Silk Naturals- Haul and First Impressions

This is the first time I've purchased from Silk Naturals and I'm pretty excited about it. Silk Naturals is an all natural brand with well thought-out ingredient choices and lots of vegan options. It has both a wide selection of skin care and make-up for very reasonable prices. They also have samples of many of their products which is great if you just want to see if your skin reacts well or if you like a certain formula.

For skin care I decided to try a sample of their 8% Lactic Acid AHA toner, and I got my mom a sample of their Facelift serum.

Make-up wise, I purchased two lip products- one in their Velvet Matte Lipstick formula- Garter, and the other in their Kisser Slicker formula, Asset. For eyeshadow I got their Howl eyeshadow- a light lilac with blue shift, as well as a sample of their Ozone shadow and a gift with purchase shadow called Desire. I also decided to try a couple of their Perfecting Glow powders which I got in sample sizes of Close-up and Liberty. I also bought a sample size of their Oil Control Primer Powder (missing from top picture).

Garter, is a lipstick in the Velvet Matte Lipstick formula, and a lovely my lips but better light mauve shade. The Velvet Matte Lipstick is a nice cushiony formula, with opaque coverage. I personally wouldn't qualify it as a matte lipstick, except that it does hang around for longer than something that feels this nice usually does. From what I've seen so far it isn't transfer-proof but I like the one I purchased and would be interested in trying more from the formula.

Top: Asset, Bottom: Garter

Asset is from the Kisser Slicker line, a sort-of balm and a lip-gloss together. It's a sheer juicy berry shade that I'm really digging. It's what I wished Black Honey from Clinique had looked like, so I'm really pleased. I'm planning on using it in an upcoming look. I haven't tried this one out as much but I do like the formula even though it doesn't last as long as the Velvet Matte Lipstick does.

                                                                               The Oil Control Primer Powder is a white powder than when dusted on goes transparent. The two times I tried I didn't find that it helped all that much with oil control, but I do have very oily skin. I'll keep experimenting with it but so far I'm not sure I'll repurchase.

Clockwise from far left: Ozone, Howl, Liberty, Dearest, Close-Up

L-R: Close-Up over primer, Close-Up blended, Liberty over primer, Liberty blended

The Perfecting Glow powders I've not been able to give a proper try yet, but I'm pretty excited to try them out. I'm hoping they'll give a similar effect to the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powders. Liberty is a gold with the smallest sparks of shimmer. Close-up is a white-tan/gold with more of a sheen than a sparkle. I'll be doing a review on these two once I get the chance to play with them a bit.

Ozone eyeshadow

L-R: Howl, Dearest eyeshadows

I received three eyeshadows, one I purchased, one gift with purchase because I spent over $10 USD, and one free sample that comes with every order. Ozone was a surprise, as in the bag it doesn't look like much but watched it's a rose-brown with strong blue reflect. Howl is a very light fairly sheer lilac with a blue shift. Lastly is Dearest a matte rose-brown (a tad rosier in real life than the picture). I'm now interested in more of their matte shades.

I haven't had long enough to really see results from the skin care but the AHA Toner is 8% Lactic acid and only has a very slight smell to it. It's liquid like water and I don't get any stinging when I apply it. The Facelift Serum is slightly more gel-like in texture. I've given it to my mother so I'll hear back from her on the results.

That's it, what do you think? I'm for sure going to be purchasing from Silk Naturals again. Have you purchased from Silk Naturals before? I'm excited to test drive these some more, let me know if you want something reviewed further.

Disclaimer: I purchased all these products myself, except for the gift with purchase and sample eyeshadows that everyone receives when they order over a certain amount.

Awesome new things out for Spring!

This new release is the Clinique Pore Refining Solutions Correcting Serum. This has been getting raves already, so I'm super excited to find a sample of this to try! It's a pore minimizer that is supposed to show instant and work for long term results! The best of both worlds. However, it's expensive so I want to give it a try first- $39.50 USD for 1 oz. (Ouch!) It's also supposed to make the skin feel tighter/younger over time as well.


