Philosophy Purity Made Simple (9.5/10)

Summary
Cons

• Removing make up
• Preventing breakouts

Pros

• Affordable
• light scent
• Does not over dry

In-Depth Review

I've got oily skin through and through but during the winter my cheeks and jaw line tend to get dry patches, and then oily throughout the day - very frustrating. One way I help adapt to the weather is changing my facial cleanser from a gel to a cream. This summer I've been using The Body Shop's Tea Tree Cleansing Facial Wash which is has a gel consistency. Philosophy's Purity cleanser was a gift I received a year or year and a half ago. I use the cleanser during the cold months and it's perfect for keeping the dry patches hydrated. 

I have the 16 oz. size and I've still got half of the product remaining. The cleanser is scented very lightly with a hint of lemon and some herb. It doesn't bother me and I suspect that those sensitive to smells won't have an issue with this cleanser. The consistency is creamy but thin and you require very little to wash your entire face and neck. As a cleanser it's near perfect. My face feels fresh without any residue, similar to how it feels when I use my Cetaphil cleanser, but more moisturized. That's not to say I don't need to moisturize after cleansing but only the trouble spots I have that are extra dry. The only issue I have for this product is removing make up. I don't wear waterproof anything so I can't comment on the effectiveness of this cleanser for those products but for non-waterproof make up, I feel that I need to wash my face twice to really get that clean feeling. This is because of the thin consistency of the product. I feel that if it were thicker, it would be able to "grab" the product more easily because just using more product doesn't help. This is only a small inconvenience and I rarely use this cleanser to remove make up anyway so as an everyday facial cleanser, it's great.

Since I've been switching around toners, and especially since i've run out of Ole Henricksen's Sheer Transformation, I've noticed the texture of my skin being quite rough. I'm interested in purchasing their exfoliating wash to suit my needs better. But I whole heartedly recommend this cleanser to anyone who has sensitive or dry skin. It won't target specific problems (acnes, discolouration, surface texture, etc.) but it will soothe and cleanse your skin.

Clinique Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss (10/10)

Summary

Cons

• Color payoff
• Messy application

Pros

• Long lasting
• Moisturizing
• Good value
• High shine

In-Depth Review

I got a mini version of Clinique's Superbalm in Passion Fruit a while back when I purchased one of their Moisture Surge Kits. On it's own, it retails for about $17 CAD for a full-sized tube but you get a relatively large amount of product compared to other brands.

On to the gloss! I use this product more as a lip balm than a gloss - I don't care much for glossy lips. The reason for this is because it's super moisturizing, more so than my MAC lip conditioner. It's quite tacky/sticky so if you don't like those kinds of glosses, don't bother with this one. Personally, I like sticky glosses because they last for ages, and this one is no exception. I can expect this product to last for 4 to 6 hours depending on the amount I eat/drink/talk/etc. The color payoff on this product isn't great. It's quite sheer, which is what I prefer. The passion fruit color does contain small glitter particles visible in the tube but on the lips it's undetectable. There is quite a lot of shine with this product and since I don't like that, I apply very little to my lips. I still have about half of my mini tube remaining and I've probably been using this gloss for about a year (granted i'm not a gloss addict - I use it when my lips are dry)!

When I run of of this product, I will most definitely be purchasing a full-sized product of Clinique's Superbalm Moisturizing Gloss (probably in Ginger).

St. Ives Blemish & Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub (6.5/10)

Summary

Cons

• Does not reduce blackheads or blemishes
• Strong scent
• Exfoliating beads are large

Pros

• Does not strip skin of moisture
• Inexpensive
• Gentle enough for every day use

In-depth Review

I’ve been using the St. Ives Apricot Scrub for just under a year. It’s served me well but now well enough for me to repurchase. As a cleanser this scrub is great for every day use; the formula is not too harsh that it strips away all the oils leaving your skin taut feeling. The exfoliating beads are quite large and I found them harsh when I first used it but I learned to use a gentler hand with this product. The scrub is effective at minimizing skin that is peeling but do not expect it do much else – I didn’t find a reduction in blackheads, pore sizes, or blemishes. If you couldn’t already guess, the scent of the scrub is apricot. While there is no lingering scent after use it is a little on the strong side and can be irritating for those who mind. I’ve bought 3 tubes in total (only on sale, which is quite frequent at drug stores) and have used one and a half tubes over the course of 10 months. One tube contains quite a lot of product and for their price (~4 CAD) they are an excellent value. Overall the scrub is a good general cleanser but for people who require specialized care (acne, anti-aging, etc.) this product won’t serve you well. I’ll be using up my second bottle (I’ve given 1 bottle to my sister) and will be on the lookout for other exfoliators.

