Friday, May 10, 2013
4:23 PM
Heather
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
5:47 PM
Heather
Spring Nail Trends by theriseandfall featuring a nail lacquer
Spring is here people and that means its time to break out the color! Time to switch out the vampy purples an blues from last season for bright pastel colors.
These are some of my favorites right now, shopping list under the read more.
Clockwise: Butter London in Molly Coddled, Butter London in Jasper, OPI in Can't find my Czechbook, and Deborah Lippmann in Groove is in the heart
Spring is here people and that means its time to break out the color! Time to switch out the vampy purples an blues from last season for bright pastel colors.
These are some of my favorites right now, shopping list under the read more.
Clockwise: Butter London in Molly Coddled, Butter London in Jasper, OPI in Can't find my Czechbook, and Deborah Lippmann in Groove is in the heart
Sunday, April 28, 2013
2:47 PM
Heather
BB ("beauty balms") creams are the newest craze in the beauty world. They're multitasking, hydrating tinted moisturizers. At first there were only a few out on the market but now virtually every brand has their own version. Some brands (mainly drugstore) will only repackage their tinted moisturizer and sell it as a BB cream, so keep an eye out for formulation. I've compiled a collection of some of the best, from all different price ranges, that are good for all different skin types.
Thursday, January 24, 2013
4:00 PM
Heather
There have been loads of new products popping up in the drugstore so I decided to pick a few up. The first that I really wanted to try was the Revlon Nearly Naked line, which I will do a full review on later. It claims to look like you have no makeup on and melts into skin. The first thing that needs to be noted is that they don't have very many shades. The only light cool color was way too light for my skin. They need a shade or two darker cool tones. So I got the liquid foundation and the powder, I don't usually use powder but I thought I'd try it out.
The L'oreal true match super blendable crayon concealer is another new face product that claims to blend seamlessly into skin. I found that it's good for undereye use, though it does crease so blend well and use powder. Other than that it's just a basic concealer, there's nothing exciting about it.
Now the product everyone is freaking out about, the L'oreal colour riche caresse wet shine stain (long name) ,which is supposed to be a dupe for ysl glossy stain. I got this in the shade pink resistance (183) which is a nude pink color. This shade is the exact color of my lips so maybe that was a bad color decision, but I will do a full review on these.
Next is a hair product, the L'oreal advanced color vibrancy dual protect spray. It claims to be a heat protectant, nutrient spray and color protector in one. Now I have only really used it for one purpose so far and that's the nutrient spray. I feel like this wouldn't heat protect very well, but it does soften the hair and smells nice. As far as color protection goes, I'm not sure yet, but I am closer to my natural color so I might not be able to notice at all.
Last is not a new product, but it is my first NYX product so I included it. I got the jumbo eye pencil in iced mocha (617) and I love it already. It's great to use on the outer corners and smudge to give a little smokey look to a natural makeup day and it's perfect for lining the lashes. It stays on forever and blends easily, so this will be a new everyday staple.
Tuesday, January 15, 2013
6:51 PM
Heather
Todays post will be my hair care routine including cleansing/conditioning, treatments, and styling products. I'll start with shampoos. The one I use every time I wash my hair is Redken All Soft, which is my favorite shampoo because the ends of my hair are dry since I have naturally blonde hair and have to dye it a lot. This leaves my hair super soft and shiny and never weighs it down. Along with that right now I also use the Dove nourishing oil care shampoo because I'm trying to use it up. It is actually a really good drugstore dupe for the Redken shampoo.
The conditioners I use once a week are the L'oreal excellence cream conditioners that comes with that brand of hair dye. I just save up all the little ones from boxed dyes because they work really well on dry ends or as a kind of moisturizing mask. Every time I wash my hair I use the Herbal essences honey I'm strong conditioner which is just a great hydrating conditioner that smells really good. While I have the conditioner in my hair I layer on the Garnier Sleek & Shine argan oil treatment and let those sit for 5 minutes. I just recently started doing this, and my hair has never looked better.
Last is the Redken all soft heavy cream, which I use once a week. You put it on after you've washed your hair and it is still damp, leave it on for 5 minutes (or longer if you want) and then rinse off. It leaves your hair super soft and kind of seals split ends.
