♥ Tatcha Polished Gentle Rice Enzyme Powder ♥

Last fall, I was lucky enough to receive the Tatcha Polished Gentle Rice Enzyme Powder and I am so glad I did. While I spent much of the fall forgetting to use this, I've now put this right next to the sink so there is no chance of me forgetting to use this gentle exfoliating goodness. 

*PR Sample

If you have been following the blog for a while, you may know that my skin was extremely dehydrated for most of 2013. As a result, I steered clear of my usual exfoliants and didn't exfoliate AT ALL until this little beauty landed on my doorstep. 

Not only does this come beautifully packaged (seriously, I couldn't even take it out of its box for weeks), I love how there is a small hole that has a lid to help you dispense the product. It reminds me a bit of a well packaged bottle of spices, except fancier! :) Pour the product into your palm, and mix with water until you have a nice paste to spread on your face! 

This is gentle enough to use daily, which I really appreciate. My skin feels soft and cleansed, and I just think the rice powder concept is so cool. I would really like to try mixing it with honey, but I just haven't gotten a new jar of honey specifically for this purpose. I can report that it mixes well with cleansing oil though, so if water bores you or you want a bit of extra cleansing, I think that is a great way to use this stuff. 

Tatcha also has two other varieties of this powder for different skin types, and I imagine those are just as good as this one. I have a sample packet of each one from a recent Tatcha order, so I can definitely do a comparison post if you guys are interested! 

What do you think about Tatcha's Rice Enzyme Powders? Have you tried these before? I'd love to know! :)

Give Back This Season with Goldfaden MD's Radiant Skin Renewal Starter Kit

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to meet Lauren from Goldfaden MD and she sent me home with this cute kit of star products from the brand as well as a few others slated for release in February 2014. 

Now I wasn't super familiar with the brand aside from knowing that it was carried at Space NK (one of my favorite places ever). I love that this brand is dermatologist developed and meant to deliver results with a much shorter ingredients list than many other brands out there. Plus, the family run brand really stand behind what they do! :)

I've only been using the items from the kit for a short while, so I can't really speak to long term results just yet, but I can definitely share my first impressions. I can tell you already that I'm sure I'll be using up every last drop of Doctor's Scrub for a long time! :)

Doctor's Scrub, 1.7oz
This exfoliating scrub is made of such fine grains (with ruby crystals!) and is lightly citrus scented, so right off the bat I was excited. But seriously, my skin was SO SOFT even after the first use that Mr. Bunny even commented on it. I think that's a winner for sure!

Pure Start, 1oz
I've been staying away from gel and foaming cleansers lately, but I definitely didn't need to stay away from this one. Grapefruit extract gives it a slightly citrus scent and my skin felt clean and not at all dry or stripped. 

Vital Boost, .5oz
While I don't love the scent of this moisturizer, I do love how fast it absorbs into the skin. My skin still feels smooth and soft from the Doctor's Scrub when I use this, and that is awesome. At the moment, it isn't enough hydration by itself for my dehydrated skin in this cold climate, but I imagine it will be perfect for spring or summer or those with more normal or oily skin types. 

Check out all the ingredients of the kit here. All in all, I think this skincare kit can definitely get results - I feel like some of the darker areas of my face are more even already, at least to me!

Think you want to grab a kit for yourself or for a belated holiday gift? The Radiant Skin Renewal Starter Kit retails for $75 and Goldfaden MD will be donating 10% of the proceeds of purchases through December 31st to L.A. based charity I AM THAT GIRL. So, get over to Space NK, Goldfaden MD, or Dermstore and pick one up for that deserving friend or family member! :)

What do you think of this Goldfaden set? Have you tried any products from the brand before? I'd love to know! 

Product provided for review.

African Botanics Pure Marula Oil

You may have noticed that I've begun exploring face oils this year, and I was thrilled when I received African Botanics Pure Marula Oil. While I'm no expert at face oils, this is my top pick of the ones I've tried so far.

Founded in LA in 2012, African Botanics is 100% vegan and focuses on a number of plant derived ingredients. (Read more about the brand here.) You may remember my undying love for their Intensive Skin Repair Body Balm (review here), so I had high expectations for this oil. 

