This is going to be a super quick post because I wanted to get out my thoughts on the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops ASAP! I am basing my review of this product on a generous sample I got at Sephora. I won't let myself purchase the full size yet because I just spent my budgeted makeup money on the NARS Sheer Glow foundation and have to save for birthdays, graduations, and Mother's Day coming up. I haven't seen too many people talking about it, especially people who have a similar skin tone as mine. The workers at my Sephora didn't know much about it and completely missed the fact that it isn't a foundation and it's unlike any other product out there.

Anyways, the Cover FX Custom Cover Drops is a brand new, innovative product that is a concentrated liquid pigment that you use to transform any beauty product into the perfect shade and coverage level that you desire. Just add a drop (or more depending on the amount of coverage you want) to face oil, serum, moisturizer, primer, or even foundation to create your ideal formula. It is NOT meant to be used by itself, otherwise the intensity of the pigment can end up making you look like a mannequin (and not in a good way!). I think this is a really good product for anyone, especially people who have trouble finding their perfect shade and makeup artists who really like experimenting and customizing.

*Stock photo from Sephora

Cover FX has done an amazing job with this product and earns bonus points for releasing this line with a really good shade selection: 24 total (4 pink undertones, 13 neutral undertones (deep shades included!), and 7 golden undertones). Even more bonus points for Cover FX for actually including a dropper with the bottle to make life easier! The Custom Cover Drops costs $44 and comes with 0.5 fluid oz. which sounds like a small amount but you only need a couple drops  each time you use it so it should last a while!

So far, I really like mixing 2 drops of the shade G40 with my Glo Therapeutics Oil Free Moisturizer and Smashbox Photo Finish Foundation Primer. This combination gives me a perfect natural, lightweight finish and the primer keeps me (relatively) shine free and poreless all day long. Next, I will try it with a sheer coverage product like the NARS Sheer Glow or a tinted moisturizer to see how well it adds coverage and how the combination performs. I haven't had any sun so far this Spring so I think I will pick up the shade G50 since I tan so easily. I think going a tad darker will be more useful for mixing it with winter foundations and moisturizers and sunscreens that have a whitecast to them.




If you've tried this product let me know what you think about it and what you like to mix it with by leaving a comment below!

I love facial masks but find myself rarely having extra time for them. (I feel like I'm doing really well if I properly wash my makeup off.) My favorite types of facial masks are peel-off masks and mud masks. I love peel-off masks because they are fun to remove and it feels like I am literally pulling all of the bad stuff out of my skin. I love mud masks because they help absorb excess oils and deep clean my pores. I always use a mud mask whenever I have a few blemishes or I feel like my skin is starting to break out.



I recently tried the Dead Sea Mud Mask from Pure & Essential Minerals and it gave me instant results and made my skin feel really clean and refreshed. It contains over 21 essential minerals from the Dead Sea, which is known for containing natural skin healing properties. This product is certified vegan, cruelty free, and 100% natural and organic (it's always good when I know what each ingredient is). I definitely see this product becoming part of my weekly routine!

Ingredients: dead sea mud, organic shea butter, organic sunflower oil, organic aloe vera juice, organic vegatable glycerin, organic jojoba oil, hickory bark extract, organic calendula oil, filtered water, xanthan gum, eucalyptus oil.

Quick thoughts on the Dead Sea Mud Mask from Pure & Essential Minerals:

• has a minty sulfur scent (definitely all natural)
• dries quickly (5-10 minutes)
• feels refreshing and doesn't overly tingle/burn
• takes a while to wash off
• but doubles as an exfoliating treatment
• skin looks brighter and feels softer after rinsing 
• does not leave my skin dry
• love the jar (tubes are so messy!)
• comes with a lot of product; enough for 30+ treatments

How to use:
If you're not lazy like me then you can fully cleanse your face, pat it dry, and then apply the mask to your neck and face. I don't ever feel like washing my face multiple times and drying it out, so I just remove my makeup with a makeup wipe and apply a medium layer of the mask all over my face. After letting it dry for 5-10 minutes (until it hardens), I rinse it off with warm water and use circular motions to really exfoliate my skin. Pat your skin dry and follow with moisturizer and whatever products you use in your nightly routine.




