I have to say, now that I've had a chance to try more products, I'm really impressed with the brand as a whole.
They describe what sets them apart by stating...
"Each of the boscia skincare products, with the exception of the Blotting Linens, contain Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, and Jojoba Leaf, a strong and effective antioxidant. Together, the integrated boscia line combines the strength of cutting-edge botanicals and the latest scientific research to help its customers achieve healthy skin."
Their products are ALL botanically based & preservative free.
This sampler came in the same day as my Beauty Army kit but I wanted to wait so I could try everything.
This is what came in:
*Recharging Night Moisture ($44-1.4oz)
*Luminizing Black Mask ($34-2.8oz)
*Restorative Night Moisture Cream ($48-1oz)
*Restorative Eye Treatment-For Under-Eye Bags ($48-.5oz)
*Green Tea Blotting Linens ($10-100 Sheets)
*3 of the B.B. Cream SPF 27 PA++ ($38-1.75oz)
The first thing I used was the Recharging Night Moisture. It was the perfect consistency, moisturizing but not greasy, left no residue & my skin felt pliable in the morning. It's so powerful, I decided I will only use it 1-2x a week, tops. This is best used the days I exfoliate/mask. It's named perfectly because it does recharge your skin, gives a boost. It promises to, "...repair, strengthen and improve skin elasticity and firmness." That's exactly what it felt like it did.
Company Description: (Why It Works)
• Encapsulated Ampelopsis Grossedentata absorbs easily to strengthen skin and diminish the appearance of wrinkles.
• Phytoglycogen helps restore the look of vitality to damaged skin.
• Hydrolyzed Yeast rejuvenates and promotes new skin cell production.
• Hyaluronic Acid provides essential moisture.
• Jojoba Leaf, a powerful antioxidant, combats free radical damage while it nourishes and protects skin to prevent premature aging, and Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, helps to calm skin inflammation and reduce visible redness and irritation
I had heard all about the Luminizing Black Mask & was really excited to try it. Even though I don't have oily skin, it's still good to use on my nose. I have always love, love, loved peel off masks! Bath & Body Works used to make this amazing citrus peel off that smelled good & had a slight tingle, but that got discontinued years ago & I haven't found one I like that much since. I've used the Queen Helene Cucumber Peel Off Mask but it's too drying for my skin. So I really had hopes for this one! Unfortunately, when I went to squeeze it out, it was empty! Empty like it had never been filled so I didn't get to try it after all. Bummer! I'm sure it was a mistake but I'll get my hands on some soon because it's on my radar now.
Company Description: (Why It Works)
• Vitamin C helps brighten skin tone and reduce the look of fine lines.
• Montmorillonite Clay absorbs excess oil, dirt and toxins from the skin.
• Pine Bark Extract, a powerful antioxidant, conditions the skin and defends from free radical damage.
• Jojoba Leaf, a powerful antioxidant, combats free radical damage while it nourishes and protects skin to prevent premature aging, and Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, helps to calm skin inflammation and reduce visible redness and irritation.
At first glance I thought I had received 2 of the same product but I realized The Restorative Night Moisture Cream is different than the Recharging Night Moisture. For starters, the Restorative is a lot richer. It's also a night treatment but this focuses on evening out skin tone, dullness & fine lines. It's intense so it was like a shot of collagen. I wanted to put it all over myself, head to toe! haha
It's so intense I plan on using this every month as a treatment. I recommend this for people with very dry or even damaged skin to use more often.
Company Description: (Why It Works)
• Palmitoyl Penta-Peptide, an effective amino acid, minimizes the appearance of fine lines.
• Magnolia Bark Extract improves skin elasticity and firmness.
• Mulberry Extract reduces the appearance of age spots.
• Jojoba Leaf, a powerful antioxidant, combats free radical damage while it nourishes and protects skin to prevent premature aging, and Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, helps to calm skin inflammation and reduce visible redness and irritation.
