Review: Neutrogena Extra Gentle Cleanser

Since I have dry skin it can be very difficult to find a cleanser that is good for my skin, one that does not strip away moisture while still cleaning. I have a ton of skincare products and still hasn't found what really "works" for me. I trust Neutrogena as a skincare company and have tried many of their products. Recently I picked up this Extra Gentle Cleanser. I've used up about 3/4 of the bottle and think I can now write a review.

This comes in a white bottle with an awesome pump that locks. I got this for about $11 as a bonus with the Neutrogena Ageless Intensives Deep Wrinkle Moisturizer (review on that later). It says on the bottle that it "adds moisture every time you cleanse". Also it's fragrance-free, hypo-allergenic and dermatologist recommended. On the back it says how it's a non-soap formula which adds moisture back to your skin, so skin retains resiliency and suppleness. It's rich and non-irritating, and does not leave a residue that can clog pores. I think this all sounds super duper! It sounds like something that would be excellent for those with dry skin. But we all know that companies make products sound better than they actually are, or maybe I am just skeptical.

How did it perform for me? I actually really like this. It did not make my skin feel tight, irritated and red like a lot of other cleansers do. Normally I have to apply moisturizer or cream right after I wash my face because it feels so agitated, or else I will be very sorry the next day. I don't think it "adds moisture back to your skin" as a cleanser should not really take moisture away in my opinion. A cleanser that is right for your skin type should cleanse it gently while not irritating and stripping moisture in the first place. But I do appreciate that this cleanser does not leave my skin feeling terrible afterwards, and that is a plus for me.

As you can tell in the picture above, the texture of this cleanser is quite rich, but it has a milky feel to it. It does not lather at all and has no scent. It is a very basic cleanser, it feels like you are cleaning your face with lotion, leaving it soft afterwards. That's a giant glop on my hand but once blended into the skin you can tell it's quite watery and light. It says in the directions to apply this in circular motions on a wet face and then rinse with lukewarm water. Or it may also be used as a "tissue off cleanser". Actually after putting it on my hand I did remove it with a tissue (instead of washing my hand) and it came off easily and left my hand feeling smooth and no residue was present. So perhaps a better way to use this would be to remove it with a damp cloth, that way you don't irritate your skin with water. I think I may try that out from now on.

I would give this cleanser a go if you have dry or sensitive skin, it is very gentle as the name suggests . I use this as a everyday cleanser, but also a few times a week I exfoliate using the Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power Clear Scrub, which is a favourite of mine. I also want to point out that I do not use this to remove my makeup, I always remove my makeup with Neutrogena's Oil-free Eye Makeup Remover and then wipe all my face makeup off with the Kirkland Brand Cleansing Wipes, then I wash my face with a cleanser to remove any remaining residue. I do not know if this would take all your makeup off on it's own, because I do not use it for that purpose.

Have you used this Neutrogena Cleanser? Did you like it?

Review: Neutrogena Acne Stress Control Power Clear Scrub

I rarely do skincare reviews because I am no skincare expert and I am still looking for what works and improves my skin. But this product from Neutrogena is one that I enjoy very much. I have dry skin and most cleansers/exfoliators dry it out excessively and do more harm than good. My skin gets dry in areas, but I do break out as well, along my chin mostly. I bought this product a few months ago after reading great reviews of it. Most of the stuff I have used from Neutrogena has worked out well for me so I was hoping for this one too. I don't remember how much this was, probably about $10 CAD at drugstores. There is an entire line of this acne-stress stuff so you can get the whole routine if you are interested.

This product claims to: 'clear oil instantly, fight breakouts and gently exfoliate without over-drying. Creamy formula with skin smoothers, including green tea and cucumber. Softens skin while microbeads exfoliate. For the treatment of acne.' I know skincare is tricky because one product may work for one person and then not the other. We all have different needs and skin types. This does contain 2% salicylic acid which is the acne fighter in here, 2% is pretty standard for drugstore products. It has menthol too which leaves your skin with that minty fresh feel. I did use the grapefruit acne-stress scrub before and I found that it irritated my skin and I wasn't a fan of it, despite it being pink and smelling really great!

Here is what it looks like, a thick green consistency with small blue-green beads throughout. I only use a pea-sized amount to cover my entire face and then rub in circular motions, leave it on for a a minute or so (hoping that helps the salicylic acid to absorb) and then wash it off. This product smells good and is gentle on my skin.

The best part of this product for me was that it did not dry out my face. I use it 3x a week and my skin does not feel tight or dry afterwards, which is a huge thing for me. Now the packaging suggests that this "helps prevent acne even before it emerges", this is a hard one to judge because you do not know if zits were going to come out before they do. If you regularly get zits and this helped you out, please let me know below. I am not a good judge of that because I break out in one area, my chin and it's quite problematic, using this product solely for a week or two now, I haven't found new monsters on my face.

