Oskia

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.

It’s no surprise that I am a skincare addict, but I don’t tend to actively seek out natural brands to use in my routine. I struggle with wondering how effective they will be, and if I will see the same caliber of results that I do with my other non-natural brands. To be honest, I still rely on certain ingredients (retinol and glycolic acid being the two most important for me) to deliver the strongest results and that’s why I still keep them in my routine often in the form of serums and moisturizers. But recently, I’ve been introduced to more natural brands and have been enjoying adding certain products into my routine.  

I’ve always been a fan of Tata Harper (this cleanser is a holy grail), and find her products to be some of the best because they straddle the ‘effective yet natural’ divide quite nicely. Oskia is another brand that I’ve been fond of for awhile now ever since their cult classic Renaissance Cleansing Gel lured me in. Dr. Hauschka and Jurlique are both new to me, but I discovered a few products from each that I enjoy.

1. Tata Harper Nourishing Oil Cleanser – Since cleansing oils are my preferred cleanser for my first cleanse/removing makeup, I naturally gravitated towards this first. The oil is thick but glides on smoothly breaking up makeup easily and even removing stubborn mascara with little to no rubbing. Once I add water, it emulsifies into a comforting milk and my skin is left feeling hydrated, soft, smooth and balanced. No feelings of tightness or discomfort. If there is one thing Tata Harper knows how to do – it’s make cleansers!

2. Tata Harper Restorative Eye Cream – I’ve been a loyal fan of Tata Harper cleansers and swear by this resurfacing mask, but I wasn’t sure how I would feel about the eye cream (again, this is me questioning effectiveness). Fast forward nearly a month later and I have been blown away with how much I enjoy using this. It targets multiple anti-aging concerns such as dark circles and fine lines, and it helps keep the skin around my eye area taut and smooth. It’s rich enough for the evening, but still works well during the day under makeup. Those looking for a more natural eye cream option for targeting anti-aging, this is a great one to try!

3. Jurlique Clarifying Deep Cleansing Gel – Now that it is summer, I love to add in more gel textures to my skincare routine. This Jurlique deep cleansing gel has small microspheres of jojoba esters that give a gentle but effective exfoliation to the skin. In addition, it contains willow bark that helps to kill any acne-causing bacteria so I’ve been using it when I feel a breakout coming on. It’s refreshing on the skin, but I have found that I like removing it better with a damp cloth to avoid making my skin feel stripped or tight. 

4. Dr. Hauschka Soothing Cleansing Milk – I don’t know why it has taken me so long to finally try this product, because it has been on my radar for yearrrrrrs. I worked at Sephora when I first moved to NYC 15 years ago, and so many of our clients would come in and rave about this product. I finally feel a sense of completion now that I can participate in the Dr. Hauschka Soothing Cleansing Milk lovefest. This stuff feels heavenly when on, and literally envelopes the skin in moisture making it feel soothed, calm and nourished. I can use either with water or a damp cloth as my second cleanse, and find that it works even when my skin is at it’s most sensitive.

5. Dr. Hauschka Rose Day Cream – While the Soothing Cleansing Milk was something I’ve been wanting to try for a long time, the Rose Day Cream did not interest me as much. That is until Jennifer Lopez mentioned it on ‘Watch What Happens Live’ one night and then my interest was piqued! LOL! I mean, c’mon….her skin is everything! I was hesitant because it is so rich, but found that using just the smallest amount worked well for me. I was surprised to see how it made my skin glow, but not in a greasy or oily way. It’s definitely more of a winter product for me to wear all over my face, but I used it recently on a few dry patches I’ve had from breakouts that are healing and it worked wonders on them! If you suffer from dry and sensitive skin, this would be perfect for you year round. Those with oily skin may find it works better in the colder months, and as a spot treatment in the warmer weather.

6. Oskia Renaissance Mask – After hearing angels sing when using the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel, I was excited to give the mask a try. It is designed to increase cell turnover, boost radiance and reduce the appearance of fine lines – basically it’s a new face in a jar, ha! Just the description alone had me excited, and once I saw the results, it lived up to all my expectations. My skin felt smooth, soft and glowed like I just had the best facial of my life. I swear each product I try from Oskia is better than the last, and can’t believe it took me soooo long to discover this fabulous brand! I think I may begin defining the periods of my life as B.O. and A.O., Before Oskia and After Oskia. My skin only prefers to only live in the A.O. era going forward. 

*pr samples included