twerpandtwine9835
Reviews
PanOxyl PM Blemish Brightening Patches
My experience with this product was limited to one day, so I didn't get to see the 10-day result. I noticed a few limitations in my testing, though. The patches were not large enough to cover multiple spots. It was often just a little short of... +
My experience with this product was limited to one day, so I didn't get to see the 10-day result. I noticed a few limitations in my testing, though.
The patches were not large enough to cover multiple spots. It was often just a little short of reaching the next spot. For multiple spots in a relatively close cluster but not close enough for the patches, placing the patches became awkward.
On skin areas that are not as oily as some areas of the face, the patches pulled at the skin and short, light hairs and caused some pain when I moved slightly. The plastic material felt a little uncomfortable, too.
A positive that I noticed is the discreet appearance. When applied optimally, the patches are not very noticeable. They have a slight brown-beige tint.
My experience with this product was limited to one day, so I didn't get to see the 10-day result. I noticed a few limitations in my testing, though.
The patches were not large enough to cover multiple spots. It was often just a little short of reaching the next spot. For multiple spots in a relatively close cluster but not close enough for the patches, placing the patches became awkward.
On skin areas that are not as oily as some areas of the face, the patches pulled at the skin and short, light hairs and caused some pain when I moved slightly. The plastic material felt a little uncomfortable, too.
A positive that I noticed is the discreet appearance. When applied optimally, the patches are not very noticeable. They have a slight brown-beige tint that probably helps camouflage them.
- Product received for free from Crown Labs (Canada) in exchange for an honest review.
-
Aveeno® Calm + Restore Daily Face Moisturizer Mineral SPF 30
Based on my previous experiences with several different sunscreens, including a few from Aveeno, I was hesitant to try the SPF products from Aveeno's recent Calm Plus Restore line. But I was always curious about them, so I was still a little excited... +
Based on my previous experiences with several different sunscreens, including a few from Aveeno, I was hesitant to try the SPF products from Aveeno's recent Calm Plus Restore line. But I was always curious about them, so I was still a little excited when I was given the opportunity to try the Aveeno Calm Plus Restore Daily Face Moisturizer with SPF 30 from Butterly in exchange for my review. Here's my review below. In a nutshell: I was surprised by how well this performed, and I would recommend this to most people to at least check out. It's not your typical sunscreen, or even an Aveeno product you may have encountered in the past.
I currently have something unusual going on with my skin. This has caused my skin to be extra dry, rough, and non-ideal for applying sunscreen. I was mindful of this as I began my product testing, and I note this again in my review.
On the packaging, I noticed that the cropped image of a cosmetic cream tube on the front is blank. I presume this is just to show the format of the dispenser. The box and the actual tube inside have useful information printed, and I noted that my tube has an expiry date of a little over one year.
When I read the ingredients, I realized that this is a mineral sunscreen. This isn't mentioned on the packaging. This also looked to be a formula that is "shine-free", but this is also not mentioned on the packaging.
Common binding / thickening agents dimethicone and PVP (which are included) are further on the list than what I'm used to seeing. Sunscreens being thick and inherently greasy has proved to be a major pain when it comes to application and removal, so this difference on the ingredient list was interesting to see. First on the list is aluminum hydroxide, something that is typically used for reducing the oiliness of a product, and next is oat kernel extract. This made me think the product could be too gritty or drying. Grittiness is another big problem I've noticed with many sunscreens. The rest of the ingredients hinted at very light moisture, but otherwise looked decently non-problematic. There were pigments listed, which is what I figure makes this "blend easily into all skin tones", and seems somewhat in contrast to the "free of dyes" claim on the campaign marketing material. It will stain white materials, FYI.
I first tested the product on my hand, which is smoother and easier to apply sunscreen than on my face. When squeezed out, I saw that it is indeed tinted, in a pink-beige hue. It's on the pale side, but it blended in pretty well into my lighter complexion. There was just a hint of a lightening effect. It was very lightweight, almost airy, smooth to spread, and quite non-greasy. I didn't feel gritty. A while later, I applied a very moisturizing lotion on top of the residual Aveeno sunscreen and then re-applied the sunscreen. I liked the effect that a base layer of lotion creates better than the Aveeno product alone. I feel that this is true for the face as well.
There is a light smell to the formula that is noticeable and may catch some people off-guard, but compared to many other sunscreens, this is actually quite tolerable. It doesn't make my head turn. It loses its minor edge after a while and settles into something kind of musky--a "natural", skin-like scent.
On my more problematic face, I could really test out the formula. For the first application, I cleansed and dried my face, and went straight for the Aveeno. As expected, it didn't blend flawlessly into my compromised skin. But it did blend more smoothly than expected and it felt easier to work with than most of the others. Compared to others, it doesn't dry too quickly, yet it isn't greasy. It absorbs well and is very lightweight and mattifying, far more effectively than any other face cream I've used before. Yet it isn't harsh or drying. It cleanses more easily, too! It does leave a mild white cast.
