Beauty Review: Drunk Elephant Protini

If you've been around for a while you know I love a good moisturizer so needless to say I was excited when Drunk Elephant sent me their newest cream, Protini.  Protini is a polypeptide cream and breakthrough protein moisturizer.  It combines a new array and concentration of signal peptides, growth factors, supportive amino acids, and pygmy waterlily for visible and immediate improvement in the appearance of skin tone, texture and firmness.  It's basically like a protein smoothie for your face and coincidentally I'm trying to increase my protein intake. 😂  Not to forget it's also a light, but very moisturizing formula that makes your skin feel amazing.

To use this I wash my face, pat it dry, apply a serum, and then apply Protini.  I like to allow my serum to fully absorb before putting on the cream and then allow that to skin in too.  It's also recommended to combine Protini with any of Drunk Elephant's other treatments or oils as an added boost.  You can use it both morning and night as your moisturizer, but I recommend pairing it with sunscreen for daytime wear for added protection.

I've been using this for a few weeks and am really happy with the results.  I feel like my skin looks more plump and overall healthier.  I also really love that this is supplying more protein to my skin!  If you're in the market for a new moisturizer with some great benefits you absolutely must check this out.

*I was given Protini by Drunk Elephant to facilitate my review, however opinions of this product are all my own.

                    

Beauty Review: Willing Beauty HY+5 Regimen

Dry skin is something I've struggled with for years now so I always love products that hydrate.  I was really excited when Christy, one of the co-founders of Willing Beauty, reached out to me about trying their HY+5 Regimen.  The HY+5 Regimen is a simple, non-irritating skincare regimen that pairs nature’s most powerful moisture-magnet, hyaluronic acid, with five anti-aging powerhouses: uber-absorbable vitamin C, anti-inflammatory prickly pear oil, marine glycoproteins with anti-wrinkle powers, thermally-activated bacteria to protect skin cells, and antioxidant-rich edelweiss flower to fend off free radicals. The five step skincare system includes a cleanser, day moisturizer, tinted SPF primer, serum, and night cream, which are created in small batches. In addition to this all of the ingredients in their products are EU compliant, reviewed by a member of the American Board of Toxicology, and Leaping Bunny certified.

I've been testing out the HY+5 Regimen for a few months now and I absolutely love the cleanser, day moisturizer, serum, and night cream. The DO OVER Nourishing Cleanser is creamy and gentle, but still works to sweep away dead skin cells, thanks to apple extract, without irritating skin. The DAYDREAM Illuminating Day Moisturizer is my favorite of the bunch because it is incredibly lightweight and makes your skin glow throughout the day. For nighttime there's PARTNER IN CRIME Age-Defying Night Serum and SLEEPOVER Replenishing Night Cream, which feature strong antioxidants and brightening fruit acids, respectively, to improve elasticity, reduce the appearance of fine lines, and encourage cell turnover and stimulation of collagen while you sleep.  I have to admit though was disappointed in the GET SET SPF 30 Tinted Primer as it was too dark for me to use with my fair complexion and I wish there was a tint free option.

Overall, I've really enjoyed using the HY+5 Regimen and have seen great results with my skin.  I love that all of the products are both safe and effective so I don't have to worry about what's in them and I can feel good about using them on my face.  I am especially excited to use the products during the fall and winter when my skin gets drier with the colder weather!

Fall is the perfect time to start this regime and Willing Beauty is challenging you to take the HY+5 Challenge!  For the challenge you use only the HY+5 Regimen for your skincare for 5 days and then share your results on social media with #HY5Challenge!  Also make sure to tag @willingbeautycompany and @thelbushblonde so we can see your results!

*I was given the HY+5 Regimen by Willing Beauty to facilitate my review, however opinions of this product are all my own.

                    

Today I'm linking up with Friday Favorites, Fab Favorites, Five on Friday, and Friday Favorites.

Beauty Review: Puristry Restorative Facial Oil

I have very dry skin and am a huge fan of facial oils to help hydrate so I was super excited when Puristry sent me their Restorative Facial Oil to try.  This facial oil is not only moisturizing, but it has numerous anti-aging benefits, too.  It is created from a blend of high quality cold pressed oils that were chosen for their skin restoring abilities.   Moreover, the oils in this blend are packed with antioxidants to help combat and repair the damage from free radicals.  Oils like jojoba, pomegranate, green tea, acai, and more come together in Puristry's Restorative Facial Oil to deeply hydrate your skin and to minimize and prevent fine-lines and wrinkles.

