The Drugstore Wonder - Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream SPF 15

The Asian continent used to be the primary producer of high quality and high performance skin-perfecting BB Creams. The main characteristic of these "real deals"  is the unique combination of skin-loving ingredients, replenishing minerals and skin-perfecting sheer tint, which when combined not only even out your skin-tone but also work to heal any skin imperfections. Essentially the BB Cream can be classified as sheer makeup that covers, polishes and ultimately cares for your skin - all at the same time! Most BB Creams are suitable for all skin types but acne-prone will especially benefit from the blemish treatment found in almost every formula. 

The Western world definitively had to be schooled in the formulation of these makeup-skincare hybrid wonders which of course led to a whole slew of brands tripping over themselves to release their own signature BB Creams formulas. 

Having used some of the popular Korean BB Creams with wonderful results I was curious to see how the Western formulas compared to their original predecessors, counting availability as one of the obvious perks for someone who prefers instant access to beauty  products as opposed to tracking things on Ebay

The Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfector BB Cream ($12.99) came highly recommended by a lot of beauty bloggers and after testing it for a few weeks now I can definitively join the Garnier Rave Choir. This particular dermatologist tested Garnier BB Cream comes in three shades - Fair, Medium/Deep and Dark. 

Official Description;

Save time with just one multi-benefit product that offers advanced skincare + immediate skin perfecting coverage. This hybrid formula renews radiance, brightens complexion, evens skin tone, hydrates and protects with SPF15 UVA/UVB sunscreen. Get results you can see and feel instantly.

Ingredients;

Active: Octinoxate 4%. Inactive: Water, Isononyl Isononanoate, Isohexadecane, Glycerin, Alcohol Denat., PEG-20 Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Cetyl Palmitate, Nylon-12, Cyclohexasiloxane, Propylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Polyisobutene, Stearyl Alcohol, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Phenoxyethanol, Fragrance, Caprylyl Glycol, Lithum Magnesium Sodium Silicate, Disodium EDTA, Linalool, Benzyl Salicylate, Limonene, Caffeine, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Benzyl Alcohol, Geraniol, Cellulose Acetate Butyrate, Polyphosphorylcholine Glycol Acrylate, Citral, Ammonium Polyacryloyldimethyl Taurate, Polyvinyl Alcohol, Sodium Chloride, Butylene Glycol, Sodium Hyaluronate. [May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides].

Garnier claims that their BB Cream will renew, brighten, hydrate, even and protect your complexion from the damaging sun rays, preventing hyper-pigmentation and contributing some basic anti-aging abilities.

I am not entirely convinced that this formula actually renews anything but I can certainly vouch for the brightening, hydrating, protecting and skin-tone evening promises. 

I would place this makeup hybrid between a light coverage foundation and a tinted moisturizer leaning more towards the latter. The finish it gives off is very reminiscent of a tinted moisturizer as it's more of a dewy glow. The formula is very hydrating and so much so that I would only recommend using this if you have combination, normal or dry skin. 

Its creamy consistency and texture is very easy to blend though not buildable. After testing it for a few days (and paying attention!) I've come to the conclusion that the dewy glow lasts about six hours without any fading, melting or blotchiness, however the longevity increases to about eight to ten hours with just a light dusting of setting powder.

I should mention that the liquid has a subtle floral scent that dissipates within about 5 minutes of application, which means that even those sensitive to fragrance scents can use it comfortably with no irritation. 

Overall, it's a winner in my book. It's ideal for lightweight weekend wear, falling into the category of "my skin but better" radiance boosting type of product. 

In my opinion the Garnier Skin Renew Miracle Skin Perfecter BB Cream SPF 15 ($12.99) is comparable to a lot of other higher-priced Asian BB Cream and the fact that its sold in almost every drugstore chain makes it even more appealing!

Have you tried the Garnier BB Creams? Do you have a favorite BB Cream? Please share! 

Thank you for reading and stopping by!

XOXO

ANJA

Review - Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo

Last month I went a little crazy in the hair care department.
After posting my "simple hair routine" based on the Moroccan Oil range, something terrible got triggered and suddenly I decided that I "needed" more products to add to the regiment even though it was working perfectly.
I invested in several expensive products that had great reviews and luckily they didnt disappoint in the least. However the cheapest purchase was the one that impressed me the most. Go figure!

Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo ($5.99 for 3.4 oz) was a brand new discovery for me, bought on a whim at Walmart after I noticed their huge display in the beauty department.
I had used Garnier Fructis Hair Care Products in the past but in this case I wasn't even aware that Garnier made dry shampoo and seeing how I was going to an unplanned sleepover that very night, picking it up was a perfect opportunity for testing purposes.

My usual dry shampoos of choice is Batiste ($7.99 for 6.73 oz) and Cake Beauty ($18.00 for 50g), which of course work beautifully but the Garnier version was by far superior to them.
I literally did not know what I was missing!

Official Description;
Looking for a fast way to refresh and extend your volume?
This dry shampoo, containing a blend of orange citrus and grape extract, immediately refreshes and bodifies lifeless locks, instantly creating volume you can see and feel.

Directions For Use;
Shake well before use. Hold can 6-8 inches from head and spray evenly to dry hair. Comb through to remove.

Key Ingredients;
Orange Citrus
Grape Extract 

The Garnier Fructis Hair Care Range bases all of their products on the concept of Fortified Fruit Science, which means that their formulations include fruit extracts, fruit essential oils and natural fragrances. Even though I prefer "clean" products when it comes to my cosmetic/& beauty needs I can commend Garnier for at least heading in the right direction.
I also can't exactly argue with the results and how my hair felt and looked after just one (clumsy) try!

My hair is typically Mediterranean, dark brown, thick, coarse and long so the "volume" factor of the Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo really couldnt be evaluated by me but I have heard from others that its pretty impressive in that aspect as well.

Since I only use the dry shampoo occasionally and only to extend a blow-out or delay washing my hair for a day at most, my experience with the method of application is not all that extensive and I am always worried about the white residue.
Luckily this dry shampoo was extremely user-friendly and probably the easiest to brush out. After a few quick strokes my hair was left refreshed, shiny, soft and lightly fragranced. Even though I prefer sweet, gourmand-like scents when it comes to perfume I find that for hair fragrance light fruity notes work better with my body chemistry. The orange blossom scent of the Fructis Dry Shampoo is lovely and light enough so it doesnt compete or overpower the fragrance of choice for that day.

*Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo Commercial

Trying the Garnier Fructis Dry Shampoo was a huge success for me and it impressed me more than some products that cost a lot more than this. It was a very pleasant reminder that the drugstore is filled with excellent budget beauty products that deliver the results they promise even at such low prices.

The whole experience has even inspired me to explore some other value options that have intrigued me for a long time now.
Saving money, new beauty products and promised results are always a great a combination!

Thank you for reading?

Have you tried the Garnier Fructis Volume Extend Instant Bodifier Dry Shampoo? 
What is your favorite dry shampoo?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)

The Princeza Guide to Morning Beauty

Apparently you guys loved reading about my bedtime beauty ridiculousness and even though I was almost expecting to have to dodge my little vain head, the response was quite the opposite :-) I might have finally stumbled upon a little slice of this sparkly universe that really understands the feel only a "beauty product" can fool you into and just how comforting a swipe of rose-scented lip treatment can be at the end of a hard day. More importantly my need to over-complicate and over-do anything and everything was not mocked (yay!)

I guess The Princeza Guide to Bedtime Beauty was such a hit that I received quite a bit of emails for an "encore" of sorts however despite the fact that my attention span sometimes resembles that of a goldfish, my 

bedtime routine hasn't changed enough to do a repeat (just yet!) but ever the clever goldfish I am, I came up with an equally complicated (or more?) substitute - Guide to Morning Beauty post. 

So after a night of annoying tossing & turning, unladylike-like sleeping positions, candy-colored kitty (don't ask - i am the weird one!) filled dreams and the occasional creepy nightmare any Princeza worth her crown will need to preform a series of pre-determined tasks that are pretty much required for her to be at least presentable. That's the plan of course, however this does not work out very often and i guess the key feature being is that its at least pre-determined :-) 

The success rate also depends on how early it is, where I have to be that day, the temperature outside, how long will I be away from my abode and how comfortable my bed feels that particular morning. I think we have already established that my high-maintenance nature guarantees that I am bound to be on the lazy side as well so getting out of bed and moving is not my strong point. Beauty products I love using definitively help in that particular department. 

Once again lets break this into steps so the over-complication can be easier to understand!

