Fleuresse

Posted on December 15, 2017 by AmraLear

Beautiful packaging with nothing to deliver. When I first received Fleuresse, I was really impressed with how well everything was packaged. From the outside in, it showed class and sophisticated elegance. Wrapped in plastic, it guaranteed that only my hands would be touching what lays inside the package. I felt special, thinking that I was about to experience pure luxury for my skin. To my dismay, it was the complete opposite.

The Fleuresse Go Kit is developed for a 7 day (one week) use of night and day skincare treatments. It consists of a cleanser, serum, day cream, night cream and an eye cream. Fleuresse states on their website, “The Fleuresse skincare system, hydrates, nourishes and accelerates skin cell regeneration to reveal brighter, more youthful looking skin.” They also state on their website, “Kyani combines the remarkable ingredients we have used for years in the Triangle of Health-Blueberry, Noni and Tocotrienol Vitamin E with plant stem cell extracts from a rare variety of Swiss apple”. They also go on to state, “this blend of natural ingredients”, which would be great if those were the only ingredients used. These ingredients that are used on their home page of the Flueresse as their opening statement are misleading. Delving further into the ingredients of their products, I was utterly in shock by the lengthy list. For the Fleuresse Day Crème Ingredient list, I counted 64 ingredients. Sixty-four! Never have I seen such a long list of ingredients, especially with the word “natural” being used to describe it.

Above is the ingredient list for Fleuresse Day Crème. As you can see, it took me three screen shots to capture all of the listed ingredients. Look closer at the ingredient list, particularly to the first five listed ingredients:

Water
Dimethicone
Polysilicone-11
Coco-Caprylate/Caprate
Hexlyene Glycol

Two forms of chemically derived silicone are listed as number 2 and number 3. What does this mean for your skin? It is a great filler on your skin, helps to give your skin that smooth touch and smooth appearance by helping to “fill in” fine lines on your skin. It also is a film on your skin and just sits there. It does not penetrate into the skin and deliver amazing results that the other ingredients would that were listed in their Triangle of Health. These two are great ingredients to use as a primer for your makeup but not for using as a skincare treatment intended to “hydrate, nourish and accelerate skin cell regeneration”.

Using the cleanser, I felt like I was using a cheap lotion from the all-a-dollar store. I never felt that I was getting a deep cleanse. If it weren’t for the use of my Clarisonic with my cleanse, I would have felt that I was layering on cleanser after cleanser, day after day. The serum had a nice glide to it but I had to use more of the product because it would dry up too fast. Applying the Day Crème and the Night Crème on my skin, I felt like I was reapplying the cleanser. There was no change in scent, texture or amount used for application. The eye cream had a brightening color of pink hue which was my favorite choice out of the entire kit.

What I experienced with the Fleuresse Go Kit is that my skin got drier. I never once saw a “brighter, more youthful” appearance on my skin as they state it will do. It felt like I was applying silicone to my skin everyday. Fleuresse created an illusion. They began with the packaging, artistically creating an aesthetic appeal to the eye and for their product they filled it with silicone to help deceive the consumers eye for it delivers no benefits to the skin.

Flueresse Go Kit receives 2.0 stars.

raw honey SKIN CORRECTING NIGHT balm

Posted on December 7, 2017 by AmraLear

Wearing raw honey SKIN CORRECTING night balm.

I am an absolute believer in raw ingredients delivering great results if:

a.) Formulated correctly.

b.) Natural preservatives are used for longer shelf life.

c.) They are ingredients found to have benefits for the skin.

Dr. Atif Munir Malik, MD & MD (H), has found a way to formulate 4 raw ingredients that have been proven throughout time to have lasting benefits for the skin and are comprised of my three main product criteria listed above. Dr. Malik is Board Certified in Family Medicine and is also a Homeopathic Physician.

In the raw honey SKIN CORRECTING night balm, Dr. Malik has been able to properly shift his formulation from the REAL Honey Ointment for spot treatment therapy to a facial balm using the same four ingredients of:

1.) Raw Honey

2.) Coconut Oil

3.) Beeswax

4.) Olive Oil

Raw Honey benefits the skin by helping to correct:

1.) Active acne.

*It’s anti-bacterial, properties help to rid the bacteria found within the follicle shaft which harbors acne.

2.) Redness.

*It’s anti-inflammatory properties help to de-red the skin from sun exposure, rosacea, acne, over consumption of alcohol and post laser treatments.

3.) Dryness.

*It is a natural humectant which helps to keep moisture within the skin.

4.) Uneven texture.

*It has natural exfoliating properties which help to combat dead skin cells delivering an even skin tone.

5.) Harshness.

*It’s natural emollient helps to keep your skin soft and supple, ridding the appearance of harsh wear and tear on the skin.

These five reasons alone from the RAW Honey are great reasons to use this facial balm for your skin benefit but it does not stop there. The three additional ingredients of Coconut Oil, Beeswax and Olive Oil have similar benefits for the skin:

anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidants and moisture-retention.

