UPDATED Skincare -- The Daily Essentials

So I've been modifying my skincare routine for a few months now and I've finally got to the point where I'm quite happy with it. As the title suggests, these products are the ones I reach for on a daily (or nearly daily) basis. Here we go!

The Eye Makeup Remover

I've been using this for some time now and am on my second bottle. At 250mL, it lasts a while and removes eye makeup wonderfully. It doesn't cloud or irritated my eyes either, which is brilliant! To see my original review, click here. 

The Cleansers

The Body Shop Nutriganics Softening Cleansing Gel Oil: This. Stuff. Is. Good. It starts off as a creamy gel cleanser, then thins out into an oil when water is added. It really does make my skin feel sooo soft! Now the Nutriganics line seems to have undergone a bit of a change as they no longer brand it as paraben free, silicone free, or made of 98% ingredients of natural origins (which is kind of a way of saying it's not that natural, but it used to be). I'm not entirely sure if a reformulation came with the rebranding -- all I know is that this is one of the best cleansers I've tried. 

B. Kamins Repleneshing Cleanser*: This cleanser is formulated for "mature skin experiencing occasional blemishes" and while the former doesn't quite apply, the latter definitely does. I can't say my blemishes have completely stopped appearing, but I've been getting fewer than I used to and they don't come out as big. Also, this cleanser contains resveratrol and AHAs, which keeps skin "looking young and feeling refreshed." What I love about this cleanser is that it makes my skin feel really clean without affecting the texture of my skin -- it doesn't dry me out or make my skin sensitive. 

The Toner

This stuff is pretty much like Liz Earle's Skin Tonic, only wayyy cheaper. It leaves my skin feeling hydrated, well moisturized, and refreshed. I think dry and sensitive skin types would do well with this toner. As a normal to combination skin type myself, using this toner during the day when I tend to get a little oily might be too much. So I use this at nighttime, which is when I like to have a little extra hydration for my skin anyway. Again, like the name suggests, this toner feels refreshing on the skin and it has a nice light scent that kind of reminds me of tea.

The Serums

The Body Shop Nutriganics Drops Of Youth: This serum has a gel-like consistency that spreads evenly over the face. It stays tacky at first, but definitely sinks in and once it does, it feels fairly light on the skin. Although I do need to apply moisturizer on the drier areas of my face, this alone is normally enough to keep my skin hydrated throughout the night. And when I wake up, my skin feels smooth and hydrated.

The Body Shop Nutriganics Smoothing Serum: Now this serum, I loooove! Compared to Drops Of Youth, this serum has a more liquid consistency and there's also no need to apply moisturizer over this at all, which I'm loving now that the nights are getting warmer. Ever since using this serum, my skin has been the softest it's ever been. I actually have a habit of patting my skin when waking up after using this serum the night before -- I just love how soft my skin feels!

 

 The Moisturizers

Origins High-Potency Night-A-Mins: A while ago, I was looking for a good night cream. My criteria for moisturizers is pretty simple -- I want it to hydrate and sink in without making the surface of my skin dry again. This night cream definitely fits the bill. This cream is designed to give you a more radiant complexion and I definitely have to agree. My complexion has looked a lot brighter ever since using this moisturizer. I also really like the smell... Like all Origins products, it has a very "natural" scent that is very subtle.

B. Kamins Day Cream SPF 15*: This moisturizer is pretty basic. It feels a little heavy at first due to the SPF (smells very much like sunscreen, too); but surprisingly, it doesn't cause my skin to get oilier during the day. I like that it already has SPF, so if I forget to apply sunscreen, I know I still have some protection.

--------------------------------------------

I'm so happy with my routine right now because my skin has seriously looked and felt the best it has in a long time. I've not been getting as many blemishes and the ones that do appear (mostly caused by hormones) have been fairly small. My skin is smoother, softer, clearer, and looks healthier than it has in years and I'm loving it!

What's your current favourite skincare product?

*Product sent by PR for review consideration.

Girl, Take That Eye Makeup Off!

For me, finding fantastic skincare products is kind of a never-ending search. I love skincare (well, beauty products, in general) and I'm always up for trying new things. But once in a while, a product comes along that makes you think: "I think I'm gonna use this forever long." (Forever long, guyz...)

A few months ago, I purchased The Body Shop's Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover during their 50% off site-wide sale and I must say, I've been pretty impressed with it.

