Category Archives: Normal

Origins Eye Cream Comparison

Youthtopia = favorite because it’s creamy and light, not greasy. Dry skin

Plantscription = did not like because its a gel, too light. Eyes didn’t feel protected. Great for oily skin or, as they advertise, someone with a lot of wrinkles around the eyes.

Ginzing = too light weight & didn’t like shimmery-ness. Great for oily or combination skin

Starting Over = acceptable but lighter than youthtopia. great for normal, youthful skin with no complaints as prevention of wrinkles.

Murad Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30

Sephora sent me a small sample of Murad‘s Oil-Free Sunblock SPF 30 and I was surprised at how much I liked it.

Here’s how I use it:
– Wake up, wash face, apply toner, apply Vitamin C serum, apply eye cream, apply sunscreen.

The upsides:
– It’s got a gentle matte finish. I say “gentle” because it’s not a true mattefying product but it does dry in a matte way. This may seem a bit semantic but those of you with oily skin know what I’m talking about. This will not mattefy your skin, but it won’t add to your oiliness. I forgot I’d put it on until the next morning when it was time for me to put sunscreen on. I’ve had experiences where I feel greasy all day and can only think about how greasy my skin feels. That was not the case with this product.
– The fragrance they use is mild and pleasant.
– The company is named for the inventor, Dr. Murad and I like
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Alba Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub

I’ve always been attracted to Alba’s products because they have some fun ingredients/themes. Their Hawaiian line was definitely intriguing to me because I love the scent of tropical flowers and fruits. It’s important to exfoliate regularly so I thought I’d try their Pineapple Enzyme Facial Scrub. My skin can be sensitive to scrubs and peels so I prefer to try gentle, enzyme based exfoliants. Now, don’t get me wrong, enzymes can be quite intense on the skin but I figured that this product was on the grocery store shelf so I’d probably be okay in terms of the strength.

Here’s how I use it:
– Once or twice a week, I’ll wash my face and then apply this as a
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Avalon Organics Vitamin C Refreshing Cleansing Gel

I first tried Avalon Organics about three years ago. Of course, it was cleanser that first drew me in (favorite product). I’m also a big fan of Vitamin C use on the skin so when I saw their Vitamin C Refreshing Cleansing Gel I got very excited. (Y’all didn’t have to hear about me getting “very excited” about a cleanser to know how much of a nerd I am about products, did you?)

Here’s how I use it:
– 1/2 pump [yes! I love pumps and I love measured doses (and spreadsheets and organizing – it all falls in the same nerdy category to me)] massaged into wet skin in the morning and evening. I use it over my eyes and it works great at getting eye makeup off without irritating my sensitive eyes.

The upsides:
The Scent
– I’ve used products in the past that look like they’re going to Continue reading

Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner

My name is Addy and I am a toner user.

I know a lot of people don’t want to or can’t bother taking this extra step and I respect that.

However, if you use the right kind of toner, I find it a beneficial and inexpensive step.
I’ve been using Thayers Alcohol-Free Rose Petal Witch Hazel Toner for probably 10 years. There are other formulas/scents but I’ve never tried any of them. In researching this post, I discovered that they have a medicated version that looks like it could work out really well for someone with large pores and oily, acneic skin. If that’s you and you want to let me know how you like this product, I’ll post a review here with what you have to say. You can email me at addy at addysesthetics dot com.

Here’s how I use it:
– After washing my face both am and pm, I pour a small amount
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