Pixi Skin Treats

I was lucky enough to be sent the most beautiful skincare package from Pixi Beauty. I am extremely grateful when companies send me products to try because it allows me to review and share my thoughts with you! However, always remember that I would never recommend something solely because someone sent it to me. While I technically didn’t pay for these products, the opinions below are completely my own.

This ‘Skin Treats’ package from Pixi was filled with amazing masks and treatments for the skin. Pixi products are available at Target if you want to check them out in person.

Depuff:

I love a good eye gel mask for under the eyes, in fact I carry them in my kit to give to most brides, especially those who haven’t slept well leading up to the wedding! My go to brand though is Peter Thomas Roth’s De-Toc Cucumber Hydra-Gel Eye Patches, because they work the best out of all the ones I’ve tried (Click here to see my previous post about how well they work). However, I have to say these Detoxif-EYE Facial Treatment Eye Patches gave the PTR one’s a run for their money. I have used them on a couple brides now and myself and I think they do just as great of a job! I used them this past weekend on a bride who was puffy from allergies and they did such a great job of smoothing out any puffiness and fine lines before applying her makeup.

Detox:

The product I was most excited to see in this goodie box was the Glow Mud Mask, because I had heard other bloggers/youtubers RAVE about it (cough*@whatkatefinds*cough). I have to say, I was really impressed with it! I love how when it’s try you can see it working in your trouble areas. This is great if you are congested or oily and new to the skincare world and don’t quite know what to look for on your skin. It paints a clear picture as to where your trouble spots are when it comes to impurities. I love it. I love that it’s pretty quick drying too so you only have to wear it for about 15 minutes.

Peel:

This Peel & Polish mask is a fun way to prep your skin and exfoliate it before a treatment mask. I love how quick and effective it is. Simply apply it for 2 minutes and it will chemically exfoliate your face, then if you want a little extra exfoliation you can scrub it with wet finger tips and gently buff the skin a little more. As you probably know, I am not the greatest fan of mechanical exfoliation, but I like how gentle the grit is of this product. As expected though, I use it more so for the chemical portion and barely move it around before removing with a gentle damp cloth (which they so kindly provided in the goodie box! You really thought of everything Pixi Beauty)!

Glow:

You know I was excited to see the GLOW Glycolic Boost Sheet Masks come in this box because I love a good Glycolic Acid product. It really helps give a glow to your skin when used regularly! I loved this sheet mask. I am excited that I received more than one and this is a product I will definitely buy in the future. I try to use a low level glycolic acid serum every night, but love a slightly more intense treatment every so often. I like that with sheet masks you don’t rinse the product off afterwards, which is important with glycolic acid because when it’s at a lower level, you want it to sit on the skin to do it’s magic. I love this mask for nights when I’m in a rush but my skin is breaking out and needs some help. Aka, last night on day 2 of my period. haha

Purify:

I should have read more carefully with the T-Zone Peel Off Mask, but for some reason I didn’t realize that it was basically going to mimic a Biore Pore Strip. So you might be able to guess, but I’m not a big fan of these types of products and I tell you to generally stay away from them. Here’s why; the stuff in your pores is called sebaceous filaments and it’s simply a sign of healthy oil production which is a good thing! I understand that sometimes it can be too much and you can feel self conscious about it, so my suggestion is to skip the pore strips or peel off masks and go straight for the mud or charcoal masks (like the GLOW MUD one above!) and dissolve the excess oil instead of ripping it out. This is too rough on your pores, leaves them wide open and susceptible to acne infections and such. Plus, if you remove this oil too often, your body will simply up your oil production and try to refill your pores with even more oil!

Overall, I’m really loving most of the products Pixi Beauty sent me. I highly recommend checking some of them out if they sound like they could work for some of your skin issues. As always, let me know if you have questions about any of them!

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.

Pixi Beauty did send me these products to try for free, but all opinions are my own and I was not asked to review them.

Tips for Creating a Solid Skincare Routine

I know that skincare routines can seem tedious and like a waste of time to some people, but the reality is that we only have one face. It’s important to take care of our skin, but your skincare routine should be specific to you. How do you find the motivation to actually develop a routine that works for you? Follow some of these tips and I think they will help you.

Do your routine when you get home for the night.

This is my number one tip. For some reason, we think we have to do it right before we get in bed. If you struggle with feeling too tired to do your skincare at the end of the day, do it when you get home from work and change into your comfy clothes. This will also give you extra time to do treatments; say a face mask while cooking dinner…Doesn’t that sound nice? As long as you won’t be sweating or going out into the sun again, you can do that skincare as soon as you are in for the night.

Create a soothing environment in your bathroom while doing a skincare routine.

If you look at your skincare as an opportunity for self care, your attitude can change about it. It will no longer feel like a chore, but a fun experience. Create an environment that is relaxing and inviting so that you look forward to taking care of your skin. Soothing music, aromatherapy, lighting a nice candle; all of these things can add to the ambiance and make your skincare routine the best 10 minutes of your night.

Organize a special area of your bathroom as your skincare corner.