This are new out too! Much like the Stila convertible colours these are Too Faced Full Bloom Lip and Cheek Colours! I adore the name as the colours really do resemble roses and other flowers out in force! It comes in three shades, I'll definitely have to swatch these soon! These hold 0.16 oz of product and are $21 USD.  There are a bunch of specialty ingredients in this including Vitamins, flower extracts and avocado!


In three similar colours as the Full Bloom Lip and Cheek Colours, these powder blushes by Too Faced are called the Full Bloom Ultra Flush Blushes! Man what a mouthful! Supposably these blushes also contain an ingredient meant to help hydrate skin and improve the production of elastin (the stuff in you skin that prevents wrinkles). These are 0.14 oz for $19 USD.


Josie Maran has just released a bunch of new items including a cleansing oil and this her Argan Oil Sun Protection in SPF 30. An all natural sunscreen with her signature Argan Oil ingredient in it. I'd like to try some of this to see how it compares to my favourite facial sunscreen. It's $24 USD for 4 oz of product. This is pretty much her sensitive skin version, she has another similar product out that is SPF 40 that is supposed to double as a primer as well. I'll have to see how that fares too!

Skincare Tools by clarisonic

Clarisonic has released some awesome new Clarisonic Mia models this spring as well! Look at the Jaguar or the fresh spring green! Or the Limited Edition Hope is Beautiful one that Clarisonic will give a donation to a charity towards helping cancer stricken women feel like themselves again. Yay! So much nicer colours than when I got my plain white one!


Urban Decay has finally switched over from their pretty but hard to use genie bottle Primer Potion packaging to a much more sanitary and efficient tube packaging! All four shades of Primer Potion are now available in the new squeeze tubes- Eden (matte yellowed nude), Greed (Shimmery Gold), Sin (Pink Shimmery Champagne), and the Original (Clear). Though, they have now gone up a dollar in price $19 USD. Though on the bright side they hold more going from 0.34 oz to 0.37 oz in size.
Urban Decay is releasing a bunch of other stuff soon, I'll let you know as soon as it's out! (New palette with new shades included and a Make-up bag included!)


Recently an entire new line has been introduced to Sephora called Bite. It looks kind of Gothic at first glance but it's not vampire oriented despite first impressions! It's all about superfruit like pomegrantes that have antioxidants. All their products are chalk full of them and they look wonderfully pigmented too! Can't wait to actually try some of these in person! The packaging and images look so luxe!


And last but not least is the new Make Up For Ever Uplights, illuminizers in a ton (8) different shades for highlighting from pearly white to bright pink to golden copper in shade! I'm thinking if you liked the cream blushes MUFE released a while ago, you're going to like these too!

That's it for now! Hope you enjoyed looking at some of the awesome new products out and about!

Murad Clarifying Cleanser~ Review

I've been using the Murad Clarifying Cleanser for about a year now in an attempt to find a good, gentle, acne fighting cleanser that doesn't smell bad and works well with my clarisonic. A harder feat to acomplish than one would think, especially when only using creulty-free companies. Murad however fits the bill nicely with this gel cleanser.
Using Salicylic Acid as the main acne fighting ingredient, when I place the smallest amount on my Clarisonic Mia and wash my face I get almost instant lather and a penetrative feeling in my skin if I leave the bubbles on for about 20 seconds. It doesn't smell strongly and it doesn't dry my skin out/strip it of moisture majorly when I use it either.
Also included in the ingredients are Camomile and Green Tea, both to help soothe the skin. I'm all for this added benefit even if I don;t notice a major difference. These are also why the gel has a slight yellow tinge.
One of the main downsides of this however is the price. At $26 USD for 6.75 oz it doesn't come cheaply and it doesn't do things that other less expensive drugstore options do just as well. For me, though I cringe at the the buying of each new bottle, I'm willing to pay for the creulty-free aspect, and I like the smell, texture and lathering ability of this one. On top of that you only need the smallest amount per use. I literally use about half a pea-size per wash and that is more than enough with my clarisonic. Sephora currently has a limited edition 12 oz for $35 USD which is a significantly better deal, but is only available online (which is a bummer if you live in Canada like me- shipping bites and the increased price sucks too).

