So. Much. Stuff. In the beginning of the month I thought I wasn't going to finish anything. Surprised myself quite a bit.
Let's jump right in...
CoLab Dry Shampoo Active - probably my favourite spray dry shampoo. Invisible, smells fresh and not overpowering. I go through a can very quickly, that's probably the only negative.
Toni&Guy Intense Softness Shampoo for normal hair - I should have known better. This was a random purchase. I just grabbed this in a supermarket without thinking, and really, I should have. Contains SLS and something else that has made my hair dry and coarse. My scalp became irritated. Yikes. Never again.
Korres Japanese Rose Shower Gel - if you like rose smell, you will love this. Beautiful fragrance. Otherwise, nothing special.
TRESemme Extra Hold Hairspray - I had this small can for years and finally finished it. It's good. I've been curling my hair more often so it was useful.
Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defense - favourite, will be repurchased. Makes my hair soft, doesn't weigh it down, smells nice, protects from the heat.
January Labs Balancing Moisture Lotion - it was lovely during the heatwave and if I felt like I needed something a bit more nourishing, I would just add a couple of drops of oil (Zelens Power D, I love thee). Husband liked this too.
Ren Flash Hydra-Boost Emulsion - this has lasted me for a really long time! I think I got bored of it for a while, forgot about it and then rediscovered it. Lovely when used in the morning as it hydrates and plumps up the skin but also feels light. This would feel lovely on mature skin.
Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel - still got 3 packs left. This is a nice treat. The skin feels smoother and brighter straight away.
Alpha H Absolute Eye Complex - I like the ingredients in this a lot (niacinamide, sodium hialuronate, matryxil 6) and it works at hydrating but I don't really like the texture, it's a tad sticky (possibly because of the niacinamide). A little goes a long way.
Clinique Pep-Start Exfoliating Cleanser - I got a sample of this with purchase. I assumed it was an acid or enzyme cleanser and was disappointed to find that it had bits in it. I still have no idea whats in it because ingredients are not listed on my sample and I can't find them on clinique website. It says that it's gentle enough to use twice a day. Uhm, no. It's got bits in and it lathers. Worked a treat on my legs though.
And finally, makeup that got old: Nars creamy concealer (good), Bourjois blush (it's alright) and MUA cream bronzer (too orange, too dark, can't remember where I got this from, I certainly did not purchase this?).
Let's jump right in...
CoLab Dry Shampoo Active - probably my favourite spray dry shampoo. Invisible, smells fresh and not overpowering. I go through a can very quickly, that's probably the only negative.
Toni&Guy Intense Softness Shampoo for normal hair - I should have known better. This was a random purchase. I just grabbed this in a supermarket without thinking, and really, I should have. Contains SLS and something else that has made my hair dry and coarse. My scalp became irritated. Yikes. Never again.
Korres Japanese Rose Shower Gel - if you like rose smell, you will love this. Beautiful fragrance. Otherwise, nothing special.
TRESemme Extra Hold Hairspray - I had this small can for years and finally finished it. It's good. I've been curling my hair more often so it was useful.
Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defense - favourite, will be repurchased. Makes my hair soft, doesn't weigh it down, smells nice, protects from the heat.
January Labs Balancing Moisture Lotion - it was lovely during the heatwave and if I felt like I needed something a bit more nourishing, I would just add a couple of drops of oil (Zelens Power D, I love thee). Husband liked this too.
Ren Flash Hydra-Boost Emulsion - this has lasted me for a really long time! I think I got bored of it for a while, forgot about it and then rediscovered it. Lovely when used in the morning as it hydrates and plumps up the skin but also feels light. This would feel lovely on mature skin.
Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel - still got 3 packs left. This is a nice treat. The skin feels smoother and brighter straight away.
Alpha H Absolute Eye Complex - I like the ingredients in this a lot (niacinamide, sodium hialuronate, matryxil 6) and it works at hydrating but I don't really like the texture, it's a tad sticky (possibly because of the niacinamide). A little goes a long way.