If your products are organized and easy to access, you’ll be much more likely to use them. I like to keep mine on a special shelf that is only for skincare so that I see them every time I walk into my bathroom, but they still look clean and neat. This way I am always reminded that I need to spend time on my skin.

Do your research, learn to understand your skin, & meet with an esthetician.

I find that we are less likely to do something when we don’t know why we would be doing it. We know we should be cleansing our faces but do we know why and how to properly do it? Take some time to meet with a licensed esthetician who can help you understand what your skin needs. The reality is that our skin can change day to day and the best thing we can do is learn to understand what our skin needs so we can properly treat it at home. Your esthetician is a great resource for this. I offer beauty therapy appointments to help you discover your skin specifically, so email me if you would like more info on this.

Only try one new product at a time.

This one may surprise you, but this is one of my big beliefs that I am always talking about. I firmly believe that we should only introduce one product at a time into our skincare routines. Here’s why…if you have an allergic reaction, you know exactly what caused it. If you don’t like the effects or oppositely, LOVE the effects, you know exactly what caused them. It also helps keep the cost of amping up your skincare routine spread out over a course of time, instead of having to drop a bunch of money at once. I am all about helping you create a great routine for yourself, but I also want it to be realistic and I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed.

Let me know what you do to make your skincare a part of your daily life! Comment your tips below.

Have a beautiful day,

Andrea

The Skincare Nerd's Gift Guide

This week we are talking Gift Guides. That’s right, I’m bringing you four Gift Guides this week. Last year I did one big Gift Guide, but this year I’m breaking it up into four different ones and I hope come back each day and check them out!

Up first is going to be for the skincare loving guy or gal! Whether your budget is big or small, these items are great if you are looking for a gift for someone who truly enjoys taking care of their skin.

1. Expensive Mask:

   The holidays are the perfect time to get someone the expensive mask you know they will not buy for themselves. Here I’ve linked a few that I absolutely love that are worth the larger price tag.

   1. Herbivore Botanicals Blue Tansy (Great for oily/acne prone skin types)

   2. Farmacy Honey Potion Mask (Great for dry/aging skin)

   3. Korres Wild Rose Vitamin C Sleeping Facial (Great for brightening)

2. Mask Brush/ Mask Bowl:

   Sometimes certain face masks require mixing in a small dish and a gift like this is really nice to receive. Make sure that the brush has synthetic fibers though because they won’t be porous and soak in moisture. This set is a great option!

3. Gift Certificate for a facial or other skincare treatment:

   Facials can be a treat that we don’t often buy for ourselves, so receiving one as a gift can be really nice! Make sure you do your research and ask around your area to get specific details and recommendations on who is the best in your area. The last thing you want to do is gift a bad experience!

4. Skincare Tools:

   If someone is into skincare products but hasn’t experimented with tools, try getting an ice or jade roller for their face. It’s a fun way to step up your skincare game and use something that you might not have bought yourself.

5. Satin Pillowcases:

   These are great for both your hair or your skin. The satin allows you to glide smoothly over the pillow when you’re sleeping, and reduce the tugging on your face.

6. Headbands for Doing Skincare Routine:

   This one would be a great add on or stocking stuffer. If the skincare junkie you’re shopping for loves to do a lot of face masks, a headband like this one would be perfect to keep their hair away from their face when doing treatments.

7. ‘Eat Beautiful’ Cookbook:

   I absolutely adore this cookbook because of all of the information on specific foods and how they benefit the skin. If your skincare nerd loves to cook, this would be a great gift to incorporate beauty into their diet.

8. Aveda Shammy:

   This cloth by Aveda is great for removing masks, products, etc from the face without scratching the surface of your skin. I used these in school and love them so much! I use mine at home all the time. Plus you can throw them in the washing machine to clean them!

9. Sheet Masks:

   I usually buy a big set of face masks every year and give a few to everyone I’m giving gifts to. No one can ever have enough sheet masks because they are one time use. They are a must have for stocking stuffers.

10. Gift Cards to Ulta/ Sephora/ Target/ Amazon/ Dermastore:

    When in doubt, buy your favorite skincare nerd a gift card to go buy more skincare. I know that gift cards can sometimes seem impersonal, but if you buy one and say ‘this is for you to pick out a new face mask or cleanser’ specifically, it can make the gift feel more personalized. I promise you that no skincare junkie will be sad about money they have to spend on more facial products.

As you can probably tell, I didn’t want to just focus on skincare product recommendations. I wanted to try to recommend more detailed gifts besides the obvious ones. Of course when in doubt shower everyone you love in Rosehip Oil. hahaha (Did you really think I could get through a skincare gift guide without mentioning it? haha)

Coming soon also, I’ll have a Makeup Lover’s G.G., my Top Cookbooks to Gift, and stocking stuffers!

Andrea

Disclosure: Amazon links are Amazon Affiliate links meaning that I make a commission off the purchase of the product through my link. I would never recommend a product that I didn't love and all opinions are my own. I am thankful for you choosing to purchase through my links, as it helps me create more content for Andrea Fontana Beauty.