SkinLife - A Must See Beauty Haven!

 

So on my recent vacation to Portugal which you can read all about here... I had one major beauty mission.  My cousin, a beautiful soul and super talented writer, Sonia who's work you can read about here, suggested I visit SkinLife in Lisbon.  So, I promptly checked them out online, wrote down the address and couldn't wait to check this beauty out for myself!  Skin Life is located in the heart of Ciado, an uber trendy shoppers' paradise in Lisbon.  This store is the perfect marriage of luxury and beauty, nestled on the most perfectly charming cobble stone street.

It took me quite a while to find this beauty, but when I did.... it was like seeing Disney World for the first time.  I starred at it for a while, took a few pictures and proceeded to walk in.  Mind you, it was a hot, muggy day in Lisbon and I looked a bit of a mess.... but sweaty hair and all, I was a woman on a mission with my fancy, shmancy camera in tow!  As I walked in, I literally felt as though I had just walked into a spa!  Patrick, one of the gorgeous owners of this gem, greeted me with the friendliest of smiles.  We chatted for a little while and I politely asked permission to photograph the store to which he eagerly agreed.  SkinLife prides itself on carrying niche brands.  Patrick loves that most of the brands carried in SkinLife are can only be found at his store in the entire country of Portugal!  This is a major plus for SkinLife as it eliminates any possible competition! 

I admired and tested out a million products while on my two hour shopping frenzy here.  Yes, I did rack up quite the bill at the end but who cares!  I knew it would be quite a while before I'd have a chance to visit again so I wanted to be sure that I didn't miss anything!  Patrick was so accommodating.  One of the brands that I was mostly interested in testing and purchasing was Ellis Faas!  This makeup brand makes most of their products in a pen-like form, making them extremely portable and fun!  Now here's the interesting part.... I stocked up on those Ellis Faas pens.... however, it wasn't until I got home and began to twist my first pen to get the product out, that I realized, I already owned an Ellis Faas pen AND repurchased one of the exact same colors that I already owned!  Ha!  You see, upon initial use, you need to twist the pen for quite a while before the product comes out... once it finally does, you're all set!

I honestly fell in love with this store!  It's charming, and filled with everything a beauty junkie like me could possibly want!  Lotions, potions, candles, nail polish, makeup... you name it!  Oh and it doesn't hurt that Patrick is absolutely GORGEOUS and dresses to the nines!  I promise Patrick, next time I go... I'm dressing up just for you! 

Here are some photos of the store as well as my SkinLife haul! 

How amazefestdotcom is the carrying tin for all of my Ellis Faas pens!  Oh and that last empty spot?  No worries, I filled it with the pen I already own! I love that the tin comes with a mirror and space for a makeup sponge... so portable and travel friendly!

If you ever find yourselves in the gorgeous city of Lisbon, Portugal... you must visit this store!  It's an absolute feast for your senses. Thank you Patrick for such a warm welcome and helping me find the perfect Ellis Faas for me!  I can't wait to visit again!  BTW, you can also check out SkinLife on fb here.

I'd love to know if any of my international readers have ever visited this store!  What was your experience like?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading! XOXO, Carla - FMM

Pibu Skincare

For the past year or so, I've noticed that these 'no mess' type facial masks have been popping up all over the place!  I've tried several brands and have to say I rather enjoy these!  When Pibu contacted me, I was curious to see what these pretty little packages were all about!  First, let me warn you that while they feel good, they are NOT pretty!  This means that if you're going to be sporting one of these lovely masks, do everyone around you a favor and give them fair warning or things may pan out like a scene right out of a horror flick!  These masks are essentially infused into a thick 'baby wipe' type of fabric with cut outs for your eyes, nose and lips.  They're quite easy to apply.  Simply place on your face and leave in for about 20-30 minutes.   When finished, simply feel off, rub the remainder of the product into your skin and voila... you're done!  The beauty is, if you're a busy mommy like myself, putting one of these on essentially means making time to pamper yourself!  I like to use them after I've put my girls to sleep!  Typically, I kick my feet up on a comfy pillow, sit back on my bed and indulge in one of my favorite magazines... and surely you know my magazine of choice by now right?! 

Now lets get to the nitty gritty!  Do these work?  Well, it depends on what you're looking for. There are several masks to choose from... Peppermint, Mandarin, Green Tea, Aloe Vera and one slightly different one from the four I've just mentioned which is the No-Mess Mud Mask.   If a few minutes of relaxation with a soothing mask for your face is what you're searching for, then these are the product for you!  Personally, I enjoyed the Peppermint mask the most because of it's wonderfully cooling effect!  I used it on a particularly scorching day which made this mask so much more enjoyable!  Peppermint is a widely used herb known to reduce the appearance of acne. While I'm fortunate enough not to suffer from acne, I could honestly see how these could provide a little bit of TLC for acne prone skin. 

If you love citrus scents, you'll love the Mandarin mask.  The Green Tea Mask is also beneficial for acne prone skin according to Pibu, but as I previously mentioned, acne is not one of my skin care concerns therefore I can't speak for it's effectiveness in that department.  The Aloe Vera mask was nice.  I love most products containing this powerful ingredient!  While I didn't see immediate results with just one mask, I can certainly speak for how it felt.  You see, I spent this past Memorial Day splashing in our pool and wasn't exactly good about reapplying my sunscreen... I know, BAD CARLA!  The next day, when I looked in the mirror, I knew that I needed something to combat my overindulgence of the gorgeous sun rays from the previous day!  This mask was quite soothing and served its purpose.  While it didn't take away the damage that I'd already done, it certainly helped to easy my skin's discomfort and dryness from sun exposure. 

In theory, the No-Mess Mud Mask is quite an innovative idea.  I mean, mud masks can get quite messy and annoying at times!  However, I'm not so sure that I'm sold on its application.  The fabric is quite stiff and not so comfy to wear.  It felt a tad awkward and to be honest, I cringed when I looked in the mirror!  Haha... scary sight indeed!  So... sadly, out of the group, the mud mask was the one I least liked. 

 

 

Overall, these masks were fun and certainly forced me to take some time out of my busy schedule to pamper myself a bit.  If you use them with the intention of pure enjoyment and soothing purposes, then you won't be disappointed.  I also love their portability factor!  For instance, the Aloe Vera mask would be a wise choice to pack for your next vacation, you know... just in case!

So lets chat! Have you tried 'no mess' beauty masks before?  What was your experience like?

Thank you SO MUCH for reading! XOXO Carla - FMM

 

*Products sent for consideration.  All opinions are mine based on my experience with these products. This is not a sponsored post.