{Review} Dove Deodorant

So when one goes through FOLFOX chemo treatments for one's stage IV colon cancer, one develops lots of interesting problems. One of these problems is extreme dry skin.

Okay, you busted me. I'm the "one" mentioned above. And yeah extreme dry skin. EVERYWHERE. There's something called hand-foot syndrome which causes such severe dry skin that your hands and feet peel and peel and peel. It causes redness, swelling, and pain, plus that flaking. So much fun. I've been keeping mine at bay with an extreme moisturizing approach.

But my armpits. I've never thought about my armpits before. Until they split and I had these horrible split cuts underneath my arms. I couldn't use deodorant for two weeks and I thought for sure I'd be smelly and stinky. Thankfully, I wasn't. I freshened up during the day, I used neosporin and desitin, and protected those slices pretty well.

But it got me to thinking how to best moisturize my underarms.

Hello! *facepalm* DOVE. Dove's deodorants/anti-perspirants are full of moisturizers! Now, I was a bit disappointed as I have been avoiding anti-perspirants for a while. Sweating is healthy. Smelling is gross. And I've been using men's deodorants for a while instead (Old Spice. They have some great scents that aren't too masculine, but they are apparently very drying).

So I switched to Dove for the last four weeks. I'm using the two above. Why? Because I didn't know the difference and decided to get both.

The difference is amazing. My underarms are no longer dark, they no longer itch, they are no longer flaky, and they no longer feel like they are going to split at any minute.

My skin there looks healthier. So much healthier. In fact, I had no idea that they were unhealthy until their new repaired look and feel.

Verdict: Switch to Dove. Seriously. It's good for you. And it doesn't make your clothes stinky. And your underarms will feel and look amazing!

P.S. I purchased these. They were not offered to me for free or anything like that. I just wanted to tell you that I think they rock.

{Influenster} Neutrogena Hydro Boost Water Gel

Influenster sent me a VoxBox with this Neutrogena Hydro Boost water gel moisturizer inside and I got to try it out for FREE.

I was skeptical. The gel kind of moisturizers aren't something I readily love. I love how quickly they absorb, but do they LAST?

It's light weight, sure. It feels kinda watery, sure. But it QUENCHES my skin. I have an oily forehead and nose, but right around the edges of my mouth and on my cheeks, it can get so dry that I flake.

After my morning routine, I've switched to using this as my moisturizer and buhbye flakes! Plus, my oily zone is not so oily feeling, while still feeling refreshed and hydrated!

I want to try the thicker cream one as I think I'll need that come winter, but this feels fantastic and keeps me moisturized throughout my day so far!

It should retail for $18.99 and I've found it at Walmart and Target for a little less. At my supermarket, it was a buck more. Comparing this to other gel moisturizers, this is far superior and I love that it is easily accessible at a grocery store or Target, etc.

Thanks, Influenster!

Olay Regenerist Luminous - Tone Perfecting Cream Moisturizer

In my latest vox box that arrived at the end of June (See unveiling post here: http://tiffyfit-tries.blogspot.com/2014/06/vox-box-unveiling.html), I received a full size sample of Olay's Regenerist Luminous tone perfecting cream moisturizer.

I was SUPER excited about this product. It promised to improve skin tone texture and fade dark spots in as little 8 weeks. Also supposed to help reduce redness, etc. I have a touch of rosacea in my cheeks and a few acne scars, so I was stoked!

Now, Vox Box reviews etc are usually done pretty quickly, closing within 4 weeks of receipt. I've been holding off on my review, trying to give this product its full due and trial period.

Full disclosure: Again, I received this product to try for free from Influenster in their vox box program.

Also, I'm a lifelong Oil of Olay enthusiast. My grandmother used their beauty fluid, my mother used their beauty fluid, I grew up using their beauty fluid. They changed their name to Olay, but the beauty fluid was pretty good still. I branched out to try something new and have been trying new stuff since.

The Good:

• pleasant smell and texture
• absorbs easily into the skin without leaving you feeling greasy
• leaves your skin feeling well moisturized for several hours
• you only need the smallest amount dabbed on your forehead, cheeks, chin, and neck to spread nicely. Love that it only takes a small amount!
• it DOES fade dark spots

The Bad:

My skin is WAY too sensitive for this stuff. WAY. TOO. SENSITIVE. If you EVER have a flare up of any kind with a moisturizer, I do not recommend this. 

