Hot Oil Cleansing Balm: First Impressions

Do you know what they say about First Impressions...???

Here are my first impressions of the new Hot Oil Double Cleansing Balm from Beauty Pie 

So here’s the thing - it’s not exactly love at first use but that’s ok because sometimes things are worth a second try, or third...

What I like:

💛 gorgeous gold color & thick glossy texture - like a lil pot ‘o gold (a bit reminiscent of Elemis)

💛 totally perfect for face massage with my fave jade Gua Sha - gives me that spa experience that I adore

💛 rinses off so easily

💛 incredible ingredients like Baobab & Rice Bran Oils and it’s Fragrance Free

💛 leaves my skin feeling very clean - thoroughly removed my makeup (excluding eye makeup)

What I’m not sure about:

🥴 might be most ideal for oiler skin types?

🥴 might be a bit drying?? TBD

🥴 must avoid getting in eyes

I think I need more time with this one 😉

Have you tried a new product and said to yourself, “hmmmm” I’m not sure about this one but really want to give it a fair shake? Let me know how many chances you’d give a new product.

xoxo -Kate

Huxley: Product Reviews

The Secret of Sahara!

Huxley is a Korean Skincare Brand that seeks out unique and effective ingredients. Their first search led to them to the Sahara Desert...what they found was Prickly Pear Seed Oil, a beauty secret from Morocco. (Prickly Pear is a genus of flowering plants in the cactus family, Cactaceae.)

💦 The Cleansing Water: this easy to use cleanser harnesses the power of Prickly Pear Seed Oil known for its antioxidant & anti inflammatory benefits...

Prickly Pear (Opuntia Ficus-Indica Stem Extract) is the very first ingredient!

This non-irritating & refreshing formula also uses Micellar technology to trap dirt & oil. This is lovely as a morning cleanse. If using during pm routine, it might require a lot to remove makeup so probably most effective as the second cleanse here. I avoid the eye area.

I found the scent to be nice but just a little bit strong so that’s just something to be aware of if you are sensitive or prefer non scented cleansers.

It’s around $19.50 for 6.76 ounces (I’ve seen this online for up to $30 not sure why there’s such a wide range here??)

🏜 Glow Awakening Cream: this rich moisturizer offers a soft texture that claims to deliver brightened skin and an immediate radiant effect. I agree that it gives skin an instant radiance which I appreciate. Although, perhaps better described as luminous or “soft focus”. This radiance is from the Prickly Pear + HA and ceramides! It’s said that it will deliver increased brightness & a healthy glow with consistent use.

This goes on seemingly thick but then actually it’s not, once applied it’s almost more gel-like...it absorbs quickly with a non-greasy finish (of course, I have dry skin so it might just really soak it up; and I will use more often in warmer weather) The more I use this, the more I enjoy it. The scent here is very subtle, which I like!

$29.50 for 1.69 ounces - I believe this is a very fair price for a high quality product!

Have you tried this brand? Let me know if you have a favorite Huxley product...

[Products gifted with no obligation to post.]

xoxo -Kate

Drunk Elephant: Micellar Cleanser

Product Highlight:

E-Rase Milki Micellar Cleanser 

This is the most unique Micellar cleansing water I’ve ever tried! It combines Ceramides, plant oils & vitamin E to achieve a truly moisturizing cleanser that removes all traces of my makeup & sunscreen all while leaving my skin soft, supple & super refreshed! This has a milky color with a light viscosity that glides on effortlessly.

Totally Versatility:

🐘 Use post workout

🐘 Ideal as a makeup fix - I recently started experimenting with a new liquid eye color which I applied way too much of and a tiny dot of this on a Q-tip fixed it right up

🐘 Great as a second cleanse

🐘 I really like this one as my morning cleanse!! Leaves skin so hydrated and totally prepped for am routine.

🐘 Absolutely gentle enough for eyes - no stinging or burning here...Woot! Woot!

🐘 No rinsing required

Have you tried this yet?? I’d love to hear your experience...

xoxo -Kate

The Double Cleanse: Zero Cleansing Balm

This Zero Discovery Kit was the perfect way for me to find the Zero Cleansing Balm ideal for me. For just USD $6.49 at ULTA - this mini kit includes all four balms to try:

🤍 Original: removes makeup, hydrates & cleanses skin

💚 Revitalizing: removes makeup, hydrates & cleanses + offers antioxidant protection

💛 Nourishing: removes makeup, hydrates & cleanses + moisturizing

💜 Purifying: removes makeup, hydrated & cleanses + soothes

The front-runner for me is the Purifying formula 💜💜

I think these balms are ideal for dryer skin types but also great for all skin when included as a double-cleanse routine. For my super dry + dehydrated skin I didn’t feel the need to double cleanse as this balm left no residue or film. I love how it starts off applied to dry skin then dissolves into an oil ideal for a face massage prior to rinsing.

Don’t you just love it when Brands offer these cost-effective mini kits?? DO you "Double-cleanse"??