serum – Chocolate 'N Children

October 10, 2016

Valentia Night Revive Retinol Serum – Review

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I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

It’s just so much fun that the Valentia brand is named after The Roman Goddess of healing, Valentia. She relied on nature’s gifts to heal the citizens of Umbria. And that is what Valentia does as well. Valentia Skin Care products have been formulated with natural and organic cosmetic ingredients that will repair and protect the skin. Their products are free of toxins and paraben-free.

And they work great for me. I have tried several Valentia products and every one of them has been wonderful. Both gentle on my skin and effective. The perfect combination in facial products.

This time I got to try Valentia’s Night Revive Retinol Serum. A transformative retinol serum that fights wrinkles and provides hydration, for visibly smoother, rejuvenated skin.

This Retinol Serum Will:
– Diminishes wrinkles
– Stimulates collagen
– Improves skin tone
– Manages breakouts
– Conditions skin

Specially selected ingredients work together to achieve optimum results.

KEY INGREDIENTS:

– Retinol (Vitamin A): Works at the cellular level to stop winkles, manage breakouts, and evens out skin discoloration.

– Vitamin C: Guards skin against environmental free-radicals to prevent premature aging.

– Vitamin E: Provides intense hydration to diminish the drying effects of retinol.

– Squalane: Derived for pure olive oil to soften and condition delicate skin.

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USAGE:

As with all Retinol Serums, you don’t want to use it every day. I did this without thinking with this serum and used it 3 days in a row, the 3rd day my skin was just a tad irritated. Nothing terrible, but then I remembered reading on the bottle that I probably only wanted to use this a few times a week or every other day at the most. I dropped back to every 3 days and the results are way better – and non-irritating.

I use it in the evening before applying my nighttime moisturizer. It helps my skin absorb my moisturizer better for softer and more moisturized skin. Just don’t use it every day.

This is another great product from Valentia!

Purchase some for yourself at Amazon or from Valentia.com.

Follow Valentia’s Instagram and Facebook for product updates and beauty tips.

April 6, 2016April 9, 2016

Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum – Review

Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum – A potent and luxurious lactic acid serum that supports natural circulation for an all over youthful and refreshed complexion.

This Revitalizing Serum Will:
– Renew texture & tone
– Deeply moisturize
– Minimize fine lines
– Increase elasticity
– Brighten & Plumbs Fine Lines
– Evens Hyperpigmentation

All Valentia products are made with Natural & Organic Ingredients. They are specially selected to work together to achieve optimum results.

KEY INGREDIENTS:

– Wakame Bioferment (Seaweed): Increases skin oxygen consumption to detoxify and boost antioxidant defense.

– Gotu Kola: Lessens the appearance of scars and increases skin firmness.

– Lactic Acid: A natural Alpha Hydroxy Acid (AHA) that increases skin cell turnover, for healthier renewed skin.

– Licorice: Lightens unwanted pigmentation and corrects skin discoloration.

– Argan Oil: Naturally rich in Vitamin E, this oil reduced water loss and protects skin’s resiliency and elasticity.

I followed the directions and applied this product in the evening.

Wash and dry face
Apply Serum
Let serum dry (doesn’t take long)
Use your favorite nighttime creme or lotion

Super easy. This serum does a great job of toning and moisturizing my face. And applying it right before my moisturizer helps my skin absorb more moisture.

Some nighttime products leave my skin feeling greasy in the morning, but this Valentia Clear Lift Revitalizing Serum was not a problem. In fact, my skin feels more moisturized and less greasy when I use this with my favorite nighttime moisturizer than it does if I use just the moisturizer without this serum.

The bottle has a pump that is easy to use and I love how the bottle is just the right size for storing in my bathroom cabinet.

I also love that this product is cruelty free, made in the USA, and includes organic and natural ingredients. Makes me feel like I’m doing something good for my skin.

Check out more Valentia products on their website, and follow them on Instagram and Facebook for updates and tips.

I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

March 10, 2016April 9, 2016

Valentia Royal Rose Hydrating Serum – Review

Royal Rose Hydrating Serum – A lightweight serum that boosts moisture and resilience while soothing and calming the skin.

