Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Peel

 

 

 

Hello. Angry Baby Heather here, and I still have spotty sun spots.

 

Looking back at my old before photos I realize the spots have faded quite a bit after an IPL photofacial treatment, two microderm treatments and various at home treatments (PMD microderm, various serums, and lots of SPF). Makes me happier, but I still want them completely gone. Also, notice how often I change my hair color. Poor hair.

 

BzzAgent offered to send me Garnier Skin Renew Dark Spot Peel to test and review and of course I said yes. I will try just about anything that will even out my skin tone.

 

Here are my before photos:

 

 

 

Not bad. But not good enough, dammit.

 

So, let's talk about the serum.

 

Smell: Meh. Not good, not bad. I didn't really notice it.

 

Texture: Feels just like some expensive serums I have tried in the past. It is clear and semi gooey feeling, spreads easily and absorbs quickly. You may feel a slight tingling sensation, that's the acid dissolving your face. Just kidding. It is working it's magic, attacking dead skin cells.

 

What happens: I noticed about 20-30 minutes after applying the nightly peel that I could literally scrub off dead skin with my fingers, that's how well it works. At first I was slightly concerned that it was too strong to use every night, but I went for it and everything was fine. Dead skin always comes off, but my skin is never irritated. My skin felt more and more smooth by the day and I noticed it was brighter and healthier looking.

 

Thirty days later it was time for an after photo comparison:

Hendrick's Gin

BzzAgent sent me an invite to review Hendrick's Gin and I was like, "whaaaa... drink booze for half price?" and I instantly signed up even though I didn't think I liked gin.

Last time I drank the clear liquid I fell asleep on a Jersey City toilet, forehead on the seat. But that's another story for another time.

When I received the paperwork I was intrigued with their Victorian vibe, their use of the word "curiousitorium" (isn't it a great word?), and the rose and cucumber flavorings.
I instantly ran out and purchased a bottle, popped it open and took a huge whiff, thinking to myself, "EW, I DON'T LIKE GIN FOR SURE."

I waited for a few gal pals to come over to "suffer through" the cocktails with me... and then it happened. The cocktails were amazing. HEY WAIT A MINUTE, I LIKE GIN. We all like gin. At least Hendrick's gin, anyway. I suppose it's a more "grown up" flavor. I was not ready for Hendrick's gin in my 20s, but at the wise ol' age of 32 it is absolutely delish.

My wise ol' gut told me to stick with simple recipes. Let the gin shine, folks. This is not an alcohol that needs to be covered up with sweet juices and sodas. Keep it basic with a bit of soda water and light flavorings that compliment, not detract.

St. Ives Review

I admit it, I'm a beauty product junkie. I love reading about, seeing, and trying new products as soon as they're available. Sometimes my lust for the latest and greatest makes me forget about tried and true classics, like St. Ives. The lovely people at St. Ives sent me some goodies to review, including the ultimate always and forever amazing Apricot Scrub.

I still remember seeing St. Ives Apricot Scrub among my mom's things and loving that is smelled just like my Apricot doll. (She was the only doll I ever liked and had white hair and always used big words, seriously, so much foreshadowing of what was to come...) I don't think the formula has changed a bit, and it still works wonders on skin. I treated myself to a little DIY pedicure before a Memorial Day BBQ, where my feet made their reappearance in a super cute pair of wedge sandals. Just work the scrub into wet skin and let those little granules do their magic. The apricot oil helps keep your skin hydrated and nourished out of the shower. This is one of those products that made me feel so grown up once I started using it, like I'd finally become part of the secret Lady's Beauty Club. It's still winning awards and smoothing out skin of ladies and gents all over the world. I hadn't used it in ages, but judging how quickly I emptied the tub St. Ives sent me, it seems safe to say that I'm back in the scrub club.

I also got two different face washes from St. Ives' olive line - Moisturizing Olive Scrub and the Moisturizing Olive Cleanser. The olive products are gentle and will keep skin moisturized, I normally wouldn't use a moisturizing product - my skin is oily-slash-combination, so I stick to products made for oily skin. But lately I've been seeing some annoying dry spots on my face, what better time than to try these two cleansers? Both have a wonderful, fresh olive scent I'm kind of crazy about. I keep the scrub in the shower and use it on my neck and décolletage, since those areas need a little TLC too. I use the cleanser with my Clarisonic Mia, and my skin feels soooooo soft and clean afterward.

