**REVIEW** Poppy Austin Eye Cream (with Green Tea & Vitamin C)

It might sound a little silly that when I received this product to review, all I could think about for the first ten minutes is how good it felt on my skin. I didn't think about smell, ingredients, or if it would irritate my face. I was mesmerized by the texture of the cream. Nothing else.

please ignore my dirty laptop screen!

It's Poppy Austin's Eye Cream with Green Tea and Vitamin C. And, by the way, according to my sister, it's very faintly scented and smells of... green tea? (I have a cold so I had to get her opinion.)

Okay, that photo sucked just a little, so...

Thankfully, I pulled myself together and got back to the job of doing an objective review for this eye cream - (though it's not just for the eye area).

This comes in a pump jar. I like products in a pump jar, but only if I can get a lot of use with minimal pumps. So, the first question, for me, was: How much coverage would I get per pump? Answer: one pump to do my undereye area and across my nose. One pump. Nice.

The reason one pump of this covered so well is because of the texture I was raving about right off the bat. The cream is super moist (I think I described it as almost damp. Most creams - even the most moisturizing - don't have that kind of "wetness"). I believe - and this is just me - that it's what the label calls its "enriched blend" of ingredients. The aloe could also lend to the high moisture level.

Whatever the reason, the texture and the feel on my skin is what really wowed me. The cream itself looks like just about any other facial moisturizer: white, thinner than body lotion, and really creamy.

Because what dispensed with one pump was more than enough for my undereye area (and because the cream can be used as a full-face product), I went ahead and, well used it full-face.

Dispensing the cream onto the back of my hand, I used my fingers to just dot tiny amounts around my face, then rub it in. Know how we are warned to be so gentle with the eye area? So that we don't tug at our skin? Well, there's no tugging with this. It's so moist that it just glides over the face, Good coverage, small amount. Love that this will last a long time.

This is how the product defines its use:

 Directly Tackles Dark, Sagging, Baggy Eyes as well as Fine Lines, Crows Feet and Wrinkles.

Well. I don't have the dark or sagging or baggy eyes, but I do have the fine lines, crows feet and... Well not a lot of wrinkles.

#SmileLinesAreNotWrinkles!

Moisture is the biggest weapon against fine lines on the skin, so I think this is going to be great for minimizing, or at least keeping those lines in check. I'd love to hear from someone else about whether this works as well for dark circles. Lord knows, we are all living with enough stress to develop some of those skin problems.

Now. That is all what I love about this product. I didn't have any negative issues with it, but ran into something that is my personal flaw: I have combo skin. Depending on the weather, my face is "Normal/Dry" or "Normal/Super-dry". (As in arid as the Sahara.) This cream worked amazingly well as a moisturizer of the Normal and Dry parts of my face...

... Except for my chin. My chin is just ri-dic-cu-lous!

The Poppy Austin cream actually did soothe the dryness of my chin, but after a while, I had to add more product to that one area. Who knows, maybe with continued use, even that part of my face might get better? Let us hope.

Now, for the other important stuff, I'm going to leave you with a list (well, a photo) of the ingredients, and the happy note about the manufacturer's guarantee of a FULL refund if you are not happy with the product.

Also be sure to check out the actual Poppy Austin site! I like what they have to say on the "Our Story" page.

Here is a partial list of ingredients from the product page on Amazon, and a photo of more ingredients as shown in the product page photo:

"Poppy Austin® revitalizing under eye cream contains a cleverly combined blend of 72% organic and natural ingredients. These include our luxurious organic Aloe, Grapeseed Oil, organic Jojoba Oil, Green Tea, Lemon Citrus, organic Rosehip Oil, Vitamins E and C and many other sumptuous moisturizers and natural antioxidants. A full list of ingredients is located on the product packaging" 

Since I had trouble with the image copy, my photo attempts to better show all ingredients listed:

Peace
--Free



DISCLOSURE:
I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Sano Vitamin C Serum & Eye Gel

Because I've been trying out so many facial products, I had to take a break and let my skin rest before I even wanted to post about them! #firstworldproblems.

I was a little bit surprised by a duo of products I've been using and keeping notes about:

I love when things come in sets. This one comes from the Sano Naturals brand that is also sold on Amazon. I have learned elsewhere online that a very loose meaning of "Sano" is "healthy". At any rate, I like what Sano has to say about their brand. Now on to these products I tried:

First. let's talk about the Serum.

Some days, I get patches of dryness on my cheeks and around the sides of my nose and I don't want to use anything labeled "anti-aging". A lot of anti-aging products can be somewhat drying. I think this is because they are sloughing away old dead skin cells. That's all good, but I hate dry patches anyway. My surprise with this serum is that for something containing hyaluronic acid, it turned out to be as gentle as it was. I think this is because the formula also includes aloe. Smart move. My skin loves aloe because it is as soothing as my mother always told me it would be. Another thing that is different from other Vitamin creams I've used is that this one is so much thicker. This is a clear serum that took just one tap to soak my fingertip because of the moistness and consistency. That's good when it comes to not applying too much. And this product isn't cheap so you're going to want to be stingy with the applications. Or maybe that's just me and my broke self! Maybe you'll be able to just glob it on!