Clinique Pep-Start Exfoliating Cleanser - I got a sample of this with purchase. I assumed it was an acid or enzyme cleanser and was disappointed to find that it had bits in it. I still have no idea whats in it because ingredients are not listed on my sample and I can't find them on clinique website. It says that it's gentle enough to use twice a day. Uhm, no. It's got bits in and it lathers. Worked a treat on my legs though.
And finally, makeup that got old: Nars creamy concealer (good), Bourjois blush (it's alright) and MUA cream bronzer (too orange, too dark, can't remember where I got this from, I certainly did not purchase this?).
Post a Comment
I've had this feeling for a while that it might be time for me to purchase a new eye shadow palette.
It probably has to do with the fact that the beauty market has been exploding with various palettes this year.
I've been oohing and aahing but could not make up my mind for the longest time.
When it comes to make-up and especially eye shadows, I am quite minimalistic, I don't feel the need to use eye shadows everyday. For the past two years the only eyeshadows I have used was Charlotte Tilbury's eye shadow quad in Sophisticate. It had a nice brightening your-skin-but-better shade, a slightly darker beige one for the crease, warmer dark brown for smoky eye and a matte grey brown which was the perfect colour for my eyebrows!
Nearly two years later, I have used up the lightest colour and I still haven't reached the pan on all the other ones. Now that I'm writing this, I'm wondering why have I even decided that I need a new palette... I could have just purchased a singular pale cream colour and been done with it... Oh, but the heart wants what it wants. *shrugs*
I have decided to go for a high end brand rather than high street. I am sure that high street offers some amazing quality eye shadows but call me what you want, I enjoy a pretty design and packaging.
I've looked at most of the brands...
Charlotte Tibury: The Dolce Vita and The Golden Goddess looked nice and so did the face palettes, but I felt like it was time for a larger palette. And non Charlotte Tilbury for once.
Same goes to Chanel/ Dior/ Tom Ford. That said, I was lusting big time after Tom Ford's Honeymoon and Nude Dip palettes... But £64 for four colours. Yowza!
Violet Voss/ Morphe Brushes: The palettes are too big. I don't need that many colours.
Anastasia Beverly Hills: Modern Renaissance. This is probably great since everyone and their mother has one, but I wasn't attracted to the colours, especially the hot pink and red one.
Zoeva: Some great colour combinations and great value for money. Not surprisingly however the packaging is cheap and since I'm intending to use my palette for a couple of years, I doubt it would last or stay looking presentable for a long time.
Urban Decay: the heat palette seems a tad too warm for my liking and I'm kind of over the Naked palettes.
MAC: I heard the palettes are not of the best quality... They might have suited me OK since I am not a professional, but the packaging didn't look great either.
Stilla/Smashbox and Tarte came close to being picked but then I stumbled across the new-ish Nars Loaded Palette in Strike it Rich and I knew I've found THE ONE. It has both mattes and shimmers, plenty of light colours, warm browns, interesting gold, reddish bronze... For me, it seems to have it all and more. Quite an upgrade from the quad of mattes I've been using even though I still think CT quad in The Sophisticate is a great basic.
Nars palette is not cheap, it's £55 but it offers 12 colours and a nice sturdy packaging with huge mirror. I took my time to check all the retailers and decided to purchase from Space NK because they had free shipping, best samples and let me use two voucher codes to add two additional luxury sized samples (Lancer and Vita Liberata), score!
It probably has to do with the fact that the beauty market has been exploding with various palettes this year.
I've been oohing and aahing but could not make up my mind for the longest time.
When it comes to make-up and especially eye shadows, I am quite minimalistic, I don't feel the need to use eye shadows everyday. For the past two years the only eyeshadows I have used was Charlotte Tilbury's eye shadow quad in Sophisticate. It had a nice brightening your-skin-but-better shade, a slightly darker beige one for the crease, warmer dark brown for smoky eye and a matte grey brown which was the perfect colour for my eyebrows!
Nearly two years later, I have used up the lightest colour and I still haven't reached the pan on all the other ones. Now that I'm writing this, I'm wondering why have I even decided that I need a new palette... I could have just purchased a singular pale cream colour and been done with it... Oh, but the heart wants what it wants. *shrugs*
I have decided to go for a high end brand rather than high street. I am sure that high street offers some amazing quality eye shadows but call me what you want, I enjoy a pretty design and packaging.