Overall I like this cleanser. It's not a miracle worker, I still have acne and acne issues, but the consistency is nice and I don't gag and feel nauseaus from the smell like I did with my previous cleanser, I actually rather enjoy the smell.

Sprite Rating: 8/10- lost marks for price and the fact it doesn't clear my acne completely (which at this point seems like only a miracle will grant)
Will I buy again? Yes, though expensive I find the product to be of good quality so I'll most likely purchase it again.

Women's Multi-Vitamins and Minerals (and why you should take them!)

Image from Well.ca

Everyone always harks on and on about how you should take a multi-vitamin don't they? But what is rarely explained, I've found, is specifically why. What it's going to do for you and specifically which kind to take? Multi-Vitamins drastically differ from one another and honestly they don't tend to provide enough information to the general public. I found especially that they dumb it down so much the information is useless. Take a multi-vitamin is one of these statements. That's great and all but I'm healthy, I eat from all four food groups, so why do I want to spend money on something I need to do everyday I'm not going to enjoy? Today I'm hopefully going to tell you why. (And if you take a multi-vitamin already hopefully some other useful facts that will benefit you too!)

Firstly, the amount of vitamins you need changes throughout your life and whether you are male or female. All the recommendations I'm going to list are the amounts for adult premenopausal women so from around 18 - 50 years of age. Also if you're a smoker, pregnant or have any medical conditions your needs will vary. I'm not a doctor, (that's who is the most informed person you can ask is) and I don't know everything about vitamins and what you need. But, I do know Rexall here in Canada also has a free pharmacist service where they'll look at your medications and ask you questions to recommend vitamins that will help you. This post is just an overview to get you started.

Firstly, did you know that your body needs over 50 different vitamins, amino acids and minerals to function properly? I know I didn't until I took a nutrition course in University. I'm going to go over some main ones.

Image from Dead Sea Minerals website

Vitamin A (Code names: beta carotene, retinol, retinal, and retinoic acid)

What's it do for me? You all saw it coming, starting at the beginning of the alphabet, but Vitamin A has got major benefits. It helps you see better, have better more glowy skin, and keeps strong your teeth and bones. 

How much Daily? The minimum recommendation is 2310 IU or 700 mcg. 

Where can I get it? In fact, Vitamin A is the pigmented stuff in dark green and orange fruits and vegies. In other words the stuff that makes carrots orange! These are also excellent anti-oxidants which will help prevent the signs of aging. 1/2 a cup of carrot juice has 1,128 mcg or a 1/2 cup of cubed cantaloupe has 135 mcg.

Too Much! The maximum recommended amount is 3000 mcg or 10,000 IU. Too much Vitamin A isn't going to happen naturally (i.e. from your normal diet- unless of course you're eating only carrots), but taking multiple vitamins that have large Vitamin A amounts could cause liver problems and weaken your bones. 

Vitamin B1 (Also by the scientificy code name thiamine)

What's it do for me? You'd be surprised by how many multi-vitamins skip most of the B vitamins. Essentially this helps your metabolism and immune system. It converts sugars and fats into energy, helps maintain your nervous and muscular system function and boost your system to take on invaders like bacteria.

How much Daily? 1.1-1.4 mg minimum is recommended. 

Where can I get it? Whole grain products have it, but it's elsewhere too! 1/4 cup of macadamia nuts has 0.4 mg and 3 oz of pork tenderloin has 0.67 mg

Too Much! Although there is no upper limit established for this if you go too high it might cause you to feel stomach upset.

Vitamin B2 ( Code name: riboflavin)

What's it do for me? Does much the same thing as Vitamin B1 only through different pathways. (They make a great team!) Vitamin B2 changes food to fuel, maintains the nervous system and strengthens the immune system.

How much Daily? 1.1 mg minimum

Am I already getting it? B2 can be found in 1 egg at 0.2 mg and in 0.1 mg in 1 cup of steamed spinach. (Of course it can be in other places too!)

Too Much! No maximum, and no side effects from taking lots that I could find either. (Though like everything, I'm sure moderation is key :D)

Vitamin B3 (Code name: Niacin)

What's it do for me? I think the more accurate question here is what doesn't it do! This baby converts food into energy, lowers LDL cholesterol, helps regulate hormone production and strengthen your immune system. Talk about bang for your buck.

