Test & Tell: 4.25.25

Take a peek into my ongoing testing log where I jot down quick, searchable notes on everything I'm testing.

First, here is my last Test & Tell post. I will include a running list at the bottom of these posts to indicate which products that I have mentioned in previous Test & Tell Posts that I have finished or given up on and given away.

Skincare

ZIIP DOT [$180 after code GOALSZIIP; *gifted] - I LOVE this. I filmed a video to share my thoughts, but I haven’t shared it to IG yet. But, I think this is a fantastic device. It starts with negatively-charged microcurrent (for 60 seconds) which helps to target bacteria in the skin, followed by 30 seconds of nanocurrent (which is great for calming redness). And I love that it doesn’t require an app like the ZIIP halo does (for the problem solver, pimple, routine).

• If you have the ZIIP Halo, you don’t NEED this device… but keep reading. I have an in-depth review of the ZIIP Halo from 2023 (linked here) and the program that I loved the most was their 4 minute Problem Solver routine, which also used entirely negatively charged microcurrent to help target bacteria and treat pimples (so it is similar to the 60 seconds of the DOT). To replicate the DOT’s routine, you could follow up the Problem Solver with the Lift Routine (which is a 4 min routine that rotates between positively -and negatively-charged microcurrent and nanocurrent). But, I feel like somehow the 90 seconds of the ZIIP Dot is more effective than just the Problem Solver routine. Maybe that’s because I didn’t follow up the Problem Solver with a routine that includes nanocurrent, or maybe the conductor gel which comes with DOT is also playing a role (more on its ingredients below). But the bottom line is that I feel like the ZIIP DOT is more MUCH more convenient to quickly use (no app and it’s only 90 seconds), an it seems a little bit more effective too.

• I ended up getting 2 in PR so I gave the other one to my friend and she said she had a very angry and large pimple on her forehead and she used this on it and the next morning she said the puffiness went down “by A LOT!”. I used it on a cluster of pimples on my forehead (courtesy of a new dry shampoo that my skin didn’t like) and the next morning the pimples were much flatter and less red and then the next day they were gone. I also like that the conducting gel that comes with it has a cool ingredient called Dendriclear (a trademarked ingredient with glycerin, water and Polylysine that is designed to fight acne in a new way by working gently with the skin’s natural microbiome to reduce acne) along with some calming ingredients.

Baebody Advanced Snail Mucin Eye Masks [Normally $13.99 for 6, which is already a great price, but they are currently on sale-after you add in the coupon- for $7!] - I have been on a hunt to find a less expensive alternative to the Bioeffect disposable eye masks that I love to use when I fly. Here is my very nit-picky criteria. I want them to be in single use packets that are easy to pack in my purse, I want them to be clear so I can discreetly use them, I don’t like when they have mesh on one side because I find that those end up being irritating if I wear the eye mask for too long (this lack of mesh has been the hardest feature to avoid in inexpensive eye masks), and then I want them to actually be effective and plump up dehydration lines. My friend Jay has been giving me shit for how expensive the Bioeffect are (they are $41.65 for 8 after using code VANESSA), and I recognize that. BUT I told him that the Bioeffect ones check off all my boxes, and I have spent more money trying to find cheaper alternatives than I would if I just repurchased what I know I love (after all, I don’t use them frequently. But I always like to keep them in my purse when I fly or am on a long road trip). ANYWAYS. Jay texted me to say he thought these eye masks checked off all my boxes, so I bought them and I will say they are the best option I have tried so far. Do I like them more than the Bioeffect? No. These are really thick, which I don’t love, but at least they don’t slide down. But at the price, I will say that I think these are a great option!