These benefits indeed make this facial balm a TRUE SKIN TREATMENT.

The most effective area on my face that I saw the greatest results were my eyes. Not only did it help with minimizing the appearance of fine lines, it also helped to brighten the appearance of my eyes making them look more awake as well as help to reduce the appearance of dark circles under my eyes. If you want a great eye treatment balm, this would be ideal.

Using the balm on my face was great for helping to lock in moisture. It served similar to an ointment, creating an occlusive barrier to retain moisture within my skin. This was great for my skin on days that I felt the harsh conditions of the weather were wearing on my skin. The only downside to the balm was the sticky texture I would feel while applying but once when the balm warmed in my fingers and on my skin as I was applying it, the sticky texture began to dissipate as it dissolved onto my skin.

I found an added benefit to this facial balm as I used it. I applied it at night for skin therapy as I slept, I also applied it during the day at times when I wanted more moisture on my skin. I found it to be a perfect primer for that glowing, “dewy” look. Applying it before makeup allowed my makeup to go on smoothly and evenly. It held the makeup in place and kept my skin glowing the entire day. I would highly recommend it as a skincare tip for achieving a “dewy”, youthful look, for nights out on the town or for a special event. I assure you, your skin will look radiant and people may want to know your secret as to why it looks so radiant.

The raw honey SKIN CORRECTING night balm delivers in its name, it is precisely a balm that helps to correct the skin with its various imperfections but I don’t want the name, “balm”, to discourage anyone from using it on the face. Although we may think of balm’s being designed for lips or spot treating small areas on the body only, this balm is designed for the skin on the face. Your skin will receive wonderful benefits from using it on your face and eyes.

*Skincare Tip:

A little bit goes a long ways. Warm balm in fingertips before applying a thin layer onto the skin.

Because this product does not come completely packaged with an application tool raw honey SKIN CORRECTING night balm receives 4.0 stars.

The Peter Pan Facial

Posted on August 31, 2017 by AmraLear

The Peter Pan Facial.

Never Grow Up, well at least by a Perfectly Posh line where its motto is to “Stay forever young!”. Of course, everyone would like to stay forever young, be like Peter Pan and never grow up. Unfortunately, father time and mother nature act as parents reminding us children that eventually, we all have to grow up.

I gave myself a Perfectly Posh skincare treatment by the Never Grow Up line, intermixed with complimentary lines to the Never Grow Up theory. I called it the Peter Pan Facial.

Bright Young Thang Face Wash by Perfectly Posh.

Beginning with the Bright Young Thang face wash, I performed a double cleanse. The first cleanse was a good awakening to my senses with the spicy aroma of ginseng floating around the air. The second cleanse awakened my skin with the energizing caffeine ingredient. A nice clean scent, accompanied by an invigorating cleanse. I was pleasantly surprised to notice that this cleanse was a combination of a milky cleanser and a foaming gel cleanser. It was moisturizing on my skin and still offered the squeaky clean feel afterwards. A little bit of this face wash goes a long ways so you get more usage per your dollar amount spent.

Bright Young Thang Face Wash by Perfectly Posh receives 5.0 Stars!

Pore Chores.

After the face wash comes the exfoliation and in this case, I used the Pore Chores as both the exfoliator and the face mask. I chose to use this one product as a dynamic duo because it is time effective and has the capability to do both. With the purifying clays, citrus ingredient from the Bergamot oil and lactic acid, this face mask, detoxified my skin and also helped to exfoliate the skin from the acids by eating away dead skin cells.

When I first put on the mask, I felt a warm tingling which is a common side effect from incorporating AHA’s (Alpha Hydroxy Acids) into a product. After about 30 seconds the warm tingling subdued and I slowly started to feel the Kaolin and Illite clays take over by firming and tightening my skin.

Pore Chores Face Mask by Perfectly Posh.

As the face mask became more dry, my face became more tight and firm. I rubbed my fingers over the face mask and it was like a dry layer of second skin, not one part of the mask transferred onto my finger. After only about 7 minutes, the mask was completely dry and I took it off with a warm wet towel. My skin had a radiant, even tone look. The look I would expect to have after an exfoliation.

I would recommend using this face mask no more than 2x per week because of how active the ingredients are, it could possibly cause the skin to become irritated. As with any clay mask, make sure to keep the lid sealed tight in between uses so the air won’t harden the clay.

Pore Chores Face Mask by Perfectly Posh receives 5.0 Stars!

Never Grow Up Anti-Aging Serum.

Next step for the Peter Pan Facial was the application of the Never Grow Up Anti-Aging Serum. I was not fond of the scent as I was applying the serum to my skin. It is strong in lavender which over the past 20 years of using it on different skin types has become one of my least favorite scents. Although I am not a big fan of the scent of lavender, I am a big fan of its benefits for the skin. Bypassing the scent, I liked the fluidity of application, it applied quick and fast onto my skin. However, once when it dried on my skin, it created a tacky texture and felt like it was just resting on my skin, sticky like how soda pop feels when it has touched the skin. It did create radiance on my skin which I liked but I would consider this a gel than more of a serum.

