Hyko, hyko un-de! #HYKOBauanaNaturals

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

In this serum from Bauana Naturals, Hyaluronic and Kojic Acid gets shortened to Hyko!(TM) and it makes me think of that great Mardi Gras song, Iko Iko.

Was my skin as lifted as my spirits after listening to this catchy song? Maybe!

Serum Ceuticals Skincare Regimen #Vitamincfacial #Antioxidantfacialserum

Press Samples.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

I am a serum-aholic.  I love trying new ones, and new combinations, finding out what my skin responds best to.  I've had skincare regimens that were pick-a-mix from lots of different brands, and had great results - but there is something synergistic about a set that is designed to work together.  I have three serums from Serum Ceuticals to tell you about that I think do just that!

When You Need One Moisturizer To Do It All! #asanabeauty

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

When I packed for a trip to see my family, the Asana Beauty Synergy EX Retinol Hyaluronic Collagen Moisturizer was the only moisturizer I packed.  It had to do double-duty as both morning and evening moisturizer, and occasionally, a hand moisturizer, too.  How did it hold up under the stress of travel?

Jaylie Anti-Aging #JaylieHA

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

Have you gotten on the Hyaluronic Acid bandwagon yet?  This is one ingredient I never want my skincare to be without again.  This serum from Jaylie has it, and a few other ingredients that make it a contender in the fight against older-looking skin.

Am I A Diva? #DivasNeverAge

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

A Diva is originally the name for the main female singer in an opera company.  According to Urban Dictionary, it's also a bitch who needs to get her own way, who is rude and belittles people.  Hmm.  I kept scrolling, and found another definition I liked better:  "a person who exudes great style and personality with confidence and expresses their own style and not letting others influence who they are or want to be."  Ok, I'm cool with that.  And, I'm cool with not aging, either.  So, maybe, this Divas Never Age serum is for me!

Regenerate With Regen FX

Press Sample.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

There are few things I like trying better than a system, be it a hair system, or nail system, or, in this case, a facial skincare system.  There is something special about having a series of products work in tandem to address a particular goal.  Regen FX is an age-defying skin system that works together to regenerate skin and give me back my youthful, healthy face.

Can't Contain This Beauty - it's Bursting Out! #neocell

Product provided for review.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

A little while ago, I told y'all about Neocell Biotin Bursts, and today I have another Neocell product, Beauty Bursts, to talk about.  Because when you're all full of beauty, sometimes, it's just gotta burst out!

Lightening and Brightening with Key West Health & Beauty Dark Spot Corrector #keywesthb

Product provided for review. All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

I'm not sure that anything has made me as hyper-aware of all the bumps and blemishes on my face as much as a magnifying mirror and a beauty blog.  I try to take the changes in stride as I'm over 40 now, and changes are inevitable and coming faster.  I am trying to stay ahead of the age spots and especially the sun damage I did, and one thing I've been using is this Dark Spot Corrector from Key West Health and Beauty.

Pure Body Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum #HyaluronicAcidSerum

Product provided for review.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

Serum? I hardly even know 'em!  New take on an old joke, and here's a new take on a fave serum! Pure Body Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Serum, that is. If you like your skin to look younger and plumper, then this type of serum is king.

Please, Sir, May I Have Some More..Morea Naturals? #moreanaturals

Product provided for review.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

Would you like some more...hyaluronic acid serums?  Personally, I can't get enough serums, and love trying new ones.  My skin drinks them up, and, even if my knees tell me that I'm 800 years old, my face isn't ready to admit that I'm in my 40's!

I'm excited to share with you my experience with Morea Naturals Hyaluronic Acid Age Delay Serum With Vitamin C + Green Tea and my homage nail art!

Body Merry Makes My Face Merry, too! Pro-A Serum, Morning Dew Serum, and Age Defense Eye Cream Review

Product sent for consideration.  All opinions are my own.

Hello, Fireflies!

A year ago, I couldn't have told you what serums were for.  Now, I'm obsessed.  Today, I have a serum duo from Body Merry, and an eye cream to tell you about.  You may remember that I've reviewed a cellulite cream from Body Merry, and I liked it so much, I wanted to try more of their products!

First up, the Body Merry Pro-A Serum.  Can we first talk about the packaging?  I love these tinted bottles, and not only are they pretty, but they're functional.  The tinting actually helps protect the sunlight from damaging the serum and making it less effective.  And, it's pretty.  Did I mention that it's pretty? I love amber bottles.

I preferred to use this serum at night because of the retinol, which can make your skin sensitive to UV rays.  

