Badger Sleep Balm, $10

Badger Sleep Balm is something different, something you might be skeptical about, but it is definitely worth trying. The balm comes in a nice tin that seems to be the standard packaging for balms. The tin is adorned with a resting little badger and a soothing promise as a sleeping aid.

The Badger Sleep Balm is lavender and bergamot scented, offering a nice soothing herbal smell. The smell is so soothing that even if you think that a balm won't help you sleep it will definitely relax you. I've been using this balm for the past few nights, rubbing some on my temples, neck, lips, eyelids, and even on my hands and cuticles. I can't get enough of the fresh herbal smell so I end up slathering it on all over. It is not too oily and thick.

Though I can't tell you this will knock you out like you took too much cold medicine, I can say that it is a nice addition to winding down before bed. It can be compared to aromatherapy, the smell just takes you to another place and prepares you to clear your mind.

Final verdict:
Cost: You can find this for around $10 in stores like Whole Foods or on Amazon. There are different balms you can try as well!
Do you think it actually helps you sleep?: For me it helps me relax, clear my mind, and prepare for sleep. I don't think that the balm actually aids in my physical sleeping though.
Repeat offender?: I would definitely buy this again. I think that I will keep this balm by my bedside for a long time because of its serious soothing quality.

-M

Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Blemish Therapy, $28

I originally bought the Blemish Therapy powder as a cheaper alternative to the $60 Skin Revival Treatment. The Skin Revival definitely worked for me somewhat, but not enough to spend $60. Plus, this is powder you can see, instead of guessing how much is left in the container!

It is basically a mix of mineral powders that is supposed to treat blemishes, shrink pores, reduce blackheads, and even-out skin tone. It comes with the little brush seen here. The main ingredient is sulfur (used to treat acne), which is backed up with other natural ingredients like their "soil mineral concentrate" (to exfoliate and reduce pores), white willow bark (pores), tea tree oil (cleanse), clay, farnesol, algae, and aloe vera. It's absolutely chocked-full of pure and natural ingredients, which is great because I feel better putting less chemicals on my skin.

That being said, it doesn't, um, smell that good. Like, at all. It smells pretty bad, actually, kind of like moldy, muddy tea tree oil. But since it's a powder the smell doesn't last too long (if it were a lotion it'd be awful), and I've actually gotten used to it in a pretty short time.

I've used the powder for about a month now. When I apply it after I wash my face at night, it doesn't feel like anything--it's very gentle. I think the powder form helps with its gentleness. It's easy to put on with the brush they provide (even over larger areas), and you don't need to use too much. The color slightly hides the blemish and definitely conceals redness, but my skin happens to match the powder so I'm not sure if it would blend in the same for every skin tone (though they claim it will).

I have seen a big improvement in the areas of redness and inflammation--it calms my skin down significantly. After I pluck my eyebrows, for example, I've swept the powder across them to reduce inflammation and prevent the little zits that pop up afterward. When I do get zits, they're much smaller and heal faster (especially if I don't touch them, such a bad habit!). These two things, to me, make this product totally worth it. My pores can get huge and irritated, my skin can be an oily mess, and this totally takes care of it. I do feel like I'm getting less blemishes as well. It didn't do too much for my blackheads--I don't see an improvement in that area at all. But, the other benefits outweigh this slight downfall.

Final verdict
Cost: $28 is a little pricey, but not as bad as their $60 treatment. The powder seems to last a long time. It's worth it, in my experience.
Natural, gentle: I love this because it's all natural. It does smell all natural, though! It's very gentle--great for sensitive skin like mine.
Effectiveness: I've seen a great improvement in skin tone, pore size, blemishes, and overall oil control. I didn't see much change in my blackheads.
Repeat offender: I will definitely buy this again. I'm happy with the results, even if my blackheads are still here! I would recommend this to anyone with problematic skin, especially if other chemical-rich products irritate you.

