Month: April 2021

Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

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Another Sunday, another Paula’s Choice mineral sunscreen review! In today’s post, I will be reviewing a travel size of the Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30.

Information on Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

“This illuminating moisturizer shields skin with all-mineral sun protection plus antioxidants to help protect against the effects of environmental damage.

Creates an instant, healthy glow for makeup-optional skin
12 antioxidants visibly diminish the signs of environment-based aging
Lightweight, illuminating cream
Apply as the last step of your morning routine“

– paulaschoice.com

Price: $29 USD (full size)
Amount: 60ml/2oz (full size)
Packaging:  Opaque hot pink plastic tube.
Water Resistant? No.

UV FILTERS:
Zinc Oxide 6.125% (UVB, UVAII and some UVAI)
Titanium Dioxide 5.25% (UVB and UVAII)

Protection:
UVB: SPF 30
UVA: If U.S. regulations say UVA has to be 1/3rd of the UVB, it should be around a PPD of 10

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Water, C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (emollient), Glycerin (skin-replenishing), Isononyl Isononanoate (emollient), Butylene Glycol (texture enhancer), Cetearyl Alcohol (emollient/texture enhancer), Potassium Cetyl Phosphate (emulsifier), Dimethicone (hydration), Glyceryl Stearate (texture enhancer), Glycyrrhiza Glabra (Licorice) Root Extract (skin-soothing), Actinidia Chinensis (Kiwi) Fruit Extract (antioxidant), Argania Spinosa (Argan) Kernel Oil (non-fragrant antioxidant plant oil), Tetrapeptide-30, Linoleic Acid (skin-restoring agents), Resveratrol (antioxidant), Ascorbyl Glucoside (vitamin C/antioxidant), Niacinamide (skin-restoring), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E/antioxidant), Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate (vitamin C/antioxidant), Bisabolol (skin-soothing), Tocopherol (vitamin E/antioxidant), Phospholipids, Lecithin (skin-restoring agents), Glycine Soja (Soybean) Sterols (antioxidant/hydration), Xanthophylls (antioxidant), Pullulan (texture enhancer), Sodium Gluconate (hydration), Xanthan Gum, Sclerotium Gum, Alumina (texture enhancers), Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride (skin-replenishing), Citric Acid (pH adjuster), Triethoxycaprylylsilane (texture enhancer), C13-14 Isoparaffin (solvent), Acrylates Copolymer (film-forming agent), Polyhydroxystearic Acid (dispersing agent), Caprylyl Glycol (hydration), Polyacrylamide (film-forming agent), Ceteareth-20, Aluminum Stearate (texture enhancers), Laureth-7 (emulsifier), Ethylhexylglycerin, Phenoxyethanol (preservatives).

INCIDecoder

Of course, like all Paula’s Choice products, the inactive ingredient list is a cocktail of skin beneficial ingredients. It’s also handy that the primary function is provided beside every ingredient on their website.

Moisturizing – Glycerin, Dimethicone, Argan Kernel Oil, Phospholipids, Soybean Sterols, Sodium Gluconate.

Antioxidants – Resveratrol, Niacinamide Ascorbyl Glucoside, Magnesium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Tocopherol, Xanthophylls, Kiwi fruit Extract

Soothing – Licorice Root Extract, Bisabolol

Brightening – Licorice Root Extract, Niacinamide, Tetrapeptide-30

My Experience with Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

FRAGRANCE: None.

APPLICATION: Applied in 2 separate layers to give the sunscreen a chance to adapt to my skin tone as best as possible. Feels a bit greasy while applying and definitely more emollient than the Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense. I also noticed pilling along my hairline while lightly massaging the sunscreen onto my skin.

FINISH: Very glowy, it looks like there are shimmer particles in the sunscreen. It sits similarly to the Resist Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense.

FEEL: Light, it has a tacky, slightly greasy finish. The feel sits between the PC Resist Super-Light Daily Wrinkle Defense and the DRMTLGY Universal Tinted Moisturizer.

STINGS EYES? No.

WHITECAST / TINTED? The colour of the sunscreen is an off-white but this is not tinted. After initial application it looks pretty blended in as I can still see my skin’s undertone, but I do see a whisper of a cast. After 20 minutes, it looks more or less the same.

EXTRA SKIN BENEFITS? Simply that it sits comfortably on my dry skin type. Other than that, this sunscreen makes me look like a disco ball and the way it sits on my skin makes it quite unflattering for the texture on my face.

