Bay Area Beauty Blogger ⋆ Beauty and the Bay Area.

I’ve noticed that my eyes have been looking a bit puffy lately. This was an issue that I understandably wanted to fix ASAP. I tested out several different eye creams, looking for one that could not only get rid of my puffiness but also help with my dark circles. A cream that was hydrating and smoothing was also a must. I had quite a long list of demands and was starting to think that multiple eye products may be the answer. That was until I tried the dr. brandt 24/7 retinol eye cream with ruby crystal complex. This eye cream is the all-in-one eye cream that I was looking for.

This post may contain affiliate links

PACKAGING

The packaging is pretty standard, the cylindrical tube of product is housed in a rectangular box. The tube itself has a cap with snap closure and a pump to dispense the product. The white, black, and rose gold color scheme is clean and chic. The only negative is that the tube is rather large which may make it difficult to travel with.

CLAIMS

Retinol is one of the few ingredients contained in skin care products that is actually effective. When it comes to skin care, Retinol products are what I seek out.

dr. brandt 24/7 retinol eye cream:

Helps smooth the look of lines & wrinkles with time-released Retinol.
Hydrates & prevents moisture loss with Hydra-Balance. Hydra-Balance is a synergistic combination of lemon tree honey, phospholipids, and an amino-acid.
Illuminates, softens lines, and wrinkles with Ruby Crystal Complex.
Helps reduce redness & irritation and protects skin against oxidative stress.

Smoothing, illuminating, hydrating, this eye cream is a well-rounded product that clearly pampers the delicate skin surrounding your eyes.

INGREDIENTS

The full list of ingredients, as listed on the dr. brandt website is as follows:

Water, Glycerin, Cyclopentasiloxane, Propanediol, Dimethiconol, Coco-Caprylate/Caprate, Hydroxyethyl Acrylate/Sodium Acryloyldimethyl Taurate Copolymer, Phenoxyethanol, Mica, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Citrus Nobilis (Mandarin Orange) Peel Oil, Sodium Benzoate, Isohexadecane, Polysorbate 60, Triethoxycaprylylsilane, Maslinic Acid, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Sodium Hydroxide, Hyaluronic Acid, Ruby Powder, Ethylhexylglycerin, Aluminum Hydroxide, Glycine Soja (Soybean) Oil, Glucosyl Hesperidin, Tocopheryl Acetate, Retinol, Lecithin, Limonene, Titanium Dioxide (Ci 77891), Iron Oxides (Ci 77491).

What’s worth noting?

The briefly mentioned Ruby Crystal Complex illuminates and softens the skin around your eyes. Time-released Retinol continuously smooths the look of lines and wrinkles. Hydra-Balance hydrates and prevents moisture loss. Oliveactive is the redness and irritation reducer, it also protects your skin against oxidative stress.

This product is not tested on animals and is made without animal-derived ingredients. It also leaves out harsh chemicals and synthetic fragrances.

HOW TO

Pump a pea-sized amount onto your ring finger. Lightly pat the eye cream along the bone area of your eye from the outside corner of your eye to the inner corner of your eye. Use this eye cream in both your morning and evening skincare routines.

COST & WHERE TO PURCHASE

Cost: $55.00

This eye cream is expensive, but its effectiveness makes it worth it. Similar eye creams could cost you upwards of $95.00.

I purchased mine from Macys.com and received a free gift with my purchase. Dr. Brandt’s website is often running sales, so I’d check their site out and consider buying it directly from them if you can snag a deal.

Check out my next Monday Steals post to see if Dr. Brandt is running any promotions.

DOES Dr. Brandt 24/7 Retinol Eye Cream WORK?

This eye cream does an incredible job of depuffing my eyes. It smooths my eye area, as promised and does brighten them. Most notably, this eye cream is hydrating and the hydration does last through-out the day. The 25+ 5-star reviews of this product on drbrandt.com don’t lie, this eye cream is effective.

While this eye cream doesn’t completely erase the dark circles under my eyes, it does greatly diminish them. The dark circles under my eyes are hereditary and pretty severe, if your dark circles aren’t too bad I could see this getting rid of them completely. In fact, several of those glowing reviews that I mentioned state that this does significantly reduce the appearance of dark circles leading fans of this eye cream to use less concealer.

