September Product Reviews: New in from Dermstore, FARMACY, Everlane and more!

I wanted to share all the new (to me) products that brands have sent me this month to try out! Most of them are beauty and skincare products – with a few fashion items thrown in. I hope you enjoy the mini product reviews and if you have any questions about these products just let me know in the comments!

September Product Reviews

*Contains gifted product and affiliate links. All opinions are my own.

Dermstore Product Reviews

I recently signed up to be an affiliate with Dermstore because they carry a curated selection of the best beauty and skincare products and they also happen to carry a lot of MY favorite beauty and skincare brands! I recently picked up some Elta MD sunscreen during one of their sales to try out for my Mineral Sunscreen Post. And this month I was able to order a few more products to try out!

Dermstore is having a SALE! Up to 30% off select items PLUS and EXTRA 10% off with my code ‘JESSICA10’ (valid until 10/6/2021)

DERMAFLASH DERMAPORE Review

The DERMAFLASH DERMAPORE is an ultrasonic pore extractor and serum infuser device. It has a stainless steel head that vibrates on two modes: one to unclog pore and one to help products absorb better. To use the device, simply glide the stainless steel head over wet skin with slight pressure. It should help to dislodge all the gunk in your pores!

I have a bad habit of picking at the clogged pores on my nose. So I liked the idea of having a device to gently get all the gunk out. I pretty much focus only on my nose because that’s where I have all my large, clogged pores. After running the device over my nose I do notice sebum and dead skin collecting on the head. I do have to apply a good amount of pressure to unclog my pores though – and honestly – it doesn’t work as well as when I squeeze the pores myself. BUT I do think it’s a more gentle and less damaging way to get the gunk out. I’m hoping that after using this several times a week my pores will be less clogged overall.

If you have large pores on your face and a bad habit of picking them I think this device might be a good idea for you. It won’t really work on smaller clogged pores. But if you have whiteheads, blackheads, or large clogged pores I think this device will help. I haven’t used it as a serum infuser because I’m not really sure how that helps. I bought the device to use as a pore extractor so the “serum infusing” side was just a bonus.

Elemis Cleansing Balm

I’ve heard so many good things about the Elemis Cleansing Balm. And since I love cleansing balms I knew I had to try it out. This is a creamy, oil-based balm that dissolves dirt and oil. To use, massage onto dry skin and wipe off with warm water and a cloth (which is included).

I really like this cleansing balm! I’ve used a several cleansing balms over the years and this just feels (and smells) really nice. It does a great job at getting off all of my makeup. Most of the balm does wash off with just warm water so I don’t feel like I really need to follow up with the cleansing cloth. I always double cleanse anyway so I use a gel cleanser after this balm to get off any residual residue. Overall, I would buy this again!

ILIA Color Haze Multi-Matte Pigment

The ILIA Color Haze is a creamy color for lips and cheeks that dries matte. I already have the Color Haze in Stutter and I LOVE it so I thought I’d pick up another shade. I love this because it’s in a tube so it’s easy to apply to your lips. And a little goes a long way when applying it to your cheeks. ILIA is also one of my favorite beauty brands because they are clean and their products are all really great. My go-to foundation is the ILIA Super Serum Skin Tint.

FARMACY Product Reviews

FARMACY has been a brand on my radar for awhile so I was excited to try out a few things this month. FARMACY is a natural and clean skincare brand and a lot of products are made with their special honey blend to provide moisture and antioxidants to the skin. As you’ll see below, my reviews are mixed – but I have more FARMACY products coming soon so I hope to have a better idea of the brand once I try those out!

Honey Potion Face Mask Review

I’ve heard a lot about the Honey Potion mask so I was excited to try it out. It’s actually not what I expected at all. It looks like a honey mask so I thought I would just massage it onto my face and that would be it. But this is actually a warming mask that starts out as a sticky honey mixture and massages into a white cream. You leave the white cream mask on for 10-15 minutes and then rinse off.

