Beauty Blog

The Promise: Relish Enriched Moisturizing Sunscreen is suppose to

• “shield your skin from harsh sunrays,”
• “revitalize and condition skin” with Ginko Biloba, Gingseng and licorice extracts
• “protect your skin from free radical damage while preventing redness, rough skin and peeling”
• be “light enough for oily skin”

The Smell and Feel:

Relish is definitely light–there’s no greasy aftermath or white residue, which would be a deal ender for me. I tried it out under makeup instead of my regular moisturizer, and I was pretty satisfied with the results as it didn’t affect my primer or foundation in the least. Despite the promise that it’s unscented, it smells exactly like every other sunscreen I’ve ever used–I wouldn’t say it’s an unpleasant aroma but there’s a definite smell.

The Gist of It:

I like this Relish product because it’s pretty hard to find an affordable SPF 30 lotion that doesn’t dry your skin out. This Moisturizing Sunscreen is just that….moisturizing, so if lotion is already the first step in your daily routine, you don’t have to add another one. Also, a little goes a long way, so you get your money’s worth.

Relish Enriched Moisturizing Sunscreen, $23 for 4 oz.

Smarter Beauty contributor, Evette, and I were lucky enough to get the chance to try out some TESS (Teen Everyday Skincare System) products, even though neither of us fit into the teen category. Despite that, we were willing to test drive the line because it’s paraben-free and made with natural ingredients such as fruit and botanical extracts, aloe vera, lavender oil, green tea, and chamomile. Not to mention, we’re into the message of the company, which is all about promoting confidence in young women–the packaging is filled with written affirmations like “Dare to Be Different,” “Take Charge,” and “Be Brave.” We can go for that.

Here are our takes on TESS:

Tester: Valentina
Product: TIME FOR SOME ZZZs Vanilla Nighttime Moisturizer ($14)
Rating: 4 out of 5 (it was a little hard to get out of the bottle)

Promise: It’s suppose to “nurture skin” and “renew hydration.” The vanilla scent is said to be relaxing.

The Smell and Feel: I’ve become obsessed with the vanilla bean smell. I didn’t put it on my face, since I’m devoted to cold cream, but I did slather all over my bod before bedtime, and it really does relax you with that luscious smell.

The gist of it: I’ve been using it for a week and my skin, including my super dry legs, has been noticeably more supple. That may have happened with any moisturizer, but it’s easy to be consistent about using this one since it’s so yummy.

Tester: Evette
Product: OOH-REFRESHING Apple Face Toner ($10)
Rating: 5 out of 5

Promise: This alcohol-free toner is suppose to tingle, nix excess oil, and have a “deliciously fresh apple scent.”

Smell and Feel: It smells like fresh apples, fresh apples just picked off the tree in the middle of summer. Haha. It felt great. Didn’t dry out my skin but still removed the excess oil. The very first time I tried it I had been in the car for a 5-6 hour long car ride to Vegas. I just needed to freshen up my skin before going out, and you can imagine how greasy my skin was due to the hot humid weather.

The gist of it: I was very satisfied.

Find the whole range of TESS products by clicking here.

The best investment you can make this summer is buying moisturizer with SPF. Everyone knows by now that sun damage causes wrinkles, other skin damage and, more importantly, cancer, but still the majority of women and men (last I checked, those of the male persuasion weren’t immune to skin cancer) go around with zero protection. A big reason for the oversight is just plain old forgetfulness, which is why I’m a proponent of moisturizer with SPF. Most of us use moisturizer anyway, so why not just replace your usual lotion with one that includes sun protecting ingredients?

My trick is to put it on about 15 minutes before the rest of my makeup–slap it on, eat your breakfast, then come back and continue the rest of your regimen. Easy as pie.

These all have SPF 15:

PH Advantage Basics, $45

La Roche Posay Anthelios, SX Daily Moisturizer, $29

Alba Advanced Sea Moss Moisturizer, $8.97

DermaNew Day Moisturizer for Sensitive Skin, $42

Kiehl’s Blue Herbal Cleanser + Facial Fuel SPF 15 = Great Skin

Kiehl’s is treasured and adored by beauty enthusiast far and wide for its high quality skin and hair care products. The vibe of Kiehl’s is “old world apothecary,” and the stuff they make actually does what it’s supposed to. Imagine that. One Kiehl’s combination that the women in the Smarter offices swear by is Blue Herbal Cleanser, which is actually a pre-shave cleanser for men, followed by Facial Fuel SPF 15.

Everyone I quizzed about it said the same thing–the cleanser leave pores squeaky clean and vanishes traces of makeup while still be surprisingly gentle as well as non-drying, and the moisturizer gives the face a nice lift and refrains from being greasy. The SPF aspect of the Facial Fuel also earned rave reviews.

The price isn’t bad either considering the results. The Blue Herbal Cleanser is $20.50 (8.4 oz)/$14.50 (4.2 oz) and the Facial Fuel is $24.50 at Nordstrom.