Einstein Lip Therapy Hydrating Pot

These always catch my eye whenever I go to CVS and I always tell myself, "I'll get one next time" but I never do. So when I dropped into CVS today and saw them staring at me from the counter I said to myself, "Today is THE day!" Unfortunately, I then spent the next 5 minutes trying to figure out what the difference is between the 2 that are available and which one I wanted.

There is a red pot and a pink pot. At first glance, the only difference about them is the color of the cap. But if you look closer, there is small captioning on the cap that gives a minimal description of the use for each. The pink one says it's for hydration and the red one says it's for cooling relief. I chose the pink one becuase I wanted something to condition my lips and I figured the red one is probably similar to typical cooling lip balms.

The pink one is the Einstein Lip Therapy Hydrating Lip Cream $6. It contains Vitamins A, C, and E to restore moisture to reveal softer, smoother, more supple lips. The consistency of this is more like a lotion and it has yellow vitamin C beads to exfoliate your lips. As you smooth this on, the beads dissolve and make the cream feel thicker. It has a menthol smell to it and it also has a bit of a cool feel when applied. Kinda feels like a very extremely gentle lip plumper. There's no numbing or stinging feeling but there is a "filling" sensation.

The Verdict

One of the cutest lip product packaging I've seen and what attracted me to them in the first place. I have to say I'm not happy with the amount that you get (only a measly 4.5 grams). It may depend on the surface area that you need to cover but amazingly a little bit goes a long way. When I apply this I literally touch only the very tip of my ring finger into the pot. I don't have to "dip/scoop in". My lips aren't very big so I think I can make this last at least 3-4 weeks with daily use (applying every night).

I really like how this feels when I smooth it on. It thickens a bit as it's rubbed in and then gets absorbed into all the little crevices. I would definitely re-purchase this product along with the red one just to see how they work together.

The Body Shop Haul

On this shopping trip I went to The Body Shop looking for a flannel washcloth that Lindi from over at http://www.bubzbeauty.com/ recommended.

Luxury Facial Flannel $6.50

I really didn't know what to expect of this thing. When I got to the store the SA helped me find this washcloth and it was packed in a ziplock baggy and was flexile and bendy. It did not look at all like..."cloth". It reminded me of a white shammy and looked silicone-like in texture. I was weirded out even more because the SAs had taken one out of it's packaging and it was dry and hard and looked like a piece of styrofoam. They assured me that once it touched water it would return to it's soft state and work just like new. But hey Lindi said it's fantastic so I bought it anyways. I was not at all disappointed by this thing. Remember I said it looked silicone-like? Well it works just like a rubber spatula for your face but it is also soft to the touch. I tried it with my normal cleanser and saw this guy in action. It wipes away all traces of the cleanser in one swoop! It's really amazing but I'd rather use it to wipe away a mask or something. I like splashing my face with water to rinse off my normal cleanser.

Vitamin C Skin Boost $26

Okay the SA told me that Vitamin C boost (one of their best sellers) would help diminish the appearance of acne scars. I really didn't have any faith in this product's claims but when she put some on my wrist I like the texture of it. It feels almost like a silicone primer. I figured if I could wear this as a primer without getting shiny and it's also doing good for my skin - why not? It also smells just like fresh cut oranges - which I happen to love. If you don't like orange citrus-y smells, it may be a bit overwhelming. Since it has that silicone feel to it, it really does help with evening out skin texture without the feeling of plugged pores.

The Verdict
I don't think this should be labeled a moisturizer. The gel texture of this sits on top of skin and is very slowly absorbed into the skin. Because of the slow absorption I'm loving it as a primer. It's weightless and does feel like it's clogging my pores. It leaves my skin silky smooth and prepped for makeup. Although it's not a cure, I find it does help smooth out dry patches around blemish so that makeup doesn't cake.

I'm not sure if it's working to diminish any dark spots- at least I can't really tell. I'm also still on the lookout for a primer as this one made me a bit shiny. I like to wear it alone when I'm in a rush just to even out the texture of my skin. I really really love the flannel washcloth though! I will definitely go back to get another one to stash away.

Freebies
I was pleasantly surprised when I went to check out and the SA added all these goodies to my bag! I received a Cloth Woven Makeup Bag filled with travel sizes of Strawberry Body Butter, Vitamin E Moisture Cream, Divine Calm Heavenly Shower Gel (not pictured), and Mulberry Hi-Shine Lip Gloss (not pictured). I gave the items not pictured to a friend before I could take these photos.

This smells just like strawberry icing! I need to be careful with this. The whole time I was wearing it I had a craving for cupcakes!


This is very fast-absorbing and non-greasy but nothing too special about it. I've been using it at night before bed.

Shiseido White Lucent Brightening Mask 6pc $68

I LOVE facial masks. I dunno why but it's this obsession I have. I think it's because since I was a little girl I watched my aunt (she's the girly girl of the family) put on masks as part of her beauty regimen.

Anyways I was given a sample of 2 of these by a Shiseido SA last spring. I really loved the results and I've been using them ever since. The mask has a pleasant calming scent (I dunno what it is) and it is soaked in the White Lucent brightening liquid. The liquid kinda reminds me of an emulsion lotion but richer. The liquid contains Asian plant extracts to help with moisture balance and a high dose of Vitamin C to brighten dark spots and even skin tone. I always cleanse and tone before putting this on. I like how the mask has little flaps so that you can use them on your eyes too. It feels cool when applied and you just let the liquid soak in for 10 minutes. After that just remove and you're done. You don't have to rinse off this mask and I never apply any additional moisturizer after this as my face gets super saturated from the mask.

The Verdict
I love love love this mask! It mask is so hydrating and it really diminishes any dark or dull areas and gives you a radiant look and even skintone. Since you don't wash off the mask, I feel like it leaves a bit of a dewy film that is a little bit sticky as it dries but I don't mind it. I treat myself to this once every 2 weeks and before any special event.