Hello there! Are you a big Fresh Beauty fan? I have some Fresh Beauty skincare minis set to review in this post. These are fan-faves and my faves as well. These products can work for dry, oily, normal, or even combination skin, and they’re all sulfate-free, paraben-free, and also phthalate-free.ย
This cute set is limited-edition and it’s perfect for trying out some of Fresh Beauty’s cult-favorite products. This set is also great as a gift for your loved one or for any skincare junkie in your life.
Check out what’s inside this set below.
Soy Face Cleanser – This is one of my favorite hydrating face cleansers, especially whenever my skin gets really dry. I love using this in the Winter times, but also whenever the humidity level drops in my room. Guess what? This can remove makeup too and doesn’t feel too stripping on the skin.
Rose Deep Hydration Face Mask – This mask works for both oily and dry skin. For those with dry skin, this mask is definitely so hydrating. For those with oily skin like mine, the rose ingredient in this mask can rehydrate and rebalance the moisture in the skin. Thus, making it less oily in the long run.
Kombucha Essence – This toner/essence is packed with wonderful ingredients like Hyaluronic acid, Mandarin Peel Extract, and Fermented Black Tea – which all aid in the anti-aging process. I love anything that says fermented or fermented yeast and my skin seems to work really well with this. I’m hoping to test this in the long run, to see if I will achieve that glow that SK-II gives me. IMO, this is giving me that “Pitera” vibe.
Lotus Youth Preserve Moisturizer – This moisturizer is ideal for those with dry skin, but it’s also going to work for those with oily skin, provided that you don’t put too much. I really like how lightweight and non-sticky this is. In fact, this is one of those “super moisturizing” anti-aging moisturizers that work for my oily skin.
Sugar Lip Treatment Advanced Therapy – If you like Fresh Beauty’s products, you know you’re going to love their yummy lip treatments. They come in different tinted shades and different flavors. This classic one is meant to hydrate dry lips. I love using this at night and as a lipstick primer.
*Big thanks to Fresh Beauty for providing these minis. All opinions/reviews are mine (the editor).
Hi everybody! There’s been a lot of skincare goodies released recently by several different brands. Most of them are really exciting and really promising. A couple of them have been popping out of Insta, and from what I’ve seen, there’s a lot of raves and buzz about the latest products from Milk Makeup, Laniege, Sulwhasoo, and Supergoop, among other things. Luckily, I got a hold of these latest goodies in mini sizes, and I also got a few beauty minis to review in this post. Do take note though, that since these are in mini sizes, I can only provide a review of my first impression of these products. It’d be interesting to find out how good these beauties will work on my skin with time, and that would mean testing them in full regular sizes. You will know in this review which product warrants a full-size. So, keep on reading.
Givenchy Mini Magic Lip Duo Set (2x: 18 USD) – This mini set is so cute and inside there are two mini moisturizing lipsticks in shades Perfect Pink & Noir Rรฉvรฉlateur. Perfect Pink in natural sheer pink and is perfect for those with fair to light skin tone. Noir Rรฉvรฉlateur is a sheer to deep berry that is perfect for those with light/medium to medium/deep skin tones. These lipsticks adapt to the lips’ pH level, so, they sort of complement and enhance your lip’s natural color. They are definitely both on the sheer side and they are very hydrating like a lip balm. They’re somewhat similar to the Dior Lip Glow.
Milk Makeup Sephora Beauty Insider Birthday Gift Set
Got this little set from Sephora during my birthday, and I really find this set to be very useful because this contains three of my top picks from Milk Makeup.
Hydro Grip Primer (mini/0.33 oz – 1.52 oz: 15 – 30 USD) – This face primer is really one of the best out there. The feel of this is gripping, lightweight, and this really makes the foundation adhere to the skin. I do have this primer in full-size and I really really like that this doesn’t have that silicone feel.
Kush High Volume Mascara (mini/0.13 oz – 0.34 oz: 12 – 24 USD) – I love the shape and look of this mascara because this has dense heart-shaped bristles that are meant for delivering high impact dramatic lashes. This also has hemp-derived cannabis seed oil that moisturizes the lashes for long wear. The color of this is very black and this really fans out and curls the lashes even without using a lash curler. I find that this sets on the lashes easily and this hasn’t clumped nor smudged on me even during these highly humid temps.
