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?

Sun Care With Neutrogena!

I have a confession to make: Up until approximately 5 years ago, I pretty much never wore sunscreen. I was, by no means, a sun worshipper. But I used to be quite active and used to stay outdoors a lot. As I think about it now, I'm so thankful that I'm not suffering from any sort of skin disease.

As I'm getting older, skincare has become more important to me. I'm glad to say I'm not yet dealing with wrinkles or any other pre-mature aging symptoms (I almost typed "skyntoms." Aren't I clever :p), but prevention is definitely something that is occasionally on my mind. I was religiously using Clinique's City Block for some time but I kind of fell off the bandwagon a year or two ago.

Now, I'm trying to get back into being consistent with my sun care and these Neutrogena products are certainly helping me in that area.

Neutrogena Ageless Essentials Moisturizer with SPF 25

I've been using the Josie Maran Argan Oil as a moisturizer for a few months now and while I still love it, it doesn't give me the sun protection I need for the day time. Since I've been really trying to stretch my funds nowadays, I wanted to get a drugstore product. This moisturizer costs $17.99 CAD for a 50mL tube so, bonus points for being fairly inexpensive.

It contains Neutrogena's patented "Helioplex" technology; which, according to their website, "helps stabilize sunscreen filters for broad-spectrum UVA/UVB protection from the sun's harmful rays." It also contains Glycerin, which "helps skin build and hold on to moisture longer by treating dry skin deep within skin's surface."

This Ageless Essentials moisturizer does exactly what I want it to: give me sun protection while keeping my semi dry skin hydrated. A little bit of this product goes a long way and I find a small dollop to be enough for my face (extra dollops are for the neck, of course). It also gets bonus points for not making my skin break out!

I love how this product sinks into my skin. I typically don't like moisturizers that sink in too quickly because my skin feels dry right away and I end up piling more on. Not so with the Ageless Essentials moisturizer! It sinks in just enough to make my skin non-greasy but still feel hydrated.

Neutrogena UltraSheer Water-Light Daily Face Sunscreen

I've reviewed this product before, but I thought I'd revisit it for this post. Like the Ageless Essentials moisturizer, this the UltraSheer Water-Light sunscreen contains Helioplex for a "combined UVA/UVB protection." It is also waterproof, sweatproof, non-comedogenic, oil-free, and PABA-free. 

This is a fantastic product! I love how lightweight it feels on the skin and like the Ageless Essentials moisturizer, it sinks in so wonderfully and leaves a natural finish. 

Neutrogena states that it works well under makeup and I have to agree with this. At times when I have applied makeup on top of this product, I found my makeup to apply more evenly and gave a great finish without making my skin look too dewy like the Clinique City Block sunscreen did.

Dear 16-year-old Me

Sun protection is so important and yet so easy to take for granted. I wanted to share this video with any of you who have yet to see it in hopes that it will open your eyes to the realities of sun damage. 

I hope you lovelies will join me in taking better care of our skin. Whip out those self tanners and sunscreens! Our future selves will thank us later :).

What's your favourite sun care product?

Monthly Favourites - August 2010

SEPTEMBER ALREADY?! 

The year is going by so fast! I feel so unproductive! Alas, that won't change until I get a job. This month's favourites will be on the smaller side because, as I said, I am jobless and therefore broke. Nevertheless, here are my faves from the month of August.

1. Sigma E25 Brush

My favourite brush of the moment. It's great for applying eyeshadow all over the lid and it's fantastic for blending. On top of that, it's super soft and has not shed in the few months I've had it. The E25 is one of the few brushes I have that I want to have a duplicate of.

2. Rimmel Lasting Finish Pro - Steel Grey

A perfect way to transition from summer to fall; this colour is not only gorgeous, it's also multifaceted. In some angles, you get a straight up grey. In some, you see a bit of greige. In yet another, you see a hint of purple. Well, this is what I see, at least. Also, the formula's quite nice. It applies fairly evenly and dries quickly. A plus if, like me, you're too impatient to wait for your nails to dry.

3. MAC Mineralize Blush - Dainty

I recently realized I don't have a true pink blush. I'm late to the whole mineralize game but I'm so glad I picked this up. It's the perfect pink for me (not too blue) and applies very nicely. I've taken to applying this with a Sigma F50 which gives it a more airbrushed look. 

4. MAC Eyeshadow - Naked Lunch

Such a gorgeous eyeshadow! This is probably what I reach for the most when it comes to everyday looks. I would normally apply Naked Lunch all over my lid and define the crease with whatever tickles my fancy. It looks like a plain beige on the pan but it has a pink/peach undertone to it which is quite evident when applied to the lid. It also has a nice shimmer.

