Review: Ribby Rue 100% Pure Tea Tree Oil

Hey guys! It's been almost a week since I first started applying this to my face. Tea tree oil has been on my wishlist for quite some time because I've heard about the great benefits in curing acne. What else can tea tree oil be used for? Here are 20 great uses. 

I've incorporated the tea tree oil into my evening skincare routine. After I cleansed my face and applied moisturizer, I grab a cotton swab and dip it into the tea tree oil container. Then I dab the swab onto my affected areas. 

What do I think about this product?

• Tea tree oil can be pricey. I've seen little bottles priced at $7-$10 in stores. I bought my little 1-inch bottle on eBay for $3. 
• It might be just this brand, but I haven't noticed any major differences. All I can say is the redness on my face has decreased. The pores could have shrunk a teeny tiny bit, but I don't think the tea tree oil is responsible for that.
• The smell is a little strange and strong, but not repulsive (to me at least!). 

In conclusion, I will not purchase this particular brand again. For $3, I was hoping the bottle would be slightly bigger. I don't think this bottle will last me very long. Two weeks at the most, if I were to use it every night. However, I will continue to try other tea tree oil products. In fact, I bought the tea tree oil cleanser from The Body Shop a few days ago ;) I can't wait to test that one out! 

Review: ELF Tinted Moisturizer

Hello again! I have decided to review my ELF Tinted Moisturizer that I've had for a long time. I used this today and thought, why not? I bought mine from Target for $3.

What do I think about this product?

• It's really affordable. You can buy it from Target or online at eyelipsface.com. Here's the direct link to this particular product: ELF Tinted Moisturizer. 
• It has a mousse-like texture, which I like. This gives it a light coverage.
• If you wear it alone, it's very drying and not moisturizing enough. Be sure to apply your normal moisturizer before this product. 
• It is pretty easy to blend with my fingers. Just make sure to blend it very well or it will look splotchy.
• There is a really light fragrant scent. Barely noticeable. 
• It has SPF 20, which I like :) 
• It also contains aloe, cucumber extract, and vitamins A, C, and E! 
• I have the moisturizer in Porcelain. There are 7 shades to choose from.

In conclusion, I would buy this product again. It's affordable and works pretty good as a tinted moisturizer. I like the natural ingredients and the SPF. The only downside for me is that there isn't enough coverage. I still need to apply concealer afterwards. Two important things to remember are to moisturize beforehand and to blend it out really well. 

Generally, I think ELF has great, affordable products :)

UPDATE

I forgot to mention that this tinted moisturizer has a yellow undertone. I was watching a Youtube video today and the girl was ranting how terrible this product is just because it didn't match her skin tone. This tinted moisturizer actually matches mine perfectly. Please remember this before you go out and buy it!

Review: Tresemme Heat Tamer Spray

Hey guys! This is an empty bottle of heat protectant spray from Tresemme. I've gone through about... three or four of these. I really don't use any hair products... just shampoo and this Tresemme spray, if I remember to. I just recently started using conditioner since my hair was really dry. Currently, I am using Herbal Essences Long Term Relationship shampoo and conditioner. It smells amazing :) Also, I have a Garnier Fructis Leave-In Conditioner. I'm not sure how I feel about leave-ins, yet.

What do I think about this product?

• Totally inexpensive. It's about $4 at Target. 
• Smells nice. Like a fruity-floral scent.
• The spray itself is perfect. It's not too concentrated (like a water gun). It's actually more like a perfume bottle kind of spray :)
• I actually didn't think this spray had any effect... until I stopped using it. Last year, I stopped using it and blow-dried my hair more than ever. Worst idea ever. My hair is still so very dry; that is why I've turned to conditioners, hoping to replenish my shine and softness. 

In conclusion, I like this heat protectant spray enough to repurchase, but I'm open to other brands. I've learned the importance of protecting my hair when I blow-dry my hair. Since I haven't tried any other brands, I'm wondering if there are more effective sprays than the Tresemme. I'm looking for one to protect and add shine; I'm trying to hydrate my hair as fast as I can! 

Recently, I bought a heat protectant from Aussie. I've used it only once so far and it smells great. I'll be sure to review it soon :)

Review: Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer

One of the many gifts my friend Sue gave me for Christmas this year was a concealer from Laura Geller. The color is "Light," which actually looks much darker than the picture. It's more like an orange-y beige color. I have naturally fair skin and didn't think this concealer would work for me.

What do I think about this product?

• It looks really orange-y but once it's blended out, the concealer matches my skin perfectly.
• Really amazing coverage. Sue once said this stuff can cover up a tattoo. I wouldn't doubt it. 
• The texture is a creamy mousse and it can be a little heavy.
• After blending out the concealer, my face was really cakey. 
• It's $22 for less than 1 oz.

