Monthly Favourites - January 2012

I don't know about you, but 2012 has been pretty good to me so far. If the past month is an indication of what the rest of the year is going to be like, then I have to say I'm pretty excited about what's to come!

A bit of news before I get to my favourites. If you guys follow me on Twitter, then you'll probably already know this. But for those who don't, I am now a contributor for She Said Beauty's blog. Check out my first post here and my latest post here!

I also recently started school for Makeup Artistry and am currently taking the Makeup Artistry Fundamentals course. It's been going well so far and I'm really excited to get my hands dirty, so to speak, and finally do makeup on a face that's not mine :p. I'll be writing about my progress as I go along; check out my first post about MUA classes here.

With the out of the way, let's get to the favourites, shall we?

Bourjois Paris Healthy Mix Serum Foundation in 53 Beige Clair

I've been dying to try this foundation for some time now, but I couldn't justify buying another foundation... So I threw out my other ones :p. No, really, I did throw them out. But not because I wanted another foundation (well, I kind of did), but because I've had them for a more than a year already and I felt it was time to let them go.

This has been my go-to foundation ever since I purchased it and I've been loving it. It applies & blends onto the skin very well and is a great match for my skin tone/colour. I can't say it lasts for 16 hours, though. I find that I need some blotting and a bit of a touch up after around 5 hours of wear time. Still, it's fantastic for every day wear and I love how my skin looks whenever I use it. 

To see this foundation in action, check out my Spring for Less look. 

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus

I've been wearing this MSF Natural two ways: to top off or touch up my the Healthy Mix Serum foundation and all by its lonesome. I absolutely love how this foundation make my skin look. My skin does look semi-matte for a few hours, but my natural glow comes through after some time. It feels super light on the skin, but it offers enough coverage.

MAC Mineralize Blush in Subtle Breeze & MAC Blush Ombré in Azalea Blossom

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I think I'm turning into a blush fiend. These two blushes have been the only ones I used this past month. Subtle Breeze (left) is from the Naturally collection, while Azalea Blossom (right) was repromoted in the Daphne Guinness collection; both are utterly, utterly gorgeous!

Burberry Beauty Lip Mist in Camelia No. 7

I'm a big fan of Burberry, and when I found out they were branching into cosmetics, I got really excited. On boxing day last year, I finally was able to purchase my first Burberry Beauty product. Funnily enough, my dad and my brother picked this shade. 

Lip Mist's are supposed to impart a "subtle hint of colour," but it's actually more pigmented than that. Or at least this particular shade is. It feels really comfortable on the lips, but I have to say that I don't enjoy the scent at all. I can't really describe the scent, but it's quite unpleasant. Fortunately, the smell dissipates after a few minutes. Also, it has an awful taste; which I don't think is the taste of the lipstick per sé... You know how you can taste a scent sometimes? I can't really explain it, all I know is that it's kind of gross. But obviously it hasn't stopped me from wearing this because I have been all month. The shade's too pretty and I can't help myself, yo! 

The packaging is also très luxe and will you just look at that pattern! I love! <3

Maybelline Baby Lips Lip Moisturizing Balm in Cherry Me & Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

I love how effortless these lip products are. Cherry Me is a lot thinner than Berry Smoothie, but it keeps my lips from from getting chapped and flaking up much better. Berry Smoothie definitely doesn't hydrate as well as the name Lip Butter would suggest, but this shade is just sooo pretty! I keep these two in my purse all the time and just alternated to my heart's desire.

C.O. Bigelow My Favorite Night Balm

I've been moaning about the dry skin around my lips enough that I don't think I need to talk about the situation again. I've taken to wearing this balm even during the day and it's done wonders. My lips haven't felt this good in months!

Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic & Skin Repair Moisturiser

I honestly don't understand what's going on with my skin these last few months. It's been pretty oily, so I purchased a lighter moisturizer, but it wasn't hydrating enough. Now my skin is dry again. Oh skin, please make up your mind!

I started using the Liz Earle toner and moisturizer again and it's been keeping my skin under control. My skin still gets oily after a few hours, but I'd rather have to blot than deal with dry patches. Also, the combination of these two products and the C.O. Bigelow nighttime balm has kept the skin around my lips free of dry patches. It's calmed my skin a lot and I wake up in the morning with soft, supple, and non-irritated skin. 