Never Grow Up Anti-Aging Serum by Perfectly Posh receives 2.0 Stars.

Dawn On Me Daytime Facial Oil.

Following the serum, I then applied the Dawn On Me Daytime Facial Oil. Facial oils are one of my favorite products. Not too many companies add face oils into their product lines and I respect the ones that do. I use a face oil on my skin everyday. Being that I live in the desert and the air is very dry, the face oils add the moisture that I need to my skin. I was really excited for this step in my facial. I fell in love with the scent right away when I started to apply it on my skin. The Citrus scent of lime is soft, not overbearing, as well as the ginger.

This facial oil has an accumulation of 15 oils. That is very impressive and very hard to do when formulating a face oil. The color of the face oil is almost transparent as if it were just one single oil. It is a very light-weight oil that does not go on heavy or thick and this is where I want the face oil to shine, as in rise high in the stars and it does not. Similar to the serum, it just rests on the skin. I didn’t feel it penetrating the skin that I would like a face oil to do. It creates the added shine that an oil naturally does but it didn’t create the ultra-moisturizing nourishment to the skin that an oil should do. With all the wonderful anti-aging oils within the formulation of the product, I would’ve liked to have less of a slick application on my skin and more suppleness for my skin.

Dawn On Me Daytime Facial Oil by Perfectly Posh receives 2.0 Stars.

Never Grow Up Anti-Aging Face Creme.

The last step to this Peter Pan Facial was the Never Grow Up Anti-Aging Face Crème. I liked the scent of this face cream, it brought me back to my childhood days when my grandmother would allow me to have a piece of her black licorice. It is blended perfectly with citrus, floral and wood scents. Coconut fruit juice takes place of the water and the rich moisture of shea butter are ideal for hydrating and moisturizing the skin. It is a thin cream with a powerful punch because it delivers a knockout performance on the skin, not too heavy and not thin. My skin didn’t have any extra residue on the skin which comes with a lot of ultra-moisturizing skin care creams. The only reason I cannot give this great product 5 stars is because it does not come with a reusable applicator to retrieve the product out of its container.

Never Grow Up Anti-Aging Face Cream by Perfectly Posh receives 4.0 Stars.

Perfectly Posh is a fun skin care line. I always enjoy reading the names for each product. Very creative and a good play on words and a good play on sayings, phrases, and mottos. It makes me feel like I’m reliving certain eras and trends. When I read, Never Grow Up, I automatically knew that these products were going to be anti-aging products without even reading the ingredients list and that is what I love about Perfectly Posh, the names playfully speak for themselves. This Peter Pan Facial was fun because it made me feel like I did never want to grow up and just “stay forever young!”.

Real Honey Ointment

Posted on August 22, 2017 by AmraLear

Four ingredients: Raw Honey, Coconut Oil, Beeswax and Olive Oil. Sometimes it’s the simplicity within a product that is all your skin needs. Developed and formulated by Dr. Atif M. Malik from my neighboring desert state of Arizona. Dr. Malik, inspired by his patients and his passion for Chemistry, has developed a natural ointment that I would consider to be an important, medicinal staple for your medicine cabinet to help treat certain skin ailments.

I have 2 case studies of my own to share and the pictures speak for themselves.

Day 1

Case Study One.

My son, Maximus, is always coming home with a new story to tell of his football practices, scrimmages and games. While at one of his scrimmages he obtained a large piece of his skin rubbed off by a big tackle on the field. I thought I would use Dr. Malik’s REAL Honey Ointment to treat his skin.

Day 1.

Maximus’ skin had already gone through the scabbing and oozing stage of the initial injury. This is approximately the third week after he first acquired the open wound on his arm from tackling his opponent onto the ground. As you can see, the skin has been traumatized and hypopigmentation as well as a little hyperpigmentation has formed were his skin tissue was torn from his arm.

Day 2

Day 2.

The skin has started to look a little more vibrant. The pink tone that was in Maximus’ skin on Day 1 is almost diminished. The hypopigmentation is starting to get pigment back into the skin.

Day 3

Day 3.

The skin keeps filling in with more pigment where the hypopigmentation is found. The hyperpigmentation is slowly starting to fade, lessening excessive pigmentation on the skin.

Day 4

Day 4.

As each day passed, Maximus’ skin injury filled in two-thirds of pigment into his hypopigmentation. The skin is ultra-moisturized allowing a safe barrier of oil to protect his skin from dryness.

Day 5

Day 5.

The skin by Day 5 has produced so much melanin production where the skin was traumatized by the injury which caused hypopigmentation. The hyperpigmentation is starting to lessen, returning back to Maximus’ natural skin coloring.

Day 6

Day 6.

Within 6 days, Maximus’ injury had received three-fourths of his skin with pigmentation. The skin looks like it is healing greatly from the terrible injury it had received a few weeks prior. The skin does not irritate him because of the emollient the ointment has in it which helps to protect his skin from losing moisture. Both the hypopigmentation and the hyperpigmentation are diminishing and it only took 6 days.

