"Touch Me" Vegan Skin Care Review | #TouchMeSkincare

A few months ago I was offered the opportunity to try out a couple products from Touch Me Skin Care - a 100% vegan, organic, and cruelty-free skincare brand. With licensing in esthetics and skin care, Maheen Lemon of Touch Me decided to offer pure and clean products that are safe for you and the environment. I'm so excited to be able to share this brand with you today.

The "Rose Potion" Face Toner is not only a great smelling toner but also a hydrating facial mist.

It has a fresh floral scent (hibiscus and rose) and is very calming (witch hazel) which has been particularly helpful during my past couple months of cystic acne breakouts.

I've used this toner as a hydrating toner after cleansing, as a quick cleansing water in the mornings, and as a hydrating mist to perk up my skin during the day.

I love the added touch of hibiscus petals floating in the bottle - it really gives more of a feel for just how natural this toner really is.

The "Fresh Blood" Deodorant is a great replacement for the nasty chemicals used in commercial deodorants. I admit, I do sweat a lot and I do develop under-arm odor throughout the day, but most deodorants cause large cysts in my armpits, so I'm very much in favor of trying natural alternatives.

I did not pick up much of a scent from this deodorant, but that's totally fine with me. I think I got a hint of the citrus oil, but I mostly smelled the wax and shea butter that this stick is mainly composed of.

I'm a fan of the formula, as it's not too soft or mushy - if anything it's a bit hard and if it's too chilly it can be difficult to apply. But I'm pleased with this deodorant - it did keep me from stinking throughout the day with one reapplication if it was exceptionally hot.

I do recommend checking out Touch Me Skin Care - Maheen knows what she's doing, and is really brewing up some great beauty products.

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was received for this post. The Glitter Chic blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. If you have any questions, please contact me at gothickornchic at gmail dot com. This post may contain affiliate links, marked with an "*" and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of those links - which costs nothing to the consumer but does help this site. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

First Impressions of the Stella & Chewy's 30 Day Raw Challenge! #chewyinfluencer

It's been a couple weeks since I started Venus on the Stella and Chewy's 30 Day Raw Challenge, and I'm so excited to share our first impressions update with you today!

The transition into Stella and Chewy's Freeze Dried Dinner was pretty painless. I tried portioning her new food and old food to let Venus adjust slowly to her new food, but she wouldn't have any of that - she wanted Stella and Chewy's! I actually have a small amount of her old food left that she will not eat, because she'd rather have freeze-dried raw. I guess I can't say that I blame her...

Aside from her gusto while eating, the next noticeable change in Venus during this challenge has been her stools. She went from having three to six soft poops a day, to having one or two firm and small stools each day. She's not as gassy anymore either.

More recently, I've noticed her coat was getting much more shiny. She went through a short shedding phase and lost a lot of courser fur, but she's so smooth right now!

I think my favorite difference so far is how much more active Venus is. She's gone from a lazy little lap dog, to a dog who is excited for her daily walks and wants to run around outside. She's getting older every day (she's eight now) and seeing her lethargic is really saddening - but Stella and Chewy's has perked her right up!

I'll have a final update for you all in another week or two, after Venus has completed the Stella and Chewy's 30 Day Raw Challenge. So far I'm very impressed!

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. 

Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Essence and Cream Review

Hyaluronic Acid is an ingredient that can be beneficial to most skin types. While it may not be for everyone, you may find that this moisture-holding powerhouse is just what your skin needed.
HA is a naturally occurring component of your skin, and it aides in your skins' ability to retain moisture. As we grow older, our skin wears down and there is less HA present, causing our skin to hold less moisture for shorter amounts of time. Since it can hold up to 4,000x it's weight in water, it's the perfect option for drawing moisture into your skin, and maintaining a healthy moisture barrier.

Finding a hyaluronic acid product that works for you, however, can be a daunting task. For me, Cosrx makes two options that I'm happy to call my favorites.

Before we get started, I want to note that this post does contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This is what helps fund this blog and everything I do here - including purchase review items and host giveaways.

Cosrx uses sodium hyaluronate in it's essence and cream, which is a smaller derivative of hyaluronic acid that penetrates the skin better. Both products are a good option for hydrating, plumping, smoothing, and repairing your skin - but being two different types of products, they each have their own unique use.

The Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Hydra Power Essence is designed to pull moisture deep into the skin to hydrate dry skin and prevent moisture loss. This deep hydration is supposed to repair and maintain your skins moisture barrier, which keeps your skin smooth and protected. This essence also contains hippophae rhamnoides water which is supposed to keep skin calm and clear.