How much Daily? Minimum is 14mg

Where can I get it? One can of tuna (165g) has 22mg and 8 spears of asparagus (yum!) has 1.3mg.

Too Much! More than 50mg a day can cause tingling and burning sensations as well as feeling flushed or warm. 

Vitamin B6 (Code names: pyridoxine, pyridoxal, pyridoxamine)

What's it do for me? Lots. Did you know Vitamin B6 is responsible for making over 100 essential proteins in your body? It also helps you clot when you bleed, turns food into energy, maintains the nervous system, strengthens the immune system, the making of brain chemicals and red blood cells as well as keeping your blood sugar levels stable.

How much Daily? Minimum 1.2 mg-1.3 mg

Where can I get it? 1 banana has 0.7 mg, fortified cereals, and many fruits, vegetables, legumes, poultry and fish.

Too Much! 100 mg a day. Too much Vitamin B6 can cause nerve damage so don't go that high!

Vitamin B7 (Code names: biotin, Vitamin H)

What's it do for me? Ever hear of biotin for nails and hair? This one is famous in some circles for making nails and hair strong and shiny, as well as growing quicker! Vitamin B7 also converts food to energy, and helps prevent illness from invaders. 

How much Daily? 30 mcg

Where can I get it? 1 large egg (25mcg), 1 large avacado (6 mcg). Liver, yeast and egg yolk all contain rich sources of Vitamin B7.

Too Much! From what I've found, there is no too much! (Though don't go overboard)

Vitamin B12 

What's it do for me? Yet another vitamin that makes food into energy. This one also helps again with the immune system and helps the body produce red blood cells.

How much Daily? 2.4 mcg minimum

Where can I get it? 3oz of Salmon contains 5 mcg, and 1 cup of plain yogurt 1.4 mcg.

Too Much! According to scientific studies, B12 isn't toxic in high doses. (Yay!)

From Google Images

Vitamin C (Code name: L-ascorbic acid)

What's it do for me? This one is honestly my favourite. Vitamin C has got so many uses and personally I love the taste of the chewables. Another super vitamin this is actually the vitamin that makes the collagen in your skin. That's the stuff we tend to lose as we get older which causes wrinkles. Vitamin C also allows you to heal quicker, is an anti-oxidant, maintains and repairs bones, cartilage and teeth and has major immune system benefits. I'm not joking when I say if I take more of this when I'm sick I'll get better faster than if I don't.

How much Daily? The minimum recommended varies radically depending on who you're talking to it goes from 75mg and up. (Personally I take 750 mg a day- see it can vary a lot!)

Where can I get it? Citrus fruits and other fruits and veggies. 1 raw red pepper has 209 mg and 1 kiwi 71 mg.

Too Much! Don't go higher than 2000 mg a day. It can cause nausea and diarrhea.

Vitamin D (The sun Vitamin!)

What's it do for me? Most people don't get enough Vitamin D, especially in the darker winter months. Women especially need Vitamin D as it's a large component of calcium absorption. Without vitamin D, Calcium can't absorb no matter how much we take, which can lead to bone issues like Osteoporosis later on. Vitamin D also helps regulate your immune system.

How much Daily? Absolute minimum is 200 IU or 5 mcg, but is pending an increase.

Where can I get it? You do can a little from the sun on your skin but especially for those of us in Northern countries (like me and my fellow Canadians) this isn't enough! The best sources (that don't cause damage like the sun does!) are foods such as fish, yogurt, eggs, beef and milk.

Too Much! Maximum is 2000 IU, as more than that can cause nausea, vomiting, and heart issues (boo!)

Vitamin E

What's it do for me? Vitamin E is a big one for skin repair. It's a staple for many with stretch marks and scars. Vitamin E oil is also a good moisturizer (I like to use it under my eyes sometimes). It also helps ease inflammation, protect against cell damage (yes that means preventing signs of aging) and may help prevent heart disease.

How much Daily? 15 mg or 22.4 IU

Where can I get it? Nuts and veggies! 1 oz of almonds has 7.4 mg and 2 tablespoons of peanut butter has 2.9 mg.

