Amanda Hopcraft Makeup Artist

Today I’m reviewing a product I’ve been asked to test by Bloom.com. Yours truly is one of Bloom’s Beauty Ambassadors and each month the website sends us a number of products to test and review on our blogs, YouTube channels, etc. This review is for Alchimie Forever’s brightening moisture mask and right below my review I’m sharing my tips for the perfect at home facial.

You can check out my unboxing video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJZQVMqci_M

My Beauty Bio can be found here: http://www.bloom.com/beautybio/customer/view/id/91282/

Alchime Forever Brightening Moisture Mask $60

From Bloom’s website:

When used just once or twice weekly, the Alchimie Forever Kantic Brightening Moisture Mask will brighten your dulling skin, deeply moisturize your complexion, and protect you from premature aging with antioxidants that fight the harmful effects of free radicals. This intense hydrating mask smoothes and soothes skin and calms irritations and redness. Treat yourself and feed your skin with this spa-quality mask.

Who It’s For: Suitable for all skin types.

How It Works:

• Oats soothe skin and help keep it conditioned and soft.
• Wild pansies protect skin from the harmful effects of free radicals.
• Blueberry extract brightens skin and helps reduce redness by constricting blood vessels. It also acts as a potent antioxidant to prevent free radical damage.
• Grape extract is helpful in diminishing the sun’s damaging effects and lessening free radical damage.

Suggested Use: Once to twice weekly, apply generously to cleansed face and neck. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water after 15-20 minutes. This creamy mask will not harden. Follow with your favorite Alchimie Forever cream for optimal results.

 

MY TAKE:

I’ve only had a chance to try this mask out once prior to my review but, I really loved what it did for my skin and Im sure with continued use it will only get better. For starters, the smell of this mask is amazing, its super yummy and doesn’t have any odd or off smell. This all natural cream mask goes on smooth and stays creamy, which I love! If a mask hardens on your face it can begin to draw out your skins own natural moisture so you want to avoid these types of masks if you have any skin type other than oily and even then you might need to be careful. After 15 minutes of running around the house with this mask on, I rinsed it off to reveal super smooth supple skin. My skin looked so great in fact I went the rest of the day without makeup! The only thing Im still on the fence about is the price. But, all and all, a product I will continue to use!  

My 5 Step At Home Facial

Step One: Cleanse

Its important to start with a great cleanser to loosen and remove any dirt, oil and makeup and to prep your skin for the treatments its about to receive. I recommend John Masters Bearberry Facial wash  used along with the Clarisonic Mia (which is worth every penny!). Be sure and use warm not hot water when cleansing as hot water will strip your skin. After cleansing follow up with an eye makeup remover like Neutrogena’s eye makeup removing pads just to get any little traces of eye make that still might be hanging around.

Step Two: Exfoliate

After cleansing the skin its important to exfoliate to remove any dead skin cells and to best prepare your skin for a treatment mask. Exfoliating 2 times a week is a great way to keep your skin looking fresh and healthy and should be a part of your at home facial. One of my favorite face scrubs is Befine’s Exfoliating Cleanser. Squeeze a small amount of exfoliant into wet palms, apply to wet face in slow circular motions for approximately 2 minutes (you can also use your Clarisonic if you like), rinse with luke-warm water and pat skin dry.

Step Three: Treatment Mask

I like to prep my skin for a mask by opening my pores with a warm towel. Simply take a hand towel, get it wet and wring out the extra water. Place the towel in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minute *** BE CAREFUL NOT TO GET THE TOWEL TOO HOT!!!*** (If you can’t pick it up with your hands it’s too hot for your face!) place the warm towel on your face for 2-3 minutes just long enough to let the steam open up your pores but, not long enough for the towel to get cold. Apply your facial mask as directed and remove as directed. Splash your face with cold water and be sure to pat your skin dry.

