bailey bee

beauty, home and lifestyle blog

Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant Is the Real Deal

Paula's Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant

Yep. This is one of those. Guys, my skin was SO. BAD. this summer. A new job plus that job being seriously one of the more stressful times I’ve ever lived through… My skin was hopeless all of July and August. I’m on the tail-end of things now and am just recovering some dark spots and small bumps on my forehead. I’ve been so desperate to get my skin back to “normal” that I was consistently found on Friday nights in my bathroom Googling “make small bumps on forehead go away.” Everything led me to Paula’s Choice Skin Perfecting 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant.

I am/was so desperate that I bought a travel-sized bottle on a whim to see what happened. Be advised, don’t get this stuff off of Amazon. The product sold on Amazon seems to be a rip-off. I rarely buy anything beauty-related outside of Sephora, Ulta or Nordstrom but I think something like this is best to get straight from the source.

I slathered this stuff on my face early in the evening and let it stay on all night as guided by the countless online reviews I read through. It does feel and appear oily so I would never, ever imagine wearing this during the day. Once the morning comes, you’ll wash the residual product off along with any pesky texture that you had on your facial skin before. My skin looked and felt so incredible after just the first application.

As with any exfoliating product, be wary of sun exposure (in general, but especially when using this!) I was so self conscious of the bumps on my forehead and I’m going to hype this stuff up as a miracle product because of how good it made me feel after using it. I got really excited and tried using it every day or two but my skin reacted poorly so I’ve been limiting myself to just once or twice per week.

The closest product to this that I have tried would be Pixi’s Glow Tonic. It gave me the same slough after the first application but seemed to fall off after that. Am I late to the liquid exfoliant game? If so, please let me know which products I have missed out on! I’m also curious to know which Paula’s Choice products everyone recommends for me to try out next. It seems I’ve been living in the dark!

Feel free to shop this post below:

Drunk Elephant: The Littles 3.0

the full Drunk Elephant: The Littles 3.0 line-up

I’m so excited to share my thoughts with you all on the most recent ‘The Littles’ grouping by Drunk Elephant. Priced at $90, this is a solid starting spot if you’re hoping to splurge on a DE product but want to make sure you’re making a sound investment first. Before we begin, I must state that I received these products courtesy of Drunk Elephant. That being said, as always, the below opinions are entirely unbiased and my own!

The Littles 3.0 contains the following:

Let me start with my favorites of the group.. Protini, for which I have raved about in the past, as well as C-Tango. I ran through a full-sized Protini earlier this year and the only reason I didn’t repurchase was because of the price (I was out of work for the first half of this year and was trying to spend responsibly) but rest assured, I still love this stuff! It is nice and thick but doesn’t make you feel weighed down. It also absorbs well, which I think is something I sometimes can take for granted! Speaking of thick, the C-Tango eye cream is soOo luxurious and moisturizing. This was on my “potential buy” list as I am planning my next eye cream purchase. It has now become a “definite next buy” in my book!

The bigger disappointments in the group were C-Firma and Umbra Tinte.

As for C-Firma, I’m seemingly not a fan. I had a full sized version of it a few months ago from a holiday set but never got around to using because I still have a decent amount of my Ole Henriksen Truth Serum left. I ended up selling my C-Firma on Poshmark as it was brand new and thank goodness I did! This is one STICKY product and I dooooo not like it. Honestly, I feel like I may have a wonky formula in mine because I can’t imagine people using this product regularly. It’s sticky and heavy on the skin and I now realize how great my Ole is!

Another dud for me was the Umbra Tinte sunscreen. Although there is a sheer version of this product, The Littles 3.0 included the tinted variety that is far too dark for my skin tone. I let my fiancé use it once or twice but just threw it away after that— such a waste! I think this tinted version should at least come in three shades; including, at a minimum, a lighter and deeper option. Can’t speak much to the sun protection as I didn’t try this on myself.

