Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint–Color Correcting + Skincare Formula

Posted on June 30, 2021 by Lauren

A must-have makeup product for me is a peachy color corrector to camouflage under-eye darkness. Most people use concealer instead, but I have a terrible habit of forgetting to use it. I have the best luck applying a color corrector under my eyes before going in with foundation, and then I simply apply foundation all the way up under my eyes. Pixi by Petra Correction Concentrate was the only color corrector I liked for a long time. It’s still a product that I enjoy and recommend, but there’s a new one in my collection now and I’m very excited to share it with you! I’d like to introduce Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint.

This is a fairly new product from Milani, and part of a collection. The Supercharged collection is designed to make tired-looking skin appear refreshed. I’ll touch on the other products in this collection later on.

Please note that I purchased a shade that wasn’t meant for my fair skin tone because I didn’t think my shade would work as a color corrector. While this product is called a “brightening undereye tint,” I only use it as a color corrector. If that doesn’t bother you, keep reading for a full review of Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint!

Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint product claims directly from MilaniCosmetics.com

Sleepless night? Look on the bright side! Supercharged Eye Brightener instantly color corrects and illuminates under eyes with color correcting pigments & micro-fine pearls. The lightly tinted hybrid 2-in-1 makeup + skincare formula brightens dark circles and hydrates with hyaluronic acid, plant-based collagen, niacinamide and caffeine. The nourishing, lightweight texture creates a smooth canvas for flawless concealer application. Available in three tinted shades.

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. Additionally, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

Price: $8.99
Net weight: 0.51 oz. | 15 ml
Made in the USA
Cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified)
Vegan
3 shade options
Special ingredients:
- Glycerin is a natural moisturizer
- Caffeine may have soothing and antioxidant properties; constricting effect may improve the look of redness; also has potential to be sensitizing
- Sodium hyaluronate is the sodium form of hyaluronic acid; humectant
- Niacinamide Improves appearance of enlarged pores, regulates oil secretion, evens out skin tone, and improves fine lines
- 3-O-ethyl ascorbic acid is a very stable form of vitamin C; antioxidant
- Turmeric root extract is an anti-inflammatory that’s also a potent antioxidant and brightens skin
- Collagen (plant-based) is a moisturizer and humectant
Shelf life: 6 months
Where to buy: MilaniCosmetics.com
- MilaniCosmetics.com ships internationally, but they currently don’t ship to Mexico, United Kingdom, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Spain, Iraq, or Turkey.
Overall rating: 9.0/10
- - Inclusivity: 9/10
  - Packaging/ease of application: 10/10
  - Pigmentation: 6/10
  - Team player: 10/10
  - Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint comes in three shades. The Pixi color corrector that I previously mentioned only comes in two shades. I did a quick search to see how many shades are offered in several other brands’ under-eye color correctors, and it seems that 2-3 shades is the norm.

I don’t think the limited shades are too surprising since not all makeup-wearers use color correctors and therefore color correctors might not be prioritized by the brands themselves. Ideally, there would be more shade options, but I think Milani did a pretty good job of choosing shades that will work for the majority of people:

Pink for fair to light skin tones
Peach for light to medium skin tones
Deep Peach for medium to deep skin tones

I have fair skin, but I ordered the Peach shade because I thought it would be more effective on my under-eyes as a color corrector. Since the circles under my eyes are bluish, I need a product with a touch of orange to provide effective color correction. I may be wrong, but it doesn’t appear that the Pink shade has enough orange in it to work for me. I do, however, think it would be a great brightener for fair skin!

Packaging/ease of application

Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint comes in a squeeze tube which I think works well for this type of product. Some color correctors come in jars or tubes with applicator wands and honestly all three are good options. Since this product’s formula is quite thin, I think it makes the most sense for it to be in a squeeze tube or a tube with an applicator wand.

Milani advises to use fingers or a makeup brush to blend this product under the eyes. I agree because I think a sponge would absorb too much of the product and take away all the coverage. The instructions also specify that it can be used alone or with a concealer, and set with powder.

I started out using my fingers to apply Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint and that works well enough, but I’ve found that I definitely prefer to use a brush. I squeeze a little bit of product directly onto a brush (I’ve been using the Real Techniques 308 Medium Shadow Brush which can be purchased in the Enhanced Eye Set), tap it onto the darkest areas around my eyes, and quickly blend it out.

I usually only use a very small amount in one thin layer. However, some days I need a little more help when my under-eyes are looking especially dark. On those days, I’ll go in with a little more product and blend it out in another thin layer. This method provides more color correction without looking cakey.

One reason this tint is so easy to use is that it’s so lightweight. It feels more like an eye cream than a makeup product. It blends seamlessly into the skin with very little effort! It also feels nice and hydrating on the skin which is an added bonus. 🙂

Pigmentation

Most color correctors, like the one from Pixi, are quite thick and emollient which I think lends them to being more pigmented. Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint is a very different kind of color corrector. It’s more of a lightweight fluid that is not very pigmented once blended out on the skin. Milani does call it a “tint” and I think that’s accurate!

Those with very little under-eye darkness likely won’t have any issue with this product having low pigmentation. In fact, I’ve even heard of a lot of other reviewers enjoying this product worn alone on no-makeup days to cover that slight darkness. The lightweight texture and low pigmentation allow it to look quite natural on the skin (that is, if the shade closely matches your skin, which is not the case for me).

While I have some darkness under my eyes, I’m fortunate that it isn’t nearly as intense as what some people have. To show how this product looks in action under my eyes, I took this photo with it applied under only one eye. Hopefully you can see the difference, but the eye with the corrector applied definitely looks more even with much less of the bluish tinge visible.

People that have very dark under-eyes may be disappointed that this product can’t completely camouflage their darkness. However, If used with a high-coverage concealer, those dark circles would probably be sufficiently covered.

I personally don’t mind the low pigmentation of Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint, but I think it’s definitely important to keep in mind when purchasing.

Team player

As I mentioned before, Milani states that the Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint can be worn alone or under concealer. It can also be worn under foundation without concealer. That’s the way I use it most often, since I so frequently forget to use concealer. I also don’t think I always need concealer so that’s fine!

I’d say Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint is a great “team player” because once it dries, it’s almost as if there’s no product there at all. From my experience so far, it doesn’t affect the performance of concealer or foundation in any way. Since it’s so lightweight, the amount of product settling into fine lines is minimal, and I think that’s important with this type of product.

If you’re looking to keep things as light as possible under the eyes, but need more than just this corrector, I recommend using it with the e.l.f. Flawless Brightening Concealer. I don’t use it often, but this concealer is very brightening, lightweight, and easy to blend. Great duo!

There’s not really anything else to say here, except that this Milani corrector’s performance when worn under other products is exceptional!

Price

Color correctors vary greatly in price from brand to brand, even when only considering affordable brands. I found some for only a few dollars, and others that are $15.00+. There are also many high-end color correctors that are $20.00+. Milani is pretty consistent with its affordable prices, and Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint is no exception. At $8.99, it falls right about in the middle of the drugstore price range for this type of product.

This corrector contains half an ounce of product, which doesn’t sound like very much, but it’s important to remember that this product is meant to be used sparingly. It will last a long time! In addition to the comparatively affordable price tag and generous amount of product, I think the added skincare ingredients make this corrector an excellent value.

Other products in the Milani Supercharged collection

Is the rest of your face looking a little tired, too? Then you might be interested in some of the other products in the Milani Supercharged collection as well. This collection consists of six products (including the Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint):

Supercharged Brightening Prep Mask $14.99
Supercharged Dewy Primer $10.99
Supercharged Cheek + Lip Multistick (available in four shades) $8.99
Supercharged Revitalizing Facial Mist $9.99
Supercharged Lip Balm $7.99

I watched a couple of review videos on Milani Supercharged Brightening Undereye Tint before ordering it, but I was really not sure if I’d like it or not. That was largely because I knew it would be very different from my Pixi color corrector that I relied on for such a long time. I’m happy to report that I do enjoy this product very much, and I’m even tempted now to buy the Pink shade! It might work well for me mixed with the Peach shade, or possibly even over foundation like a brightening concealer.

What about the product claims? Milani claims that this brightening undereye tint will instantly correct and illuminate under the eyes with correcting pigments and micro-fine pearls. It does provide a light correcting tint and while it’s subtle, I do notice a bit of a sheen. They emphasize that the formula is makeup and skincare combined to brighten and hydrate. If you select the shade suggested for your skin tone, I definitely think this product is brightening, and there are at least a few ingredients that help with hydration. Lastly, Milani notes the lightweight texture and states that it creates a smooth canvas for concealer. I absolutely agree with the claim about the lightweight texture, but it doesn’t actually smooth the skin.

Like a lot of makeup products, I think this one comes down to personal preference. If you feel you need a highly pigmented color corrector, this one may not be for you. If you’re looking for one that’s more lightweight and don’t mind that this one isn’t highly pigmented, you’d probably really like it!

Do you enjoy using color correctors, either alone or under other products? If so, do you think you’ll give this one from Milani a try? Please let me know in the comments below!

Lauren

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Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion–Get Your Glow on and Moisturize in One Step

Posted on June 28, 2021 by Lauren

I have been going crazy for vitamin C products this last year or so. When Pacifica launched the Glow Baby collection, I knew I’d have to try at least one of the products. That’s because the collection features vitamin C! After looking through each of the products, I decided to try Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion because it was the one with the most impressive ingredients, that I also had a need for in my collection. If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while, you know ingredients are #1 in my eyes!

Vitamin C is best applied in the daytime, so I was hoping this moisturizer would be light enough for use in my morning skincare routine. It was a bit thicker than expected and I have combination skin, so I am now using it at night instead. That doesn’t make it a bad product in any way, however. Pacifica states that this lotion can be used day or night, and I think that will vary by skin type.

Please continue reading for a full review of Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion! I’ll go into detail about packaging, hydration, how this lotion layers with other products, ingredients, and price.

Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion product claims directly from PacificaBeauty.com

Hydrated skin is glowing skin. Powered by our Brightfirm ComplexTM, this formula is packed with multiple forms of Vitamin C, plant extracts and Vitamin E to help visibly brighten, firm, and reduce the appearance of signs of photoaging. Find your glow, no filters needed. Lightweight non-greasy formula.

Other product details

Price: $15.00
Net weight: 1.7 oz. | 50 ml
Made in the USA
Cruelty-free
Vegan
Appropriate for all skin types
Formulated without parabens, phthalates, SLS or mineral oil
Shelf life: 12 months
Where to buy: PacificaBeauty.com or Amazon.com
- PacificaBeauty.com ships to the USA and Canada only.
- Amazon.com ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
Overall rating: 8.4/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 10/10
- Hydration: 10/10
- Team player: 5/10
- Ingredients: 7/10
- Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a skincare professional. I am simply an individual that enjoys learning about and using skincare products. Speak to your dermatologist or esthetician if you have any concerns.

Packaging/ease of application

If there’s one thing Pacifica does consistently, it’s beautiful packaging. Every time I pick up Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion I think I make googly eyes at it because it is just so pretty! It comes in a glass bottle which makes it feel luxurious. Not only that, but it’s also frosted glass and the orange color fades out toward the bottom for an ombre effect.

