Happy Sunday babies. It’s been a minute since I posted on here and I’m feeling good today. March was a busy month for me and I also celebrated my 29th birthday. Okay, let’s go to the Glossier After Baume cream. This luscious goodness is a new cream Glossier dropped a few months back and I am happy they did. This is a clean, vegan, and fragrance free cream that helps heals your moisture barrier. This cream was made for dry and sensitive skin. Glossier stated this cream is a puffer jacket to protect your skin from all types of environmental factors. I must say, I agree with this statement. This face cream is especially great for Fall and Winter.

So let’s talk texture and consistency. This moisturizer has a creamy white texture. When applied to the face it feels a bit sticky and tacky at first. It sits on top of the skin but after ten to fifteen minutes it sinks into the skin nicely. It leaves a dewy finish and y’all know I love a glow. A little goes a long way so you don’t need to use a lot. Please trust me when I say this because your girl used way too much my first night applying this and it didn’t sink in properly.

This baume is considered an occlusive moisturizer. The key ingredients in this moisturizer are glycerin, cupuacu butter, babassu oil, and linoleic acid. These ingredients help sustain, draw, moisturize, and create a protective barrier for your skin. These ingredients are so powerful when combined together. They help draw moisture into the skin. This moisturizer can be used alone or paired with your favorite facial oil and serum. The packaging is sleek and crisp. The cream comes in a glass green glass container with a pink twist top and white writing.

Glossier not only sells skincare, but makeup, fragrances, and body products to. I am in love with their glosses. I plan to buy some of their cloud paints, skin tints, and boy brows. Have any of you tried the After Baume or any other Glossier products. If so, how do you like them?

Happy Sunday babies. I want to introduce y’all to a facial cleanser that my dry and sensitive ass skin has been loving for five months. I feel like I am late to the party but holy shit I am in love with the bareMinerals Pureness Gel Cleanser. I have not found a facial cleanser that cleans my skin thoroughly without stripping the oils out of my skin in about two years. I want to note I only wash my face once a day with a physical face wash and typically it is at night. This method has helped keep my skin hydrated and less inflamed and irritated.

So let’s talk bareMinerals. bareMinerals is an Ol’ G makeup brand that has been around for years. They are considered a clean beauty cosmetic brand that focuses on clean ingredients. I love their foundations, blushes, lip glosses, and now their pureness gel cleanser. This face wash is a vegan cleanser made with only 15 ingredients. Formulated with coconut milk, coconut water, and prickly pear, these key ingredients help soothe, hydrate, and balance out the skins natural moisture.

Since I started using this cleanser my skin has been more hydrated, smooth, plump, and pimple free. Of course around that time of the month I get a few pimples here and there but it is far less than what I was experiencing last year. This cleanser has a white, thick, and creamy consistency. It does not foam up when applied to the skin. It is also fragrance free which is wonderful for people who have sensitive skin. I wet my face then rub the cleanser into my skin for one to two minutes. I rinse my face off with warm water, pat dry, and moisturize.

Have any of you tried this facial cleanser? If so, please let me know if it worked out for you or not.

Happy Sunday everyone. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Let’s talk about one of my favorite products I always keep on shelf which is Manuka honey. I am in LOVE with Manuka honey. This is one of the few products I can apply on my face that does not burn, irritate, or strip my skin. Anytime I try out a new product and it burns my skin I apply Manuka honey and fresh aloe vera to my face and it soothes my skin. As I said before, I am always trying out new skincare products and 95% of the time my skin gets inflamed and irritated within a couple days.

Manuka honey has strong antibacterial, anti inflammatory, anti viral, and antioxidant benefits. It can be applied as a face mask, face wash, and consumed by mouth. Manuka honey may also help treat ulcers, respiratory infections, wounds, viral and bacterial infections, bowel diseases and etc. I have used Manuka honey when I had a sore throat and runny nose and it helped relieve those symptoms within a day or two. Manuka honey is very hydrating to the skin and leaves a beautiful glow on the face. It helps heal a damaged moisture barrier as well. Manuka honey is also a natural exfoliant.