**An optional step here is to do an eye mask, I’m a faithful follower of the Juice Beauty Green Apple Eye Mask**

Step Four: Tone

A great toner will help drive down your moisturizer, close pores and help balance skins pH. My favorite toner, possibly of all time, is Pangea Organics Facial Toner. Look for an alcohol free toner that wont strip your skin of its natural oils

Step Five: Moisturize

The easiest step of all complete your at home facial with a really great moisturizer of your choosing, a little eye cream and just for fun a nice treatment lip serum like the one from BeFine.

There you have it my Alchimie Forever review and my 5 step at home facial! Enjoy!!!

***FTC: I was given this product at no cost to me to sample and review. Even though I received the product for free I am not being compensated by any company for my opinion and my opinion is all my own :)

It doesn’t take much searching around the internet to learn that in the last year sampling programs have exploded onto the scene in the last year. If you follow my blog or my YouTube channel you have seen my reviews and followed my roller coaster of loving and hating a variety of said programs. I’ve complied what I believe is one of the most up to date list of the programs available in the US (I’ve honestly kind of given up on cataloging the ones in other countries). Below is a complete list plus, my two cents on the programs I have tried. I think the biggest thing to remember about joining any program is to focus on what you really need and companies that coincide with your likes and interests. FTC note: I have not been paid to endorse any of the following companies and my opinions are based on either trying the programs or research found though a number of outlets.  ENJOY!

BEAUTY

Quarterly Sampling Programs

BEAUTYFIXwww.beautyfix.com $49.99 a quarter, free shipping. First off, I like Beautyfix because you can choose your own products and they are all (for the most part) full sized products. I’ve received 2 BF boxes so far and was pleased initially; however, I recently decided to opt out of the winter box. Bottom line $50 is a lot to spend and I want to have choices I actually like, the fact that they give you an option to opt out though is pretty awesome. I’ll see how next time’s selections go and we’ll re-access then.

NEW BEAUTY TEST TUBE www.testtube.newbeauty.com $29.95 a quarter plus $8.95 shipping. The fall/winter NBTT will actually be my last for a while, I’ve received 3 tubes now,  the first was great, the second so-so, the last … not good at all. The last three tubes I’ve received have had repeat companies or similar items to the last with very little variety. While they do feature some full sized products, I have had tubes that have been all deluxe sample sizes and frankly, if its not stuff I’m going to use, its not worth the price. ***However, as far as I’m concerned the QVC edition of the box is AMAZING and WAY more my speed!

BEAUTY CACHE  www. skincarerx.com/beauty-cache.html $29.95 Beauty Cache is a quarterly sampling program similar to Beauty Fix. It features beauty and skin care products and is run by SkinCareRx.com It seems VERY similar to BF and if thats the case, its an almost $20 savings over BF. The reviews on the website seem really good. This is one I really want to try!

Monthly Sampling Programs

BIRCHBOXwww.birchbox.com $10 a month free shipping. With the exception of a few misses, I’ve really enjoyed the now 6 boxes I’ve received. Totally worth the $10 every month, I feel like you get at least that in every box. I also REALLY like their points system and the different offers they run.

BEAUTY ARMY  www.beautyarmy.com $12 a month you get to choose 5-6 of your own samples, the company started in January and is really listening to what their subscribers have to say! So far I’ve received 4 boxes a few hits and a few misses but, Im super excited about May’s box!

ECO EMI www.ecoemi.com $15 a month, free shipping. Eco Emi boxes are amazing. They feature eco-friendly companies and new and interesting items like food and home care. Plus Christine the owner, is a doll who goes above and beyond when there are customer service issues.

CONSCIOUS BOX-  www.consciousbox.com $12 a month $7 shipping. I’ve received a total of 4 boxes now I LOVE them!!! The products are all naturally based and it’s a lifestyle box similar to Eco Emi (Only there is WAY more stuff) so the variety is everything from granola to lip gloss, laundry soap to shampoo.

JULEP MAVEN www.julep.com/maven.htm $19.99 a month, free shipping. Julep Maven features nail, hand and food care products including nail polishes, scrubs and moisturizers.  I received my first box and paid $5 because of a promotional code I found. For $5 it was a steal! You get a preview of the next box before it ships and have a chance to opt out. The boxes are hit or miss, I’m still not 100% sure about the price point but, for all you nail junkies out there I’m sure you’d love it!