UNDER MAKEUP: On my dry skin, the moisturized finish of this sunscreen pairs well with whatever base makeup I use. It is not as grippy as the PC Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense, which oilier skin types may prefer.

Final Thoughts on Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30

Pros

  • At least a SPF30, as recommended by most skin experts.
  • Comfortable to apply the 2mg/cm2.
  • Like all Paula’s choice products, contains other nice beneficial ingredients.
  • Skin felt comfortably moisturized for most of the day.

Cons

  • The glow of the sunscreen is so shimmery, I feel like I look like a disco ball. I was able to diffuse some of the glow with a setting powder but the shine is quite strong and it does not make my skin look smoother.

Overall the Paula’s Choice Defense Essential Glow Moisturizer SPF 30 is very comfortable to wear and I am impressed at how there is very little to no cast on my skin. Usually with all mineral sunscreens I can see a difference in the undertone, but this one blended out well enough that it could be worn on its own. Unfortunately the shimmer is too much for me and it makes me uncomfortable with how much texture it emphasizes.

WHERE TO BUY:
Paula’s Choice Website *

As always, I hope you found this review helpful and informative!

xo, M

My Updated Scalp and Hair Care Routine 2021 – Type 1, Low Porosity, Virgin Hair

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It has been almost year since I last posted my scalp and hair care routine, I thought it was about time to do an update since it has changed a bit since then!

First things first, my hair is VIRGIN again! No more annoying dry, bleached ends. Alongside healthier ends, I find with my current routine, my scalp is less irritated, and my hair surprisingly stays moisturized and rarely feels dry. The best part is, this routine is more simple!

About my Scalp and Hair:

  • Type 1 – pretty straight hair, but I’m not sure the specifics. Am I 1a, 1b, or 1c?
  • Medium strands.
  • Low porosity.
  • Scalp is traditionally oily, I like washing my hair every other day. I don’t like using hair powder and dry shampoo as it causes buildup and irritates my scalp with longterm use.
  • Hair typically gets dry as days pass, but lately it’s been staying moistured (maybe because of the warmer weather).
  • No more bleached ends, they are finally healthy and rarely experience breakage.

My Scalp and Hair Care Routine

With wet hair, I lather the shampoo bar and focus the application on my scalp and roots, and just repeat this process until my entire scalp is sufficiently covered. I then massage my scalp for a minute to make sure the shampoo has a chance to do it’s thing to break down the oils and because it feels good to give my scalp a light massage. After that I rinse my hair then move on to either a pyrithione zinc (PZ) shampoo or conditioner.

1-2x a week, I will use a PZ shampoo to treat my scalp. Last year I used the Innate Life Scalp Treatment, but I found it was starting to feel a bit uncomfortable on my scalp, and it was just a pain to have to shampoo my hair 3 times. The PZ shampoo is a lot easier to use and has proven to be very effective! I used to use Head & Shoulders for years until I threw my scalp into turmoil when I started bleaching and dying my hair. My current go-to PZ shampoo is AG Hair Control Anti-Dandruff Shampoo with 2% PZ. I find this to be non-drying and it is also pH balanced for the scalp. After shampooing, I massage around two pumps on my scalp and I find this enough since the cuticles are now lifted and the mileage is just better after a first wash. After making sure my entire scalp is sufficiently covered in the treatment, I massage my scalp again for a bit and leave it in for a few minutes while I do my body care, then rinse.

Once shampoo and/or PZ treatment step is complete, I finish off my hair wash with Upfront Cosmetics Conditioner Bar. I wet it and massage the bar first to get the lather going, then I massage the bar directly on my hair. I keep doing this until I feel like my hair is sufficiently coated in conditioner and I can easily run my fingers through. If I didn’t use a PZ shampoo that day, I would wrap my hair in a bun and do my body care routine. Otherwise I would just rinse it out after.

After showering, I ring out my hair and wrap it in a hair towel (gift). I find this has been the best way to remove as much water as possible from my hair and I find it shortens the amount of time I need to blow-dry.

Once I let my hair out of the towel, I apply a heat protectant since I don’t like airy-drying my hair that much. Note, I have air-dried my hair for years prior and I have not seen a signficant difference in the quality of scalp and hair. My current go-to heat protectant is IT 12-In-One Amazing Leave-In Treatment (gift). I really like the scent of it, it reminds of Nerds candy and it makes my hair feel really soft and not weighed down. I spray only the mid shaft to ends of my hair and lightly run my fingers through, making sure it’s well coated. Sometimes I also apply a moisturizing spray on my scalp, I’m currently using the Innate Life Neroli Hair Primer. While I do like the list of moisturizing ingredients in the formula and that it does not weigh down my hair, I really dislike the scent – smells like Bermagot and Citrus.