3 benefits of using Dead Sea Mud Mask by Pure & Essential Minerals:

1. Dead Sea Mud Mask Removes Dead Skin Cells - the natural silica found in the black mud hardens on the skin once you apply the mask. This step allows the mask to extract toxins and impurities located deep in the skin layers, and also to attach to dead skin cells. After washing it all off the result is clear looking skin, with clean pores and even skin tone.

2. Dead Sea Mud Mask Can Help with Acne - thanks to its therapeutic effect, this mask is a real life saver if you suffer from acne, black heads and breakouts. Pure & Essential Minerals Dead Sea Mud Mask contains natural minerals like magnesium, calcium, sulphur, bromide, iodine, sodium, zinc and potassium, which are known to treat, detoxify, and cleanse the skin.

3. Dead Sea Mud Mask Stimulates Circulation - when blood circulation is poor it leads to an uneven skin tone, patches on the skin, and may even cause wrinkles. By applying a weekly facial mud mask you can dramatically increase blood flow to your skin cells and achieve a healthier and plumper looking skin.

I would definitely recommend this mud mask if you are in the market something new. I wouldn't say it's a holy grail product but I've gotten good results from it. You can find it on Amazon for $24.77. Disclaimer: This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own and 100% honest.

I was recently given the opportunity to review Instanatural's Vitamin C Serum and Moisturizer and they have become my new go-to products. It came at a perfect time because I just ran out of my Glo Therapeutics Oil-Free Moisturizer (all-time favorite) and I have been in the market for some new products to use. Vitamin C has many benefits for the skin and it has the ability to brighten skin tone, reduce redness and scars, and stimulate collagen boosting skin cells.

Instanatural is a cruelty free brand that uses natural and organic products and is made in the USA. All of their products are free of any harmful alcohol, sulfates, and parabens. Both products that I will be reviewing are vegetarian. They offer a 100% satisfaction money-back guarantee which is such a nice option because although this product works for me it may not work for you. They also offer free standard shipping on orders over $25.

Advanced Formula Vitamin C Serum:

-Description directly from Instanatural

InstaNatural’s Vitamin C Serum is an enriched formula packed with ingredients that hydrate and nourish skin to fight against the signs of aging. Our new formula now includes even more nutrients to help diminish the appearance of spots and discoloration, such as rosehip oil, argan oil, plant stem cells, algae extract and sea buckthorn oil. The vigorous combination of these ingredients form a super serum blend that delivers ultimate antioxidant care for your skin.

 Key Ingredients:

• 20% Vitamin C 
• Hyaluronic Acid 
• Ferulic Acid 
• Sea Buckthorn Oil
• Argan Oil 
• Rosehip Oil 
• Plant Stem Cells 
• Pomegranate

My thoughts on the Vitamin C Serum:

First of all, this product has a strong citrus scent. It does not bother me and I don't notice it while it's on my face. It is actually refreshing in the morning and kind of reminds of Clean & Clear Morning Burst cleanser which I used to use when I was in high school. If you are sensitive to fragrance then you should avoid this product.

The serum is creamy orange in color and has a thicker consistency than the typical facial serum, but this is probably because of its aloe base. Despite its thicker consistency, it absorbs almost immediately into skin and my face feels tighter after it dries. It is not greasy at all and after it dries I don't even feel it on my skin. This is perfect for my normal to combination skin but it may not work well for dryer skin. I use the serum after toning my face with Seabreeze sensitive skin astringent and then use moisturizer after the serum sets.

After consistently using the Vitamin C serum twice a day for several weeks, I have definitely noticed a difference in my complexion. It has helped to even out my skin tone and shrink my pores. My skin just seems brighter in general. I have not had any breakouts while using this. I would recommend using a moisturizer after the serum because it isn't very hydrating on its own.

