Valentia Royal Rose Hydrating Serum

I have loved the entire Valentia line. Every product from them has been absolutely wonderful. Their Royal Rose Hydrating Serum is formulated for sensitive skin, so I was so excited to try it. Unfortunately, I have any allergy to something in it. Not only did it my face break out, I developed a rash. 

The serum has a very strong rose smell. It might put some people off, but it is a nostalgic scent for me. My grandmother always smelled of roses. She had a rose powder and a puff she would let my sister and I play with when we were very little. The smell of this serum brings me back to those days. I'm pretty bummed that I cannot use this. I wanted to love it. 

The serum is more like a cream. It is white with a medium consistency. It goes on pretty smoothly. It leaves a bit of a sticky feel for a few minutes, but once it is dry it goes away. The smell also dissipates after a bit. My skin felt nice and hydrated, but later I noticed the rash. I only used this once because of the allergy...but then I passed it on to my mom so she could try it. 

My mom isn't big on skin care products, but she liked it. She applied two pumps at night, and said after the sticky feel wore off her skin felt tighter and firmer. She likes it and will continue to use it. I give this serum 3 out of 5 stars. Sadly, I can't be a huge fan of something I cannot use, but my mom does like it. 

Available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

The Holy Grail of Serums

I am usually pretty bad at keeping up with skincare regimens. Most face products smell weird, or feel gross on my skin. I hate going to bed with stuff on my face...and sometimes I just flat out forget to do things, especially if I am tired and want to go to sleep. Not anymore. I actually can't wait to wash my face at night so I can apply Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum. That is a sentence I never thought I would utter. 

Valentia always hits it out of the park with their skincare line...but everyone loves face scrubs and mud masks, so I wasn't sure if I could love a serum the same way. 
Active ingredients include:
- Wakame Bioferment: to detoxify and boost antioxidant defense.
- Gotu Kola: Lessens the appearance of scars and increases skin firmness.
- Lactic Acid: Increases skin cell turnover, for healthier renewed skin.
- Licorice: Corrects skin discoloration.
- Argan Oil: Rich in Vitamin E,  reduces water loss and protects skin's resiliency and elasticity. 

The serum is a a creamy, yellow color with a light-medium consistency. I applied 2 pumps to my face. It goes on smoothly and absorbs within minutes. My skin doesn't feel dry, or greasy and sticky. It actually leaves a nice refreshing feeling. The absolute best part of this serum is that it smells like an orange dreamsicle! I would apply it several times a day just for the scent. I need to get a hold of some clementine oil so I can make a perfume that smells like this. It's literally dreamy!

You're supposed to follow up with moisturizer, but like I said, I am lazy and forgetful...so I haven't done that once. However, my normally dry skin is hydrated and soft. It's also brighter and smoother. I'm going to try to be better with moisturizing since that will lock in the benefits of the serum and produce even better results. Where can I find Dreamsicle face lotion? I give this serum 5 out of 5 stars. It's amazing! I would recommend it to anyone, even those who are forgetful like me but want to start taking better care of your skin. 

Grab some on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

Tea Tree Oil Scrub

I love scrubs and I love tea tree oil! I couldn't wait to try out this Tree Tree Oil Body & Foot Scrub from First Botany Cosmeceuticals! My feet can get dry and I've had the tiniest bit of toenail fungus on the corner of one nail for over 5 years. I've been trying everything to combat that stupid fungus. I figured I'd give this a shot, since the other benefits of helping moisturize and battle stinky feet, plus being able to use it on face and body as well makes this scrub super versatile!

This scrub is a mixture of salts and oils. The tea tree scent is almost non-existent, there really isn't much of any scent in the container. The mixture is pretty dry, yet not very coarse. I like it. I scoop some out and apply it to damp skin, otherwise it will just fall right off of the area you put it on. I notice the oils once I rub it in. After applying to my feet in the shower I try to be careful to not slip. It's not incredibly oily, but my feet end up a bit slick after. 

That stubborn bit of toenail fungus does seem to have gotten even smaller, so I will continue to use this on my feet daily. My feet are also super soft and smooth, which I love. I haven't tried this scrub on my face yet, but I have on my arms and legs. It does a great job getting rid of dry skin and leaving my body feeling moisturized. I give this scrub 4 out of 5 stars. I wish it had a bit more of a tea tree scent, but otherwise it's great. I would recommend it to anyone that has foot problems or those who like scrubs. 