I've looked at most of the brands...
Charlotte Tibury: The Dolce Vita and The Golden Goddess looked nice and so did the face palettes, but I felt like it was time for a larger palette. And non Charlotte Tilbury for once.
Same goes to Chanel/ Dior/ Tom Ford. That said, I was lusting big time after Tom Ford's Honeymoon and Nude Dip palettes... But £64 for four colours. Yowza!
Violet Voss/ Morphe Brushes: The palettes are too big. I don't need that many colours.
Anastasia Beverly Hills: Modern Renaissance. This is probably great since everyone and their mother has one, but I wasn't attracted to the colours, especially the hot pink and red one.
Zoeva: Some great colour combinations and great value for money. Not surprisingly however the packaging is cheap and since I'm intending to use my palette for a couple of years, I doubt it would last or stay looking presentable for a long time.
Urban Decay: the heat palette seems a tad too warm for my liking and I'm kind of over the Naked palettes.
MAC: I heard the palettes are not of the best quality... They might have suited me OK since I am not a professional, but the packaging didn't look great either.
Stilla/Smashbox and Tarte came close to being picked but then I stumbled across the new-ish Nars Loaded Palette in Strike it Rich and I knew I've found THE ONE. It has both mattes and shimmers, plenty of light colours, warm browns, interesting gold, reddish bronze... For me, it seems to have it all and more. Quite an upgrade from the quad of mattes I've been using even though I still think CT quad in The Sophisticate is a great basic.
Nars palette is not cheap, it's £55 but it offers 12 colours and a nice sturdy packaging with huge mirror. I took my time to check all the retailers and decided to purchase from Space NK because they had free shipping, best samples and let me use two voucher codes to add two additional luxury sized samples (Lancer and Vita Liberata), score!
I've had this palette for a few days now and I'm really happy with it. There's so many looks to try!
What's your favourite palette?
I think when most people hear the word retinol or retinoid, they either don't know what that is or they immediately think "major extreme harsh anti-ageing skin treatment". It's true with the prescription creams. However, there seems to be trend happening at the moment where major skincare brands are looking into making the vitamin A products as mild and non-irritating as possible while still delivering the results.
Human psychology is a funny thing though. I had a friend saying that she didn't like the Ordinary because she felt that it didn't do anything. I kind of felt the same thing about The Ordinary's The Buffet serum because there was no immediate effect. So how do we know that it works? With harsh retinoid products we see peeling and irritation and then the skin seems really great which is exciting and obviously we see the reaction which means it's working. With gentle retinoids there is no reaction, the skin looks alright all the time.
That's how I felt when I started using The Ordinary retinoid serum. I would use it every other night, avoiding using acids at the same time and would apply calming face oil afterwards. And it was alright, the serum was of pleasant milky consistency and my skin felt comfortable and slightly glowy right after the application. No irritation, redness or peeling at all.
I decided to use this serum every night for a week just to see if I notice any difference. And actually, I did. My skin is dryish-dehydrated but also prone to congestion, so I tend to use acids a lot to help with it. In the week of my retinoid use, I avoided using acids which usually help me with congestion. Still, I would always wake up with a smooth skin and by the end of the week I that my skin texture changed slightly and got smoother. I had zero spots the whole week. This is not atypical but I do get a spot from time to time.
Anti-ageing properties? Probably there are some. Try it for yourself with no fear and see. It's only £8.00. No cream will help deep wrinkles but continuous use may help to prevent some. Make sure to wear sunscreen!
All in all, I enjoyed using The Ordinary's Advanced 2% Retinoid and will continue using it. Seeing as this is the first retinoid product I have used, I will be interested to try some others and compare. But I will be sticking to the gentle ones.
Quite a lot of beauty empties this month and a little bit of everything.
BODY
The Body Shop Body Butter in Jolly Orange - like all of the Body Shop butters it has a nice texture, sinks in quickly, is nourishing and moisturising. Took me AGES to finish it and in that time I went through a love/hate relationship with the smell. It's citrusy and spicy but in a rather artificial way. I will repurchase but not in this smell. It was limited edition anyway.