Lip + Cheek in Werk (mini/0.21 oz – 1 oz: 15 – 28 USD) – This creamy lip and blush color reminded me of Nars The Multiple or the Bite Beauty Multistick. This is a multitasking product that can work to add color not only on the lips and cheeks but on the lids as well, to achieve that beautiful monochromatic look. I find this to be so easy to blend, and this feels creamy and hydrating. The overall finish of this is satin and the shade dusty rose seems a little too sheer on my light-medium skin tone, but the deeper tones work really well on my skin.
Skincare/Primers/SPF
Kiehl’s Avocado Nourishing Hydration Mask (3.4 oz: 45 USD) – There is no question that this mask is full of very good hydrating and nourishing ingredients, however, I do not like the feel of this at all. This clumps and breaks upon application, making this very hard to adhere to the skin, and this makes me look weird after managing to coat this on my face. This turns my skin into something of a yellow-green or yellow-red-orange-green tone (lol), which really makes me look like a half-banana half-avocado hybrid, or better yet, a yellowing cactus, ha! So, definitely not a fan of this mask.
Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Body Cream (mini/2.5 – 8.1 oz: 20 – 45 USD) – This makes me yearn for a tropical vacay amidst all this quarantine lifestyle going on nowadays. I love the amazing blend of coconut sugar, coconut oil, and Cupuaรงu Butter in this wonderful nostalgic cream. This really feels hydrating and not heavy on the skin, and I really love the cute packaging as well.
Milk Makeup Vegan Milk Moisturizer (mini/0.53 oz: 1.7 oz – 19 – 38 USD) – I’m really amazed by the texture of this moisturizer, which feels so rich and so thick yet so light on the skin. This has different kinds of vegan milk ingredients, like fig milk, oat milk, and argan milk, etc. To me, this feels non-greasy even though the feel is very rich and very milky. My skin absorbs this easily and I never had any breakout issue with this. I also think that this will work very well for those with dry skin and even for those with sensitive skin types.
Laneige Hypoallergenic Cica Sleeping Mask (34 USD) – If you like the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair cream, then you’re going to like this new Cica Mask from Laneige. The feel of this very somewhat gel-like yet very creamy and very cushiony. I do love the feeling of this cream/mask on my hands, and on my skin, this feels so moisturizing and so light. But what I really love about this is the fact that just like the Dr. Jart+ Cicapair, this helps to soothe the redness and irritation on the face. This has fermented forest yeast extract and is supposed to be much better than the usual Cica products. I don’t only use this as a sleeping mask, I also use this as a daily moisturizer, which works really well for my skin. I definitely recommend that you get this in full-size.
Sulwhasoo Concentrated Ginseng Renewing Cream (2.02 oz: 240 USD) – This very very luxurious K-beauty cream has a very strong ginseng scent. Also blended with retinol, this cream has anti-aging properties and is meant to enhance moisture. I find this to be very lightweight but has a bit of an oily feel, which really doesn’t bother my skin. This actually makes my skin look and feel smooth given the short amount of time that I’ve used the product. However, due to the price, I’m not quite sure if this is worth having in its regular size. The packaging is really really cute though.
Supergoop! Glowscreen Sunscreen SPF 40 (1.7 oz: 36 USD) – Finally! I have been waiting for a glowy shimmery sunscreen like this. I’ve seen this item popping out of Instagramy lately and there’s a reason why. This sunscreen will be your ultimate Summer vibe because you can wear this alone for that natural and dewy sun-protected look, or you can use this as a primer to enhance the glow of your makeup. This has fine microshimmers and a nice SPF level enough to protect the skin and make it look healthy this warm season. Kinda like you quarantined yourself in a nice tropical island, with all that sun, and with all that glow. Hmmm, imagine that :-).
Dr. Jart+ V7 Priming Moisturizer (1.69 oz: 48 USD) – Not quite a fan of this primer+moisturizer hybrid. I like the idea of it, but the feel and the scent are just off. This feels like a silicone primer and the scent is too strong and too weird. Applying this is not an amazing experience. The product sits on top of the face and my skin doesn’t feel moisturized at all.