As far as the texture and consistency of this cream, it’s very lightweight and it absorbs into the skin quickly. This is a huge bonus, especially in the morning when you’re getting ready. You can follow this eye cream up with a light concealer if desired for truly smooth and bright eyes.

WATCH MY REVIEW

What’s your favorite eye cream? Please share it in the comments section below!

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Clean. Cruelty-Free. Local. Earth Love Cosmetics.

Earth Love Cosmetics is a brand located just a few blocks away from me, and as if that weren’t enough to get me interested, their products are made from earth-derived ingredients. Think plant oils, mineral clays, Epsom and sea salts, powders, and grains. Their products are always cruelty-free. When it comes to my favorite types of products, Earth Love Cosmetics checks all the boxes.

Right now the brand is small, offering just 5 products. I had the opportunity to try 2, a cleanser and a facial oil. Earth Love Cosmetics currently offers 2 cleansers and 3 facial oils. I decided to try the Gentle Cleanser and the Cleansing Facial Oil.

PACKAGING

Earth Love Cosmetics products are packaged in compact containers that are easy to travel with. The cleansers are packaged in biodegradable cardboard cylinders and the facial oils are housed in recyclable glass bottles with pump dispensers. The labels on each are eco-friendly, they’re made from corn instead of petrochemicals.

I was afraid that the cardboard cylinder that the cleanser is held in would become flimsy when handled with wet hands while cleansing my face, but so far so good. It has dried quickly and maintained its sturdiness. A word of warning, don’t store it in your shower, the moisture and inevitable splashes of water will damage the cardboard. I learned this the hard way when washing my face in the shower. Now I use this as an out-of-shower cleanser only.

CONSISTENCY

The Gentle Cleanser has a soft, grainy texture. I love that it’s a solid cleanser, making it easy and ideal to travel with. Just add water and this powdery cleanser melts into a face wash.

The Cleansing Facial Oil is self-explanatory. It has an oily consistency that is more on the watery side, rather than on the thicker, gooey side. It feels light, not like it’s going to immediately clog your pores. Don’t worry, it won’t! Being an oil cleanser, it removes makeup with ease.

INGREDIENTS

The ingredients are straight-forward, no over-complicated fillers here. The Gentle Cleanser is made with:

Colloidal Oatmeal – Has powerful cleaning properties.
Buttermilk Powder – Exfoliates, brightens, fades brown spots, and evens skin tone.
Honey Powder – Attracts dirt from pores and dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. It also moisturizes.

The Cleansing Facial Oil is a mix of:

Organic Sunflower Oil – Keeps skin balanced and hydrated. It also contains Vitamin E to help reduce signs of aging.
Hazelnut Oil – Is known as the “Pore Reducing Oil.” This oil is very hydrating and it helps fight acne.
Kalahari (Watermelon) Seed Oil – Does all kinds of good like dissolving sebum, evening skin tone, and reducing puffiness.

HOW TO

Use is as simple as the ingredient list. To use the Gentle Cleanser wet your skin and pour some of the cleansing powder onto your hands. Briefly rub your hands together, then massage the cleanser onto your face. Be sure to avoid your eye area. Rinse and you’re all set to continue your skincare routine.

This cleanser can also be left on your skin for a few minutes to be used as a mask. In the morning it can be used alone, but since it does not remove makeup, use it after using the Cleansing Facial Oil at night.

To use the Cleansing Facial Oil begin by wetting your face with lukewarm water. Massage the oil onto your face for anywhere from 30 seconds to 1 minute. Then, gently wipe the oil off with cotton rounds or a wet washcloth. As mentioned, use this facial oil to remove makeup, then follow it up with the Gentle Cleanser to thoroughly cleanse your skin.

COST & WHERE TO PURCHASE

Gentle Cleanser – $23.00
Cleansing Facial Oil – $20.00

Both can be purchased on earthlovecosmetics.com/shop

BAY AREA BEAUTY BLOGGER (BABB) APPROVED?

