Dr. Hauschka

So many new skincare items have landed on my desk recently and I thought I would share with you the ones that have stood out the most or made it in to regular rotation. 

1. Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist – Even though my skin is oily, I love adding a face mist after I cleanse (or cleanse and tone) and then quickly apply my next step (serum, moisturizer or face oil) to try and trap that moisture on my skin. I’ve recently been spritzing my way through this Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist and have really enjoyed it. While some face mists are good for the moment, the moisture leaves almost immediately after the mist absorbs into the skin. My skin felt hydrated for longer periods of time when using the mist. It has now earned a spot next to my bed because I like waking up with it and giving an additional spritz before I go to sleep.

2. Belif Aqua Bomb – I do have a ton of anti-aging products that bring out the heavy guns in terms of ingredients (retinol, glycolic, etc). However, it has been my motto for years that keeping the skin hydrated is the best anti-aging action of all. This Belif Aqua Bomb felt as good on the skin as the name would imply. It manages to mix the lightness of a gel with the rich, nourishing properties of a heavy cream. I am loving this now as we enter into the colder temps, but I can see this also working wonders in the summer to help replenish any moisture loss from being out in the sun. Year round hydration, please!

3. Caolion Blackhead Bubble Pore Pack – I was intrigued initially by the name of this product, and that intrigue continued when I opened it and saw the texture. I had to immediately put it on my face. Any mask the bubbles up is a friend of mine. But even though the experience using it is pleasurable, it means nothing if it doesn’t work, right? Thankfully, this gives a great pore treatment that makes my skin looks cleaner, less congested and pores appear smaller. It has a slight warming/tingling feeling on the skin, so if you have sensitive skin you may want to patch test. But for those that have skin like myself that is not easily irritated, tingle/bubble away!  

3. Dr. Hauschka Quince Hydration Body Milk – Winter time should be nicknamed “itchy skin time”. And of course I don’t help the issue by taking super hot showers because I’m freezing at night or in the morning when getting ready. But I own my mistakes and try to compensate for it by using intensely nourishing body lotions and creams. I have already had great success with Dr. Hauschka products being soothing, comforting and gentle on the skin so I knew I had to try something for the body. While I typically reach for a rich body butter or cream to fix the itch (lol, that sounded funny), I was surprised when this lightweight lotion immediately soothed my legs and arms. The scent is delicate and pleasant, and absorbs so quickly that before I even get done applying one body part, the other one is dry with no sticky residue.

4. Oskia Super 16 Serum – There are so many fun aspects of beauty blogging, but when you focus a lot on skincare, attention needs to be paid to the efficacy of products and for how long you test them. Some products like masks, cleansers, mists, etc can show their results quickly, but serums need time. This is why I do not review them as frequently as other skincare products. In fact, I regularly turn down press samples of serums because I can’t take a product when I know I won’t be able to test it until months later. But I was nearing the end of a recent serum test run and felt it was time to give this one from Oskia a go. I already swear by their Renaissance Cleansing Gel and Renaissance Mask, so I had high hopes for this serum. The Super 16 Serum is a powerful anti-aging formula that uses an all natural retinol equivalent called Bakuchiol, which delivers similar results without any irritation. I noticed within the first 2 weeks how my skin looked brighter, less dehydrated, more supple and pore appeared less congested and minimized. It’s incredibly lightweight so I can wear it either morning or night, and it wears well under makeup. I am about 2 months in and still loving the result. Oskia stays winning in my book – there is no product yet that has let me down.

5. Guerlain Purete Cleansing Cream – I love a good cleansing balm. I love a good cleansing milk. So when the two come together, magic ensues. I have to confess that I do own a ton of cleansers. They are my skincare weakness, what can I say? But this Guerlain Cleansing Cream is like no other cleansing formula I own. It feels almost like a cold cream style cleanser – giving the skin a comforting yet cooling cleanse. It is not powerful enough to cut through makeup (and frankly too fancy to be wasted on that task), so I use this as a second cleanse. Recently I decided to go one step further and apply a thick layer to damp skin and leave it on for a few minutes as a quick mask treatment. My skin was left so incredibly hydrated and supple that I only needed a light serum after. I don’t wish a cold on myself this winter, but I will definitely be reaching for this as a product to help nourish and comfort my skin if I get one.

Between cleansers and masks, it’s hard to say which one I love more. Patience has very rarely been a good trait of mine, so that’s why I am drawn to masks. The results are often immediate and I can see how well it works (or doesn’t). And when I am interested in trying a new skincare brand, I often purchase either a mask or cleanser first because I find they are the best way to ease into a brand and decide if it’s worth splurging on the more substantial items like a serum, moisturizer or eye cream. I’ve been testing out a handful of masks over the past few weeks and here are 3 that rose to the top and were deemed worthy of a review.

1. Ling Sparkling Makeover Mask – By far, my favorite facial of all time is the Advanced Facial with Energy Lift at the Ling spa in Union Square. Lucky for me though, I can continue my results after with her skincare line. I love a good fizzy mask, but some disappear too quickly or give very lackluster results. I am a fan of this one from Peter Thomas Roth, but after trying this one from Ling – I found that it removed dirt and impurities from the skin rather than simply hydrating and rejuvenating.  You apply the product onto a damp face and within a minute, it begins to foam up. I leave the mask on for 10-15 minutes, and surprisingly there was still some foam left on my face! This stuff is serious. And the fact that it comes in individual packets means that it will be a travel must.

2. Dr. Hauschka Hydrating Mask – While I do love a gel based hydrating mask for that cooling and soothing effect they often give, it was a nice change to use one that was rich, thick and ultra-moisturizing. Though it’s still quite hot and humid out, I have been dealing with some dryness on certain parts of my face. This mask came just at the right time. I was tempted to apply it just to the dry patches but decided to cover my entire face. Because it’s so thick, I needed a damp washcloth to remove it but my skin felt like new again afterwards. The dry patches were almost gone and by the next morning were no longer a nuisance when applying makeup. This should come in handy in about 4 months when I’m trapped inside because of the cold winter weather. (I shudder just thinking about it.)

3. Nuance Salma Hayek White Clay Treatment Mask – Typically I am more of a department store gal when it comes to my skincare preferences, but occasionally I find gems in the drugstore that really impress me. I am new to the Nuance line but this White Clay Treatment Mask was the perfect introduction. I love a good clay mask as much as the next oily-skinned gal, but my gripe with them is that many times I have to immediately use a hydrating mask right after because my skin  feels dry and tight. I had high hopes for this one the minute I squeezed it out onto my hand. The texture was creamy, and after 10 minutes of waiting for it to dry down (translation: feel crusty and hard) I was happy to see that it still stayed quite creamy and emollient on the skin. Afterwards my skin felt hydrated, looked naturally matte and my pores appeared less noticeable. I don’t think I can ask for much more.