I used up all of the Beste Jelly Cleanser and it acted as a nice cleanser option. Nothing in particular to rave nor rant about on it. Additionally, B-Hydra is a product that I have tried a sample of in the past and am indifferent on. It’s a very lightweight “serum” that I don’t hate but also don’t love. It absorbs quickly but I don’t feel it moisturizes enough for me to recommend it highly. Lastly, I have been pairing the Virgin Marula Oil with the T.L.C. Framboos Glycolic Serum (as advised to do by the directions that come with the kit) and I’ve had good results. My first time trying out T.L.C. Framboos was great because it erased all of the texture on my forehead but this go-around wasn’t as drastic. I assume it is still doing good work– just nothing that really stood out to me.

I am SO happy I was able to try out the Drunk Elephant “The Littles 3.0” kit because I’m such a huge of DE’s products and am always wanting to buy new things by them. Getting a kit like this is a great way to dip your toe in before buying the more expensive full-sized counterparts to your faves.

Feel free to shop this post below:

My Dermaplaning Experience

A couple of weeks ago I experienced getting dermaplaned for the first time with my sister. Our mom previously had it done and liked it so much that she got us gift cards so we could go ourselves! I wanted to share my experience and show a couple before and after shots I got while I was there.

Firstly, let’s get into what dermaplaning is. If you did not know, dermaplaning is essentially shaving your face with a very high quality, medical-grade scalpel to remove vellus hairs(read: peach fuzz) and built-up dead skin. This procedure is supposed to benefit you in two ways: it heightens the ability for your skin to absorb skincare products better and also allows makeup to apply smoother across the face. I was intrigued but unlikely to ever pay to have it done professionally. I’ve used those eyebrow shaver sticks in the past to shave my upper lip and almost every single time I’ve used them, I’ve broken out. I was certain that if I got my entire face dermaplaned that I would break out EVERYWHERE. That was not entirely true.. read on.

The session started with a quick cleanse of my skin with a bit of alcohol. After that, the esthetician began shaving away in the direction of my hair growth; first starting at my cheeks and then moving to my forehead and nose/upper lip region. I felt and heard little to no sensation while I was getting everything done. I had expected some sort of scratching noise but found nothing audible really occurred. The process was fairly relaxing, actually!

After everything had been ‘planed, there was a round of witch hazel swept across my face. This was to further cleanse my now wide-open facial pores. My worries about breaking out were eased a bit because witch hazel is a strong astringent that is known for clearing and preventing breakouts. After the witch hazel was applied, a cooling rod was drawn over my entire face to close the pores. Process complete!

I had a handful of pimples pop up in the week following my dermaplaning procedure but they weren’t anything I couldn’t handle nor were they very painful. I assume they were a byproduct of the procedure and my skins way of removing toxins that were now closer to the surface of my face. The weirdest thing that happened was that over the following week, I noticed that my face was always clammy. Regardless of how many times I washed my face, it felt sticky (I guess) because there were no longer hairs left to make it soft to the touch. I didn’t love that.

Another weird sensation I experienced post-procedure were the super heightened feelings on my skin. I was suddenly hyper-aware of whenever I was touching my face or if a stray hair brushed against the skin. It wasn’t a positive nor a negative– just a strange sensation that I had noticed. *insert shrugging emoji here*

As for the claim of a smoother makeup application, I absolutely can speak to that. Both liquid and powder products applied in a noticeably different manner. It took some time to be able to differentiate between the product ACTUALLY applying in a different way and my face just being extra aware of my makeup brushes touching my face. The most notable feeling was with my bronzer on the sides of my face– this is an area that I never focused hair removal on in the past and was seemingly the most obvious difference for me in terms of the weird “feeling” sensation. Below you will see my cheek/bronzer region before and after I got dermaplaned:

dermaplaning before and after

With the pros and cons considered, I’m fairly confident enough to say that I likely won’t get dermaplaned again. It was definitely a cool thing to have done but I didn’t love having breakouts afterward. I know that even happens after something like a facial but that and the clamminess were too much for me. It was fun, though, and I’m glad I finally got to test out and learn about dermaplaning. I suggest trying it at least once to see how you like it!

