Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask

When I was paying for this at Sephora the woman ringing me up asked me if I had used it before.  I said no, and she looked at me with the most excited face, and tapped the woman next to her. This woman was sporting the most fabulous enormous 70’s blonde afro, and when my checkout lady told her I was a Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask newbie, she swooned and shook her big hair side to side saying, “OH MY GOD, you are in for such a treat!” Then, the three other checkout ladies next to them nodded in synchrony.  It was honestly a movie moment, and I left Sephora feeling like I had made one of the best purchases ever.

The lady at Sephora told me I would see a difference within the first try, and she was right.  I put on the mask after washing my face and left it on for five minutes. The mask has a gel consistency, and feels a little hot when it’s on.  I followed the directions to a T, removing the mask with a warm wet washcloth. I couldn’t believe how soft and supple my face felt that night. I didn’t even need to moisturize. The next day my face looked brighter, a spot that had appeared a few days before was significantly smaller, and the little makeup I did put on went on seamlessly. I have been using this mask for a little over a month now, and the difference in my skin is noticeable every time.  I am falling head over heels for Ren products because it’s formulated without sulfates and parabens, and the products I’ve tried work. It’s as simple as that.

What took me so long to try this out?  If you’re still hesitant about it (don’t be!) go to Sephora and ask them to give you a sample of it.  It’s one of those products where you only need to try it once to see it works!

Price: $55

Ingredients:

-Lactic, Citric, and Glycolic Acids: Help loosen dead skin cells.
-Papain: Helps to gently exfoliate.
-Omega 7: Improves skin appearance and reduces redness.
-Omega 3: Soothes skin and supports natural cell turnover.
Polysorbate 60 (Source Rape Seed Oil), Glycerin (Source Coconut Oil), Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Water, Lecithin (Source Soybean), Lactic Acid (Source Wheat), Ribes Nigrum (Black Currant) Seed Extract, Grape Seed Oil, Passiflora Quadrangularis Fruit Extract, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Fruit Extract, Pineapple Fruit Extract, Grape Fruit Extract, Alcohol denat. (Source Grape), Cranberry Seed Oil, Xanthan Gum (Source Corn), Maltodextrin, Papaya Fruit Extract, Natural Fragrance, Orange Oil, Mandarin Orange Peel Oil, Tangerine Peel Oil, Grapefruit Seed Oil, Limonene, Linalool, Citral, Phenoxyethanol (Source Aromatic Ether), Sodium Hydroxymethylglycinate (Source Amino Acid), Seabuckthorn Berry Oil, Tocopherol (Vitamin E).

The Cloisters

Blouse from Zara

On a late summer's day my boyfriend and I went to the Cloisters in upper Manhattan. We had wanted to go for months, but the timing and/or train construction always went against us. But there we were riding the train uptown, and everything was going our way. To get to the Cloisters you have to walk on a verdant path that winds around the edge of Manhattan, and overlooks the Hudson River. It's difficult to imagine a medieval structure sitting on the island of Manhattan, but the Cloisters is just that. It was made to resemble a Medieval abbey, and as you look at it upon the hill you can't help but think that this is something special. Inside the Cloisters is a museum, filled with religious architecture, paintings, sculptures and much more. There is even a lovely garden perfect for reading a book. The Cloisters can be a little out of the way to get there, but it was a nice little getaway from the hustle of the city.


Price: Suggested donation, which is awesome!

Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads

I am a huge fan of exfoliating my face with acids. Acids such as glycolic acids, and lactic acid are amazing for skin renewal, which works wonders on blemishes, and hyperpigmentation from old spots. I picked this up after I finished my Dr. Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Peel pads, and was excited to try it out and compare.

According to the box, the Cane + Austin Retexturizing Treatment Pads use 10% glycolic acid plus Vitamins, and antioxidants that are supposed to visibly reduce the appearance of wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, and age spots, while firming skin and improving tone and texture. It says that you should use it twice daily, at morning and night, but I only use it during my night routine after I cleanse and tone and before my moisturizer or serum.

I bought the box of individual packs because it’s good for traveling. The pads themselves are bigger than the Dr. Dennis Gross ones. You do get a tingly feeling when you apply it, but I wish it tingled more because I have a perceived notion that tingly means it’s working. 