Styling/Treatment products
Garnier sleek & shine anti humidity hairspray-This is one of the best hairsprays I have used because it doesn't leave your hair crunchy, works very well on rainy or humid days, and doesn't smell bad. I rely on this when it rains and I don't even have to worry that my hair will get frizzy.
John Frieda luxurious volume dry shampoo (volume refresher)-This actually has been used more than my Suave dry shampoo mentioned below, but they are both great for different reasons. This one is the kind that leaves a grey tint though. I spray this on my roots, leave it on for about 5 minutes, depending on how oily my hair is, and then ruffle my hair with my fingers and then brush it out.
Suave dry shampoo-This was one of the first I tried because I hated the Tresemme one (it smelled so bad it made me cough). This is good for quick touch ups, as it doesn't leave a grey tint and absorbs quickly. It does smell kind of strong, but it's not necessarily a bad smell, unless you are sensitive to smell.
Tresemme 24 hour body mousse-The only mousse I have ever liked. I usually find that mousse makes my hair crunchy, or just never really does what its supposed to. This one makes your hair super big (this is the kind of stuff you can get huge Texas hair with) and doesn't make hair crunchy.
Redken smooth lock heat glide (heat protectant)-I just recently picked this up when my hair dresser used it on me. I usually don't like heat protectant sprays, I guess because I've never found a good one. I like this idea more than a spray because it adds shine to your hair and softens it all while protecting it.
John Frieda straight answer straightening spray-I have naturally wavy hair, so I have to use a spray like this when I blow dry my hair. You just spray it throughout your hair, comb it through, and blow dry. My hair actually stays straight for two days when I blow dry with this stuff. It also stands up to humidity and rain well. Even if you have straight hair, this is still a great product just to make your hair smooth when you blow dry.
Garnier triple nutrition nutrient spray-This is actually the first hair product that I have used the whole bottle of, that's how much I love it. I used the it's a 10 spray before but it was super expensive ($16 for a tiny bottle that ran out fast). So I tried the drugstore counterpart, and it's even better! I use this when my hair is damp and I just spray it on the ends and ruffle my fingers through to distribute it; or I use it on the ends of my hair when I put it up in a bun at bedtime, so I wake up with nice smooth waves.
Well that was a huge post, but those are my favorite hair products. Let me know what your's are in the comment section :)
Saturday, January 12, 2013
9:25 PM
Heather
Today I'm going to post about my favorite lip products. These are all products that I use on an everyday makeup looks, so no bold lipsticks or anything like that, just basic colors and glosses.
The first is the Benefit ultra shines lip gloss in life on the a list, a nude pinky color. Benefit says "drench your lips in brilliant shine and a burst of juicy color that's never sticky," which I whole heatedly agree with. This gloss is never sticky and stays on for quite a while, while giving a good dose of color, especially for a nude shade.
Next is a new favorite which is the NP Set (target) lip balm in baja, a pinky red color. This basically a tinted lip balm in a tin instead of tube. It has a great texture and buildable coverage, so you can do a little tint of red, or a full on red lip. This is also great to put over/under other red lipsticks to give them staying power. It has no shimmer and lasts for a couple hours.
Revlon color stay mineralize lip glazes in perennial pink (538) and timeless nude (512), are great long lasting glazes. They go on smooth, aren't drying and last forever. They lasted through a whole night from about 5pm to 1am, when I asked a friend if my lipstick was still on she said it still looked perfect, and it did! They have a bit of a shimmer to them, but its not noticeable except to give more shine. Perennial pink is a great natural but still a little bold pink and Timeless nude is a perfect natural lip color nude.
Two Nivea products are my favorites which are the Kiss of Shine lip gloss and Kiss of mint & minerals lip balm. The Kiss of shine lip gloss is a perfect everyday or "no makeup" look. It isn't sticky, lasts for a while and adds just a little bit of nude color and gloss. I have used it in place of lip balms if I forget them and it works just as good if not better at moisturizing. The Kiss of mint & minerals lip balm is verily new and I have already used up 4 of them in the last couple of months, that's how great they are. I have one in my purse, one in my makeup drawer and others scattered around and I always use them. Definitely a great basic lip balm and I will continue to buy it.
