Tag: argan

Josie Maran – Argan Sugar Balm Body Scrub

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 6 January 2015

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Cold weather can make my skin feel dry and irritated. So to help my skin feel better especially in the winter, I like to take a nice warm bath. I’ll use some of my favorite Lush products, a few drops of argan oil, and my new Josie Maran Argan Sugar Scrub!

Josie’s Whipped Argan Body Butter has helped heal my super dry, itchy skin in the past so I knew this argan sugar scrub would be a great exfoliant without causing irritation.

First off, this Argan Sugar Scrub has Josie’s signature Argan Oil. It’s smooth and smells a little like vanilla. The sugar melts into your skin as you rub it in. It’s not scratchy and burn-y like a salt scrub or those little plastic beads in some scrubs.You only need a little bit. The sugar scrub is smooth and creamy. Once you wash it all away the water kind of beads off of your skin. There is a layer of oil or whatever is in the balm part of the scrub that locks in the moisture. Your skin feels soft and smooth all day long.

Tags argan, bath, josie maran, lush, organ oil, sugar, sugar scrub

Blog Health + Beauty

Tarte Amazonian Clay CC Primer + Airbrush Foundation | Review

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 23 April 2014

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I picked up some Tarte goodies during the VIB Rouge Spring Social at Sephora and I’ve had some time to use the products to give a proper review. I purchased the Tarte Amazonian Clay Airbrush Foundation in the shade Light-Medium Neutral, the CC Primer in the shade Light, and the Airbuki brush.

Routine

I have been using the CC Primer and the Airbrush Foundation everyday I wear makeup since I purchased them. I start by prepping my face with sunscreen (usually the Josie Maran Daily Argan Moisturizer) and then I’ll use the Tarte CC Primer as a base for the powder foundation. I lightly buff on 1-2 layers of the Airbrush Foundation and I’m out the door. It’s all really fast and easy.

CC Primer

This primer is different than others I’ve used. It comes in a chubby tube and twists up like a lipstick. It’s more like a light foundation/cover stick than a silky primer. The POREfessional by Benefit, for example, is super silky and blurs away the appearance of pores. The Tarte CC Primer is divided into four sections, two with the “foundation” color, one with a green color corrector, and one with a pinkish purple color corrector. I just apply the CC Primer directly to my face and blend it out with my fingers.

The CC Primer evens out your complexion, neutralizes hyper pigmentation and gives sheer/light coverage. The CC Primer is perfect alone for running a quick trip to the grocery store, yoga day, or just a “no-makeup” makeup look. The primer makes a perfect base for the Airbrush Foundation.

Airbrush Foundation + Airbuki Brush

First off, the Airbuki brush is super soft! It’s amazing and I haven’t seen any hairs falling out or anything. It’s the perfect applicator for this Airbrush foundation but probably would work well with other types of mineral foundations as well.

The Airbrush Foundation comes in a sleek container with a bamboo screw off lid. What is unique about this powder foundation is the mesh liner/netting between the mouth of the jar and the product.

The lid actually has a little knob that, when screwed closed, keeps the mineral powder from escaping the netting. It’s great because it really helps control how much powder comes out and prevents you from wasting. Unlike other mineral foundations, you don’t need to invert the powder through the sifter and swirl/tap your brush to load the powder. The Tarte Airbuki is made to fit perfectly over the mesh lining. You simply press your brush into the net and get the perfect amount of powder on your brush; not swirling or tapping needed.

This design is awesome, especially for travel since you won’t have to worry about all the powder getting out from under the liner. I like to gently press the powder into my face and then buff it out to blend. The mineral powder gives a beautiful airbrushed finish and feels lightweight.

My skin is dry/normal and when I first used the Airbrush Foundation, I noticed that the powder clung to the drier parts of my face and made the area look flaky and bad. That’s where the CC Primer really helps me — the Primer either makes those areas less dry or creates such a smooth base that I haven’t had that problem since targeted those dry areas more with the Primer.

The Airbrush Foundation is long-wearing although I haven’t won it more than 10 hours. I do find though, that it starts to look even better as the day goes on. I love the fresh-faced airbrushed look it gives after first application, but as the day wears on, it seems to really melt into your skin and gives me a clean, healthy glow. I love it.

The foundation is build able up to medium coverage, but even at that medium level, your skin still looks like skin and not a cake mask. I have freckles and I really want my foundation to even out my complexion and make me look radiant but not cover my freckles and make me look unnatural. This Tarte Airbrush Foundation does just that! I definitely recommend this to everyone!

Tags airbuki, Amazon, amazonian clay, argan, bare minerals, Beauty, best, better, brush, cc cream, cc primer, clay, compare, daily spf, dry, flaky, foundation, hair, Hydrating, josie maran, liquid, makeup, mineral, nails, paraben free, review, Sephora, sephora haul, skin, skincare, summer foundation, tarte, tarte beauty, Tarte cosmetics, vegan

Blog Health + Beauty

Argan Summer Hydrating Skin Savers + Argan Daily Moisturizer REVIEW

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 18 April 2014

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

This super cute set by Josie Maran is perfect for summer! The Argan Summer Hydrating Skin Savers set from QVC comes with the new formulation of the Daily Argan Moisturizer, the Light version of the signature Argan Oil, and the Argan Color Stick in the color Glow.

The light version of the Argan oil is super light and absorbs quickly into the skin. It’s described as having a semi matte finish and, compared to the regular version, it is more matte, but it’s still an oil. Since it is so light, it would be perfect for day time, wear in warmer months, or if you have oiler skin.

I love the Argan Color sticks; my favorite color is Dreamy Pink. This Color Stick is a beautiful pink with some silver shimmer/glitters. It can go on lips and cheeks and is a perfect travel item because of its multiple uses.

The new formulation of the Argan Daily Moisturizer is great and with SPF 47, perfect for summer or wearing year round. If you are a fan of the old formulation of the Daily Moisturizer, but aren’t sure about trying the new formulation, here is a quick comparison:

At first glance, both formulations look the same and smell similarly. Both are slightly more runny than traditional sunscreens. The new formulation is more like a traditional sunscreen in that, as you rub it in, it leaves a white residue. Both formulations absorb quickly, but you have to rub the new formulation in a little longer for it to absorb completely. This may be because it has a higher SPF (47 vs. 40).

The new formulation actually seems to hydrate the skin more than the older version and it smells great. I feel like it gives more sun protection and helps prep my skin for makeup. I love the new formulation and this amazing gift set!

Blog Health + Beauty

Josie Maran Complexion Care Package | Review

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 27 January 2014

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

I’ve had some time to get familiar with the Josie Maran Complexion Care Package that I got from QVC. This set was such a great value with five full-sized products for under $60.

Argan Tinted Moisturizer

There are four color choices with the Argan Tinted Moisturizer (Fair, Light, Medium, Dark), I picked up the Light 1 color.

The Tinted Moisturizer has SPF 30 and really evens out the skin tone without looking greasy or heavy. Similar to a BB Cream, the Tinted Moisturizer blends best with the fingers. A little bit goes a long way and it settles into the skin to give a nice finished look.

There is a yellow undertone to the Light 1 color I got which works to neutralize redness. Coverage is light and makes skin look dewey which may look over shiny if you have oily skin.

Argan Creamy Concealer Crayon

Your color selection for the Tinted Moisturizer also dictates your Concealer Crayon color in this set. I’ve never used any kind of concealer crayon before, so I was excited to see what this argan-infused one would be like.

I know other concealers I’ve used in the past have seemed drying or chalky; settling into fine lines under my eyes. This concealer is far from that; it’s very creamy and glides on easily. For me, however, it’s a little too creamy. Maybe I’m just using too much, but it seemed to slip all over my under eye area and eventually crease in those fine lines.

It would probably work best with a light setting powder, but if I’m going for a quick, fresh-faced look, I don’t want to have to set everything with a powder.

Infinity Cream Intensive Creamy Oil

There are many uses listed for the Argan Infinity Cream — from smoothing down fly-aways to an intensive hand cream. The Infinity Cream seems to be a more concentrated version of the Argan Oil. It has a Vaseline/petroleum jelly feeling even though it does not contain any of that. The Infinity Cream is all organic and contains 100% pure Argan Oil.

I like to use this cream on my cuticles, knees & elbows, and on my hands. It absorbs nicely and hydrates dry flaky areas.

100% Pure Argan Oil

I love the pure Argan Oil. Click the link ^ for the ways I like to use it. Definitely my favorite product in the kit.

Argan Color Stick in Dreamy Pink

The Argan Color stick is the perfect on-the-go color stick. It’s compact and infused with argan oil to give your skin a nice, healthy rosy glow. Definitely would repurchase this.

Because it’s infused with argan oil, the color stick was quite creamy when applied to the cheeks or lips. It appears bright at first, but it blends nicely into the skin for a natural looking flush.

Have you used any of these Josie Maran products? Let me know what you think! 🙂

Blog Health + Beauty

2014 Nighttime Skincare Routine

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 17 January 2014

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

One of my resolutions this year has been to wash my face every night. I’m usually really good about it, but we all have had those late nights where you just want to fall into bed rather than washing your face. On nights like that, I would sometimes use the Neutrogena makeup removing face wipes which seemed to get the job done. But this year, there will be no excuse for being lazy and not washing my face.

Your body repairs itself while you are sleeping; how can you expect optimum results when you are leaving a mask of the day’s dirt and bacteria on your face all night? I’m sure everyone’s heard the saying, “The best makeup is good skincare!”

To remove my makeup and cleanse my face, I start with my trusted Clarisonic Mia and Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple cleanser. I recently got the sensitive brush head for the Mia and I am really liking it.

After using the Clarisonic on my face, I’ll use my fingers and some more of the Purity to gently remove my eye makeup/cleanse my eye area.

If I have any blemishes or problem areas, I’ll use a pump of Grease Lightening from Lush. It’s called a cleanser but it works more as a toner or spot treatment for me.

The newest addition to my nighttime skincare routine is the Josie Maran Argan Milk. It works with the Argan Oil to be an intensive hydrating treatment. Full review here.

I use the Josie Maran Argan Oil right behind the Argan Milk — just a few drops for your face and neck. I kind of pat/press it into my skin so it really sinks in. Check out some other ways I useArgan Oil here.

Next up is my under eye area. I find that I don’t really like the feel of a night cream under my eye, but I really love the Lancome Genifique Yeux eye concentrate. It’s like a cooling serum to help de-puff and brighten the eye area. The secret is in the application because the wand has a pivoted “pearl” at the end that helps gently massage the under eye area.

I then seal everything in with my favorite night cream ever — the Lancome Absolue Night Cream. It smells amazing and isn’t too thick or greasy.

Then to moisturize my chest and the rest of my body, I use Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil. This stuff has been amazing for me! Click for my review. This is the jumbo sized jar from QVC in the unscented version.

And, of course, I couldn’t forget the Dior Creme de Rose lip balm. I use this at night as a lip treatment and, as you can see, I’m going through it pretty quickly. See my full review here.

And that’s it for my nighttime skincare routine! It may seem like a lot, but skincare is important to me. No matter your age, it’s never too early to start really taking care of your skin. What’s your current skincare routine?

Blog Lifestyle

Top 10 – November Favorites

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 1 December 2013

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Landon Austin

When I first heard about Landon Austin on Youtube, I thought he used auto-tune on his voice. He has a really unique sound, accompanied by an acoustic guitar and his songs are pretty mellow. I am really liking Once In A Lifetime. Even though it’s a slower song, I like to listen to this when I’m running.

The Hunger Games – Catching Fire

This movie was much better than the first. The Capitol establishes new rules in order to surpress a rebellion encouraged by Katniss Everdeen’s breaking the rules in the last Hunger Games. Peacekeepers are enforcing more rules on the different Districts and Katniss and Peeta must fight again in the 75th Hunger Games. If you liked the first movie, you’ll really like the second. By the end, I was holding up my three fingers and whistling the Mockingjay tune!

Chipotle

I’ve been loving Chipotle so much in November. I get a burrito with: white rice, fajita vegetables, sofritas (only served in select states/locations), the green salsa, corn, sour cream, and guacamole. MMMmmm. So good. I’ll sometimes get the chips and guacamole on the side, but only if I’m super hungry.

Nike+ Running

I’m still training for a half marathon, and I’m using the Nike+ Running App to track my runs. Just the other day, I logged my farthest run – 7.25 miles! Yay. I’ve still got a ways to go and a lot more conditioning, but I really like how the Nike+ Running App lets you create goals how you can “race” with your friends. Add me (MuffinChanel) and we can race!

Lush Baths

I love Lush baths; especially during the colder months. Relaxing underneath a blanket of bubbles is so perfect. My favorite combination at the moment is The Comforter bubble bar and Think Pink bath bomb & to make it extra amazing, I add a dropper of Josie Maran’s Argan Oil! With this bath ^, I used Sandstone soap to exfoliate and Sweetie Pie shower jelly. Amazing!

Starbucks Holiday Star Dash

I’m so excited that I was selected to participate in the Starbucks Holiday Star Dash. As you can see, I earned my 16 stars and will get the $10 eGift! Yay for those Very Berry Hibiscus Refreshers!

Photojojo Macro/Wide Lens

I got this lens for my birthday and it’s awesome. If I have to choose from the three they offer, this is the one I choose. I love it because it is both Macro and a Wide angle lens — just unscrew it to get the Macro.

Rainbow Loom

My little cousins shared their Rainbow Looms with me over Thanksgiving! They taught me how to make the Starburst and Fishtail bracelets! You can get the Rainbow Loom at Michael’s for $17 and each Rubber Band Pack of 600 bands is $4.

Grand Theft Auto 5

I recently bought GTA 5 and it’s so much fun. I have GTA 4 (but I never even finished the story mode), but GTA 5 is so much better. You play as three different characters in story mode & the online mode is so much fun; I’m already on level 16!

Living Proof – Restore

I bought this in my Sephora VIB Rouge haul to try it out and it’s awesome. My hair looks and feels softer and healthier. I’ll repurchase the larger sizes when I run out. I do like these small bottles though; perfect size for traveling.

What have you been loving this November? Let me know in the comments.

Tags 5, argan, argan oil, bath, bath bomb, Beauty, bubble bar, burrito, catching fire, chipotle, chips, fajita, fishtail, grand theft auto, gta, guacamole, Hair care, haul, holiday, hunger games, iPhone, iPod, josie maran, katniss, Katniss Everdeen, landon austin, lens, lime, living proof, lush, macro, mockingjay, movie, Music, Nike, nikeplus, once in a lifetime, peeta, photojojo, rainbow loom, Refreshers, Rice, rubberbands, Running, sandstone, Sephora, Shampoo, shower gel, Soap, sofritas, Star, star dash, Starbucks, Starbucks Rewards, starburst, sweetie pie, Sweetie Pie shower, the $10, the comforter, think pink, tofu, ulta, v, vegetarian, Very Berry Hibiscus, wide, youtube

Blog Health + Beauty

10 Ways To Use | Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 1 November 2013
4 Comments on 10 Ways To Use | Josie Maran 1004 Pure Argan Oil

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

There are so many ways to use Josie Maran’s 100% Pure Argan Oil. I received a small bottle of the jasmine infused argan oil last year and I loved it! This year, we got a huge MEGA bottle from QVC — 6oz.! Yay!

Tags 10, 100%, argan, argan oil, argon oil, Beauty, hair, how to, how to use, josie maran, nails, organic, pure, qvc, Sephora, skin, Skin Care, smooth, top ten, uses

Blog Health + Beauty

Sephora Haul – Almost VIB Rouge!

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 29 October 2013
1 Comment on Sephora Haul – Almost VIB Rouge!

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Another Sephora Haul! Yay! I actually purchased these items over the course of a few weeks. I had two other Sephora gift cards and a 20% friends and family coupon to use and I got some great things! I am so close to VIB Rouge!

Tarte Amazonian Clay 12-hour blush – Dazzled

I already showed a picture of this on Instagram. (Follow me! ❤) I love this color — sort of like a mauve-y rose with slight gold shimmer. I had heard lots of good things about this blush, but I decided I really wanted it after reading Vanessa’s blog: Let’s Talk Makeup. 🙂 I’ve only used it once, but so far I really like it. Review to come!