Day 30.

Current Day. Day 30.

Only one month later and Maximus’ injury looks almost completely healed. Small spots on his arm with hypopigmentation linger with mild hyperpigmentation. Looking at his arm from a distance and his injury looks unnoticeable. The REAL Honey Ointment helped in the healing process of his skin which was traumatized by his football tackle.

Case Study Two.

This next case study was done on myself. I saw the results that Maximus was receiving by using the ointment and chose to use it to treat irritated skin on my eyes.

*Disclaimer-This product is not recommended to use around the eyes or to be ingested.

Day 1

Day 1.

Look closely into the crease of my eyelids. Both of my eyelids were suffering from acute dermatitis. They were so irritated that even the skin had abrasions in the creases and caused mild pain on the lids. I had treated them with an arnica gel and soothing eye cream and neither of those treatments were working. A whole week had passed and my eyelids were not getting better, only worse. That is when I chose to use the REAL Honey Ointment and applied it directly onto the irritated skin only.

Day 3

Day 3.

After only two nights of using the ointment on my eyes, not only did the pain go away but the acute dermatitis was gone. My eyelids were completely healed from their irritation, the inflammation and the tiny abrasions. With only two night treatments, I could not believe that the ointment was what finally healed them after multiple attempts from different, natural treatments. It has been a month since I last treated my eyes with the ointment and have not received a reoccurrence of acute dermatitis on my eyelids.

As you can see from both case studies, the REAL Honey Ointment aided in treating both my son and myself. Only a small amount of ointment was used during each application, leaving three-fourths of the ointment left in the 0.5 ounce container. Dr. Atif M. Malik states that some of his clients have used his ointment for their dark spots and dermatitis and wonders if possibly it could be beneficial in treating stretch marks and scars. I can definitely make the claim that it helped to treat hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, accelerated scarring healing and acute dermatitis. This is truly a medicinal ointment that should be a staple must-have in the medicine cabinet.

REAL Honey Ointment by Dr. Atif M. Malik receives 5.o Stars.

APIVITA Bee Radiant

Posted on August 7, 2017 by AmraLear

APIVITA’s Bee Radiant line illuminates your skin with that natural “dewy” look without making your skin feel super oily and overloaded with products. What I truly love about this line is that it extracts the core foundation of APIVITA’s nomenclature by bringing it into existence with products. Derived from the Latin words Apis (bee) and Vita (life) which translates into APIVITA, “life of the bee”, the Bee Radiant collection in all three of their products contains their patented propolis extract.

Propolis comes from APIVITA’s own Beehives. Being beekeepers of their 200 beehives, APIVITA control’s the elements in which the bees are exposed. Changing their locations twice a year to accommodate the seasonal shifts of blossoms among herbs, trees and trees bearing fruit. This allows the bees to “produce honey, pollen and royal jelly free of pesticides, antibiotics and chemical residues” (APIVITA Beekeeping). By controlling the environment the bees are exposed to, APIVITA creates products without all the pollutants that can damage your skin.

Bee Radiant Age Defense Illuminating Serum with orange stem cells & Vitamin C helps to penetrate into the skin, defending it against harmful environmental stressors that age the skin. The serum, a thin, milky substance, resembling the texture, consistency and color of the inside of a milk thistle stem, glides on smoothly into the skin. A strong, masculine aroma mixes well with the vitamin C blends of bergamot, green tangerine, grapefruit and the orange stem cells that made my skin smell fresh as the products absorbed into my skin. As soon as it touched the skin, it illuminated it, rid any dull, lackluster, tired looking skin from my face. Designed to treat fine lines and combat external elements that prematurely age the skin, I knew my skin was in good hands. It left my skin feeling moisturized and hydrated from the wild rose tea that is infused within it.

BEE RADIANT Age Defense Illuminating Serum receives 5.0 Stars!APIVITA 5-Action Eye Serum was tricky at first for me to use. The serum was extremely thin the first few times that I pumped it out to use around my eyes. I tried to catch the serum as it drizzled off of my pinky and placed it around the orbitals of my eyes. My eyes didn’t look so tired and quickly awoke as I continued rubbing in the serum. It didn’t take long for my eyes to soak in the serum.

APIVITA calls the eye serum 5-action because it delivers 5 actions to the skin: 1.) Firmness 2.) Smoothed Wrinkles 3.) Hydration 4.) Signs of Fatigue and 5.) Dark Circles. The tackiness within the serum creates both the firmness around the eye and the adds the hydration to the eyes that they need. The smoothness around the eyes is created by the copper complex ingredient that helps against aging the skin and helps to treat fine lines. The tiredness and dark circles are treated by the white lily and ginseng that help to produce the illuminating look around the eyes.

I found by my third time I used the serum, to shake the bottle first. After I shook the bottle, the ingredients blended together and when I pumped out the serum, it came out in a more thick, creamy substance which was ideal to apply around my eyes.

