The Best Part of Waking Up: Soap & Glory's Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub

I really love exfoliators, and I will tell you why. I have super dry and itchy skin, and it's vital for me to scrub off dry flaky skin cells so that I have super smooth skin. And granted I probably don't exfoliate as often as I should because I get lazy, but when I do, I see a really huge difference not only in how smooth my skin is, but in how itchy it is also.

Now that it's summer and everyone's got their skirts and shorts on, I'm noticing how years of scratching at my dry skin has effected me. My legs in particular have dark scars from constant scratching and my skin breaks very easily so I bleed and have scabs and bruises quite frequently. It's really bad and it makes me feel very self conscious about my skin, to the point of not wanting to wear shorts in the summertime. And I've tried all sorts of lotions and creams and such and nothing really makes the itching stop, just maybe prevents it for a few hours at most. So I have to be super diligent about taking care of my skin.

In an effort to do this, I've started using Jane Park's Shower Method. Jane Park is the CEO of Julep, and basically her theory is this: exfoliate away first, then cleanse - this way you're cleansing the new layer of skin cells rather than dead ones, and the moisture from your body wash will get into your skin more easily. So far, it's definitely making a difference.

But of course, the exfoliating is crucial. So I've started using Soap & Glory's Smoothie Star Breakfast Scrub.

Okay so I wanna start off by saying this shit smells amazeballs. It's like...brown sugar oatmeal goodness. It does smell like something you could eat (but don't, cuz that's gross). And it feels like rubbing brown sugar on your skin too. Unlike Soap & Glory's Flake Away, it's a much thicker exfoliator so you really get a good scrub, which is what I need. I like a really hardcore exfoliator that really scrubs off all that dead, dry skin. And I love Soap & Glory's products - they always smell amazing, and they definitely work. So exfoliate, cleanse, and then rub your skin down with Soap & Glory's The Righteous Butter in that 3-minute window after you shower to lock in moisture and get the ultimate smooth, silky skin.

Works like a charm.

Tearing My Skin Off: An Adventure in Exfoliating

I feel like sometimes I don't really get the point of exfoliating. It's supposed to clear off all the dead skin cells so my skin is all radiant and such, right? Right. But sometimes it just feels like I'm scrubbing my face off. 

Okay so last post I talked a little bit about the Soap & Glory Greatest Scrub Of All (which is on sale at Sephora now for anyone looking for stocking stuffers). Super smooth, really gentle, smells really nice and pepperminty, and definitely a keeper. And I still love the Fresh Umbrian Clay Mattifying Exfoliant , but I'm running out of it. So it was time to try some of the samples that had come in my Glossybox/Birchboxes. 

So, I'm not as impressed with Birchbox as I am with Glossybox. I feel like I get higher quality and better sized products from Glossybox. But I wanted to try the Dr Brant Microdermabrasian Exfoliant because I've heard a lot of good things about the brand. 

I used it in the shower in conjunction with my Soap & Glory Clarity Face Soap which was probably a mistake because afterwards I felt like my face was on fire. Apparently cleansing and then exfoliating with this stuff is a recipe for disaster, which is weird because I didn't have that problem with any of the other ones. Maybe that means it's good, maybe it's supposed to burn my damn face off. Maybe some people need their faces burned off to get that ever elusive youthful glow. But now I'm terrified of it. 

However, not as terrified as I am of the Sesha Renu Exfoliating Gel which came in my Glossybox. THIS IS NOT A JOKE. IT PEELS YOUR FACE OFF. I'm not even kidding. You rub it on dry skin, and it's a gel formula so it goes on wet. And then it dries. AND THEN YOUR SKIN PEELS OFF. Little white flakes of your FACE. And it smells like a damn electrical fire, which is cool for the first minute until you realize that it's ON YOUR FACE. And it seemed to work pretty well, I felt nice and smooth after. But it's JUST SO WEIRD AND TERRIFYING. 

I think I'll try the Dr Brant again without cleansing, but honestly, I am not in this for my face to get destroyed.  In fact, quite the opposite. So I think I'll stick with Fresh and Soap & Glory, thanks. 

x

Christina

Glorificus

I have to admit that what first interested me in Soap & Glory products was the packaging. I'm a sucker for anything retro looking, and whenever I'd see S&G in Sephora, I'd think "Shit, that stuff looks so cool, it must be really good, I have to try it one day." So finally I did, and I'm really pleased about it.

I've had A Great Kisser for a while and it's one of the best lip balms I've ever tried. It's really moisturizing, but not sticky at all, so when I kiss my boyfriend I don't feel like I have to wipe it off (or wipe it off him). It stays for a really long time without drying out, which is awesome. Mine is peach scented, but I hear it also comes in peppermint or vanilla (which I think is the one I'll try next, when this runs out).

Both The Greatest Scrub Of All and Flake Away Body Polish are very gentle exfoliators, for face and body respectively. Last post I talked about the Fresh face and body exfoliators that I have, and in comparison, these are very much lighter and creamier. My skin is very dry so sometimes I feel like I need a really great scrub, but these are good for every day/every other day or if your skin is sensitive. The exfoliating beads are very gentle, and the smell is very subtle and pleasant.

Clarity 3-In-1 Daily-Detox Vitamin C Facial Wash feels much more gel-like in comparison to the Fresh cleanser, and also has little exfoliator beads for a gentle massaging effect. It's cooling and minty which leaves my face feeling very refreshed, which is great after a workout or a long day out when I feel particularly dirty and worn down.

There are a lot of other Soap and Glory products I want to try, particularly their hand and foot creams since everything else I have by them is so moisturizing. But all in all, the products are very gentle and smell great!

x
Christina

First Sephora Haul

Since I'm just starting out on this journey of trying new products, I decided to pick up a bunch of tester sizes and boxes to get a feel for everything without spending big money. I need a new mascara since mine flakes a little, and I regularly use Urban Decay foundation, but it's hard to find in stores anymore since I think they're phasing it out in favor of the Naked line. I'm also really excited to try some facey glowy things and the dry shampoo (which was as per the Sephora lady's recommendation). So we'll see how this goes!

From top left:  Benefit Goodtime Gals: Posietint lip & cheek stain, Girl Meets Pearl face brightener, That Gal brightening face primer / Smashbox Photofinish Foundation Primer with SPF 20 / Benefit Ooh La La Lift under eye brightener / Buxom Lash Mascara / Too Faced Beauty Blogger Darlings: Chocolate Soleil Matte Bronzer, Primed & Poreless face primer, Better Than Sex mascara, Shadow Insurance eye shadow primer / Oscar Blandi dry shampoo / Bumble and bumble straight blow dry / TokyoMilk Dark eau de parfum Destiny #79 / Urban Decay Naked Skin Liquid Makeup / Soap & Glory A Great Kisser lip balm