I think a base hydrating layer of a light moisturizer or serum is needed. In fact, I later applied some thick oils on top, and the sunscreen kept my face matte! This is seriously mattifying. It's important to highlight that this is a very lightweight product that should be considered a sunscreen more than a moisturizer.
On my second face test the next day, I cleansed, applied a small amount of hyaluronic acid serum to a slightly damp face, then applied the sunscreen when my face was dry. This felt better than a direct application and blending was easier, too. It didn't sting my eyes after generously applying on my eyelids and didn't produce visible creases at any point.
While this isn't the perfect sunscreen for me, it's a far better one than most. This encourages me to look out for other Aveeno SPF products to try!
-
Aveeno® Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Facial Cleanser Refill Pouch
First, a note on the packaging. The refill pouch is designed surprisingly well. The cap is easy to open and it's intuitive and smooth to close and re-open. This makes the (well, my) suggested use for the shower quite convenient, even without the... +
First, a note on the packaging. The refill pouch is designed surprisingly well. The cap is easy to open and it's intuitive and smooth to close and re-open. This makes the (well, my) suggested use for the shower quite convenient, even without the pump bottle. The pouch contains twice the volume of the pump bottle. So in addition to the pouch using less plastic in general, the size adds to the economic factor.
I tested out the cleansing efficacy of the cleanser with some basic products: sunscreen and foundation. To start, I applied on my hands a moderately-moisturizing mineral sunscreen for sensitive skin. Following Aveeno's instructions to use slightly warm water, I did two ample rounds of massaging in and rinsing the cleanser. Afterwards, my hands looked and felt like almost none of the sunscreen had been removed.
I tried out the cleanser on my face where I had put on a few layers of lightweight, non-waterproof make-up. The cleanser didn't do anything to remove the make-up. I used some other products which did the job.
Next, I used the cleanser in the shower. On my body, I had some residual sunscreen that had been diluted with a light baby lotion upon application from a couple of days ago. The same sunscreen was applied undiluted, but very lightly, in patches on my face before the shower.
The cleanser hardly did anything to remove even the residual sunscreen from my body. Same for the face. There was almost but not quite an exfoliating effect, resulting in some rougher / raised skin. This may be a result of this very mild cleanser trying to counteract the bit of sunscreen clinging to the skin's surface.
Lastly, I used the cleanser as the second step to a double-cleanse. I'm not sure how well it worked as a cleanser, but I noticed the thick consistency made it hard to wash off. I needed to wipe off the product while rinsing, otherwise it would remain on the skin.
My verdict is that this is a truly mild cleanser best used in the shower for gently rinsing off natural body oils and sweat after waking or routine exercising. The force from a shower's downpour may be necessary for a proper rinse. On the plus side, it's a satisfyingly thick goop that coats the skin well. There's basically no exfoliation and there are no irritating actives.
It might be worth checking out if you have highly sensitive skin or if you're looking for an everyday, gentle-yet-indulgent shower experience.
-
Aveeno® Calm + Restore Nourishing Oat Facial Cleanser
I tested out the cleansing efficacy with some basic products: sunscreen and foundation. To start, I applied on my hands a moderately-moisturizing mineral sunscreen for sensitive skin. Following Aveeno's instructions to use slightly warm water, I did... +
I tested out the cleansing efficacy with some basic products: sunscreen and foundation. To start, I applied on my hands a moderately-moisturizing mineral sunscreen for sensitive skin. Following Aveeno's instructions to use slightly warm water, I did two ample rounds of massaging in and rinsing the cleanser. Afterwards, my hands looked and felt like almost none of the sunscreen had been removed.
I tried out the cleanser on my face where I had put on a few layers of lightweight, non-waterproof make-up. The cleanser didn't do anything to remove the make-up. I used some other products which did the job.
Next, I used the cleanser in the shower. On my body, I had some residual sunscreen that had been diluted with a light baby lotion upon application from a couple of days ago. The same sunscreen was applied undiluted, but very lightly, in patches on my face before the shower.
The cleanser hardly did anything to remove even the residual sunscreen from my body. Same for the face. There was almost but not quite an exfoliating effect, resulting in some rougher / raised skin. This may be a result of this very mild cleanser trying to counteract the bit of sunscreen clinging to the skin's surface.
Lastly, I used the cleanser as the second step to a double-cleanse. I'm not sure how well it worked as a cleanser, but I noticed the thick consistency made it hard to wash off. I needed to wipe off the product while rinsing, otherwise it would remain on the skin.
My verdict is that this is a truly mild cleanser best used in the shower for gently rinsing off natural body oils and sweat after waking or routine exercising. The force from a shower's downpour may be necessary for a proper rinse. On the plus side, it's a satisfyingly thick goop that coats the skin well. There's basically no exfoliation and there are no irritating actives.
It might be worth checking out if you have highly sensitive skin or if you're looking for an everyday, gentle-yet-indulgent shower experience.
-
Looking for more?
Check out our other review websites:
