly-milled, unscented and unbleached soap. Something refreshing and pure. But why do I feel like I know this smell before? It smells like Nivea Creme.

Speaking of the cream’s effect and its miracle secret ingredient. I do notice that my face looks radiant, no dry patches, and just glowy. It also provides intense hydration on the skin and it seems to repair and sooth my skin problems fast, like swollen acnes and dark spots. I usually use the Soft Cream at night and it keeps my skin moist, though I find it to be too thick for the summer. I love the texture of this cream a lot and it feels luxurious on the face. As with its miracle broth and the whole sea kelp thing, it sounds a bit too magical for me. Overhyped? Perhaps. The La Mer Cream was created years ago, it’s classic and has a lot of following, so it probably works for a lot of people, especially to those who swear by it, but I also think that there’s a lot more creams out there that are newer and have revolutionary ingredients that are priced and sized reasonably.

The La Mer Moisturizing Soft Cream is available here: Sephora, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bloomingdales, Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman, Net-A-Porter and Selfridges.

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OLEHENRIKSEN Balance It All Set. Oil Control Hydrator, Toner & Cleanser Review

April 21, 2017 / FASHION & BEAUTY / 0 comments

Having an oily skin or even an oily T-zone is really cumbersome to deal with. Most likely you have a blotting paper, an oil-free moisturizer, and a very potent face mask in your arsenal. You probably even shy away from facial oils or avoid places that are too hot or too humid. Trust me, I’ve been there, done that. While I’m still on the process of dealing with my own oily-prone skin by trying out different products to control excess sebum, I find that there’s not a lot of products to choose from or that could actually work.

In my latest adventure of trying out products that control oil, I discovered the Olehenriksen Balance It All products. If you’ve read my previous “Samples Of The Week” review, found HERE, you know that I love one of the products in the said oil-control line. So, I decided to purchase the entire set to see if the products could control my oils to a whole new level.

Here’s what I found:

Find Your Balance, Oil Control Cleanser (2 oz: $10, 5 oz: $25)– Has AHA, Glycolic and Lactic Acid, this cleanser smells like eucalyptus or peppermint candy and a little bit like DEET (you know, the mosquito-repellant) or insecticide, due to the neem oil as its added ingredient. It’s not bad, in fact, the scent is very interesting, if not invigorating. This cleanser really takes off the excess oil in the face and unclogs pores. It has a minty or cooling effect once applied and it leaves your skin thoroughly cleaned and soft. It’s also very foamy and quite exfoliating. I love the overall refreshing feeling whenever I use this, and personally, and I would buy this over and over again.

Balancing Force, Oil Control Toner (6.5 oz: $26) – Also has BHA, AHA, Salicylic Acid, Glycolic & Lactic Acid, this toner is meant to refine the pores and controls excess oil without stripping the skin. Well, this toner seems a bit too harsh for me, for some reasons. First, it smells really strong, like a strong anti-mosquito or insecticide. Even a lot stronger than the other two products mentioned here. It’s hard to even discern the peppermint scent. Second, it feels really more like an astringent when applied. In fact, whenever I apply this, my face turns red, and it does feel quite a bit harsh. I personally prefer a toner that feels and smells mild, yet packed with very good and non-irritating ingredients.

Counter Balance, Oil Control Hydrator (1.7 oz: $34) – I first tried this product when I received a sample of it from Sephora. I loved it immediately and is the reason why I decided to purchase the entire Olehenriksen Balance It All Set. This smells minty, like a peppermint candy with a hint of tea tree. It feels very cooling but not harsh on the face. The product gets absorbed by my skin easily and mattifies it. The formula is very lightweight and it didn’t cause any break out. This is a very good moisturizer for us with oily-prone skin, and I honestly think that this is the best product of all the entire Balance It All Set.

Verdict: I definitely like the Olehenriksen Balance It All Set. They do work and each product is more affordable compared to some other cleansers, toners and moisturizers out there. But there’s a few caveats. Whenever I use the entire set of products all at the same time, there seems to be some sort of a rebound effect, wherein my skin gets even more oily in just a few minutes after application. It’s like my skin became extremely dry and it has to produce even more sebum in order to compensate. But, whenever I just use one or two of them, I find that my skin is mattified and it lasts for 4-6 hours. With that being said, I really love just using either the Oil Control Cleanser or Oil Control Hydrator (or even both) for my face and skipping on the Oil Control Toner.

The Olehenriksen Balance It All Set is limited edition and available exclusively at sephora.com

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