In conclusion, this Laura Geller concealer is great. It seriously does cover up any blemishes or dark undereye circles. However, powdering your face afterwards is a must. It is really important step that cannot be skipped. Another thing is: use a very tiny, tiny amount. A little really goes a long way. I am going to predict this little bottle will last me a year or two. I might purchase this concealer in the future, but the price is a little high. Also, I think liquid concealers just feel better, but I think that's just me :P 

I currently use a liquid concealer from Cargo and it's a lot easier to blend out. It doesn't feel heavy on my face either. The downside is that coverage isn't as great as this Laura Geller product. 

You can check out the true color and buy the Laura Geller The Real Deal Concealer at Ulta here. 

Review: L'oreal Go 360 Clean Deep Cream Cleanser

Hey everyone! Today I will be reviewing this L'oreal cleanser, but don't think I love it just because I'm almost done with the bottle! When the "Scrublet" line came out, I wanted to try it so bad, but I waited because 1) I wasn't out of a cleanser yet and 2) I like sales! One day, while I was looking around at CVS, I saw this cleanser and it was on sale for about $2 or $3! I decided to buy it because it was so cheap. I was a little disappointed because the other "Scrublet" products weren't on sale :( I bought this a while ago and I finally decided to use it. 

What is a "Scrublet"? 

A "Scrublet" is the little facial scrubber the product comes with (L'oreal came up with the name). Since I bought the "Deep Cream Cleanser," my "Scrublet" is pink. It pops right out and after wetting it a little, you put a dime-sized bit of product on there. Then you cleanse your face in a circular motion. 

What do I think about this product?

• I use this cleanser in the morning because I find that it doesn't cleanse my face too well. If I use it at night with a makeup or oily face, I don't feel as clean. That's why I use my Morning Burst! ;)
• The "Scrublet" is soft and flexible, but BEWARE if you have a big pimple. Sometimes the "Scrublet" pops my pimple for me and I'm left with a bloody face :( If you have a pimple, try using the cleanser with your fingertips instead.
• It contains salicylic acid, but for me, it has done nothing to combat my acne.  
• It's a gentle cleanser that leaves a tingly, refreshing feeling. 
• Lathers easily with a little bit of water. I like to wet my face and the "Scrublet" just a little bit. If there's not enough water, it will feel too dry and will not lather.

In conclusion, I am just trying to use the bottle up. It cleans somewhat effectively, but I can still feel a little bit of oil left on my skin sometimes. It does nothing for my acne, even though it has salicylic acid as an ingredient. I will not purchase this product again because there is nothing special about it. However, I might try the other "Scrublet" products. I know they have a gel cleanser (in a green bottle, I think) and I happen to like gel cleansers :)

Review: Clean & Clear Morning Burst Detoxifying Facial Cleanser

This little blue bottle is my lifesaver. If I skip a day without cleansing my face with this, I break out. The Clean & Clear Morning Burst Detoxifying Facial Cleanser is so great that this is my second bottle! The first time I used it, I didn't have really bad acne, but it kept my pores clean. After I used up the first bottle, I decided to try other products, since my acne wasn't that bad anyways. Bad decision. My acne came back, worse than ever, about a year ago and I had to tell my mom to buy this for me! I could have bought it myself, but there are no stores around my apartment, remember? :( Anyways, I've been using my second bottle for about a month now and my acne is calming down :)

The words are hard to see in this picture. Here's what it says:

• Oil-free 
• Oxygen-infused formula
• Wakes you up
• Cleans deep for visibly healthier skin
• 8 fl. oz. (240 mL)

The product comes out like a gel and once I lather it between my palms, it foams a little bit and the beads break apart. In the bottle, the beads look pearlescent, hehe :) It's important for the beads to break up because sometimes beads or scrubs are too harsh for the skin. Also, the bottle claims that the "Bursting Beads release antioxidants, leaving your skin clean, fresh, and visibly healthier." 

What do I think about this product?

• Smells good. Not too fruity or flowery. More like a minty scent.
• Works easily into a lather and the beads break up almost to the touch.
• Cleans oil and dirt amazingly. My face feels so fresh and clean afterwards!
• It doesn't have benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid, BUT I feel that it does a great job to tame my pimples. I think it's because it keeps my pores clean!
• I actually use this at night, because so much dirt and oil build up on my face throughout the day. I use a more gentle cleanser in the morning: Loreal Go 360 Clean Deep Cream Cleanser.
• Inexpensive and can be found in lots of stores (Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc). I think I paid about $4, which is a great deal because the bottle lasts a few months :)

In conclusion, this is my favorite cleanser. Ever. I don't think I will replace it, unless it gets discontinued :( It does everything it says, for me at least. Remember: everyone has different skin types. I have tried a different Morning Burst from Clean & Clear. It's the green bottle, and it smells amazing and cleans great, but the beads in it were too harsh. Maybe I will try the yellow and orange bottles, one day...

