I've been on the hunt for a nice rose scented bath oil and I think I may have found one. I've always had my eye on REN's Moroccan Rose range, and I finally got around to trying a mini of their bath oil as well as the Gold Glow Perfect Dry Oil* these last few months. At any rate, I think I'm loving the range and can't wait to try more!
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Glow & Go With Ren
Ren is a brand that has always been on my radar, but for whatever reason, their products tend not to make it home with me. I was excited to be able to try this "Glow and Go!" set containing the much loved Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask and their Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial, both of which I had dabbled with before but not really used extensively. I have to say that I have mixed feelings on this one, and as a result have thought about this review for quite some time. Some days, both products are just amazing, and other days, it just isn't right for my skin.
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Sample Lovin'
This summer, I've been loving a handful of samples from my stash. Inspired by Monika's sample project, I wanted to dive into my sample stash a bit more during the month of June. I was hoping for an epic sample challenge like that one month I almost everything I used was in sample size, but that never quite panned out. I can't say I was particularly aggressive in using samples because I just loved these, but hey, a girl's gotta start somewhere, right?
Read MoreProducts That Didn't Work For Me, #2
I know I rarely post about products that don't work for me, mainly because I try to make smart purchasing decisions. Occasionally, I may purchase things that don't work well for me due to shade or some scent or ingredient, as evidenced in this post from a few months back. I also don't like to be negative, unless something is so extremely off the mark that you guys need to know about it. (But again, I usually don't buy those things, haha!) In my book, there are so many pretty products to talk about that there is so little time for the not so exciting ones! :)
This time around, I've encountered a few things I want to return because I just don't love them and I don't really actually need more products! Thank goodness for generous return policies in the US! Read on to find out more!
Clinique CC Cream is a product that I was really excited to try after reading rave reviews. I selected the Light-Medium shade, which appeared to be a match at that time. Blame it on bad department store lighting or my lack of sunscreen, but the shade just doesn't look right now. It is a tad too light and a bit peachy too. Applied to small areas, the shade works, but if I put it all over one side of my face, it doesn't look quite right.
Shade aside, this CC cream does seem to have the tendency to streak if you put a lot on. As it wears over the course of the day, it doesn't look as nice on dry or textured areas of my face on the bad skin days. However, this still is a great formula, I just love many of the others I have more.. I still think this CC Cream is worth checking out, especially if you can get a sample, because it definitely has decent coverage and color correction properties. Think of it as a more matte, thicker in texture version of the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer that I love!
I've also looked at the REN "The Fab 4" kit a number of times since it is such an affordable way to try some of the most popular items from the brand.
The Glycol Lactic Renewal Mask has been all over blogs over the last year. I've tried sample packets in the past, and the creamy marmalade texture is nice, but the mask never seemed to improve the appearance of my skin. This time, I was excited to be able to try this more extensively, but unfortunately it just wasn't right for me. I think it actually made my face red, as if the tops of my cheeks were sunburnt! Perhaps I wore it a few minutes too long, but I suspect it is just not right for my skin right now. Bummer, as I really wanted to like this one!
I've also heard good things about the Hydra-Calm Global Protection Day Cream, but my skin didn't seem to agree with this one either. My redness wasn't soothed by this at all over the few days that I tried it, and my skin also felt a bit bumpy too, However, the light texture is nice, and the cream does provide a decent level of moisture for normal skin.
In the end, I didn't even try the Bio-Retinoid Anti-Aging Concentrate or the included muslin cloth. The bonus No.1 Purity Cleansing Balm was nice, but again not terribly exciting. When I think balm, I think soothing, and while this cleanser wasn't harsh, it didn't feel like much else either. In any case, it does rinse off well and there isn't much of a squeaky clean feel. All in all, the Micro Polish Cleanser was my favorite of the bunch. I quite liked the creamy emollient feel and the fine grains of the exfoliant.
I've decided to return both of these products as I'm not absolutely in love with them and I have so many options for base and skincare. Have you tried these products? How did they work for you? Are there any products you've been disappointed in lately?