The pump dispenser is also great! It makes getting the right amount of lotion very easy. I especially appreciate the pump because the sensitive ingredients in the product inside are protected from exposure to the air. The lotion is mostly protected from light as well, though some may still get in through the bottom of the bottle since it’s translucent there.

I’m not taking any points off for this, but I wouldn’t advise travelling with this product, for a couple of reasons. First, the bottle is glass. While the glass does feel reasonably heavy, it could still shatter if not protected sufficiently. Next, the pump does lock, however, there is no cap to keep it locked. It could easily become unlocked in a bag and leak on your belongings.

Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion looks just like most moisturizers. It’s white and creamy. It’s definitely heavier than I was first expecting. Not in a bad way, but it does take a little extra effort to work into the skin compared to the moisturizers that I normally use in my morning skincare routine. I don’t mind the extra time this lotion takes to apply in my nighttime skincare routine, so that’s one reason I started using this primarily at night.

Overall, this is an easy skincare product to use. I think those with dry skin would probably appreciate the richness of the formula more than I do. With my combination skin, in the mornings I tend to prefer more lightweight moisturizers like Versed Dew Point Moisturizing Gel-Cream that barely take any effort to apply.

Hydration

You can probably already guess how hydrating Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion is based on the previous section where I discussed its texture! It feels quite hydrating on the skin, and it provides just the right amount of moisture for me at night. I think it would probably work best during the daytime for people with dry skin who are seeking more moisture throughout the day.

I’ll give you a brief preview of some of the ingredients in this lotion. In the top five ingredients, there are three that work to hydrate the skin. They are aloe leaf juice, sunflower seed oil, and glycerin. These ingredients aren’t always included in such a high concentration, but it’s good to see!

I think this section is highly subjective depending on skin type and what time of day you plan to use this product. Those with dry skin would probably enjoy it during the daytime and possibly at night also. On the other hand, people with oily skin may think it’s too hydrating for use during the day, but may still enjoy it at night.

Team player

I mentioned that I switched from using Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion in the morning, to using it at night, because of the texture and level of hydration. That’s not the end of that story, though. Another reason I started using it at night is because it wasn’t getting along with my morning skincare!

I could usually get it to apply well enough over my first couple of skincare products, but it pilled and flaked every time I applied my sunscreen on top of it! I would do my best to brush all those little bits away, but I’d still sometimes find more later in the day and it looked awful. Applying foundation then was also complicated.

Time for me to go off on a little tangent for a sec. My husband doesn’t pay any attention to my makeup or skincare unless I specifically ask him questions. I was shocked when one day, he said I had something on my face. He thought it was a bit of dried up makeup. I was confused because I wasn’t wearing any makeup that day. I looked in the mirror and sure enough, it was my sunscreen that pilled because of this lotion!

I am frustrated that this product doesn’t work better with other products. Fortunately, I don’t experience that pilling nearly as often when I use this lotion at night. When I do have some pilling, it doesn’t bother me so much if I’m just going to bed!

Ingredients

Vitamin C is definitely the standout ingredient in Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion, but there’s a lot more to it than that! I researched every ingredient in this product to share with you the good, the neutral, and the bad. Here’s the list of all 20 ingredients:

aqua, aloe barbadensis leaf juice, caprylic/capric triglyceride, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, glycerin, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), boswellia serrata resin extract, terminalia ferdinandiana (kakadu plum) fruit extract, glyceryl stearate, cetyl alcohol, stearic acid, glyceryl stearate citrate, phenoxyethanol, tocopherol (vitamin E), xanthan gum, bisabolol, ethylhexylglycerin, citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel extract, vanilla planifolia fruit extract, citrus tangerina (tangerine) peel extract

When I research ingredients, I classify them as “good,” “neutral,” or “bad.” While ingredients in that “bad” category are always disappointing to see, overall this lotion has a healthy balance of all three types of ingredients. Eight of the ingredients (that’s 40%!) are “good” ingredients that benefit the skin. Nine ingredients are neutral, which means they neither benefit or harm the skin. Lastly, there are three ingredients that are “bad,” which simply means they have the potential to be sensitizing.

I’ll provide brief descriptions of the eight good ingredients first (please note that my primary resources for ingredient information are INCI Decoder and Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary):

Aloe barbadensis leaf juice
- Moisturizer
- Anti-inflammatory
Helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil
- Improves damaged or irritated skin barrier
- Loaded with fatty acids
- Good for all skin types
Glycerin
- Natural moisturizer
Ascorbic acid (vitamin C)
- Purest and most researched form of vitamin C (aka L-ascorbic acid)
- Potent antioxidant
- High concentrations are effective at evening out skin tone
Terminalia ferdinandiana (kakadu plum) fruit extract
- Antioxidant
- High vitamin C content
Tocopherol (vitamin E)
- Antioxidant
- Strengthens skin barrier
- Provides some UVB protection
Bisabolol
- Skin-soothing
Vanilla planifolia fruit extract
- Contains antioxidants
- Skin-soothing

I was absolutely shocked to see ascorbic acid so close to the top of the list! As the purest form of vitamin C, ascorbic acid is also the most potent. Being included at a reasonably high concentration, it’s very likely to make a real difference in the appearance of skin! Vitamin C has many functions, but a couple of the most exciting ones are its brightening effect and its ability to fade dark spots to even out skin tone.

The other “good” ingredients listed are also exciting to see! The moisturizing ingredients are obviously important in this type of product, but the antioxidants provide great protection against free radical damage. The soothing ingredients are a nice addition as well because they can work to calm the skin.

The “neutral” ingredients are common ones found in skincare products. They support the formula’s texture and shelf life. These ingredients are things like solvents, emollients, thickeners, and preservatives.

Moving on to the unpleasant part, the “bad” ingredients. The first is an ingredient I’d never encountered before: boswellia serrata resin extract. This extract is skin-soothing, but it contains fragrant components that could be sensitizing. Next up is citrus aurantium dulcis (orange) peel extract which is added for its fragrance and could be sensitizing. Noticing a trend? The last “bad” ingredient is another potential skin-sensitizer: citrus tangerina (tangerine) peel extract. This one is an astringent, but it is also used for its fragrance.

It is slightly concerning that the boswellia serrata resin extract is so high up on the list. However, I checked EWG’s Skin Deep database and it gives boswellia serrata extract (may be slightly different from boswellia serrata resin extract) a score of “1” which indicates minimal risk. The two citrus fragrance ingredients are at the bottom of the list, so I don’t think they are likely to be problematic for many people. I’d also like to note here that the citrus scent is very subtle, so if scented skincare products bother you, this one likely won’t.

Price

Pacifica came through for us yet again to make Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion so affordable! It’s hard to believe this product is only $15.00 ($8.82/ounce). Vitamin C has become increasingly popular, and as a result many products featuring vitamin C are quite expensive. Fortunately, Pacifica stayed true to its regular drugstore pricing and kept this lotion reasonably priced!

I looked through some other moisturizers that feature vitamin C and my findings were interesting. First of all, most are $20+. Many of them contain vitamin C derivatives instead of the tried and true ascorbic acid, which is in this Pacifica lotion. Lastly, many of them are not cruelty-free! After looking at these other products, I definitely think Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion is a special product that’s well-worth the price.

Other products in the Glow Baby collection

Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion is a fairly recent launch, but the collection actually began quite a while ago with Pacifica Glow Baby Booster Serum. Now the collection includes four products to help you get your glow on! In addition to the lotion that I’ve just reviewed, the collection includes these products:

Glow Baby Brightening Face Wash $10.00
Glow Baby Brightening Peel Pads 10% AHA + BHA $14.00
Glow Baby Booster Serum $16.00
Glow Baby Body Peel $14.00

If you’re interested in the four skincare products (not including the Glow Baby Body Peel), you can save some money by purchasing all of them in the Glow Baby Bundle for $45.00! This is a great bargain and a good idea if you’re looking to start a whole new skincare regimen, as these products may be even more effective when used together.

Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion isn’t exactly what I expected it to be, but that’s OK! I’ve enjoyed using it every night for the past couple of weeks. I appreciate the hydration and antioxidants it provides, and its affordable price. Even more importantly, I’m thrilled that all of Pacifica’s products, including this one, are cruelty-free and vegan!

In Pacifica’s product claims, they state that the vitamin C, plant extracts, and vitamin E visibly brighten, firm, and reduce the appearance of signs of photoaging. I don’t think I’ve seen any of those visible improvements, but that’s to be expected since skincare takes several weeks or sometimes months to visibly improve skin. My skin is naturally in good condition and pretty bright (maybe from all the other vitamin C products I’ve used during this last year!), but this lotion is probably helping.

Pacifica also claims that the formula is lightweight and non-greasy. I have to disagree there because I wouldn’t describe the texture as lightweight. Also, it feels slightly greasy on my combination skin (though it doesn’t bother me when used at night).

I think Pacifica Glow Baby VitaGlow Face Lotion could be a great addition for any skin type. As I mentioned before, it’s likely that not everyone will want to use it the same way, but it’s perfectly fine to use it morning or night!

That’s another Pacifica product review in the books for IntegriBeauty! If you enjoy Pacifica like I do, I encourage you to read some of my other reviews of their products. I’ve written several since I began this blog last year. 🙂

Have you tried any Pacifica moisturizers? What is your favorite Pacifica skincare product so far? Please share with me in the comments below!

Lauren

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Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer–Sculpt and Warm Up Your Skin for a Sun-Kissed Look

Posted on June 23, 2021 by Lauren

As someone with fair skin, bronzer is an absolute must in my makeup routine! It brings so much warmth and life to my skin. I don’t contour very much, but I appreciate neutral bronzers that can serve a dual-purpose to be used for a bit of contouring. The only bronzer in my collection for a very long time was the Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder in the lightest shade, which is that perfect neutral brown that I like. I hit pan on that bronzer recently, and started to look for other neutral bronzers that would also work well on my fair skin. I ended up ordering the Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer in my very first order from the brand!

Mood Boost is one of Kiko Milano’s collections launched earlier this year. I’m new to the brand so I’m not sure how long the Mood Boost products will be available, but I believe the “themed” collections are temporary. If you’re interested in trying this bronzer after reading my review, I recommend ordering it soon! 🙂

Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer product claims directly from KikoCosmetics.com

Compact bronzing powder with four shades (per compact) and a matte finish. Infused with a vanilla fragrance. Ideal for warming up the complexion, enhancing the facial features and achieving an instant, even “sun-kissed” effect. Exclusive lightweight and ultra-sensorial textures offer a comfortable application and an even finish, for a flawless result.