After I apply the heat protectant and hair primer, I then begin drying my scalp with hot air, holding the blow dryer at a distance. Because I removed a lot of the water, my hair dries pretty quickly despite it being long. I usually focus on making sure my scalp is dry and I just lightly dry my hair strands. Once I finish drying my hair, I apply Innate Life Rose Elixir Hair Oil. This is the only oil serum I have ever liked for my hair and I have repurchased it a few times since I first tried it.

Last step, I brush my hair with the Tek Oval brush. I like the rounded ends because it’s gentle on my scalp. I start at the ends and work my way up to prevent extra hair fall. Sometimes I take an extra amount of time to massage my scalp.

That is pretty much it for my go-to scalp and hair care routine. Here are some extra steps I’d do if my hair is feeling dry.

I still like having the Briogeo Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioner on hand because it’s a light mist that I can use on dry hair, and I think it would be useful come the summer months when I’m outside more and my hair is more susceptible to dryness from sun exposure.

I also occasionally incorporate hair masking in my scalp and hair care routine. Back in the winter, I tried the Capillary Schedule so I was masking on every wash, rotating 3 types of hair masks. I found it very helpful at keeping my hair moisturized, to the point that I didn’t need a hair protectant when drying my hair. Now that it’s warmer, I just reach for a mask once a month because I have not really been experiencing an oily scalp and dry hair when I do not wash on my normal schedule.

Products I Use for my Scalp and Hair Care Routine

Upfront Cosmetics Shampoo and Conditioner Bar
https://upfrontcosmetics.ca/collections/haircare-1

AG Hair Control Anti-Dandruff Shampoo
https://rstyle.me/+Z1gntCIyGJvy7u1DxQhrcw *

The Body Shop Hair Towel – it was part of a gift box I got for my birthday, but there’s a really cute strawberry one they sell
https://rstyle.me/+d9yGodOwbpdjUdUxYJyEDQ *

The Innate Life Neroli Hair Primer
https://theinnatelife.com/collections/scalp-treatments/products/test

It 12-in-One Amazing Leave-In Treatment *
https://rstyle.me/+D3NjVevLqVC4y0037o4aRQ *

The Innate Life Rose Hair Elixir
https://theinnatelife.com/products/rose-hair-elixir

TEK Wooden Oval Brush
https://rstyle.me/+JdKmryfn92r4Z_wzQAWy7w *

Briogeo Rosarco Milk Leave-In Conditioner
https://rstyle.me/+GQWRiIrQ1Lpeu-JuakpVlA *

The Hair Routine Moisture Treatment
https://www.thehairroutine.com/products/moisture-treatment

*Affiliate links. If you use one of these links to make a purchase, I earn a small commission. Thank you so much if you decide to use them!

As always, I hope you find content like this helpful and informative!

xo, M

Related Content to my Scalp and Hair Routine

Scalp and Hair Care Routine 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR-ALeOkKrk

Capillary Schedule
https://www.instagram.com/p/CKPNFWGL19O/?igshid=4dw9qyhomgr6
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CMDFVcAn4gB/?igshid=1fpn0za0mu178

Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30

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Another “Youtube made me buy it” moment! The Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 seems to be a popular tinted mineral sunscreen in the beautysphere, and I wanted to give it a try on my acne prone, normal to dry skin.

Information on Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30

“A lightly tinted mineral-based formula that protects skin from sun damage and fortifies it with state-of-the-art antioxidants.

Prevents premature aging of skin
Boost skin’s environmental defenses
Silky texture leaves a soft matte finish
Use as the last step in your AM skincare routine”

– paulaschoice.com

Price: $33 USD
Amount: 60ml/2oz
Packaging:  Opaque blue plastic tube.
Water Resistant? No.