Mara Algae Enzyme Cleansing Oil [$58 for 4 oz; *gifted] - I selected this product from Mara to try because I love a good enzyme cleansing oil or balm. I also opted to try their Pearl Peptide Glaze Facial Essence (which I haven’t tried yet). The oil cleanser is really lovely. I have nothing negative to say about it. I like the heavy glass bottle and the pump works well. It has a nice viscosity to it where it isn’t too thin to slip through my fingers when I pump it into my cupped hand, and it is thick enough to have a nice slip to it as I massaged it on my face. It emulsified (turned milky) easily and rinsed off easily too. It removed makeup well and didn’t leave a film on my skin. Overall, I really like this. It has a scent that doesn’t bother me, but it also isn’t a scent that I personally LOVE. BUT, I always think in comparative terms, and that is what made me eventually decide to pass this on to someone else to enjoy. I am not keeping it because I like my other oil based cleanser that also offers gentle enzyme exfoliation more. If you have followed me for awhile, you will know that I am referring to the Elemis Superfood glow cleansing butter [$38.25 with code VANESSA for 3 oz]. I prefer the jar format and if I had to choose between no scent or a scent that I didn’t love but also did hate, I would go with the one with no scent (which is the Elemis). Functionally, they both work the same and removed makeup/sunscreen the same.

Merit Great Skin Instant Glow Serum [$38 for 50mL; *gifted] - Maybe it’s because I don’t have dry skin, but I didn’t instantly love this bi-phase serum. It’s fine… but it certainly wasn’t love at first use. I think the price point is good, but it doesn’t seem particularly unique from other products that I would group together as being similar in terms of their overall goals (which is to offer skin hydration and antioxidant support). I plan to keep testing it for a bit to see if it grows on me.

Coco & Eve Anti-Aging Tanning Serum- [$34 for 1 oz; *gifted] - This is really easy to incorporate into my routines, which I like. But it is much more of a gradual tan that requires you to use it more than once to get a notable color. I would much rather do one application and get the color I want. So for that reason, I am sticking with the Antioxidant Face Tanning Mist that I have used for over a year and really love for when I want a good (but not crazy) amount of color by the end of the day. I just spray it on before moisturizer, use a little kabuki brush (I use the one they sell) and I do a super quick swirl over my face to make sure it is blended out, and I then apply moisturizer, sunscreen and makeup. By the end of the day, I love the color.

Neostrata Rebound Sculpting Cream [$81.60 with code VANESSA for 1.75 oz; *gifted] - I’ve never been blown away by a Neostrata product, so when they asked if I wanted to try anything, I almost passed. However, this cream caught my eye with its AHA and PHA blend, which seemed like a solid concentration for skin turnover and combating dullness and has some other ingredients for skin brightening and overall skin support. I was also intrigued by the “MicroDiPeptide229” technology, which claims to target “5 key components of skin's matrix, including collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin to provide a lifted and sculpted appearance.” Plus, it contains Aminofil, which is their patented amino acid derivative, claimed to firm, plump, and volumize skin (but FWIW, I used a serum of theirs that had this and it was nice and slightly made a difference in my skin, but I finished it and didn’t miss it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯). But this cream seemed like a great all-in-one option, which has been my jam lately because I have barely had the motivation to wash my face at night, much less do a big ole’ multi-step skincare routine. I put this, the Defenage 8-in-1 Bioserum (currently 20% off!) and some Bioderma face wipes by my bedside and on “good” nights, I used this cream followed by the Defenage 8-in-1 Bioserum the combo has been great. It is simple but effective for well-aging, brightening, skin strengthening, antioxidants, and moisture. It’s fragrance-free, pumps easily, and doesn’t pill. So it isn’t annoying to use which is great. 4 weeks isn’t enough time to comment on any notable changes to my skin, but I plan to keep using this (rotating it with my Mother Science Retinol, which I have also started to keep next to my bedside to try to encourage myself to use. I am hoping that my recent adjustment to my anxiety and depression meds will soon help me break out of the dark cloud that I can’t shake, and then I will actually start enjoying my night time routines again🤞).

Erly Daily Dew [$38 for 30 mL; *gifted] - Essentially this is a niacinamide serum with some additional antioxidants like Phloretin in it. What made me interested in trying it was that I liked how it included Mica to give it a pearly glow. (I feel like someone out there Gasped at that). Here’s the thing about serums that “cheat” a glow with an ingredient like Mica… I’m all for it. You know why? Because sometimes it is a mood booster to apply a serum and have it immediately make your skin look luminous. Is it necessary in a product? Absolutely not. But as long as it isn’t big chunks of glitter, I’m into it. This serum reminded me of the VERY expensive 111skin Rose Gold Radiance booster ($135 for 20 mL), which is also primarily a niacinamide-focused serum with added glow. Unfortunately…. something in this formula (I know it isn’t just the fact it has Niacinamide) made my skin react immediately to it. My face got really red and splotchy each time I tried using this. So I am giving this to a friend to have them give it a shot. Also, one note about this brand overall (which was new to me until they reached out to ask me if I wanted to try anything from them). I like their packaging and design, but I am not a fan of their suggestion to mix serums in with their moisturizer (which has SPF 40 and I am assuming they are thinking that people are using that as their sole SPF protection). As a gentle reminder, you should never mix anything in with your SPF in order to get its full protection (and if you ARE using a moisturizer with SPF as your sole SPF, please remember to use a large amount, [~1/4 tsp] so that you are using enough).

