Alba Botanica Hawaiian Detox Sheet Mask

 I bought this.

Welcome back to Samantha by the Sea! Today I wanted to share with you my thoughts on the Alba Botanica Hawaiian Detox Sheet Mask with anti-pollution volcanic clay.

Price: $2.50 USD

Claims: The goal of this mask is to mirco-extract pollutants from the skin and to dissolve debris. The end result should be fresh, bright, and renewed skin.

Fit: This black colored sheet mask did not fit on my face well. I had to stay extremely still during the fifteen minutes that I wore this mask because if I did not, it would move and start to touch my eyes.

Essence: The mask had a milky essence. It saturated the entirety of the mask and there was little to no essence left in the pouch.

Smell: The smell of this mask was horrible. Based on the smell alone I would not repurchase this mask.

Results: After fifteen minutes of wear I could not handle the smell anymore and the mask started to burn my face, so I removed it. Instead of letting the rest of the essence seep into my skin I washed it off using cold water, as I had to get rid of the burning sensation. Once the burning sensation stopped, my skin felt soft and firmed. 

I was excited to try this mask, but the smell, combined with the fit and burning sensation I experienced, are why I am not recommending this sheet mask. After looking at some of the reviews on Amazon (it received a 1.4/5), I know that I am not alone in this decision. There are plenty of other similarly priced sheet masks out there that are way better quality.

If you have any recommendations for good skin detoxing sheet masks, let me know below!

Avon NutraEffects Ageless Eye Cream

 Sample.

 

 Welcome to Samantha by the Sea! Today I wanted to share with you a new addition to my skincare routine: the Avon NutraEffects Ageless Eye Cream.

Avon claims that this eye cream is non-greasy, suitable for sensitive skin, provides twenty-four hour moisturization, and smooths the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Their overall claim is that it will replenish and hydrate the eye area for a noticeable younger, firmer, and lifted look.

I've used this product every night for three weeks and I am happy to say that I can back up all of Avon's claims! Because I have "twenty-something" skin, I cannot attest to any of the long term anti-aging claims; however, this product has helped to reduce the few small wrinkles I have around my eye area. This product is targeted more toward skin that is already seen the effects of aging, so I can only imagine the positive impact it could have on aging skin.

 I will definitely keep this product in my skincare rotation, as it does everything that I need an eye cream to do! It has a smooth consistency that easily seeps into my skin, leaving my under eyes moisturized all day. Additionally, a little bit goes an long way with this product, so even though I've used it quite a bit the jar looks virtually untouched.

The Avon NutraEffects Ageless Eye Cream costs $18 USD for 0.5 fluid ounces. It can be purchased online through an Avon Representative.

Have you tried anything from Avon? I'd love to hear your recommendations below!

Formula 10.0.6 Moisturizing & Brightening Peel Masks

I bought this.
 

Welcome to Samantha by the Sea! I'm so glad you're here! Today I wanted to share with you two of my favorite peel masks from Formula 10.0.6! I know I post about this brand often, but it is because I truly love their products and I can see the difference in my skin from using them!

I found Formula 10.0.6 at Ulta a few months ago and the brand has become a major part of my skincare routine. Everything is reasonably priced and their masks are priced around $7 USD!

The Be Berry Smooth Moisturizing Peel Mask is infused with blueberry and pineapple. It is a purple tinted gel-like mask that applies clear. I normally apply it, like the rest of my masks, with a brush to ensure that there is an even application of the product. After about 10-15 minutes, or once the mask is completely dry, I peel it off. This mask smells great and leaves my skin feeling rejuvenated! 

The Get Your Glow On Skin Brightening Peel Mask is infused with papaya and citrus. This mask is an orange tinted gel-like mask that also applies clear. I apply it with a brush and once it is dry I peel it right off! This mask has a sweet smell and it helps to renew my dull looking skin.

 I use each of the masks about once a week, alternating them between mud masks. Unlike other peel masks I've tried, both of the masks peel off easily in one piece if I wait long enough for them to dry. I'd highly recommend these masks and I will definitely be repurchasing them once I run out! Both masks make my skin feel refreshed and they give my skin a more hydrated and glowy look. I look forward to trying even more of the peel masks from Formula 10.0.6!