To use this I wash my face, pat it dry, spritz with a facial spray, and then gently pat the oil into my skin.  It's best to apply the oil when your skin is still a little damp from the spray and you can leave it on it's own or add a moisturizer on top of it.  I tend to use it without an anything on top of it right now since it's summer and my skin isn't quite as dry, but once winter comes I will definitely be layering a cream over it for extra moisture.  You can also use it both morning and night under your usual moisturizers, but I prefer to use it at night so that I wake up with glowing skin.  After using it before bed I wake up with hydrated skin that isn't oily or greasy and instead feels restored.  I've also been sharing this with my Mom who has a bit more mature skin then me and she really loves it and has seen improvement in her fine lines with use.

This oil is especially perfect for summer to repair your skin after exposure to the elements such as the sun, pollution, and air conditioning, which can all damage and dry your skin.  It's also a great way to treat your skin to some organic and all natural care that will gently take care of it, unlike other moisturizers that are filled with synthetics and chemicals.  Lastly, this facial oil works for all skin types from oily to extra dry and really has something for everyone!

Have you ever tried any of Puristry's products?

*I was given Puristry Restorative Facial Oil by Puristry to facilitate my review, however opinions of this product are all my own.

                    

Beauty Review: Lea Black Beauty Intensive Moisture Renewal Créme

As I mentioned in my last post on Lea Black Beauty you may recognize the name Lea Black as an author, business entrepreneur, and a philanthropist, and/or from her role on the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Miami.  However, I came to know the name Lea Black through her beauty company Lea Black Beauty.  Lea Black Beauty products were created with the goals of helping people to take care of their skin and to combat many of today's skincare problems.  The products are formulated with advanced proprietary technology, corrective nutrients, and antioxidants that will help you to get and maintain your best skin!

Today I am talking about Lea Black Beauty's Intensive Moisture Renewal Créme, which is perfect since what I refer to as "dry skin season" is just around the corner.  I don't know about you, but the cold air and indoor heat in the fall and winter make my already dry skin even drier so I am always looking a good moisturizer to help with that.  In addition, I also think that moisturizing is one of the most important steps in a good skincare routine (no matter what skin type you have) and that using a quality cream will yield better results.  Needless to say, when I got the Intensive Moisture Renewal Créme I couldn't wait to try it because an intensive cream is just what my dry skin needs!

Lea Black Beauty's Intensive Moisture Renewal Créme is a luxe facial cream that will leave your skin smooth and soft.  It features a concentrated formula that is an ultra-rich, anti-aging, anti-oxidant moisturizing and hydrating crème.  It advances skin's water retention abilities, deeply hydrates, smooths wrinkles, plumps skin, and improves firmness.  It is so powerful that in just two days it increases skin moisturization by 500%.

While this cream can be used as both a day and night cream I prefer to use it as a night cream.  I cleanse my skin, pat it dry, and then massage this into my skin.  After I've applied the cream I like to let it sit on my skin for ten to fifteen minutes before getting into bed so it can really soak into my skin.  I also love to apply the Lea Black Beauty Advanced Anti-Aging Serum after cleansing, but before applying the cream so the two can work together to give me my best skin.

I've been using this moisturizer for a few weeks now and am very happy with the results.  I noticed that even after one use before bed my skin looked more hydrated and had a glow to it the next morning.  The cream definitely has a very luxurious feel to it although I have to admit it doesn't smell the best; I've had my Mom testing this for me too and she was put off by the smell at first, but after just one use she said the results were worth dealing with the scent.  We've both seen softer and smoother skin since using this and I absolutely love the texture of it.  If you have dry or combination skin I would recommend giving this a try especially during the winter!

The people over a Lea Black Beauty were kind enough to give me a code to share with all of you that will give you 20% off all of their products!  That means when your purchase the Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant it will only be $15.60 instead of its usual $19.50!  Enter this code at checkout for your special discount:

20LBB04

*I was given Lea Black Beauty's Intensive Moisture Renewal Créme by Lea Black to facilitate my review, however opinions of this product are all my own.