This product is available on Instanatural's website for $16.97.

Youth Express Vitamin C Moisturizer:

-Description directly from Instanatural

InstaNatural’s Vitamin C Moisturizer contains a proprietary blend of supercharged antioxidants and other powerful ingredients that help you achieve youthful-looking skin. Vitamin C is a well-known antioxidant agent that fights free radicals in the environment to help protect your skin from the damaging effects of sun exposure and ultraviolet radiation. Constant exposure to such harmful elements can contribute to signs of aging such as wrinkles, age spots, discoloration and dryness. Applying our moisturizer will deliver a potent 20% dose of Vitamin C to your skin, along with other nourishing ingredients – such as Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, and Plant Stem Cells – that work together to repair existing, damaged skin and restore a healthier, even skin tone. Our moisturizing cream is a great way to enhance antioxidant protection to brighten and nurture skin for a healthy, glowing appearance.

Key Ingredients:

• 20% Vitamin C
• 5% Niacinamide
• 5% Hyaluronic Acid
• Plant Stem Cells
• Peptide Complex

My thoughts on the Vitamin C Moisturizer:
 
This product is super moisturizing and a little goes a long way. I use about a quarter pump for my face and neck. It can be a little on the greasy side but I think it's perfect for a winter, when skin can get super dry and dehydrated. It doesn't have a noticeable scent and kind of cancels out the strong citrus scent of the serum.

This product takes a while to dry on my face. I am always in a rush in the morning so I never wait for it to dry before applying my makeup. I'm not sure if that's why I get shiny faster than usual with this product but it isn't anything that powder can't fix. This is a great moisturizer to use at night time because it seems to really set in and I wake up with nice, glowy (but not greasy) skin.

This product is safe to use around the eyes and allover the body. I've never been into eye creams (I will probably regret that in 10 years) and I'm too lazy to add an extra product into my skin routine so it's nice that this is like a 2(or 3)-in-1 product. I haven't used it all over my body because I honestly don't want to waste the product but I do apply any excess all over my hands.

This product is available on Instanatural's website for $19.97.

Overall:
I have had really good results on my skin when using the moisturizer along with the serum. Obviously, everyone has different skin and what works on me may not work for you. Based on the results that I've seen in just a few weeks, I will continue using this until it's empty and will definitely think about purchasing some more.

*These items were sent to me for free thanks to a partnership with Brandbacker but, as always, I  provide my 100% honest opinion and would never recommend a product that I don't like.

Just in case you don't already know what Birchbox is: For just $10 a month, Birchbox delivers high-end beauty, grooming, and lifestyle samples once a month, customized just for you.
Every month, you'll receive a box filled with 4-5 samples from up-and-coming and well known brands. Each delivery will include a mix of categories. Samples are generously sized, with enough product to allow you to figure out if they're right for you. Sign up here to get 50 Birchbox points (For every 100 points you earn, you get $10 off a full-size product order) and start receiving samples every month!

The theme for this month's Birchbox has less to do with beauty products and focuses more on the act of GIVING. We often get lost in the craziness of holidays and forget to spend time being thankful for being able to experience the craziness. While we are busy planning out a Thanksgiving feast or stressing out about buying gifts that no one really needs, it would be nice to find a way to help others who don't have the luxury of experiencing these first world problems. So in the spirit of giving back, Birchbox has partnered with (RED) to raise money and awareness for the global fight against AIDS by donating $15,000 plus $1 each time someone shares the facts of their Birchbox with #shaRED on Instagram or Twitter. With this act, hopefully Birchbox has inspired others to find their own way to give back to their community.


Moving on to the products that I received this month... I was pleasantly surprised! The last couple of Birchboxes have not impressed me but this one has. I've already used (or eaten) every product at least once within the first few days of receiving my Birchbox (which I admit is pretty rare)! Keep reading for details of each item.