Monday, August 9, 2021

KBShimmer Farmer's Market Sugar Scrub for the August Polish Pickup

 Press Sample


Greetings, dear readers, and happy Monday! I hope you've had a wonderful weekend and your week is off to a fabulous start! Today is the last day of the August opening of the Polish Pickup, so let's jump right in on today's blog post.



One of the highlights for me when it comes to the Polish Pickup is the sugar scrub offering from KBShimmer. The theme this month is "The Four Elements", and Christy of KBShimmer has created a scrumptious "Farmer's Market" scent, inspired by the Earth element, to pair with her wonderful sugar scrub formula.


Getting up early on a Saturday morning can be a true treat for the senses. The crisp morning air, sunlight casting a golden glow, and soft sounds of waking birds welcoming the new day and inviting is to take a stroll to enjoy the earth's bounty. Head over to your local farmer's market and you can find an array of fresh fruit, vibrant blooms, and a fresh pastry to enjoy on your market stroll. Tables covered in gingham boast ripe apples or juicy cantaloupe, while a neighboring stand offers fun stories about chickens while selling their wares.


Farmer's Market Hand & Body Scrub celebrates the earth's bounty found at local markets. This fresh summer scent starts with a melody of fragrant clementine, ripe apple, and sweet melon. A bouquet of blooming lily, delightful freesia, and soft lilac adds fresh floral notes, while a base of musk, amber, and rich vanilla adds a lasting depth pleasing to the senses. This creamy scrub is swirled with a dash of red, orange, and green, for an earth-inspired scrub that would be at home at any farmer's market.


I'm definitely a fan of KBShimmer's sugar scrubs, and I always have a jar by my sink upstairs, one downstairs, and another for use in the shower. The texture is coarse enough to exfoliate away dead skin cells (and those pesky bumps on the back of my arms) without being too harsh on the skin. As for the fragrance, scent preferences are so personal, but I enjoy this combination. Not too strongly scented for my sensitive nose, it is a really well balance of fragrances- not too fruity (which I still would like anyway), not too floral (which would be a big NO from me), and not too warm. If you don't fall into a very strict "must be _fill_in_the_blank_", it's a good relatively neutral option and sure to be a crowdpleaser.


The Farmer's Market Hand & Body Scrub retails for $10 a jar.

It is available for purchase from the Polish Pickup here, but you'll need to act fast. Today is the last day to get this pre-ordered.

Please allow three weeks for shipping within the US as all orders submitted to the Polish Pickup are submitted as a pre-order. While there may be a wait, one big bonus is US shipping is only $3 for all products on the site, and orders placed from Friday through today can be combined for this low shipping rate.

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!


Helpful Links

Connect with me on Social Media!

Monday, July 19, 2021

Get Clean Skin with Kimtrue Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm and Amino Acid Gentle Facial Cleanser

Gifted Sample


Greetings, dear readers, and happy Monday! What could be a better way to start off the way than by how I like to start (and end) my day: with fresh, clean skin! I've had the pleasure of testing out two skincare products from the brand KIMTRUE, and I am here to share them with you today. Before I jump in on the review, let me give you a little more information about the brand!


Based in Los Angeles, California, KIMTRUE is a new brand that will be hitting its first anniversary next month. Per the brand itself, KIMTRUE stands for the following: KIM- brilliance, TRUE- real, accurate. Part of KT laboratories, this emerging brand offers quality skincare and haircare products formulated with non-traditional and cutting-edge ingredients. For today's post, I have two face care products to share with you: the Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm and the Amino Acid Gentle Facial Cleanser. Let's do this!


Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm

Kimtrue Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm

The Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm is designed to do just that- melt away even the deepest layers of makeup from your face, all while providing a gentle cleansing to the skin and leaving no gunk-filled pores behind.


The Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm is formulated with moringa seed and bilberry fruit extracts. This dynamic duo works together to thoroughly cleanse the skin- including removing air pollutants- while simultaneously soothing the skin and strengthening the skin barrier.


This cleansing balm is may pack a powerful punch when it comes to your makeup, but it is gentle enough for those with sensitive skin and for daily use for those that wear makeup every day.


So how did it perform for me?


I'm historically not a fan of cleansing balms as I have tried many that felt so heavy on my skin and left a nasty residue that would take multiple followup washings to remove. I had a lot of hope when I saw the ingredients list of this product - mineral oil is a big NOPE for me and this is NOT found in this products. I am so pleased to report I really loved using this product! I tried it out with both lighter and heavier makeup application days, even daily wear which I don't normally do in the summer, and the Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm worked like a charm! I found a little goes a long way, and even in it's original thicker balm-like state, it didn't feel overwhelmingly gross on my skin.


Once I started to add in a little water, the texture changed and my makeup flushed down the drain easily without any harsh scrubbing. These are features that you want in a cleansing balm in general, but what really sold me on the KIMTRUE Makeup Cleansing Balm (in addition to the ingredients list) was that I did not have to follow up with a second cleansing product! Crazy, right? Not only was all the makeup gone, but my skin felt (and looked) clean and soft. I have personally only come across one other product that behaves like this, but not in this easy to use and transport balm formula. I am so thankful I had the opportunity to try this product (and didn't shy away from it based on past experiences with other brands' products) as this is currently hands down my number 1 new-to-me product for 2021.



Amino Acid Gentle Facial Cleanser


In addition to the Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm, I had the opportunity to try out the Amino Acid Gentle Facial Cleanser.


This cleanser was created to thoroughly but gently cleanse the skin. For those that keep their makeup application light, the Amino Acid Gentle Facial Cleanser can still emulsify and remove those layers if you prefer to stick with a one and done cleansing step.


The lightweight formula lathers nicely and leaves the skin with a clean finish.