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with #HowIFall, Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Weekending, and MIMM.

Beauty Review: Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant

You may recognize the name Lea Black as an author, business entrepreneur, and a philanthropist, and/or her role on the Bravo series The Real Housewives of Miami.  Personally, I came to know the name Lea Black through her beauty company Lea Black Beauty.  Lea Black Beauty products were created with the goals of helping people to take care of their skin and to combat many of today's skincare problems.  The products are formulated with advanced proprietary technology, corrective nutrients, and antioxidants that will help you to get and maintain your best skin!

If you've seen this post I did as a part of my Skincare 101 series then you know that I think exfoliating is one of the most important parts of a good skincare routine.  Exfoliating allows you to remove the dead skin cells on your face that can clog your pores, create texture, enhance wrinkles, and make dark spots more noticeable.  It is a necessary step to achieve the clear, glowing skin that everyone wants!  I am a bit of an exfoliation aficionado and was therefore super excited to try Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant.

Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant is a combination product that contains both chemical and physical exfoliants to help give you the best exfoliation possible.  The chemical exfoliant in this product is lactic acid, which is often praised for it's ability to effectively exfoliate skin without causing irritation and tiny beads are used as the physical exfoliant, which will help to gently remove dead skin cells.  Other ingredients in the Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant include a natural extract complex of Aloe Vera, Grapefruit, Licorice, Cucumber, Green and White Tea, essential oils, Sunflower, Jojoba, Vitamin E, and Hyaluronic Acid.  All the ingredients come together to not only exfoliate, but to encourage cell regeneration, remove impurities, and refine skin's texture to reveal skin's natural radiance.

To use Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant I wet my face, take a small amount on my fingers and massage it onto my face in a circular motion; I do this for about two minutes and like to use that time to give my face a good massage to promote circulation.  Additionally by using a circular motion I encourage the exfoliant to really deeply clean my skin.  When I am done with all of this I rinse my face with lukewarm water, pat it dry, and apply my serums, oils, and moisturizers.  The exfoliation allows my skin to better absorb all of the products used afterwards and I like to do it at night so that my skin has hours to fully absorb everything.  The Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant should only be used twice a week so you don't over exfoliate your skin.

I've been using this exfoliant for a few weeks now and am a big fan of it.  I especially love the texture, which I can only describe as "air whipped" as it has an airy mousse like feel to it.  Everytime I use it my skin feels incredibly soft afterwards and I have definitely seen an improvement in its overall look and texture since I began using it.  I also love how gentle it is and that it never irritates my skin like some scrubs.  If you're looking for an exfoliant I definitely recommend giving Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant a try, you won't be disappointed!

The people over a Lea Black Beauty were kind enough to give me a code to share with all of you that will give you 20% off all of their products!  That means when your purchase the Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant it will only be $38.40 instead of its usual $48.00!  Enter this code at checkout for your special discount:

20LBB04

*I was given Lea Black Beauty Skin Revitalizing Exfoliant by Lea Black to facilitate my review, however opinions of this product are all my own.

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with #HowISummer, Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Weekending, and MIMM.

Beauty Review: Function of Beauty Shampoo & Conditioner

Function of Beauty is a company that makes custom shampoos and conditioners formulated for each individual customer.  In a world where beauty products are typically mass produced, whether you purchase them at a salon, Sephora, or the drugstore, Function of Beauty's unique approach is refreshing.  Moreover, they have made customized beauty affordable and therefore more attainable for the masses, which I think is amazing!

To help create your custom shampoo you start by filling out a questionnaire on the Function of Beauty website.  The questionnaire asks about your hair type (straight, wavy, curly, or coily), your hair structure (fine, medium, or coarse), your scalp moisture (dry, normal, or oily), and your hair goals (there are a lot of options including deep condition, volumize, shine, and strengthen).  You also get to pick out the color and fragrance of the shampoo and conditioner, and name it after yourself!  I filled out my questionnaire and my hair goals were to replenish, strengthen, hydrate, and lengthen my hair, and to fight frizz.  I also chose pink for both my shampoo and conditioner, and chose passion fruit papaya for the fragrance.