Chanel Coco Mademoiselle Eau de Parfum - my signature scent. Will definitely repurchase, probably the 100ml because I just have to have it in my collection. I don't care how uncool it is to love something that everyone likes. Everyone likes it for a reason.
HAIR
Co Lab Dry Shampoo in Fresh - good basic dry shampoo. I prefer the smell of Active.
Josh Wood Radiant Shine Hair Treatment Oil - I liked using this as a pre-shampoo treatment. Gorgeous smell. Amazing.
FACE. SKINCARE
Pixi + Caroline Hirons Double Cleanse - nice as always. Full review here.
Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel - this is one of the stronger acids I have tried. Proper tingling action. Visible results after one application, the skin felt much smoother but I broke out a bit too. I'm going to stick to gentler acids during summer, I think. Smells lovely.
Indie Lee CoQ 10 Toner - I miss it. Definitely worth repurchasing if one can afford it. I can't at the moment. I did some damage in the clothing sales. Full review here.
Clinique Moisture Surge Hydrating Supercharged Concentrate sample - Nice. Hydrating. Not sticky. Wouldn't mind a full size.
UltraSun Face SPF30 - oh it's alright. I don't miss it. Comparison with other sunscreens here.
FACE. MAKEUP
Charlotte Tilbury Full Fat Lashes - I grew to really like this but it's not repurchase worthy. Do get the sample size if you're ordering from CT website!
No favourites this month. I will probably do summer favourites in a month or so.
Next post if all goes well should be all about The Ordinary advanced 2% retinoid! This week I will be using it EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. Wish me luck. I will report back.
 |
| Image from indielee.com |
In fact, using this over an acid is perfect, because most acids do irritate and leave the skin reddish and tingling and this toner not only soothes and calms but also hydrates and works against ageing. It's kind of a simpler version of Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel (review of that one coming soon).
Indie Lee CoQ 10 is full of goodness: CoQ10 (antioxidant which protects the skin from environmental damage and helps with collagen and elastin production), aloe vera, chamomile and cucumber sooth, calm and stabilise skin's ph levels and hyaluronic acid hydrates and plumps the skin. And it smells sooo good!
Negatives? I don't like using a cotton pad with it, I feel like a lot of the product gets wasted. In fact, when we were having a heatwave here in the UK I started just pouring some of the toner into my palm and patting it on my face like you would with an essence. Imagine this toner with a really fine spray? *daydreams*
Will I repurchase? Yes. Eventually. Next, I want to try Darphan Intral Toner and compare it to Indie Lee. I also have Indie Lee's Brightening and Rosehip cleansers on my (ever expanding) wish list...
Am I the only one who can wear nude-y lipsticks only when I have a bit of tan on? It may have a lot to do with my colouring. I am light skinned, but not the fairest of them all. And I tan really easily.
Anyways, with the summer truly here I've found myself reaching for these two lippies most days. They're creamy, moisturising and pigmented.
'Bitch Perfect' (God, this has GOT to be the best lippie name ever!) is described as peach-toned nude creamy lipstick and 'Penelope Pink' is nude lipstick with pink undertones, according to charlottetilbury.com.
Let's take a look at the swatch:
Anyways, with the summer truly here I've found myself reaching for these two lippies most days. They're creamy, moisturising and pigmented.
'Bitch Perfect' (God, this has GOT to be the best lippie name ever!) is described as peach-toned nude creamy lipstick and 'Penelope Pink' is nude lipstick with pink undertones, according to charlottetilbury.com.
Let's take a look at the swatch:
Can you guess which one is which?
Actually, the left one is Bitch Perfect and the right one is Penelope Pink. I see no peachiness in Bitch Perfect and no pink undertones in Penelope Pink... Is it just me? I wondered whether the little labels on my mini lipstick got mixed up, but I don't think so because I checked at the CT counter and the colours were the same.
What's up with that CT?
In any case, I love them both. If you're in any doubt which lipstick to choose, go to the counter and check them out because the look really depends on your natural lip colour. If you can't get to the counter you could get the mini lipstick charms (set of 3) online for just £29.00.
