My first review of Renpure ogranics was in May. At that time, I focused mainly on two of the Renpure product lines, the moisturizing products and the body & shine products. Since each of these product lines were effective, enjoyable to use and reasonable in terms of price, I decided to try an additional RenPure product, the volumizing conditioner.

The Renpure Organics Volumizing Conditioner, cleverly called “My Luscious Hair Needs a Lift,” is my go-to conditioner in the morning. The citrus scent is awesome and really awakening. It is difficult to come by a citrus scented shampoo/conditioner that smells pleasant (considering a multitude of cleaning products are citrus scented, think Pledge, Orange Glo, etc.). Renpure’s attempt at citrus is a tremendous, refreshing success!

Renpure Organics conditioners are my favorite conditioners to use for co-washing! The organic ingredients, brightly colored bottles, awesome scents, affordable prices and cute/catchy names make Renpure organic conditioner a great pick!

x0 Katie

I am SO excited about this package! All of these things items arrived yesterday: 2 bath bombs (butterball and bon bomb), 1 stepping stone, 1 bath melt (you’ve been mangoed), 1 deodorant powder (coconut), 2 facial “tokens”, and 2 tiny soap samples. Although I have made countless trips to LUSH and have tried many of their products, all of these particular products were first time purchases. I will be sure to review each & give some tips on how to use them.

Lush products can be a bit pricey, for example, the bath bombs range from approximately $4 – $6, which is a lot considering they really do not last very long (1-2 baths). Since LUSH products are handmade and formulated with many natural ingredients, I think they are worth indulging in, at least every once in a while! :)

x0 Katie

(Mini) Haul at Sephora.com :]

Getting packages from sephora.com is awesome! Here is what I purchased:

Stila Collectible travel palette no. 1, $10 (I already own no.2 and no.3) – Road to Radiance Across the U.S.A.

*I love the colors in this palette. I feel compelled to purchase another since it was only $10 and I know I am going to love it!

Philosophy Trick or Treat Lip Glosses in Caramel Apple and Pumpkin Spice, $18

*This was the underlying reason for the Sephora purchase! The Pumpkin Spice is awesome – on my lips right now but I have not tried the Caramel Apple yet…I love fall! These lip glosses seemed perfect for the season!

Mini Samples: Smashbox Photo Finish Luminizing Primer, Hanae Mori Eau de Toilette, Paco Rabanne Million & Lady Million

:] I have a Lush (mini) haul coming soon as well! Check back soon!

x0 Katie

(2/5)

The Organix Coconut Milk Anti-breakage serum consistently fails to deliver desirable results. I have tried to love this product and I keep trying to figure out different ways to use it: on dry hair, wet hair, damp hair, straight hair, wavy, etc. and nothing works! Each time, my hair is left feeling oily and unpleasant. The scent is probably the best feature of this product — it truly smells luxurious! Unfortunately, the scent does not linger long enough to make the serum worthwhile to apply.

I would not recommend purchasing this serum! It is on the pricey side, and although the brand (Organix) might lead you to think its an organic  product, it isn’t. Skip it!

x0

-Katie

Both the Smashbox Photo Finish Face Primer and the Bare Minerals Prime Time primers can be found on the bright, sparkly shelves of Sephora. Even though these products are intended to do achieve the same purpose (to prime and prepare the skin for makeup) -these pricey primers are strikingly different.

I adore one of these primers, and despise the other! Can you guess which is which?!

The Bare Minerals Prime Time is both a purchase I regret and a product that is worthless, at least for my skin and in my experience. I insisted on trying this primer because I love Bare Minerals. My sister warned me that she had tried it but that it broke out her skin and she told me to discard the product immediately. This was impossible for me – I was determined to try Bare Minerals Prime Time – and to like it! My experience with this primer was awful! Let me tell you why:

-there is nothing overly pleasant about this product

-overpriced & overhyped

-leads to horrible breakouts (at least in my experience)

-it does a poor job of priming the skin for makeup (the product seems to slide off the face during the day – which means it is not great for long wear)

Consequently, the Smashbox Primer is a fabulous product that creates a seemingly ageless, matte face in minutes! This product is great for long-lasting makeup where (special events, holidays, long days at work, etc.). The product is unscented, clear, and efficient. It is worth it to invest in this primer! Smashbox Photofinish Primer is the best option at Sephora.

I cannot wait to tell you about my experience with Maybelline Ageless Face Primer…I think that you will find it surprising!

-Katie x0

IT’S TIME TO PRIME!

This will be the start of a short series of primer reviews, that will, at least for the purposes of this blog be referred to as, time to prime! [:

About 4 months ago I made my first primer purchase. It was a sample size and came as part of a Korres kit. I had never really cared about priming my face and would often use a moisturizer, Burt’s Bees Radiance Day Lotion with SPF (not my favorite day moisturizer but I have yet to find something better) or I would skip moisturizing altogether and jump to foundation.

My experience with primer has led me to believe, firmly, that primer is the most influential step in makeup application. Consequently, I have purchased 5+ primers in the past few months and I am ready to give a comprehensive review on each one. There is no reason for skipping this step! There are primers out there that will work for you and on your skin and it is just a matter of being patient, educated about them, and finding the right one. And not to worry, I can help you do just that!

So, this review will focus on the primer that kicked off my primer-loving persona, Korres Face Primer, and also the most beneficial techniques of application for this type of product.

(4.5/5)

I use this product by placing a dab on my forehead, each cheek, chin & temples. Then, I press it into my skin quickly and wait for it to be absorbed. It contains vitamin E and honestly feels quite luxurious to apply! The moisture in this product makes it a multitasker – there is no need to moisturize ahead of time or prior to your (primer) application with this particular primer.Thankfully, you will not experience an unpleasant oily sheen a couple hours after you apply it either!

After the product is absorbed into the skin, move onto foundation or a tinted moisturizer if you would like, to set up a base for the rest of your products. I enjoy everything – foundation, powder, blush, & bronzer – but in incredibly modest amounts. The natural look is a favorite of mine, especially for day to day makeup application.

Korres is natural product, silicone free and made in Switzerland. It smells great, and is clear. I enjoy using it alone or with the Korres tinted moisturizer. I have used this primer in conjunction with several other types of foundations & products – from drugstore to department store and have found that it consistently performs well and impresses me!

The benefits of primer:

-great complexion (even if you select to skip other products altogether)

-longer lasting makeup

-less creasing

-less traveling (of liquid foundations, cream blushers & bronzers, etc.)

-save money in the long run (you will inevitably use less makeup because you will require less touching up and less makeup altogether to achieve a flawless finish)

-formulas with SPF offer added protection from the sun (which hopefully provides for less wrinkles and a reduced cancer risk)

Get a primer. And check back for a review of the Smashbox Photo Finish Primer soon!

x0,

Katie