Who Doesn't Want To Say Yes To Clear Skin? Yes To Tomatoes Daily Clarifying Cleanser

 Who doesn't want to say YES to clear skin?

In my professional and personal life, I have a hard time saying "no."  Oh you want me to take you to the airport at 4am?  YES.  Do you want to borrow my Yigal Azrouel gown for party and you'll send it back to me dirty and not dry cleaned?  SURE OK.  You want me to throw a dinner party for you, your boss and two of your coworkers... and you're on your way over right now?  GREAT.

But..... when it comes to my beauty life, I love to say HELL TO THE NO, all the time.  If something doesn't perform and exceed expectations, it's dead to me.  There are no second chances once I've been burned.  The standards are set high, and the hurdle to try to impress is set even higher.

With that said, my first run in with the Yes To Carrots line of products was a hand cream that was moisturizing, soaked in and didn't leave my hands in slippery, greasy mess... all while leaving a cooling sensation and crisp scent.  However, that was for my hands... and Yes To Tomatoes Daily Clarifying Cleanser was for my face!  When it comes to skincare, we all expect mountains to be moved.  We want to be wrinkleless, poreless, smooth, luminous and of course acne free! 

Now I have only been using the cleanser and not the entire Yes To Tomatoes line, but I am liking it.  The cleanser is foamy and gets my face squeaky clean.  But it isn't stripping or drying, which is hard to find in acne products.  You don't stop getting acne after you've hit your 20's (or even 30's... aging myself here).  I also appreciate that it's 99.6% Natural, Petroleum, SLS & Paraben Free and cruelty free.

INGREDIENTS: Water (aqua), Lauryl Glucoside, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Extract*, Solanum Lycopersicum (Tomato) Extract*, Citrullus Vulgaris (Watermelon) Seed Oil, Aspalathus Linearis (Red Tea) Leaf Extract, Maris Limus (Dead Sea Mud), Citric Acid, Phenethyl Alcohol, Glyceryl Caprylate, Alcohol, Potassium Sorbate, Sodium Benzoate, Fragrance 

I think I won't mind saying "yes" more often to Yes To Tomatoes.

Yes to Tomatoes Clear Skin Daily Clarifying Cleanser is $9.99 for 95ml, 3.38oz and is available at drugstores, mass retailers, supermarkets, Target.com and www.yestocarrots.com

Do you ever forget to add the "e" in "tomatoes?"

Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil - I Should Have Listened!

Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil

Barbara Stone, a makeup artist and long-time employee of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics (pre-EL days!), convinced me many years ago to try Bobbi Brown skincare.  I don't know why I didn't listen to her advice immediately.  She's a groovy chic that doesn't BS and knows Bobbi's line inside out.  I was probably just feeling inundated with the overwhelming number of products in my bathroom cabinet and just couldn't deal with one more thing to try.  Well, I should have listened earlier.  I don't know why I find this surprising, but Bobbi Brown Cosmetics skincare is actually *really* good.  Not sure why I find it shocking since their makeup is phenomenal.  But with the minimal packaging and also all the hype around the makeup, I just overlooked the skincare.  Sorry.  Shrug.

So far I have tried a few products from the line,  and overall as a system, I am really impressed.  Considering the quality and that Bobbi Brown is a high-end brand, I find the skincare reasonably affordable.  I have a review of the Oil Control Lotion SPF 15 coming soon.  Spoiler: it's good.  But now to the product on hand.  The Cleansing Oil is a rich blend of olive and jojoba oils that melts off all makeup and washes off cleanly.  I have a dry skin with blackheads and get shiny during the day, so I usually follow the Cleansing Oil with another foaming cleanser.  But this product takes off makeup like nothing else.  After I learned that Shu Uemura was removing itself from US distribution, I knew I had to find a substitute for my precious Shu Oil.  Well, I found it, and I think I like this one better.  There isn't a strong fragrance, and my face feels clean, even without the additional cleanser step.  Also it's cheaper!  $39 for 6.7oz 200ml.  Please don't say I told you so.  I know I should have listened.

You can find Barbara at the Bobbi Brown counter at Bergdorf Goodman.  And you can find Bobbi Brown Cleansing Oil at www.bobbibrowncosmetics.com and at fine department stores.

Do you use cleansing oils?  What do you do to wash off your makeup?

NARSskin - Brightening Serum - Review

Before nails, before perfume but after makeup, I was really obsessed with skincare.  Being about all things beauty doesn't seem that odd to me, but I know for some people they like to stay in their own corners of the universe.  If you are afraid to branch out into skincare because it can be overwhelming, it may help to go with a brand you are already familiar with.

At my recent Nars makeover (click here if you missed the post), Tina walked me through the skincare line.  I had never paid much attention to their skincare, aside from a sample of mud mask which had impressed me.  Shiseido, Nars' parent company, takes the science of skincare very seriously, and Nars' skincare line, NARSskin, is definitely worthy of your attention.

One item that particularly drew me in was the Brightening Serum.  Imagine MAC Strobe Cream but with a luxurious sink-in texture and good for you ingredients. NARSskin claims that helps improve skin's texture and protects against free radicals.  I haven't used the product long enough to see if these claims are true, but I do definitely see a radiance and brightening effect, from the pink pearl iridescence in the product, upon application.

I love "glow" products like MAC Strobe Cream and By Terry Skin Enhancers.  But NARSskin Brightening Serum actually feels to me like good skincare too.  This serum just melts into the skin, and you have to figure that the fennel and Active Phytoseed Complex couldn't be hurting you either right?  So the Brightening Serum is not only a quick fix to help illuminate the face upon application, but hopefully these other ingredients will make a difference down the line in how your skin looks.  Until then, I'll be putting on this serum in the mornings!

The Brightening Serum retails for $61 and is available on Narscosmetics.com, Saks, Neiman Marcus and other prestige retailers.  Check Nars' website for more locations.

1 pump.

Love the pump applicator.

Same dollop - smeared thickly.

See the pink pearl iridescence?

Rubbed into skin.

I didn't get a sense of overwhelming shimmer on the skin.  Just a nice glow and brightening.

To Review:
Pros: Good for you ingredients.  Better texture than other "glow" and "radiance" products (e.i. MAC Strobe Cream and by Terry Skin Enhancers).  Iridescence is subtle after makeup application (no disco face here).  Hygienic pump applicator.
Cons: Slightly pricey at $61 but you do get 2.5oz.  Opaque bottle may make it hard to determine how much is left in the bottle.
Overall Rating: A-

Have you tried NARSskin products before?  If so, which have you liked?  Are you also a fan of "glow" products?