I was not expecting it to be a warming mask (but I also didn’t really read the product description so – my bad). The warmth does feel nice initially but then it started to irritate my skin. It wasn’t bad but it just felt a little uncomfortable. And when I rinsed off the product I felt like my skin was a little red. The second time I used this mask the warming effect wasn’t as strong and my face didn’t feel as irritated. So maybe my skin adjusted to it a little bit? Overall, if you have sensitive skin I wouldn’t recommend this product.

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Filling Good Hyaluronic Acid Plumping Serum Review

Filling Good is a skin plumping, wrinkle filling serum with hyaluronic acid. Hyaluronic acid is great for hydration and since my skin is on the drier side I love using products with that ingredient. I’ve used this product a couple times and I think it’s fine. I haven’t noticed any crazy results from it but I also haven’t gotten to use it a ton. The one thing I don’t like about this product is the smell. It’s a pretty strong honey/thyme smell? I’m not even sure what it is but it’s kind of weird. I don’t notice any irritation with this product so I’ll keep it in my line up. I use this serum after cleansing and before my moisturizer, morning and night. I do rotate this serum with other serums though so I don’t use it every day.

Our Place Tiny Bowls Review

As you know, I’m a big fan of the Alway Pan (you can see my review here). The brand was kind enough to send me these Tiny Bowls from their newest launch! I’ve actually been wanting to try out their dishes for awhile because they look so cute! They are made from recycled and virgin porcelain ceramic, are oven safe, and stackable. They come in multiple colors but I liked ‘Spice’ the best.

I actually use tiny bowls a lot while cooking and for serving toppings so I’m excited to use these. They are really pretty in person so they make great serving bowls as well. I am definitely going to be getting the regular size bowls and plates eventually.

Get 10% off your purchase with code ‘JTC10’

Everlane Product Reviews

The Mary Jane Shoe Review

I love texture in fall clothing and accessories so when I saw these velvet shoes I knew I had to try them out! I actually don’t own a pair of velvet shoes, despite velvet being one of my favorite fabrics. Also, the toasted almond color is gorgeous. These shoes also reminded me of the Doen velvet shoes (at a fraction of the price). If velvet isn’t your thing these shoes come in solid leather colors.

I think these shoes are super cute and I love how they look with my dresses and jeans. They are pretty comfortable (but not as comfortable as my Everlane Day Gloves). The heel area does rub a little bit. Also, the velvet does look like it scratches kind of easily. There were already a few marks on them when I took them out of the box. I haven’t gotten to wear these a ton yet but I’m looking forward to it.

The Organic Cotton Crew T-Shirt Review

A basic white t-shirt is a closet staple and I actually don’t have a basic one in my closet. So I thought it would be a good time to try out the Everlane tee. This tee is 100% organic cotton. It’s pretty lightweight and slightly see-through. It’s a straight fit through the body without being too boxy. The only thing I don’t like is that the armpits are a little tighter on me. I’m wearing the size small (which is my usual size). And I think it fits fine in the body but I would like a looser fit around the arms. So I would say, size up if you are in between sizes or if you prefer a looser fit in general.

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Wander Beauty Mist Connection Essence and Toner

Wander Beauty sent me several products to try out and the Mist Connection Essence and Toner is my favorite so far. It’s a biphase formula which combines the essence (oil-based) with toner (water-based). You have to shake it before use to combine the two and then mist over your face. It actually feels more like a lotion mist and I find I have to pat in the product after I spritz it on. But It really does leave my skin feeling very moisturized and soft. I almost don’t have to apply a moisturizer right away because it is pretty hydrating. The ultra-fine mist feels really nice and distributes the product very evenly as well.

The only thing I don’t like about this product is the smell. It smells very “old lady perfum-y” to me. Wander Beauty is a clean beauty brand though so they don’t use synthetic fragrances. So I’m not exactly sure why it smells like that. But overall, it is a really good toner/essence and I would buy this product! There is a travel size available for this product so you can try it out before committing to the whole bottle!

I hope you enjoyed these mini product reviews! I haven’t had that much time to use these products but so far these are my initial thoughts. If you have any questions just let me know!