Other product details

Price: $17.00
Net weight: 0.4 oz. | 14 g
Made in Italy
Cruelty-free
Shelf life: 18 months
Available in two shades
Where to buy: KikoCosmetics.com
- Kiko Milano ships internationally, but there are unique websites for each country. When you visit KikoCosmetics.com, make sure the correct country is listed next to “My Country” at the bottom of the page. If it’s incorrect, click on the country name and it will bring up the full list of countries for you to select the correct option.
Overall rating: 8.0/10
- Inclusivity: 5/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 10/10
- Pigmentation: 8/10
- Staying power: 10/10
- Price: 7/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

Kiko Milano makes very good quality products, but I’ve noticed that the shade ranges for many products are lacking. Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer is unfortunately only available in two shades! Each option actually has four individual shades swirled together in the pan, but since the pan is not very large, it would be difficult to pick up the individual shades (especially the ones in the middle). Additionally, the four shades are very similar to each other.

01 Sweet Honey is a light to medium warm brown
02 Neutral Sienna is a very light neutral brown (this is the shade I purchased)

Kiko Milano didn’t provide shade descriptions, but these are the descriptions I would give each shade option. As I said in my description of Neutral Sienna, the colors are very light. I think this option is absolutely perfect for fair skin, or even very fair porcelain skin. It would probably show up on light skin as well, but I think light and light medium skin tones would prefer the Sweet Honey shade.

The most obvious thing that’s wrong with this shade “range” is that it doesn’t go nearly deep enough!! I’m not sure if people with medium skin tones could make Sweet Honey work, and those with deeper skin tones definitely wouldn’t be able to use it. This is so disappointing!

No one should be excluded, and many are being excluded with this puny selection of shades. The beauty world is waking up and more brands are finally realizing the importance of inclusivity; unfortunately, it seems Kiko isn’t there yet!

So, looking at the two available shade options… I think it was smart choosing to make Neutral Sienna have a neutral undertone, because it’s more likely to work for everyone with fair skin. Sweet Honey, however, might not work for everyone with light to light medium skin because it does look quite warm and that doesn’t appeal to everyone.

Adding deep shades should be the #1 priority, but I think Kiko should also add a shade similar to Sweet Honey that has a neutral undertone. Unfortunately, I don’t believe any shades will be added since I believe Mood Boost is a temporary collection.

Packaging/ease of application

That first section was a bit of a bummer, I know. Good news, though! In this section I have nothing but good things to say about Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer.

The packaging is absolutely stunning, which isn’t surprising as Kiko is known for making beautiful packaging. The compact is a pretty blush pink color and made out of plastic, but it feels sturdy and has a “soft touch” finish so it feels like a luxury product. It also has a very nice mirror in the lid. This compact is very travel-friendly.

The bronzer itself is a very smooth fine powder. It’s easy to pick up just the right amount on a brush because the bronzer isn’t too soft. I never need to tap off excess product before applying to my skin. My favorite brush to use with this bronzer is my trusty EcoTools Blending & Bronzing Brush. Application is smooth so this bronzer never looks streaky or patchy.

Since I have the more neutral shade, Neutral Sienna, I’m also able to use it to subtly contour my cheekbones. The shade at the very top (closest to the mirror) is actually an ideal contour shade for me, so I try to focus my brush on that area when picking up bronzer to use for contouring.

Pigmentation

Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer is not very pigmented. People that are very skilled at applying bronzer may be bothered by formulas that aren’t very pigmented, but I actually think the lower pigmentation makes it much easier to apply. I can sort of go crazy with this bronzer and it never looks like too much!

To illustrate the pigmentation of this bronzer, I did four separate arm swatches. Going left to right, these swatches go from one swipe of bronzer to four swipes. As you can see, the first one is barely visible. Even on my fair skin, I have to build up this bronzer to make it visible on my skin. That’s partly because the shade is so light, but pigmentation is definitely a factor.

I appreciate the lower pigmentation for how easy it makes this bronzer to apply. However, I think it would’ve been nice if it had been formulated to be just a little bit more pigmented than it is. That’s because I have to spend more time building up this bronzer than I’m used to with the Milani Silky Matte Bronzing Powder.

Staying power

I have high expectations for my makeup’s staying power. I usually put it on in the morning and wear it for at least ten hours. Powder products generally last longer than creams, so my expectation for this bronzer to last was especially high.

I wasn’t disappointed! I have never noticed any fading or change in how this bronzer looks on my skin, from the time I apply it to when I take it off at night. I don’t think about touching up my makeup most days, so I really appreciate that this bronzer is a “apply it and forget it” kind of product!

Price

If you’re not familiar with Kiko Milano, most of its products are quite affordable and would fall into the “drugstore price” category. Some Kiko products are definitely inching toward high-end prices and this is one of them. Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer is $17.00 for a pretty standard amount of product.

There are several bronzers from other cruelty-free drugstore brands that can be purchased for $10.00 or less. I think Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer is probably superior to many of them. The packaging is also prettier than other drugstore bronzers. However, I still think $17.00 is too expensive for this bronzer; $12.00 would probably be more appropriate.

Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer has some faults, but I have really enjoyed it so far. It’s one of the most beautiful makeup products that I own, which adds an extra element of fun to using it! I also like that I don’t need to be precise with this bronzer, and I can sweep it on until I achieve the look I’m going for. It really does provide the prettiest, most natural-looking glow.

Kiko’s product claims for the Mood Boost Matte Bronzer were spot on. This bronzer really does warm up the complexion and provide an even sun-kissed glow. The formula is also lightweight and easy to work with. I didn’t mention the fragrance before, but there is also a subtle vanilla fragrance as Kiko stated in the description. It is almost undetectable and I never smell it once it’s applied to my skin.

This is a really good bronzer. If one of the two shade options will work for your skin tone, and it’s in your budget, I definitely recommend it!

Have you tried the Kiko Milano Mood Boost Matte Bronzer or anything else from the Mood Boost collection? What about other bronzers from Kiko? Please comment below!

Lauren

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Beauty by Earth Self Tanner–Healthy Tan in a Bottle with All Natural Ingredients

Posted on June 21, 2021 by Lauren

A golden tan is beautiful, but for those of us that don’t naturally have a tan skin tone, it can be dangerous to achieve. UV rays from the sun or tanning beds may cause skin cancer and lead to premature aging. A healthier alternative to get a tan is to use a self tanning product. Unfortunately, many of them are made with questionable ingredients. I don’t use self tanner often, but when I do it’s Beauty by Earth Self Tanner which is made with all natural ingredients!

What makes for a good self tanner? In my opinion, it should be buildable, streak-free, contain skin-loving ingredients, and last more than a couple of days. Keep reading to find out if Beauty by Earth’s Self Tanner fits the bill.

Please note that Beauty by Earth recently launched Self Tanner Mousse. I have not yet tried that product. In this review, I’ll be discussing the original Self Tanner lotion.

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner product claims directly from BeautybyEarth.com

Want that sun-kissed glow but don’t want to spend hours baking in the sun? Our natural self tanner is the solution you’re looking for! You’ll get the beautiful, healthy tan you want without exposing your skin to harsh UV rays or the potentially dangerous chemicals used in conventional self tanners. Perfect for hiding stretch marks, scars, and veins. Color doesn’t transfer to clothing and sheets. Won’t leave you orange tomorrow.

Other product details

Price: $30.99 (save 10% with subscribe and save)
Net weight: 7.5 oz. | 222 ml
Made in the USA
Cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified)
Vegan
Made with natural ingredients (many are organic)
Free of parabens, phthalates, sulfates, and artificial fragrance
Perfect for all skin types, including sensitive skin
Subtle coconut scent
Formulated primarily for use on the body, but can also be used on the face
Where to buy Beauty by Earth Self Tanner: BeautybyEarth.com or Amazon.com
Where to buy Beauty by Earth Self Tanner Bundle (includes exfoliating mitt, body applicator mitt, face applicator mitt, and self tanner): BeautybyEarth.com or Amazon.com
- BeautybyEarth.com ships internationally for a flat fee of $28.00. (U.S. orders of $50+ ship free)
- Amazon.com ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
Overall rating: 9.0/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 9/10
- Hydration: 10/10
- Longevity: 10/10
- Ingredients: 8/10
- Price: 8/10

Packaging/ease of application

Like most self tanning lotions, Beauty by Earth Self Tanner is packaged in a squeeze tube. Squeeze tubes are simple, but easy to use, which is especially good if you are working with an applicator mitt on one hand! The tube is also made of recyclable plastic, which is a plus.

A lot of self tanners can make skin look orange or streaky. I was so nervous to try this one because I was skeptical of the natural ingredients’ efficacy in providing a natural-looking tan. Well, let me tell you, I did not need to worry! The tan I get from this product never looks orange, but instead it gives my skin the perfect golden glow. I also haven’t experienced any streaking with this self tanner.

To get the best results, follow the instructions provided by Beauty by Earth:

Paint nails to avoid orangey nails (I’ve never remembered to follow this advice, myself, but it’s a great tip!)
Exfoliate to gently remove dead skin cells, especially on very dry areas of the body (you can use an exfoliating mitt or a body scrub like Beauty by Earth Vanilla Coconut Body Scrub)
Apply a thin layer of self tanner, with gloves or an applicator mitt, evenly over the body and face (if desired), being careful to apply a bit less to loose areas of skin (i.e. elbows and knees) since they are more absorbent and could end up too dark
1. If you don’t wear gloves or use an applicator mitt, wash hands immediately after application to keep the color off of your palms
Wait six hours for tan to develop
Reapply the following day(s) as needed to achieve the desired color
From there, reapply every 4-7 days or as needed

It’s also recommended to wait 1-2 days after shaving to apply self tanner. If self tanner is applied to freshly shaved skin, pores will show up as little orange dots.

I can honestly say that I have not always followed these directions and I can speak from experience that it makes a big difference! When I applied this self tanner last week, I didn’t give myself enough time. It was just before bedtime so I was in a hurry and I didn’t properly exfoliate even though I have the exfoliating mitt from the Self Tanner Bundle. I also didn’t paint my nails beforehand. As a result, I had dark brown/orange spots on my toes where I had some dry patches of skin, and a couple of toenails turned a bit orange. It was entirely my fault for not following the directions.

Other than the problems with my feet, the self tanner looked very natural on the rest of my body. As you can see in this “after” photo, the tan from this self tanner is gradual, which I like (this means that if you make a mistake, it won’t be so obvious!). I think my legs definitely looked more tan in person than they did in the photo, but my phone’s camera doesn’t always seem to pick up on color accurately.

Would I say Beauty by Earth Self Tanner is easy to apply? No, not really…but I don’t think any self tanner is exactly easy to use. Compared to other self tanners, I think this one is probably much easier because there’s no concern about streaking. Also, some other self tanners are tinted and rub off on clothing, sheets, and furniture. This one is white and doesn’t change the color of anything except skin!

Hydration

Hydration might not be something that many people think about with self tanners, but I think it’s actually really important for a couple of reasons. First of all, unless you’re applying a moisturizer before self tanner, the self tanner must also act as moisturizer. Second, self tanner looks best on hydrated skin, so added hydration in the self tanner itself can only help!

I find that Beauty by Earth Self Tanner feels very similar to a hydrating body lotion. My skin always feels great after it’s applied. I’ll go into detail about ingredients later on, but there are several that go a long way in keeping skin hydrated!