I've talked a lot about Hyaluronic Acid before.  As we age, our bodies just don't produce as much as before, which can lead to skin getting thinner and not regenerating as well.  Adding it back in via serum helps mitigate that loss, plumping up the skin, and improving the texture.  By adding it to this serum, it can also help your skin take maximum advantage of the retinol by buffering it against irritation.

Green Tea is a powerful antioxidant, and if you don't like to drink it, you can still get some benefits by letting your skin absorb it!  Both this and the Hyaluronic Acid are plant-derived.  This natural formula doesn't have any parabens, sulphates, phlalates, fragrances, or alcohol, and it's cruelty-free.

It has a very mild herbal/medicinal scent that I assume comes from the plant botanicals.  It dissipates quickly, and the serum just gets sucked in.  Slurp!

If you thought the Pro-A Serum bottle was pretty, get a load of the Body Merry Hyaluronic Dew Serum's gorgeous blue bottle.  Humina, humina!  Again, the tinted glass is great at protecting the precious serums and oils from breaking down from UV rays.

I think this serum is really aptly named.  It's great for using in the morning, on a clean face, to plump it up and get that dewy, radiant, healthy look.  It still has the hyaluronic acid, as well as antioxidants green tea and vitamin c, but no retinol, so you can wear it easily in the sun.

In addition to being plant-derived, natural, and organic, this serum is also vegan.  Like the Pro-A Serum, This natural formula doesn't have any parabens, sulphates, phlalates, fragrances, or alcohol, and is cruelty-free.

It also has that same faint herbal/medicinal scent.  It absorbs quickly, but has a dewy feel for a moment - a sensation that I rather liked.  Almost as if you could feel the moisture.  Science, or magic, you decide.

The Body Merry Age Defense Eye Cream didn't win me over as much as the serums.  The first problem I had may have been faulty packaging, so it may have been a one-off problem.  I usually like these pumps for lotion, but this one drove me crazy.  For the first week I used this product, I would try to get just a little bit out, and end up with practically enough for half my face.  It finally settled down, but I don't know how much product I ended up using other places other than my eyes.  I think it makes a good lip cream..

Here's the other issue I had with it: the scent.  It has a botanical smell very similar to their Cellulite Gel-Cream, which my husband thinks smells like jellybeans.  I don't find the smell to be offensive... but it's the kind of smell that it felt like it got in my eyes.  So, I found myself not really enjoying the eye cream as much as I would have liked to.  The cream does have a lot of botanicals in it, such as Aloe, Rose Hip Oil, Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Beeswax, Cranberry, Licorice, Sunflower Oil, Borage Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Evening Primrose Oil, Lavender, Calendula, Chamomile, Witch Hazel, Cocoa Butter, Cucumber, and Green Tea, so perhaps I'm sensitive to one of them. 

I did stick it out for a while, and found that I could get over it, and I do like that it absorbs quickly and does make my skin feel refreshed and moisturized, without being greasy.  Best of all, if I didn't like it, Body Merry has a 90 Day 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. If you don't like any product, just contact them and get a full refund. You don't even need to return the bottle.

If having an eye cream that is natural, organic, free from parabens, sulfates, phlalates, and is made in the USA and is cruelty-free is important to you, you may like it. 

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.

InstaNatural Hyaluronic Acid Serum #InstaNatural

 Hello, Fireflies!

Do you remember when I told you about my deliciously-scented hair? That hair masque, by InstaNatural, was pretty amazing.  At the time I was sent that, I was offered a chance to try their Hyaluronic Acid Serum, too.

Ok, it's another serum, I hear ya.  First of all, you can't have too many serums! Where else are you going to find a concentrated dose of all the things your skin loves? They also play well with toners and moisturizers, so you can use the products that you know work well on your skin.

I'm loving this ingredient list.  So many things I recognize and understand are good for my skin - Aloe, Witch Hazel, Jojoba Oil, Vitamin C, Green Tea..and it's formulated without alcohol or parabens, and it's cruelty-free.

The texture of this serum reminds me a lot of one of its ingredients - aloe vera.  It has a very nice viscosity to it - look at that bubble!- but it absorbs quickly, with no greasiness or tacky residue.

It smells very faintly, but, like the masque, it smells so good.  It has a fresh, herbal quality to it - not medicinal at all.  With so many choices out there for hyaluronic serums, the details matter.  When I'm putting on a serum, it's important to me that it feels and smells nice, in addition to working well.

I do think it works well, too.  My skin has few wrinkles, and the texture is soft and plump.  I'm even getting my husband to use serums now that he's got his CPAP mask and it's drying out his face every night.

As of the time of this writing, this serum is on sale at Amazon.com down from $49.95 to $16.75 for 2 oz.  No code needed, and it ships free with Amazon Prime.

What do you look for in a serum?

I received one or more of the products mentioned above for free using Tomoson.com. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will be good for my readers.