Manuka honey is processed through the Manuka plant and contains different UMF ratings. They say Manuka honey that has a UMF rating of 15+ or higher is the best type of Manuka honey to purchase. I have used Happy Valley 15+ UMF Manuka Honey and Trader Joe’s 10+ UMF Manuka honey and I enjoyed both. Happy Valleys Manuka honey 8.8 oz jar on Amazon is $40. Trader Joe’s Manuka honey is $14. I also want to note that Happy Valleys Manuka honey has been certified for its authenticity and Trader Joe’s has not.

If you’re on a budget and you’re using Manuka honey as a face wash/mask I would opt got Trader Joe’s Manuka honey. I’m using this one currently and love it. My skin feels soft, hydrated, and plump. I also be glowing and I mean, y’all know I love looking like a dewy goddess no matter the time of the day LOL. If you do not have access to purchase Manuka honey, you can purchase raw and organic honey as an alternative and use it as a face wash/mask.

When you wash your face with Manuka honey you want to apply it to a slightly damp face and massage it into your skin for 2 minutes. Then you will rinse it off with warm water and follow up with your favorite moisturizer or serum. When applying a face mask you want to apply it to a slightly damp face and leave it on for 15 minutes or longer. I personally have left Manuka honey on my face for five hours and it did not irritate my skin. Remember honey can be hard to spread so have patience when applying it on to the skin.

Have you tried using Manuka or raw organic honey on your face? If so, what were your results and how did you like using it on your face?

Happy Sunday y’all. I hope you all have been enjoying your day. The sun is shining in the PNW and I am loving every minute of it. The weather has me excited for Spring and Summer. Spring is around the corner so that means it is almost time to change up our skincare routines.

When the weather changes, your skincare routine should change too. Sometimes you only need to tweak one or two products depending on your skincare regimen. I keep my regimen simple since I have dry sensitive ass skin. A good moisturizer is essential in my routine. You’re going to want to swap out your face creams for a face lotion or gel moisturizer. You can also use a facial oil as well. Please remember this depends on your skin type and preference. If you like using face creams year round, then you do not have to swap any products out. I’m usually good with using the same facial cleanser year round.

You want to make sure you pick a face lotion or facial oil (occlusive) that is still hydrating your skin. Spring and Summer calls for hot weather but your skin can still become dry and irritated. Ceramides, peptides, occlusives, hyaluronic acid, niacinamides are some ingredients you want to look for in a face lotion. These will keep your skin soft, supple, hydrated, and plump. Facial oils are considered occlusives and can be found in face lotions. I personally like cold pressed or organic facial oils such as sweet almond oil, jojoba oil, and marula oil.

Here are some face lotions I recommend for all:

• Trader Joe’s Ultra Hydrating Gel Moisturizer $9
• Trader Joe’s Enrich Moisturizing Face Lotion $6
• Vanicream Daily Facial Moisturizer $15
• Cerave AM Facial Moisturizing Lotion $11
• Cetaphil Daily Facial Moisturizer $12-$15 (depends on SPF)
• Neutrogena Hydroboost Water Gel $18

I want to note that, if you don’t want to use a physical face cleanser in the Spring and Summer you can use micellar water as an option. I love micellar water but I like to make sure my skin is thoroughly clean so I use a physical cleanser instead. Micellar water is a great way to take off your makeup. You can use micellar water before or after you cleanse your face with your physical cleanser as well.

What are your favorite face lotions, oils, and cleansers? Drop the names below so I can check them out. Enjoy the rest of your day.

Okay, let’s talk about this wonderful serum I discovered recently at Target. This serum is Godsend. Honestly, I mean this when I say, no cap. Damaged moisture barrier? Need some help relieving your skin from winter dryness? Trying too many skincare products at one time and your skin is now itchy, red, burning, and irritated. Look no further. The Cocokind Ceramide Barrier Serum is here to relieve you from all of the above.

So, I recently informed you all I disrupted my moisture barrier once again. I know I know. It’s like Aysha when are you going to learn to chill testing out new skincare products. I won’t because I’m impulsive and hard headed LOL. My skin is so dry and sensitive and when I mean sensitive, anything can cause my skin to become inflamed and irritated. Just my luck right and so very annoying my skin never wants to cooperate with me. I envy people who can literally use anything on their face and it never irritates them.

