Sk1n Probiotic Systems - Night Cream

I was first introduced to the Sk1n Probiotic Systems when I was checking out an online sale. Probiotic (beneficial bacterias) are commonly "used as ingestibles to help replenish and maintain the balance of healthy and harmful bacteria regulating our internal health."

Anywho I did my research on the product line using MUA and googling up reviews. There weren't a lot of reviews but the ones I could find were positive - a little too positive. Call me a skeptic but some of the ratings gave me that unsettling gut feeling. It screamed COMPROMISED to me.

A couple days later I was shopping around Winners and saw a Sk1n Night Cream on the shelf for a few dollars so I decided to buy it and write a review on it.

What it claims:
Night Cream An exclusive combination of natural probiotics and minerals that absorbs quickly and includes a time-released moisture booster that oxygenates and hydrates your skin while you sleep. This all-natural cream is an intensive anti-wrinkle treatment that improves cell metabolism and vitality. Dermatologist tested.

I put it on at night and when I woke up, my face was oily looking. It looked oily but moisturized nonetheless. I've used it every day for a couple of weeks and I'm stopping its use. My forehead is full of zits. And my forehead is the only spot that's blemish free on my face. Now I feel like I'm back in grade 7 with a zit infested forehead. I've also developed some milia here and there around my eyes and face.

The verdict: Yes, your face may be more moisturized (you'll see that in the mirror the next morning) but for me, it came at a price: zits and milia. It retails for about $40 (I got it for a steal, by the way) so no, I would never buy it again.

Review: Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant

Exfoliating helps reduce milia, acne and reveals softer, smoother skin. My friend Kim and I got our own bottle of Dermalogica's Daily Microfoliant from the Dermalogica blogger event back in June. Kim immediately tried it and loved it while I was trying to finish my at the time current exfoliant.

In a nutshell, it's been about two months and I really like it. It's my favourite exfoliant that I've tried thus far and I would love it if I saw major differences, but I unfortunately don't. It's great for your current skin but doesn't do much, if anything, for scars. I must add that I really love the rice smell and this probably added bonus points.

What It Is / What It Claims

A Rice-based powder formula that activates upon contact with water. Thereby releasing Papain, Salicylic Acid and Rice Enzymes that micro-exfoliate dead cells, instantly leaving skin smoother and brighter and is gentle enough to use on a daily basis.

I was using Soap&Glory's Scrub-Your-Nose-In-It as my regular exfoliator and it's made up of fine grains that I can feel scrubbing against my skin. The Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant comes in powder form and requires you put add water to the mixture. There are no grains at all and it's just a smooth cleanse with a nice smell.

Michelle Phan recently made a video about making your own rice toner and even announced that she will be released a rice cleanser to her skincare line, IQQU. Of course, knowing her, she listed the benefits of rice and what it does to your skin.

It definitely is gentle enough to use everyday and does not dry out my skin.

I forgot to mention that it has a price tag of $60. That puts things into perspective a bit. Luckily for me, it was free. But would I buy it for $60? No. I make $10 an hour and that's 6 hours of my ass working for a bottle of exfoliant. It doesn't contain miracles but allows me to wash away dead skin cells on a daily basis. Regular exfoliants are only recommended to be used 2-3x a week because it's rough on your skin. Until I can actually afford to buy higher end products and not fall into the debt pool, I'll stick to my under $20 drug store products. I know I'll miss the rice smell once my bottle runs out because I love, love, love the smell.

Exfoliation helps reduce milia.

Review: B. Kamins Chemist Sunbar Sunscreen SPF 30

I think 80% of my blog thus far has been based around the importance of sunscreen. I went to Sephora in hopes of grabbing an oil-free sunscreen. One of the beauticians at Sephora recommended B. Kamins Chemist: Bio-Maple Sunbar Sunscreen SPF 30. It's "fragrance-and-oil-free" for the face and body. He told me it dries up like a powder so I wouldn't have to worry about having an oily complexion.

And well, was he correct?

Kind-of.

It makes my face appear shiny but it doesn't actually feel oily (it feels matte). However, after my daily dose of powder and foundation, the shiny look disappears.

There are days when parts of my face feel a slight burning sensation. It is probably because I recently exfoliated but there is an ingredient(s) that irritates my skin, and I have yet to pinpoint the exact culprit.

Luckily, this product did not give me pimples. Don't we just love products that don't make us break out? + Bonus point.

It claims it can be reapplied over makeup and I guess technically all sunscreens and moisturizers can be reapplied over makeup, but that doesn't mean it won't ruin your makeup. I tested this claim out and the sunscreen pushed my makeup around and pretty much ruined my lovely powdered face.

It's $41 CDN for a 120ml tube from Sephora (also available on the official B. Kamins site) and can be used on the face and body but for that price, I'll just stick to the face.

The Good News
- contains protection for UVA & UVB rays with a SPF of 30
- leaves a matte finish

The Bad News
- the price isn't exactly student-friendly ($41 CDN)
- I hate the packaging; more than enough sunscreen pours out of the tube

Overview of the Ingredients Listed on the Package

Avobenzone (also known as Parsol 1789) - 2.5%
An effective ingredient to neutralize the effects of the sun's UV rays.

Octinoxate (also known as octyl methoxycinnamate) - 7.5%
Sunscreen agent used to protect skin primarily from the sun’s UVB rays.

Oxybenzone - 6.0%
Sunscreen agent that protects primarily from the sun’s UVB rays, and some, but not all, UVA rays.

Titanium Dioxide - 2.04%
An inert earth mineral used as a thickening, whitening, lubricating, and sunscreen ingredient in cosmetics. It protects skin from UVA and UVB radiation and is considered to have no risk of skin irritation.


Overall

I'm sure there are other sunscreens out there that are just as good as this sunscreen for a fraction of the price. It does have a matte quality to it but my face appeared to be somewhat shiny after an application. I don't want to have a shiny face on my makeup-free days! It does, however, contain all the necessary protection (parsol is key) to block the sun away from your face and body. But in all seriousness, I would not purchase this again because of it's price ($41 CDN) and the fact that an ingredient in this product irritates my skin (leave the burning sensations for the sun burns!).

6.5/10