 Of course, I'm kidding. This is expensive, and I am stingy with my applications but, even if you can afford to, you won't need to over-apply. I hate using this tired old saying but, it's true that a little bit goes a long way. I do wish that with expensive products, there were more options as to container size. Thank goodness it works the way it promises. I don't have lots of lines and wrinkles, but I have had bouts with areas of dull-looking skin. (I blame it on winter. I blame everything on winter.) This serum delivers on the "revitalizing" promise. I'll use it intermittently throughout winter as I need to.

Now, on to the eye cream - which was actually an optional product for me to try out in addition to the main feature of the serum. Glad I did try it because I like it more than most eye creams I've tried. For one thing, it's not greasy or heavy - something I hate for an eye moisturizer. No one wants to have that sticky kind of feeling that you have to blot away before applying eye makeup. This eye cream is light and moisturizing. With a lot of eye creams, I will apply them a while before I do my eye makeup - just to make sure I'm not going to have that streaky effect. When I used this one, I noticed that it had absorbed withing moments. Everywhere I applied it (eyes, cheeks and forehead, because the instructions say I can) was soft but not sticky. It's hard to explain but the ladies who wear eye makeup know what I mean. This is important to me because I do like to use an eye cream - especially in the morning.

Both products are on the pricey side but, using my formula for judging what's "expensive" or not, they are more affordable in the long run. Okay, I don't really have a "formula". What I have is a simple system that I apply when buying necessities: 

A pair of $10 shoes might end up costing you way more than a pair of $100 shoes. As long as the $100 pair is worth it. Think about how much comfortable use you can get out of a good pair of shoes. Think about the damage to your feet you cause by wearing a bad pair of shoes. Then think about how often you will need to replace that cheap pair.

(Now, if you can ever score a great pair of shoes for $10, remember that I wear a size 7 1/2 to 8. )

When you opt for a more expensive product, you hope to get what you pay for. With these products, you will. And it's very easy to go light on the applications to make them last longer.

I just noticed that Sano is offering a discount on Amazon if you use the code they currently have posted on the product page. (This limited offer is mentioned in the product description section.)

Peace
--Free

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Body Merry (a skincare trio)

I have been slacking just a little. I've fallen behind on my product reviews & they are starting to build up. One issue is that I have been doing way too much in the way of skincare items. To do a fair use and review process, I have to give myself time to see how a product is working on my skin and I don't like to overwhelm my skin with product after product after product. What I've been doing is trying each item and taking notes for blogging the review. (After this latest round of products, I'm going to be reviewing items in other categories: electronics, apps and hair products.)

My latest product review is for a great company with excellent service and quality products - Body Merry. I've used their products before and this time I got to try out a trio:

Body Merry serums & eye cream

Left to right:

• Professional grade 2.5% Retinol Serum with Hyaluronic Acid & Green Tea for wrinkles & fine lines. It also evens your skin tone and addresses dark spots and acne as well. (I don't have acne, but the rest of those problems are sneaking up on me!)
• Eye Cream for dark circles, wrinkles, puffiness, crow's feet, fine lines & bags. It's an under eye treatment with natural & organic anti-aging formula of peptides, retinol, hyaluronic acid, cucumber, rosehip oil, MSM, aloe & More). This one is also for men. (There's that rosehip oil again!)
• Hyaluronic Acid Serum is professional grade and vegan with Vitamic C and  Green Tea. Like the retinol serum, it's for wrinkles and fine lines but additionally offers organic hydration.

Because I am careful about overusing certain products on my skin, I used the serums every other day, alternating between each one, and I only used them in the morning. Both are fairly mild, though I could feel more of a tingling with the Retinol Serum that I didn't get with the Hyaluronic Serum. Odd. I haven't noticed much difference after using them, but I think I need more time than a week.

Speaking of worries about skin reactions, I noted this from the Retinol Serum's product page: "The addition of Plant Derived Hyaluronic Acid provides the much needed hydration so you can reap the benefits of Retinol, without having to suffer any dryness or irritation. Organic Green Tea works its charm as a powerful antioxidant." 

The eye cream is very mild. It was super-hydrating, so I didn't even bother to use my regular moisturizer in that area. Another thing: the cream is so moisturizing, you need to be careful not to pump out too much of it because it literally only takes a tiny dab to hydrate the entire area around the eye. I used this morning and night. I was a little concerned the first time I used this one. The skin around my eye is really sensitive, so I was worried about a reaction. Again, I think this is why it's important to use the tiniest little bit.