Firstly, as the name suggests, it really is gentle. The last two products I've used were Bioderma and Simple Eye Makeup Remover. They both worked well enough, but there were definitely things I was dissatisfied with with both products. Bioderma made my eyes sting occasionally and Simple didn't remove every last trace of makeup. However, with The Body Shop's Camomile Gentle Eye Make-Up Remover, neither of those things are an issue! It removes every trace of eye makeup without stinging. Yes, even the stubborn pencil eyeliner that always seems to make a home on my lower lash line -- it removes even that!

But if that's not enough, there's also the fact that it costs $15.99 for 250 mL of product! Bioderma costs more and contains less, while Simple only contains 175 mL. The Body Shop also has many sales, so it's quite easy to stock up on this product when it goes on sale. I purchased this bottle for $7.99, which is approximately the same price that Simple retails for.

I'm seriously so happy with this eye makeup remover, I honestly don't think I'll be using anything else anytime soon.

What's your favourite eye makeup remover?

Skincare Week: Face Mask Friday + A Bonus Review

Ladies and gents ladies (are there any men who read my blog?), welcome to Face Mask Friday!

I've been doing my pampering on Friday nights for a few weeks now... I know, I'm wild like that. I normally do 2 face masks and a hair mask (The Body Shop's Rainforest Radiance Hair Butter -- this stuff is amazing!) before continuing on with the rest of my skincare regime. So I thought that doing a Face Mask Friday post would be the most appropriate thing to do today...

The skoah. aha mask was used on me when I got my facial at skoah. this past mother's day. I've tried cleansers with AHAs and BHAs (like this one from Murad), but it was a bit harsh for me, so I was really excited to purchase this mask because it felt lovely and seemed quite gentle on my skin.

I typically leave this mask on for 10-15 minutes and then I rinse off with warm water. You're allowed to have it on overnight, and it does dry a bit after a few minutes (you can pat your face and not remove any product), but I have yet to try doing that. 

Now, I'm no scientist, nor am I any sort of skincare expert. But if I'm not mistaken, AHAs (or alpha hydroxy acids) are supposed to exfoliate while simultaneously hydrating the skin. This type of exfoliant could be a better choice for people with sensitivity to physical exfoliants as there are no solid particles that can abrade the skin.

I did notice that my skin felt like I've lost a layer after using this mask -- presumably, those are the dead skin cells. It did feel a bit weird at first, but I've since gotten used to it. It's quite gentle, which is great for me since I've developed some sensitivity within the past year (what's up with that, skin?). My skin feels quite smooth afterwards and I follow up with the Caudalie mask for a more targeted treatment; I figure this second mask will work even better with no pesky dead skin cells getting in the way.

Still, it can't really replace that feeling of freshly scrubbed skin, so I still use my Olay Pro-X Facial Cleansing Brush once in a while.

I purchased this Purifying Mask from Caudalie ($40 CAD) along with the Vinosource hydrating serum because I wanted something that would help with my blemishes (those stubborn little buggers! >_<), but wouldn't dry out my skin. Caudalie does state that this mask is non-drying and I have to agree with that. 

But the best thing is that after using this product, my blemishes look much smaller and are less red. It doesn't completely remove them, unfortunately, I think I'll need something more potent than this mask for them to go away; but I do see a difference! 

Blemishes look smaller and my skin feels hydrated? I think we've got ourselves a winner! 

Bonus round...

This Embryolisse moisturizer has been lauded by makeup artists on YouTube, so of course I had to try it. I've been using it at nights because I like to use something more moisturizing at that time; but since it's summer, my go-to nighttime moisturizer - the Josie Maran Argan Oil - is much too heavy at the moment.

Lait-Crème Concentré, which I purchased for $30 CAD through Jordane Cosmetics, is not too thick and feels lovely on the skin. It has a light, but very pleasant scent; it kind of reminds me of a less intense version of the Wild Rose Moisturizer by Korres.

Embryolisse calls it a 24-Hour Miracle Cream and while I have yet to experience any skin miracles, I have to say that my skin has been feeling rather nice in the mornings whenever I use this at night. Combined with the Caudalie serum, it has made my skin softer & more supple, and my skin feels very comfortable (neither dry nor oily) when I wake up. It sinks in quite nicely as well and it doesn't make the surface of my skin feel tacky or oily at all, which is exactly how I like my moisturizers.





And thus ends Skincare Week, folks!