Longevity

You may be concerned about the longevity of the tan that develops from Beauty by Earth Self Tanner since it’s a natural product. I’m happy to tell you that it lasts very well! A tan from any self tanner will vary from person to person, but Beauty by Earth states that this one usually lasts 4-6 days. For me, I think my tan from last week lasted 6-7 days.

Since self tanners, including this one, are a bit fussy, I want the resulting tan to last a good long while no matter what kind of activities I might be doing. I appreciate that this one lasts well through swimming, showering, sweating, etc. Now that I remember how well the results of this self tanner last, I may start using it once a week through summer!

Ingredients

This is the first self tanner I’ve ever reviewed, so I was excited to check out the ingredients! I was surprised to find that there is one single ingredient responsible for the tanning property of this product, but there are many other ingredients of interest as well. Beauty by Earth Self Tanner contains only 17 ingredients, can you believe it?! Here they are:

Water, Organic Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe Vera) Leaf Juice, Organic Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea) Butter, Dihydroxyacetone (Sugar Beet Derived DHA), Cetyl Alcohol, Stearyl Alcohol, Organic Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Oil, Glycerin (Vegetable), Organic Camellia Oleifera (Japanese Green Tea) Leaf Extract, Organic Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract, Organic Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Extract, Organic Vaccinium Macrocarpon (Cranberry) Fruit Extract, Organic Simmondsia Chinensis (Jojoba) Seed Oil, Organic Argania Spinosa Kernel (Argan) Oil, Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Pulp Extract, Vanilla Tahitensis (Vanilla) Fruit Extract

I usually start with the skincare ingredients, but this time I’m going to start with dihydroxyacetone (DHA). This is the ingredient that gives skin that lovely sun-kissed tan! It is completely safe and works by reacting with amino acids in the skin to build color. Science was never my strong subject, but I think that’s so cool!

As for the rest of the ingredients, I break them down into three categories: good, neutral, and bad. Good ingredients provide skincare benefits, neutral ingredients don’t directly benefit or harm the skin, while bad ingredients have the potential to irritate skin. Beauty by Earth Self Tanner contains a whopping ten good ingredients, four neutral ingredients, and unfortunately there are two bad ingredients. Let’s start with the good ones (please note that my primary resources for ingredient information are INCI Decoder and Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary):

Aloe Vera Leaf Juice
- Moisturizer
- Anti-inflammatory
Shea Butter
- Emollient moisturizer
- Skin-soothing
- Antioxidant-rich
Coconut Oil
- Moisturizes and seals in moisture
Glycerin
- Natural moisturizer
Green Tea Leaf Extract
- Anti-inflammatory
- Contains antioxidants
Pomegranate Extract
- Skin-soothing
- Antioxidant
Cranberry fruit extract
- Skin-soothing
- Antioxidant
Jojoba Seed Oil
- Wax ester that stays on the skin surface to moisturize
- Softens skin
Argan Oil
- Contains fatty acids and vitamin E
- Moisturizes
Coconut Pulp Extract
- Rich in fatty acids, proteins, and vitamins
- Skin-conditioning

Those are really excellent ingredients that are, frankly, surprising to find in a self tanner! Because of these ingredients, Beauty by Earth Self Tanner can be considered a very well-rounded body care product.

Moving on to the “neutral” ingredients, there isn’t anything very interesting. These ingredients are water, cetyl alcohol, stearyl alcohol, and radish root ferment filtrate. They act as solvent, emollients, and preservative, respectively. The two alcohols are non-drying, so there’s nothing to be concerned about with these ingredients.

Lastly, the “bad” ingredients. I never thought of witch hazel as a bad ingredient until I started researching skincare ingredients. It has antioxidant and soothing properties, but there is an antioxidant component called “tannin” that can make it sensitizing. Witch hazel also contains a fragrance called “eugenol” which may be sensitizing for some. The other ingredient that could cause irritation is vanilla fruit extract. It is a skin conditioner, but this particular type of vanilla extract is a common irritant. I’ve been fortunate that neither of these ingredients seem to disagree with my skin, but they could be problematic for someone with very sensitive skin.

Overall, I am thrilled with the ingredients in Beauty by Earth Self Tanner. They definitely didn’t have to include so many skin-loving ingredients, but I’m really glad they did!

Price

Beauty by Earth Self Tanner is definitely one of the pricier self tanning products I’ve seen. It’s $30.99 for a 7.5 ounce bottle, which means it’s $4.13/ounce. In general, I tend to go for more affordable products, but when it came time to look for a good self tanner, this one really stood out to me even though it is expensive.

I was concerned about the ingredients used in traditional self tanners, but I was really impressed by the ingredients in this one from Beauty by Earth. The “no streaking” claim also caught my eye because I know how careless I can sometimes be when applying products. In addition to those things, this self tanner is cruelty-free, and many of the others on the market sadly are not.

I wish this product was a little less expensive, but considering it’s something I won’t need to use year-round I think it’s worth the price!

I am the most fair-skinned person in my family and my pasty white legs have always bothered me. For years, I resisted self tanners because I didn’t want to look orange. I looked at a lot of self tanners before trying Beauty by Earth Self Tanner in 2019.

I remember the year easily because I bought this product in preparation for vacation in Hawaii! I didn’t want to be the palest person on the beach. 🙂 I’m so glad I found this product because it makes me much more confident in my skin.

Does Beauty by Earth Self Tanner live up to the product claims? Beauty by Earth promises a beautiful healthy-looking tan without dangerous chemicals, that won’t turn you orange or stain fabric. I agree with these claims, except I would like to note again that there are a couple of ingredients that could be irritating for some. If you don’t have especially sensitive skin, this product should be safe for you!

Once I use up this bottle of Beauty by Earth Self Tanner, I’d really like to try their new Self Tanner Mousse. I tend to enjoy moussey products, but I have to wonder if I might run through that product more quickly than the lotion formula. If I do try that product, I’ll definitely write a review!

Have you tried the regular Self Tanner or Self Tanner Mousse from Beauty by Earth? If you haven’t, I absolutely recommend the original formula (and the mousse is probably great, too!).

Lauren

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e.l.f. Camo CC Cream–Multitasking Coverage that Protects and Improves Skin

Posted on June 16, 2021 by Lauren

E.l.f Cosmetics has been launching more new products than ever in the last couple of years. At a certain point, I noticed that e.l.f. hadn’t launched a new foundation in a very long time. The only ones I’d heard much about were the Flawless Finish Foundation and BB Cream. I tried the BB Cream a year or so ago but couldn’t continue to use it because it smelled so strongly of chemical sunscreen. Fortunately, e.l.f. now has a new foundation for us! E.l.f. Camo CC Cream launched late 2020 or very early 2021.

I’m a little late to the game trying this foundation, but I’m hesitant to buy too many since I don’t wear makeup every single day. After watching review after review and hearing so many mixed opinions, I had to try it for myself! Fans of this CC Cream often compare it to the much more expensive IT Cosmetics CC Cream which has been popular for many years. I’ve never tried that one since IT Cosmetics is owned by L’Oréal (and therefore not cruelty-free by IntegriBeauty standards), but it’s supposed to be a good product.

Once I finished testing a Pacifica foundation last month, I was very excited to start using e.l.f. Camo CC Cream so I could write this review. Please keep reading for my final thoughts on this foundation after many uses!

e.l.f. Camo CC Cream product claims directly from ElfCosmetics.com

Ditch your basic foundation! This skin color correcting cream is the only product you need to achieve a natural looking complexion but with full coverage. A multitasking dream cream with peptides and niacinamide known to plump, hydrate and smooth the appearance of your skin while protecting with SPF.

Disclosure: IntegriBeauty includes affiliate links within product review posts. I receive commissions for purchases made through these links at no additional cost to you. IntegriBeauty is independently owned and all products discussed within IntegriBeauty product review posts are thoroughly tested and given honest reviews.

Other product details

Price: $14.00
Net weight: 1.05 oz. | 30 g
Made in China
Cruelty-free
Vegan
Shelf life: 6 months once opened
- Be sure to check the date on the bottom of the box to verify that the sunscreen ingredients haven’t expired.
Special ingredients:
- Tocopheryl Acetate (type of vitamin E) strengthens skin and is an antioxidant
- Sodium hyaluronate (sodium form of hyaluronic acid) is a humectant
- Niacinamide improves appearance of enlarged pores, uneven skin tone, and fine lines, and also regulates oil secretion
- Ascorbyl Palmitate (stable form of vitamin C) is an antioxidant
- Soluble collagen acts as a humectant and moisturizer
- Glycerin is a moisturizer
- Carrot root extract is a potent antioxidant with skin-regenerative abilities
- Sunflower seed oil improves damaged or irritated skin barrier
- Peptides reduce wrinkles and increase collagen
20 shades ranging from fair to rich
Where to buy: ElfCosmetics.com
- E.l.f. Camo CC Cream is not currently for sale internationally (hopefully this will change, but I’m guessing it has something to do with the sunscreen ingredients in this product).
Overall rating: 8.2/10
- Inclusivity: 8/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 9/10
- Hydration: 6/10
- Staying power: 9/10
- Price: 9/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Inclusivity

E.l.f.’s classic foundation, Flawless Finish Foundation is available in 40 shades. The recent predecessors to e.l.f. Camo CC Cream, Hydrating Camo Concealer and 16HR Camo Concealer, come in 25+ shades each. Because of that, I expected the CC cream to come in at least 25 shades. Surprisingly, e.l.f. Camo CC Cream is currently only available in 20 shades.

These shades range from fair to rich. I looked at each of the 20 shades and they are distributed as follows:

Fair: 3 (1 warm; 1 neutral; 1 cool)
Light: 3 (1 warm; 2 neutral)
Medium: 4 (2 warm; 1 neutral; 1 cool)
Tan: 3 (2 neutral; 1 cool)
Deep: 4 (1 warm; 1 neutral; 2 cool)
Rich: 3 (2 warm; 1 neutral)

I appreciate that e.l.f. included shades for so many categories of skin tones. However, as a fair-skinned person, I think there should also be at least one “very fair” shade. I have the lightest shade, Fair 120N, and I know there are people with lighter skin than mine!

On the opposite end of the spectrum, it looks as though the shades go quite deep, which is great! A lot of foundations have very limited shade ranges with mainly light and medium shades.

Looking at the specific shades within each skin tone category, I noticed some odd things. For example, there are no light shades with a cool undertone. Also, there are no tan shades with a warm undertone. That’s especially strange to me because in my mind, people with tan skin are more likely to have a warm undertone than neutral or cool (I could be wrong about this). Lastly, there isn’t a rich shade with a cool undertone. E.l.f. could’ve added just three more shades to cover these bases.

While I do think e.l.f. should consider adding some additional shades as I mentioned above, this is a reasonably inclusive shade range. I think the majority of people will be able to find a shade that works for them. For those that struggle to find the correct shade, e.l.f. does offer a shade match guarantee for this CC cream. That means they will provide a refund within 30 days if you’re unhappy with the shade purchased.

