The Body Shop Tea Tree 1,2,3 Rescue Kit

Happy Holiday-Week Monday (for my US-based readers). Although I've got a slew of palettes to review, I wanted to keep it rolling with the skincare sets.

Part of the reason I got behind on having a buffer of holiday posts was that I went away over the long weekend. Somewhere along the line, my skin exploded in acne that I literally hadn't seen in 20 years (I'm 35, dear readers). As my skin has responded brilliantly to tea tree sheet masks, I couldn't help nabbing this set from The Body Shop, which is an Ulta exclusive.

The Body Shop Tea Tree 1,2,3 Rescue Kit ($16) has three travel/small sized products from the line. I was drawn in when I spotted the tea tree oil, which I was thinking of purchasing on its own.

This appears to be a holiday kit- it's different than the three other The Body Shop Tea Tree value sets at Ulta.

Let's talk about the set, my experiences, and whether I'd consider it a good gift.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Facial Wash (60ml/2oz): This is the only product of the three that I haven't tried as of yet- I didn't want to shock my sensitive skin despite it currently being broken out. I'm going to save this for a time when I'm even more broken out- or breakouts during the summer. I remember seeing this size in-store at my local Ulta, but it's not online. According to The Body Shop, it retails for $5.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Mattifying Toner (60ml/2oz): I'm glad this wasn't the first product in the line that I tried, otherwise the tingling would've freaked me out. Looking at the ingredients, it's likely the witch hazel. However, Alcohol Denat is the second ingredient so please follow with an exceptionally hydrating cream because that's such an awful dehydrator. This size retails for $5.

The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil (10ml): This is the smaller bottle, which retails for $10. My breakouts are responding so well to this treatment, and just the smallest bit goes a long way. Again, beware of the high Alcohol Denat content. (This is why I'm doing hydration masks with this anti-acne regimen)


All in all, this retails for $20 individually, or $16 in the kit. It's not the greatest value, but it's a nice little kit if you're interested in the line. I'm flagging the Denatured Alcohol content as a real issue for everyone, but these products are known to be great. It'd be a nice stocking stuffer- with a hydrating mask- and I love having this in my arsenal.

Simple Water Boost Micellar Cleansing Water

Once upon a time, there was a green-topped Micellar water and a makeup-loving girl. They were the match made in heaven in liquid form, and the girl thought it was true love (although the wipes left the girl cold and with residual makeup). One day, the girl met a mysterious French lover named Bioderma and left her Simple lover for the mysterious French liquid.

About a year and hundreds of dollars later, the girl was bored and browsing Ulta's site, as any makeup lover is apt to do for entertainment. The girl's cheating eye noticed a new, blue-capped Simple Micellar water.

A few mouse clicks and several days later, the girl tore into the new arrival and promptly left her French love for her true American sweetheart.

I know, right? But it's Micellar Water and I had to be a bit creative.

Let's really get into it. As my little story indicated, the OG Simple Micellar water was the first that I tried, and I liked it... until I started down the Bioderma path. When I noticed a new formulation, I picked it up since I was about to open my last Bioderma backup.

The Simple Water Boost Micellar Cleansing Water is available at your local drugstore (I've spotted it while doing my tours of local Rite Aids and Walgreens in particular hunting the new Wet 'n Wild release). At Ulta.com, it retails for $9.99, which is where I purchased. Local prices are apt to vary per regular experience at the drugstore.

Here's why I was so interested to try this out. Simple is already known for being sensitive-skin friendly, but this is marketed specifically for sensitive, dehydrated dry skin. Although my skin is less dry during the summer, I'm always interested in non-drying products. You also get a generous 13.5oz/400ml.

After trying this for about a month, I'm sold. My last Bioderma hasn't been cracked yet, which is stunning. I feel like this is an effective Micellar water that agrees with my face wonderfully. I don't have a makeup removal test to show you, but trust me when I say this is one of the best I've ever tried. It rivals Bioderma in effectiveness, and given the price disparity and availability I think I may start preferring this Simple again.

If you see this at your local store, I highly recommend picking it up. I'm a new fan.

Foreo Luna Play

I've purposely held off on this post although anyone who has browsed my Instagram has seen a preview of what I might say today. Since we're talking both skincare and a cleansing device, I wanted to put it through its paces before really giving it an honest review. And let me also put this out there: I paid full price for mine and did not get mine through a subscription box.

What is it? It's the Foreo Luna Play ($39, available in 7 colors), a mini version of the Foreo Luna sonic cleansing brush. Each one is non-rechargable and is pre-loaded with 100 uses. It is designed for either travel or for how I used it- a way to honestly take a silicone cleansing tool for a real life trial without committing to a full-sized version ($99 and up, but included in Nordstrom's Anniversary sale).

How does the manufacturer describe it? From Foreo's website,

"Though small in size, the LUNA play facial-cleansing brush is big on innovation. Packing the entire LUNA experience into a macaroon-sized device, the LUNA play is a fun and affordable intro to the amazing skincare benefits that come from T-Sonic cleansing.
Every LUNA play face brush provides up to 100 full cleansing routines and is non rechargeable.