Because it pulls moisture into the skin, you will also need to remember to seal your skin with a nice cream afterwards to make sure the moisture does not leach back out.

Ingredients: Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, Butylene Glycol, Glycerin, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Panthenol, Ethyl Hexanediol.

The Cosrx Hyaluronic Acid Intensive Cream is designed to deeply hydrate and help your skin retain moisture, supporting a healthy moisture barrier. This cream also contains hippophae rhamnoides water which is supposed to keep skin calm and clear.

The cream allows your skin to retain more moisture on it's own.

Ingredients: Hippophae Rhamnoides Water, Glycerin, Butylene Glycol, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Betaine, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Cetearyl Alcohol, Cetearyl Olivate, Sorbitan Olivate, Macadamia Ternifolia Seed Oil, 1,2-Hexanediol, Sodium Hyaluronate, Arginine, Panthenol, Dimethicone, Ethylhexylglycerin, Carbomer, Allantoin, Xanthan Gum.

Comparison:
Both the essence and cream have a similar scent - in which they have little to no noticeable scent... One thing I love about Cosrx, is that they are not big on adding fragrance to their products, so what you smell is naturally occurring in the products' ingredients.

The essence is clear in color and is viscous, but not sticky. It absorbs into my skin quickly and leaves it feeling smooth and looking plump. There is no stickiness afterwards at all.

The cream is white in color and feels thick but is fairly lightweight once on the skin. It holds its form out of the jar, but is easy to spread against the warmth of my skin, and absorbs within a few seconds. With my oily skin, it can leave a slight film if I apply too much, but if I apply just a pea-sized amount it does absorb nicely and leaves my skin soft, smooth, and plump.

As far as performance, the HA essence I can use day and night, and when I do it improves my skins' dehydration drastically. It cuts down on how badly my skin breaks out, it eliminates the dull texture my skin can sometimes get, and it keeps my skin looking plump and more youthful.
The cream I can use day or night during the winter, but only at night during the summer because my skin is so oily. When used as a sleeping pack I wake up with fine lines plumped away and my skin feeling smooth and bouncy from hydration.

Honestly, they are both great products and I will continue to repurchase each of them.

You can find the essence and the cream at Cupidrop (essence / cream), Jolse (essence / cream), Amazon* (essence / cream) and MelodyCosme (cream).

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. If you have any questions, please contact me at gothickornchic at gmail dot com. This post may contain affiliate links, marked with an "*" and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of those links - which costs nothing to the consumer but does help this site. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Natural Beauty and Pampering with Dirty Mermaid Beauty [Review] #MelodyCosme #DirtyMermaidBeauty

If you're a regular reader of my blog you know that self-care and a sometimes lengthy skincare routine are a big part of how I keep my mind strong. At the end of a long day, sometimes the easiest way to relax is by drifting away with some calming bathwater and peaceful aromas. If you've been following my mini-reviews on Instagram, you'll know that I've been able to do that with all natural products from Dirty Mermaid Beauty.

I received 5 Dirty Mermaid Beauty pouches from Melody Skincare and Cosmetics to try out and share my thoughts and experiences with. So lets jump right in ~

Siren Spring Soak
A floral blend of French Lavender, Jasmine Absolute, Vetiver essential oils with Dead Sea Mineral Salts, Organic Bladderwrack Seaweed, and Grapeseed Oil.

 Simply pour under warm running bathwater and soak for up to 40 minutes.

I found this essential oil blend to be very calming, and it helped ease away a migraine I had been dealing with all day. The seaweed bits drifting around in the water was a nice tranquil touch as well.

Sea Kissed Mask and Body Wrap
This mask is composed of Organic Seaweed and Coconut Milk.

For the single pouch I added one tablespoon of filtered water to the powder and mixed it together. I only used this mask on my face, but if I were to purchase the full size tub I'd definitely try it as a body wrap as well.

The powder smelled like seaweed with a sweetness to it. Once I added the water, however, it turned into a stronger seaweed scent. But it was quite pleasant - not at all fishy like sheet masks made of seaweed.

After spreading the mixture onto my face with a flat foundation brush, I followed the directions and removed it after 10 minutes. The mask did firm up a bit but it did not fully dry. It felt slightly cooling and also soothing while on my skin.
Afterwards my skin was noticeably brighter, but my acne was also much less red and not nearly as painful. This was a very calming mask.