UV FILTERS:
Zinc Oxide 13% (UVB, UVAII and some UVAI)

Protection:
UVB: SPF 30
UVA: If U.S. regulations say UVA has to be 1/3rd of the UVB, it should be around a PPD of 10

INACTIVE INGREDIENTS: Water (Aqua), Cyclopentasiloxane (hydration), PEG-12 Dimethicone (texture enhancer), PEG/PPG-18/18 Dimethicone (texture enhancer), Lauroyl Lysine (skin-conditioning agent),Sodium Chloride (stabilizer), Trihydroxystearin (texture-enhancing), Dimethicone Crosspolymer ( suspending agent), Resveratrol (antioxidants), Quercetin (antioxidants), Epigallocatechin Gallate (antioxidants), Tocopheryl Acetate (vitamin E/antioxidant), Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate (vitamin C/antioxidant), Adenosine (skin-restoring), Bisabolol (skin-soothing), Salix Alba (Willow) Bark Extract (skin-soothing), Punica Granatum (Pomegranate) Extract (antioxidant), Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract (astaxanthin/antioxidant), Hydrolyzed Corn Starch (texture-enhancing/mattifying agent), Polysorbate 80 (texture-enhancing), Hydrated Silica (texture-enhancing/mattifying agent), Triethoxycaprylylsilane (texture enhancer), C12-15 Alkyl Benzoate (emollient texture enhancer), Isopropyl Titanium Triisostearate (texture enhancer), Caprylyl Glycol (preservatives), Hexylene Glycol (preservatives), Ethylhexylglycerin (preservatives), Iron Oxide (CI77491, CI 77492, CI 77499), Phenoxyethanol (preservatives).

INCIDecoder

In true Paula’s Choice fashion, the Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30’s inactive ingredient list is a cocktail of skin beneficial ingredients and I always appreciate the ingredients having their primary function beside them.

Only noticeable moisturizing ingredients are various -cones which make the base of the sunscreen.

Antioxidants Resveratrol, Quercetin, Epigallocatechin Gallate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Tetrahexyldecyl Ascorbate, and plant extracts high in antioxidants.

Soothing ingredients Bisabolol and Willow Bark Extract.

Adenosine for wound-healing and aiding in barrier repair and protection.

My Experience with Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30

FRAGRANCE: None.

APPLICATION: Applied in 2 separate layers to give the tint a chance to adapt to my skin tone as best as possible. It does not feel greasy at all, rather it feels like a light lotion. I experienced no pilling.

FINISH: Semi-matte but still skin-like, I notice my texture is a bit emphasized once it sets more.

FEEL: Light, sets pretty quickly and has a light tacky finish, not as tacky as the DRMTLGY Universal Tinted Moisturizer SPF 46.

STINGS EYES? No.

WHITECAST / TINTED? I find the tint to lean slightly pink. With separate layers it’s not very noticeable, but when I apply the sunscreen all in one go, the pink is more obvious. I have also used this sunscreen as a “topper” over an all-organic UV filter sunscreen for the tint, and with a very sheer layer I barely notice the pink undertone.

EXTRA SKIN BENEFITS? One main benefit I’ve noticed is that the light coverage does even out my skin tone. Other than that, I don’t find it does dry skin any favours, even if you’re well prepped prior. It makes me look dehydrated quickly and as a result makes me look a bit more aged. By end of day my skin feels uncomfortably dry.

UNDER MAKEUP: Like other all-mineral sunscreens I have tried, I find it grips onto product more and thus increases coverage. On days I feel like I can wear it on its own, my concealer and liquid blush sits really well on it and still blends easily. I notice when I set my face lightly with powder, the dry feeling increases quickly.

Final Thoughts on Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30

Pros

  • At least a SPF30
  • Sets quickly and has a skin-like, non-greasy finish
  • Like all Paula’s choice products, contains other nice ingredients
  • Skin tone looked even

Cons

  • I don’t know how they can call this a moisturizer, it’s quite drying. Seems that it would work best for those of you with very oily skin that have never been concerned with the uncomfortable, tight feeling. Otherwise I’d recommend to moisturize prior to application for any skin type.
  • Even though it is a soft matte finish, I find my texture is still emphasized because of the way it sits on my skin, and it adds further to the dehydrated look I get.

In-between Feels

  • Tint – prefer the undertone in the DRMTLGY one but this is still passable when applied properly. For fairer skin tones you may notice it being a bit dark with generous application, darker skin tones may still see a cast.

Overall the Paula’s Choice Resist Super-Light Wrinkle Defense SPF 30 seems like a good tinted sunscreen for those with very oily skin types, and because the finish is so skin-like I can see it performing nicely under makeup. I will be giving this away to a family member with a more oily skin type because it is too drying for mine.

WHERE TO BUY:
Paula’s Choice Website *

As always, I hope you found this review helpful and informative!

xo, M