Yes! If you’re looking to simplify your skincare routine, give Earth Love Cosmetics a try. I love that the brand is local to San Francisco and I love the simplicity of each product’s formula.

I’m impressed that the thoughtfulness put into each product didn’t stop at the ingredients. The products benefit your skin and the packaging is mindful of the environment. Even the labels are made of corn instead of petrochemicals.

I’ve been using these products in the morning and evening. I use the Gentle Cleanser alone during my morning skincare routine and I use the Cleansing Facial Oil followed by the Gentle Cleanser in the evening. Aside from some redness, I think my skin is looking pretty good. What do you think? Let me know in the comments!

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Summer is winding down and a new season means a new fabfitfun box! The fabfitfun Fall box is full of surprises. As always there are plenty of quality beauty products in the box, but the products I found the most exciting were the home goods and tech products included in the box. The only thing missing this season is a trendy piece of jewelry, while the rest of the products are fabulous I do wish a shiny bauble was tucked away in there. I would have liked to have seen one of the two skincare products in the fabfitfun Fall box swapped out for a sparkling new accessory. Besides that minor hiccup, overall, the fabfitfun Fall box 2018 is full of perfectly practical products.

To get fabfitfun subscription details, take a look at my fabfit fun FALL 2018 Spoilers and $10 Coupon post. For now, let’s talk products.

This post may contain affiliate links. #fabfitfunpartner

Inside the fabfitfun Fall 2018 Box

Crown Brush 6 Piece Brush Set
Alfred Teapot
CYLO COBRA Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds
Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser – Olive Leaf & Plantago Extract
GLAMGLOW BUBBLESHEET OXYGENATING DEEP CLEANSE MASK (2 PACK)
touch in SOL Metallist Liquid Foil Lipstick Duo in Penny
beautyblender
Simply Whimsical Set of Two Tea Towels
SKIN&CO Roma & Blue in Capri Shower Gel

Crown Brush 6 Piece Brush Set – $75.00

I’m a huge fan of Crown Brushes, when it came to choosing between this and the Vince Camuto Tote, picking the brushes was a no-brainer. Besides loving Crown brushes, I have far too many totes. Crown brushes are cruelty-free, they last, and they are super soft. I love that this set includes a sampling of brushes to create a full makeup look and that they’re organized in a travel-friendly pouch.

Alfred Teapot – $26.00

I’m new to the world of Alfred, but I feel that this teapot is a fantastic introduction to the brand. The teapot I received was designed right here in California at the Alfred Tea Room. It’s ceramic with a stainless steel lid. To make tea time as lovely as possible, it has a wide-lipped infuser and dripless spout. If you’re an LA resident, you can go ahead and

CYLO COBRA Bluetooth Wireless Earbuds – $40.00

I’m loving that this piece of tech was added to the Fall box. I’m looking forward to using these wireless earbuds while doing some cardio at the gym. The look of these earbuds is so sleek and chic, I love the clean color combination of white and rose gold. For convenience and comfort, the earbuds include a neck strap and onboard controls.

Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser – Olive Leaf & Plantago Extract – $49.00

The first skincare product I received is a cream cleanser, I’ve tried oil cleanser, stick cleansers, and foaming cleansers, but this will be my first time testing out a cream cleanser. The formula was created to cleanse and nourish your skin, giving it a healthy, radiant glow.

GLAMGLOW BUBBLESHEET OXYGENATING DEEP CLEANSE MASK (2 PACK) – $18.00

GLAMGLOW is the leader of the pack when it comes to masks. They’re quite pricey, but they’re worth every shiny penny. I have yet to try out sheet masks from GLAMGLOW and am ecstatic to give these BUBBLESHEET masks a whirl. The 3-D microbubbles that this mask creates on your skin detoxify and invigorate your skin, giving you a glowing, purified complexion. Between these and the Grown Alchemist Hydra-Restore Cream Cleanser, my skin is going to be looking good this Fall.