Ultrasun SPF30 Face Anti-Ageing Sun Protection for Very Sensitive Skin (18.99 for 50ml)
Description: Advanced all-in-one skin care and sun protection. A product that is raved about by make up artists the world over. Providing sun protection and moisturisation in one mattifying product. So versatile that you can use it as a primer base to your make up. Airless pump dispenser to prevent product deterioration and contamination. Incorporating the very latest skin care research and advances, Face 30 delivers very high, all day protection (UVA 98% Australian Standard and UVB SPF 30) with just one application. It is free from oils, emulsifiers and perfume reducing the risk of allergy and making it especially suitable for sensitive skins. Like all Ultrasun products, it is non-greasy, water-resistant and easy to use. (superdrug.com)
My description: A white cream that smells strongly of alcohol when applied but the smell doesn't linger. The alcohol is second in the ingredients list. I was worried about the alcohol level in this, but it this didn't seem to have any negative effect on my skin. It sinks in quickly into the skin (probably due to the alcohol), doesn't leave a white cast. While it doesn't feel greasy on application, my skin quickly becomes shiny when I use this. I very doubt it is moisturising enough to use as a moisturiser and it does nothing as a primer, even though it claims to be "A beautiful product that is a sun screen, moisturiser and primer rolled into one". Sure you can use it under make-up, but how is it a primer? All day protection? I very much doubt it.
Pixi Sun Mist SPF30 (£18 for 80ml)
Description: An innovative way to wear sunscreen, {Pixi}’s Sun Mist is the ultimate finishing touch to your morning-time beauty routine. A sheer, featherweight spritz, this can be sprayed under or over make up (it won't disturb your handiwork) to provide sustained, broad-spectrum protection from the damaging effects of UV rays.
My description: While I love some of Pixi products, this is not one of them. First of all, the spray is not fine enough, I ended up with some droplets on my clothes. When spraying, keep this away from anything leather! Second, this made my skin SO shiny. I like dewy. I'm not a matte skin fan. But this made me look AND feel so greasy. It is better under the makeup, but then, why would I use a spray spf under make-up? The whole point is to easily top up your SPF during the day with a spritz. This doesn't work. It's great for my body, leaves a nice sheen.
Clinique Sheer City Block SPF25 and Clinique Super City Block SPF40.
These two are my favourites so far. They're both slightly tinted, not enough to cover the blemishes, but enough to even out and colour correct the skin tone. This plus a concealer is enough coverage for me, especially during summer. I find that if I use the Clinique Super City Block SPF40 without a moisturiser underneath, the tint turns darker and orange on my skin, but it is perfect with a light moisturiser like January Labs' Moisture Balancing Lotion. It also doesn't get greasy. It is oil free and although it feels rather rich upon application, it sinks in fast leaving the skin looking dewy, definitely not matte.
These two are my favourites so far. They're both slightly tinted, not enough to cover the blemishes, but enough to even out and colour correct the skin tone. This plus a concealer is enough coverage for me, especially during summer. I find that if I use the Clinique Super City Block SPF40 without a moisturiser underneath, the tint turns darker and orange on my skin, but it is perfect with a light moisturiser like January Labs' Moisture Balancing Lotion. It also doesn't get greasy. It is oil free and although it feels rather rich upon application, it sinks in fast leaving the skin looking dewy, definitely not matte.
Alpha H Protection Plus Daily SPF50+
This is also tinted, but much darker than the Clinique ones and I am not even sure if I ever will get so tan for this to suit my skintone. Feels really hydrating but my skin gets shiny very quickly with this. Too dark and greasy? Not an attractive look. This may look great on someone with olive skintone and REALLY dry and parched skin that never gets shiny or sweaty in hot weather?
This is also tinted, but much darker than the Clinique ones and I am not even sure if I ever will get so tan for this to suit my skintone. Feels really hydrating but my skin gets shiny very quickly with this. Too dark and greasy? Not an attractive look. This may look great on someone with olive skintone and REALLY dry and parched skin that never gets shiny or sweaty in hot weather?
 |
| Alpha H vs Clinique |
It's that time of the month again!