I hope you liked this series of posts... I know it was a lot of fun for me to crank these out. It was definitely a great way to get me to finally write about some of these products. Anyway, I hope you all have a wonderful weekend and if you've tried any of the products in this post, let me know how you like them in the comments! :)

Oh, and tell me...

What are your favourite face masks?

Skincare Week: Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum

Sometime last month, as I was sitting at my workspace, I started noticing that my cheeks felt really, really dry. I patted the skin in that area, but the surface felt really oily. I had my suspicions about what was going on, but I wanted to get other people's opinions. So, I turned to the best source of beauty news/tips/tricks/advice on the internet, TWITTER, and posed the question. The question being: "what the heck is going on with my skin, you guys?!"

A lovely Twitter follower (MakeupByNaomi) suggested that my skin was dehydrated (*dingdingding*) and suggested using a hydrating serum as opposed to a moisturizer, since my skin does tend to get oily throughout the day.

So after work, I immediately headed to my local Sephora so I could have a peek at their hydrating serums. A lovely SA took me over to the Caudalie section and recommended the Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum. It's been a few weeks now since I've started using this serum and my skin has been feeling absolutely lovely!

From Caudalie: This high potency serum captures and continually diffuses water deep within the skin to restore its moisture balance and leave it feeling soft and supple. 


Ever since I've started using this serum, my skin has no longer felt dry; at least not when I use my regular skincare products. However, there are times when I test something new that turns out to be a bit harsher than I'm used to and this serum helps to keep my skin hydrated despite the drying effects of said products. But when combined with my regular skincare regimen, my skin feels absolutely amazing -- hydrated, smooth, and with no sign of the discomfort that dryness brings to your skin.

At $48 CAD, it's certainly not the most expensive of serums on the market and one pump is more than enough for my entire face as well as my neck. I like to pat this onto my skin, as opposed to rubbing it in; something I've been doing with my serums and moisturizes as of late. It sinks in after about a minute, at which point I apply my moisturizer (Kiehl's Açai Damage-Correcting Moisturizer during the day, Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré at night, and Josie Maran Argan Oil when my skin is particularly dry). Because this serum hydrates my skin brilliantly, I find that I don't need to use as much of my moisturizer. I do still get oily throughout the day, but I don't find that I'm getting oilier because of this product. No, my skin still behaves normally with regards to oiliness, but I no longer feel any discomfort in my skin due to dehydration.

When I wake up in the morning and feel my skin, it feels well smooth, moisturized, and supple... I think we'd all like a bit of that for our skin, no? So if you find that your skin is dehydrated, I definitely recommend the Vinosource S.O.S. Thirst Quenching Serum from Caudalie. My skin's loving it and I think yours will, too!

What's your favourite serum?

Skincare Week: Kiehl's Açaí Damage-Repairing Sérum & Damage-Correcting Moisturizer

A few months ago, I decided that I wanted to add a serum to my skincare regime. I did some research, as I am wont to do; but then I stepped into Kiehl's and upon hearing my skincare concerns, the SA recommended the Açaí Serum. Of course, she used many other products on my skin, and I also walked away with the Açaí Damage-Correcting Moisturizer.

The main ingredient in Kiehl's Açaí line is, obviously, the Açaí berry, which is "known to be one of nature's most powerful antioxidants." And we all know what a bid deal antioxidants are in skincare, don't we? I can't tell you why (free radicals and some such), I just know it's a big deal. :p

So what do I think about these two products?

Firstly, let's talk about the Damage-Repairing Serum... Or "Sérum" (potato, potahto).

From Kiehl's: Our ultra concentrated, readily-absorbent formula quickly penetrates skin's surface to repair the effects of visible damage to skin's tone, texture, and elasticity due to environmental oxidation, sun exposure, and other external skin stressors. Ecocert Organic Certified. 100% Natural Origin Ingredients. Paraben and Silocone Free.

Now, maybe it's because my skin wasn't really damaged to begin with, but I didn't really see much of a difference in my skin. It has a liquidy texture, which most serums have, and it sinks into the skin fairly quickly; nothing new in the serum world, I think. I guess I expected this serum to be a bit of a miracle worker, like I heard the Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair is. Perhaps it was that unfair comparison that made this serum a slight disappointment to me.

As for the Damage-Correcting Moisturizer...

From Kiehl's: This antioxidant-enriched, non-greasy moisturizer helps skin repair the visible effects of oxidative environmental stress while minimizing the appearance of fine lines and loss of elasticity. Skin is visibly renewed, smoother, and more even-toned. Ecocert Organic Certified. 100% Natural Original Ingredients. Paraben and Silicone Free.