Have you used this product? Did it work for you?

Review: Clean and Clear Persa-Gel 5

This is like a miracle worker for destroying acne flareups. I have used several spot treatment products such as Clean and Clear's Advantage Acne Spot Treatment and Neutrogena's Rapid Clear Acne Eliminating Spot Gel, but this one has given me the best results. This product is described on the Clean and Clear website as "This #1 pharmacist-recommended acne treatment contains maximum strength Benzoyl Peroxide acne medication. The unique formula goes to work immediately, releasing the medicine deep into the pores where pimples start." It contains 5% Benzoyl Peroxide, which is a medication that helps fight acne-causing bacteria, and helps to eliminate and prevent acne.

I have to admit, I have had more acne in my mid-late 20's then I ever did in my teen years, and the majority of it is on my chin. I have an area on my chin where they always pop up, and it's a constantly healing while new acne forms type of disaster area. It really bothers me because I generally do not break out anywhere else and my skin is quite dry. Dry skin gets acne too though, believe it or not. And the zits on my chin are the painful, under the skin types that linger. I have read that many women in my age group experience the same problems and apparently it's caused by hormones. I am not currently on any birth control and have not been for years, so I don't know what is causing it. I have tried peppermint tea (read that helps somewhere), wash my face twice a day, exfoliate regularly, and do not wear makeup unless I need to. I think maybe the cause is how I constantly switch my products around, I should really stick to one skincare line or product and let my skin adjust. I am not dermatologist though, I am just learning on my own. If anyone here has pointers, please let me know.

Anyway, now that the nastiness is over, Clean and Clear Persa-Gel 5 for me is a wonderful product. This was about $8 at Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada. It has 5% Benzoyl Peroxide and as far as I know, in Canada we don't have the 10% available over the counter. I would of tried that one instead, does the 10% work better? The Persa-Gel comes in a squeezy tube, the product itself is a white substance, I just squeeze out a tiny about and dab it on the monsters and blend it in. I have read that people use this all over their face everyday, I've only used it for spot treatment. Is it safe to use all over your face? seems like it would dry out a lot.

I got a new one of those under the chin pimples (to add to the collection) and put this on over night. In the morning, the swelling and size went down a lot, it's still there but greatly improved. The only thing is, this will dry out the area around the zit. I noticed once it dried, it left a kind of white powdery residue, which is definitely a downside to this product, but if you use it at night, this isn't a problem at all. I did find that after using it for a few days, the zit would bleed too, not sure if that is normal. If I push down on it too, I can feel fluid inside which is what is still causing the zit to be there. With repeated use, the zit will clear up altogether I think. Skincare is a very personal thing and varies person to person, but for me, this product works.

Have you tried this product? What is your favourite acne-fighting product?

Review: Neutrogena Oil Free Fresh Moisture

I have been going back to using this moisturizer lately as my daily moisturizer. The Neutrogena Oil Free Fresh Moisture is a really nice moisturizer, and I have not seen many reviews on it so here is mine. It's nice for summer because it has that cooling and fresh texture. A lot of people claim this doubles up as a primer too because it gives your face a nice base for foundation to adhere to.

I like this moisturizer most because it's blue! no really, I think that's cool, but I like the gel-like consistency that it gives. I find that some moisturizers you have to blend well or else you get that sticky wet consistency, but I find with this one you only need a small amount and it dries quickly.

Neutrogena is a brand that I trust for skincare because I have got good results from it in the past. This product is oil-free which means it won't leave that greasy feel on your skin. It feels like an ultra-light moisturizer meaning it gives moisture to your skin, but in a light and fresh way, does not feel thick or cakey at all. It doesn't however contain any SPF so please note that. I think it would be great for those with oily skin because it isn't a thick moisturizer, for me, with dry skin, it works well in the summer months when my skin isn't as dry as it usually is.

I can still find this readily in Canada, but I am reading that this may be discontinued? Please let me know if you have any information. I think it's funny that I find a product which I like and it's not being sold anymore.

Collective Haul #1

Some items that I've picked up throughout the past few weeks. I am a total sucker for bargains and I will always look in the makeup section of grocery stores and scourer the racks for sales. I use coupons regularly too, cause it's always nice to not have to pay full price for stuff. I will try to include the prices below.