Packaging/ease of application

E.l.f. Camo CC Cream is packaged very similarly to IT Cosmetics CC Cream. It comes in a plastic tube with a nice pump. There’s a cap to protect the pump since it doesn’t lock. I wouldn’t have minded if they’d made this a simple squeeze tube, but the pump is nice because it makes it a bit easier to get the right amount of product. One full pump is usually just right to get solid medium coverage on my skin.

This CC cream is thicker than a lot of liquid foundations I’ve used. It truly is a cream with sort of a moussey texture. When I pump out the product, it doesn’t run, which makes it easy to control when using a mixing palette.

E.l.f. recommends applying this CC cream with the e.l.f. Complexion Duo Brush. I don’t own that particular brush, but I do often use other e.l.f. face brushes to apply foundation. While I usually like to use brushes to apply foundation, I actually prefer to use a sponge with this one. It’s very quick and easy to blend this CC cream seamlessly into the skin with a sponge. I find that I get a much smoother finish with a sponge vs. brush. A brush will work in a pinch, but it doesn’t look nearly as good that way on my skin.

If you read my last foundation review on Pacifica Alight Clean Foundation, e.l.f. Camo CC Cream behaves very similarly to that product around my eyes. It unfortunately settles into those fine lines very badly. I try to avoid the eye area with this foundation or apply it only very lightly around my eyes, and add concealer as needed.

Hydration

There are a couple of things that made me expect this CC cream to be very hydrating. 1. Under “How to use” on the product page, e.l.f. states this product can be worn as a moisturizer. 2. There are at least three ingredients in this product that act as moisturizers.

I was pretty shocked to see how matte this CC cream was the first time I applied it. I actually don’t find it to be very hydrating on my skin and it can almost look dry at times. Since I have combination skin with an oily t-zone, my natural oils eventually do break through somewhat to make the finished look appear more natural.

Don’t fret, I found a great way to make this CC cream more hydrating! I put one pump on my e.l.f. Artist Mixing Palette and add a drop of facial oil. Any type of facial oil will work for this purpose but I like to use the e.l.f. All the Feels Facial Oil. Once I’ve mixed those together, I dot the CC cream all over my face and it blends like a dream. That one drop of oil goes a long way in making the CC cream feel more hydrating!

Those with oily skin might love that this CC cream isn’t very hydrating. Those with normal to dry skin probably don’t, though! I’m glad I found a solution to this problem, but it would be nice if it wasn’t necessary.

Staying power

I’m excited to discuss the staying power of e.l.f. Camo CC Cream because it is excellent! The best way to explain this is to walk you through my wear test that I did yesterday.

I did an 8-hour wear test without primer because most days I don’t use primer. I applied the CC cream with a sponge all over my face including up under my eyes. I wanted to show how it settles into those fine lines throughout the day. I applied a light dusting of powder all over my face since, again, that’s what I normally do. Foundation won’t last as long on my skin without powder since my t-zone is oily.

In the first four hours, there was very little change. Foundations always break up on my chin, but there was barely a noticeable change in that area! Same for my nose, which is another common problem area. At that point, I also noticed that only a minimal amount of the CC cream had settled into fine lines on my face. Under my eyes was a different story; those lines were very obvious!

At the 8-hour mark, my under-eyes looked very dry and cracked because of how much product had settled into those lines. My skin was also looking a bit oily at that point. Otherwise, my skin still looked great!

I honestly think this might be the best staying power I’ve ever seen from a coverage product! It looks almost flawless from morning to night, with the one exception of the under-eye area. Since there’s an easy solution for that problem, I don’t mind it too much.

Just for fun (because there was a beautiful rainbow), I took another photo last night after about 12 hours of wear. This was after copious amounts of sweating and eating greasy fair food! Even after all that I was still happy with how my makeup looked. 🙂

I have just one more comment on the staying power of e.l.f. Camo CC Cream. It might be my imagination, but I think the longevity of this product may be even better when adding a drop of facial oil. If I’m right, I suppose it would be because flexible coverage is less likely to “crack.”

Price

When e.l.f. Camo CC Cream first launched, a lot of people were very surprised by its price. Since e.l.f. is one of the most affordable beauty brands on the market, $14.00 does seem a bit high for its CC cream. Looking at other e.l.f. foundations and their BB cream, they are priced at only $6.00, so the jump to $14.00 is significant.

Looking a little deeper, you’ll see that e.l.f. Camo CC Cream is a much higher quality product than the older coverage products. The CC cream beats the other foundations and BB cream on packaging, ingredients, and sun protection (the BB cream has SPF 20 protection, but the CC cream is better with SPF 30)! I also prefer the performance of the CC cream vs. the BB cream, though I can’t comment on the foundations since I haven’t tried those.

If those comparing e.l.f. Camo CC Cream to the IT Cosmetics CC Cream (which is $39.50) are correct that it’s a dupe, that means you save $25.50 by choosing e.l.f.! All things considered, I think $14.00 is a very good value for e.l.f. Camo CC Cream.

e.l.f. Camo CC Cream sun protection

Before I wrap up this review, I wanted to add a quick note about the sun protection provided by e.l.f. Camo CC Cream. It offers broad spectrum SPF 30 sun protection with active ingredients octinoxate 7.5%, titanium dioxide 4.45%, and zinc oxide 13.72%. Since the majority of the sunscreen in this product is mineral instead of chemical, there’s no sunscreen smell!

The problem is that to get that full SPF 30 protection, you have to use a large amount of product, more than most people would want to use. If you use a standard amount of CC cream, you’re only getting a fraction of that coverage. For that reason, I wouldn’t recommend relying on this product alone for sun protection on your face. I always apply sunscreen liberally to my face and let it set before applying foundation. That way, I have a solid layer of sun protection that I can count on to prevent sun damage.

While the sunscreen in this CC cream isn’t enough to fully protect you, I think it’s great that e.l.f. included it! It’s never a bad idea to have an extra layer of protection from the sun.

The only regret I have about e.l.f. Camo CC Cream is that I didn’t get it sooner! I haven’t been using it for very long, but I already know it’s going to be a product that I reach for often. I really enjoy using it, especially now that I’ve discovered it works so well paired with facial oil!

I like to go back and look at product claims before I complete product reviews. For e.l.f. Camo CC Cream, the primary claims are that it has medium to full coverage with a natural finish and that it includes skincare ingredients that plump, hydrate, and smooth skin.

I think this foundation could be built up to be full coverage or close to it, but I consider it to be more of a medium coverage product. I disagree with the claim that it has a natural finish, as I find it to look very matte on my skin. There are several fantastic skincare ingredients in this CC cream, but I’m not sure if they plump, hydrate, or smooth my skin. I care more about the long-term benefits those ingredients provide, anyway.

After trying e.l.f. Camo CC Cream for myself, I see why so many people have been raving about it! I think it’s a great choice for just about anyone looking for medium coverage that includes skincare benefits and bonus sun protection. The one thing to keep in mind is that a lot of people might find it necessary to add a bit of facial oil for hydration. It really makes a big difference!

After reading this review, do you think you might give e.l.f. Camo CC Cream a try? What is most interesting about it, to you? I like that it’s a multi-tasker and stays put all day long!

Please share your thoughts with me in the comments below. 🙂

Lauren

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Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water–No-Rinse Cleanse with 95% Natural Ingredients

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Lauren

Since I reviewed Good Molecules Pineapple Exfoliating Powder a couple of months ago, that’s become my primary morning cleansing product. As much as I enjoy that cleanser, it’s not the most efficient for a quick cleanse when I want to speed through my skincare routine. On those mornings that I want to cut down on my time getting ready, micellar water is my go-to product for removing excess oils and residue from nighttime skincare products. The micellar water I’m currently using is Yes To Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water.

I always have a micellar water in my skincare collection, but this is the first I’ve tried from Yes To. When I ordered it I was very excited about its hydration, and the packaging! I’ll explain about that and more in my full product review. Please continue reading to learn more about Yes To Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water!

Yes To Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water product claims from Yes To on Amazon.com (this product isn’t listed on YesTo.com)

Yes to coming clean with coconut extract and micellar water to remove makeup, cleanse and moisturize skin all-in-one, without rinsing. This gentle cleansing water draws out impurities without drying your skin. Specially formulated to help soften and smooth skin while providing needed hydration. The unique, easy-to-use pump dispenses the perfect amount each time, mess free.

Other product details

Price: $7.59 (please note that prices tend to fluctuate often on Amazon)
Net weight: 7.77 oz. | 230 ml
Made in the USA
Cruelty-free (Leaping Bunny certified)
95% natural ingredients
Recyclable packaging
Shelf life: 12 months
Where to buy: Amazon.com
- Amazon.com ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
Overall rating: 8.6/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 8/10
- Cleansing: 8/10
- Gentleness: 10/10
- Ingredients: 7/10
- Price: 10/10

Packaging/ease of application

Finally, a micellar water with a pump dispenser! I reviewed two other micellar waters before this one, and I mentioned in both of those reviews that I wished they had pump dispensers. I just think this type of packaging makes the most sense for a micellar water because of the very watery consistency. The pump on Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water gives me more control over how much product comes out and (usually) keeps me from spilling on the counter.

While I am thrilled about the pump on this product’s packaging, I have a couple of minor complaints about it. First, the pump is made of a pretty lightweight plastic so it feels flimsy. I’m very careful when using it because I don’t want to knock the bottle over. The flip top on the pump is not very effective. It doesn’t close securely, so even though the pump does twist to lock, I wouldn’t ever travel with this micellar water. If you do want to travel with it, I’d recommend pouring some into a travel bottle to prevent leaks.

This micellar water can be used with cotton balls or pads; I prefer to use reusable washable cotton rounds. Yes To recommends two presses of the pump to get the right amount of micellar water, but I don’t find that to be enough. I probably use four pumps most mornings. If I don’t get enough on the cotton round, I don’t feel like I’m able to sufficiently cleanse my skin.

Once I have the micellar water dispensed on a cotton round, it’s very easy to use. I quickly sweep it over my whole face and I’m ready to move on to the rest of my skincare routine without rinsing.

Cleansing

I don’t have very high expectations for the cleansing power of micellar waters. I feel like, for the most part, they all perform very similarly. I might feel differently if I used them to remove makeup, but I don’t. I almost exclusively use micellar water in my morning skincare routine to remove excess oil and any remaining skincare from the previous night. This Yes To Coconut micellar water is very effective for that type of light cleanse.

If I really don’t want to wash my face at night, and if I only need to remove sunscreen (no makeup), I will occasionally use this micellar water for that as well. It is effective for removing my water-resistant sunscreen, but I have to tug at my skin a bit to get it all off. That’s the same reason I don’t use it to remove makeup; I don’t want to tug on my skin!

While I don’t use this product to remove makeup from my face, I did use a different method to see if it would remove makeup. I applied some e.l.f. No Budge Shadow Stick (which really is “no budge”), foundation, and concealer to my arm and let it all set. I then wiped over all of it with the micellar water on a cotton round and all of it wiped away quickly! I did have to go over the shadow stick a few times to fully remove it, but no scrubbing was needed. I was pleasantly surprised by how well it worked!