Note: If you are interested in purchasing this scrub from Shoppers Drugmart, I’d advise you to first visit the St. Ives website and get yourself familiar with the label of the product that you are interested in because St. Ives has tons of scrubs and very similar lables/colors for each. In addition, they are constantly renewing their labels (Basically all their labels say “New Look”) and last I checked their website stock images haven’t been updated. Good luck!

Ole Henriksen 3 Little Wonders Set (8/10)

Summary

Cons

• Jar packaging
• Strong scent
• Does not affect the appearance of your skin

Pros

• Good value
• Enhances surface texture
• Sensitive skin friendly

In-depth Review

The 3 little wonders set from Ole Henricksen has been on mywishlist for some time mainly due to the excellent online reviews as well as mypersonal interest in trying out the brand. I’ve had mixed feelings about theeach product in the set and will review each individually. This set waspurchased for $85 CAD before taxes at my local Sephora store.

Invigorating Night Gel

This is my least favorite of the set. It has a clearconsistency and comes packaged in a glass jar. I don’t like the jar packagingbecause it’s difficult to control the amount of product I get and also I findit unsanitary. Because it is a gel formula, it is ideal as a night treatment(where you don’t need as much moisture throughout the night) however I do stillfind myself waking up with more oil on my face than I’m used to. My biggestgripe with the night gel is its “finish”. Once the gel has dried, my skin isvery tacky/sticky which I find very uncomfortable especially after a nicelycleansed face. I did not find that it reduced any acne scaring or areas ofdiscoloration throughout its entire use. My skin however did not reactadversely to the gel so as a night cream it was only average, if even. I wouldnot repurchase this invigorating night gel on its own.

Sheer Transformation

From worst to best, this day cream is my favorite of thethree. Again packaged in a jar, this cream looks heavier than it actually is.Applied on the skin, it does not have the same issue of tackiness once dried;it has a very smooth and soft finish (retexturing?) comparable to a silicone-based primer. Unfortunately, this finishdoesn’t last the entire day as its oil controlling properties are non-existent.I got about 3-4 hours of shine-free skin during the winter months. Anothercaveat of this day cream is its very strong pharmaceutical scent. It’sdifficult to describe but it irritated me for the first 2 weeks of application.Thereafter, I either grew accustomed to the scent or it was less potent thanbefore. All in all, this cream, especially for dry skin folks or people wholive in arid climates, will appreciate this cream for its moisturizingproperties as well as its ability to create a soft smooth canvas for majorityof the day.

Truth Serum

Truthfully, this was the product that first attracted me tothis set but in the end was used the least by me. I don’t find myself needingthe extra moisture that the truth serum provides under the sheer transformationor night gel. I only started using the serum once I had used up the other two.This is my first serum and I can definitely tell the difference between it anda night/day cream. The moisture that it provides is much more quickly absorbedinto the skin. Does it give a natural glow? No. Does it reduce fine lines andwrinkles? No. Does it get rid of persistent dry patches? No. Does it replace aprimer? Maybe. What it is, is a very light fluid that is quick to apply andabsorb providing moisture to the skin and very little residue. It alsoincreases controls oils to the slightest degrees and has a tacky finish – goodfor adhering product to. I currently use this as an eye cream which works ok toprime my eyes for under-eye concealer. However at the end of the day, it doesn’tprevent creasing or keep oils at bay so you’re better off with an actualprimer. Considering the price, I would not repurchase this item.

All in all, I was mildly disappointed with the Ole Henriksen3 Little Wonders Set. The experience hasn’t turned me off their skincare line (such as Clinique) but I’m not in any rush to buy any of their other products(or even repurchase).

Smashbox Hybrid Luminizing Primer [Discountinued] (8/10)

Summary

Cons

• Expensive
• Luminizer clumps
• Scented
• Squeeze tube difficult to control

Pros

• Oil reduction
• Smooths imperfections and fine lines

In-depth Review

I got Smashbox’s hybrid primer in a kit and I believe it’s not available in stores anymore. However, you can take this review as one for their primer and their highlighters as this product is literally two different products packaged into one.

In total, you get just under 1 fl oz. of product (I’m assuming you get a half of primer and the other half of luminizer). I don’t much appreciate the packaging; the primer and luminizer are kept separate and when you squeeze the tube, there are two holes on the bottom that allow for each product to come out separately. What ends up happening is that either too much primer or luminizer comes out and you (I) have to plug one hole to get more of the other product out so that I have a healthy mix. I have gotten used to this over the year but it just takes a little more attention when applying this product.