Experience T-Sonic pulsations with the LUNA play.  Soft silicone touch-points gently remove dead skin cells, unclogs pores of makeup residue, and removes up to 99.5% of dirt and oil. Your skin will be left glowing, soft and smooth.

The LUNA play’s 2-zone facial brush features finer touch-points which cleanse sensitive/normal skin on larger areas like the cheeks and forehead, while thicker touch-points provide a deep and precise cleansing on areas like the T-zone."

What type of skin does QBB have? Highly sensitive, mild rosacea in the cheek area, slightly oily just around the nose and chin with a few enlarged pores. QBB is in her early-to-mid 30s, with only the monthly hormonal 1-2 pimples reminding me of my biological clock. Otherwise, QBB has very smooth, mostly unblemished skin without acne scarring or sun damage. During winter, QBB's skin is exceptionally dry; during summer it becomes about normal. In a nutshell, I'm not exceptionally oily or problematic- I mostly just try not to poke the bear and it's pretty happy as long as I throw moisture at it and keep it clean.

What was QBB's cleaning routine before trying this? It depended on whether I was a morning or evening shower. If showering in the AM, a creamy cleanser in the shower (Chanel Mousse Douceur, one of my faves). If showering in the PM, I'd use the same creamy cleanser but then in the AM use a foamy cleanser to wash my face like L'Occitane Precious Cleansing Foam. I used my hands and a soft wash cloth. I rarely exfoliate because of the sensitivity of my skin.

What other cleansing devices has QBB tried, and what was the outcome? HA! I had one and only experience with a Clarisonic, at a Nordstrom Beauty Trend Show. The brand reps were on hand, and I somewhat fearfully stood in line for the "best cleanse of my life". I relayed just how darned sensitive my skin was, they used the cashmere brush head (which works apparently on 99% of the population), and it hurt. I looked like a tomato within 30 seconds and the person wielding the device stopped and said "I'm sorry, honey. Don't ever let anyone use one of these on you again." So you can see why I was a bit leery of even the Foreo Luna Play. (I do have a Clarisonic, by the way- the Pedi. My feet love it.)

Phew, with those important details, let's talk about the Foreo Luna Play. First, it's tiny. This comparison picture to some of my favorite cleansers should give you a size reference:

I thought that it would be difficult to handle, but it took about 20 seconds to figure it out- and I actually like the size for really getting into my trouble areas like the pores on the side of my nose (TMI, I know). Here's the size of the button:

One of the major cons that people have mentioned is that it's not reusable and therefore it's bad for the environment. I don't know what to say other than we all make some choices that are better or worse for the environment than others. Make your own decisions... for me, it's been worth it.

You can use it with any creamy cleanser- I like so many on the market, but used mostly these two Chanels while testing:

Overall, I was stunned with the results. My skin feels smoother and cleaner- and I was shocked at just how much more stuff the Play was able to get off my skin than my regular cleansing routine. It's also gentle enough that my hyper-sensitive skin was never irritated by it. I never tried using it more than once a day, so I can't speak to those who would want to use it morning and night.

I'm hooked. For me, the biggest decision is which model to get- the Sensitive or the regular Mini? I can honestly see a difference in the texture of my skin and it's much healthier. I had my normal hormonal breakouts since starting to use it, but they're less intense. I can't recommend this enough to everyone.

I think the best way to handle this is via the comments- if you have questions, please shoot me a comment. Skincare is such a personalized experience, so I want to try to give the best answer possible.

Bottom line: Try it. JUST DO IT. It's only a $39 investment, but it's so worth it. Your skin will thank you!

Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Cleansing Gel

After trying the new Peter Thomas Roth Rose Stem Cell Bio-Repair Gel Mask and falling head over heels, I was curious about the companion Cleansing Gel.  At $38/8.5oz, it's less than half the price per ounce of my HG cleanser. It comes in a tall, clear plastic bottle that showcases the light pink hue of the cleanser.

This is a mildly lathering cleanser. I appreciate that it forces the user to engage in some facial massage to create the lather, which is excellent for anti-aging and overall skin health. It appears to be clear once it leaves the bottle- suggesting that the pink isn't overloaded with synthetic dyes.

I found that this cleanser stripped my face of any moisture. I actually felt dry enough to put an additional moisturizer on several hours later on top of my Le Weekend (a real no-no!).  I am dedicated to using this bottle up, but don't expect to repurchase.

I compared the ingredient list with the one on this page and they're identical.  This cleanser promises a lot- "With state-of-the-art breakthrough stem cell technology, rose stem cells are blended with rose extracts to help repair visible signs of aging, including the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, skin texture, and dullness. It effectively clears skin of impurities and sweeps away dead surface skin cells that can dull the complexion. Rose water adds a light, delicate scent and leaves skin clean, purified, silky soft, rejuvenated, and youthful-looking." I'm not sure how well it delivers on any of them because it's honestly too much for my face.

I feel like this cleanser would work best for above-30 skin that's been historically a bit oily since I found it a bit drying on my sensitive skin.  The good news is that it leaves you feeling fresh- and although my face felt dry, it didn't irritate my skin.

This is a product that I highly recommend trying before you buy.  Peter Thomas Roth Stem Cell Cleansing Gel is available at Sephora, Ulta, Nordstrom, and the brand's website.