The eye cream has over 70 ingredients, so I won't even try to list them all here, but they include:  Vitamins C + E + B5, Peptide Complex, Amino Acid Emulsification, Hyaluronic Acid, Retinol, Antioxidants, and MSM. The product page on Amazon lists these natural and organic ingredients: Aloe, Rose Hip Oil, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Cranberry, Licorice, Sunflower Oil, Borage Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Lavender, Calendula, Chamomile, Witch Hazel, Cocoa Butter, Cucumber, Green Tea - to name just a few! No harsh chemicals such as Parabens, Sulfates and Phthalates.

Of course, I have to add a final mention that none of these 3 products has an unpleasant odor. I smelled nothing with the serums, and the eye cream had a faint (pleasant) green-ish/tea-ish scent. Not bad at all.

If you try any of these items and find that you aren't happy with them, Body Merry offers a 100% money-back guarantee. You get your money back without having to return the bottles. That's as nice as the fact that the products are made in the U.S.A. in an FDA registered facility and are not tested on animals. 

Finally, a note about the way I use any new product: Even those I had no reaction or sensitivity to any of these, I always am careful to only use a little bit on one part of my face to test for problems. Also, with any of these retinol-based products, I am super careful to wear sunscreen. Heck - I wear sunscreen all the time, no matter what (or at least a moisturizer with sunscreen), but this is definitely not the time to skimp on sun-protection. Also, I know that I can't use this type of product too often. I will use it every other day, or even every other day.)

Peace

--Free

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

**REVIEW** Mineral Eye Gel by Adovia

Once again, I am having the chance to try a product by a favorite company. I'm not being generous with my praise for any other reason than I really enjoy everything I've enjoyed from the Adovia brand. They use Dead Sea minerals in their products and, apparently, it's doing good things for my skin. I'm 53 now, and I think my skin is pretty good, but my illness and the meds have taken a toll. I have to do a lot more to maintain moisture and fight off sun damage. I like that Adovia products have minerals and natural oils in them.

This time, I am using their Mineral Eye Gel. It's labeled as being ultra-light and quick absorbing to provide hydration all day.  Other claims are that the gel will reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles.

After a couple days' use, I can verify the claims of hydration are certainly true. I had to ask my family and friends about the lines and wrinkles. They tell me that I don't have a lot of those in the first place. Good. Thing is, I want to prevent as many signs of aging as I can, so I am going to keep using the gel.

Here is where I think the hydration comes in: this gel really is very hydrating. As soon as I used it around my eyes, I had to stop myself from dabbing some on the rest of my face. It's a little too pricey for me to over-use like that!

Made in Israel

Like what it's supposed to do

For all the skin creams and oils I have tried, I haven't specifically concentrated as much on the eye area. I once used an Avon eye cream, but found it to be too oily. I already have problems with my eyeliner and shadow oiling up. The Mineral Eye Gel is nice because I could feel the moisturizing effects immediately. I didn't have to use very much - which is nice because, like I said, the gel is pricey.

I let the gel "set" for a bit before I applied eyeliner and shadow. Really like that, while the area was still "hydrated", there was no oiliness to ruin my makeup. (I really do want to use this all over my face!)

As with most Adovia products that I've tried from Cleopatra's Choice, the ingredients are fairly straightforward:

Demineralised Water & Dead Sea Water, Stearic Acid, Propylene Glycol & Chamomile (Anthemis Nobilis) Extract & Algae Extract & Papaya (Carica Papaya) Extract & Aloe Vera (Barbadensis) Gel, Caprilyc/Capric Triglyceride, Cetearyl Alcohol, Potassium Cetyl Phosphate, Sweet Almond (Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis) Oil, Glycerin, Carbomer, Olive (Olea Europaea) Oil, Geranium Maculatum Oil, Evening Primrose (Oenothera Biennis) Oil, Urea, Hydroxypropyltrimonium Hydrolyzed Keratin, Peach (Prunus Persica) Kernel Oil, Cornflower (Achinicea Pallida) Extract, Lactic Acid, Hydrolized Collagen, Benzoic Acid, Chlorphenesin, Dehydroacetic Acid, Benzalkonium Chloride, Propylparaben, Dead Sea Salt, Exotic Verbena (Litsea Citrata) Oil, Ginseng (Panax Ginseng) Extract, Soybean (Glycine Soja) Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Retinyl Palmitate (my emphasis)

The one thing missing in this (and other Cleopatra's Choice products I've used) is sunscreen. Granted, most of my foundation makeup includes sunscreen, but there are times when I go makeup-free.

As for the price, yes, it is up there, but the quality is so good that it's justified. The fact that it only takes a tiny dab of the gel to use around each eye means that the 30ml jar will last for weeks. Also, the standard 60-day return that Adovia offers is great if a customer decides they don't like the gel. You can also get this product on Amazon.

I like this one a lot. I like this one lots more than I like the Mineral Lift Serum.

Peace
--Free

DISCLOSURE NOTICE: I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.