Now this one, I really like. My concern has always been getting enough hydration but not too much that my skin becomes oily. This moisturizer is absolutely perfect for that! It feels like I actually have moisturizer on and it sinks into my skin enough that there's not much of a residue left behind. My skin feels moisturized and not just on top of the skin, but beneath the skin as well. Love this stuff!

As I mentioned above, the Serum was a bit of a disappointment to me, but I have to give it some credit. When used with the moisturizer, I did notice a more even skintone after a week or two of use. I guess because my skin hasn't suffered a lot of damage, it really isn't going to do that much. But I still like the fact that I'm doing something preventative with my skin so that when anti-aging actually becomes a concern, I won't be too badly off.

Still, I'm not entirely sure I would repurchase the serum, though I know that I'll definitely be repurchasing the moisturizer. It's exactly what I'm looking for in a moisturizer and it's been working wonderfully for me these past months.

Are you a fan of Kiehl's skincare products?

A Mother-Daughter Date At Skoah (AKA. My First Facial)

I've passed by the skoah. location in Metrotown many times and have always been intrigued by it. I told myself numerous times that I would one day treat myself to a facial there. Well, my dears, the time has come! I wanted to surprise my mom with a facial for Mother's Day (which didn't turn out to be much of a surprise, because I had to make sure she would even want to have one), so I figured I would treat myself to one as well.

I chose to go with the Facialiscious, which is probably the most relaxing and most indulgent facial skoah. has to offer. For my mom, I chose the Power Hour, since it seemed to be the choice she would most likely go for (she didn't want to have lots of massage done). Here's what skoah. has to say about these two facials:

Facialiscious - Faint of heart, beware; this workout is pure pleasure. The best part... It's all about you. This facial is personalized by your skincare trainer. Dry skin, oily skin, redness, puffy eyes, acne? We can handle it. So can you. This skoah. classic includes deep cleansing, exfoliating, delicate extractions, detoxifying, stimulating masques, and our trademark soothing massage.

Power Hour - In under an hour, you'll enjoy muscle melting massage while powerful masks get your skin in shape. This full facial also includes extra attention to your peepers and pout - great for smoothing our your signs of wisdom.

skoah. locations are set up like stores; they have a front desk and products displayed throughout the front of the store. Unlike a traditional spa, which would have a sitting area for guests as they wait for their appointment. 

My mom and I went to the South Granville location because there are lots of cute little boutiques in that area for us to check out after our facial... As soon as I walked in, I was greeted by my skincare trainer, Kim. Before I get to the actual facial, I have to talk about the staff at skoah. Kim and Stefanie (my mom's skincare trainer) were both absolutely lovely and really took care of my mom and I. In fact, more than the facial itself, my mom found that the best thing about the entire experience was how Stefanie treated her. The thought of having a complete stranger touching you can be slightly awkward, but both Kim and Stefanie had very gentle hands. My mom and I both felt absolutely comfortable and relaxed with them.

The room was dimly lit and had soothing music playing softly. The bed was also very comfortable and heated, so I stayed warm even though I was only in my underwear.

There were three different massages incorporated into the facial, which were done while certain products were left to do their work on the skin: a foot/leg massage, a neck/shoulders/arms/hands massage, and a scalp massage. I'm not really one to get massages done, but this was absolutely divine! I definitely have to start getting more of them! For the massage, Kim used the Sweet Love Kream, which smelled like cinnamon and vanilla. Now, if you know me, you know I love the scent of vanilla, so I was in absolute heaven during those massages.






























Each product Kim used smelled so lovely; they never smelled harsh or overly synthetic, and none of them gave me a reaction. A cleanser, toner, exfoliating mask, serum, eye cream, two masks (one to calm down my skin after the exfoliation and another to hydrate the skin), lip balm, and two moisturizers were used for me. Kim based her choices on the concerns I enumerated to her at the beginning of our session and I was very pleased with the end result.

My skin looked more even, felt really hydrated (though not greasy at all), felt really soft and smooth, and just looked so much better overall. Because the products are not harsh in the least, I walked out of skoah. with absolutely no redness or irritation on my skin. I also felt incredibly relaxed and ready to spend the rest of the day hanging out with my mom (which is so stressful!).