I liked the The Restorative Eye Treatment right away because of it's very blunt description right on the tube. I notice cosmetic/skincare companies are always looking for different, encouraging, polite ways to sell their products. This tells you straight out, it's "For Under-Eye Bags."
I'm a native New Yorker, so I'm sure you can understand why this no holds barred approach appeals to me :-)
I understand better than anyone, sometimes there's just no other way to say something. You can try to sugar coat it or say it in your nicest tone but it's still what it is.
I appreciate that in cosmetics b/c products shouldn't be full of surprises. They should be upfront about their intentions & your expectations for them. So I thought this was a great approach!
This worked well for me. I've been typing a lot so my eyes feel tired. This felt cool & soothing and a little goes a long way. It's not greasy & has a nice slip. You can use it day and night, which is nice.
This is a new product for the company & apparently I'm not the only one who thinks it's amazing, it's out of stock on the website, backordered until MARCH 1st!!
Company Description: (Why It Works)
• Complex Peptides minimize the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, improve firmness and reduce puffiness.
• Sodium Hyaluronate provides long lasting hydration.
• Vitamin E and Canadian Willowherb Extract, powerful antioxidants, protect from harmful environmental damage.
• Jojoba Leaf, a powerful antioxidant, combats free radical damage while it nourishes and protects skin to prevent premature aging, and Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, helps to calm skin inflammation and reduce visible redness and irritation.
I haven't been the biggest fan of blotting papers strictly because I've never had oily skin. Even when I'm sweating, I've just never been into them for myself. They seemed to break easily & the second you put them on your face they become useless. I've used them on clients & I always carry them with me on jobs but it's not the first thing I reach for in my kit to combat oil.
These yummy little Blotting Linens have changed that for me. First of all, I like that they're called Linens instead of papers. It makes them stand out. I know I like to call things as as they are but the word "Linen" by definition means, cloth woven from flax. These are not weak like most papers, they are stronger, like linen. They're made using Abaca Tree Plant.
I tested a sheet on a friend w/oily skin & it picked up every drop of oil & gave a matte, refreshed appearance. Not cakey, not dry, not even disturbing their makeup. The sheet was still completely in tact! I used it on myself at the end of the day to see what would happen & it freshened up my whole look, without touching my makeup. They're magic! They have a faint Green Tea scent which is probably hard to detect unless you know it's there so it's not overwhelming.
They also come in Lavender, Vanilla, Rose, California Orange & Peppermint. I heard the Peppermint are amazing as well!
My first impression of the B.B. Cream SPF 27 PA++ was not great. I thought it was going to go on heavy & at first it looked way too light for me. Before giving up on it, I went onto the website & looked it up.
It's a tricky little product! It comes in one, warm, self adjusting shade which I was amazed to see disappear into my skin within minutes. It has an unusual SPF 27 PA++, which the website describe it as, "...The PA system is a grade of UVA protection that provides superior defense against the rays that cause collagen damage and photo-aging of the skin..."
The best way to describe it is: it's a tinted moisturizer w/SPF, that doesn't feel heavy but your skin feels encapsulated (protected from the sun & free-radicals) all the while creating a flawless, radiant finish that's pretty much undetectable.
Needless to say, this just gave my Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer a run for it's money. True Story.
Company Description: (Why It Works)
• Abyssine, a naturally-derived survival molecule, shields and soothes skin.
• Hydroxyprolisilane promotes skin elasticity and reduces the appearance of fine lines.
• Beta-Glucan provides essential moisture and protects against environmental damage.
• Jojoba Leaf, a powerful antioxidant, combats free radical damage while it nourishes and protects skin to prevent premature aging, and Willowherb, a unique anti-irritant, helps to calm skin inflammation and reduce visible redness and irritation.
The company also has a Rewards system, which I like b/c people like incentives to shop. For every 300 points you accumulate (1 point=$1 spent), you get $30 towards your next purchase. Sounds good to me!
Keep it pretty!
*Stephanie*
