fave products // goop beauty goopglow dark spot exfoliating sleep milk & microderm instant glow exfoliator

I’m somewhat new to Goop Beauty, but I always love products that brighten the skin and help with hyperpigmentation. Especially post-pregnancy, when I’m a bit prone to melasma, anything that helps combat dark spots is a game-changer. Enter GoopGlow Dark Spot Exfoliating Sleep Milk and Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator! These products are powerhouses when it comes to glowing skin. They work their exfoliating magic to fight dullness, uneven texture, dark spots, and clogged pores, leaving you with a radiant complexion. Plus both the serum and mask are cruelty free and totally clean, so you won’t find any nasty ingredients here!

The Dark Spot Exfoliating Sleep Milk is a smooth and creamy serum containing 10% exfoliating acids (glycolic & lactic) that help resurface the skin overnight while you sleep. I love how it feels on my skin- not drying, but rather super luxe and hydrating thanks to “desert milk”, beta glucan, and hyaluronic acid. Piperonyl glucose helps calm the skin, discouraging the appearance of any new spots or pigmentation as well. After using this, I wake up with dewy, baby-soft skin that is practically poreless skin- yes please! An important thing to remember: because of the high percentage of acids, always remember to use SPF in the mornings post-moisturizer.

The Microderm Instant Glow Exfoliator has somewhat of a cult following, and after using it, I totally get the hype. It's inspired by professional microdermabrasion and has been clinically tested to ensure impressive results in the comfort of your own home. Plus its whipped, marshmallow-like texture is just to die for! Two types of exfoliation are happening simultaneously here: physical, by way of micro-minerals like quartz, garnet, alumina & silica, and chemical, thanks to glycolic acid. This popular AHA helps remove dead skin and promote cellular turnover, while vitamin C powerhouse Australian kakadu plum gives you an overall luminous glow. My skin feels super smooth and polished after using it- my only suggestion is to start slow, as it can cause redness for those with sensitive skin. A little goes a long way here, so don’t overdo it. What are you waiting for- go get that glowy skin you crave with Goop Beauty!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // natura bissé stabilizing mask, essence & serum concentrate

Natura Bissé is a Barcelona-based skincare brand that creates some wonderful, high quality and effective products. Their stabilizing set is one I’d been eyeing for a while, as it seemed like the perfect combo of cleanser, toner/essence, and serum to help combat breakouts or problematic skin. After incorporating this trio into my routine for a while now, I’m definitely loving the results!

The Stabilizing Cleansing Mask can be used as either a daily cleanser as part of your normal routine, or a weekly clarifying mask for something a bit more thorough. Kaolin clay, menthol and zea mays work to gently remove makeup and debris, while salicylic acid helps unclog pores. I love its creamy texture, and thanks to aloe vera, it doesn’t leave your skin feeling stripped or dry.

The Stabilizing Resurfacing Essence is powered by a trio of exfoliating acids, including AHA, PHA & BHA, that work to gently remove dead skin cells and unclog pores. This is great for those with oily or breakout-prone skin, and can be used daily post-cleansing. Whenever my skin is acting hormonal, I reach for this, and apply it with a reusable cotton round all over. I’ve definitely noticed a more even toned and balanced complexion!

Next up is the Stabilizing Anti-Aging Concentrate, which is essentially a firming, oil-control serum that produces “retinol-like” results. Yes please! Once again, three exfoliating acids work their magic to leave you with glowing, radiant skin. I’ve found an overall brighter complexion after incorporating it into my routine for a few weeks! Also important to note- all of these products are careful not to disrupt the skin’s natural pH levels, which can cause further irritation. So key! Definitely look into adding some Natura Bissé to your routine to boost your skin’s overall radiance and glow.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // omorovicza even tone serum

Uneven skin tone. Never a fun thing to deal with, but a condition that is all too common when it comes to skincare. There are many ways to treat it, from using specific ingredients in your everyday products to more intensive treatments like peels and lasers. While lasers may be more effective, they are also more expensive and need to be done regularly to really see results. I think a good first approach is to add a highly effective product to your daily routine and see if you get the results you’re looking for. Even Tone from Omorovicza is is a daily serum for uneven skin tone that targets all the causes of unevenness, working to improve the homogeneity of your skin. If you’re suffering from any hyperpigmentation (think age spots or sun damage), applying this serum regularly can help correct that, as well as smooth the overall texture of the skin.

