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Le Edge Full Body Exfoliator: What to Know

August 3, 2016 · Leave a Comment

Le Edge Full Body Exfoliator

Summertime skin care requires lots of exfoliating to stay smooth. But those of us with sensitive skin on our face and body often find scrubs and loofahs too abrasive. So I was glad to find this Le Edge Full Body Exfoliator, which is a no-chemical, gentle means of exfoliation. It does not irritate the skin or micro-tear the skin. The problem I find with many exfoliating methods such as scrubs and creams is that they contain harsh grains that can do damage to the healthy skin in the process of removing dry, flaky or dead skin.

ABOUT THE Le Edge Full Body EXFOLIATOR

Shaped something like a small squeegee, it has a stainless steel dull “blade” that gently and hygienically lifts and removes dirt, debris, and dead skin cells without irritating the underlying skin. The stainless steel blade will not rust and is naturally bacteria free. It is dull and smooth, you cannot cut or scrape yourself with the blade, but you can over-do it if you are too aggressive. It is intended for use on both the body and the face.

This kind of tool is different from pumices or loofahs because it just removes the skin that is ready to exfoliate away without disrupting skin that is healthy and should not be removed prematurely. There are no chemicals or drying agents, just the ability to exfoliate without introducing bacteria into the area.

RESULTS

I was surprised that such light pressure at a 45-degree angle could remove so much dead skin from both the face and the body. It is important that the skin is wet, and it is best used in the shower after the skin has had a few minutes to absorb moisture, which allows for the best conditions to remove more dead skin. I do my face first, then rinse it off and use it on my body, periodically rinsing it off in the water stream, and I use it on my feet last.

EXFOLIATING THE FACE
On the face, it helped to remove dead skin, oil, sebum and even some blackheads, especially around the nose. It did not irritate or open the skin on some healing acne I have, but it did slough off the dead skin around the blemish. I was surprised to see how much dead skin exfoliates off of the nose, chin, and jawline, as well as my throat. I made sure to use gentle strokes on the face; it seems like the tool won’t accomplish much because the stainless steel blade is not sharp, but it does remove skin quickly.

AFTER CHEMICAL PEELS
A tell-tale sign that one is using chemical peels or Retinol is a very light layer of peeling on the face. Trying to remove this light peeling is tricky since too much scrubbing or exfoliating scrubs or creams can make the peeling seem even worse.

This Le Edge Exfoliator tool is especially useful if you use AHA peels, or you are on a Retinoid or Vitamin C serum program and have some very light peeling dry skin that you don’t wish to scrub off vigorously with a washcloth or sponge, but still need to remove it before applying any makeup. This Le Edge exfoliator removes this lightly peeling skin gently so that you don’t damage the skin but can still remove light peeling and apply makeup over it.

EXFOLIATING THE BODY
Before applying lotions or self-tanning creams, this gives a smooth, debris-free surface for makeup, tanning lotions or creams to adhere. It is not irritating like a loofah or pumice could be, so the skin will not be red and sensitive after use. I was impressed to see how much dead skin comes off the feet, as well as hard to reach areas such as knees, elbows, upper arms, and thighs. I often overlook these areas during my skin care routine, but the Le Edge Exfoliator makes quick work of keeping these areas smooth.

Le Edge Full Body Exfoliator

CONCLUSION

I was impressed to see how much dead skin this Le Edge tool removes without irritating the skin. This is ideal for when you need to do more than one task on your skin that might irritate your skin, such as shaving and exfoliation, exfoliation and applying self-tanner, or exfoliating and applying makeup afterward. Particularly useful for those who use retinol, acne creams, and do at-home chemical peels and experience some light peeling of the skin which needs to be removed with care.

Le Edge Full Body Exfoliator

Find it at http://www.le-edge.us

I received this product in exchange for testing and review purposes. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

Lift Care Essential Wet/Dry Callus Remover

July 1, 2016 · 6 Comments

Lift Care Essential Wet/Dry Callus Remover

This Lift Care Essential Wet/Dry Callus Remover is a rechargeable device with a rotating head that fits two different size callus remover rollers. A cool feature that it charges with a USB charger, which is convenient and fast.

My big toes and heels tend to get pretty rough over the winter, so before summer my feet generally are in need of a foot makeover. I have used manual callus removers in the past that get the job done, but it requires some elbow grease and a few sessions to get the dead skin off. The Lift Care remover exfoliates dry skin easily while I watch TV or read, it is fast to use, and it is an easier cleanup. I find it works better wet getting off the initial layer of dead skin, and dry works best for fine buffing to smooth the skin of remaining flakes.

TIP: The best way use is this to move the device slowly on the surface of the skin, only allowing it to stay in one place for 2-3 seconds at a time. If the unit stops, you are pressing too hard. It took a bit of practice for me to get used to this since I am used to applying a fair amount of pressure when using a manual callus remover. That pressure is not needed with this device. You only need to glide it over your skin to exfoliate.

It comes with a cleaning brush, and it cleans up easily in running water because it is waterproof. The two rollers heads are for working on larger or smaller areas, such as the large one for the heel and the smaller roller for calluses on the toes.

The callus remover comes partial charged but does require a full charge before use.

CONCLUSION: a very useful device that makes quick work of getting feet ready for showing off during sandal season. Charges quickly, sturdy materials, easy to clean.

Lift Care Essential Wet/Dry Callus Remover

I received this product in exchange for my honest and unbiased review. If you have any questions about my experience with it, leave it in the comments section below, and Iâ€™ll do my best to answer it!

