yay or nay: after sun beach spray

B E A C H M I S T
botanical after sun spray by The Lyfestyle Co.

what it is: an after sun body mist
what it claims: adds moisture to skin
who it’s for: anyone needing a refresh after the sun

Beach Mist combines aloe with herbals like mint and lavender to help hydrate the skin. At $42 for 4oz., I had very high hopes for this product. I love using after sun products, especially when beach days turn into seaside nights. They’re also really refreshing to use whenever you come inside in the warmer months (i.e., help, it’s already 90 degrees in NYC and it’s only June).

I first tested the product on my warm, flushed skin after a quick afternoon trip out to run some errands. While I admit, it was kind of refreshing, it absorbed instantly and didn’t have the cooling effect of aloe at all. I decided to pop it in the fridge and try it again the next day. After reading in the park for an hour, my shoulders were hot and I was so ready to get inside. As soon as I got in, I spritzed the chilled off Beach Mist on my shoulders and décolletage. This time it was more refreshing but again, instantly absorbed with no lingering effects of moisture, cooling, or fragrance. I checked out their website and it suggests applying to clean skin (my skin is always salty when I’m leaving the beach, but hey!). After getting some sun, I took a shower then tried the spray again and found it had very little cooling effects (aside from being cold in the fridge) and did not moisturize my skin at all.

It’s always disappointing when a product doesn’t perform to expectations, so I checked out the ingredient list, after all- no one would create a product for $42 that did nothing, right? What I found is that this product is mainly water with the next ingredient listed being glycerin. Glycerin sounds yucky, but it’s actually a moisturizer that’s found in a lot of skincare. Glycerin is usually paired with something called an occlusive-basically like the top coat in a manicure, occlusives seal in the important stuff (moisture)! This product did not have an occlusive listed in its ingredients. After glycerin, this product is packed with more dead sea salt than it is with aloe or any natural oils.

After the beach, I like for my skin to feel quenched and this didn’t pack as much of a punch as I’d like. But I do love how refreshing it feels throughout the day. The formula is so light and non-irritating, that I use it to spray on my face and neck as a refresher. It is an indulgent pick me up during a hot day!

thinking of trying faux freckles?

When an ad for PsuedoLabs showed up on my facebook feed, I thought “wtf, who would want faux freckles?!” and scrolled right by it. The next time I opened my Facebook app, sure enough there was another advertisement for PsuedoLabs’ hero product, PHreckles- a makeup made to mimic natural looking freckles. Unsure as to why/how I could be targeted for such a strange product, I decided to check it out. About an hour later, I had clicked through every photo on their instagram and placed my order. 

Their website had only three options available: shades 1, 2, and 3, along with a helpful shade finder. Being that I normally opt for medium shades of foundation, I knew shade 2 would be my best bet, as shade 1 would likely be too subtle and shade 3 could be too jarring. Afterall, I wanted it to look subtle and enhance my look rather than be my look.

After what felt like forever (~1 week during the pandemic), my PHreckles arrived. PHreckles is a vegan waterproof makeup that claims to melt into the skin, resulting in a believable look. I opened the white leather sleeve it came packaged in and saw what looked like a small brown tube of lip gloss accompanied by a white, plastic toothpick. When I opened the “lipgloss” it had a mascara-like wand to apply the freckles. I had no idea what to expect as I splattered the product all over my mirror/hands/counters/face.

Using the toothpick to flick the bristles of the brown makeup brush towards my face for a natural look definitely took more than a little bit of practice before I felt confident with the application. Pro tip: test it out on bare skin until you’re comfortable with the method, it’s easier to remove if you add too much. After several days of use, I still cannot believe how natural these look and love how they really add a sun kissed glow without exposing your skin to harmful UV rays.

The website boasts that the product stays on the skin for 6-8 hours and is clinically proven to be water resistant up to 80 minutes. I didn’t jump in the ocean with this, but I did walk across the Brooklyn bridge in a fabric mask on a 90 degree day while wearing my PHreckles and they didn’t smudge with my sweat at all! However, if you are applying this on top of a foundation, I would only trust this to be as long lasting as the foundation it is applied on top of. I like using a bit of blush and bronzer on my bare skin and then layering PHreckles on top, but I’ve also used it directly on top of my foundation. 

One 4.3ml bottle aims to last 4-6 months at $38. The amount of product for the price is great, but I do not think I will be able to finish this product in 6 months. If you’re not sure if this product is for you, check out their instagram (@psuedolabs) and swoon over their gorgeous posts before clicking onto their website to find your perfect shade.