First Aid Beauty's Ultra Repair Cream - Review

One thing I'm always sure to buy during Sephora's annual Friends and Family sale is a moisturizer. I haven't yet found a holy grail moisturizer, and like most people, I love a good deal. I picked up First Aid Beauty's (FAB) Ultra Repair Cream in October, after hearing many, many good things about it.

This product is available in 3 sizes - a 2.5 squeeze tube, a 6 oz jar (which I have), and a 12 tub.
This is a fairly inexpensive cream, as it ranges from $15 - $39, with the middle size priced at $28. If I recall correctly, the only size available when I ordered was the 6 oz size.

From Sephora's website: "Safe for even the most sensitive skin. Petroleum-free. Contains Colliodal Oatmeal, the only FDA-approved, OTC ingredient for eczema. It's allergy tested, and contains FAB Antioxidant Booster to combat free radicals." This product has a long list of things it is formulated without, including parabens, sulfates, synthetic fragrances and dyes, phthalates, GMOs, and Triclosans.

A little about my skin:

I have the classic oily t-zone with normal/dry cheeks. My skin isn't sensitive to any products I've used, however if I think about going outside for more than 10 minutes in the summer, I get a sun burn.

I've been using this on and off for the last 2 months or so, as I was finishing up a sample of another moisturizer. I have patches of mild eczema on my upper arms and my neck, which is what drew to me order this (and the price was awesome). I know some people don't like the idea of using the same product on their body as they do on their face, but, hey - if it works, it works.
When I developed a patch of eczema on my face, and exfoliating alone couldn't get rid of it, I figured it was time to pull out FAB's Ultra Repair Cream.

Sephora's website illudes to a whipped texture, which I don't see. This is a fairly dense cream, but it feels weightless when applied lightly. You do not need to slather this on, the amount shown above will work for about 1/4 of my face. This cream does not leave a greasy film on your skin, and would make a great day cream (I prefer to have some SPF in my moisturizer for day time), although I tend to only use it at night. 6 oz may last me for the rest of my life, though.

The small patch of eczema was literally gone the next morning after using this cream. Gone. I was impressed, and still am. Now having been using this nightly, my skin feels smooth and moisturized all day - even though I only use this at night. I haven't developed any new eczema on my face, which is awesome (of course), or any dryness like I tend to have this time of year (we use a fireplace as our main source of heat, and if you've ever lived in a house with a fireplace, you may know what I mean). I'll be very curious to see how this moisturizer will perform in the summer, when my skin isn't as dry.

If you need a moisturizer, and don't want to pay a ton, but still want a quality product, I'd recommend checking out FAB's Ultra Repair Cream. If you don't plan on using it for your face and body, you may wish to purchase the 2.5 oz size, though.

philosophy hope in a tube eye & lip cream - Review

I'm always looking for a good eyecream. At this point in my life, I don't have too much in the way of wrinkles or concerns in my under eye area. Really, what I'm looking for is something that will prevent dark circles from forming. If I don't use an eye cream, my under eye area looks dreadful. Dark, burple (blue and purple) shadows form and when you're pale, it seems to stand out a little more. All I ask of an eyecream is that it doesn't migrate into my eyes, blind me, or raise havoc with my skin in general. Anti-aging stuff is nice, too.

I generally like a lot of philosophy's skin care, and I've used two full tubes of hope in a tube now. Each tube retails for $33, and you can purchase this anywhere that philosophy's products are sold. Each easy to use squeeze tube has 0.5 oz of product. Like most of philosophy's skin care line, the packaging is fairly plain - in this case, white with black lettering. 1 tube usually lasts me about a year of near-daily usage. This cream is designed to use around the mouth and eyes to counteract signs of aging.

What I like most about the packaging is the opening where the product comes out is very narrow, making it super easy to squeeze the right amount of product out. Since I only use this under and around my eyes, I don't need too much.
The product itself is a fairly thick, off-white cream, yet it spreads over my skin easily. For both eyes, I need very little (maybe a pin head for each eye?). Any extra product I happen to end up with I use in the outer-v area. The cream absorbs quickly, and doesn't leave my skin greasy. And, best of all, it doesn't migrate like some I've used (Clinique, I'll looking at you!). I generally only use an eyecream at night, so I can't comment on how this works for layering with concealor, however I can say within about 5 minutes of application, my skin feels the same as it did prior to application.

Overall, I like this product. I can't speak to the anti-aging claims, but I can say (since I've used 2 tubes of it), I'm fairly likely to repurchase :)