Just a quick rundown:
- Neutrogena Moisturizer SPF 20 and cleanser was $11 together on clearance (50% off, with the cleanser being a free bonus)
- Aveeno Moisturizer SPF 30 was 50% off reduced $13.
- Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptuous $8 - $1 coupon
- Maybelline Age Rewind Foundation $6 reduced - $3 coupon
- Maybelline Age Rewind Double Perfector $4 reduced - $3 coupon
- Maybelline Peach Satin Blush $7 - $3 coupon
- Maybelline Dream Mousse Concealer $7 - $3 coupon
- Benefit Erase Paste $30 full price
- Benefit Lemon Aid $14 plus shipping on Amazon (free with swagbucks)
- L'oreal Insta-Dri nail polishes $6 each
- Maybelline The Falsies Mascara $3.99 on sale - $1 coupon

This isn't to brag, just to use you guys what I've been purchasing lately and to get an idea of what you'd be interested in seeing reviews of, if you want me to review anything, just comment below thanks.

Review: Neutrogena Healthy Skin Liquid Makeup

Let me get to the point, is this a dupe for NARS Sheer Glow? I think it's similar in that it gives a dewy-type finish, supposed to be good for your skin, similar lightweight and silky consistency, but I prefer my NARS leaps and bounds over this, it is my holy grail foundation, super high quality and I love wearing it. The Neutrogena is good, but not as good.

In Canada, we do not carry any Neutrogena makeup, only skincare, so I made sure that I picked up the Neutrogena Healthy Skin Makeup while I was in the states recently. I am jealous of americans having access to all this Neutrogena stuff, their products are really nice. It was $11.99 at Ulta (versus $40 for the NARS).

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Makeup in Classic Ivory (left), NARS Sheer Glow in Gobi (on right)

Colour match: I picked up the lightest colour they had, 10 Classic Ivory (I wear Gobi in the NARS). It matches pretty well, but it is more pink/neutral than the NARS, which is yellowish. I have a hard time finding drugstore foundations that match my skin, the colour selection of this foundation is small and it may be hard to find your colour, especially if you have dark skin.

Coverage: The NARS gives more coverage, and for me that is the biggest thing, but the Neutrogena provides good coverage too. Both make you feel like you aren't wearing any makeup. If you build up the Neutrogena, you can achieve a similar effect.

Application: Both blend nicely. I have dry-ish skin and both apply fine on me and look great. I use bronzer on top of this, I don't feel like I need to set it necessarily, but I prefer to.

Appearance: The Neutrogena can look ashy on me overtime, the NARS gives a smoother appearance and stays better, without moving or separating throughout the day, but it can start looking yellow on me over time, this isn't something others will notice however. I've heard that the Neutrogena does not photograph as nicely as the NARS, I tried it and yes, you get that white cast!

SPF: Neutrogena Yes (SPF 20), Nars No.

Packaging: It sucks on both foundations, they have no pumps and just a pour top.

I had huge expectations for this Neutrogena foundation after hearing repeated claims on youtube that it was a dupe for the NARS. I had already purchased the NARS previous to this, so for me I wasn't really concerned about it being a dupe, since I had the real thing, but I was still curious. I think the Neutrogena is a nice foundation on it's own, if you can't justify spending so much on the NARS, cause it is expensive, and have access to the Neutrogena I say get it, cause it's good, but the NARS is lovely and I put it on it's own pedestal. ;)

The Importance of Sunscreen

Warm weather calls for sunscreen, although it's not just summer when you should be wearing it, it's important to wear it year round to prevent early onsets of aging, skin damage and other bad stuff. I am guilty of not wearing sunscreen year-round I admit it. On the weekend, we went out to the beach for fireworks, it was Victoria Day for those in Canada, and I was out all day in the sun. Granted I had an spf 15 face moisturizer and spf 6 in my foundation, but I could still feel my face was a bit hot at the end of the day. What sunscreens do you use? which ones are your favourite? I want one a light feeling one, with no funky smell.

The ones I have currently are:

The Body Shop Vitamin E SPF 15 Moisture Lotion: "Moisturize and protect your skin from the sun and damaging environmental aggressors with a lightweight, easily-absorbed, SPF lotion." I find this too thick for summer, I should of bought the Vitamin C one (I have it somewhere, but lost it) as it's cooler feeling, or the Aloe one. However, I love the Vitamin E line and thought this would be good.

Coppertone Nutrishield SPF 70. I bought this last year, gotta check the expiry date to see if it's still good to use. However, I have the body one, instead of the visage and I find this too thick as well. This one is supposed to prevent premature aging waterproof and all that jazz.

 

Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 15: This one is nice, I like the pump and it's not too thick. They have an spf 50 one too.

Aveeno Ultra-Calming Daily Moisturizer SPF 15: Nice pump on this one too, not crazy about the texture either. I want to try the Aveeno Continuous Protection Sunblock with SPF 30 for Face (pictured below). Or the Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunblock.