With all that being said, this micellar water might not be as effective at removing a full face of makeup because that’s a much larger amount of product. Additionally, there are often multiple layers of makeup (primer, foundation, powder, blush, etc.) on some parts of the face.

Gentleness

A problem I’ve had with some micellar waters in the past is eye-irritation. That’s a common complaint I’ve heard from others as well. Whenever I try a new one, I have to wonder if it will be irritating or not.

I’ve been very happy with the gentleness of Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water. When I use it, I never experience any kind of irritation on my skin, or around my eyes. I’ve definitely gotten it in my eyes by accident before, so I can vouch for how gentle this product is!

There are unfortunately some ingredients that could be irritating for some people, but I’ve been lucky that I haven’t ever reacted badly despite those ingredients. I’ll go into detail about those ingredients in the next section.

Ingredients

While all of my rating categories are important in their own ways, ingredients are #1 in my eyes when forming an opinion on a skincare product. Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water only contains 15 ingredients! Here is the full list:

Water (Aqua), Pentylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-4 Laurate/Sebacate, Polyglyceryl-4 Capylate/Caprate, Hamamelis Virginiana (Witch Hazel) Water, Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside, Cocos Nucifera (Coconut) Fruit Extract, Aloe Barbadensis (Aloe) Leaf Juice, Hexylene Glycol, Biosaccharide Gum-1, Niacinamide, Disodium EDTA, Chlorhexidine Digluconate, Sodium Hydroxide, Fragrance (Parfum)

A lot of those ingredients look pretty intimidating, right? Do not fear! Most of those scientific names are solvents and cleansing agents, which are important in a cleansing water.

I break down ingredients into three categories: good, neutral, and bad. Good ingredients provide skincare benefits, neutral ingredients don’t directly benefit or harm the skin, while bad ingredients have the potential to irritate skin. In Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water, there are four good ingredients, nine neutral ingredients, and two “bad” ingredients. I’ll start with the good ones (please note that my primary resources for ingredient information are INCI Decoder and Paula’s Choice Ingredient Dictionary):

Coconut Fruit Extract
- Loaded with vitamins and fatty acids
- Smoothing
- Hydrating
Aloe Leaf Juice
- Moisturizer
- Anti-inflammatory
- Helps wound healing
Biosaccharide Gum-1
- S.M.A.R.T. sugar
  - Soothing, moisturizing, anti-aging, resurfacing, and touch properties (provides a soft touch feeling on the skin)
Niacinamide
- Improves appearance of enlarged pores
- Regulates oil secretion
- Evens skin tone
- Softens fine lines

Since micellar water is a no-rinse cleansing product, it’s great to see these ingredients that hydrate, soothe, and more! I was especially happy to see niacinamide in this product as it’s one of my all-time favorite skincare ingredients. It’s a multitasker that’s very effective for a lot of people!

The “neutral” ingredients in this product are nothing to be concerned about. I already mentioned the solvents and cleansing agents. There are also things like a chelating agent (neutralizes metal ions to keep the formula from changing), antimicrobial, and pH adjuster. While these ingredients don’t directly benefit the skin, without them, the formula couldn’t work.

Now for those naughty “bad” ingredients… The first may surprise you: witch hazel water, which seems to effectively be the same as witch hazel. While witch hazel has antioxidant and soothing properties, there is an antioxidant component called “tannin” that can make it sensitizing. Witch hazel also contains a fragrance called “eugenol” which may be sensitizing for some.

The other bad ingredient probably isn’t much of a surprise: fragrance! Fragrance blends, both natural and synthetic, are common skin irritants. It’s completely unnecessary and is better left out of skincare products. With that being said, this micellar water does have a lovely coconut scent!

Price

Since I usually go through micellar water pretty quickly, I don’t like to spend very much money on it. When I came across Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water, I was pleasantly surprised by its very affordable price! It is only $7.59 for 7.77 ounces of product, which is a generous amount. That’s less than a dollar per ounce!

I previously reviewed Derma E Vitamin C Micellar Cleansing Water and Pacifica Coconut Water Micellar Cleansing Tonic. While they are good products, they are significantly more expensive than this one from Yes To. I’m not impressed with every product I’ve seen from Yes To, but it’s definitely one of the most affordable skincare brands at the drugstore.

It can be difficult to find cruelty-free micellar waters because a lot of cruelty-free skincare companies simply don’t make them. I’m glad Yes To created this one, and at such an affordable price! I’m very impressed with Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water. The packaging, cleansing, gentleness, most of the ingredients, and of course the price, are excellent! I didn’t touch on this in the review, but this product also feels very nice on the skin. It provides light hydration and feels very much like a hydrating toner.

Yes to Coconut Ultra Hydrating Micellar Cleansing Water is a great option for anyone looking for a quick cleansing option. It’s also perfect for those times that you may need to avoid cleansing with water, such as after an eye surgery. I had LASIK surgery a few years ago and micellar water was just what I needed to keep my skin clean while avoiding water around my eyes.

The only people I may advise to avoid this micellar water would be those with very sensitive skin. While they don’t bother my skin, witch hazel water and fragrance do have the potential to cause irritation for some.

Do you ever use micellar water in your skincare routine? Which ones do you find to be most effective? Please let me know in the comments below!

Lauren

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Kiko Milano Coloured Balm–Tinted Lip Balm for a Wash of Color and Shine

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Lauren

We’re getting into the time of year where “less is more” for a lot of makeup-wearers. There are a lot of quick easy products that are perfect for “no makeup makeup days.” One of my favorites is tinted lip balm because it provides a sheer wash of color that’s still casual, but looks very flattering on the lips. A tinted lip balm that isn’t new, but I recently tried for the first time, is Kiko Milano Coloured Balm.

Kiko launches limited edition collections often, but fortunately Coloured Balm is a permanent item. This has been a favorite of many for years! Please keep reading for my full review where you’ll learn if this tinted lip balm is a new favorite of mine, too!

Kiko Milano Coloured Balm product claims directly from KikoCosmetics.com

Coloured moisturising balm that gives a gentle touch of colour and shine to the lips. Creamy and comfortable texture that delicately caresses the lips.

The lips’ hydration improves 14% after 28 days (results of clinical-instrumental tests conducted on 20 women who used the product twice a day for 28 days).

Other product details

Price: $6.50 (or $8.00 from Amazon)
Net weight: 0.10 oz. | 3 g
Made in Italy
Cruelty-free
Special ingredients:
- Shea butter is moisturizing, soothing, and antioxidant-rich
- Ascorbyl palmitate, a stable form of vitamin C, is an antioxidant
- Tocopheryl acetate/Tocopherol (vitamin E) is an antioxidant that also strengthens skin
- Retinyl palmitate is a retinoid (though not a very strong one) that’s also an antioxidant
Shelf life: 18 months
Available in 6 shades
Where to buy: KikoCosmetics.com and Amazon.com (Raspberry shade isn’t currently available from Amazon)
- Kiko Milano ships internationally, but there are unique websites for each country. When you visit KikoCosmetics.com, make sure the correct country is listed next to “My Country” at the bottom of the page. If it’s incorrect, click on the country name and it will bring up the full list of countries for you to select the correct option.
- Amazon.com ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
Overall rating: 8.6/10
- Shade range/inclusivity: 7/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 8/10
- Hydration: 8/10
- Team Player: 10/10
- Price: 10/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Shade range/inclusivity

The shade range for Kiko’s Coloured Balm isn’t the greatest with only six shades currently available. However, these tinted lip balms are also less pigmented than some others like the Colourpop Just a Tint Lip Crayons. Instead of looking very similar to shiny moisturizing lipsticks, these Kiko tinted lip balms provide a sheer wash of color to the lips. Since they are quite sheer, I think it makes sense that the shade range is on the smaller side. I’ll share all six shades below:

02 Vanilla: Coral pink
03 Guava: Bold coral orange
04 Tutti Frutti: Cool-toned medium pink
06 Blackberry: Rose pink
08 Almond: Nude beige pink
09 Raspberry: Orange red (slightly deeper than Guava)

If these shade descriptions look a bit odd to you, that makes a lot of sense! Kiko doesn’t provide shade descriptions or swatches, so these descriptions are mine, based on the limited photos Kiko provided. Four of the shades are shown applied to models’ lips, but the pure color isn’t swatched. Kiko, if you’re reading this, please provide arm swatches of all shades!

I have the shade 04 Tutti Frutti and swatched it on my arm in this photo. In this swatch, I swiped a few times to build full opacity. The color is very sheer, but is visible on the lips. It also adds a good amount of shine that looks very pretty!

Since I only have one shade, it’s hard to say if they’re all as sheer as Tutti Frutti. If they are, I’m not sure if these would be the best choice for those with dark or deep skin tones. I will say that the Raspberry shade appears to be quite pigmented, so that would likely be the best choice for deep skin tones.

As far as the variety of shades in this range go, I am surprised that there aren’t any purple or brown shades. Almond is almost brown, but not quite. I think it would be a good idea for Kiko to add at least a couple more shades, but the current shades are very pretty!

Packaging/ease of application

The packaging for the Kiko Coloured Balms is different from anything I’ve seen before. It looks metallic, but the tube is actually plastic and shaped like a capsule. I struggled to open it the first time because instead of snapping closed like most lip products that look similar, it twists open. It’s not difficult to use, but a bit awkward at first. Like a lot of Kiko products, it has the gold KK logo seal which is a nice touch.

My verdict on the packaging is that it looks pretty and could pass as a luxury product. However, it does feel a bit cheap and I don’t care for the twist-to-open design. This is a very minor gripe and not a concern as I don’t think the material or design will cause the product to break.

The tinted lip balm itself couldn’t be easier to apply. It has a very lightweight smooth texture that glides over the lips. Despite the fact that this lip balm contains beeswax and candelilla wax, there is no drag over the skin. If you’ve ever used e.l.f. Calm Balm, it feels very similar to that!

The low pigmentation of this tinted lip balm also makes it easy to apply. I can throw this on without a mirror and I don’t need to worry about how it looks. This would be a great lip product to keep in a purse or backpack for on-the-go application!

Hydration

Since the Coloured Balm formula is so lightweight, the initial feeling of hydration doesn’t last a very long time. The lip balm comes off quite easily on cups and straws when drinking, and definitely doesn’t last through any meals. Lip balms aren’t designed to be long-wearing, so this isn’t surprising.

When the majority of this lip balm has rubbed off, I do still feel like my lips are hydrated. It’s a light hydration that makes my lips feel healthy without being greasy or sticky. Coloured Balm isn’t the kind of lip product you’d want to rely on for overnight hydration or if you have very dry lips, but for daytime wear on those with “normal” lips, I think it’s plenty hydrating!

Team player

Tinted lip balms are most commonly used alone for a casual wash of color, but they can also be paired with other lip products. I prefer to wear Coloured Balm on its own, but for the purpose of this review I tried it applied over some other products.

In the photos below, you can see how Coloured Balm (in Tutti Frutti) looks on its own compared to my bare lips. After removing the lip balm from taking that second photo, I applied lip liner all over my lips and applied Coloured Balm all over my lips again. The pigment from Coloured Balm doesn’t really show up when applied over the lip liner, but it does provide a beautiful glossy shine.