A key ingredient at play here is amber microalgae, which works its magic to target areas of excess melanin only, preserving the skin tone. Plus gentle exfoliating acids like mandelic and gluconic help stimulate cellular turnover, resurfacing skin texture to smooth the complexion. I’m a big fan of niacinamide as well, and always seem to be impressed by products that contain it. Its ability to help reduce post-blemish discoloration and redness, while also balancing sebum production and clearing the complexion is super clutch. Paired with Omorovicza’s patented Healing Concentrate, which is a mineral elixir containing Budapest’s thermal waters that help boost collagen and elasticity, you’ve got yourself a really impressive serum to add to your routine! What’s great is that while Even Tone is super potent and effective, it’s also gentle enough even for those with sensitive skin. It’s formulated for both light and dark skin tones, and can be safely used in your morning and evening routines. A more even skin tone and refreshed complexion is in your future!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // milk + honey exfoliating cleanser & toner

There’s something about finding the perfect balance between products that are gentle yet still exfoliate and thoroughly cleanse the skin. Ya know what I mean? I’ve been a fan of milk + honey products for a while now- I love that their formulas are totally clean without any harsh or irritating ingredients, but are also super effective. I’ve been incorporating their Exfoliating Cleanser & Exfoliating Toner into my routine lately, and I love how quickly I’m noticing a difference in my skin. The cleanser works to revitalize dull & tired skin, and improve the appearance of pores, leaving you with soft, glowing, healthier-looking skin, while the toner uses a blend of powerful clarifying ingredients to gently resurface the skin. Mandelic acid, a gentle type of alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) made from bitter almonds, helps with hyperpigmentation and signs of aging, while black willow bark extract, which contains a natural form of salicylic acid (BHA), helps to promote cellular turnover. Plus, tea tree essential oil helps to reduce inflammation to support clearer, smoother skin. While you may worry that all these clarifying ingredients can cause dryness- fear not. Aloe vera juice and hyaluronic acid help to nourish and hydrate the skin, making this duo quite the one-two punch! If you’re looking to switch up your cleanser and toner, I definitely suggest checking out milk + honey products.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // beautycounter counter+ all bright c serum

Who doesn’t want brighter, my glowy skin? Vitamin C serums are a dime a dozen these days, but not all are created equal. I personally look for a serum that is lightweight & absorbs easily, made of ultra-stable forms of vitamin C, while also lending a quick boost of radiance to my skin. I’m always impressed by vitamin C’s ability to promote an overall more even skin tone, and I’m happy to say a new find from Beautycounter really delivers.

The Counter + All Bright C Serum boasts an impressive and ultra potent 10% blend of two different forms of vitamin C. They work hand in hand to brighten skin tone and diminish the appearance of dark spots, while antioxidant super heroes turmeric and camu camu help prevent the appearance of new ones as well. I’ve been using the All Bright C Serum for several weeks now, and my skin just looks brighter, and even some of my hyperpigmentation spots are less visible! For an extra boost of radiance, I’ve been using the Beautycounter Glow First Priming Serum, which is goes on smooth and glowy, and combines the best of both skincare and makeup!

An added bonus is that Beautycounter products are vegan, cruelty-free, and EWG-verified, so you can feel good about applying them to your skin. A more youthful, glowing complexion is yours to be had- now, what are you waiting for?!

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support! 

fave products // alpha H-liquid gold glycolic acid exfoliant & serum

By now I’m sure you’ve heard about the benefits of exfoliating. Whether physical (with a scrub) or chemical (with acids), gentle exfoliating is a wonderful way to keep your skin fresh and healthy. Back in the day a certain apricot-scented physical exfoliant was super popular, but it’s become apparent that maybe that wasn’t the most safe, gentle, or effective approach we should be taking. I tend to stick to mostly chemical exfoliants these days, and I’m happy to report that Alpha-H Liquid Gold with 5% Glycolic Acid truly delivers results. Liquid Gold combines 5% Glycolic Acid with a unique low-pH delivery system to stimulate action at a deeper layer of the skin. Basically, this lower pH (2.8 - 3.0) temporarily compromises the skin barrier, which then enables deeper penetration of active ingredients. Sounds scary, but it’s a good thing- I promise!

Glycolic acid is a super popular exfoliant for good reason- it works to remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, promote cellular turnover, diminish the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, and even help reduce hyperpigmentation! Talk about a powerhouse ingredient. Acids can be a bit irritating at first for newbies, so I recommend applying once every few days at first, and then working your way up to daily use. I’ve also been trying out the Alpha-H Liquid Gold Midnight Reboot Serum at night, and let’s just say I think you should stock up on both of these products ASAP. This serum combines two of the most powerful anti-aging ingredients in the game- glycolic acid and granactive retinoid- which work to resurface and renew prematurely aging skin. Throw in tripeptide-5 which promotes collagen production, and ferulic acid to fight free radical damage, and you’ve got yourself a real winner. I’ve definitely noticed a more vibrant, youthful glow to my skin lately, and it’s all thanks to Alpha-H Liquid Gold. As a little added bonus, Alpha-H products are cruelty-free, made with a clean formula, and are made with locally sourced botanicals in Australia. Trust me, this is a line you’ll be happy you added to your routine.

 * This post may contain affiliate links. If you buy something through one of these links, it won’t cost you a penny more, but I’ll earn a small commission. This allows me to continue to generate content for you, and helps keep the site up and running. Thanks for your support!