Too Much! 1000 mg a day can increase your risk for blood hemorrhaging

Vitamin K

What's it do for me? Vitamin K is important for blood clotting and bone strength.

How much Daily? 70 - 90 mcg minimum

Where can I get it? Green leafy vegetables. 1 Cup of steamed kale has 1,062 mcg, and 1 cup of blueberries has 29 mcg.

Too Much! Nope, not even in high doses.

Image from The News Chronicle.com

Calcium

What's it do for me? Strengthens bones and muscle function. 

How much Daily? 1000 mg minimum, thats a lot!

Where can I get it? 1 cup of milk has 311 mg, it's also in other dairy products too. 

Too Much! 2500 mg or higher can cause kidney stones and interfere with the absorption of other essential minerals and nutrients.

Folic Acid (Code name: folate. This is the one highly recommended for women who are trying or are pregnant)

What's it do for me? Folic acid helps produce red blood cells, and reduces the odds of neural tube defects in fetus'. 

How much Daily? 400 mcg (600 mcg for pregnant women or those trying to become pregnant)

Where can I get it? More green vegetables! 4 asparagus spears have 85 mcg and 1 cup of raw spinach has 58 mcg.

Too Much! Not a concern. 

Iron (Code name: ferrin, ferrous)

What's it do for me? Helps cells function and allows red blood cells to carry oxygen to all the cells of your body. Low iron is often linked to increased fatigue and decreased immunity to illness. Women need way more iron than men so that's something to keep in mind, especially if you have heavy or awful periods.

How much Daily? Minimum 18 mg

Where can I get it? Lean red meat, legumes. 1 cup of chickpeas has 3.2 mg and 3 oz of lean red meat has 3 mg.

Too Much! 45 mg. More Iron than that can lead to constipation, stomach upset and appetite loss.

Magnesium

What's it do for me? Regulates blood sugar levels, maintains muscle and nervous system function, and keeps bones strong.

How much Daily? 310 mg- 320 mg (Men need much more around 400 mg)

Where can I get it? 1 Baked Potato with skin has 50 mg and 1 oz of almonds has 80 mg.

Too Much! 350 mg or more can cause diarrhea

Image from www.edren.org (All potassium rich foods)

Potassium

What's it do for me? Lets put it this way, without Potassium you wouldn't be able to think or move. It has major importance in the nervous system and muscular system. Oh an in your skin and organs and.... I think you get the idea. It's one of the main things that allows our bodies to communicate with itself (like your brain telling your foot to kick).

How much Daily? 2000 mg- 3500 mg some even say 4.7 grams! (Very confusing)

Where can I get it? Bananas have a huge potassium percentage with 422 mg, Coconut water is known for it's potassium content too and 1 cup of steamed spinach has 839 mg.

Too Much! I wouldn't go much higher than 4.7 grams (though I've heard athletes need more) as though some sources say there is no upper limit some say high doses can lead to muscle weakness and abnormal heart rhythms. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which amount would be right for you if you're worried.

Zinc

What's it do for me? Many people have found taking Zinc helps control their acne, which makes sense as Zinc helps the body support the skin. It also builds up the immune system.

How much Daily? 8 mg

Where can I get it? 2 medium raw oysters has 26 mg and a 3 oz beef tenderloin has 3 mg

Too Much! 40 mg. More then that can cause nausea, vomiting and headaches. Ugg. I tried to take Zinc to help with my acne, and I'm especially sensitive to it as any more than 10 mg and I start to feel awful. I tried to take the 50 mg they sold at the drug store and felt like crap then cut them in half (25 mg) and still felt like crap the next time I tried it. Now I'm sticking with just the amount in my multi-vitamin.

Image from Healthhype.com

Selenium (How many of you haven't even heard of this one? I certainly hadn't until I learned about it here at university!)

What's it do for me? It's involved in the synthesis of anti-oxidant enzymes in your body (thats a good thing!) as well as support of the immune system and thyroid function (which controls hormones and many other important body processes)

How much Daily? 55 mcg

Where can I get it? Tuna or brazil nuts. Most of us in North America get enough through our normal diets.