1000 Hour Compact Hands-Free Makeup Mirror

June 28, 2016 · Leave a Comment

1000 Hour Compact Hands-Free Makeup Mirror

When applying makeup that requires using both hands, such as one hand to hold the skin taut and the other to apply, such as with liquid eyeliner or applying false lashes, an angled mirror is very helpful. A hand held mirror or compact has an advantage over an upright mounted mirror such as a bathroom cabinet mirror because it can be positioned to look downwards into the mirror. The problem is getting the right angle and keeping your hands free. This 1000 Hour Compact is a hands-free makeup mirror that is particularly useful when applying makeup that requires being able to see from the underneath and at weird angles including mascara or anything else that you might tilt your head back while applying the makeup product.

HOW I USE THIS MIRROR TO APPLY LIQUID EYELINER
I don’t have a very steady hand, so when I apply liquid eyeliner, I place this mirror on the table at about a 75-degree angle. I put my elbow on the table and look down into the mirror. I hold my eyelid skin semi-taut with my left hand and hold the eyeliner brush in my right. Looking into the mirror, I tap out tiny dots of liner all along the lashline, midway between my top lashes and the skin. Then I blend it with a clean brush or q-tip.

The mirror can be used as a standard compact, and the arm can position the height and angle in a full range of angles. I find this especially useful for liquid eyeliner application, mascara application, any item you might use a stencil such as an eyebrow powder stencil and when I apply false eyelashes.

When I do quick makeup touch ups at my desk at work, this mirror is handy to lean over and quickly fix any errant mascara or eyeliner. While I don’t like to do my makeup at my desk, I prefer to fix some mistakes discretely without walking past the whole office to the ladies room.

It is also helpful to angle the mirror when tweezing my eyebrows so that I can see tiny hairs above or below on the brow tails; I tend to miss these hairs when I use a wall mounted mirror.

Sturdy, flexible, and bends into all sorts of angles and heights, this fits neatly into my bag or desk and is a useful little compact.

1000 Hour Compact Hands-Free Makeup Mirror

Tea Tuesday: Ayo French Press

April 5, 2016 · Leave a Comment

A French Press is designed for use with ground coffee, espresso, and tea. The brewing method of a French Press lends towards a smoother, richer cup of coffee because it is a slower gradual brew than when water is run over coffee grinds in a coffeemaker. It is also an easy method to do espresso at home without the expense and mess of coffeehouse-style brewers.

But what I like about this French Press is that does loose leaf teas very well, allowing the tea to open and unfurl and thus reveal the full flavor, especially so with delicate oolongs, whites, and even some monkey-picked green teas that brew quickly. If you enjoy loose leaf teas, you will really like having a way to brew that allows the flavor room to breathe and it is intriguing to watch the tea brewing process. I enjoy brewing in a French Press instead of a tea ball or tea bag because it allows the tea to release the best flavors, and the French Press keeps unwanted tea leaves out of your brewed cup.

ABOUT THIS FRENCH PRESS
The premise of a French press is it is a cylinder shaped beaker often of glass (in this case, this French Press is made with heat resistant and Borosilicate glass) and a plunger that attaches to the lid. The piston of a French Press plunger is generally some sort of mesh. This French press does one better by having a heavier weight colander type multi-layer screen strainer that allows water to flow through but does not allow the grounds or tea leaves to pass into the water.

The French Press is small so it is the perfect size cup that will stay warm until served. There are no flimsy pieces, it feels durable and strong and the design suits various decors.

The French press is well made and easy to clean when brewing tea. Finely milled coffee grounds can get into the air holes in the strainer and require a bit more attention to clean, but no more so than any other coffee brewing method.

Because this particular French Press is made with Borosilicate glass, it makes for both a very sturdy and durable container that can withstand fairly high heat and exposure to cold. What I particularly like is this type of glass lends towards the cylinder NOT absorbing the taste of previously brewed beverages, namely, you will not taste a residual espresso taste within a later brewed delicate white tea. I prefer this to some plastic brewers that retain the flavorings of other previously brewed teas. To me, this is a big selling point.

HOW TO BREW LOOSE LEAF TEA WITH THIS FRENCH PRESS
Remove the plunger and strainer component to add the tea underneath. Replace the plunger and strainer. Secure the lid and press the plunger down as far as it goes without touching the tea leaves. Add enough hot water for the first brewing only and replace the cap. Allow enough room for the tea leaves to unfurl by slowly raising the plunger up to about the halfway point. It is very pretty to watch the tea brew, even if it is a simple black or Earl Grey, and it is a functional piece that is sturdy despite being glass. After the appropriate brewing time (use a timer for very delicate brews to avoid a bitter taste), pour off all the tea. If a second brew is desired, use only new water to not diminish the taste due to over-brewing. This is different than when brewing coffee in a French Press as a longer brew time does not make the coffee bitter.

SELF-STIRRING COFFEE MUG/TRAVEL MUG
This particular French Press came with a free gift: a self-stirring coffee mug. This is useful for bullet-proof coffee recipes as it keeps it frothy and well blended. It is often recommended in bullet-proof coffee recipes that one keeps stirring the coffee so as to keep the mixture well-blended and avoid congealing of the coconut oil/butter ingredients. A self-stirring coffee mug is ideal for this purpose. Since it can also serve as a travel mug, the set makes it helpful to brew your own coffee blends at the office or before leaving for work to have custom coffee without the time it takes to brew a whole pot of coffee only to throw most of it away.

Durable, sleek and attractive, this French Press is ideal for making a personal serving (or two) of tea, coffee or espresso. Easy to use and to clean.

Ayo French Press