Products That Didn't Work for Me, #4

It has been a while since I've talked about the products that don't work for me. I've mentioned a few disappointments here and there, but I wanted to show you all two products that I think could be good but just aren't right for me. 

First, the Phyto Phytopolleine Botanical Scalp Treatment  is a product I desperately hoped would work miracles. Recommended for unbalanced scalps, this treatment has an intensely herbal scent, as it full of rosemary, sage, eucalyptus, and cypress. I'm not a fan of the scent, and the first time I used it, I feared the herbal almost chemical-y scent would stick to me forever. Thankfully I've discovered that a good cleansing shampoo afterwards will get the scent out, and my Philip B. Avocado & Peppermint Shampoo  was perfect for the job. I also liked the product initially, as it does provide some itch relief when you first apply it. Really, my scalp wasn't terribly itchy for 3-4 days! However, this product is .8oz and $38, and at that price I really expect it to repair my scalp. It didn't, and my scalp is still itchy. Perhaps I could've stuck with it and tried the whole bottle, but I decided it wasn't worth the trouble and returned it. 

The other product I was really excited to try was the Koh Gen Do Moisture Spa Gel, a product that is meant to be a one-step moisturizing product to replace serum, emollient and lotion. I love the idea, and I am a big fan of Koh Gen Do, but this just felt sticky on my face and never went away. I thought perhaps I applied too much, and applying less didn't help... I also wasn't anywhere humid, so I was bummed. I can't deal with feeling any tackiness on my face, so this is a no for me. However, it did feel pretty decently moisturizing, which is great for my super dehydrated skin that never seems to be satisfied. Bummer, cause I really wanted to love this!

What do you think of these products? Have you tried them? Do you have any recommendations for a super hydrating face product or a something that will calm my itchy scalp? I'd love to know!

P.S. To follow this series, do check out the previous posts here..  

Products featured were purchased by me. This post contains affiliate links.

Impulse Buys: Did They Work Out?

Over these last few years, I've been very good about properly researching and testing out products before I buy, but every once in a while, I see a new product and I just can't wait to get my hands on it.  I wouldn't REALLY call them impulse buys, but not looking at something in person first nearly qualifies in my book!

That often works out well, but I thought I would share my quick thoughts on the two products that recently fell into my online shopping cart and made it through check out before they made it to my local stores.  

First, I fell for the Korres Greek Yoghurt Nourishing Primer when I was buying a new cleanser. I quite like the Korres Greek Yoghurt Advanced Nourishing Sleeping Facial, so I thought this could be a hit too. Unfortunately, I didn't really like it. The somewhat yogurt like scent is fine for an overnight mask, but I just didn't like the scent first thing in the morning, though it dissipated on the face after about 20 minutes. The texture of the primer was also surprising - creamy, rather than the silky or silicone feel of other primers on the market. While this isn't a bad thing, I did find that I could feel the primer on my face - I can't describe it, and I wouldn't say it is tacky to the touch, but I could just feel it on all day and that was a dealbreaker for me. If it made my makeup look super amazing, or made my skin super hydrated, then I would keep trying it, but I didn't find it to be miraculous. Oh well, money saved! Thank goodness for our nice return policies. 

All this time, I had been staring at the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed on the Sephora site. It took forever for the Sephora locations in SF and Chicago to carry it, and by the time they had it I wasn't sure when I'd make it to one of those locations. So I ordered it, sight unseen. Yesterday, I swatched this in Sephora, and while I'm a big fan of the original formula, I think this one is far too sparkly for me. The powder is very fine and soft however, so I think those of you who like a shimmery highlighter will absolutely love this! 

All in all, I'm glad to have gotten my hands on these products, even if I didn't open the Becca one! (Yes, that is an ongoing problem I have, lol!) Have you tried either of these products? Do you buy things impulsively? Would you guys like to see posts like this in the future? I'd love to know all your thoughts!

This post contains affiliate links.  

Products That Didn't Work For Me, #3

Last month, I posted a round of disappointing products, and a lot of you really seemed to like the post. It is definitely hard for me to do these types of posts, as I generally just return or give away products very quickly if they don't meet my expectations. Since you guys seemed to like the previous posts (here and here), I'm going to make an effort to do this more often! 

I did find myself disappointed in a few products that have lived in my collection for some time: Dior Amber Diamond and the Urban Decay Naked palettes. They just weren't as exciting as I remembered, though perhaps that is my fault, as I hadn't used them in so long. It seems that I've now been spoiled by the soft, subtle textures of luxury brands like Burberry...!

Anyway, this time around I have two products that I was very excited for - Nars Pro-Prime Light Optimizing Primer and Becca Mineral Bronzing Powder in Duende. 

I purchased the Nars Pro-Prime Light Optimizing Primer this past spring, and had high hopes for its radiance enhancing properties. As you might know, the Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer is one of my favorite products, and I remembered liking some of the other Pro-Prime primers when I had tried it on during makeovers, so my expectations were high. 

This primer definitely has a nice finish, and seems to help tinted moisturizer or foundation wear better. However, there was more shimmer than I generally prefer, so that was a bit of a dealbreaker for me. I do think the finish and wear of this is better than the Laura Mercier Radiance Primer, at least from what I've seen so far, but I'm still in the process of testing that one so I can't make a definitive statement on that just yet!

Anyway, I think I was expecting this to be a more primer-like version of the Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector (which I have yet to review but is SO subtle and gorgeous) but it isn't really. Oh well, there are plenty of other things to try, right?

I think I purchased this Becca bronzer last fall, and didn't even use it till this summer - YIKES!  I do love how finely milled and soft it is, so that aspect of the bronzer is nice. However, the shade just didn't look very good on me, and that was sad! I don't know what it is, but something just brought out the redness in my cheeks, and I remember when I first applied it, it looked a bit like a recovering sunburn. 

I imagine those of you who have fair skin would want to stay away from this shade, Duende, though I bet those of you with deeper complexions than mine could totally rock this bronzer. I am glad I tried this bronzer, since the texture is pretty nice. I think I'll be on the lookout for other shades, and perhaps try out some of their blush!

So what did you think of my experience of Becca Mineral Bronzing Powder in Duende and Nars Light Optimizing Primer? Have you tried either of these? Did they work for you? 

Products 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?