I’ve definitely been more cautious about how I’m spending my money during this quarantine period but I have had little moments of weakness.
I’ve made a few purchases to add to my skincare regime from IT Cosmetics, Deciem, and Sephora.
Now, I’ve never actually bought anything from either IT Cosmetics or Deciem. IT Cosmetics is a brand that I’ve looked at their CC cream for ages, but always procrastinated on clicking that final “purchase” button. Deceim’s ‘The Ordinary’ line has great reviews and I just was not into skincare enough to want to try anything.
Initially, I purchased solely from IT Cosmetics 40% off sale items and nothing more. It still was pricey but I grabbed two of their sets which I think always works out to be a great deal. One set was skincare, the other was makeup (which I’ll detail in another post). I also got a bunch of cream and makeup removers.
The IT Cosmetics skincare items I first purchased were:
- Bye Bye Makeup Melting Balm
- You’re Hydrating Glow on the Go skincare set which included Confidence in a Cleanser, Bye Bye Under Eye Cream, Secret Sauce Moisturizer
- 2 samples of their Confidence in a Gel lotion and cream
I’m absolutely in love with the Bye Bye Makeup balm. It smells delicious, it removes all makeup and I’m kind of into the fact that you apply it on dry skin. I feel like this one will be a definite repurchase once this is finished. Even the cleanser is really nice and has the same citrus scent. Not overpowering, and definitely cleanses great. Light, but powerful.
I haven’t used the Secret Sauce cleanser or the Under Eye cream as I want to use up other sample size products first before dipping into these, but I can’t see myself having any complaints about this brand.
The IT Cosmetics skincare items I purchased the second time were:
So after that initial sale, I got another email from Rakuten and they offered 13.5% cashback plus they had 25 – 30% off everything on their site; not just a specific sale section. So I went back and purchased some more things that I had in my basket but had taken out when it got too pricey.
I’m currently using the Ursa Major toner but I’m not entirely fussed for it so figured I’d try out IT Cosmetics. I haven’t yet tried it as I don’t want to open it until I’m ready to use it, but will report back when I’ve used it enough! I do enjoy using toners as some days I’ll just tone in the morning instead of a full face wash, especially if I’m not putting makeup on or going anywhere.
As I’m now over the 30 age bracket, I figure that taking care of my body and skin is something I should take more seriously. I’ve been doing some “muscle massage” while putting cream on and figured that I might as well try a neck specific cream. Maybe it’s a gimmick but sign me up. I’ve only used it once since purchasing and will report back once it’s done! It’s also looks like an orange creamsicle, so that’s fun.
The Sephora skincare items I purchased were:
I also purchased the Olay Total Effects Whip as an overall moisturizer because it was fragrance-free and had SPF which is ideal for me. Not having to do an extra step in the morning before the kids really get going is key. I’m almost done it, which is what has somewhat spurred this recent shopping spree, and while I liked it and have no complaints I wanted to try something new. I would go back to it though if I’m out of products and don’t want to break the bank.
I purchased the Tatcha line because I wanted to try it out. I’ve heard some great things and one of my favourite vlogger’s works with them and uses them a lot. I liked it, but for the price tag I’m not sure if I’m willing to continue spending. Upon first use I didn’t really like the Water cream. I thought it would be too light. I’m now almost done the sample pot and it’s grown on me. I like the scent and I like how light it is but it is actually moisturizing and lasting.
The Deep Cleanse I’m still on the fence about. It’s nice, but it seems on par with other high end cleansers without really standing out in anyway. For $49 CDN, I don’t think that it deep cleanses enough for me to be worth it.
The Deciem ‘The Ordinary’ skincare items I purchased were:
I purchased the Hyaluronic Acid first because I wanted something for hydration and this was the thing to get. And Sweet Mother, it lived up to the hype. My face looked and felt immediately more hydrated. It spurred me to look into more of their products and figure out a bit more of a regime.
The ‘B’ Oil for daily support for all skin types is nice. It’s definitely an oil though! It’s thicker than I thought it would be so I use two drops and that might even be too much. I’m not sure if it’s too much for my face and is breaking me out, but it could just be hormones at the moment. I will keep trying it out, and see how it goes. I do like it though, and the smell isn’t overbearing. It reminds me of the ocean!
I bought the Mandelic Acid to help with the bumps on my arms and legs. I’m currently finishing off my bottle of Argan oil first before trying this bad boy out. I dry brush before showering every time now, so it’s just a little extra to help keep the legs smooth. Eventually it’ll be summer and I’ll be walking around bare-legged.
I’m always up for trying new hair care products even though the pretty much never work for me. The Multi-Peptide serum is supposed to help with growth and just overall health. I’m hoping that I’m not allergic to this and that it’s not aggravating my scalp. It is nice and it doesn’t make the hair look greasy which is good! I have one spot that I’m trying to build back up again after pregnancy and I’m going to be tracking it to see if this actually makes a difference.
The price point for this brand can’t be beat. Most things average around $10 CDN, but most things are under $10. They also are the ones that make that bright red mask that looks terrible but does amazing things.
I guess the real question is: How do I use it all?
My basic morning routine (before makeup) looks like:
- Wash with Confidence in a Cleanser
- Tone with Ursa Major toner
- Hyaluronic Acid
- Olay Whip Moisturizer
I’m not as disciplined with my morning routine unless I’m putting on makeup because mornings are not my friend. Won’t lie, my son is usually the one who is waking me up in the morning. I’m trying to get better but I just go to bed way too late (as I try and finish this at 11 pm at night).
My basic night routine looks like:
- Bye Bye Makeup balm (if wearing makeup)
- Confidence in a Cleanser
- Ursa Major toner (soon to be Bye Bye Pores)
- Hyaluronic Acid
- The ‘B’ Oil
- Tatcha Water Cream (soon to be the Secret Sauce moisturizer)
- Eye cream (if I’m feeling it)
There are some nights where I do skip a step here or there, but for the most part I do it all. Like I mentioned above, I’m probably going to cut back on the Oil step and not use it every night as it’s a bit too much. It might be something I bring back in the winter when I need that little bit extra moisture sealing.
I will also sometimes switch up the cleanser or night cream with my St Ive’s Green Tea cleanser and the Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, especially if I’m skipping steps.
I have to use up the travel samples since the chances of getting anywhere other than the cottage are pretty slim for this year. Sadly.
Well this post turned out way longer than expected. I hope you enjoyed a look at some of the fun new products I’m trying out.
Let me know if you like or have tried any of the above, and what you thought of them!
J x