• it made my rosacea sections worse. Brighter red, inflamed.
• the skin over my cheeks felt rougher and likely because of the peeling that was going on
• hard blackheads and whiteheads where I've never had them before

Let me explain the last bullet of the bad for you. There are normal blackheads that you can easily exfoliate and use one of those comedone extractors. And then there are those super-hard blackheads that make your skin feel rough and you have to really squeeze to extract. Do you know what I'm talking about? I rarely get them, but they usually appear after I've been too harsh on my skin. Using this moisturizer consistently for several weeks, I noticed a rough section in three places. Yup, those little hard blackheads. 

Yes, yes, I know that others can't see it unless they are RIGHT UP IN MY FACE, but I'm neurotic about things like that and it drove me crazy. So, of course, I squeezed them. 

Also, broke out in whiteheads where I've never had them before. It's something I can only conclude that was caused by this tone perfecting moisturizer.  I'm lucky in that I don't break out in zits often. I have blackheads in my Tzone (mostly my nose) and an occasional zit on my cheek. At 36, I'm content with that. Not too bad! But this made me break out in zits I have not seen since puberty. 

My only conclusion is that whatever is supposed to help fade those dark spots and perfect the tone of my skin, is just too harsh for my skin and lead to peeling and open pores. 

WOULD I RECOMMEND THIS?

Yes, I would. Since I got a full size sample from Influenster, I bought my mother one to try with me. It has faded some of her dark age spots that she didn't like, after about 8 weeks, and she hasn't had a problem with peeling, rashes, or breakouts. She LOVES this cream. 

So, yes, if you have normal skin. No, if you have sensitive skin like mine. 

{BzzAgent Campaign} Neutrogena Nourishing Longwear Makeup

About the Make Up: 
The vast majority of cosmetics simply stay true to their name; they cover up your flaws without actually correcting them. With NEUTROGENA® Nourishing Long Wear Makeup you’ll get 12 hours of silky, breathable coverage and start to see smoother, softer, more radiant and even toned skin in as little as 4 weeks.

The exclusive formula helps you look your best now, but makes your best even better. In fact, in a clinical study 100% of women saw improvement in skin’s natural tone or texture. Here’s what’s inside:

• Anti-oxidant rich soy smoothes and refines age spots and discolorations
• Vitamins A, C & E nourish skin and brighten skin tones
• Light diffusing powders camouflage imperfections and mask fine lines
• Broad spectrum SPF 20 protects your skin from the sun

I have a touch of rosacea in my cheeks, which I usually don't mind too much, but who wants to look super flushed all day long? My skin is strange: I have a weird blend of T-zone oily bits, super dry cheeks that can sometimes get a little rough, and my pores seem to be getting larger as I get older despite using salcylic acid cleansers, etc. So I'm always on the look out for something new foundation-wise. When this campaign was offered to me by BzzAgent, I snatched it up. I've used and liked Neutrogena products for a long time now!

I've tried Bare Minerals, didn't like it. I've tried Cover Girl, Maybelline, and other foundations and I still haven't found one that's JUST RIGHT. What I'm really hoping for is a foundation that, after simple moisturizer, would give me long lasting, breathable coverage that matches my skintone.

This foundation is a step towards that direction for me. It is supposed to improve tone and texture of your skin in as little as four weeks while leaving you with wonderful even coverage. So far, so smooth! The difference is subtle, but this is definitely a wearable, long lasting foundation. I've worn it for a couple weeks now (Thanks to Neutrogena and BzzAgent for the full sized sample!) and have had time for trial and error.

I was hoping that this foundation would let me skip steps in my routine (primer, powder, etc), but I find I have to make sure to still use the primer at least to fill in the pores. The foundation tends to sit on top of the skin, no matter how well I blend. I thought maybe it was my moisturizer so I switched that to make sure. I've tried it without, but it does tend to sit on the surface.

Really love how well this one matched my skintone. I chose correctly! Got a few friends to try it out, and the range of colors really works for all of us.

As you can see, my upper right cheek under my eye has the deepest red tone. And I have a matching mark on the other side. (Please don't mind my ungroomed brows. I've been lazy this week!) 

I made sure to moisturize and then used a blending sponge in this picture, skipping primer or BB cream. The bottom-left of the collage above is moisturizer and foundation. As you can see, it did a great job of covering that redness with minimal amount of product. I used a blending sponge and my fingers to apply the product. 

In the two + weeks I've been using this product, I haven't had any breakouts. The slight roughness on my cheeks where the rosacea is has seemed less rough and becoming smoother. And I love that it already has SPF 20 in it. Extra sunprotection helps! At only $15.99 for a decent sized bottle, I will be buying this again. 

Pros: lightweight, even coverage, improving skin tone texture. Long lasting - gets me through a full day. No breakouts! 

Cons: Bottle design -- very narrow neck, hard to pour. Tends to feel like it's sitting on top of the skin instead of blending into it.