Bumble & bumble Tonic Lotion & Kevin Murphy Sticky Business

When I had my hair cut by the amazing Katie-Rose, she used these two products to style my hair. The Bumble & bumble Hair Tonic is meant to be "prepare hair for styling" and I find that my hair looks much smoother when I use it prior to blow drying my hair. Also, if I don't plan on washing my hair, I use this to re-wet and smooth down the hair on the left side of my head, where the hair is much shorter. Because when I wake up in the morning, that side looks like this. 

Meanwhile, Sticky Business is meant for a "deliberately disheveled look." I use it to smooth down my shortest hairs and I scrunch it into the longer hairs for more body and some wave. This stuff is amazing! All you need to do is zhuzh the paste into your hair and it creates an effortless style.

POLL TIME!


As I mentioned above, I am a contributor for She Said Beauty. I need some help or my next article and I would really appreciate it if you guys took the time to take this poll!

Do you prefer having lighter or darker skin?

Yes

No

Here's to a Fabulous February!

Call It Beauty's Best Of 2011

Another year gone by... It's amazing how quickly time actually passes by when you start thinking about what has happened throughout the year and how much you've done (or in some cases, how much you didn't do). 

I always get a rush of emotions whenever the year ends... This year, what I feel the most is gratitude. I'm so thankful for all the friendships forged through blogging (Lipstick Bandits, I'm talking bout you :p), for general health/well-being, for a job that can sustain the blog :p... We have so much to be thankful for. Sometimes we forget when we are so caught up with the every day things. But we are all honest with ourselves, it's true. We have a lot to be grateful for.

Anyway, all of that aside, let's get to what I really came here to do, which is share with you my top picks for 2011. I feel like I probably picked too many things, but I can't help loving them all! The following products are the best that I've tried and my absolute favourite items to use in the year 2011.

Here we go...

FACE

The Face Shop Power Perfection BB Cream

Tarte Smooth Operator Amazonian Clay Concealer
Revlon PhotoReady Concealer

Maybelline Dream Matte Powder

CHEEK

Cargo Cosmetics Blush in Mendocino
MAC Mineralize Blush in Feeling Flush

Lancôme Star Bronzer in Èclat Bronze

EYES

Urban Decay Naked Palette

Prestige Cosmetics Brow Perfection Revitalizing Clear Brow Gel

Clinique Brush-On Cream Liner

Eyeko Graffiti Eyeliner Pen

LIPS

Korres Lip Butter in Jasmine

MAC Sheen Supreme Lipstick in Bare Again

Maybelline Color Sensational Lipstick in Plum Jewel

Maybelline Shine Sensational Pop Stick in Fruit Punch

SKINCARE

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

L'oréal Skin Genesis Wet Cleansing Towelettes

Marcelle Essentials Soothing Cleansing Water *not pictured*
Liz Earle Instant Boost Skin Tonic *not pictured*

NAILS

Revlon - Plum Seduction

Sinful Colors - Cream Pink

Revlon - Facets of Fuchsia

OPI - Steady As She Rose

Revlon - Tangerine

BATH & BODY

Lush - The Olive Branch

Lush - It's Raining Men

The Body Shop - Mango Whip Body Lotion

HAIR

Lush R&B Hair Moisturizer

Macadamia Natural Oil Healing Oil Spray

TOOLS

Z Palettes

EcoTools Retractable Kabuki

And there you have it... My "best of the best" for 2011. 

I do hope you all have a wonderful New Year's Eve! Have fun and stay safe! And I wish you all a fabulous 2012. I can't wait to see what 2012 has in store for me and I hope that the upcoming year has nothing but the best for all of you, because you all deserve it!

HAPPY  NEW YEAR!!!
from Call It Beauty

  

Summer Skincare

I knew that my skin wasn't going to stay the same. After all, I live in a place where I get to enjoy all four seasons (sometimes all in one day :p). The thing that's irritating, though, is finally getting the handle of what to use for my skin and then having it change again so soon after.

These last few weeks have been a bit of a struggle for me, skin-wise; I've been working pretty long days and it wouldn't be a problem if I worked in an air-conditioned office. No, there's no AC where I work and I find myself having to run around so much that sweating has become my frienemy.