Last but not least is Revlon super lustrous lipstick in just enough buff (613). A perfect "your lips but better" lipstick. These lipsticks have great staying power, coverage and are super moisturizing. As you can see in the swatch below it is a basic nude with no shimmer. It matches almost every natural lip color or within a shade, but even if its not the right tone nude for you, it's still a great lipstick in general.
Swatches from left to right:
Benefit lip gloss in life on the a list, NP set lip balm in baja, Revlon colorstay mineral lipglazes in timeless nude and perennial pink, Nivea kiss of shine lip gloss, and Revlon super lustrous lipstick in just enough buff
Monday, January 7, 2013
1:28 PM
Heather
My skin tends to go a bit crazy in the winter, so I decided to try out some new products. I'd been meaning to get the Clarins stuff for a while and just never got around to it and the others were just on a whim purchases.
First off with the Mario Badescu hydrating moisturizer, I got a sample of this when I bought the glycolic acid toner and loved it, so I bought full size. This is a good morning moisturizer because it's not very heavy but still hydrates your skin.
The next moisturizer is the Avene hydrance optimale riche creme moisturizer, which I got as a night cream because my skin had been very dry. I was worried this might be a little too heavy, but it's perfect. It's not a very big bottle for the price ($28) but you don't need a lot and it works so well, so I think it's worth it.
The Clarins Pure Melt cleansing gel, this is a raved about product and I figured I'd try it since I've only been using the Philosophy purity wash and wanted to try something new. I'm really excited to try this and hope it's as great as it seems.
Next up is the Clarins lotus face treatment oil. I'd been meaning to buy a face oil for a while now and decided on this one because I heard it helps calm your skin and helps with breakouts, which I tend to get in the winter.
Now on to the little samples I got! With my Mario Badescu order I got the Carnation Eye makeup remover oil, which is a great product. I used it the first night I got it and I don't think i'll be going back to my old Almay remover. This got everything off, even waterproof mascara, in two seconds. It's not greasy and doesn't leave a film, and is very moisturizing. I got some other little samples but haven't had a chance to test them out yet.
With my Clarins order I got the Bright Plus intensive brightening smoothing serum, multi active day early wrinkle correction cream, and UV plus day screen high protection. I haven't tried these out but when I do I'll post a review.
Thursday, December 27, 2012
11:13 AM
Heather
As continuation of a previous post about everyday makeup, here is my top eye products that I reach for everyday.
First up is the Urban Decay Naked Palette, obviously this has a huge following and for good reason! It has every neutral shade you could need, matte and shimmer. I mix Virgin and Sin as a base color and add either Toasted or Smog to my lash line/crease, I'll do a tutorial on this later.
Another eyeshadow palette is the Maybelline eye studio eye palette in copper chic (70) which has similar colors to the naked palette but they have more red tones in them. They are very shimmery but it's not an intense shimmer, just a pretty one. The first color is a great highlight under the brows or in the corner of the eyes, or you can mix it with one of the others to make a great base.
The mascaras I have been reaching for are the Lancome Definicils, which is a sample but I fell in love with it and am planning on getting full size. It gives great dramatic coverage and curls lashes very well, doesn't smudge and stays all day.
Maybelline falsies, which was in my drugstore favorites, is a great dramatic drugstore mascara. I would say it is very similar to the Lancome one, but is a little bit more clumpy so you have to work with it.
Almay get up and grow waterproof is a great natural mascara. It holds curl, gives natural coverage that lasts all day and doesn't clump.
The eyeshadow primer I swear by is the Urban Decay eyeshadow primer potion. It makes eyeshadow look so much better and keeps it on all day so it is a must in my routine.
The eyeliner that I have recently fallen in love with is the Pixi endless silky eye pen. I finally caved and got this while I was at Target and I regret not buying it sooner. It goes on so smooth and is easily blendable. I don't really like harsh liner or graphic liners so I tend to put a little on and smudge it into my lash line. This liner is a bit heavily pigmented so use a light hand and smudge it in and it will look great!