Since the product comes out of the tube separately, you have to take a couple seconds mixing the two (on the back of your hand). What I have noticed is that the lumizer formula tends to clump up forcing you to pick out the clumps before application – another hassle. Application from here on out is simple: apply a thin layer over your entire face (larger than pea size amount for me) or if you have drier or combo skin, the areas where you would like to control oils and enhance the staying power of you foundation. There is an old perfume-y scent to this product which I don’t like at all and it does linger for more than I would like after application (about an hour).

To be honest, I mostly use this product for its primer component. I’m sure that this formula is exactly the same as Smashbox’s Photo Finish Primer. I have oily skin and rarely do I find that a luminizer/highlighter of any sort enhances my look. The same applies with this product. When I do end up using the luminizer I just look oily from the get-go. Even when I apply it to the high points on my face (cheeks, bridge of noes, etc.) this luminizer takes away from my finished look. As for the quality of the luminizer, I’ve definitely seen better. The sheen that this product provides is a little too metallic for my tastes (think shiny fish scales). While I don’t notice any sparkles, the product does fall into fine lines so you really do have to use it in conjunction with the primer.

The primer on the other hand is great. I haven’t used any other face primer before this so I can’t really compare but it is a silicone-based primer and you will feel this product sitting on top of your skin (rather than soaking in hopefully like your moisturizer). Because of the silicone content, your face does feel very smooth even over problem areas (fine lines, acne, large pores). I’m most satisfied with the reduction of face oil when I apply this primer. It generally gives me twice as long of a time for my face to become uncomfortably oily (4 vs 8 hours). Near the end of a long day with this product on my face does tend to feel quite heavy but it’s manageable. Primers, including this one, can be used alone or in conjunction with your foundation. I notice that with this primer on, foundation application is a little easier as it spreads more easily across your face.

To conclude, the primer component of this Hybrid Luminizing Primer from Smashbox is what I like and what I will most likely repurchase. The luminizer’s formula and the overall packaging of this product are definite cons which is perhaps the reason why this product has been discontinued. Also, to quickly note, chaffing gel (monistat) is suppose to be a dupe (same effect, cheaper price) for Smashbox primers. They’re around ¼ of the price of smashbox if you can manage to find them!

Clean and Clear Oil Absorbing Sheets (9.5/10)

Summary

Cons

• Finicky packaging
• Small size of sheets

Pros

• No residue
• Quick and easy
• Great value
• No scent
• Works with sensitive skin

In-depth Review

I haven’t been a fan of Clean and Clear skin care products in the past (too harsh for my skin) but I haven’t been able to stop using their Oil Absorbing Sheets. I’ve probably been using them now for around six years as they’re an effective means of getting rid of excess oil on your face and they are reasonably priced. Many other companies (Clinique, MAC, The Body Shop, etc.) carry the exact same product but are priced higher so I stick with Clean and Clear.

The packaging of the sheets come in a small flimsy cardboard envelope that I’ve crushed several times when I throw them in my bag. To get the sheets out, there’s a sticky portion of the lid that adheres to the individual sheet and pulls one out when you open the flap. While this mechanism works for maybe the first 10 sheets, the adhesive looses its stickiness and it become frustrating to get the other 40 sheets out. Personally, I don’t use the adhesive at all and use my fingers instead to pick up each sheet as I need them.

To use them, simply take a sheet and either wipe or blot your face where there is excessive oil. The sheet, which is light blue, will turn a noticeable shade darker when it has absorbed oil. I blot when I’m wearing any kind of make up so to reduce the transfer onto the sheets. You may also want to blot your skin if you have dry skin as this may promote flaking of the skin. The difference before and after is instantly noticeable – your face will feel cleaner and shine will be eliminated. A downside about these sheets I find is that I tend to need about 1.5 of a sheet to absorb all the oil from my face and neck and so I end up using 2. Other brands I believe do carry larger sheets but again, for the price, I’ll stick with Clean and Clear.

These oil absorbing sheets have and will continue to be part of my skin care essentials. I take them everywhere I go and even on vacation because they’re quick and effective at controlling oil. I find them more effective than any powder I’ve tried and are more beneficial for your skin (blotting your skin once a day with these sheets vs. layering powder on your face every 3 hours). Also, using tissues cannot be compared to these sheets as they do not leave a residue on your face and are less irritating on the skin (my skin turns red after using tissue to wipe/blot my face of oil).

All in all, I highly recommend these oil absorbing sheets to anyone who has an issue with oily skin as this will effectively remove excessive oils (maintain a fresh matte appearance) but will not help with controlling oil production, and reducing blemishes, acne, large pores, etc.