Too Much! 400 mcg or more. Hair and nail brittleness, possible increased risk of type 2 diabetes.

There are so many more, but these are the most important ones that can be deficient in our normal diets. The thing is most of us don't eat right all the time, or simply don't eat enough of a certain type of food to get everything we need. This is where a multi-vitamin that covers most of these vitamins and minerals comes into play. Here's some tips.

- Look over the many multi-vitamin options in the store with a pharmacist or a fact sheet from the internet to make sure you get one that covers as many essential nutrients as possible in appropriate levels. Personally I use the Jamieson Mega-Vim because it has many of the B vitamins that others seem to lack. It covers the bare minimum that I need and I get a little bit more through my diet. (Yes, I admit, I am a university student and I don't eat well *hangs head in shame*)

- There are vitamins or minerals you may want to take more of for just about every lifestyle out there. Vegetarian? You're going to need more Iron, Zinc, Vitamin B12, Calcium and Vitamin D. Stressed all the time? Vitamin Bs, Vitamin C and really a multi-vitamin are most likely needed as stress uses up your bodies resources at a quick rate. Athlete? Iron and Calcium; Insomniac? B-vitamins. I could go on and on (I won't way too much research time I really need to be doing something else with!) but I'm sure you get the point. Our lifestyles are hard on us, and supporting our bodies is the best thing we can do to keep them functioning the way they are long-term.

- Honestly, less is more. This seems contrary doesn't it if you've made it to this point in the post. But you're not going to want to take five different things every morning, noon and night. Find one good multi-vitamin and if you think you might still be lacking try to incorporate some new foods that contain it into your diet. You're more likely to actually stick with the multi-vitamins if you only need to take one.

- Eat. Eat either before, with or after you've taken the multi-vitamin. On an empty stomach is going to most likely make you feel crappy as your body tries to absorb all these essential things at once with nothing to buffer it. So be kind to your stomach and your body and give yourself at least a snack when you take it.

So that's it. This was a long one, and not directly beauty related, but I figure good health will make you look good and feel good which is beautiful in itself. Please note I'm not a doctor. I'm an undergraduate science student. Each person is different and these are the average guidelines I looked up in magazine articles and through research on the internet. Don't take this post as the be all and end all, it's a quick guideline to give you some food for thought.

Here's the resources I used (some have some excellent alternative food sources available if your interested too!)

• Glow Magazine September 2010 issue, The Essentials article, page 104
• Vitamins and Minerals 101 by: Best Health Mag
• Vitamin and Mineral Supplement Fact Sheets by: National Institutes of Health- Office of Dietary Supplements
• Potassium and Health by: Colorado State University Extension

Cargo Activating Primer- Review

I've got another primer review for you all from the hunt to find the perfect non-comedogenic primer for my skin. Introducing the Cargo blu_ray Activating Face Primer. 

This primer is fairly new on the market and retails for $32 CND (or $28 CND on theshoppingchannel.com, where I got it with free shipping. Yay free shipping!) Cargo claims that this primer helps with foundation application, blurs pores and imperfections and mattifies. It is oil, wax, talc, fragrance, paraben and silicone free and they also state that within 30 days it will reduce shine and refine pores too. They mention something about preventing pore calcification, but honestly since I've never even heard about calcification of pores before I can't judge on this factor.

In 30 days I'll be updating about how it worked on the longer term factors but onto the primers capabilities.

When I first got this I was surprised by how small it was. I've got small hands and as you can see it doesn't measure up to my hand in length (nor width either, it's only about two finger widths wide). Though it does hold a full ounce of product. The packaging looks nice and sleek with a shiny black squeeze tube that works wonderfully to dispense the exact amount of product you need. 

The product itself? It doesn't really mattify much. After a days wear I'm still just as oily at the end of the day, possibly even a bit oiler than normal. It also doesn't do much in the way of blurring imperfections and pores. Though it does sink into the skin well, and allows foundation to glide on like a dream, I don't see too much of a difference in the blurring of pores. It dries quickly and though I've applied multiple layers it doesn't seem to help too much. Though, because foundation goes on better, it looks smoother on which does help blur my pores a bit but I think that's more an asset of my foundation than the primer being unique in this aspect. Here's a before and after primer comparison.