Here's the info from their site: 
Pure Marula Oil is a natural, cold pressed, light textured facial oil that is easily absorbed into skin. Rich in vitamins C + E & natural antioxidants that help cells renew & resist damage. High in essential fatty acids (Omega 9 oleic & Omega 6 linoleic) that deeply hydrate skin & reduce redness while protecting against the elements, especially in cold & dry weather conditions. Marula Oil also softens the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles & helps improve skin elasticity for a more youthful appearance.

Unique Properties
Perfect as a daily moisturizer on all skin types including combination to oily skin. Rejuvenating & nourishing treatment for re-conditioning your skin after snow, wind or sun exposure. Ideal for dry, dehydrated, sensitive, sun damaged skin, eczema, stretchmarks & scars. Great when traveling because it sweeps away the signs of jetlag. 
Preservative + chemical free.

I can't speak to the effect on fine lines, I do think this has helped keep my skin hydrated even if are temperatures are horrifyingly cold. My skin seems to have less redness, and feels good overall. (Yay!) I think it has even helped with some of the scars from my more recent breakouts, though that may just be in my head. (Haha, perhaps I should take a before & after shot some time and really put it to the test!) I don't have any eczema or very noticeable sun damage to test it on, but I may ask Mr. Bunny to test it out for us!!

EDIT: I experienced some irritation on my face and I had some little itchy red bumps on my face as well as redness on one cheek. I applied this in the morning and literally my skin looked even and normal when i happened to look at my face in the work bathroom in the afternoon. This stuff is MAGIC!

I've been using this on top of my moisturizer most of the time, and it has been working great. While it doesn't absorb into my skin as quickly as Osmia Organics Facial Calibration Serum, it definitely soaks in much faster than some of the others I have from Ole Henriksen and Sponge. One thing that I noticed with face oils too is that my eye makeup tends to get smudgy with some of them - not so with African Botanics!

All in all, I'm really liking this oil and definitely want to explore the brand further. I've sniffed the Neroli Infused Marula Oil which is more citrus scented and seems quite lovely. I'll be sure to try that next! (But it may be a while before I get through this one, haha!) I also have their body oil to review! 

At the moment, Space NK has a great gift set available at the moment for $75 called the Marula Ritual, which includes this oil, the body oil, a mud scrub, and the balm that I LOVE. What do you think about this oil? Is it something you would try?? 

Product generously provided for review. Affiliate link. 

Osmia Organics Facial Calibration Serum

A while back, I received a box of goodies from Osmia Organics. My skin was all over the place and confused for a while, so I was excited to try a serum by a brand so popular among fellow bloggers.

Here's the description from Osmia's website:
A select combination of plant oils, chosen for their balancing qualities, helps skin become more even and smooth, and assists in regulating sebum production.  Olive squalane, kukui oil, and macadamia oil nourish the skin, and calming schisandra fruit extract soothes irritation.  Super powered acai delivers an antioxidant boost, and organic black seed oil brings a vitamin and mineral infusion.  Absorbs quickly, and does not leave the skin oily.  In fact, used regularly, this face serum can help oily skin behave itself, and combination skin become less confused.  The scent is mildly herbaceous, with the subtle spicy undertones of black cumin seed oil.

Sounds good, right? Thankfully, my skin is not super dehydrated like it was all summer/fall, and it has gone back to my regular normal to dry skin type. (I suspect my skin returned to normal because of either environmental or hormonal reasons, though this may very well have contributed!)  

This spicy scented oil definitely absorbs into the skin quickly, which I definitely appreciate as a newbie to face oils. It wears well underneath makeup, and is helping to keep my skin hydrated. As the weather is cooling down, this isn't quite enough for my skin alone, but layered with a moisturizer, my skin feels perfectly prepped for winter weather. 

I've heard some really great things about this serum, so I imagine combination/oily skin types may see some remarkable results. What do you think about Osmia Organics Facial Calibration Serum? Is this something you would try? I'd love to know! 

This product was generously provided for review.