What did you think about this review?

Review: Freeman Feeling Beautiful Masks

Hey there! I hope you're all warm and dry :) It's been rainy here, which gives me an excuse to lay in bed all day, tehe. I'm getting over my cold or flu, whichever it is. I didn't get a bad fever. Just stuffy + runny nose, a major headache that lasted about two days, and a change in my voice. It's almost all gone :) I didn't take medicine because I didn't feel the need to. I wasn't terribly sick like last school year. Yikes. I practically slept the whole day, wore like three layers, and sweated everything out. It was terrible. I had the cough, the shivers, and a massive headache. And that was around the time when my then-roommate and I went through a rough patch and didn't talk at all, despite our beds were only about five feet apart. 

FACIAL MASKS. I love facial masks. When I'm feeling creative, I like to make my own in the kitchen, but often times, I don't have all the ingredients. Or the time. Buying masks is more convenient and they last longer than homemade ones. 

On the left is Freeman's Cucumber Peel-Off Mask. I bought this for around $5 on Amazon.com last year and I absolutely love it. 6 ounces can last a while. I use this mask once every two weeks or so: I squeeze about a quarter-size onto my palm and spread a consistent layer on my face. Try to avoid your eyebrows because it will become really stick and hard to wash out, haha. Then I wait until the whole masks dries, which takes about 15 minutes, depending how much I put on. Peeling the mask off is the fun part! My roommate has the same mask, but she leaves it on for about an hour and when it comes to peel-off time, it hurts. So, I do not recommend leaving the mask on for too long. What I love about this mask is how soft my skin gets after I peel off the cucumber goodness. I then finish up by rinsing my face and applying moisturizer. I have a couple uses left in the bottle and will definitely buy this again. I've seen all the Freeman masks on Ulta.com for about $3.99, but I'm not sure if it's also in-stores. 

Moving on to the Avocado and Oatmeal Clay Mask also from Freeman. I received this as a birthday present from one of the roommates because she knows I love the cucumber peel-off. Unfortunately, I don't think I can say the same about this clay mask. It smells pretty good and has a really smooth texture, but the aftermath for me is not so pretty. The mask also takes about 15 minutes to dry and isn't too hard to wash off, but I find new pimples the next day. The big, painful ones. I've used the mask about 3 times and it might just be a coincidence. I doubt that is the case though. I use the same skincare products and eat the same semi-healthy foods. Nothing changes until I use this clay mask. I am not saying this mask is terrible; in fact, it works wonders for many, but it's not right for me. I have normal to dry skin, so I think that could be a factor since I heard clay masks are great for oily skin. After the third use, I concluded this mask isn't for me and since then, my skin has slowly cleared up. I feel really bad because this was a gift and I barely used it! I won't purchase this clay mask again, but that isn't discouraging me from buying other Freeman masks! 

My ultimate favorite is the Alba Botanica Papaya Enzyme Facial Mask. It's amazinggg! Oh, what I would give for a whole closet of this stuff... Just kidding! I rather have a whole closet filled with... PIZZA. Mushrooms, olives, sun-dried tomatoes, cheese. Yummy!

Review: Alba Botanica Natural Acnedote Invisible Treatment Gel

I have been battling it out with my acne for almost a year now. I've tried different facial cleansers, acne cream, and facial masks. Nothing seems to work! Lainey from BelleBeautyBlog recommended Alba Botanica's Natural ACNEdote Invisible Treatment Gel (sorry for the bad quality picture). It has 2% salicylic acid and willow bark extract. The gel is clear and a little dot goes a long way. I bought mine off eBay.com for $7.99 (free shipping), but Lainey said it's about $12 in-stores. Personally, I think it's a little expensive because the bottle is so little! There's only 0.5 ounces :( I have been using this gel every day for about two weeks now. I can't say I'm seeing any improvement. In fact, I'm breaking out even more. It's really bad now and I can't leave my apartment without concealer :( I would probably purchase this gel again from eBay. It smells pretty good and has a refreshing tingle when applied :)

However, I'm not going to assume this gel was the cause. I did start using a clay mask I got for my birthday. I don't really like clay masks and I feel like that's the reason why I'm breaking out. Maybe clay masks aren't right for my skin. I've heard it's best for oily skin. I have somewhat normal skin. It's sometimes a little oily, sometimes a little dry. It all depends on the weather.

Have you tried this? Did it work? Let me know!

