3 cleansing products i'm loving right now

have you been to the drugstore or your favorite mass retailer recently? if you're like me, i'm quite sure you have {LOL!}; i personally visit my local Walgreens, Target {and the like} multiple times a week, and of course with these visits come the stops to certain {cough, cough} departments that showcase a beauty girl's favorite things.

"i'm-just-going-to-look" is always what i say to myself, but …

hey, i'm only human!

in any case, the following items are very much a necessity in my beauty arsenal; they're all about cleansing {and we all know how important that is!}. 2 were purchased by me {yes, on a store visit that had no items regarding their function on my shopping list}; they are fabulous and keep me {and for one product, my beauty tools} fresh and clean.

take a look…

Rimmel London Gentle Eye Makeup Remover was a purchase made because i'm already a fan of their makeup and had never tried it, and also i was out of my fave Mary Kay eye makeup remover. it was the perfect opportunity for me to find out if Rimmel's remover was a drugstore version that would work just as well. like eye makeup removers from Clinique, Mary Kay and Lancome, i love that this beauty isn't oily, removes all eye makeup {yes, even waterproof!} and there's not a hint of sting when i use it.

keeping makeup brushes clean is important for many reasons and Sonia Kashuk Brush and Sponge Cleanser makes it super easy to do {saturate your brush bristles or sponge completely under running water, spray on cleanser, working up a lather ~ rinse under water until water runs clear. repeat as necessary; lay fat to dry}. from the first time i used it to now, i absolutely love it. it works on both synthetic and natural bristles, kills bacteria, breaks up oils and residue with ease {i use long-wearing products, so this was especially impressive}, and the scent, while strong at first, is surprisingly refreshing {i'm not sure of the exact scent, but lavender is definitely involved}.

finally, Dove Purely Pampering Nourishing Body Wash* creates the luxurious, uber-foamy lather that makes me feel so fancy and pampered. the scent is a long-time favorite {when i comes to sweet scents}: fabulous, warm pistachio. it's blended with magnolia, so it keeps the overall scent on the lighter side {so amazingly refreshing}. it comes in bar form as well, and as is the case with all Dove products, this body wash contains the brand's signature NutriumMoisture® ; my skin is always so soft and pampered after using this!


what special cleansing-type goodies are getting your love these days? do tell!

*product sent to me for review consideration; pics taken by me :)

beauty review: Maybelline Expert Eyes Eye Makeup Remover Wipes

i found these Maybelline Expert Eyes Eye Makeup Remover Towelettes, created for eye makeup removal before cleansing, randomly one day while shopping...

 isn't that how it always happens??

it should go without saying, but i'm already a fan of removal aides in wipe form {uber travel-friendly, easy to use, great for nights i'm feeling lazy, but still need to take my makeup off...}, so naturally, i was curious to try for myself.

as expected, these make removing washable eye makeup easier. my current makeup remover already takes everything off, including eye makeup {Neutrogena One Step Makeup Remover}, but i like that i can also use these to ensure every trace of mascara, shadow and liner is gone before i continue with my evening skincare routine.

because it's beyond important to go to bed with a clean face, beauties!

in any case, Maybelline Eye Makeup Remover Towelettes can be found online as well as in your favorite drug and mass retailer {i found mine at Target}.

pic taken by me :)

Beautiful Removal: LAshX Lash Cleanse

if you wear lash extensions you know that wearing mascara is a no-no. removing it with regular eye makeup removers can loosen the glue holding the hairs in place and your gorgeous lashes won't last very long. if you are tempted to wear mascara, now you can-- this remover, LAshX Lash Cleanse ,was created especially for lash extensions, but those of us with natural lashes can use it, too!

created by celeb eyelash extension expert, Amanda (Mandy) Jacobellis, this gentle, and very effective, eye makeup remover contains conditioning ingredients like pure aloe, silk fibers and chamomile extracts along with panthenol, a pro-vitamin B, that helps strengthen hair.



one thing you should know first is that the box directions are different than those on the bottle-- follow the directions on the bottle, as this is the method that works best, and especially so for you extension-wearing beauties (see pic, above).

my personal experience with LAshX is that it's not the best at removing waterproof or stubborn-to-remove mascara (like CG LashBlast, which is my go-to mascara). while it does a good job removing other regular mascaras, i've found that i mostly prefer to use it after my typical cleansing routine to remove the last traces of mascara that get left behind. the formula is silky and doesn't sting or irritate my eyes and my lashes are left feeling soft-- love that!

visit makeupmandy.com for more info and to order.

xo
a full-size product sample was sent to me for review consideration

Bioelements Gentle Creme Eye Makeup Remover + a Special Offer for You!

as the season of gifting continues, i have a special treat to share with you from Bioelements. as you may know i am a huge fan of this skincare brand, and they have a new product out called Gentle Creme Eye Makeup Remover. they sent it to me to try* and i have to tell you it's unlike any eye makeup remover i use or have used in the past.

this creme-based product removes all of my eye makeup so easily and is non-irritating to my delicate eyes. i was quite pleased to find out that it not only removes eye makeup, but also works as a pre-cleanser, too! multi-tasking products are so fabulous...

so about that special offer!

Bioelements is offering you, my wonderful readers, a FREE full size Gentle Creme Eye Makeup Remover (a $25 value) with any order at bioelements.com until december 31, 2009. all you have to do is enter promo code insider to receive the gift!

not sure what you'd like from the brand? check out my reviews here.

happy shopping!

xo
*a full-size product sample was sent to me for this review

Olay Introduces Mascara + Make-up Remover

Olay Mascara + Make-up Remover is one of a few brand new products from Olay.

this one is to be used solely for what it's name implies: removing mascara and makeup. it did a decent job, too, even (mostly) removing water-proof mascara. once you have that and all of the makeup off your face from the day, you can let your regular cleanser go to work to really clean your skin.

one thing i didn't like was the oily feeling left on my face after rinsing. but because it's a pre-cleansing product, and i could just follow it with my regular cleanser, i think this is an ok product. we'll have to wait and see if this one will be sticking around for the long-term...



find Olay Mascara + Make-up Remover at a drugstore near you and online at drugstore.com


xo
photo: drugstore.com

review: Dermalogica Soothing Eye Makeup Remover

Dermalogica Soothing Eye Makeup Remover is by far my absolute favorite eye makeup remover. i have been using it for about 2 years now, and i can't say enough good things about it!

eye makeup removers can be tricky. they can work to remover very quickly and effectively, but sting your eyes. others are like water....they don't sting and they do nothing. it can be frustrating, so when you find the one, you stick with it.

well, this one never stings and removes all traces of eye makeup, even waterproof mascara, smoothly and quickly. it helps to condition your lashes and moisturizes the skin around your eyes with silk amino acids so you never have to worry about drying out the precious skin around your eyes-- can it get better?!

yep.

it removes lipcolor as well, including the amazing long-wearing kind you love to wear.

you can find Dermalogica at many salons where skincare treatments are offered (click here to find one near you) and online at places like dermstore.com and glow.com

xo