touch in SOL Metallist Liquid Foil Lipstick in Penny – $25.00

touch in SOL is a brand that I’ve had my eye on. I was thrilled to see that this lipstick duo was included in this season’s box so that I could try not one, but two of their shades of Metallist Liquid Foil Lipsticks. Being a Select Member, I was able to choose what shades of this product I received. I chose Penny because it’s a great combo of colors for Fall. One side of this lipstick is a metallic liquid and the other is a glittering gloss.

beautyblender – $20.00

beautyblenders always come in handy and being $20 each, they’re a welcome addition to any subscription box that I receive. I use beautyblenders and other similar makeup sponges on a daily basis, nothing blends better. I received the beautyblender in hot pink, besides this signature beautyblender color, the makeup blender is available in 6 additional colors.

Simply Whimsical Set of 2 Tea Towels – $14.99

Simply Whimsical makes adorable Tea Towels, Aprons, Dish Towels, Glamorous Gloves and more. While I prefer the colorful patterns and illustrations on Simply Whimsical’s site, I see why fabfitfun included one of their more subdued designs. The modern look of these patterned gray tea towels would compliment any trendy kitchen.

SKIN&CO Roma & Blue in Capri Shower Gel – $22.00

- Part of SKIN&CO’s Italian collection, this shower gel is inspired by Lemon Farmers in Capri, Italy. With notes of Alpine Rose, Sage, Wild Basil, and Autumn Blossom, this shower gel will be a refreshing addition to my collection of bath and body products.

See everything that I received and get my first impressions of each of these products in my unboxing video – the comment section of this video includes coupons for fabfitfun, LUNA Bar, and Grown Alchemist.

If you’d like to get a fabfitfun Fall 2018 box before it sells out, click here. Use code NEW10 and get $10 off your first box!

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I know I’m the Bay Area Beauty Blogger, but guess what? I grew up in the great state of New York. I’m from upstate NY and have lived in Queens and on Long Island. Whether you live upstate, on Long Island, or right in NYC, a visit to the Color Factory is well worth the trip. Without realizing it, I’m sure you’ve seen my photos from our visit to the Color Factory in San Francisco earlier this year. Sadly, our Color Factory installation has closed, but yours just opened last week.

Now, the photos that you’re going to see from my Color Factory experience throughout this post will differ from yours. The Color Factory is starting from scratch and creating brand new site-specific installations. The New York installation will be 20,000 square feet in Soho’s Hudson Square neighborhood.

Location: 251 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013

Cost: General admission is $38.00 per person. Children 2 and under are free.

Good to Know: Tickets MUST be purchased in advance, they are not sold at the door.

My Family’s Experience

After trying to purchase tickets a couple of times, but it being continuously sold out, Color Factory extended their stay and released tickets one last time. I didn’t purchase tickets the minute they were released, so by the time I did go to purchase them weekday time slots were my only option. There were some tickets available on the weekends, but they were at night and I have a little one. I purchased tickets for a weekday morning at 10:30am. Not convenient, but as long as my family got to go before it closed, I was happy.

We arrived at our scheduled time slot and were granted admittance in small groups. There was a quick briefing from the staff and then we were on our way. We didn’t get 5 feet into the first room without stopping to take a photo at one of their photo stations. These photo stations, located throughout the installation are great, all you need to do is enter your e-mail to receive the photos that are taken.

The second room featured a rotating selection of macarons for our enjoyment. We each selected our own macaron and then washed it down with a small cup of black lemonade.

From here, we moved throughout each themed room. The first room was full of only orange objects, the second was packed with blue balloons, and the third had a large display of disco balls hanging from the ceiling. This glittering “mirror/diamond” room was interactive, by pressing buttons on the wall you could control which themed song was played. We selected “Mirrors” by Justin Timberlake, danced our butts off, then played “Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds” by The Beatles.

Continuing on our colorful journey we encountered larger than life green markers that guest were welcome to use on the walls of the green themed room. We left our mark. We then ran through ribbons hanging from the ceiling. My little one crawled through brightly colored tunnels and we saw a room continuously printing selfies and letting them fall to the floor. By snapping a photo and tagging it with the appropriate tags on Instagram, your selfie could be one of the 1,000s added to this room-sized piece of art. Mine was in their somewhere, but I didn’t bother looking for it.