5-Action Eye Serum receives 4.0 Stars.

I really liked the ingredient components that made Bee Radiant Age Defense Illuminating Cream with Orange Stem Cells (Light Texture). Made with the same ingredients as the Bee Radiant Age Defense Illuminating Serum with orange stem cells & vitamin C, the Illuminating Cream delivers the same age-defying properties that help to fight against environmental pollutants and premature aging and comes in both light texture for oily skin and rich texture for dry skin.

Milky in color, texture similar to pudding, the Bee Radiant Cream felt nice in my fingertips but once when I started applying it into my skin, the cream became harder to rub in. I had to continue rubbing the cream, over and over into the skin, waiting for the heat from application to warm up the product to melt into my skin. I used a smaller amount the second and third time for applying it and had the same result every time. Although when it was once applied, my skin was radiant, illuminated in the mirror and felt like a matte texture on my fingers but looked dewy and glowed beautifully.

I love creams placed in jars because they look like the classic, retro “cold cream” the fashionable, glamour cream. APIVITA shines in elegance as always when it comes to packaging. The only thing that was missing from this packaging was a reusable applicator. I had an applicator that I used when I retrieved the product from the jar. This keeps the product free from cross-contamination of using fingers.

Other than the hard application of the cream into the skin and a reusable applicator for sanitation purposes, this product stays true to its name and illuminated my skin with age defensive properties.

*Skincare tip: A little bit goes a long ways. More bang for your buck!

BEE RADIANT Age Defense Illuminating Cream with Orange Stem Cells Light Texture

Receives 3.o Stars

The BEE RADIANT line is a great anti-aging line and the skin receives the best results by using all 3 products together.

Exotic Escape by Perfectly Posh

Posted on March 23, 2017 by AmraLear

I regretfully admit that I am ashamed to have delayed a most tantalizing, skincare, tropical retreat. Perfectly Posh, a quite lamb amongst the roar of the lions, is a fierce to be reckon with. Who would’ve known that such products with great integrity for the skin could be affordable and effective?!? I was literally blown away by the deliverance of each and every product I tried.

I decided one evening I needed a vacation for my skin. I needed to let my skin venture to a place it’s never been, somewhere tropical, somewhere where I could taste the savory cocktails, hear the whistling of the palm tree’s leaves sifting in the air and feel the warm rays from the sun dance on my skin. I turned to the Perfectly Posh collection that sat on my counter and as I gazed upon each product it was as if they were whispering to me, it’s about time.

I picked up the Best Face Forever cleanser and began my exotic escape. At first glance, I thought this cleanser was actually a thick moisturizer. I reread the product and confirmed that it was indeed a facial cleanser. I removed the BFF from the container and immediately felt little particles of beads on my fingertips, I got a little excited, for this was an exfoliating cleanser. I do like exfoliating cleansers, the minute removing of dead skin cells is always a nice addition to the skin along with cleansing it. I applied it on my skin and instantly felt a tingling sensation.

Perfectly Posh surprised me twice and I loved it! The aroma of a refreshing minty-smell filtered through my nose as I continued with my facial cleanse. Wow! The cooling on my skin was sensational. My skin felt smooth and ever so clean. Even after I finished the cleanse on my face I could still feel the lingering effects of the peppermint on my skin for a small while which made the cleansing experience even more fantastic.

BFF Best Face Forever is a gentle exfoliating face wash that can be used daily. The moisturizing properties of the aloe vera and glycerin will not dry out the skin but aid in keeping the natural oils of your skin to remain after cleansing. The cooling sensation from the peppermint oil entices the senses to soothe and comfort tired and overworked skin. The citrus scent of grapefruit allows a refreshing synergism among receptors to uplift the spirits while cleansing. Perfectly Posh’s BFF is the new form of products you can count on to deliver the best cleanse each and every day.

BFF Best Face Forever Exfoliating Face Wash Receives 5 Stars!

My exotic skincare escapism continued on with the Hoku Kukui bath bar chunk. Kukui nut is one of my favorite tropical scents and when I read this body bar’s name, I could not wait to start washing the day’s wear off my skin.

The body bar was a nice, colorful, earth blend of beige, tan and brown. I allowed the cascading shower to prep my skin with water and began rubbing the Hoku Kukui bar on my body. The combination of the water and the bath bar created a nice cream-colored lather on my skin. I could feel the moisture on my skin as I continued to lather the bath bar all over my body. I kept waiting for the scent of the Kukui nut to kick in but to my disappointment, it was faint almost non-existent. The smell was rather bland and reminded me of an overcompensating organic health extremist making sure no synthetic chemicals were in it. The bar crumbled away in some of the areas where the colors bordered each other and left little pieces on the floor beneath my feet and the shower drain, waiting for me to pick them up after I finished cleansing my body.

The Hoku Kukui Bath Bar left my skin with that squeaky-clean feel yet also very moisturized. To be able to create such a complex satisfactory blend on the skin is a job well done. Perfectly Posh was able to incorporate a proportioned mix of ingredients to execute a great cleanser for the body. If the scent of the Kukui nut was more in existence, immediately registered by the olfactory system and some of the bar didn’t crumble upon washing, this would be a 5.0 star rating.