This cleanser has some ingredients of note- Portulaca oleracea extract, or Purslane, is very soothing to the skin. It is also high in antioxidants, although when used in a cleanser that gets flushed down the drain, you're not likely to get the antioxidant benefits. I also love that it contains lemon peel oil, as this is a natural antibacterial and antiseptic. This will take care of killing off bacteria that may be hanging out in your pores- definitely a win! One major drawback for this product for me (on a personal level) is it contains geranium oil (Pelargonium graveolens), something I have discovered I am sensitive to in recent years. I'm not sure how I overlooked this ingredient, although in truth, I think I just opened the container and used it before checking.


A little bit of lather and a lot of clean!


This photo was taken immediately after using the Amino Acid Gentle Facial Cleanser. While I did not have any issues while in the process of using the product, my face did end up getting a little red and puffy shortly afterwards. Further investigation- actually LOOKING at the ingredients label in this case- has me convinced my skin was just reacting to the geranium flower extract as it has with other products that contain the ingredient. As much as I love y'all and testing out products for you, I had to draw an end to testing this particular product after just the single use. This may not be as thorough of a review of this particular product as I would like to provide, but it stands as good reminder to check your ingredients, especially if you have known allergies or sensitivities!




In spite of mixed results from trying these two products from KIMTRUE, where the only negative was due to my own skin sensitivity, I am really excited about the possibilities of the products created by the brand. They also offer body care products and haircare products, the latter of which has caught my attention. I am eager to see if the brand's other products can win me over as much as their Makeup Meltaway Cleansing Balm!

Have you tried these of other products from KIMTRUE? I'd love to hear what you think!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!
XO!


Monday, June 7, 2021

KBShimmer's take on Rainbows for the June Polish Pickup: nail polish and a sugar scrub!

Happy Monday, dear readers! I hope you feel refreshed after a weekend and ready to tackle a new week. Today is my kids' last day of virtual schooling, and I cannot tell you how excited I am about it! It has been a struggle to get anything done on my end as I've had to constantly watch them to make sure they were paying attention and doing the correct work. I have sorely missed having something of a routine when it comes to the blog, and no longer having to monitor schooling will be a huge relief! Now let's get to today's post since it's already going up later than I wanted!


 Press Sample

Today is the LAST DAY of the June opening of the Polish Pickup, and for today's post, I wanted to share with you the goodies being offered by KBShimmer. There is a nail polish and a sugar scrub for your enjoyment, so let's get to it!


Rainbow Shaved Ice Sugar Scrub


I love nail polish- the colour combinations and finishes get me every time- but there is something extra special about KBShimmer's Hand & Body Sugar Scrubs that get me every time. Not only are they a work of art to look at- the colour combinations and beautiful layered pattern is an impeccable eye for detail- but the added complexity of scents take my mind to far off places and times. This month, KBShimmer pulled their inspiration from Rainbow Shaved Ice, sending my head on a whirlwind trip back to all the festivals and small town events with food trucks and selecting my flavor(s) du jour.


Thanks to the heat living in Arizona has these arriving a little melted on my end, but that in no way affects the quality of the product itself. Some of the biodegradable glitter top may be lost in the mix, but a little fluffing up and mixing the oils back in has the sugar scrub as good as new!


Rainbow Shaved Ice Hand & Body Scrub smells just like those cold summery treats it is named after. The scent of ripe fruits like orange, peach, and raspberry give way to hints of sour lemon, vanilla sugar and wild strawberry jam.


I'm drawn to fruity scents this time of year, so this one is a big WIN for me. Scoop up as much or as little as you want; these scrubs are amazing whether you use them on your hands, feet, or anywhere in between! The sugar adds gentle exfoliation to the skin, and when rinsed off, the remaining oils keep your skin soft and deliciously scented. I keep a jar (or two) just outside my shower for full body use and another by the sink for my hands.

Retail: $10

*******************************

I'm So Over It

With a name like "I'm So Over It", I was really eager to find out what inspired this particular shade! After all, there is A LOT to feel this way about right now. In the case of KBShimmer, this polish is inspired by the break through of rainbows after far too many overcast skies, drizzling rain, and thunder storms. I'm a sunny girl myself, and I am SO GLAD to be back in sunny Arizona and away from Northern California where a long stretch of 3-4 months of overcast and rainy days tore at my mental health. This polish is perfectly timed on my end as well as we're going to be going into monsoon season next month which comes with brief afternoon downpours to be followed by many rainbows. Having briefer periods of rain allows me to enjoy it so much more, and I get excited every time I see a rainbow. Back to the polish....


I'm So Over It is a nod to those rainbows peeking through storm gray clouds. A pale base accents a shifty shimmer that shows of hues of pink, gold, green, and, at some angles, fuchsia and aqua. Floating in the gray crelly base you'll also find holo glow flakes for a rain-like twinkle.


KBShimmer really nailed the inspiration with this beauty, although I have to admit catching the shift with the camera was trying on my end. You just have to chalk this one up as far better in person; you really have to see it to believe it. Insert more platitudes here, Jen, why don't you. Ha!

Retail: $11

Both these beauties by KBShimmer were created exclusively for the Rainbow-themed June Polish Pickup. As the Polish Pickup is only open the first weekend of the month, there is not much time left to get these pre-ordered. Today is the LAST DAY, and you don't want to miss out! 


Orders can be placed on the Polish Pickup website. Please keep in mind orders are submitted as a pre-order and to allow three weeks for domestic (US) shipping. Shipping is a flat rate and orders are combined and extra shipping charges reimbursed to you.


Have you picked up either of these this weekend? I'd love to hear from you!

Until next time, dear readers, have a wonderful day!

XO!


Helpful Links

Connect with me on Social Media!

On Instagram

© Laugh, Love, Contour. Made with love by The Dutch Lady Designs.