If you have been dermaplaned before, let me know what happened! I’m curious if the clamminess was just something I dealt with– my sister said she didn’t have the same issue. I find it interesting that we all have such different reactions to the same things in life and I’m curious to hear. Hit up the comments below ↓↓↓

To read up on some of my skincare posts, click here!

NEW Pixi Beauty #SkinTreats Goodies + Review

Before we begin, I must state that I received these products courtesy of Pixi Beauty. That being said, as always, this review is entirely unbiased and are my own opinions.

Hey guys!

Pixi Beauty sent over some of their skincare products from the #SkinTreats line and I was so. over-the-moon. excited. to get these.

No BS, I love Pixi. I have said it before and I’ll say it again but thus far, everything I have tried from the brand has been stellar– Both from the makeup and skincare categories. This new slew of goodies is no exception!

I’ve been trying out their Peel & Polish concentrate, T-Zone Peel-Off Mask, Glow Mud Mask, Detoxifeye eye patches and GLOW Glycolic Boost face masks. I have super positive things to say about them all!

The Peel & Polish reminds me a lot of my favorite Microdelivery wash by Philosophy– except better! The base product is creamier and feels more lush on the skin and the scent is ever-so-slightly citrus smelling. Plus, you can leave it on the skin for a few minutes to have the product act as a peel. I can’t really speak to THAT side of this product but as for the physical exfoliation, I really enjoy it.

The T-Zone Peel-off Mask is your typical peel-off mask. This one is metallic light green when applied and peels off easily in one attempt, which is my main benchmark when judging a peel-off mask. There is nothing more annoying and less satisfying than a mask that breaks off into a bunch of pieces when you attempt to remove it. I haven’t noticed any signs purging when I remove this mask (blackheads, etc) so it probably isn’t the best if you’re looking for something Biore Pore Strip-like. As for a light exfoliation? It’s good!

I have owned Pixi’s Glow Mud Mask in the past and it is a super solid mud mask. Applies evenly (I’m looking at you, GlamGlow) and dries fully in about ten minutes. That’s the perfect amount of time between “getting a short activity done” and “forgetting this mask is on and leaving it on for an hour”. Speaking of, that could totally happen with this mask because it didn’t pull my skin or feel tight after those initial ten minutes. I absolutely feel this mask absorbs the oils on the face with ease. A good mud mask is a staple of mine in my skincare collection.

My FAVORITE product from this grouping of products was their Detoxifeye eye masks. These buggers come packed like sardines in their container and you get such a huge bang for your buck. You get SIXTY eye masks for $24 ($28 at Target). They don’t slide down your face, which means you can mask while getting shit done. That’s my biggest qualm with masks is that when I have them on, I feel like I have to lay back and “rest” for fifteen minutes. I don’t have time for that! These were hella hydrating and stayed put for the whole time. I am a huge fan of these. They’re even a bit glittery (which just makes the application process more fun!)

The last product I tried was the GLOW sheet mask. These come in a pack of three for just $10. I’m not a huge fan of sheet masks for a handful of reasons.. one of which being what I just explained above. I hate that I can’t be mobile with them on although I do have to say, this one didn’t slip around all too much. It leaves my face feeling hydrated afterward and I liked that there was some extra serum leftover that I could rub into my skin further hydration and benefits.

2019 is shaping up to be the year of Pixi! They’ve launched so many new products and I am so genuinely excited that I get to try them out and share my thoughts with you all. There are two different eye masks in their collection (the other is called Fortifeye) and my next “to try” will be that one.

Until next time! Thanks for reading.