Hoku Kukui Nut Bath Bar receives 3.o stars!

The Stripper worked its magic on me next, seduced me with its tingling sensation when it touched my skin, enchanted me when it started to tighten on my face. I fell in love with the stripper! A clarifying detox mud for the skin, The Stripper, is a genuis play on words as it is a sultry purplish color, applies smoothly on the skin with a fan brush and truly strips the impurities off of the skin without drying out the skin when its done. Rich in detoxifying elements of clays and muds, the skin rests easy in the hands of The Stripper as it sits on the skin, drawing out environmental pollutants, ridding the pores of undesirable deposits of product debris (makeup, oxygenated serums, physical sunscreen, etc.).

The menthol in the D-Tox mud is exhilarating! I felt as though my skin was on a pleasurable experience of its exotic inhabitants. As the mud dried, my skin tightened and the purplish color morphed into a reddish-brown clay appearance. The scent was subtle which was perfect. Some detox masks have an unbearable scent that reek like nature’s worst scents and I was very happy that this one did neither, it stayed neutral.

After I took The Stripper off of my skin, my skin no longer had any areas of red showing on my skin, the pores were deeply cleansed, my skin was not extremely dry and the best part, I could still feel the menthol on my skin, that wonderful tingling and cooling sensation which lasted for about 10 minutes after I removed the mask. This detox mask worked wonderfully and was easy to apply and remove.

The Stripper D*Tox Body Mud Receives 5.o Stars!

My face was receiving so much attention, I thought I’d make my feet happy with a little Rio Rumba, an exfoliating sand scrub. A natural pedicure-grade foot treatment, my feet danced in my hands as white sand and sugar scrubbed away any mild dryness. The exotic fruit and amazon rose were beyond intoxicating to my senses. I felt like I was punch drunk in love because I kept sniffing the air like a new scent had just been birthed from the exotic fruits. Delicious!

The sand scrub was well mixed, the exfoliating ingredients stayed on my feet and didn’t fly all over the place or leave a pile of leftovers on the ground as I scrubbed. Easy to rinse off, my feet were smooth and soft, even lightly moisturized when I was done. I was saddened to have to stop scrubbing because I wanted to continue inhaling its thrilling exotic-scented wonders. I’d have to admit that this scrub is on my top 5 scrubs for the feet.

Rio Rumba Sand Scrub receives 5.0 Stars!

Now that my feet received a titillating treatment, my body was ready to become a Brazilian Bombshell, at least that is what I imagined as I read, Skindelicious Brazilian Bombshell. Excited to rub the combination of a brazil nut and babassu oil infused body butter onto my skin, I envisioned myself as a Brazilian Bombshell, skin kissed with the mysterious grandeur of the Amazon.

The scent was not strong like what I would imagine a bombshell to be wearing, it smelt more of baby lotion with a hint of coconut. The butter was more like a lotion, not thick enough to be deemed either a cream or a butter. There needed to be more moisture adhering to the skin. If I’m going to be a Brazilian Bombshell, my skin needs to radiate beauty from the natural glow of the exotic oils and drenched in exotic scents from its natural surroundings.

Brazilian Bombshell Body Butter Receives 3.0 Stars!

Last but not least, my exotic escape ends with the finishing touch of a Big, Fat, Yummy, Key Lime Pie dessert for the hands. Every time I hear the words, Key Lime Pie, I think of my mom, it is one of her favorite desserts. She is very picky about her Key Lime Pie, it has to smell pleasingly fragrant of lime and taste just as good as it smells. I’d have to say that this hand cream would satisfy my mom’s strict guidelines to her savory dessert.

Smelling just like a scrumptious Key Lime Pie, I applied the hand crème onto my hands. It was an effortless application onto my skin. Absorbing nicely the ingredients of coconut oil, apricot kernel oil and vitamin E into my hands, I was impressed with no oily residue. Usually hand creme’s tend to leave an oily residue that rubs off on everything you touch after application but I found this not to be the case with this product. A very nourishing hand crème that will keep your skin soft and supple.

Key Lime Pie Hand Crème Receives 5.0 Stars!Perfectly Posh delivered a close to perfect exotic skincare escape. I am mad at myself for not enjoying such wonderful products sooner. Please forgive me for putting baby in the corner, for it needs to be dancing in the center of a ballroom, a full spectacle for others to witness its wondrous works.

Ann Dalton, CEO and Founder of Perfectly Posh deserves a standing ovation. The creative mind that cultivated such great products and playfully dubbed each product a memorable name, has delivered a truly effective product line that consumers skin should be devouring.

According to their website, Perfectly Posh is founded off of four principles:

We Simply Pamper.

The Best Ingredients.

Made in the USA.

You Deserve It!

No fillers are used in any Perfectly Posh product which means you get quality ingredients delivered directly to the skin. Some products are vegan for those who want to avoid using products with animal ingredients and no animal testing is performed during creation of the products.