This Hydrating & Nourishing Serum Will:
– Deeply moisturize skin
– Provide antioxidant protection
– Soothe & nourish dry skin
– Smooth skin tone & texture
– Boost skin radiance

Specially selected ingredients work together to achieve optimum results.

– Rose Damascena: One of the most nourishing and skin friendly natural oils, providing balance, moisture, and a variety of vitamins and minerals to the skin.

– Niacinamide (Vitamin B): This potent vitamin has been clinically proven to fade away hyperpigmentation, sun spots, and acne..

– Rosehip Seed Oil: Naturally rich in Vitamins C & A, these essential fatty acids work quickly to lock in skin’s moisture.

– Evening Primrose Oil: Provides light, non-oily moisture to the skin, never clogging or irritating the skin.

– Bearberry: Reduces melanin production, thereby lightening the skin, revealing a brighter complexion.

– Lavender: Heals the skin, treating pimples, wounds, and sores.

Also Valentia products are Made in the USA, cruelty free, vegan friendly, sustainably produced, and contain organic and natural ingredients.

The first thing I noticed about this product was the aroma. It’s so rosy smelling! It reminds me of this rose lotion my Grandmother used to wear when I was a kid. It always smelled so good, and she would always share a little with me and then I would smell so good as well.

This product smells just like that, just not as strong, because the scent doesn’t really last after it’s rubbed in to your skin. I do love the scent though (it must be from the Rose Damascena) and it brings back happy memories every time I use it.

I also like that this product is made with organic and natural ingredients because then I don’t mind sharing with the kids when they want to try my stuff. My 5yr old tried this out the other day and her first comment was about how good it smells. She said she plans to use it every morning like me so she’ll smell good every day. It’s not just me that thinks that this product smells great!

So, now for how I actually use the product. I use it like the instructions recommend, as the first thing I put on after washing my face. After the Royal Rose Hydrating Serum I use my eye cream, moisturizer, and then makeup.

I love how refreshing it feels when I put it on and it does a great job of adding deeper hydration to my skin every morning. So my face is well hydrated, my skin is soft and smooth, and my complexion is clear. I do like this product for more than just the great scent.

I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.

July 16, 2015April 9, 2016

Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum – Review

I’ve tried Oz Naturals products in the past and liked them, so I was pretty excited to try this Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum.

What they say: “CLINICAL STRENGTH anti aging, anti wrinkle serum is proven to plump skin and fill in those fine lines and wrinkles.

THIS HYALURONIC ACID SERUM is guaranteed to give you that dewy, moisture boost needed to achieve that youthful glow and is proven to reduce skin’s fine lines and wrinkles.

Our CRUELTY FREE, Hyaluronic Acid Serum does not contain alcohol, parabens or sulfates and is safe for all skin types.

MADE IN THE USA in a state of the art FDA registered facility, OZ Naturals formulates effective anti aging products.”

Now for my opinion. First of all, I had to figure out what a Hyaluronic Acid Serum is, and how to use it. Because, I don’t know about you, but I have no idea what Hyaluronic is and Acid doesn’t sound like a good thing to put on my face.

But it has this cute little dropper in it, which makes it lots of fun to use. It’s just fun to drop stuff on your hand and put it on your face instead of having to dump the bottle into your hand or figure out how to get the stuff out of the bottle. I just love the bottle and the dropper!

So, I read the instructions – I followed the instructions as well 🙂

Step 1: Wash and dry your face as usual
Step 2: Apply Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum and let dry (it dries really fast)
Step 3: Apply your usual facial moisturizer and makeup as usual.

Super easy.

So, what does the Oz Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum do you ask? Well, basically, it preps your face for your moisturizer. I’ve been using it for several days now and it allows your moisturizer to soak in better. I was worried it would make my skin more oily, but it does just the opposite. Since my moisturizer is soaking in more, that means less oil ON my face and more deep into my skin where I actually need it. Hooray!

This oil is just about odorless – I can smell a little bit of the witch hazel but it’s not strong and doesn’t smell bad so it’s not a problem. It does remind me of when I used witch hazel as a facial cleanser when I was a teen. I need something a little more moisturizing these days! And it’s made with natural ingredients.

It’s gentle on my skin, soaks in fast, and when used as instructed, helps my face stay more moisturized throughout the day.

Want a bottle for yourself? You can buy it here.

I received this product free for purposes of my review. All opinions are my own.