Autumn Sea Soak
An earthy blend of Organic Patchouli, Cedarwood, Ylang Ylang, Cajeput and Lemon essential oils with Dead Sea Mineral Salts and Organic Bladderwrack Seaweed.

Simply pour under warm running bathwater and soak for up to 40 minutes.

This was a homey scent for me. It reminded me of my grandma's house growing up a bit, which was more a nostalgic scent. This was very relaxing and put my mind and body right at ease. I think this is my favorite salt for that reason.

Cleanse + Glow Moroccan Clay
This mask is composed of Rhassoul Clay, Australian Red Reef Clay, and Organic Cinnamon.

I mixed the powder from this single-use pouch with one tablespoon of water.

I could pick up hints of the cinnamon while mixing, but it soon just smelled like clay. I loved the red color of this mask - so vibrant!

After spreading the mixture onto my face with a flat foundation brush, I followed the directions and removed it after 10 minutes. I felt a slight warming sensation for a few seconds after application, but it quickly disappeared.
This mask started to dry quite a bit but it did not become so hard that it was painful. This was one of the most easy masks to wash away I've ever used. Both this and the seaweed mask washed away with minimal effort and some warm water.
Afterwards I could tell my pores looked a bit cleaner, and my cystic acne looked much less swollen.

Nordic Sea Soak
A woodsy blend of Organic Cedarwood, Fir Needle, and Organic Patchouli with Dead Sea Mineral Salts and Organic Bladderwrack Seaweed.

Simply pour under warm running bathwater and soak for up to 40 minutes.

This was a more uplifting scent. It definitely helped melt away stress and achiness from the day, and it left me feeling more renewed. I felt much more clear-headed afterwards.

I genuinely enjoyed all of these products from Dirty Mermaid Beauty. They each are very unique and have their own individual differences that make them all a special experience on their own. I found them all very calming and relaxing to use, which has been great during times of stress and anxiety.

You can find all these vegan and organic single-use pouches of amazing Dirty Mermaid Beauty bath and beauty products for sale at Melody Cosme.

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was received for this post. The Glitter Chic blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. If you have any questions, please contact me at gothickornchic at gmail dot com. This post may contain affiliate links, marked with an "*" and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of those links - which costs nothing to the consumer but does help this site. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

ZiwiPeak Good-Dog Treats Review #ChewyInfluencer

During the month of June, while taking the Stella and Chewy's 30 Day Raw Challenge, Venus also had a chance to try out some yummy raw treats from ZiwiPeak - curtesy of Chewy.com.

ZiwiPeak food and treats are sourced and manufactured in New Zealand. What I love even more about ZiwiPeak is that they use their own manufacturing facility, so there's no cross contamination, and they are personally watching over their products as they're moving through the facility.

Good-Dog Treat comes in three different flavors; Venison, Lamb, and Beef - as well as chew bones. Venus received the Venison variety to try.

The ingredients consist of air-dried venison meat along with lecithin (to keep the meat chewably soft) and a few other natural additives to help taste and preservation.

These treats come in relatively small sizes, but are also soft and easy to tear if you have a smaller dog.

Venus prefers them whole, and waits patiently for these special savory treats.

ZiwiPeak Good-Dog Treats get a 4/4 - two thumbs up from mom and two paws up from Venus.

Find them on Chewy!

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was received for this post. This blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed.

Hydrating with Honey - Banila Co Miss Flower & Mr Honey Cream and Essence Oil Review

There was a time when I thought I was going to miss out on all the honey goodness skincare had to offer, but some careful patch testing revealed that I mainly need to avoid bee venom, and that most products with honey or propolis are just fine for me. More than just fine, in fact, they've become ingredients that now star in some of my favorite products at the moment.

I've been loving these Banila Co products because, let's face it, tretinoin is a drying creature - even for my oily skin, it still leaves me flaky if I don't properly protect my skin at night.

Before we get started, I want to note that this post does contain affiliate links. If you click these links and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission. This is what helps fund this blog and everything I do here - including purchase review items and host giveaways.

Banila Co Miss Flower & Mr Honey Cream
This cream is designed to be a thick powerhouse of honey, propolis, and royal jelly that holds moisture in your skin and makes it more resilient. It claims to strengthen your skin barrier, brighten, hydrate, and make the skin more elastic.