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How To Dye Your Own Eyebrows

Posted on November 23, 2015 by AmraLear

Amazon is great for finding products at discounted rates. I was surprised, thrilled, happy and yet disappointed that they would be selling a professional line, RefectoCil, for non-professional, consumer use. Elated for my own at home treatments, I thought I would share with others how to use this wonderful product that is my most favorite product when it comes to dying facial hair. It is a very simple and easy process.

: The RefectoCil dye on my eyebrows right before removal. Bottom right picture, completed eyebrow look from dying them with RefectoCil.

What You Will Need:

RefectoCil Dye -They come in a variety of colors. I purchased the “pure black” for dying my eyelashes. (Do not dye your eyelashes on your own, see a licensed professional for eyelash dying.) I also purchased the “natural brown” for my eyebrows.

Refectocil Oxidant-This is a 3% developer by Refectocil. The Oxidant is what creates the dye to stay on the hair follicle. You NEED this for the dye to work!

Painting Brush-A small, thin bristled brush to paint the dye on the eyebrows.

Small Glass Container-This is used to hold the dye and the Oxidant while it is being mixed.

Mixing Tool-A tool used to mix the dye and the oxidant together.

Vaseline (Pet)roleum Jelly)-This is used to apply around the areas you are dying. If the dye lands on the Vaseline, it won’t stain the skin. An easy trick to make sure your dye stains only the areas you want.

Q-tips-This is used for applying the Vaseline.

Isopropyl Acohol (Rubbing Alcohol)– Strips the natural oil from the skin so the dye will stain the hair follicle better.

Cotton Balls-Used for applying the alcohol on the skin.

Gel Cleanser-After the dye has processed, this is the cleanser that will be used to remove the dye from the eyebrows and skin.

Cotton Rounds/4×4 Cotton Pads-Used to remove the dye from the eyebrow.

Step By Step Guide:

Disclaimer:* I am a licensed professional who has performed many eyebrow tints/dying. Use this product with caution. If at anytime, your skin feels irritated or itchy, remove immediately. If you accidentally get this product in your eyes, immediately remove and flush your eyes with water or an eyewash station.

1. Dab some isopropyl alcohol onto a cotton ball and rub over the entire area of the eyebrows.

2. Place a small amount of Vaseline onto a Q-tip and apply around the eyebrows. Any area where you do not want the skin to be stained. *If you accidentally apply too much of the Vaseline, don’t try to rub it off if, it will smear into the cleaned eyebrow, unless you got it into the eyebrow. In that case, remove the Vaseline in its entirety and repeat from step 1.

3. Add equal parts of the dye and the Oxidant in a small glass container. You do not need a lot of the product, use only a dab of the dye with 5-6 drops of the Oxidant.

4. Mix the dye and Oxidant together with the mixing tool until it forms a soft, semi-thick consistency.

5. Using the paintbrush, apply the mixture onto the eyebrow, following the shape of the eyebrow. It is okay if you go outside of the eyebrow because the Vaseline will protect the skin from staining. Once applied on both eyebrows, apply again if necessary making sure to apply a little pressure to the eyebrow, setting in the dye and oxidant.

6. Leave on the skin for 5-15 minutes. The longer the mixture stays on the eyebrow, the better it will dye the hair follicle. Don’t leave it on past the 15 minutes, it could start to irritate the skin.

7. Apply just a dab of gel cleanser on a cotton round and wet it with warm water. Take off the dye starting from the outside of the eyebrow going into the center of the eyebrow. (You can go either direction, I have found that by starting at the end of the eyebrow and working towards the center of the eyebrow, creates a more easily removal, with less of a mess from the dye). Use a 4×4 cotton pad if you need more surface area removal.

*The gel cleanser I used to remove the RefectoCil from my eyebrows is Apivita’s Cleansing Gel Oily/combination Skin.

The RefectoCil dye will stay on the eyebrow for 4-6 weeks, depending on the type of skincare products you use on your skin and the amount of sun exposure the eyebrows will receive.

Watch my tutorial guide on YouTube for a visual of how to dye your eyebrows.

RefectoCil Kit from Amazon.

Amazon RefectoCil Color Kit comes with the RefectoCil dye, RefectoCil Oxidant 3%, two mixing tools, a small glass container and a painting brush.

RefectoCil receives 5.o Stars.

Not only does RefectoCil sell products for eyebrow and eyelash tinting/dying, they also sell products for eyelash perming. Eyelash perming actually uses a small rod to curl the eyelashes. Always seek out a licensed professional for products concerning your delicate eyes.

5 Exfoliating Tools for Your Skin

Posted on October 23, 2015 by AmraLear

Exfoliating your skin can be done using a variety of tools, not just by chemicals and different forms of solid particles. Tools are a great way to remove dead skin cells from your skin and below is a list of 5 great ways your skin can be exfoliated.

1. Clarisonic

This Clarisonic is the Pro Clarisonic and comes with the face and body removable heads.