I enjoyed my trip down memory lane with St. Ives, especially with the Apricot Scrub - which, if you haven't used it in a while (or ever), is worth a revisit. Grab yourself a tub of it from the drugstore and scrub away! Then show off that fresh clean skin at the next beach blanket BBQ, but don't you dare forget the sunscreen!

May Birchbox Review & Contest

I feel like I should be ringing bells or banging gongs right about now. I've been looking forward to the Gossip Girl themed Birchbox for weeks, and now it's here! The best part is..... It's contest time! Whoreders will be giving one lucky reader a 3 month subscription to Birchbox!

Here's what you need to do: leave a comment on this post telling us about your favorite beauty product. That's it! Easy as leave-in conditioner, my friends. Make sure to sign in when leaving your comment (either to Blogger, Google, etc.) so we can get in touch with you. The contest will be end at 11:59 pm (PST) on May 31st, and there is one entry per person (duplicates will be taken out of the drawing). The winner will be announced on June 1st in a blog post and on our Facebook page, so keep those lovely peepers peeled!

P.S. If you already have a Birchbox subscription, we'll give you a $30 gift certificate to use on anything your heart desires. This contest is brought to you by Whoreders, and is not sponsored by or affiliated with Birchbox.

Woo! Are you excited?! Let's dig into this Gossip Girl box and see what we've got!

This Spotty Mug

Hi, my name is Heather and I have poop stains on my face.

Soo... a while back I wrote about buying a Groupon for an IPL photofacial deal nearby and told you kids I'd give you my two cents. Well.... I'm a bit slow. I didn't make an appointment for a while and I waited another couple months after I had it done to take the "after" photos. I'm sorry. Please forgive me.

Simple Skincare Review

Recently, the lovely people at Simple Skincare sent me some products to try out and review. Simple is a popular brand in the UK that is now available here in the U.S., in 2011 they were counted as the #1 facial skincare range. You go, Simple Skincare! The Simple line of products can be used by all skin types, but it was specifically for sensitive skin. There are no dyes, artificial perfumes or harsh irritants, the entire line is hypoallergenic, non-comedogenic and pH balanced.

Beauty Bar's Sample Society

To celebrate Spa Week, we're gonna bring you a little extra beauty courtesy of Beauty Bar's Sample Society. You all know I'm obsessed with Birchbox, and I've become suspicious of copycats, but I think Sample Society is a winner. If you're familiar with Birchbox, you'll know how the basics of Sample Society work, but there are a few differences. First off, Sample Society is $15 per month. For those $15 you get 5 samples from high end brands, a code for $15 off a purchase of $50 or more that includes at least one item from your box (code is good for 60 days!), expert beauty advice that comes with each box, and a one-year subscription to Allure magazine.

For the time being, there are no personalized boxes, everyone gets the same one every month. You can cancel at any time, and there's an easy to use website dashboard where you can make changes to your account, review your boxes and browse other goodies available from Beauty Bar.

And now for the question of the (Spa) week, what's in the box....?

March Birchbox

There was a slight delay in my Birchbox this month, do you think they were just messing with me because it was my birthday? Well... the real reason may be that there were two box options to choose from this month, the regular March shipment or the special Teen Vogue box. I'm not exaggerating when I say that I spent about 20 minutes staring at my email, trying to decide which one I wanted. Because I faced turning another year older this month, I went with the Teen Vogue box to make myself feel younger. Let's see if it worked...

Product Review: Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream

 

We Whoreders love BzzAgent, and are always excited when new campaigns come out and we get to take part. I was chomping at the bit for one campaign in particular, the Garnier Miracle Skin Perfector B.B. Cream. I am obsessed with B.B. Creams at the moment and have been using them regularly for the past few weeks. I was lucky enough to be chosen for the campaign and received a BzzKit from BzzAgent, which included a full size tube for me to try and give report back on. 

Before we dive in, let me explain what B.B. creams are to those who aren't familiar with it. It's short for "beauty balm" or "blemish balm", and in my own technical terms, a super-duper tinted moisturizer. It's an all-in-one product that's a serum, moisturizer, sunscreen, primer and sheer foundation all rolled into one. Can you see why I'm so amped to try it? One product can take the place of all those, meaning you're saving time and money, that's what Whoreders love best!