Before Applying Cargo Activating Primer,

 After applying my Murad Acne treatment

After applying Cargo Activating Primer

As you can see my pores are still highly visible (especially scary up close like this!) and shine is maybe a little dampened (which may just be how the light hit my cheekbone at that moment). But it's better than nothing, and it really does help my foundation apply smoother as it's less likely to highlight drier spots and brush strokes. 

Here's another comparison on my hand before and after:

After

Before

I think the slight lines are a little more blurred here, but it's not enough to say a definite yes or no to- I may just be imagining it. Both sets of comparison shots were not touched up other than to make them a bit brighter and the lighting was the same (Or at least I tried to keep it the same natural light angle- the sun didn't exactly cooperate) for both before and after pictures. As you can see from the second picture the primer is a milky gel that goes transparent when spread out. 

I'll have an update in 30 days to see if the primer's other claims hold true. If it does that then the lack of blurring of pores and matting ability with the immediate application of the primer would be made up for. For now though if you only want a primer for it's help in foundation application and possible good skin effects this will work, but I don't recommend it. I think there are better primers out there, like the Nars Primer I reviewed before. Though this primer has no scent and the Nars one had a slight one, the Nars I thought blurred pores better and is a better value for money.

Overall Rating: 6/10 It does blur pores a very small amount and I've had no adverse reactions. It also allows foundation to apply particularly well but I'd like better oil control and more imperfection hiding capabilities.

EDIT: See the second half of this review HERE!

How Clarisonic Mia Helped Me on Safari- Review

I just want to quickly explain the reasoning behind doing a review about the Clarisonic Mia and tieing it into my trip to Africa. It's simply this: I've never been so completely filthy in my entire life. Not as a child making mud pies, not sheering sheep by hand in the Outer Hebredies of Scotland, NEVER.
Let me give you an idea of just how bad it was; thirty minutes in a safari SUV and my pants went from beige to dark terra cotta red. I and other members of my group would think we'd managed to tan a little and then we'd get a rare shower and you'd scrub (and scrub and scrub harder) and the tan would go away, and or peel off. Cleansing wipes were popularity items (you had some and you were instantly popular- wipes, hand sanitizer and toilet paper) and at the end of a safari day it took four just to get the majority of the dirt off my face.
The reason the Mia helped is because even once I managed to wipe myself down enough so the cloth wasn't brown after each swipe, I'd wash with this and my liquid cleanser and you could see the dirt it managed to continue to take off my skin in how dark the suds were. Sometimes, the bristles were so dark afterwards I'd clean it off (to the best of my ability with the limited water available) and cleanse a second time (which, in my case did contain more dirt).
My point you may ask? How could this be useful for the average person- not just slightly wacky Zoology students on safari? It cleans off make-up and daily grime really really well. So well, I'll remove my make-up completely to my eyes and yet I'll still have foundation tinged foam after I've used this.

A picture of my Mia, with travel cap on

First, a little bit about the Clarisonic Mia. This is a skin care brush for your face to help cleanse and remove dead skin cells from the surface. About five inches in the handle, the bristles on the head vibrate at over 300 oscillations per second (they move back and forth instead of in a complete circle so hair doesn't get dragged into it, and ripped out). The bristles are about half an inch long and only vibrate in the centre the outer ring of bristles are stationary so foam and water spray is kept down. Included in buying a Mia is the travel charger, a sensitive brush head, a travel cap, and a miniature cleanser by Clarisonic (I don't use it). There are tons of good deals out there though that will include money off, and/or extra brush heads, search around for the best deal!

Charger and where to line it up on the handle

When the on-off button is clicked the device vibrates slightly in your hand and will continue running for a full minute or cycle. Clarisonic recommends moving the brush in a circular motion on the skin for 10 seconds on each cheek, 20 seconds on the forehead, and for the remaining 20 seconds on the nose and chin. If you press the button again it will start another minute long vibration period. Usually I need a little longer than a minute, but it's not an issue. If you need to pause for any reason just press the off button and it will hold the remaining time for 30 seconds before it resets to the 1 minute time interval. In total, the Mia holds 20 minutes of charge.