Do you have any recommendations for peel masks or face masks in general? Let me know below!

Skincare Staples: Formula 10.0.6

I bought this.

 

Welcome back to Samantha by the Sea! I'm so glad that you've stopped by! Today I am going to be sharing with you three Formula 10.0.6 products that are staples in my everyday skincare routine. 

Be Berry Ready Daily Foaming Cleanser ($7 USD)

 I use a dime-sized amount of this cleanser every night with my Foreo Luna Mini, which you can read about here. This cleanser is infused with blackberry and coconut milk, making it smell AMAZING. Since I've started using this product, I have seen a positive change in the way my skin looks and feels. It does not dry my face out either, which is extremely important to me in a cleanser.

Thirst No More! Moisturizer ($9 USD)

This moisturizer is infused with a fruit complex (watermelon, lentil, & apple extracts) and white tea. I use one pump before I put on my makeup for a smoother application and two pumps at night to really moisturize my skin.  Like all of the other Formula 10.0.6 products I've tried this product smells great. Another important fact to note is that this moisturizer does not make my face feel greasy.

Rescue Me! Acne Blemish Treatment ($8 USD)

 I use this spot treatment as soon as I see any sign of a breakout forming. This treatment can be used 1-3 times daily. These types of products can dry out your skin, so I am careful not to over use it. This product has helped me prevent many a blemish and for that I'm extremely thankful!

Overall, I really love these three products from Formula 10.0.6. I've been testing them for about a month and they have not let me down! They've all worked extremely well for me and I will definitely repurchase them in the future! I also love their face masks, so stay tuned for a post dedicated to them!

 I hope that you have enjoyed this snapshot into my skincare routine!

Have you tried anything from Formula 10.0.6? If so leave your recommendations for me below! 

As always, if you have any questions regarding anything I've mentioned, let me know and I'll do my best to answer them!

Foreo Luna Mini

 I bought this.

Hi everyone! 

Welcome back to Samantha by the Sea! If this is your first time stopping by, I'm so glad you're here! Today I wanted to share a product with you that rocked my world and completely changed my skincare routine: the Foreo Luna Mini in magenta!

The Foreo Luna Mini is a silicone facial cleansing device that uses a special t-sonic vibration technology to cleanse your skin. The Luna Mini can be used on all skin types and is extremely gentle. There are three separate zones on the device. The top is meant for precision cleansing, while the rest of the front is meant for general cleansing. The back of the device is meant for deep cleansing. There is also a waterproof charging port on the back. Speaking of charging, a one hour charge equals approximately FIVE MONTHS worth of uses, crazy right!?

Foreo recommends that one uses this product twice a day, one minute per use. It also blinks every fifteen seconds during the first minute of use, so you know when to move to a different portion of your face.

I use the Foreo Luna Mini at night alongside my new favorite cleanser, the Formula 10.0.6 Be Berry Ready Daily Foaming Cleanser. I dampen my face, apply my cleanser, and then I focus on cleansing the four zones of my face: my forehead, my nose and chin, along with each of my cheeks. Once completed, I wash the cleanser off of my face and rinse of my Luna Mini.

I've been using this device for about a month and it has honestly changed my life. Before using the Foreo my skin was dull and I was suffering from consistent breakouts. Currently, my skin looking brighter, more refreshed, and overall healthier. I haven't experienced a major breakout since using it and I think that it has even helped reduce some of my acne scars. 

The Foreo Luna Mini retails for $99 USD, but trust me, it's totally worth it! I was torn between this device and it's brush-like competitors, but the Foreo Luna Mini was the best option for me. There are no brush heads to replace or sanitize and it's as big as the palm of my hand. Since it is silicone, it is also extremely easy to keep clean. I just spray it with alcohol and wash it off with warm water every few uses.

Would you try the Foreo Luna Mini? If not, what's your favorite cleansing device? If you don't have one, let me know what device you would like to try in the comments below!