Makeup

Tom Ford Shade & Illuminate Highlighting Duo Palette in Moodlight [$95 —> Right now it is available for 15% off at Macy’s , or Bloomingdales so I wonder if Nordstroms will price match if you prefer to buy through there!] - During the Sephora sale, I caved and bought after being influenced by @aliandreeamakeup after seeing her use it in multiple makeup stories. This is like a glowy finishing powder, that kind of reminds me of how the Hourglass powders are used. I mainly use the bottom shade and apply it like I would a bronzer (on the perimeter of my forehead and on cheeks). It just gives the PRETTIEST glow. It’s hard to describe. I will include a video of me applying it and then I did a heavy heavy swatch on my hand to try to show the color. The one thing that makes it both a little tricky but at the same time somewhat foolproof is that it is a harder powder. I use a dense brush to pick up the powder and I often end up going back in to add more. I like that I can’t accidently apply too much, but it did take a couple uses for me to figure out which brush worked best with it. This is the brush I use because it is dense and also the shape works great.

Huda Beauty Blush Filter Soft Glow Liquid Blush in shade UBE [$23] - This purchase was entirely influenced by

My Sister Made Me Buy It

. The color of Ube seemed really different from anything else that I own, so that both intrigued me and worried me that it wouldn’t look good. But Sarah said that it is one of those colors that just kind of magically transforms on your skin and looks great. She likes to pair it with another color from Huda Beauty, but I have been wearing it alone (it is what I am wearing in the photo below).

Showing the Huda Beauty Blush in Ube

Other

Nori Press [$90 - currently on sale; *gifted] - If you are a dance mom, or you have someone in your life that is, this is a great gift idea. When Nori asked if I wanted to try anything, I had already bought (and honestly love, despite it being overpriced) their fabric depiller, so I decided to try the Nori Press… But I am super lazy and truly will just use a wrinkle releasing spray at best (or I’ll ask Quin to iron something that really needs to be ironed). So I liked the concept, but it was larger than I wanted in terms of storage (for some reason I pictured it being the size of a hair straightener… which I have also used in a pinch to “iron” things. But this is much larger than that). I mentioned that I had been send the press to my sister-in-law (a dance mom, and I say that with love) and she was SO excited and said she had always wanted one for getting wrinkles out of dance costumes at competitions. So I gave mine to her and she loves it.

Zadig! Perfume [$148; *gifted]- I would say this is a unisex scent that is both woody and fresh. Te notes are the kind of thing that I tend to go for (Base note: roasted vanilla and sandalwood. Heart note: orange blossom. Top note: black and white sesame accords) but in the packaging of a product is so large and won’t fit on my perfume tray. (The packaging reminded me of when bedazzled True Religion jeans were all the rage). I liked the scent, but didn’t LOVE it, and since I hated how large the packaging was, I gave it to my brother and he said he likes. He said he liked how it had a really nice fresh scent that is different from some of the other colognes he tends to wear.

Products from last time that I am still using or debating on whether to give it away:

• Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & GF Advanced Lifting Serum [$188 for 30 mL; *gifted]. - I decided I am going to give this away. Life is too short to use a product that makes me think of jizz when I put it on my face.

• Medik8 Liquid Peptide Advanced MP [$78.20. with code VANESSA for 30mL; *gifted] I am still using this, but my update is that I also got one for my friend because I want to hear what she thinks about it.

• Biocorneum Advanced Scar Treatment with Silishield & SPF 30 [$55] - I stopped using this on my burn this week because I couldn’t see the scar/redness any more.

• Dermalogica Phyto-Nature Firming Serum [$157 for 40mL; *gifted] I decided to give this away. It’s nice but not necessary for me.

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Thanks for reading!!

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