If you’d like to shop these products, check ’em out below:

YES TO NEW PRODUCTS 2019: CUCUMBER ​CLEANSER, PRIMER + DE-PUFFER

Before we begin, I must state that I received these products courtesy of Yes To. That being said, as always, the below opinions are entirely unbiased and my own!

yes to cucumbers

I was reached out to by Yes To asking if I’d be interested in trying out some new products in their cucumber line. Since my skin can lean sensitive, I figured this was a good match. I’ve tried some Yes To products in the past (from the carrot and tomato lines, respectively) and had fairly negative reactions to the products. That being said, it was a long, long time ago and this is a whole different line and regardless, I was eager to try.

I was reintroduced to the brand with some information about who they are and what they stand for. They told me they “focus on removing the nasty toxic ingredients” from their products in order to fill them with “the natural goodies Mama Earth has to offer.” Yes To’s products are free of parabens, SLS, silicons and most importantly(!!!), are cruelty-free.

The three products I am reviewing today are the Calming 2-in-1 Scrub and Cleanser Stick, the Cooling Hydrating Primer Stick and the Cooling Under Eye De-Puffer. Of course, the primer and de-puffer are for application prior to makeup and the cleanser is for after.

The Scrub and Cleanser Stick works well and lathers appropriately. My face did feel clean after using the cleanser and I will most likely continue to use it off-and-on between my other cleansing products. Something about the super chubby stick made me really enjoy the application process. As for the Primer Stick and Eye De-Puffer, I’m not as big of a fan. The de-puffer was very cooling upon the initial touch because of the metal ball used to dispense and disperse the product around the eye. If you enjoy those kinds of things, have at it. I feel that it doesn’t do much and the serum that is delivered didn’t provide impressive results. If anything, it simply moisturized the eye area. The primer stick is nice and glides onto the face well while fitting into the necessary contours very easily. It didn’t make my makeup apply any better than it would sans primer and did not prolong the wear time. This pairing was not set up for success from the get-go, though, because it is a hydrating primer and I have combination skin. Simple as that. I think it would absolutely help foundation apply better on a drier skin type for sure.

In all, for drugstore-level products, I am fairly satisfied. The beauty in Yes To’s brand is the range of collections they have for the range of different skin needs. So long as you pair up your skin type with the correct collections and products within those collections, I think you’ll be happy with what they have to offer nowadays.

Have you used any products from Yes To recently? I would love to know which one(s) and hear your experiences with it/them.

To read more of my skincare posts, click here.

If you would like to shop this post, feel free to use the widget below:

MY IN-SHOWER ESSENTIALS

Hi guys!

Today I’m sharing with you my everyday essentials that you can find in my shower right now. These products have been living there for a long, long time and have been repurchased numerous times. That’s how you know they’re tried-and-true! Scroll below to see my thoughts… 

The first product I’m going to discuss is the VERB Hydrating Shampoo. (and conditioner! in the amber bottle!) I was introduced to this brand when I was working as a receptionist at a hair salon. It was introduced as our “junior” kind of hair care line because of the low price point. College Bailey was ALL. ABOUT. THAT.

You know, post-college Bailey is still all about it. My hair feels soft and cleansed and this shampoo/conditioner does not break the bank. Big plus? Sephora sells VERB so you can rack up your points while affordably taking care of your hair! VERB has multiple shampoos that you can choose from depending on your hair type and goal.

Next is another product that college Bailey introduced us to. While working at South Moon Under I randomly purchased the Kalastyle Swedish Dream Sea Salt Soap. Why I was buying an $8 bar of soap while making not much higher than minimum wage is beyond me but I have been using this soap now for four years. It smells great, cleans effectively and doesn’t leave you squeaky or with a film on your skin. It moisturizes, too! But the absolute best thing about this soap? It has sea salt in it that once exposed out of the soap bar, exfoliates your skin beauuuuuutifully. It’s the best body exfoliator that I own. If you need something to exfoliate prior to shaving or tanning, this is your product!

My daily cleanser is the Pixi Beauty Glow Mud Cleanser. I first tried this cleanser when my dad bought me this Best of Bright Discovery Set for Christmas last year. I wanted that set for the Glow Tonic but I was lucky to fall in love with not just one product, but two! The mud cleanser utilizes glycolic acid as an exfoliant and is a really nice texture– it’s silky and thick and it also smells nice. I always feel fully cleansed after using this and will be rebuying when I run out soon.