Mia charging

The charger unit is particularly nifty, with a magnet that sticks itself to the base of the handle, and makes for easy travel. (And don't lose the travel cap! It really helps keep other things from getting in the bristles and/or bending them out of shape.) The charger doesn't need alot of work to attach, it pretty much lines itself up to charge if you put it near above the bottom of the handle. When charging a little blinking green light will show up on the outside of the handle showing you it is actively connected, when fully charged the green light will stay on as seen in the above picture. When you remove the charger from the Mia, it will either vibrate once- to tell you that it's only partially charged, or twice to say it's fully charged. When you connect the charger (and it's already plugged in) it will also vibrate once to say it's connected. As I prefer to store my mia on its 'back' this feature is more useful for me than the green light. 

My Africa dirt stained sensitive brush head up close

There are three different brush heads available that are really easy to interchange (like opening a childproof pill bottle). The Mia comeswith the intermediate 'sensitive' head but there is a slightly rougher 'normal' version that many men prefer and a softer 'delicate' version. The thing to remember is to choose one you don't feel is aggravating your skin, and don't press too hard! My advice is to try and buy a package that also includes a normal or delicate brush head for free to try too. The rougher one you can use in the shower on your body. Clarisonic recommends you change the brush head every three months but as long as you clean it weekly it should last you much longer. The head above you is just under a year old, and it's still working just as well.

As I've mentioned I bought my Mia last October after reading literally hundreds of reviews as something to help with my acne. To sum it up, I noticed within about a week that my skin was clearer than it was. It didn't clear my skin completely but, blackheads, whiteheads, and the duration of active pimples has decreased. I'd say that my oiliness has decreased slightly as well. I didn't however notice a decrease in pore size, dry patches, or really smoother skin, though it varies between people. On the other hand I did notice that moisturizer and serums did soak into my skin quicker. 

The reason I choose the Clarisonic Mia is because it is near identical to the larger twice as expensive version. The main differences are that the regular Clarisonic has 3 speeds (which doesn't make any sense because they all oscillate around 300 times a second), the Mia has a shorter handle (which works nicer in my small hand, though is plenty large enough for just about everyone), the regular can have a body brush head attached to it which is larger, and a cradle charger instead of the Mia's magnetic one. 

Mia plugged into the wall beside my electric toothbrush

Some things the Mia doesn't do or live up to are:

• Reduce visible pore size
• Reduce redness
• Make acne disappear (or any other skin ailment)
• doesn't remove make-up or grime from you eye area (and don't try it either! Would NOT be pleasant!) You still need a face cloth for cleaning the eye area, and removing the cleanser after the Mia applies it
• It tends to get foam up my nose at least a little
• It doesn't work well with foam cleansers, nor oil or water-like cleansers if they don't foam up after
• Not so good with crevices, like the one between your nostril and cheek. You have to get the hang of trying to get the brush to get there- another instance is when it catches on your ear
• You need to keep your mouth closed around your chin, cheeks and nose otherwise you'll end up with cleanser spray in you mouth
• Reduce dry patches (I still get them from time to time)

For a cleanser I recommend a gel or cream one that will foam up a bit. A couple good ones are the Murad acne cleanser or Philosophy's Purity cleanser. You can make a foam one work, but I don't recommend it as much as the foam bubbles tend to be squished away near the beginning of the wash.

Overall, I do love my Mia. I notice a difference in my skin and acne if I don't use it, even if I miss just a weekend and use a wash cloth instead. I use my Mia twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. It feels nice on my skin and it doesn't take too long to do for the results I get. Take into account though I have combo-oily-acne prone skin so you may want to read other reviews if you have very sensitive, fragile, or any other skin condition. 

Rating: 9/10 - It doesn't solve my acne and it still requires a wash cloth but it does help!

Update as of Sept. 23rd: The Mia also comes in five colours, white, pink (which gives a portion to the breast cancer association), yellow, turquoise, and the newly released lavender! Choose one that matches your personality (or is just your favourite colour!)