Review: Neutrogena Transparent Facial Bar

I originally bought this for the boyfriend in a failed attempt to get him to wash his face.  Since I was out of face wash and still had this sitting around, I decided to give it a try.

See? Its clear!

Initial Thoughts: I was wary as it is a bar of soap and I had no faith it would be good for my skin.  It doesn't lather at all, which also made me skeptical.  I used it to take off my makeup and was amazed when I looked in the mirror and every bit of makeup was gone! It is a bit more drying than most face washes I used, but if I put on a light moisturizer on after it is perfect. 

Overall Thoughts: I am quite impressed! I have been using this for about three weeks now.  I did get some breakouts, but they were mild and cleared up really quickly.  After the initial flare up, my skin has settled down.  I do sometimes break out when I use new face washes, but this seems to also be helping my skin bring up icky stuff and then clearing it out. (if that makes ANY sense) I really like this, I love how affordable it is (about $3 for the bar) and how I don't have to worry about it leaking in my gym bag.  I can totally see why this facial bar has been around for so long and has such a strong following.  They also have an acne bar I am dying to try, but with the rate I am going through this bar, that will be in like 6 months. =P

Review: Simple Refreshing Facial Wash Gel

A while ago I had a coupon for $2 off any Simple facial product at CVS.  The travel size face wash is $1.99 so tada! I got face wash just for the price of tax =) I had been wanting to try this for a while, and for a whopping 9 cents, why not!

More of the side so you can see the ingredients. 

Initial Thoughts: The first time I used this I used way too much.  You really only need a large pea sized amount to wash your whole face.  It does a good job taking off most makeup, it has a bit of trouble with waterproof mascara, but this is to be expected.  It did not dry out my face at all and left it feeling clean.

Overall Thoughts: This tiny little bottle lasted me almost 2 months.  2 months! I love a product I can get a lot of use out of.  I have not broken out from this cleanser and it leaves my skin feeling smooth and clean.  I do not get that tight feeling some cleansers can leave behind.  I use it to wash off my makeup, and even with a bit of extra washing around my eyes to wash away mascara, the skin around my eyes is not irritated at all.  If any mascara is left behind, it is softened and wipes away with my washcloth.  I really like this cleaner and it is one I would purchase again.

Review: Neutrogena Visibly Bright Daily Facial Cleanser

Today we will take a look at Neutrogena Visibly Bright Daily Facial Cleanser.  I was excited to try this one as I have had good experiences with Neutrogena over the years. I can't remember where I got this cute little sample from, but it was enough to last me about two weeks with washing my face twice a day. 

The back. Note "avoiding contact with the delicate eye area" more on that later. 

How it looks: 

First Impression: I was surprised that this cleanser has a pearl sheen to it when it comes out of the tube.  And the smell is WONDERFUL! Slightly citrusy and sweet, I adored it! It removed my make up, even my stubborn eye liner and mascara.  My skin felt smooth and not tight.  

Overall Thoughts: About a week into using this cleanser I noticed the outside corners of my eyes were getting really dry and the skin was red and irritated.  It actually hurt a bit.  That is when I looked at the cleanser and noticed the warning to avoid the eye area.  This worried me, I didn't think this was a harsh cleanser, so never would have thought to find this disclaimer.  I like to use my face wash to clean my entire face, eye area included.  The rest of my skin was clean and soft, did not notice if it was brighter, but there was no irritation other than the eye area. I have to say, I will not be going out and purchasing this as a full size product due to the irritation in my eye area. Yes, the cleanser did come with a warning, but it worries me enough not to want to purchase.  This makes me sad as other than that, this was a great cleanser and the scent was divine.  

Review: Vichy Laboratories NormaDerm Deep Cleansing Gel

Today we are looking at Vichy Laboratories NormaDerm Deep Cleansing Gel.  Before I received this sample, I had seen Vichy products in the stores, but was not attracted due to the price point.  The Vichy website lists the full size 6.7 oz size of this cleaner at $17.50, which is about $12.50 more than I ever want to spend on a face wash.  When I got this 1oz sample I expected to maybe get a week of use out of it. Two months later...boy was I wrong!! I still have a little left! 

First Thoughts: It has an interesting smell.  I cannot describe it! It is kinda herby and mediciney...but not in a bad way.  Personally I like the scent as it is a very unique "clean" scent to me.  It is very very subtle and only smell it the first few seconds of cleansing.  First time I used this, I used my typical amount of cleanser and found it to be WAY too much.  Second time I used an amount the size of a small pea and it was enough to cleanse AND take off light makeup! It leaves my skin feeling smooth and clean, but not overly tight.  

After a month: SHOCKED that I had only gone though a little less than half of the bottle.  I use this cleanser twice a day and I can barely tell I am using any of bottle.  I haven't had any acne outbreaks which is great.  I do still have a few pimples during that time of month (gee thanks hormones!!!) but honestly, NOTHING stops those *sigh* My skin feels smooth and not overly tight or stripped of oils which I really like. It does a good job at removing light makeup with a pea size amount.  If I am wearing heavy makeup I need a little bit more, but still impressed by how little product I need to use.  If I am wearing waterproof makeup, I need to use a separate makeup remover. 

Overall: I am very impressed with this product.  $17.50 for the full size may seem like a lot, but considering 1oz lasted me over 2 months, the full size product will last me at least a year. My skin seems very happy and smooth and no additional breakouts which is always a plus.    

Review: CVS deep action cream cleanser

Today I'm going to share my experience with CVS brand deep action cream cleanser.  

The consistency is what you would expect, creamy and a little thick. 

First thoughts: It tingles! And a good tingle too.  Its a "yay my face feels clean" tingle not a "ACK!! something is eating away at my face" tingle.  The tingle lasts for a few minutes after cleansing and I really like that.  Makes me feel clean. 

After using for a few months: My favorite part of this cleanser is the tingle.  I am not a fan of how it makes my face feel, almost like it has a film on it.  This is the same feeling I get with every cream cleanser I have tried, and haven't liked any of them.  This is probably just my preference, as with most skin care products, everyone is individual.  It was good at removing makeup and didn't make me break out or be overly dry. 

Overall: I would not buy again, but mainly because I do not seem to get along with cream cleansers.  If you like cream cleansers I would give this one a try.  The tingle and cleaning is great and it is a very good price.