Shopping Bags For Your Morning Eye Bags

Whether you partied the night away, won the "black-eye" genetic jackpot or mother nature simply refused your sleep request last night, there is no worse start to your beautification routine than having to deal with really-puffy eye syndrome. Your regular eye cream might be able to help disguise some of the lovely purple shading but no matter how good the formula is, its not going to be able to deal  with the puffiness under the eyes one bit. You will need something more powerful, targeted and a lot more specific to banish the dreaded eye "pouf" on those mornings and I being who I am have a number of tried&tested remedies that work every time without a lot of frill or fuss to it 

Mornings that are puffy, sleepy and pressed for time as well I always reach for an eye-serum roller-ball that is usually  in the fridge for that extra icy boost to the the refreshing massaging action under the eye. It literally takes about 60 seconds of quick press action to see results, break-up the "pouf" and wake me up a little more too.

Daytime Beauty Eyes with Live Clean, Frownies, Duwop

My top pics and ones that never disappoint are Garnier Skin Renew Anti-Dark Circle Eye Roller ($12.99), Aveeno Smart Essentials Anti-Fatigue Eye Treatment ($11.99) and Live Clean Fresh Face De-Puffing Roller Eye Treatment ($21.29)

Mornings that are more lazy, on the weekends or on special occassion days I will bring out the big guns and actually use a treatment to really cool and de-compress the entire eye area. The best stuff is natural of course so if there is time and cucamber/tea bag relaxation session is your best bet however these products really are a the next best thing - Skyn Iceland Hydro Cool Firming Eye Gels ($30.00 for 8), Frownies Eye Gels ($29.99) and my all-time favorite Duwop Igels ($25.00)

The Cleansing Party 
Since the Bedtime Beauty Routine already involves a heavy duty cleansing routine followed by a very specific line-up of hydrating-rejuvenating treatments I try to keep my morning cleanse very gentle and as simple as my Princeza genes allow. This includes a generous spray of hydrating thermal mineral water (maid of the mist) to start things off with a grime-neutralizing step which is then followed by a gentle cleanse, pairing  my Clarisonic with a mild non-stripping cleanser. I used to stick to just micellar waters and wipes in the mornings but since i stepped up my cleansing party I find my skin quality has greatly improved.

Morning Cleanse with Omorovicza, Pai Skincare, Mario Badescu Skin Care

The best ones I have used are Omorovicza Cleansing Foam ($75.00 for 5 oz, review here!), Mario Badescu Glycolic Foaming Cleanser ($15.00 for 6 oz) and my current favorite Pai Camellia & Rose Organic Facial Cleanser ($50.00 for 100ml).
The combination of the Clarisonic and gentle cleansing action means that my complexion will be exfoliated gently, cleansed and refreshed, ultimately ready to receive my daytime products with the renewed gusto only clean pores can provide.

To Tone Or Not to Tone 

I have always used some kind of toning step or even an astringent so skipping it makes me feel awkward or like I am missing out on something. Since the discovery of exfoliating toners and all their amazing benefits (see here) I can't see myself skipping this step anytime soon. It might not be a must-have part of a skincare regiment and I wouldn't endorse it just for the sake of using yet another product but for me there are obvious benefits so I continue to make time for it (its only takes 10 seconds tops!).
Besides I am probably brainwashed into it at this point but at least its a good kind of habit to "get into"!

Skin Toners with Biologique Recherche, Clarins Skin Spa, Pixi

My favorites continue to be the Pixi Glow Tonic (review here!), Biologique Recherche (review here!) and Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner (review here!) but my recent discovery Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic might be taking over pretty soon.

Protection Serums Are a Go! 

Just because I tend to go overboard during my Nighttime routine you would think I would try to take it easy and skip a step or two during the day! Um nope! My facial serum choices shift from rejuvenation and renewal at night to protection and radiance during the day because I feel it's important to have all my skincare needs and basis covered. However daytime serums also have to be light, fast absorbing and layer friendly. Since I will be adding a moisturizer, a sunscreen and possibly even makeup on top, this means that all of these need to play well together and one "pilling" culprit can wreck the entire process completely and that can really suck if you don't have time for the reset button. 