I was also given a complimentary body wash and I decided to purchase the aha mask Kim used on me during the facial. She recommended using an aha mask instead of a physical exfoliant because I have some sensitivity on my cheeks (which I completely forgot to tell her about, but she could tell after using the exfoliating mask on me).

Something else that impressed me about skoah.'s products is that they're a combination of plant based and active ingredients (99% of their face and body products have an 11-plant blend) and are made in small batches that are made locally in Vancouver to make sure that they're very fresh.

I really cannot rave enough about my experience at skoah. (I've actually convinced Winnie to go for a facial herself)! Everything about the session was absolutely lovely; from the staff to the products, from the massages to the end result. And skoah. has many types of facials available. If you're looking for something quick or something indulgent, they've got a facial for you. They have locations all over the lower mainland, some in North Vancouver, some in Calgary, and one in Boston. So if you're in any of those areas, be sure to step in for a facial. You won't regret it!

Have you ever treated yourself to a facial?

Monthly Favourites - March 2012

Dear March,

I'm glad to see you go. You have kicked me in the behind too many times and showed me who's boss. Well, guess what? You're done now, so I get to be the boss again! *insert evil laughter here*

I don't know what it was about March, but my blogging mojo pretty much disappeared throughout this month. But now it's the brand new month of April; so fingers crossed, I will be getting back into the swing of things!

As always, I give you my favourite products from this past month...

Yes To Cucumbers Natural Glow Facial Towelettes

I've been wanting to try products from the Yes To line, and I finally had the chance when I ran out of makeup remover wipes.

What I love about these wipes is that they remove makeup effectively, they have a light, fresh scent, the cloths are super soft, and each wipe also has the largest surface area of any makeup remover wipes I've ever tried. I also love that these wipes aren't very wet; that means they don't leave any residue behind, which is always lovely. 

Now if that wasn't awesome enough, they are also: 98.7% natural, biodegradable, FSC certified, dermatologically & opthalmologically tested, oil-free, non-comodogenic, and hypoallergenic. All for the price of $7.99 CAD. 

I am SOLD!

MAC Mineralize Skinfinish Natural in Medium Plus & Medium Dark

Just how I was able to walk out of Nordstrom with a Medium Dark MSFN, I cannot tell you.

That said, it has proven to be quite useful for me. I either use it to contour or to layer on top of a foundation that is too light for me. Meanwhile, Medium Plus is my regular go-to shade. I also layer Medium Plus on top of a sheerer foundation to give myself just a bit more coverage. In both cases, these MSFN's perform absolutely beautifully.

I love these babies! They provide great coverage and feel über light on the skin. They're perfect for if you want very natural coverage and for touching up throughout the day (Medium Plus was a lifesaver last Summer), so go ahead and get yourself another to keep in your purse!

MAC Mineralize Blush in Subtle Breeze

My current favourite blush <3.

I love that this shade looks good with a lot of different lipsticks. Because it's so utterly wearable, I can wear a coral lipstick with this blush and still not look like a clown. It blends to smoothly and evenly over my skin; it never looks patchy! The texture is so soft, too... 

Read my original review here.

MAC Eyeshadow in Quarry

My go-to eye makeup look has looked like thus: a champagne shade all over the lid, Quarry along the crease for some definition, and black eyeliner. I've loved using this eyeshadow for contouring (even on my cheeks) for more than a year now, but I've been giving it some serious usage this month. The shade is perfect for when I'm planning on using cooler tones on my cheeks and lips. 

Rimmel Lasting Finish Lipstick in Shade 01 & Lancôme Rouge in Love Lipstick in Rose Boudoir

My current favourite lipsticks.

Rose Boudoir is an amazing shade. It's bright, it's fun, and it looks even more amazing on. The formula of the Rouge in Love lipsticks are absolutely lovely - so lightweight, I forget that I'm wearing lipstick! If you would like to know more about Rouge in love lipsticks, click here to read my original, in-depth review.

The Rimmel lipstick is also wonderful. It glides on smoothly and is very pigmented. I love that this lipstick fades into a nice stain-like, shade after a while. And even if you're eating, it doesn't wear off in a patchy way. To read my original review of these lipsticks, click here.

Sephora Collection I.T. Stippling Brush

Probably my favourite buy from the last month or so. If you guys are familiar with Sephora's I.T. brushes, you will know that they are not cheap. BUT, they were phasing this style of brush out, so I was able to buy it for $11 CAD ($30 original). What's even more awesome is that I've been wanting to a buy a brush just like this one for ages. Huzzah and all that jazz!