Made by the makers of the Sonicare Toothbrush, the Clarisonic is my favorite tool for exfoliation. It was oscillating bristles which rotate simultaneously in opposite directions, providing a thorough, deep cleaning on the skin. It literally is like taking a toothbrush to the skin and brushing off all the dead skin cells. It is said to clean your skin 6x more than your hands.

Different kinds of interchangeable brush heads to fit your skin’s needs.

Clarisonic also created different brushes for your face and for your body, which makes this skincare tool, a full face and body exfoliation treatment.

2. Hand Held Brush Head

Hand held brush’s are great for exfoliating the skin and are a lot cheaper than the Clarisonic. One of my favorite brushes I found at the Dollar Store. They are super easy to use, just move the tool over the skin in circular motions. There is no need to press hard into the skin, that won’t give you a deeper exfoliation, it will just bend the bristles and create a damaged tool. Use with gentle pressure on dry or wet skin.

Clean the brush after every use with warm soap and water. Treat it like you would your toothbrush, when you notice the bristles are becoming warn, throw the brush out and purchase a new one.

3. Dry Brush

Dry brush’s are a wonderful exfoliating tool for the body. They not only exfoliate the dead skin cells off of the skin but they also stimulate the circulatory and lymphatic systems. Do not use a dry brush on wet skin, it is named “Dry Brush” for the sole purpose of using it on dry skin.

Using gentle pressure, hold the brush in your hand and rotate it across the skin with circular, upward motions. It is important that you use upward motions, towards the heart because of both the circulatory and lymphatic systems that you are stimulating.

Clean the dry brush with soap and water and place upside to dry. Throw out when you notice the bristles starting to become warn and broken down.

4. Loofah

Loofah’s are not as gentle as the dry brush is on the body. They are more effective when used on dry skin but when they are used on dry skin, if used aggressively, can scratch the skin and possible break some of the skin causing it to bleed. When used wet, the loofah will expand causing it to be less harsh on the skin.

Use the loofah on the skin just like any other exfoliating tool, in circular motions. Loofah’s shouldn’t be used more than 3 times. They are not as cleanable as the other tools, thus making them more unsanitary with every use. The ideal loofah use is once.

5. Exfoliating Towels

Exfoliating towels are different from a regular towel in that they are woven specifically to exfoliate the skin. These can be used either wet or dry and the amount of the exfoliation varies depending on the amount of pressure used on the skin during the exfoliation. Unlike the brushes, the towel does not have any bristles to be careful of damaging which creates the opportunistic exfoliator, a more refined finish on the skin.

Exfoliating towels are used the same way as any other exfoliation tool with circular motions on the skin. Caution needs to be advised when using the towels. Too much pressure and repeated use on the skin during a treatment can irritate the skin and break open some of the skin’s pores if used too aggressively.

The best part of the exfoliating towels is that you can throw it in the washer machine after each use. Discard the exfoliating towel when you notice the woven cloth is not as tightly woven and becoming loose.

All 5 of these tools will give your skin the exfoliation it needs to remove dead skin cells.

Academie Eye Contour Gel

Posted on October 13, 2015 by AmraLear

Looking for a product that will help to de-puff your eyes, look no more. Academie’s Eye Contour Gel is by far one of the best eye products on the market. It is really hard to treat puffiness around the eyes but Academie has found the right ingredient cocktail that will help diminish the water retention underneath the eyes.

A light, oceanic blue coloring gel full of liposomes, soothing agents and moisture help to rid the eyes of unnecessary fluid and at the same time lock in moisture around the eye. Place a small amount of the eye gel on the tips of your pinkies and gently pat around the eye, placing the gel onto the skin. Using light pressure with your pinkies, circle around your eyes with the gel until it is completely rubbed in. For best results, apply both morning and night.

Academie Eye Contour Gel receives 5.0 Stars.

Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque

Posted on September 9, 2015 by AmraLear

Fall is near and the air is beginning to shift to a cool, crisp, refreshing temperature. What greater way to enter fall then with the purifying of your pores from the summer’s hot sun rays with the June Jacobs Perfect Pumpkin Peeling Enzyme Masque. This mask is great to sluff off dead skin cells, revitalizing the skin with enzymatic proteins of the pumpkin.

The scent alone is like walking through a decadent pumpkin patch filled with the aromas of a spicy array of fall’s harvest. It’s dark, amber coloring, laced with the sheen perfection of active ingredients, invites the sense of nature onto your skin, providing an organic layer of detoxification.

My eyes lighten up every time I see this mask because I know of the effective treatment my skin is going to receive when it is applied. The ingredients are very active, it is an enzyme mask, so there may be a warm, tingling sensation when it is applied.

Using a fan brush, or your fingertips, apply the mask onto cleansed skin. Leave on the skin for 3-10 minutes. Allow enough time for the enzymes to fully work on the skin. Remove mask with a cool, damp towel when done.

Amra Lear

Trainer| Skincare Specialist| Spa | Wellness & Fitness Enthusiast

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