Last up is the Philosophy the Microdelivery Exfoliating Facial Wash. Trust me when I say I love this stuff. I own about four bottles in varying sizes so that I 1. never run out and 2. can bring it with me when I travel anywhere. I use the Microdelivery wash whenever I need a facial pick-me-up with a bit more than a light chemical exfoliator like the Pixi Glow Mud cleanser. Unlike the other popular facial exfoliator, the St. Ives Apricot Scrub, I find the smaller exfoliating beads to be much less abrasive on my face and I’m never left red or irritated after using this.

What is your current shampoo/conditioner/cleanser/soap combo? Shower products are so personal and it’s incredible how we fall into a routine with products like I have with these. I hope you have a great day and if you’re reading this on my posting day, have a GREAT weekend!

MY CURRENT SKINCARE REGIMEN | OCTOBER 2018

Helloooo hellllooo heeeello!!
Today we’re talking skincare. My routine, to be exact.
I seem to have a good thing going when it comes to my skin nowadays so I’m sharing my go-to products with you all while the days are still warm and my skin is not yet parched and cracked (coming soon: Winter 2018/2019 😒)
ole henricksen truth serum alastin retinol benefit it's potent drunk elephant protini polypeptide cream pixi beauty glow tonic on cb2 hex serving board
NEW BACKDROP ALERT !!! CB2 Hex Teak Serving Board — comment below to get in touch with me for a 15% off coupon!

Aren’t they pretty?

We’ll go from L to R…
First up is my love aka Ole Henriksen Truth Serum. I just allowed myself to buy a larger size during the Sephora VIB sale after running through some smaller bottles throughout the past year. It’s a Vitamin C serum which I am told by my dermatologist is to be applied in the morning to help shield the skin from sun damage. That in and of itself is a joke because I get to work when it’s still dark out, sit in my cubicle farm all day and then go home. But for the weekend, the Truth Serum is the bomb 😅 It absorbs quickly, smells of orange and has never once broken me out.

Next up is my current moisturizer, the Drunk Elephant Protini Polypeptide Cream. I bought this over the Spring to replace the moisturizer that I grew up smelling and using—it’s by Olay and both my mother and sister use it! It was great but I had heard amazing things about Drunk Elephant and decided to give a couple of their moisturizers a go in sample form before indulging myself in a full size. The morning after I applied the Protini cream I was actually taken aback by how good my skin felt. I haven’t gone a day without using it since! TBH I may survive the Winter after all because it’s so thick and luxurious.

My current eye cream is Benefit’s It’s Potent! Eye Cream. I’ve been using this for years on end and have never had any issues. It’s marketed to diminish dark circles, though and I’ve gotta say it does not do much in that regard. Supposedly it contains alcohol, too (thanks for that lesson, /r/skincareaddiction) so I don’t think I’ll be repurchasing it once I run out. Until then, it’s a fine cream in my experience.

Into the “actives”..

My dermatologist sold me on retinols when I went in for an overall check-up and to inquire on Botox (still want it. haven’t gotten it. LMK if you have $500 I can borrow!!!) The product sold in my doctor’s office is the Alastin Renewal Retinol. It is a less.. “intense” retinol so it was good for a beginner. I haven’t noticed much of a difference but I like to think it’s doing its job. I make sure to only use this at night and under my Protini so that 1. I don’t get some breakout from overworking my skin and not moisturizing properly and 2. it doesn’t counteract my next product…

Pixi Beauty Glow Tonic. This stuff. I LOVE this stuff. My same dermatologist (and others in the past) have told me that toners are not necessary and are full of alcohol and dry out our skin. I don’t care. This stuff will remove texture on your skin like an eraser on one of those *good* mechanical pencils from when we were in school. The ones with the erasers that barely had to touch your pencil marks to get rid of them. Texture = gone. I make sure to not use this at the same time of day or on the same day as my retinol because it is an active and they will cancel one another out, making each useless. If I’m not using this in the morning I will use it at night and just skip my retinol that evening.