So, let’s dive into a little history about Cocokind. This is an all natural and vegan skincare brand that makes products for all skin types. They also make body products as well. Every product is $30 and under unless your buying sets. Honestly, I love when skincare brands make affordable products that are of good quality anyone can enjoy.

Back in December I damaged my moisture barrier severely. This product helped relieve any irritation, burning, and redness within two days. Within a week my skin felt back to normal. Please remember it can take 1-2 months to heal your moisture barrier when it is damaged. Sometimes it can take 2 weeks depending on how fast your skin repairs itself. Ceramides help heal a damaged moisture barrier. Ceramides are in this magical facial serum. Ceramides speed up the repair process when healing a damaged moisture barrier. This is why this serum is so effective. Squalane and glycerin are also in this products which are hydrating and heal a damaged moisture barrier.

Ceramides are fats/lipids found in our skin cells. About 40% of our skin cells are made up ceramides. They help retain moisture and block germs entering into our bodies. You want to look for products that have a high level of ceramides in them to repair the moisture barrier. This serum is very hydrating and has helped hydrate my skin during the harsh winter months. It layers well under face creams and oils. If you’re looking for a serum that won’t break the bank, hydrate your skin, and help repair your moisture purchase this product. It is only $20 y’all. In my opinion, this is a good deal for a facial serum.

Have any of your tried this serum? If so, what are your thoughts and opinions about it?

Happy New Year everyone. I hope you all enjoyed your holidays and they were filled with so much joy and love. Okay, so let’s dive into it. The winter months are among us and my goodness my skin has been dryer than the Sahara Desert. I have been looking for that perfect winter moisturizing cream. Unfortunately, the Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream doesn’t provide my skin with enough hydration at the moment. I do feel that in the Spring and Summer it will work just fine.

I am thrilled to announce that my skin is not breaking out like it was during this time last year. That was God awful and dreadful and boy was I self conscious about my skin. I am still dealing with hyperpigmentation but I do not mind. I rather have clear skin and deal with the hyperpigmentation later. I like to deal with one skin issue at a time since I have dry sensitive ass skin. I also am an anxious little woman who likes to try multiple products and will switch up shit when do not see results fast enough or products burn my skin.

So let’s talk about slugging. Slugging is a hot topic trending all over TikTok right now. So basically with slugging you lather a thin layer of petroleum/petrolatum (Vaseline, Aquaphor, Cerave Ointment) all over your face as the last step in your nightly skincare routine. Petroleum/petrolatum is considered an occlusive that provides a protective layer to your skin barrier. This helps speed up the process healing your skin barrier if it damaged as well. I’m sure some of your grandmothers/mothers have been using Vaseline on their skin for decades.

I tried slugging for about a week and I enjoyed it. I tried it with Aquaphor and the Cetaphil Healing Ointment. Both felt amazing on my skin. I can say with the Aquaphor, I could not pair it with any other serums or facial oils because it caused slight irritation. The Cetaphil Healing Ointment was much lighter on my skin and paired better with my other products. It sunk into my skin beautifully. What I enjoyed the most about the Cetaphil Healing Ointment is that it was light weight enough to use on the body as well. It will also have your skin glowing honey . I stopped slugging because I need to find a proper face moisturizer for my skin. Once I do, I will start slugging again two-three times per week.

Also, I you have acne prone oily skin and even combination skin, I am not sure if slugging with petroleum/petrolatum is right for your skin type. You can slug with a facial oil which y’all know I love facial oils😍

Have any of you tried slugging before? If so, how do you feel about it?

Now that we are in the colder months, it is important for you to upgrade your skincare routines. Sometimes you do not need to upgrade your skin cleanser but upgrading your face moisturizer is necessary to nourish your dry skin during fall & winter. So, I am in love with facial oils and creams. I love my skin feeling hydrated and dewy. This is especially important during fall and winter for me. As I stated before, I have the most dry and sensitive ass skin ever. Sometimes I look in the mirror and try to understand why majority of the products I try out burn and irritate my poor face. I cannot explain to you how frustrating this is for me. I be rolling my damn eyes in disgust when a product burns my skin. Luckily, I found a few products I am going to share with all that I have been enjoying.