Haul from Chicago Trip

So I came back from Chicago yesterday and I thought I would show all the goodies that I got. The trip was made a lot more bearable by my cousin taking us around Chicago. We walked a lot, so much that I got blisters on my feet. But it's all good cause it was a good time. Maybe I'll post some photos of the scenery that I took, Chicago is really nice.

Onto the makeup.. we went to Walgreens, CVS, Ulta, Target, Marshalls.. didn't hit up a CCO unfortunately, but it was fine cause I spend too much money on everything anyway.

Left to Right: Revlon Foundation Brush, Sonia Kashuk Powder, Blush and Mineral Flat Top Brush, Sonia Kashuk Blending Sponge, Revlon Colorburst Lipsticks in Soft Nude and Baby Pink, Neutrogena Healthy Skin Makeup, Revlon Lipgloss in Lilac Pastelle, Revlon Spa Concealer, Revlon Colorstay Mousse Foundation, American Apparel Nail Polishes (Peacock, Mount Royal, Dynasty and Office), Cover Girl Lash Blast Fusion and Urban Decay Primer Potion XL in Sin.

I had to go to two Targets to get the Sonia Kashuk stuff, their brushes seem really popular, they are pricey for a drugstore brand though. And the blending sponge is cool, I've never seen those here, except Sephora and I don't have one near me, hence why I bought the Urban Decay Primer Potion XL as well.

The Lash Blast Fusion was really neat to see, only one Walgreens had it (we went to a couple), and we definitely don't have it in Canada yet, so that was cool. I think Walgreens is like Shoppers Drug Mart in Canada because it's on like every corner. Same with the Revlon brush and Revlon Colorburst lipsticks, and mousse foundation, we don't carry those.  And I was pleased to see one Lilac Pastelle lipgloss (from the Daydream collection) which was tucked in with the regular lipglosses, I snapped that up pretty fast! :D

We went to an Ulta too, it's kind of like Sephora or the beauty boutique section in Shoppers Drug Mart, there is a section for every brand and sales people standing around ready to help you. The one we went to had an upstairs too and that had drugstore brands and I got the Neutrogena healthy skin there, which I am excited to try out. We don't carry any Neutrogena makeup in Canada.

We have American Apparel in Canada, but not near me, so I picked up some polishes, they were 3 for $15. I got 4 cause I had trouble deciding which ones. I had Metro Chic on and wanted to get the Factory Grey colour and my sister was like... that one looks just like the polish you are wearing and Peacock looks like Suzy Says Feng Shui, if only she knew how many similar colours and dupes I had in my collection! And no, they are not the exact same.

All in all, I am happy with the items I got, I didn't see the L'oreal North Fork dupes anywhere! So I couldn't get them and didn't see the EOS lipglosses either. I will be reviewing these products as I use them. I will swatch the polishes next...

Oh, I also got one Milani nail polish in Pink Rocks, it's a neon colour and hated it so much, it has this weird gradient effect purple by the cuticles and more vibrant pink as it goes along to the nail line... eww and it wasn't cheap either. I should of opted for the Sinful Colors neons, they were only $1.99 at Walgreens...  And I saw a lot of girls wearing neon colours in Chicago, I guess it's "in".

Canadian Girl Going to the US: Shopping List

In terms of makeup, the US gets a lot of products that we get late here in Canada, or that we never see at all. I am going to Illinois this week, and I have a couple of items in mind that I want to pick up. However, I am at the mercy of my relatives, so if they choose to take me around, I will get stuff, otherwise nothing. ;)

Some of the items that I want to get/ aka Hit List:

* Neutrogena Healthy Skin Makeup - Canada doesn't get ANY neutrogena makeup products, only skincare, and this foundation is suppose to be lovely, so definitely want to get this.

 * Revlon Colorburst Lipsticks - haven't seen these in Canada yet either, and lots of people like them.

* Eos lipbalms - Were these the ones that Oprah raved about? It's like a lipbalm in an egg-shaped container.

* Sonia Kashuk brushes - Sonia is a Target brand? We don't get these at all here either.

* Hard Candy nail polishes - I remember years and years back I had some of these, we don't get them in Canada, I don't think.

 (image borrowed from Steph's Closet)

* L'oreal Passport to Paradise nail polishes - These are the Essie North Folk dupes, haven't seen them here either.

More than anything, I just want to hit up a CCO (Cosmetics Company Outlet), I would be like a kid in a candy store! The closest one to me here is in Niagara Falls (US side), not that far, but I don't think my bf would be too thrilled about driving there just to get makeup!

What drugstores are good to hit up for good bargains and selection? Ulta? Target? Walgreens? Rite Aid? To my american readers, please let me know!!!!! Thanks!