Skincare Review: BareMinerals Pureness Gel Cleanser and Pureness Soothing Light Moisturizer

Using coconut water, prickly pear, and coconut milk, BareMinerals created the Pureness Gel Cleanser and Pureness Soothing Light Moisturizer to hydrate, balance, replenish, and soothe the skin.

The Pureness Gel Cleanser feels mild and gentle on the skin. The gel cleanser feels soothing and refreshing to the skin. It doesn’t leave the skin stripped and dry. When used in the morning, this leaves my skin feeling a bit oily.

The Pureness Soothing Light Moisturizer feels lightweight. It has a slightly watery consistency but feels creamy on the skin. It quickly sinks in but leaves a satin-like but not tacky texture on my face. This does lean more on the moisturizing side than hydrating.

Both vegan, I feel that these products were for those who have normal skin types that love BareMinerals. These are both gentle and soothing but my oily skin would need more than that.

The BareMinerals Pureness Gel Cleanser and Pureness Soothing Light Moisturizer were provided by @bareminerals and @tractenbergandco. Available at bareminerals.com

Bodycare Review: Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Cream and Brazilian Nude Cream

I have been on the lookout for the most suitable body moisturizer for me and I might have found them through these body creams from Sol de Janeiro.

Ticking my wish for a thin, quick-sinking texture, the Coco Cabana Cream ($45) promises to treat and transform the driest and most dehydrated skin. It contains coconut oil, fermented sugar, cupuaçu butter, and açaí oil to provide lasting hydration while nourishing the skin. This has a sweeter more coconut-y scent than I would prefer. The scent lasts so long as well. I once used this before bed and I woke up to my bedroom smelling like a beach. Scent aside, I love how this sinks in so quickly and how it dries matte on the skin. I like using this on days when I know it would be too hot outside. It keeps my skin moisturized without the tackiness and grossness.

If you’re looking for something fragrance-free, the Brazilian Nude Cream ($40), promises to nourish, hydrate, balance, and soothe even the most sensitive skin. It uses brazilian passionflower and colloidal oatmeal. It’s lightweight and creamy, a sweet middle ground between the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream and Coco Cabana Cream. It also applies thinly on the skin and doesn’t leave a sticky feeling.

These products are cruelty-free, vegan, and are made without gluten, soy, parabens, artificial colorants, phthalates, PEGs, talc, sulfate, mineral oil, and microbeads.

The Sol de Janeiro Coco Cabana Cream and Brazilian Nude Cream were provided by @soldejaneiro. Available at soldejaneiro.com

Makeup Review: My Splash Care Rose WTR and Splash Beauty Sponge

I’m still one of those people who’s more comfortable using a brush to create the base of my makeup. However, I turn to makeup sponges/blenders if I want to use a full coverage foundation that will last for as long as I needed it to.

I have been using the Rose WTR and Splash Beauty Sponge from My Splash Care. Meant to be used together, the Rose WTR contains aloe leaf juice, rosa damascena, witch hazel, and chamomile to hydrate, soothe, and calm the skin. I spray this on the Splash Beauty Sponge before dabbing it on my foundation. The sponger promises to be latex and odor-free and easy to clean while offering to give a natural makeup look. It also claims to contain vitamin e to keep it from drying out.

As with most rose-scent products, the Rose WTR has a rosy smell that’s subtle. It can also be used as a finishing spray and it feels hydrating to the skin. However, I need more hydration when it comes to oily skin so I need to apply other hydrating products when I use this. The Splash Beauty Sponge is a bit hard and rough for my liking. This absorbs more product than most sponges and I also found it a bit difficult to clean. As a preference, I like my blenders and sponges a bit bouncy so it’s easy to apply foundation and so it’s easy to clean.

The My Splash Care Rose WTR and Splash Beauty Sponge were provided by @mysplashcare . Available at mysplashcare.com

Makeup Review: Trestique Color + Blend Shadow Crayons

Trestique reformulated their Shadow Crayons, which now promises to be more blendable, more flattering, and longer-lasting.

These stick eyeshadows come with a brush at the other end, as expected of Trestique products. These shadows in pen-shaped packaging can fit the thinnest and smallest clutches, making retouching or actual eyeshadow application quick and easy. The actual eyeshadows are sturdier than other stick eyeshadows I’ve dried. I found that if you need to blend this, it needs to be done urgently to avoid streaking. It feels smooth on the lids, though. I prefer using a softer brush instead of the densely packed brush the shadow came with. I’m able to blend the color easier with a softer and less dense brush. All colors have a shimmer finish to them.

Venetian gives a gold shimmer than can be used to highlight below the brows and in the corner of your eyes. Morimoto is a pink pearl, which works for a light eye look. The darker shade Kona (bronze), Aspen (earthy green), Tahitian (taupe), and Burgundy (burgundy wine) are for when you want depth in your eye looks. I like to use Kona and Venetian together. I use Kona all over the lid and Venetian on the corner of my eyes to provide color in my everyday look. I sometimes even use Kona as an eyeliner.

These are extremely pigmented. The application literally feels like your applying crayon on your lids because they are sturdy. I didn’t mind it that much but if you’re into complicated eye looks that require a lot of blending, these might be too dense for you. If you do simple, fuss-free eye looks, you would have an easier time. I also like how long-lasting these shadows are. Even without an eyeshadow primer and with my oily lids, these stay on the whole day.

These shadows are also vegan, cruelty-free, and are made without paraben, gluten, and synthetic fragrance.

The Trestique Color + Blend Shadow Crayons were provided by @trestique. Available for $24 each at trestique.com

Cult Favorite: Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream

Oooh, the smell of the Brazilian Bum Bum Cream ($45) from Sol de Janeiro is out of this world amazing. It aims to smooth and visibly tighten the appearance of the skin using guaraná extract, cupuaçu butter, açaí oil, coconut oil, and guayusa.

This feels thick but goodness, this is one of the best smelling skincare products I have ever come across. It might feel thick and I would have to get more product to apply but it sinks in luxuriously into the skin, quickly as well. It doesn’t feel sticky afterward, which I thought would happen. It leaves the skin velvety and soft. The moisture lasts for so long. I put this on one afternoon and my skin still felt soft and smooth 24 hours after. I like to use this at night and wake up with smooth and firm skin.

This product is also cruelty-free, vegan, and are made without gluten, soy, parabens, artificial colorants, phthalates, PEGs, talc, sulfate, mineral oil, and microbeads.

The Sol de Janeiro Brazilian Bum Bum Cream is provided by @soldejaneiro. Available at soldejaneiro.com