Face creams are usually the best to use during the colder months. Face creams appear to be:

• Thicker in consistency
• Mixture of oil and water-50/50 oil to water ratio
• Usually greasier because the oil concentration is higher
• Protect the skin barrier and keeps the skin more hydrated
• Heals dry, cracked, and irritated faster than a face lotion
• Creams are typically sold in a jar container

When you are searching for a face cream make sure it has some of these ingredients in it:

• Hyaluronic Acid
• Ceramides
• Emollients
• AHA’s
• Retinol
• Vitamin E
• Sweet Almond Oil
• Jojoba Oil
• Argan Oil
• Squalene Oil
• Glycerin
• Lactic Acid
• Grapeseed oil and many more facial oils

Adding facial oils can provide extra hydration to your skin care routine as well. Depending on the consistency of the oil, you can layer it under or on top of your moisturizer. Before purchasing a facial oil, make sure you pick the best one for your skin type. I usually enjoy facial oils that are cold-pressed as they absorb into my skin better than expeller pressed oils.

Here are some of the recent products I have tried out:

Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream $16.00: I know I said I cannot use Cetaphil products in my previous post, but baybee the new and improved formula they released this year is amazing. It absorbs into the skin way better. I recently disrupted my moisture barrier and this has been soothing it.

Jason Vitamin E 5000 IU Crème: this has a very thick consistency and is best to use at night. Vitamin E has wonderful healing properties and can help reduce the sign of wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, repair the moisture the barrier and etc.

Here are two facial oils I have enjoyed to which are Vitamin E Oil and Sweet Almond Oil. These both absorb well into the skin and pair great with these two face creams I mentioned above.

Those are just a couple of options I provided for you. There are other face creams and oils you can research to find out what is best for your skin type.

Okay, I wanted to LOVE this face cleanser. I enjoy the few Biossance products I have tried in the past but this was a total miss for my dry and sensitive ass skin. I was extremely excited to try this cleanser, especially after reading the raving reviews on Biossance’s website. Unfortunately, within two days my skin was as dry as the Sahara desert. Y’all already know, I have the worse time finding a cleanser that will not burn and irritate my skin. My skin is so sensitive, I can’t even use Cetaphil, Cerave, and Vanicream on my skin. When I tell most people this, they look at me and say “you can’t even use Cetaphil.?” They are so beyond astonished. I’m like no, I can’t and what an atrocity that is because Cetaphil is one of the OG skincare brands a lot of people use.

Biossance is a clean beauty brand that uses sugar cane squalene in majority of their products. Sugar cane squalene mimics the oils found in human skin. Sugar cane squalene oil easily absorbs into the skin making it a lightweight oil you can wear year round. Sugar cane squalene oil reduces the appearance of wrinkles, enhances the skin barrier, improves the skin cellular levels, and deeply moisturizes the skin without making your skin feel greasy. You can use sugar cane squalene oil all over body and it should not irritate your skin or clog your pores.

This face cleansers thoroughly cleanses your face. My skin felt extremely refreshed and had a beautiful glow after I washed it. I enjoyed the earthy smell as a massaged this cleanser into my face. But, because my skin is so dry, it also felt tight and dehydrated. I immediately had to moisturize my skin after rinsing this cleanser off of my face. I must note that your skin should never feel tight after you wash your face. It should feel soft and supple like a baby’s bottom LOL. If your skin does feel this way, this is an indication that your moisture barrier is being compromised and your natural oils are being stripped. Your cleanser should never burn or irritate your skin either. If it does, toss that cleanser in the trash immediately.

I ended up taking this cleanser back to Sephora because it did not work for my skin. I believe this cleanser will work for people who have normal, oily, and possibly combination skin. If you have sensitive skin and want to try this cleanser, test patch it on one part of your face and see how your skin reacts to it. This cleanser is a great investment for those who have normally to oily to combination skin.