L'Oreal Elvive Extraordinary Oil Low Shampoo - good, I have mentioned this in favourites a while ago. While it is really gentle, it struggled to wash dry shampoo out of my hair. I ended up with a build up near my scalp... I purchased the white and red version of this for coloured hair but I will be using a clearing shampoo once a week or so. The L'Oreal shampoo also gets used up rather quickly. It's a whopping 400ml but you need 10 to 15 pumps per wash!
Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm - old favourite and holy grail. I will repurchase it when there's a discount somewhere. Am I the only one who wishes they still had the 3x 50ml pots for sale? And what's with the music on their official website? It's 2017 for Christ's sake...
Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse - this took me ages to finish. Didn't want to use it on my face or my hair. It was fine on my body after shower. The smell lingered for quite a while. I wish it smelled less perfumey.
Real Techniques Expert Face Brush - I repurchased this already. You can't see it in the picture but part of the bristles are about to fall out. My fault, I didn't look after it properly and it still lasted for 4 years or so. This is still my favourite to apply foundation. I will try beauty blender sometime. I swear.
Pixi Glow Mud Cleanser - also a favourite. Gentle, clearing cleanser with a bit of clay and glycolic action. Non foaming. Perfect as a second cleanse in the evening when you want something with a bit more oomph than your typical cream cleanser.
The Ordinary NMF + HA - basic good moisturizer. I will repurchase this later in the year.
The Ordinary Buffet - I grew to like this, especially for warmer weather. Nice and gentle, slightly hydrating. I still don't know if it's doing anything anti-ageing but I would use it again.
Overall, I am very happy with this box. I knew I wanted to get it because I was particularly interested in Zelens Power D oil and Tata Harper Regenerating eye cream and I would have probably bought them at some point this year. Just these two items cost £195. The box also includes Indie Lee toner, Dr Dennis Gross peel pads (both brands I have heard of a lot and haven't tried). And Pixi + CH double cleanse, of course, which is a favourite of mine.
The only product that I had my doubts about was the January Labs lotion, purely because they call it a lotion. I, as an owner of a dry-ish and dehydrated skin, don't typically go for lotions. However, I LOVE the consistency and feel of January Labs Moisture Balancing Lotion. It is light, yet really hydrating and will be perfect for warmer summer days.
Another product I know I will love until the end is Tata Harper Regenerating Eye Cream. It's not only a texture that I like (creamy but not too heavy. sinks in fast and moisturises well) or the smell (reminds me of Dr Hauschka eye cream) but also the effect on my skin. I don't know how to describe it, but it just looks and feels better. Instantly. The pump is a bit annoying because it deposits way too much product, I only need like a third of a pump because a little goes a long way (thank God, because this is one pricey eye cream!).
Zelens Power D is a lightweight oil which sinks in fast and leaves the skin comfortable and nourished. Indie Lee CoQ10 Toner also has some calming and soothing properties. Can't say much about anti-ageing but my skin liked it. And it smells good!
The only thing I haven't tried is the Dr Dennis Gross acid pads because I currently have three different forms of acids on rotation (liquid, serum and mask. and not all at the same time!) and I need to finish some of them up.
I wish the box had included some kind of fancy SPF but that's just me being super picky. All in all, money well spent. I am probably sorted for most things skincare until autumn. Except SPF.
How is it the 8th of May already and it's STILL dark and cold outside. So NOT impressed with this spring. Apologies for a grainy picture yet again, I blame the weather, clearly.
I haven't bought anything much this month and that's because I forked out the big bucks for a 100ml of Frederic Malle Portrait of a Lady. It is a gorgeous rose scent, quite dark and intoxicating and the staying power is superb. Try it if you get a chance!
Next, it is The Ordinary again with two overnight treatments: Advanced Retinoid 2% (full review is coming soon) and Lactic Acid 5% + HA 2%. Both are super gentle but effective.
Pixi by Petra Multi Balm in Wild Rose is so easy to use and has been my blusher of choice for months. I just apply it straight from the stick and blend it out with a brush.
Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defense spray is an old favourite. Offers heat protection, doesn't weigh my hair down and smells GOOD.
And finally, style favourites: my 22k yellow gold earrings I bought in India and my monochrome leopard blouse from Primark. A true high and low mix here.
Anyone else excited about CH + Cult Beauty box? Fingers crossed I will manage to snap it up!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)