-T

L'Oreal Revitalift Complete Night Cream, $12-15

Recently I had a slight panic attack about the potential for wrinkles, fine lines, etc.--I think it was from some article I read in the New York Times about French women and their obsessive skin care and wrinkle prevention regimes. I know some people are rolling their eyes right now thinking "wow, really?" but hey it's my skin and I want to take care of it! I mean we are supposed to moisturize anyways so why not buy something that says it will help with wrinkle prevention too?

Needless to say by obsession lasted about a day but I did pick up this jar of L'Oreal Revitalift Complete Night Cream in the process. I've been using this cream pretty regularly every evening after removing my makeup. I like to rub it into my skin, especially around the eyes, cheeks, and the neck. Though I can't tell you if I have seen any results from it yet (ask me in 10 years maybe?) I can say I do like to use it nightly because it makes my skin feel super soft the next day.

The cream is on the thick side so if your skin is already oily this probably isn't going to be the best bet. It seems to be working well for me and I find that a little bit goes a long way. Another thing to note is that it has kind of a heavy lotion smell that may not be favorable to many people. It doesn't bother me because it smells pretty fresh but a friend of mine (who joined me in the wrinkle freak of out 2010) said she didn't really like the scent of it because it came off a bit strong.

Final verdict:
Cost: You can find it around $12-15, and you will definitely be able to find coupons! Cheaper than Clinique and Lancome skin products!
Do you think it works?: I may never know if using night cream is going to help prevent wrinkles on my skin but I know I like the soft and fresh feeling I have after I put the cream on and even the next day.
Repeat offender?: I probably won't buy this cream again because like mascara I tend to want to try a different face cream each time I need a new one. But I would recommend it to someone looking for a low cost night cream.

-M

Bare Escentuals RareMinerals Skin Revival Treatment, $60

As I mentioned in my last entry, I bought a kit from Bare Escentuals that included an array of their products. The RareMinerals Skin Revival Treatment that can be found at Sephora is bigger than the sample sized one pictured here (0.15oz vs. 0.05oz). The color I got is Clear, which is meant for all skin tones.

The treatment is a little canister filled with concentrated minerals that are deposited with a little pouf. The minerals are meant to transform your skin overnight, fixing wrinkles, sun damage, pore size, blemishes, skin texture . . . basically everything. That's a lot to promise, but hey, for $60 it better do a lot! To use, you click it to "open" and rub the pouf on your skin in a circular motion, buffing away imperfections. The minerals work on your skin while you sleep.

I've used it pretty consistently for about a week now. The pouf is really soft and gentle, and it feels nice on sensitive skin. However, it's honestly hard to tell anything is coming out--well, except that the top turned from white to beige. Sometimes I'll kind of tap it on my skin to make sure some powder puffs up. If anything, at least the pouf is increasing circulation and buffing away some dead skin cells.

After I put it on, my skin feels softer, smoother, and less oily. It doesn't do much to cover the blemishes, but I don't really care because I'm going to sleep! I think if you got one in a color closer to your skin tone it might make a more noticeable difference.

So, does it work? I don't really know. The first night I used it I had a huge zit on my chin. The next morning it was obviously much smaller. I got excited, but I don't know if it's done much since then. I've had some breakouts after that and it hasn't done much for them. Maybe I need to use it for a longer time to see more results?

Final verdict
Cost: $60. Ouch. You can find it on Amazon for around $45, or try it in a kit (they have new ones often).
Texture: Right after using it my skin does feel soft and velvety, but not miraculously so. It would probably be easy on sensitive skin.
Fix-all?: Sigh, I don't know. My main problem is breakouts, and while it did help a little, it wasn't perfect by any means. I wonder if I have to use it for a longer period of time, or if it's not really meant for my skin problems.
Repeat offender?: No, I wouldn't buy this again. I'll use this until it's gone (or until I think it's gone . . . it's hard to tell) and hopefully it will do a little something, but I kind of doubt it. Bummer!

Our giveaway is still going strong! Can't wait to announce the winner on Monday! We're so excited about it that we're extending the deadline--you now have until Sunday night at 11:59pm to enter.

<3,
-T