BLISSMOBOX  www.blissmobox.com $19 a month, free shipping. Its basically like big Eco Emi boxes (a lot of full sized products) and you can choose from different categories each month. They vary from cleaning boxes to beauty boxes. Lately Blissmo has been a little hit or miss. My first few boxes rocked and the last few have been so so.

BLUUM BOX www.bluum.com $12 a month focuses on samples for mommy and baby

KLUTCH  www.klutchclub.com $18 a month From their website: Indulge in $50 worth of expert-curated health, wellness, and fitness products, delivered right to your door. You’ll get healthy food and drinks, workouts and apparel, skincare products, supplements, and more!

GOOD AND LOVELY www.goodandlovely.com $13.99 a month From their website: At Good & Lovely we provide a little sunshine at a time that is normally grey and blah, your period. Your LovelyBox will arrive each month filled with really good chocolate and a sampling of fun items like aromatherapy, tea, & body care

BEAUTY BOX 5  www.beautybox5.com/ $12 a month From their site: Once a month, we deliver a Beauty Box with four or five handpicked samples directly to your doorstep. Your Beauty Box will contain items like makeup, skin care products, hair care products, fragrances and a few other surprises

MY GLAM BAG www.myglam.com $10 a month (currently a waiting list) My Glam has this sort of cult following because of its creators. I just got word that I will be receiving a May bag. Most of you have heard about MyGlam on YouTube … I’ll let you know my thoughts as soon as I receive it :)

THE LOOK BAG http://thelookstore.com/thelookbag $10 per month. I just received my first Look Bag in April. I really liked it but, the jury is still out … I’ll have to wait to weigh in on May’s bag. Check out my opening on my YouTube Channel

CRAVEBOX www.cravebox.com $10 a month (Currently on a lottery based waiting list)-5 personally selected food, beauty and home products. Should be interesting, it’s ran by a company called SheSpeaks which is similar to Influenster.

SAMPLE SOCIETY http://www.beautybar.com/SampleSociety/LandingPage.qs  $15 a month and brought to you by the people at Beauty Bar and Allure. I’m currently on the wait list for this one, everyone on YouTube is ranting about how amazing it is!

GOODEBOX   http://goodebox.com/ $16 a month you receive 7-10 deluxe sized samples of “clean and healthy, innovative and effective beauty products, along with the occasional sample of health and wellness and style-centric eco-living tools.” Again, sounds kind of amazing!

GREEN GRAB BAG http://greengrabbag.com/ $15 a month and features natural beauty products. I’ve heard good things, another one that I have not yet tried.

SINDULGE http://www.sindulge.com $12 a month. Started in March, includes a live consultation which I think it awesome! Havent signed up for this one yet, want to do a little more research but, I really love the concept and from what I’ve seen on YouTube its totally worth it!!

POSH POD www.poshpod.com $29.99 a month not too much info other than checking out the website, supposedly you can get 10-15 deluxe sized samples a month but, based on the site, Im not terribly impressed

GO GO GIRLFRIEND www.gogogirlfriend.com I was once a HUGE GGG supporter but, sadly I’m not sure what is going on with the company I had heard that it was closed but, another company was taking it over.  

MAKEUP MONTHLYwww.makeupmonthly.com $30 a month, free shipping. I’ve seen a few YouTube videos about this company but, I don’t know doesn’t really appear worth it to me. You receive 3 full sized cosmetics a month but, there isn’t much out there about the company.