If you don’t like the feeling of lip gloss over lipstick or lip liner, Coloured Balm might be the perfect alternative for bringing some extra shine.

Price

Kiko Milano Coloured Balm is $6.50 for 0.10 oz. (3 g) of product. $6.50 would be quite expensive for a standard lip balm, but for a lovely tinted lip balm that’s comfortable to wear, I think it’s a steal!

Looking through my makeup collection, the only other tinted lip balms I currently have are two of the ones I previously mentioned from Colourpop. They are $8.00 for only 0.07 oz.! Kiko is usually on the higher end of the drugstore price range, where Colourpop is very affordable. I was pleasantly surprised to see what a great value Kiko Milano Coloured Balm is by comparison!

Lastly, the ingredients. I didn’t do a deep-dive into this product’s ingredients like I would for skincare, but I was shocked to see shea butter, vitamin c, two forms of vitamin E, and retinyl palmitate on the list! These are wonderful nourishing ingredients that add even more value to an already great affordable product.

I’ve gotten a lot of use out of my Kiko Milano Coloured Balm since I received it a few weeks ago. It’s so comfortable and a pleasure to wear. It’s perfect for “no makeup makeup days” or if I simply don’t want to wear a bold lip with my makeup look. I may pick up another shade or two the next time there’s a sale!

Kiko doesn’t make any bold claims about this product. The description “tells it like it is.” Coloured Balm is indeed moisturizing, provides a touch of color and shine, and contains vitamins A, E, and C, plus shea butter. It also has the creamy comfortable texture they describe. This isn’t a groundbreaking product, but it does combine beauty and comfort!

Kiko Milano Coloured Balm is a great option for a wide variety of people. It’s perfect for makeup lovers like me that want some products with sheer comfortable coverage, but it would also be great for kids that are excited about makeup but aren’t quite ready for “real” makeup.

Do you enjoy tinted lip balms? If you do, have you tried any of the Kiko Milano Coloured Balms? Or do you have other favorites I should know about? Please let me know in the comments below!

Lauren

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Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant–Hydrate and Smooth Bumpy Skin

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Lauren

I always have some type of exfoliating product for my body, whether it’s a scrub like Pacifica Sugared Crystal Supercharged Body Scrub or a chemical exfoliant like Paula’s Choice Weightless Body Treatment 2% BHA. Physical and chemical exfoliants work in different ways, but they are both effective to smooth bumpy skin and brighten. An ingredient I never knew could be used as an exfoliant is cinnamon (powder or extract). Cinnamon bark extract is the exfoliating ingredient featured in Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant from Pacifica’s new Body Treats collection.

I ordered this product on a whim because I saw “Cocoa Cinnamon” and knew it had to smell amazing. I was not wrong, y’all. This exfoliant smells just like a snickerdoodle cookie! Every time I open the jar and take a sniff, I feel like I’m getting a special treat without the calories.

I’ve established that Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant provides a satisfying scent experience, but what does it do for the skin? Would I recommend it? Continue reading to find out!

Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant product claims from PacificaBeauty.com

Treat rough, bumpy skin with something pretty sweet. Our Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant, with skin-loving cocoa seed butter, cinnamon, and plant oils, helps hydrate skin and improve its texture. Cocoa seed butter is antioxidant-rich, highly moisturizing and supports softer skin. Cinnamon helps remove dead skin cells and soothes dry skin to reveal smoother texture. When your skin starts to feel a little dry or look scaly, love on your skin with this gentle exfoliant.

Other product details

Price: $14.00
Net weight: 6 oz. | 170 g
Made in the USA
Cruelty-free
Vegan
100% recycled plastic tub
Formulated without parabens, phthalates, SLS or mineral oil
Appropriate for all skin types, but especially dry bumpy skin
Where to buy: PacificaBeauty.com
- PacificaBeauty.com ships to the USA and Canada only.
Overall rating: 6.8/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 9/10
- Exfoliation: 8/10
- Hydration: 4/10
- Ingredients: 7/10
- Price: 6/10

Packaging/ease of application

Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant is packaged in a tub that’s made entirely out of recycled plastic. I think that’s great! I’m not usually a fan of tubs or jars, but this one doesn’t bother me as much. A lot of bath products packaged in tubs are difficult to open with wet hands, but this plastic doesn’t feel slick so it’s easy to grip the lid to twist it open.

The main problem I usually have with this type of packaging is that it doesn’t protect the integrity of the ingredients. Fortunately, I don’t think there are many ingredients in this formula that are sensitive to light or air.

My only real complaint about the jar packaging for this body exfoliant is that if you aren’t careful, water can get into the tub. If left in the jar, the water would probably dilute the formula and make it less effective. I try to remember to set it toward the back of my shower where it’s less likely to get wet, once the tub is opened. I also check it for water before putting the lid back on. If there is water, this formula is thick enough you can flip the tub upside-down to pour out the water.

The texture of this body exfoliant feels amazing on the skin. This will sound strange, but the best way to describe the texture is a smooth lightweight body butter with a little bit of sand mixed in. That might sound unpleasant, but it really does feel nice!

I primarily use this product on my arms and legs, but I will occasionally use it on my hips as well when they get dry. Since the texture is smoother than a body scrub, it’s very easy to massage onto the skin. I use circular motions for optimal exfoliation.

Once I’ve finished applying the exfoliant to my skin, it’s very easy to rinse away. It isn’t sticky at all and doesn’t leave any sort of residue behind.

Exfoliation

Since this is a rinse-off exfoliant, you might expect it to feel and exfoliate like a body scrub. It actually feels very different. As I mentioned above, this formula is quite smooth. You won’t notice any grit until the exfoliant is being massaged onto the skin. Even then, there is very little physical exfoliation happening with this product since there’s no sugar or salt like you’d find in most body scrubs.

While this exfoliant feels vastly different from every other rinse-off exfoliant I’ve ever used, it is effective at exfoliating skin. There’s a caveat, though. The first couple of times I used it, several days passed between uses, and I didn’t notice any exfoliating effect. As I started using it more frequently, I noticed that my arms started to feel much smoother. I normally have quite a few small bumps on my arms, and while they aren’t all gone, they are now much improved. To see the most improvement in texture, I’d recommend using this exfoliant every day or every other day.

Hydration

Reading the description of this product, you would expect it to be quite hydrating. Unfortunately, it doesn’t deliver as much hydration as I had hoped. When it’s on the skin, it feels wonderful and moisturizing. Once it’s rinsed off, however, I don’t feel any hydration left behind.

I will say that this exfoliant doesn’t leave my skin feeling stripped of moisture, or irritated. It just doesn’t provide any extra hydration.

This exfoliant does contain some hydrating ingredients, so I wonder if others that don’t have dry skin on their arms and legs might have a different opinion of how hydrating it feels. I’ll get into the ingredients more in the next section, but I will go ahead and say that I wish Pacifica included more nourishing oils, as I think more hydration would be ideal in a product like this. Pacifica even recommends this exfoliant to people with dry skin, so why not make it as hydrating as possible?

Ingredients

As I mentioned in the intro, I previously had no idea that cinnamon could be used as an exfoliant. I was excited to do some digging into cinnamon extract as a skincare ingredient, as well as the other ingredients, to find out what makes this product work. There are 22 total ingredients in the Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant formula:

aqua, stearic acid, glycerin, perlite, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed oil, cetyl alcohol, caprylic/capric triglyceride, cetearyl alcohol, cocamidopropyl betaine, caramel, cinnamomum cassia bark extract, theobroma cacao (cocoa) seed butter, glyceryl stearate SE, coco-glucoside, coconut alkanes, coco-caprylate/caprate, jojoba esters, sodium gluconate, phenoxyethanol, ethylhexylglycerin, sodium hydroxide, parfum*

*our scent blend with natural and/or essential oils

Most of these ingredients are….OK, but not stellar. I break down ingredients into three categories: good, neutral, and bad. Good ingredients provide skincare benefits, neutral ingredients don’t directly benefit or harm the skin, while bad ingredients have the potential to irritate skin. I only have three of these ingredients in the “good” category, 17 are “neutral,” and two are “bad” (again, this just means they have increased potential to be problematic, but they won’t negatively affect everyone).

I’ll start with describing the three “good” ingredients since I think those are the ones we’re most excited about!

Glycerin
- Natural moisturizer
Sunflower seed oil
- Improves damaged or irritated skin barrier
- Loaded with fatty acids which strengthen and hydrate skin
Cocoa seed butter
- Rich emollient that’s highly moisturizing and nourishing
- Contains fatty acids and vitamin E

All three of these ingredients are great hydrators, so I’m happy to see them on the list! I’m not sure if their percentages are too low, but as I mentioned before, I don’t really feel the hydrating effects of these ingredients once the exfoliant is rinsed off of my skin.

You might be surprised to see that I didn’t include cinnamon extract on my “good” list. Unfortunately, this ingredient is on the “bad” list! That’s because it’s a known skin irritant. I have found a couple of sources stating that cinnamon (powder and extract) can be an effective exfoliator, as well as having antioxidant benefits, but there isn’t scientific research to back up those claims. Pacifica states that cinnamon helps to remove dead skin cells, soothe dry skin, and promote smoother texture. Since there are no other ingredients in this formula that would act as exfoliants, I think it’s safe to say that cinnamon is indeed an effective exfoliating ingredient. Unfortunately, it could cause irritation on sensitive skin.

The only other “bad” ingredient is the parfum. In this product, “parfum” is a proprietary blend of natural and/or essential oils. This blend might be safer than synthetic fragrance, but even natural fragrance ingredients can be irritating to many people.

Lastly, the “neutral” ingredients. They make up the majority of this formula, which is a little unfortunate since they don’t provide any benefits to the skin. These ingredients do, however, perform important functions. They are ingredients like solvents, emollients, thickeners, surfactants, colorants, and preservatives.

I definitely would prefer to see more ingredients from the “good” category in this product. That doesn’t mean it’s not a good formula, though. It’s just not great. This exfoliant does feel good on the skin and exfoliates to make skin feel smoother, so the ingredients do work to achieve the primary goals of the product.

Price

I wasn’t able to find a single product that’s similar to this one. There are plenty of body scrubs out there, but this isn’t a scrub exactly. Because of that, it’s tough to evaluate the price of this exfoliant.

Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant is $14.00 for 6 ounces of product, or $2.33/oz. That sounds very inexpensive, but it would be easy to run through a whole tub quickly if you use it daily, or even a few times a week. I haven’t been using it for very long and I’ve used up about half the tub.

Do I think $14.00 is a fair price for this exfoliant? I have to say no. While $14.00 is still within the drugstore price range, I expect more from a body product at this price point.

Pacifica Body Treats

In the intro, I mentioned that Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant is part of the Body Treats collection. I believe this collection only started with three products and it’s now grown to include six. The Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant is one of the newer ones. Here are the other five products from the collection in case you’re interested!