I guess I’m in the market for a new eye cream then, yeah? I’m considering the DE Eye Serum but I would love to hear any holy grails that y’all have. Leave me a comment below! Anyone use these products? Also, really, if anyone has $500 so I can get Botox I’ll take it heh

HELLO DECEMBER: MY FAVORITE MOISTURIZERS

During the month of December everything around us starts to get frigid and that includes the air allll around us. With that drop in temps, the moisture in the air drops as well! This leaves us with cracked hands, staticy hair and dehydrated bodies. I’m here today to talk about my favorite moisturizers that help keep my entire body happy and running well throughout our driest months.

Hair: I actually have a past post on this product but I will still give a little talk about the Organix Moroccan Argan Penetrating Oil. I’ve been using this product for years and can never see myself getting tired of it! I just pour out a dime or quarter size of product(depending on how thick my hair is/what kind of haircut I have at the time) onto my hand and rub my hands together to distribute the product into an even layer on my hands and rub it onto the bottom half of my damp hair. I work it in and try to get all of the product off of my hands and run it through the upper portion of my hair when I have a very small amount left on my hands. It’s light but an intense moisturizer and my hair has been so happy ever since I began using it.

Face: Although I don’t wear a moisturizer year-round, I definitely have to during the deep Winter months because my skin changes from combination to dry! The moisturizer that I’ve always used is by Cetaphil and it’s the formula for oil control. My skin really loves in it in the Winter(not so much in the Winter as it’s soo moisturizing and makes me oily) and just laps it up. I was told to get it by my dermatologist so I always feel comforted whenever using it that it’s going to be helping my skin instead of working against it like many other beauty products.

Throat: This section might seem a bit odd to you but if you have ever woken up with a sore throat then KEEP READING! Humidifiers will be your saving grace in the coming months. The one pictured is the one that I currently have in my apartment and it’s the Crane Drop Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier (linked is the exact one I have.. the green one is cheaper than the rest and idk why). Humidifiers add moisture back into the air of your home and help stop the morning sore throats that have come to exemplify my Winters. You do have to be careful not to OVER humidify as it’ll make your home too damp and could lead to mildew but just a little bit goes a long way. Trust me.

Skin: My favorite lotion. Jergens Dry Skin Moisturizer. My mother got me on this stuff and I have used it for years and years and years and will continue to do so for the rest of my life, supply willing. This lotion has the most amazing scent and absorbs into your skin really quickly. That tight, dry feeling goes away instantly and you’re left with super baby soft skin. I really wish I could get across my feelings about this product better but it’s just a staple in my life and I couldn’t imagine life without it. It’s truly one of the best and my most favorite skincare product.

Nails: Can’t have a skincare post without having a Lush product. Lush’s Lemony Flutter Cuticle Butter is the most amazing cuticle product I have ever tried. It gives your dry nail area the oils they need to be softened and absorbs quickly so there’s no greasy fingerprints anywhere. Also, it lasts for evvvvver. There is so much product in one jar and you can use it for years even though the expiration date only allows for about one and a half. I have also used this as a moisturizer on my feet during the Winter and it can actually be used anywhere that you have thick and dry skin so places like the cuticles, heels and elbows.

Body: Last but not least is something that everybody should follow but I’m not entirely sure do. I am a huge fan of water and I drink probably triple the amount that people are supposed to per day. It keeps your body hydrated which leaves you with beautiful skin and healthy organs. Being hydrated throughout the year is always important but especially such during the Winter since everything gets so dry. Be sure to grab water with all of those Holiday meals instead of the eggnog or cider this year! Your body will thank you.

All of these things help my body stay comfortable throughout Winter and I am thankful for all of them. There’s nothing worse than having tight skin or cracked heels, right? I would love to hear about the products you use to keep yourself moisturized! I am always open to trying new things.