Unexpected Staples: The Body Shop and Reviva — Reviews

Hello Lovelies!

For this post, I wanted to write reviews about two of my “unexpected staples”. That would be The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Face Mask and Reviva’s Botanical Eye Complex Firming Cream. These two products were, essentially, products that I accidentally stumbled upon but ended up using regularly. Let’s begin!

The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Face Mask was one of those products that I ordered from Ulta.com because I needed $3 to receive free shipping. I mean, we’ve all done it, right? So, in the interests of being a thrifty blogger (of course!) I bought two single packs of this mask because they had good reviews. I first used the mask in the evening after cleansing and before toning, and I only applied a thin layer to the lower half (read: nose, cheeks, and chin) of my face because that’s where most of my acne has been creeping up lately. It was a monster-ish green kind of color and smelled a little like medicine with… menthol? But I digress.  I was nervous at first because it seemed to dry quickly, making my skin feel tight, and I had never used a product with tea tree in it before. Nevertheless I left it on for the recommended 10-15 minutes because, you know, beauty and all that.

After time was up, I rinsed with water and continued my nightly regimen, making sure to use a great night cream (for now, Murad’s Hydro Dynamic) to prevent any residual dryness. When I woke up the next morning, I was startled in that oh-my-God-life-is-great kind of way. Most of my acne had vanished and the acne that hadn’t was greatly reduced! Of course, after inspection, I had to call/text all the women in my life to tell them.

Bottom line: I was very happy with this product. I only use it occasionally when I have bouts of acne that are really stubborn (so maybe one a week or every other). You don’t need much, just a thin layer. I bought the single use packs, but have gotten a good three uses out of each. And I always make sure to use a good night cream afterwards to ward off flakey skin the next day.

The Body Shop’s Tea Tree Face Mask gets 4 out of 5 pomegranates because it seems a little drying if you aren’t careful and I only use it occasionally.

                         

You can find this mask at Ulta.com in single packs here, a full size product here, or a full size on Amazon.com here.

Next, is the Reviva Botanical Eye Complex Firming Cream. In full disclosure, this isn’t my favorite eye cream–that would be Murad’s Hydro Dynamic for Eyes–but I had run out of my fav and needed an inexpensive replacement stat. Personally, I don’t need a whole lot in the eye cream department. I really just look for good moisturization and this product delivers on a poor lady’s budget.

Again, I bought this at Ulta after reading good reviews online. It has a lot of great ingredients like witch hazel and sweet almond oil and it boasts that it contains “no animal ingredients” (via Ulta.com). For a little over $10 I figured it was worth a shot. The things I love about it are that it delivers moisture without being too heavy. I can use it at night and also during the day under makeup without any issues. It absorbs well, but still leaves your eye area moisturized and has virtually no smell. It boasts that it is good for sensitive skin, as well. Another crucial quality I look for in eye creams is that they are not sticky. I repeat: not sticky. I cannot stand an eye cream that feels like a velcro jump on my face and will return it asap. This one does not. I can’t really tell if it helps with wrinkles/aging, but it does seem like it plumps the eye area.

Reviva’s Botanical Eye Complex Firming Cream gets 3 out of 5 pomegranates. It is a great, inexpensive eye cream, but if/when I get the chance I would try another kind or go back to the Murad. Also, it doesn’t seem like it does much for dark circles even though it moisturizes well.

                               

You can buy this eye cream at Ulta.com here or on Amazon.com here.

Thank you, as always, for reading and let me know what you think in the comments!

Your turn:

What products do you have that became “unexpected staples”?