You can purchase the ACNEdote Invisible Treatment Gel here:

Review: Up&Up Maximum Strength Acne Medication Benzoyl Peroxide Gel

-- picture coming soon--

Up&Up is a Target brand and it's great because it costs a lot less than other leading brands such as Clean and Clear or Neutrogena. This is the first Up&Up product I bought to be used on my face. Benzoyl peroxide creams tend to be really drying so it's crucial to moisturize right after. I use my favorite Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion. This spot treatment dries my face like a snake shedding its skin! I know, it's gross. All I can do is wipe my face gently with a tissue. However, I do find the cream to be somewhat effective. After one thin layer on my face, I notice my pimples are minimized enough to be noticeable. 

The bottom line is, I probably won't purchase this product again because it severely dries my skin. This might be great if you have oily skin, though. The cost is really affordable; I think it was about $3 when I bought it from Target. 

In the meantime, I'll be looking for more acne creams... I'm getting desperate! 

Review: Fellowes Neutrino Paper Trimmer

I excitedly received this in the mail yesterday so I can continue working on my art project, but I was soon very disappointed. First, I purchased the trimmer in "new" condition off Amazon.com, but the bottom of the plastic packaging was cut off. I didn't think it would matter because the product itself was still new. Then I tried out a few pieces of paper, but it didn't even cut straight! I decided to put pressure at different points, move the paper around, etc. Nothing worked. The little rounded yellow-orange trimmer is wobbly and there was no way I could fix it. The blade shouldn't have enough room to move so that the paper is trimmed at a curve. 

My cousin has one of these portable paper trimmers but a different brand and it works amazing. I wish I spent a little more than $11.50 if I knew :(

Moisturizer Review: Olay Complete SPF 15 (Sensitive Skin)

I gotta say, I'm one lucky girl. I always get free stuff from friends and family! This UV moisturizer works wonders; not only does it protect my face from sun damage with SPF 15, it also keeps my skin hydrated. The scent is light, almost barely-there, which I happen to like. The bottle isn't a fancy dispense system. It's like a shampoo bottle... just squeeze! Which isn't very inconvenient because many times I squeeze out too much and there's no way to put it back :( I've used this for about a week now and it's one of the best I've used. I'm not sure if the "sensitive skin" part matters because I don't exactly have a specific type of skin and I haven't used any other kind. Again, my friend gifted this little sucker to me so I'm not exactly sure how much it costs or where to buy it. But I'm assuming drugstores carry this line :)

iPod Touch Games - 8/2012

The iPod Touch by Apple is popular around the globe and there are millions of apps to choose from. Occasionally, I update my apps to my taste and download new ones that interest me. But there are a few games that I still play all the time! I hope to share my favorite games with you every few months; here's my list for August!

1. Tiny Tower; free and doesn't require internet connection. I love Tiny Tower because you can manage the shops and residents in your tower to your liking! Currently I have 28 floors; I reset my game once because I wanted to be more organized with my floors. Silly me. Collect money to build new floors (residential or stores), move in new tenants (you can change their outfits too!), and earn revenue from your stores. :) Watch your tower grow higher and higher, as you get richer and richer!

2. Snoopy's Street Fair; free (but you can buy "cash" to get exclusive items) and doesn't require internet connection, unless you want to add friends or purchase "cash". I've played this game, every day for almost a year now. I bought my white iPod Touch 32gb 4th generation last September. They have new updates pretty frequently and it just gets better! Right now, I am level 31. It does take a while to level up when you get past 15 or 20, but I'm determined to finish the story of Charlie Brown :) This game is pretty straightforward and somewhat similar to Tiny Tower. The purpose of the game is to raise money for Charlie Brown's baseball team and to do so, you build your own fair and town! With Snoopy coins (virtual coins, not the "cash" you have to pay for), you can purchase things like a cotton candy making machine or Sally's lemonade stand. I have worked really hard on my street fair; that's why I won't quit 'til the end :)

3. Jewels with Buddies; free, requires internet connection. Out of my favorite 3 iPod games, Jewels with Buddies is the last one to add to my list. I downloaded this game about 2 weeks ago and have been playing nonstop since. It is a classic jewel matching game, like Bejeweled, except that you play against opponents and can purchase power-ups with virtual money! Some of the power-ups include slowing down time (one game lasts one minute) and making half the board disappear! Jewels with buddies is exciting and a great game to play if you got a minute.

Daiso Charcoal Mask Review

I love peel-off facial masks and when my good friend gave me a Japanese charcoal peel-off mask, I knew I had to try it right away. This mask is good for lifting oil and dirt off the face; for some people, it even pulls out blackheads (unfortunately, my blackheads are stubborn). It's natural and best yet... you can get it for $1 at daiso stores! Or around $5 on eBay.

Start off with a clean face and keep hair out of the way. No need to wet face. Apply the black liquid directly to face until all areas are covered. Wait about 15 minutes and start pulling on the edges! Have fun :)