At the moment, I find myself getting oily after a 2-3 hours so my skincare focus this Summer has been oil control. I still prefer to keep my regimen simple, so here are the 3 products I've been using as of late:

LUSH Herbalism Cleanser

From Lush: We believe in the benefits of herbs on the skin, which is why we call this cleanser Herbalism. Massaging a preservative free, clay-based, herbal cleanser into our skins gets us quite excited. This one is specifically designed to help absorb excess oils and leave the skin looking less shiny, making it great for skin on the oily side. We put calming rose and chamomile in to soothe and ground almonds for a gentle exfoliation, helping clear up troubled spots. Once you try this, you'll believe in the power of herbs, too.

Yes, it looks monumentally weird and slightly gross (only slightly because I'm used to it :p), but I'm really enjoying it! It's a bit of work for a lazy lady such as I, having to scoop up the product, add water, then mixing it into a paste... But put up with it because I like this cleanser so much. 

It leaves my skin feeling fresh, smooth (the ground almonds lightly exfoliate my skin each time I use it) and never tight or dry. Let it be known that this cleanser smells a tad funky; the name Herbalism should clue you in. But it's definitely a scent you get used to and it doesn't linger at all. It's not offensive, just... Different. 

The wonderful thing about Lush's cleansers are the fact that you only need to spend what you want to spend. They will cut up a piece for you that corresponds to your budget. 

I think I'll definitely be bringing this cleanser with me (and perhaps Angels on Bare Skin, as well) to the Philippines. Knowing that I'll be gone for a month, I definitely need to stick to the tried and true.

LUSH Tea Tree Water Toner

From Lush: Tea tree is extremely soothing and can work wonders on troubled or oily skin. We've also added juniper berry and grapefruit waters to refresh and tone with natural oils. 

Tea tree - it's antibacterial, antifungal and particularly effective against the types of fungi we call yeasts. It controls spots with a mild antiseptic. 

Juniper berry oil has many properties, some of which are very beneficial to the skin. The antiseptic quality of the oil is very good for helping oily, spot-prone and acne skins. 

Use this throughout the day to help tackle blemishes and lift your spirits.

Probably one of my favourite Toners. It's light, it doesn't make my face feel tacky, it's alcohol-free, and it makes my skin feel nice & refreshed. It's definitely not a fussy Toner; it doesn't promise you the world on a platter and I can't say it even does absolute wonders for my skin. It's just a simple skincare product that is a pleasure to use.

Liz Earle Skin Repair Light Moisturiser

From Liz Earle: Light and gentle, this easily absorbed moisturising lotion is ideal for combination, oily or problem skin. This finely balanced blend of naturally active skin-conditioning ingredients includes borage oil (a rich source of the essential fatty acid GLA), echinacea, hops, avocado oil, panthenol (pro-vitamin B5) and natural antioxidants beta-carotene and vitamin E to replace lost moisture and help protect your skin, leaving it soft and smooth with a naturally healthy glow. 

I've tried Liz Earle's Skin Repair Moisturiser before but it was getting too heavy for me as the days got warmer and warmer. Thankfully, they have a light version of this moisturizer, which has been serving me well this Summer. It's everything the original Skin Repair is, just in a lighter formula. It still goes on smoothly, absorbs quickly and leaves my skin feeling moisturized, but not tacky.

If you guys have any recommendations for foundation, moisturizer and primer that can really stand up to hot (think 30°C / 86°F) and humid weather, please hit me up in the comments! I'll be in the Philippines for a month and I don't want to look like a hot mess.

Do you change your skincare regime for the Summer?

Monthly Favourites - May 2011

Greetings, lovelies! I hope you're all doing wonderfully on this hump day :).

Firstly, apologies for the lack of posts lately... I've been adjusting to having a full time schedule again (16  hour days sometimes) and I've been having a hard time sitting down and writing a post. But I hope you all still stick around with me!

Anyway, without further ado, here are my favourites from May 2011.

1. Neutrogena - UltraSheer Water-Light Sunscreen

Now that summer's on its way and the sun is shining brighter, I'm becoming more concerned with sun protection. I've been using UltraSheer Water-Light a lot this month and I love that it protects my skin while making my makeup apply more beautifully. 

Remember, skin cancer is no respecter of persons so make sure you're protecting your beautiful skin adequately! 

Read a full review here. 

2. Liz Earle - Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser

What an amazing cleanser! I love that it removes all my makeup and leaves no residue, thereby making my skin feel totally clean, all in one step. The muslin cloth is kinda fun to use, too! It gives me light exfoliation every time I use it, leaving my skin feeling soft and smooth. 