5. Neutrogena UltraSheer Water-Light Daily Face Sunscreen

Don't let the term "Water-Light" fool you. This is actually not that liquidy when applied to the skin so you don't need a lot. The best part about this sunscreen is that it makes your makeup apply even better. Getting sun protection and priming your skin? It sounds too good to be true, but I assure you, it works! My foundation always looks much better when I've applied this after a moisturizer.

6. Lush Shower Gel - Rub Rub Rub

I love this shower gel! It has a gorgeous floral scent that is quite invigorating. It also has exfoliating properties (sea salt) so my skin always feels smooth afterwards. It's not very moisturizing, but I don't have very dry skin so it's not a problem for me. This is such an awesome product to use in the mornings, it always puts me in a good mood.

7. Garnier Fructis Curls & Shine Mousse

This curls my hair so amazingly! Granted, I do have naturally wavy/curly hair, but no other product makes my curls look as nice. It smells lovely, as all Garnier Fructis products to, and gives my hair fantastic volume. Love this!

What are your August faves?

Neutrogena UltraSheer Water-Light Daily Face Sunscreen - Review

As much as I like to think about fall and cooler weather, summer is still upon us. Which means sun protection is still foremost in my mind. Admittedly, I tend to slack a bit with applying sunscreen during the winter months (kind of hard to think about sun protection when you barely see the sun), but I am making an effort to change that. 

I was previously using Clinique's Super City Block, which was fine when my skin wasn't so sensitive, but now it just feels like too much. So I was looking for something that felt lighter on the skin. Enter, Neutrogena's new UltraSheer Water-Light Sunscreen.

The biggest draw for me when I first read about this product online was that it was a nice, weightless formula. My skin is dry so I need moisturizer and I'm not leaving home without base on, add to that primer & sunscreen and that's 4 layers of slap! Four! I was so not having it.

But when I saw the actual product and read that it "works beautifully under make-up," I got really excited. Does this mean I can skip primer? Well, in a word: YES. 

This sunscreen goes on so smoothly and if you've got oily skin, I think you might not even need moisturizer under this (or at least just a teeny tiny bit). It applies fairly matte (unlike Clinique's Super City Block) and leaves skin feeling so smooth.

But the best part is: not only are you getting sun protection, but you're also priming your skin for makeup. My foundation applies just as well as I do when using L'oréal's Magic Base; my foundation is more even and I get better coverage when using this product than when I use moisturizer and foundation alone. 

I am so glad I heard about this product! It does double duty as a sunscreen and primer; plus with a price of $14.99, you really can't go wrong with it. I'm still using my L'oréal Magic Base, but only when I'm re-doing my makeup for nighttime or for performances. That being said, both products are definitely recommended!

What's your favourite sun care product?

Regret Purchases - Vol. I

During The Meltdown, I tried plenty of skincare products. So it's only natural that not all products would work well for my skin. These two stood out in particular.

Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes - Night Calming

So follow me down my path of logic. Me = dry, sensitive skin. Neutrogena Makeup Remover Cleansing Towelettes = gently dissolve all traces of makeup, night calming. Um, a match made in heaven? Yes, I think so.

So why did it make my skin burn? Neutrogena, you lied to me. Although, I think the "calming" may have more to do with the scent of the product. And I must say, it does smell rather nice. Maybe it's the perfume that made my skin react?

On a packaging note, the flap that opens to the product doesn't completely stick back down so there's a possibility of the towelettes drying out. Speaking of, these products are much wetter than I thought they would be; it feels very slippery on the skin. Not oily per sé, just slippery.

It does take makeup off well enough, but it's not worth the burning sensation. I mean, I used to clean my arm after doing swatches and it made my arm itch and as far as I can tell or remember, the skin on my body was never sensitive.

Origins Plantidote Mega-Mushroom Face Cream

This one really kills me. Why?

a) Because I heard such great things about this product: Helps quiet and calm skin? Skin with stronger, healthier, more youthful appearance? I.WANT.
b) Because this product cost me a whopping $85 CAD for 50mL.

I wanted all the things it promised me; and if it was going to cost me $85 to get it? Well then, I was just gonna have to suck it up and bear it. Is it so wrong to expect an $85 moisturizer to actually moisturize instead of just sitting on top of my skin, leaving it oily? Is it too much to expect for it to do what it says it's supposed to? I don't think so.

Yes, I could've returned it. But I kept giving it time thinking that if I just kept using it for one more week, it'll start working. Well, it didn't. So now I'm stuck with it. I'll occasionally reach for it to see if I'll change my mind, but so far I haven't.

Do you have any recent regret purchases?

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