Smashbox Photo Finish Vitamin Glow Primer (1 oz: 39 USD) – This may be marketed as a face primer just like most of Smashbox’s popular primer products, but with added Vitamins, like Vitamins B, C, and E. However, this feels more like a moisturizer/primer hybrid than the Dr. Jart+ product above. To me, this feels really creamy and nice on the skin, and my foundation stays on with this. I also like the nice orange scent. So, I definitely recommend that you get this in full-size.
Long story short, I really like and recommend the Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Body Cream, the Milk Makeup Vegan Milk Moisturizer, the Laneige Hypoallergenic Cica Sleeping Mask, the Supergoop! Glowscreen, the Smashbox Vitamin Glow Primer, and the Milk Makeup products mentioned in this post. They are worth having in full-sizes.
Are you currently using a facial cotton pad? I’ve been using a few brands and have tested some in the past. I find that the ones that work very well are the ones that are made for sensitive skin. The soft and gentle type that doesn’t scratch the face and are perfect for toners or liquid makeup removers.
I’m not a big fan of the regular cotton rounds or cotton squares. The ones that have raised textures or are too small to use all over the face. Those types are scratchy and those require some rubbing on the skin upon application which isn’t so good, and those also absorb and waste way too much products. I like the ones that are plush, highly-absorbent, and easy to find like the ones below.
Shiseido Facial Cotton (40 – 165 sheets: 5 – 12 USD) – This is a well-loved facial cotton that is made in Japan and this is soft, compact, and totally gentle on the face. This is perfect for any toner application and even for any oil or liquid makeup remover. I like this a lot and this doesn’t break or disintegrate easily as you use this all over the face and neck.
CVS Beauty 360 Extra Thick Premium Cotton Squares (150 sheets: 3.79 USD) – This super soft and affordable cotton pad is so fluffy and this absorbs enough products especially toners, which means I don’t get to waste a lot of it. Even though this doesn’t feel as compact as the other cotton pads mentioned in this review, I find this pad to be still on par with the high-end ones and this is so affordable. There was another version of this that comes in somewhat green packaging, but I’m not sure if CVS still carries that one. I like that one a lot because that’s even softer than this extra thick version and though that pad tends to disintegrate easily, it’s way more fluffy so it absorbs just enough toner to cover the whole face. Then there’s also the current larger version of this facial cotton, but it’s definitely not soft on the face, in my opinion. I find it to be ideal for removing nail polish because it has more texture and is quite exfoliating.
Muji Soft Cut Cotton Unbleached (180 sheets: 6.19 USD) – This pad retains the natural specks of seed pods and husks that you’d normally see in most unbleached cotton products, which could potentially feel scratchy. However, I’ve only felt a slight scratchiness once or twice all throughout my usage of this particular facial cotton. Even though this doesn’t look white at all, don’t let the color and the texture fool you. This very natural cotton is so soft and so fluffy, which absorbs enough toner to apply all over your face. On top of that, this doesn’t disintegrate easily.
Chanelย Le Coton (100 pads: 20 USD) – A very luxurious cotton pad embossed with the Chanel logo that is delicately packed inside a beautiful Chanel box. The size of this is about 0.5 inches and 0.3 inches (lxh) larger than most facial cotton pads and is ideal not only for the face but also for the neck. Cutting this into two would make this cotton pad quite too small for the face, but it’s very doable and definitely economical. The texture and the overall quality of this are pretty much like Shiseido’s, which is soft, compact, highly-absorbent, and lint-free. Also, this is made in Japan.
If I have to rank the facial cotton pads I reviewed above, well, my top pick will definitely be the CVS cotton pad because it’s the cheapest and it works just as great as the designer ones. In fact, it pretty much looks like Shiseido’s and it seems even softer. If my local CVS is out of stock of their cotton pads, which happens a lot all the time, then I’d definitely opt for Muji because it’s so fluffy and so soft. Third would be Shiseido, and lastly, it will be Chanel.