Serums that fit really good in my routine are - an old stand-by Indeed Laboratories Hydraluron ($19.99 for 1 oz, review here!), Biotherm Source Therapie 7 ($64 for 50ml) and Trilogy CoQ10 Booster Serum ($44.00 for 20ml)

Hydration with Indeed Labs, Trilogy, Biotherm

Hydration and More Hydration
Everyone has to moisturize every day is a statement we can all agree on (even you oily skin gals!) and not just to soften and hydrate the skin surface. Properly moisturized skin cells are balanced, plump, comfortable, renewed and strengthened but more importantly hydrated skin is stronger and finds it easier to renew itself over time. Its kind of like skin insurance if you know what I mean.
Canadian weather can go from one extreme to another quite frequently and if you have sensitive-reactive skin like me then you already know what kind of havoc that can cause! I try to keep the reactivity in check by keeping a variety of skin moisturizers in my arsenal to fill and fix any need my skin cells come up every day.
Taking sunscreen into consideration, which is worn separately if I am not wearing makeup, my favorite moisturizing creams are Oskia Nutri-Active Day Cream ($85.00), Zelens Z Matrix Energy & Moisture Infusion ($140) and Vichy Aqualia Thermal Balm ($24.99).

Bonus Morning Brownie Points 
If my facial moisturizer doesnt already have a sunscreen built in I normally apply a light layer in the morning even if I don't plan on being outside for too long - remember skin cancer and the leathery look will never be trendy (i hope!).
The best ones I have found are Clarins Sun Wrinkle Control SPF 15 ($34.00) and Supergoop Endless Summer SPF 30 ($45.11).
On the days I don't have to wear makeup but want to be somewhat polished then my beloved tinted moisturizers are the key because when paired with the right cream-based blush I can end up looking healthy and "glowy" even though I might not feel that way. My current obsession is the Hourglass Illusion Tinted Moisturizer ($64.00) and its a perfection in a tube which I will review very soon!


Other bonus point tasks include a layer of hydration and protection by Nuxe Reve de Miel Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm ($19.99, review here!) or the Josie Maran Argan Lip Treatment Duo ($34.00) for the lips and when i am feeling extremely ambitious some lash and brow TLC conditioning by Lashem Eyelash Boosting Serum ($70).

Bonus Brownie Points Beauty with Hourglass, NUXE , Lashem

The obligatory perfume spray of my signature PRADA Candy ($96.00 for 1.7 oz, review here!) is the finishing touch regardless of whether I am staying in or out.
Its cheesy I know but it really does complete me!

I hope you enjoyed yet another glimpse it to my completely over-saturated beauty world - please tell me if i need to add any more things to this routine! I feel like i can always elevate it you know...

What is your favorite part of morning beauty routines?

XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-) 

Body Care Gems - Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil

This product is not currently available for purchase in North America (why Garnier, why?) Its not primarily a hair styling product but a multitasking skin oil that can be used on both body and hair.

This light weight oil is said to be 5 times more concentrated in nutrients than any of Garnier's body lotions and enriched with 4 precious oils - Argan, Macadamia, Almond and Rose. The scent is pretty subtle and lingers only slightly on the skin. It claims to hydrate, illuminate and perfect skin tone.
As a big fan of "oils" in general once I heard about this I knew I would have to find a way to get it. Mine comes from feelunique but this can easily found in almost all UK drugstores, like Boots. The comparison to Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse comes to mind however the Nuxe is a dry-oil whereas Garnier doesn't fall completely into that category.

I prefer the Nuxe dry-oil because I love the fragrance a lot more but this Beauty Oil definitively delivers when it comes to moisture and lets face it its a lot cheaper as well. The pump spray is actually perfect and distributes the oil quite well, absorbs very quickly and leaves a slight sheen on the skin surface. I can see this looking amazing in the summer on slightly tanned-bronzed skin!

Ingredients;
Argan, Macadamia, Almond and Rose Precious Oils

Garnier Ultimate Beauty Oil ($11.22 for 150ml) is not available in North America (yet?) but can be purchased at FeelUnique here.
*They have free International Shipping on all orders, regardless on what your total is! Now, how amazing is that?


Speaking of Summer - I cant wait! Any amazing Summer plans (beauty or otherwise)?


XOXO

ANJA

P.S. If you enjoyed this post and want some more Princeza Beauty Musings, please consider following me through GFC, Bloglovin, Pinterest or Twitter! Insert "happy dance" here :-)