Read the full review here. 

3. Bath & Body Works - Wild Honeysuckle Body Spray

Such a lovely, floral scent! It's not overpowering at all, being a body spray. It reminds me a lot of flowers we used to have in the family home back in the Philippines so I get a bit nostalgic after every whiff. It doesn't last long, since it's a body spray, but at $10 (it was on sale), I'm not complaining.

4. Revlon - PhotoReady Foundation & Concealer

I've been loving this combo this past month. I like the coverage of the foundation and the concealer is the best I've tried so far. I especially love the concealer because it doesn't seep into lines, doesn't apply cakey and lasts for the whole day. 

Read the full review here. 

What are your May favourites, lovelies?

Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser: One-Step Cleansing At Its Finest!

Fact: I can be pretty lazy.

How else can I explain why I decided to try a product a second time after it gave me a bad reaction the first time? The promise of one-step cleansing always lures me in, I tell you.

Lately I've been using Boots' Original Beauty Formula Cleansing Milk to remove makeup and then cleanse again with another product. It's a good enough system, but sometimes I yearn for something simpler without having to sacrifice efficacy.

Well, I'm happy to say that I have found that in the Liz Earle Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser (say that 10 times fast :p)!

(comes with two muslin cloths)

(Various booklets & pamphlets that have more info on the Cleanse & Polish cleanser as well as other Liz Earle products. Very handy for those who are new to the brand!)

From Liz Earle: We only make one cleanser because this formulation is the ultimate in concentrated yet gentle cleansing power and works on every age and skin type.

Our plant-based cleanser has a 2-phase action, phase 1 is the cleansing. Free from mineral oil, it has a  rich and creamy texture and swiftly removes all traces of face and eye make-up, even stubborn mascara.

Phase 2 is the polishing. Polish off the cream using the pure muslin cloth to help gently dislodge dead skin cells and help reveal clean, soft and radiant skin.

Naturally active ingredients include eucalyptus and cocoa butter for smoother, clearer skin.

Suitable for all skin types.

This cleanser comes in different sizes (50mL, 100mL, 200mL) with an easy to use pump that makes it super easy to dispense the exact amount of product you want to use. Even people with lead fingers (i.e. ME) won't have much difficulty. 

The product itself is creamy and has a very pleasant minty scent. It doesn't cause any tingling sensation on any part of my face at all (unlike the Burt's Bees Soap Bark & Chamomile cleanser), so for those of you who have sensitive skin, this would be a good option for you.

I massage it well onto dry skin, then wet my muslin cloth with hot water and proceed to wipe off all traces of makeup. I've used this on my eyes as well and it doesn't cloud or irritate my eyes.

before

 after

the mess

Pretty impressive, no? I absolutely love how this product removes all my makeup but still makes my skin feel clean afterwards. The Boots cleansing milk left residue behind, which meant I definitely needed a second cleanse. But the Cleanse & Polish eliminates that need completely because there is zero residue. It also doesn't leave my skin feeling tight at all. It just feels... Normal. Which, if you've been following my blog for a while, was something that my skin was not for a long time. 

The only thing I have an issue with, which is so easily fixable, is the muslin cloths. The brand recommends washing the cloths after every 3 or so uses. It's totally doable, but like I mentioned: I can be lazy and sometimes I forget... I'm hopeless, aren't I? If this sounds like you, fear not! You can purchase muslin cloths separately at the Liz Earle online store (2 for £3.55/$6.00 or 6 for £8.65/$15.00), which I should probably definitely do.

Speaking of muslin cloths, I love these babies! My skin always feels so utterly smooth after a cleanse but it's never abrasive. Also, as I said to another blogger at one point, I expect my cleansers to not only do the job, but to entertain me as well. I find that using muslin cloths kind of ups the entertainment factor for me since I've never cleansed this way before. What can I say? I think it's fun! 

Going back to the cleanser, I've been using Cleanse & Polish for almost a month now and I have definitely seen an improvement in my skin. It's clearer, I had less hormonal breakouts, and my skin feels balanced. In fact, I find a lot of my skin products are a tad too rich for me now (just a tad) that my skin is no longer so dry. For someone who has dealt with a complete skin meltdown, having the skin finally behaving is a relief! 

Have you tried Liz Earle's Hot Cloth Cleanser before? 

Share your experiences with me! :)

*Disclaimer: This product was a PR sample sent for review consideration.