SWEET DELIGHT DIVALICIOUS SAMPLE BOXES www.sweetdelight.ca$26 Canadian, free shipping. From what I’ve seen on YouTube, the box is odd… Its kind of like My Pretty Pink Box. It’s a mixture of jewelry, beauty products and other things. I’m gonna pass on this one, it really doesn’t look appealing to me

FOR HIM

BIRCHBOX FOR HIM  www.birchbox.com/men/ $20 per month

His Black Box – Not exactly sure whats going on with this subscription service … was $12 per month link no longer works and it appears another company has acquired the concept

HisKit www.hiskit.com $12 per month

My Platinum Box http://www.myplatinumbox.com/ $10 per month

 

OTHER BOXES

Umba Box- $26 a month, free shipping and you receive a variety of handmade items for women. Its like Etsy … in monthly form :)

My Little Black Bag

Lost Crates- $38 a month stationery items

 

Couple of food boxes worth mentioning, Lollihop and Foodzie are both monthly food boxes but, Lollihop seems to be the better deal and its mostly organic items. I’ve also tried Love with Food and was not impressed but, again just my opinion.

 

 

If you read my last review about the Venus Razor this product was also a part of my Voxbox from Influesnter. This awesome little product is from Kiss and here’s what the website has to say:

Introducing Kiss Nail Dress, ultimate nail fashion for tips and toes! Just peel, apply, and shape for a manicure that lasts up to 10 days. On in minutes, off in seconds without remover. Nail Dress is available in 18 different styles, many of them featuring 3-dimensional jeweled designs. Check out Peplum, a deep black with multi-colored gems for a pop of color, or Babydoll, for a golden and glamorous jeweled look. Skip the topcoat, Nail Dress has it built in.

 

With 28 strips in each package, you can cut up your extras to create designs that can be used on top of polished or artificial nails. Nail Dress doesn’t dry out the way other polish strips can, so you can save them to use on your next DIY mani. A nail design booklet is included in each package, just in case you need a little inspiration.

 

And don’t forget about your feet! Nail Dress looks awesome on toes, too – just use the square side of the sticker for a perfect fit.

My Take:

First off, not totally sold on the color I received lol. Pink zebra stripes with rhinestones not exactly my bag … However, for the sake of testing I gave them a shot. I don’t have a ton of time to do my nails but, I always like to have them a little dressed up. This product is simple to apply, you literally peel, stick, clean up the end and your good to go. No drying, no spills, simple. The polish comes off with just regular remover and they last about as long as normal polish. I do love the other designs that are available and I’m considering purchasing some for a special occasion where funky nails are appropriate and time for nail art is minimal lol.

**FTC: All products were sent to me for free, but all my opinions are always my own

From time to time I’m sent products from Influester to try out and review (I have past reviews all over my blog :) ). Basically, they send beauty bloggers items to try for free and in return, we test and review the products on our blog, Facebook, You Tube Channel, etc … Well, I received my first Love VoxBox a few weeks back and one of the products I was asked to test was the new Venus and Olay Razor. What the website says:

For the first time ever, Gillette Venus, a global leader in female shaving, and Olay, a global leader in skincare, are coming together to deliver a gold standard in shaving with the new Gillette Venus & Olay razor. Venus’ best shaving technology works with Olay Moisture Bars, offering women best-of-both-worlds shaving and skin expertise. Olay Moisture Bars help lock-in moisture to your skin for less dryness, and with every smoothing stroke, Venus’ five blades shave you close.

 

Product Details

• Venus’ five-bladed razors shave you close and adjust to women’s curves for a smooth and comfortable shave, even over tricky shaving areas like knees and ankles.
• Olay Moisture Bars contain skin-enhancing elements found in Olay products: Petrolatum helps lock in skin’s moisture for less dryness and Glycerin helps offer that goddess glow! Just wet the razor to release a light lather – no separate shave cream required.
• As with most Venus razors, new Venus & Olay also features a rounded, pivoting head designed for women’s curves, and a soft-grip ergonomic handle for confident control, even in wet and soapy environment

My Take:

When I first received this product, I wanted to make sure I used it for several weeks prior to review, its been 6 weeks now lol and its just about time to change the blade. Needless to say, I love it! The double moisturizing bars provide so much moisture you dont need shave gel and the strips last forever (mine are still there). I’m not a huge razor freak, I dont need to have the latest and greatest new thing but, I must say this product has me sold.

**FTC: All products were sent to me for free, but all my opinions are always my own