I’ve used half the box already, and though I noticed that my skin hasn’t gotten worse, it hasn’t gotten significantly better. It has great ingredients and feels nice on the skin, but for the price I wanted to see a difference and it’s not as noticeable as the results I get with the Dr. Dennis Gross pads. As you can see I love the Dr. Dennis Gross pads, they are miracle workers, and using these have made me realized that.  Though it didn’t work that well for me, I think the Cane + Austin pads would be good for someone who has clear skin, and wants something that will brighten their face, and get rid of any dry spots. 

I know there are Cane + Austin pads specifically made for acne, which could be great for acne prone people, but in my experience salicylic acid does nothing for my spots.

All in all, I will finish the box of pads, and hope that I see a difference at the end of it.  After that I will definitely go back to my beloved Dr. Dennis Gross pads and probably review them because I can’t stop gushing about it.

Price: $30 for a 25 pack of individually packed pads

Ingredients:

WATER(AQUA), GLYCOLIC ACID, AMMONIUM HYDROXIDE, HAMAMELIS VIRGINIANA (WITCH HAZEL) WATER, POLYSORBATE-20, PHOSPHOLIPIDS, RETINYL PALMITATE, TOCOPHERYL ACETATE, ASCORBYL PALMITATE, UBIQUINONE, DISODIUM EDTA, SODIUM BENZOATE, MENTHOL, ACETONE, IMIDAZOLIDINYL UREA.

Ren No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm

I picked this up a few weeks ago during one of my late night online shopping sessions.  I was looking to mix up my cleanser routine and this balm called out to me.  Cleansing balms aren’t that popular in the states,  and actually the Ren No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm was one of the few that I could find was easily available in the US.  Cleansing balms are big in England with brands like Eve Lom and Emma Hardie.   British women of all ages are jumping on the balm bandwagon, and I was curious to see why.  I was super excited when I saw that Ren Skincare made one.  Ren products are full of great natural ingredients, and free of parabens, sulfates, mineral oil, petrolatum, synthetic fragrance, synthetic colors T.E.A, D.E.A. glycols, silicones, PEGS, and more!

So what is it and how do I use it?

The Ren No. 1 Purity Cleansing Balm has the consistency of a thick cream, but when rubbed becomes a rich and creamy balm.  The scent is soft, and what I have dubbed “a fancy spa” smell.  I actually wish the smell lingered after you wash it off, but I guess that would annoy some people.  I use it at night only because it is a longer process.

Steps

1. Take a little bigger than a pea size and rub it in circles on a dry face.  You can even put it on your eyes to remove any eye makeup.  Though it does sting a bit if I open my eyes with the balm on, it breaks down waterproof mascara, silicone primers, and eye shadow stuck on with urban decay primer potion flawlessly.  You will have panda eyes, but it is part of the experience.

2. Once you have rubbed it all over your face, wet your face with a bit of water.

3. Take a wet washrag and wipe the balm off your face.  Do little circles around your eyes to take off any stubborn mascara.  The wet rag will help with exfoliate your skin, and ensure that you are taking off all of your makeup.

4. Wash off any balm residue with water.

I love this cleanser.  It does a remarkable job at cleaning my face, and the essential oils in the balm leave my skin smooth and soft.  I know that a lot of people will think that washing your face with a balm takes too long, but if you like skincare, and want something that will make you feel really nice after a long day of wearing makeup, this is definitely a nice product to include in your skincare routine.  Also, if you wear  makeup, and are noticing more breakouts in the morning, it could be that you are not fully cleansing your face and makeup residue is clogging your pores .  Remember that primers are made to stay on your skin for hours, and having a product like a cleansing balm will help in doing a deep clean without harshly scrubbing your face. 

Price: $48 USD

Ingredients:

Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis (Sweet Almond) Oil, Cetearyl Ethyhexanoate, Glyceryl Cocoate, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glyceryl Stearate, Glyceryl Dibehenate, Tribehenin, Glyceryl Behenate, Butyrospermum Parkii Shea Butter , Sodium Cocoyl Glutamate, Parfum* (Fragrance), Rosa Centifolia Flower Extract, Cymbopogon Martini Oil, Viola Odorata Extract, Anthemis Nobilis (Chamomile) Flower Oil, Lecithin, Benzyl Alcohol, Oryzanol, Tocopherol, Citronellol, Geraniol, Eugenol, Linalool.
*100% Natural Fragrance - Parfum 100% Naturel