If you’re skeptical about the exfoliating ability of Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant, you may want to look into the Glow Baby Body Peel or Acne Warrior Body Scrub, as they both contain reliable chemical exfoliants. I haven’t tried either of those, but I’m especially impressed by the description and ingredients for Glow Baby Body Peel.

This was a difficult review for me to write because Pacifica is one of my favorite brands and I’m disappointed that this product didn’t work as well for me as I’d hoped. I think Pacifica could definitely make some small changes to the product to improve the formula. Adding sucrose (sugar) would boost the exfoliation, and additional moisturizing ingredients would leave the skin feeling hydrated even after the product is rinsed away.

Will I repurchase Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant? Probably not. That doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy it, though. This product provides a nice experience and I look forward to using it every time I shower. It smells so so good, and feels great on my skin!

If you or someone you care about enjoys the smell of snickerdoodles, and a nice scent experience from body products, this might be a fun treat! The only people that I think really should avoid this exfoliant are those with very sensitive skin on their bodies. The cinnamon and fragrance blend could be quite irritating for them.

Have you had the chance to try Pacifica Cocoa Cinnamon Dual Exfoliant or any other products from the Body Treats collection? Please let me know in the comments, if you have!

Lauren

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Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadow–Single Shadows that Offer Sheer to Intense Color Payoff

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Lauren

Even though I love eyeshadow, I’ve never been one to collect single eyeshadows. I prefer palettes, eyeshadow sticks, and liquid eyeshadows. That’s changed a bit now with my recent discovery of Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadow. When I first discovered the brand, I watched a lot of YouTube videos on Kiko products. One product that was mentioned over and over are their Water Eyeshadows which have been popular for years.

What is Water Eyeshadow? You might be wondering, like I was at first, if these are cream eyeshadows. The name and appearance of these eyeshadows definitely make you wonder. While they look a lot like cream eyeshadows, these are powder eyeshadows. That doesn’t mean they aren’t special in their own way, however. Keep reading to find out why these cute singles are now staples in my collection!

Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadow product claims directly from KikoCosmetics.com

Revolutionary eyeshadow with instant colour release and dual wet and dry use. Mixture of groundbreaking spherical powders for an outstanding colour effect bringing together extreme coverage, pure luminosity, and long-lasting colour. Soft, creamy texture for colour with remarkable purity. Easy to blend and offers immediate release of perfectly even colour. Enriched with moisturizing, smoothing ingredients, Water Eyeshadow remains light and comfortable.

Other product details

Price: $12.99
Net weight: 0.11 oz. | 3 g
Made in Italy
Cruelty-free
Shelf life: 18 months
Currently available in 19 shades (I believe some others may simply be out of stock, but they aren’t listed on KikoCosmetics.com)
Special ingredients that add moisture:
- Glycerin
- Squalane
Where to buy: KikoCosmetics.com or Amazon.com (please note that many shades are not available on Amazon, and each shade is listed separately)
- Kiko Milano ships internationally, but there are unique websites for each country. When you visit KikoCosmetics.com, make sure the correct country is listed next to “My Country” at the bottom of the page. If it’s incorrect, click on the country name and it will bring up the full list of countries for you to select the correct option.
- Amazon.com ships internationally to over 100 countries, but not all items will ship to every country. Update your default shipping address to see items that will ship to your location.
Overall rating: 9.0/10
- Shade range/inclusivity: 8/10
- Packaging/ease of application: 8/10
- Pigmentation: 10/10
- Staying power: 10/10
- Price: 9/10

Please note that I am not a makeup artist. The opinions expressed in this review are my own, as a regular person that loves makeup.

Shade range/inclusivity

Kiko made it difficult to judge the Water Eyeshadow shade range since some shades aren’t currently showing up online. It’s unclear whether those shades have been discontinued or if they are simply out of stock at the moment. Here are the 19 shades that are available now:

200 Champagne
201 Rosy Taupe
202 Golden Mauve
203 Burgundy
204 Plum
206 Pearly Coffee
208 Light Gold
209 Olive Green
212 Smerald Green (this may be a typo, but the shade does not look like “emerald green” to me)
213 Dark Slate Green
226 Moonstone
227 Light Taupe
228 Taupe
229 Pearly Gray
231 Black
232 Silver
233 Gold
234 Copper
235 Bronze

Some of these shade names are a bit misleading in my opinion. To see side-by-side arm swatches, click the link to Kiko’s website above. These swatches were very helpful when selecting shades.

I ended up getting shades 202 Golden Mauve and 209 Olive Green. The Olive Green shade is exactly what I expected, but Golden Mauve appears more taupe in person than it does in photos. Since a lot of cool-toned shades pull purple on my skin, Golden Mauve does look mauve/purple once I apply it. You can see both shades applied to my fair skin (with neutral undertone) in these photos. My blending isn’t the greatest, but hopefully these photos will give you an idea of what these eyeshadows look like once applied.

Looking at the shade range as a whole, I think Kiko provides a good variety of options. There are some shades missing as I mentioned before, so if those shades are brought back, I think this range will be quite well-rounded. As it currently stands, there are some shades missing, such as pinks.

Even with these shades being a bit limited right now, I think there’s still something for everyone in this range. There is a wide variety of colors and undertones. I think some shades may be suited better to darker or lighter skin tones, but I think most people could make most of these shades work. I’m very pleased with the overall inclusivity of these eyeshadows.

Before I move on to the next section, I’d like to also mention that all of the Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadows have a shimmer finish. They don’t contain glitter, but there is a subtle shimmer that catches the light beautifully. Since the shimmer is more subtle, and not so metallic, these shades can be used however you’d like. I even saw that some reviewers use certain shades as highlighters!

Packaging/ease of application

All of the Water Eyeshadows are packaged in black plastic compacts. They are travel-friendly because they snap securely closed and contain small mirrors. I won’t personally use the mirrors in these as I prefer a larger mirror, but some may find these mirrors helpful when applying eyeshadow on-the-go.

While this packaging is well-made and looks nice, I wish there was color somewhere on the outside to differentiate shades. Every compact looks identical, so you must open them to see the shades. The shade numbers are shown on the back labels, but most of us won’t remember the number of each shade, so this is mildly annoying.

One other thing about this product’s design that some may not like, is that the eyeshadow itself has a raised design. It’s very pretty, pressed to look like rippling water. Unfortunately, since these eyeshadows aren’t pressed flat like most are and there isn’t a way to remove the pans from the compacts, they can’t be removed to go into a customizable palette. A lot of people like to collect single eyeshadows for this reason, but these will not work for that purpose.

As for the formula of these eyeshadows, I must say they are some of the most user-friendly eyeshadows I’ve ever used, for a couple of reasons: the texture is smooth and blendable, and there is no fallout. Let me repeat that…there is no fallout! As someone that has no professional makeup training and applies face makeup before eye makeup, eyeshadow fallout drives me crazy. I deal with it as best I can with a lot of eyeshadows, but it’s never an issue with this Water Eyeshadow formula!

Kiko states that these eyeshadows can be used wet or dry. I’m not one to often use water or setting sprays in my eyeshadow application, but I’ve tried it a couple of times with these. The addition of moisture is supposed to make the color pop more, but honestly I don’t notice much of a difference (if any) when adding that step. Other shades may perform a little differently when wet, but I think this is mostly a personal preference thing.

Kiko advises that these shadows should be applied with a sponge blender or synthetic brush. I don’t have any sponge blenders, but that’s OK because I really like to use my fingers to apply these eyeshadows to my eyelids. I then use a brush (usually my Profusion Pointed Crease Eyeshadow brush) to work the color into my crease. That’s how I create one-shadow looks using these, but they can alternatively be used in conjunction with any other kind of eyeshadows.

Pigmentation

In the first section of my review, I said most people could make most of the Water Eyeshadow shades work. That’s largely because these eyeshadows can be applied lightly for a sheer wash of color or they can be built up for intense bold color. For sheer application, I recommend using only a brush. You get much more intense color payoff when applying with fingertips.

I really appreciate the level of pigmentation these eyeshadows have. Working with my two shades, I’ve noticed that they don’t seem very pigmented at first, but it really doesn’t take much effort to intensify the color.

Since these are single eyeshadows instead of palettes, there isn’t anything else to say about their pigmentation. Regardless of skin tone, I think most people would be very happy with these eyeshadows’ pigmentation.

Staying power

Most powder eyeshadows have great staying power, and these Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadows are no exception! I apply them over my Milani Eyeshadow Primer since I have oily eyelids. I use that primer every time I wear eyeshadow, so I can’t say how well these eyeshadows wear throughout the day on their own. However, applied with that eye primer, I never experience any creasing, smudging, or fading. I also don’t see any fallout as the day goes on, like I have with some other shimmer eyeshadows.

These eyeshadows are reliable options for all-day wear! Those with normal to dry eyelids probably wouldn’t even need to use eyeshadow primer. I’ll continue to use it since my eyelids do get oily so quickly.

Price

I have purchased very few single eyeshadows through the years. Since many of the palettes I’ve purchased are $25.00 or under, I feel like single eyeshadows should be very inexpensive. Unfortunately, I’ve found that isn’t usually the case!

Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadows are priced at $12.99 each. That seems expensive to me since I’m not used to purchasing single eyeshadows. However, looking at various brands of single eyeshadows, I see that some are $20.00+! Others are much less expensive, like Colourpop singles that are $4.50 each. I looked a bit closer at those, and it turns out they have half the amount of product per pan compared to Kiko’s Water Eyeshadows.

I like Colourpop eyeshadows a lot, but not as well as these from Kiko. Since these Water Eyeshadows are very high quality and include a good amount of product, I think they’re a good value. They walk the line between drugstore and high-end on price, but they’re worth it!

I’d recommend buying the Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadows in a shade or shades that you’ll wear often, to make sure you get your money’s worth.

I’m so glad I listened to the recommendations of others that have more experience with Kiko, and picked up these Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadows! I couldn’t be happier with the formula or the shades I chose. There are many other shades that look stunning, so I may try more in the future.

Looking back at Kiko’s product claims, I think it’s kind of funny how many gimmicky terms they used like “revolutionary” and “groundbreaking.” Don’t get me wrong, I think these eyeshadows are outstanding. With that being said, I don’t believe they’re revolutionary or groundbreaking. They don’t feel all that different from other powder eyeshadow formulas I’ve used. Ignoring those “fluff” terms Kiko used, I do agree with their claims.

These eyeshadows have just the right amount of pigmentation for good color payoff, they can be used wet or dry, there is a luminous shimmer in all shades, and it is a long-wearing formula. The Kiko Water Eyeshadows are also easy to blend and feel lightweight. I do hope that they add back the shades that were removed from the website, or create some new shades for a little bit better variety.

I would truly recommend these eyeshadows to anyone that enjoys working with powder eyeshadows. The formula is very easy to use, so they’re perfect for all skill levels. Also, many of the shades work very well for one-and-done eye looks that will get you out the door quickly!

This has been another long review, so I appreciate you reading to the end. Have you ever tried the Kiko Milano Water Eyeshadows? If not, which shade(s) would you choose? Please let me know in the comments!

Lauren

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