Grab some on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

Spirit Naturals Face Moisturizer

I have dry, sensitive, acne prone skin. I am always trying new lotions to see if I can find one can that makes my face look and feel better. Spirit Natural Face Moisturizer seemed like something I would love to try. It has some awesome natural ingredients: Aloe, Coconut Oil, Olive Oil, Cocoa Seed Butter, Lavender Oil, Shea Butter, Pomegranate Seed Oil, Soybean Oil, Jojoba Oil,Hemp Seed Oil, Algae Extract, Green Tea Leaf Extract and Grape Seed Oil.

This moisturizer comes in a tall, thin bottle. I really love the packaging. It doesn't take up much space, it's nice to look at, and the pump works great. The lotion is a thick, creamy consistency. It feels pretty heavy on my face. It makes my skin feel cool and takes a very long time to absorb despite rubbing it in well. I'm not a huge fan of the scent. It kind of like cocoa butter, but a little "off". After a while, the smell will finally dissipate. The lotion does do a good job moisturizing my skin. You can feel it sitting on your face for hours, but once it's finally absorbed my skin feels soft. 

This lotion has not helped with acne. My acne has actually gotten worse since I've started using this. I also don't notice my skin feeling any tighter. I give this moisturizer 3 out of 5 stars. The smell isn't great, it takes a long time to absorb, and it feels heavy. The only benefit I have received from it is my skin is a bit more hydrated. If that is all you are looking for, I would recommend it, but otherwise I would pass.  

Available on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

Spiky Balls For The Win!

Run Baby Spiky Massage Ball is designed for Plantar Fasciitis relief but can also be used as a deep tissue massager. It's like a mini foam roller...covered in spikes. What a cool product to have to help with your sore feet and tired legs. It can also be used to improve circulation, and release muscle knots. This is great to use for self massage, all you need is a wall or a floor. 

The ball is made of a firm, hard rubber and the spikes are not sharp. They actually feel great on your muscles when you apply pressure to them. Using the ball on your feet is very easy. You just place it under your arch and roll it back and forth or around in circles under your foot. This felt really nice and relieved some of my foot pain.

You can use the ball to self massage on the floor or against a wall. I have tight muscles, so using this ball regularly will be very beneficial for me. I love using it along my shoulders and my lower back. You just place it between your achy muscle and the wall and roll. When you find a knot, just apply pressure on that point for 10-15 seconds, and then move on to the next sore spot. 

I give the Run Baby Massage Ball 4 out of 5 stars. It's easy to use, easy to store, and small enough to be portable. I look forward to using it frequently to help with muscle aches. 

Grab one on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

Acrylics For Days!

I have been arting like crazy this past month. Even though Acrylics are one of my least favorite mediums, I have been using a ton of them. I've been trying out a bunch of awesome supplies from U.S. Art Supply. I honestly haven't stopped painting! Today I am going to talk about a spiral pad of 9" x 12" Extra Heavy-Weight 246 Pound Acrylic Painting Paper. These 12 pages come on a spiral notebook.

I loved that I could flip the cover over, and sketch right inside the book. The paper has a nice smooth texture and I enjoyed drawing on it. The pages are an off white color. It held up to an eraser better than other papers.

I was unable to tear the page out because the paper is so thick. I had to use scissors to cut the page out after I was done sketching. I usually prefer paper that has perforated edges so I can tear my paper off easily. The spiral is a pro and a con at the same time. I love the thickness of this paper. It is stiff and strong and held a lot of paint. I give it 4 out of 5 stars. I would recommend it for students, artists, and crafters. It is a great value.

Time Lapse of Painting with Acrylic.

Grab this on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious

Time To Add A Cooling Towel To My Postie Gear.

Living with a chronic illness is hard. I am always on the lookout for products that can help me deal with symptoms. Cooling towels are one of the best inventions for someone with a broken autonomic nervous system. My body has trouble regulating it's temperature. This causes heat intolerance. I couldn't wait to try Live Infinitely's Forever Cool Instant Cooling Towel to help me deal with the heat, even in the winter. 