Ingredients: Honey extract (42%), aureobasidium pullulans ferment, dipropylene glycol, dimethicone, cyclopentasiloxane, butylene glycol, glycerin, cetearyl alcohol, PCA dimethicone, niacinamide, glycereth-26, petrolatum, trisiloxane, glyceryl stearate SE, butyrospermum parkii (shea) butter, chrysanthellum indicum extract, plukenetia volubilis seed oil, argania spinosa (argan) kernel oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, royal jelly extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, chamomilla recutita seed oil, pentylene glycol, dimethiconol, glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, ammonium acryloyldimethyltaurate/VP copolymer, PEG-150 distearate, water, raffinose, caprylyl glycol, dipotassium glycyrrhizate, adenosine, arginine, caprylic/capric triglyceride, octyldodecanol, hydrogenated coco-glycerides, sodium starch octenylsuccinate, maltodextrin, calcium pantothenate, hydrogenated lecithin, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, tocopheryl acetate, pyridoxine HCI, silica, xanthan gum, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, fragrance, CI 19140.

Banila Co Miss Flower & Mr Honey Essence Oil
This oil is designed to moisturize and provide elasticity to the skin. It also claims to brighten.

Ingredients: Collagen extract (55%), glycerin, water, methylgluceth-20, polyglycerin-3, niacinamide, ethanol, honey extract, aureobasidium pullulans ferment, theobroma cacao (cocoa) extract, royal jelly extract, propolis extract, chrysanthellum indicum extract, plukenetia volubilis seed oil, argania spinosa kernel oil, olea europaea (olive) fruit oil, anthemis nobilis flower extract, oenothera biennis (evening primrose) oil, limnanthes alba (meadowfoam) seed oil, helianthus annuus (sunflower) seed extract, calendula officinalis flower extract, pentylene glycol, PEG-8, butylene glycol, glyceryl polyacrylate, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, adenosine, tromethamine, caprylic/capric triglyceride, octyldodecanol, hydrogenated coco-glyceride, sodium starch octenyl succinate, maltodextrin, calcium pantothenate, hydrogenated lecithin, sodium ascorbyl phosphate, tocopheryl acetate, pyridoxine HCI, silica, xanthan gum, carbomer, disodium EDTA, phenoxyethanol, fragrance.

Comparison
The first noticeably similar thing about these two products, besides the name and honey ingredients, is the smell. Have you ever smelled fresh honey? Sweet and incredibly aromatic with a sugary floral undertone. Both these products smell absolutely amazing, and have become my new standard for honey scented things.

As you can imagine, being a cream and an oil, the textures of these two products are completely different. The cream has a thick greasy texture, reminiscent of Vaseline, but surprisingly absorbs into the skin without any issue. While this cream is meant to be an occlusive because of the oils in its ingredients, I personally find it to be a nice hydrating cream for day or night (when my skin isn't overly oily) because of the beautiful and non-greasy finish it leaves.

The essence oil is like a lightweight oil - it's runny and feels oily but it doesn't feel thick. It has a more watery texture, but it still slightly repellent of the skin at first like an oil. There are many additives in this oil that help it's texture feel less... oily... but there is also alcohol which helps thin it out slightly and more than likely evaporates as the oil is applied to the skin.

As far as performance, I personally enjoy the cream more on my oily skin - but also because of the alcohol content in the oil. While my skin doesn't seem to react too badly when I apply the oil at the end of my routine, I still experience mild breakouts occationally while using it, so I limit applications to once or twice a week so I can still enjoy the honey and collagen benefits it has to offer.

I find both to be equally hydrating, and both smell just as delicious and sweet as the other, but the cream absorbs better into my skin, and is my go-to night cream. I am appreciative of the honey extracts that hydrate and smooth my skin while combatting acne on my skin, the niacinamide for brightening my skin, and the collagen for smoothing and plumping my skin - but since I use a prescription treatment as well I cannot say how well these products work alone for these issues, only how well they hydrate my skin, which they do very well.

You can find these products at Memebox* (Cream / Oil), Jolse (Cream / Oil) and Amazon (Cream / Oil).

Disclaimer: No monetary compensation was received for this post. The Glitter Chic blog will always provide honest opinions, beliefs or experiences on products reviewed. If you have any questions, please contact me at gothickornchic at gmail dot com. This post may contain affiliate links, marked with an "*" and I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase using one of those links - which costs nothing to the consumer but does help this site. The disclosure is done in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission 10 CFR, Part 255 Guides Concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.