I was so excited when my custom shampoo and conditioner came about a week after I ordered them.  The first thing I noticed was their adorable packaging, I'm not going to lie I love the idea of having my name on a beauty product!  The one downside I found about the packaging though is the pump bottles; you need a lot of shampoo to get a lather and it can be kind of a pain to pump the bottle over and over in the shower.  However, once I do get enough shampoo I think it cleans my hair well without drying it out or striping it of its moisture.  The conditioner moisturizes my hair nicely, but I do wish it had a thicker consistency; I prefer a thick conditioner so this kind of feels more like a cream rinse to me because it is lightweight.  One of my favorite parts about these though is the way they smell, they're super sweet and almost candy like, which I haven't found in hair products before!

Overall I'm happy with the Function of Beauty custom shampoo and conditioner, however the next time I think I would make a few tweaks to my questionnaire and hopefully get a thicker conditioner.  The great thing is that you can add notes for the chemist that is making your products and tell them about what you want to change.  You can also chat with a chemist so they can answer any questions you might have about the products.  I think that the people over at Function of Beauty really want to work with customers to make sure they are happy with their products and to help them improve their hair.  I recommend giving Function of Beauty a try because they have quality products and in my opinion getting your own custom shampoo and conditioner is too fun to pass up!

Have you tried custom shampoo or conditioner before?

*I was given a gift card from Function of Beauty to purchase their shampoo and conditioner, which I used to facilitate my review, however opinions of this product are all my own.

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with #HowISummer, Hello Monday, Let It Shine, Weekending, and MIMM.

Beauty Review: First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads

First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads have become my secret weapon for clear, glowing skin.  I originally got a small pack of them as a sample from Sephora and was so impressed with how well they worked that I bought the largest size available for myself.  By now you're probably wondering what these magical pads are, well they are treatment pads with glycolic and lactic acids that tone, brighten, and exfoliate skin.  They also contain lemon peel, cucumber, licorice root, and more; each ingredient is beneficial for skin and works to do something different.  The First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads are gentle enough to use up to twice a day and work for all skin types.  Moreover these pads are meant to treat dullness, pores, uneven texture, uneven skin tone, and more.

To use First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads I wash my face with a gentle cleanser, pat dry, and swipe this along my face and neck in a small circular motion.  I let my skin dry a little bit so all of the ingredients are absorbed and then apply my serums, moisturizers, etcetera.  While you can use them up to twice a day I use them once every few days because I like to use an exfoliating face wash some days and don't want to over exfoliate.  I also like to use them at night so my skin can soak in the ingredients from the pads while I sleep.  The morning after using these I always wake up with glowing skin that is free of any flaking and my pores look smaller.

I honestly cannot say enough good things about these pads.  I have been raving about them to everyone who is even remotely interested in skincare since I started using them and have talked about them a few times on here before.  I even bought them for both my Mom and my sister!  I really cannot think of any "cons" for this product and would give it a five out of five rating.  If you buy one new beauty product in the next few weeks I highly recommend it be this!

Have you tried exfoliating pads before?

  

                

Make sure to add me on Snapchat - @kthomp22!

Today I'm linking up with Tutu Tuesdays, Style Sessions, and Confident Twosday.

Welcome to Tutu Tuesdays a linkup with The Blush Blonde and The Fairy Princess Diaries!  Linkup whatever you'd like and make sure to do a little mingling - our goal here is to create a community of bloggers where we can all connect, find new blogs, and support one another.  We love new friends, supporting other blogs, and meeting fellow girl bosses!

There are just a few rules we ask you follow to join in on Tutu Tuesdays:

1. Please follow both Jordyn and me, your lovely hosts, on Instagram and/or Bloglovin.

Kristin: The Blush Blonde  |  Bloglovin'  |  Instagram

Jordyn: The Fairy Princess Diaries  |  Bloglovin'  |  Instagram

2. Link to your specific post, not your blog's main page.

3. Grab our super cute button or share a link to Tutu Tuesdays in the post you are linking up so everyone can know about the party!

4. Have fun and mingle with other bloggers that have linked up!  Like I said we want everyone to make new friends!

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