Although each and every room provided it’s own unique and entertaining experience, the highlights for us were the confetti room and the pool sized ball pit. We spent a lot of time in both of these areas. The confetti room slowly dropped confetti from the ceiling onto the floor, but by gathering this confetti and tossing it into the air, you could take some pretty spectacular photos. The ball pit needs no explanation, it was just plain good ol’ fashioned fun. Yes, the amount of germs that must have been in it made me cringe, but I let that go, jumped in, and enjoyed myself.

To conclude our visit, we enjoyed some mini yellow-colored vanilla-flavored ice cream cones.

Do you plan on visiting the New York version of the Color Factory? Please let me know in the Comment Here! section below.

I can’t recommend experiencing the Color Factory for yourself enough. Go, go, go!

ENJOY! ❤💙🖤💚🧡💛💜

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Almost everyone is gearing up for Labor Day sales this week! There are a lot of good deals listed below, take a look and shop your favorites.

If you’re in need of some new skincare products, AHAVA is running a Buy One, Get One Free sale. Laura Geller Beauty (their blushes are amazing) is having an end of Summer sale and selling makeup products at up to 50% off. If you’re in need of new leggings for Fall, shop Macy’s $14.99 leggings from 8/29 to 9/1.

This post may contain affiliate links.

AHAVA: AHAVA | Buy One Get One Free With Code: GETONEBUYONE18 | Shop Now! Ends 8/30.

Betsey Johnson: 20% Off $75 Or More + Free Shipping with Promo Code HEAT. Exclusions Apply. Ends 9/1.

BH Cosmetics: $2-$4-$6-$8 Deals + Free U.S. Shipping on $50+! Ends 8/28.
And Free Flawless Brow Highlighter on $20 Use Code: BROWBABE. Ends 9/1.

Dylan’s Candy Bar: FREE Ground Shipping on Orders over $25 at DylansCandyBar.com! Use Code: SHIP2ME. Ends 12/31.

Francesca’s: CLEARANCE CLOTHING BUY ONE GET ONE 40% OFF. Ends 8/29.

Kopari: Bundle and Save $20 off Kopari Beauty Dream Team Kit. Ends 12/31.

Laura Geller Beauty: End of Summer Sale: Up to 50% Off Select Items. Ends 9/4.

e.l.f. Cosmetics: Plump up the volume on your pout with e.l.f. Cosmetics Lip Exfoliator, Lip Primer & Plumper, & Lip Plumping Gloss. Get all 3 for free AND free shipping when you spend +$25 elfcosmetics.com. Ends 8/29.

LOFT: 40% Off Everything with code: LABORDAY. 8/30 to 9/2.

Julep: FREE Nail Polish Set with Beauty Box Subscription. Use Code: POLISHGIFT. Ends 1/17/19.

Macy’s: $14.99 First Looks Leggings. Shop now at Macys.com! 8/29 to 9/1.

Neiman Marcus: New Sale Arrivals! Save up to 65% off on Sport Shop, Women’s Contemporary, Dress Collections, Designer Sportswear, Designer Jewelry, and contemporary Ladies Shoes and Handbags at NeimanMarcus.com! 8/29 to 9/3.

Peter Thomas Roth: Fireworks! Labor Day Travel Size Sale is On! 8/27 to 9/5.

Talbots: You’re not dreaming — now even deeper discounts on clearance at Talbots! Get 70% off ALL markdowns. Ends 9/23.

The Body Shop: 40% Off Hundreds of Items + Free Shipping at $25! Ends 8/29.

The Container Store: 25% Off All Shelving & Elfa During The Container Store’s Shelving Sale! Ends 10/15.

Walmart: Shop End of Summer Clearance at Walmart.com.Ends 9/22.

Waterford: Take An Extra 15% Off Sale Items at Waterford.com Using Code “WATERFORD”! Ends Today!

Zales: 25% off Fashion Jewelry with code ZAFF25FASHION. Online only, exclusions apply. Ends 9/6.

Please share any sales you know of in the comments!