Hey yall, Summer is officially here and I want to share some cost effective and friendly beauty hacks that won’t break the bank. As I mentioned before, I am all about a good deal and I love saving money, especially when the products I need are already in my cabinet at home!💘🥰

Beauty Hack One: Tinted Moisturizer.

I absolutely love foundation year round but for those warmer months, I usually will opt for a lightweight (Nars Sheer Glow) foundation or tinted moisturizer. Tinted moisturizer can be pretty pricey, so I am going to share how you can make your own tinted moisturizer at home.

Mix some of your favorite foundation with your holy grail moisturizer or facial oil, add a little SPF (preferably in a jar of your choice) and boom…you have officially made your own tinted moisturizer. I personally, enjoy mixing my foundation and facial oil together because it gives a beautiful sheen and dewy look. SPF is already has a lotiony feel so I don’t mix my moisturizer with my foundation. I also like looking a greaseball, so preferably this works better for me. Sidenote: you may have to add a couple drops of facial oil in the jar if the foundation/moisturizer/SPF combo does not mix well. This will allow a smoother application when you apply the tinted moisturizer on your face.

Beauty Hack Two: Shimmering Body Oil.

These beauty hacks are by far the easiest I love sharing with folks. There are tons of companies that charge an arm and leg for their shimmering body oils. Some are worth buying, others are not. The only products you need to make your own shimmering body oil is: a body oil of your choice (baby oil, sweet almond oil, avocado oil to name a few) and a liquid highlighter. Try opting for a body oil that has a twist cap/or pump. It will be easier to mix your liquid highlighter with the oil. Twist the cap back on, shake it up, and kaboom…you officially made your own shimmering body oil for the low low.

I hope you all enjoyed this post. Let me know if you try out these beauty hacks and if they work for you. Have a great rest of your week❤️

Okay, I’m a sucker for a good facial oil. When I discovered Trader Joe’s Cold Pressed Marula Oil ($7) while grocery shopping, I just had to purchase this bad boy. Located in Southern Africa, Marula oil derives from kernels of the marula fruit tree. Marula oil is considered a luxury oil, and I must say, I agree with this statement. I look forward to applying this oil after I wash my face. It makes me so happy. I mean, as most people say, it’s the small things that make us happy🤣🥰😂💕

Now, I am all about sweet almond oil, but ooowwweeee Marula oil has simply stolen my heart. When I mean this facial oil is so hydrating and absorbs into my skin so easily, I was shook. Usually facial oils irritate my poor sensitive and dry ass skin. As I stated before, most products are not my friend and burn this shit out of me. I give praise to the most high for this cold pressed goodness that cooperates with my skin.

Marula oil is considered a light weight oil that absorbs nicely into easily into the skin. This marula oil has a medium thick consistency and layers wonderfully under my moisturizer. I have been told that facial oils should be applied after you apply your face moisturizer, but personally for me I put my facial oil on before I apply my moisturizer. I have tried both ways, and this is what works for me. Please remember to do what works for you. Everyone’s routine and skin is not the same.

This facial oil gives me such a beautiful and dewy glow. Anyone who knows me, knows I enjoy looking like a grease ball. It’s a way of life for me. This facial oil also layers well under makeup. I have never had an issues with it being too greasy making my foundation or blush slip. I also want to note that I hear this is a great dupe for the Drunk Elephant Marula oil that is $72 *cough cough.* Oh, by the way, Trader Joe’s Marula Oil is only $7. Talk about a deal y’all. I’m all about them deals, especially when you are balling on a budget.

I must stress, what works for me, may not work for you. Please test patch before applying this facial oil all over your face.

Benefits of Marula Oil:

• Extremely Hydrating
• Light weight oil
• Absorbs easily into skin
• Helps repair a compromised skin barrier
• Safe to use on all skin types
• Universal oil that can be used on the face, body, and hair
• Helps with acne prone skin
• Wonderful anti aging oil
• Helps reduce fine lines and wrinkles
• Helps relieves dry skin
• Contains vitamin c and vitamin e (draxe.com)
• Contains oleic, palmitic, linoleic, and stearic acids (draxe.com)
• Contains omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids(draxe.com)