GLAMGLOW – SUPERMUD: Gift Sexy

I’m super excited to try this out. I hear nothing but great things. Have any of you tried it? What did you think?

REVIEWS HERE!

Laura Mercier – Secret Brightening Powder

I tried this out as a setting powder for my under eye concealer — amazing! The powder is super light; finely milled. It doesn’t settle into fine lines or make your concealer look cake. I love this so far.

Josie Maran – Moroccan Miracle Hair Duo with Argon Oil

I saw this in the check out line and thought it would be nice to try this hair serum. It comes with a vile of the oil treatment which seems cool too.

Lancome – Hypnose Drama mascara

Definitely my favorite mascara. I like how it builds without getting clumpy. The waxes seem moisturizing to the lashes and removal is super easy with my Purity cleanser.

Viktor & Rolf FlowerBomb – 250 Point Perk

VIB Rouge Countdown: $34!!!

UPDATE: I unlocked VIB Rouge!

Tags amazonian clay, argan, argan oil, Beauty, beauty insider, blush, brightening powder, cleansing, cosmetics, drama, face, glam, glam glow, glamglow, glow, hair serum, haul, hypnose, josie maran, Lancôme, laura mercier, Mascara, mask, mud, Sephora, sephora haul, tarte, vib, vib rouge

Blog Health + Beauty

Josie Maran Whipped Argan Oil | REVIEW

Post author By muffinchanel.com
Post date 21 October 2013

This post may contain affiliate links; all opinions are my own. See Disclosures here

Let me start by summarizing: this post is about eczema and includes pictures of terrible rashes…you have been warned!

The transition into fall and winter can be harsh on your skin. We all want balanced, and soft feeling skin, but sometimes it takes more than lotion.

Growing up, I would get dry, itchy patches on my arms and legs during the winter, but it wasn’t until I got older that it became more severe. I had reddish patches on my legs near my knees that would itch year round. This was so frustrating, especially during the summer when I would wear shorts, but my legs were flaky, itchy, and dry. 🙁

I saw my doctor when the “rash” seemed to spread to a larger section around my knees and the area around upper thigh became discolored. She told me that I had eczema and prescribed me a cream to apply daily.

The cream was thick and cold and I hated it, but I applied it every day. I started to notice results after a few days and stopped using the cream. The itching and rashes returned so I continued the cream again. The cream was just a temporary solution — I needed something healing; something that would balance out my skin and keep my hydrated.

*Drumroll* Josie Maran – Whipped Argan Oil!!!! I cannot say enough how much this has helped me. Josie does not mess around and I couldn’t be happier.

My mom gave me this jar of the Whipped Argan Oil ultra-hydrating body butter in the scent Vanilla Fig (thanks Mom!). It’s a little pricy at $35 for the .8oz size (at Sephora or QVC), but worth every penny to me for how it’s helped me. (Pictures at the end) More about the cream — it’s super lightweight and not greasy. It absorbs quickly into my super dry skin, but just as quickly all over where I’m not dry. It comes in a few different scents, but I really love the Vanilla Fig — sweet, but not overpowering.

I first used this before bed and the next morning I saw a huge difference. After a couple days, my dryness and redness were gone; my skin wasn’t itching and irritated. AMAZING! And even when I missed a couple of days, the rash didn’t come back. Finally, something that actually worked to heal and fix the problem! It’s only been about two weeks since I started using Josie’s Whipped Argan Oil, but I don’t have an issue with eczema anymore. The difference is night and day! My skin is soft and smooth; no discoloration and no itching! YAY!

I am so super happy to have found the Whipped Argan Oil. Look at the difference — the eczema was basically attacking my leg, and now my skin is calm and balanced. 🙂 This is a love love love holy grail product for me. Everyone should try this out; you will not be disappointed!

Tags argan, argan oil, argon oil, Beauty, body, body butter, butter, cream, eczema, josie, josie maran, josiemaran, lotion, maran, oil, qvc, Sephora, Vanilla Fig, whipped argan oil, whipped argon oil, yay