I love using this brush with very pigmented foundations. It blends the product beautifully and sheers out the coverage of the foundation. It's not the softest brush, but it doesn't hurt, either. 

Also, it's hot pink! Oh, and I love that the brush handle is rather thin and that it tapers at the end. It gives the brush a great look and makes it easier to hold if you have smallish hands like me.

In other news...


Check out what my nails look like right now:

Aren't they fun? I love them so much! Winnie, one of my closest and dearest and bestest friends, did them on Monday! I would love it if you checked out here blog >> CLICK HERE <<. She does lots of amazing nail art, so if you're interested in that sort of thing, then her blog is for you! :)

I showed you mine, now show me yours!

What are your March Favourites?

Dear Marcelle BB Cream, You Should Let Me Love You...

Let me be the one to, give you everything you want and need... Oh man, throwback to my teenage years!

Anyhoo, on to the task at hand... Let's talk about BB Creams, shall we? I must say, I really like the idea of it. Skincare benefits and coverage? Sign me up, yo!

When I went to the Philippines a few months ago, I purchased four BB Creams, but only one really made the cut. Thankfully, it was the one I bought a full size bottle of :p. Then when I came back, the beauty world's collective hearts were aflutter because North American brands have jumped on the BB Cream bandwagon and were releasing their own. To date, I believe Garnier, Vichy, Esteé Lauder, Clinique, Smashbox, Too Faced, and Boscia all have come out with their own BB Creams.

Which leaves a beauty blogger to beg the question: "which shall I choose?"

Now this is one of the reasons I love beauty blogging so much. You end up getting to know, and even making friends with other bloggers; and when your friends say they loved Marcelle's BB Cream, you better believe I'll be picking up a tube for myself :p.

A blurb from Marcelle:

The 8 in 1 multi-benefits BB Cream that does it all for you, instantly!


Your ultimate skin care enhancer for all ages and skin types, this multi-purpose skin care cream is more than a tinted moisturizer or simple make-up base. It perfects the skin to reveal a more even epidermis and well-hydrated, flawless complexion, all in one. Use it alone as a tinted moisturizer, over your moisturizer to unify your complexion and reduce the appearance of blemishes, or apply as a make-up base under foundation for total coverage and improved stay-on power. BB Cream is offered in two shades and is suitable for a wide variety of complexions thanks to its self-adjusting pigments that transform and adapt to skin tone.


Hypo-allergenic and perfume free. Suitable for all ages and skin types. 

I purchased the shade Light-Medium, and it's a pretty good match for my skin. The first thing I noticed was that it gives pretty good coverage. The main reason I'm not fond of tinted moisturizers is because there isn't enough coverage for someone like me who doesn't have evenly pigmented skin. Obviously, a BB Cream isn't going to make my skin look perfect, but it does make my skin look much better!

Here's my (rather frightening) face, pre-concealing. As you can see, there's still areas around my mouth, along my chin and definitely under my eyes that need a lot of help, but the rest of my skin looks luminous and healthy. 

If you have combination or oily skin, note that you will need to blot and possibly re-touch throughout your day. I also tried layering this underneath a foundation (MAC Pro Longwear), which Marcelle suggests, and I did find that it made my foundation look a little bit better. However, because it's not that suitable for oilier skin, I found that I had to blot after a mere 4 hours. That said, I was standing onstage under hot lights, so that was probably the culprit.

So if you're on the market for something that will give your skin a boost and make it look naturally lovely without necessarily adding a lot of coverage, then pick this baby up! I find that Marcelle's BB Cream works just as well as the best BB Cream I've tried from the Asian market, so I'm very happy that this product is a mere 2 blocks away whenever I need to get a new tube. 

I love that it makes my skin look pretty darn good without looking like I'm wearing any foundation. It looks so natural on that it really does seem like you have amazing skin. And for someone who doesn't have amazing skin, $23 is a small price to pay for a tube of Marcelle BB Cream!

Last thing...

I don't know who this model is, but Maybelline has been using her photo for their Tumblr posts during NYFW. 

All I can say is: BROOOWS! Aren't they gorgeous? Not sure I could pull that off, but I've been feeling a strong urge to let my my eyebrows grow a little bit thicker...

Happy weekend, lovelies!

Let me know if you've tried this BB Cream & how you're liking it so far. =)

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!