When I opened this cooling towel there was an interesting chemical odor. I threw the towel in the wash, then hung it to dry. I also rinsed out the anti-bacterial case with soap and water to get rid of any residual odor. After doing so, the smell dissipated. When it is dry, the towel is very hard, kind of like cardboard. Weird right? I rolled it up, and was unable to fit it back into the case. Next time I will try to fold it differently, but I didn't want to put it away until it was dry. 

The color has faded in many spots after washing, but it is still pink, and I haven't noticed the color bleeding onto any surfaces or fabrics. The towel is pretty easy to use. You just wet it, wring it out, and snap it a couple times. It gets pretty cold pretty quickly. It also completely transforms from hard, stiff material to a soft, towel like form. I was able to wrap the towel all the way around my neck and it was nice and cool to the touch. A very welcome feeling when my body is overheating for no reason. 

The material is so strange, it feels damp, but it isn't wet. It stays cool for a long time. Once it dries out, you only need to wet it again. It is way more convenient then wetting wash cloths and dripping everywhere, just to have to run it under cold water again five minutes later. I give this product 4 out of 5 stars. I wish the case was a bit bigger, so I don't have to smoosh the towel inside. Overall, it's a really neat product and I would recommend it to anyone who needs to cool off after a workout, or for people with heat intolerance. This will seriously be a life saver for me in the summer months! 

Grab one on Amazon.

I received this product at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious 

A Week of Watercolor!

Watercolors are one of my favorite mediums, but I haven't worked with actual Watercolor paper for a long time. U.S. Art Supply has all types of paper, this one being a 9" x 12" Heavy-Weight (140 lb) Watercolor Paper Pad. Let's get painting!

I started small and painted a birthday card for my friend. I tend to be heavy handed and will take up a lot of fibers because I ALWAYS manage to use too much water and too much force in ONE spot. This paper was pretty tough and held up well. 

It absorbed colors nicely and I liked the thickness and tooth of the paper. Two of the four edges were a bit ragged. This must be from how the pages are cut. It's not a deal breaker for me, since the stuff I paint will be matted and framed, so the edges will not be seen.

For quite some time I have been wanting to use masking fluid. I was excited to try it out on a paper that would be able to hold up through the process. The masking fluid went down smoothly. I took a video when I removed it. I was surprised at how well it worked out being my first time and all. I couple parts of the paper came up, but I was being rough...and didn't have all the correct tools.

Time lapse of removing masking fluid from watercolor paper. 

I was able to touch up all the spots that came up with the masking fluid. I am very pleased with how well this worked out, so I will definitely experiment more with this technique. I give this paper 4 out of 5 stars. It's good quality paper and a good value as well. I would recommend it to anyone that wants to try new paper.

Grab some on Amazon.

I received this item at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious 

Organizing Art Supplies!

When you are an artist, your supplies WILL take over. I try to keep all my paint organized by type in one corner of my room. That is where this U.S. Art Supply wooden brush box comes in. The one I have is the large one at 15" x 4 1/8" x 1 3/8". I was easily able to fit 15 large long handled brushes in this box. I have several jars that I keep all my different brushes in...and since this box is multi-functional, I used it for paints instead.

The box is made of a beautiful beech wood with an oil finish. Some of the edges are a bit rough. I haven't gotten a sliver or anything, but I will likely sand them down a bit. The lid slides in okay, with a little finagling the lid will slide into place and the end will be flush. 

I really like the color of the wood, but it is a little blah for me. After I clean up the edges I was thinking of painting something on the top of the lid to give the box some character. I think I will love the end result. Customization is always fun, and I like that I will be able to add my own touch.

This box is handsome, study, and can hold a vast array of supplies. I am storing 18 12 ml tubes of watercolors in it right now. It's so much more convenient than digging through a huge box or drawer of tubes and carrying them to my desk. 

I give this box 4 out of 5 stars. It's awesome, but I wish the edges were less rough. I would recommend this for any artist, or anyone who likes to stay organized.

Grab one on Amazon.

I received this item at a discount. This review is 100% honest, unbiased, and my own. 

~Crystal Vicious