After hearing a lot of positive reviews on this TIRTIR Milk Skin Rice Toner, I purchased it as a first step post-cleanse for my daytime routine. It's a hydrating toner with niacinamide (vitamin B3) which has a lot skin benefits such as treating acne and inflammation to targeting wrinkles. The toner also contains rice bran, ceramides and some other ingredients to help deeply moisturize and brighten the skin.
For even more added hydration, I also picked up this ANUA Rice Ceramide 7 Hydrating Barrier Serum to layer on top of the milk toner. This one has a few similar ingredients including rice extract and niacinamide, however it also has hyaluronic acid, honey extract and glycerin.
To seal all of the moisture in, I wanted to try out this Minimalist Face Moisturizer for Dry Skin. It seemed like a good layering option for daytime with 5% Marula Oil and hyaluronic acid.
I started using these three together in the mornings after cleansing (lately I've just been using my micellar water + a cotton pad so I don't over wash my skin) and before applying my tinted SPF. I noticed an immediate difference after two or three days in my skin and it's done a complete 360, ya'll. All of the dryness is gone and it looks so vibrant and glowy! I even had someone compliment my skin this week and say that I had a glow going!
So far I'm super impressed and excited to keep trying these out. Compared to a lot of the skincare I typically buy, they were also very affordable (especially the moisturizer- it's like $7!). As of now, I definitely think they're worth trying if you're needing some extra hydration. I also have very sensitive skin and I haven't found them to be irritating at all. I'll continue to keep using them and will update you again a little later on!
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I've been looking for a new skincare routine that's simple, effective + manageable. Ever since I started seeing a few fine lines pop up on my forehead, I've become even more paranoid about my skin. I was fully convinced I needed to order an entire fleet of medical grade skincare to start using and while I haven't completely written that idea off, I thought I'd go back to the basics first. This entire haul was inspired by a video I came across on TikTok basically explaining that a lot of the symptoms I have are caused from dehydrated skin. I always seem to have dryer skin so boosting my moisture level definitely can't hurt. The creator also said the true game changer for those pesky forehead lines is to use a hyaluronic acid serum, a gentle exfoliator and a moisturizer.
I thought back to what I used when I had the best, most hydrated skin and the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Cream came to mind. I used it religiously for years and have always been a huge fan of the entire brand. It has always been great for my sensitive skin + just super effective. They also have a hyaluronic acid serum and an exfoliating toner that are both top rated + exactly what I've been wanting to add in.
I'm excited to start a new routine + see how this works all together. Sometimes you can find some great discounts on Kiehl's and they're also sold on Amazon which I love. A few weeks back, I found their Ultra Facial Cleanser 50% off during the Ulta/Sephora sale days and then grabbed the rest of my goodies last week for 30% off on Kiehls.com. I re-purchased the Ultra Facial Cream with the Ultra Pure High-Potency 1.5% Hyaluronic Acid and the Daily Refining Milk-Peel Toner. They also had a fun freebie going on for Mother's Day so I scored this cute little bag with some extra samples!
I'll definitely keep you posted on how it goes but would love to hear about your skincare routine! What are some must-have products and steps that you always use?
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Last August I purchased Salt & Stone deodorants with an unboxing + mini first impression in this post. After six months of using them pretty much exclusively, I can officially say that they're the best "clean" deodorants I've found so far. In 2023, trying out and searching for clean deodorants that actually work was both a mission + heavy topic of conversation here on the blog. I've tried countless brands over the past year or two with cleaner, more natural formulas + no aluminum.
The main issues I always seem to run into with the majority of them is that they either don't work at all, they wear off, do no favors when it comes to aiding sweat or more often than not, break me out in an itchy rash. In regular deodorant, aluminum serves as an antiperspirant to prevent sweating. When you take that away, it's not a surprise that you'll have some sweating. Most of them even have other ingredients to help target some of the sweating, they just don't really work. Until trying out Salt & Stone, I was almost to the point of just switching back to good ole fashioned deodorant.
Between working in retail and exercising, I have a pretty active day to day. I'm constantly running around in an environment that puts my deodorant to the test when it comes to movement and activity. I think some of the cleaner options out there are fine if you aren't as active or prone to working up a sweat, however for me that's not realistic on most days. I love having cleaner, non-toxic products but I still need them to perform for my life. Especially when it comes to deodorant!
Trying out Salt & Stone has actually become a game changer for me- here's why:
+APPLICATION - The actual application + formula of the deodorant is a dream. The formula and consistency is more slick so it glides right on to the skin, dries down quickly + never leaves any kind of residue on my clothes. Because it's slick, there's also no chalkiness or residue left on your skin either.
+LESS SWEAT - Although these too are aluminum free and not antiperspirants, they do such a good job at keeping sweat under control. Pretty much every single other brand I've tried would leave me feeling super gross and icky once I started to sweat. I also feel like that mixed with your clothes makes the entire underarm situation a hot mess express. I can deal with being a little sweating at the gym, but not at work or during the regular part of my day. I'm not sure what it is about these that makes such a difference but I swear they are so much better.
+GOOD SMELLS - Let's talk scents. So far I've tested out the "Santal & Vetiver" and "Bergamot & Hinoki" scents in the deodorants + love both. They smell unique, a little sexy + sophisticated and most importantly, keep any unwanted scents away. I'm sure a large part of that is the formula itself but regardless, a win is a win here.
+PACKAGING - A little added bonus is the packaging + vibe. The containers are sleek + visually pleasing. I would definitely still use an "ugly" deodorant if it worked, however having nice containers is a little extra cherry on top.
All in all, I'm a huge fan + just did a reorder for all new full-sizes. I grabbed the same two sensitive skin formulas I've already tried + this extra strength formula in Neroli & Basil. I'm a little nervous to try out a non-sensitive formula but I've been curious to see if it will work even better than the sensitive. Seems like a good gym option!
Because I've had a lot of the itchiness and rashes, I try to stick with more sensitive formulas and no baking soda, etc. The sensitive formulas have also done pretty well for me here + I haven't had much issue. I think I noticed a little bit of itchy/bumps once or twice throughout my time using them but it wasn't until months later. In this case, it's been hard to pinpoint exactly where it's come from. I haven't been ale to tell if it's the deodorant, a shaving irritation or something else entirely. I do know though that once I ran out of the S&S, I switched to another brand I'd tried previously and I had an immediate rash/itching show up from that one. I think fragrance can be a common culprit but sometimes you don't have any issues with a product until months after using it either.
I'm definitely going to keep an eye on that to make sure but all in all, they've been amazing + work so well. I'd highly recommend if you've also struggled to find a good natural deodorant that works.
What's your go-to deodorant?
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