Monday, December 24, 2012
6:15 PM
Heather
Here's going to be a little rant post about expired makeup. So we all know makeup will have little symbols that say something like 6M. 12M, 26M, etc telling you when that product is good until. Now cosmetic companies are required now to let you know how long a product is good for after you open it but they make it difficult. Most people don't really pay attention to when they should throw out makeup, either they lose track or think that it really doesn't matter. Hint: It does matter! Things like liquid foundation or concealer don't last as long as powder formulations and also carry more germs because you may be using your fingers to put them on. Mascara and eye products should be thrown out if you ever get an eye infection (pink eye or something else), also most eye products are only good for 6-12 months, especially mascara, which dries out very quickly. There are little batch codes on the bottom or side of most products which are the equivalent of an expiration date because they tell you when the product was manufactured. You could go into a store and buy an expired product that looks new but has been sitting around for forever. The website checkcosmetic.net is a great place to check if your makeup is expired. I've been trying to clean out my stash because I have had a lot of stuff for a while. I checked on this website and lo and behold the stuff I was planning on throwing out because the formulation had changed or it just wasn't applying the same, were expired! Expired makeup can make you break out or even cause infections, so get on it girls and check your makeup!
Here's the link again: www.checkcosmetic.net
5:27 PM
Heather
I haven't been able to post in a while thanks to being extremely busy during the holidays. Our house is getting remodeled and I've been trying to keep up with wrapping presents and cards and all that stuff, but I finally got some free time!
These are the products I use basically everyday, not including eye makeup and the sort.
First off is Garnier skin renew bb cream, I mentioned this in my last post and said it was a least favorite of mine but since then I have changed my mind a bit and have realized that it works better as a base/primer which makes it possible to use less foundation. I'm trying to use it up but it is growing on me.
Next is foundation if I feel I need more coverage, Neutrogena healthy skin liquid foundation is a holy grail one for me, it isn't heavy but provides enough coverage so skin looks flawless, and it also lasts all day!
Maybelline super stay 24 hour concealer was mentioned in my last post as a dupe for MAC pro longwear and it does its job.
If I'm looking a little pale I'll use MAC powder blush in harmony as a bronzer all over my face. It's light enough so you can dust it all over and you won't look to dark, or you can use it on your cheeks and it looks like blush. It brightens your face significantly so it's great for "no makeup" days.
The blush I use almost everyday, that I'm about to hit pan on is Josie Maran blush in passion. It is a super natural buildable blush that lasts all day and is highly pigmented.
Last but not least is MAC pressed blot powder to use on areas where foundation or concealer might wear off easier. The shades for these powders really don't match the names because I got matched to medium dark and I was like "oh wow that sounds really dark" but its the second lightest one they have. So I recommend you buy these in the store because the shades are deceiving! This powder isn't cakey or heavy and doesn't dry your skin out, which most powders do on me.
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
6:42 PM
Heather
These were so raved about when they came out that I bought almost every color, but these are my top three.
The Revlon lip butters are more like a lipstick than a lip balm as they are marketed as. They have great pigmentation, a wide range of colors, and never feel dry or cake off. Some people complain that they don't last very long, but on me they last a long while and it's even tough to get them off with makeup remover. I don't really lick my lips a lot and I always use a straw when I drink, so that could be why.
The Revlon lip butters are more like a lipstick than a lip balm as they are marketed as. They have great pigmentation, a wide range of colors, and never feel dry or cake off. Some people complain that they don't last very long, but on me they last a long while and it's even tough to get them off with makeup remover. I don't really lick my lips a lot and I always use a straw when I drink, so that could be why.
From left to right: Sweet tart, tutti frutti, candy apple
I tried the new L'oreal caress lip butters after I tried these and the Revlon ones just top every other tinted balm I have used. Sweet tart looks like a hot pink in the tube, but when you put it on it is a little bit darker than normal lip color and just adds a perfect pop of color. Tutti frutti is good for warmer months when skin is darker, I also find that it looked better on me when I had blonde hair versus my light brown hair now. Candy apple is a cherry red that would look gorgeous on any skin tone/hair color. All in all these are great lip butters and everyone should own some, especially if you don't usually go for lipstick because it's either drying or doesn't last.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
2:20 PM
Heather
Monday, December 17, 2012
2:24 PM
Heather
1. Favorite brand?
-Maybelline and Revlon are at the top of my list. They make very good quality products for the drugstore price and I've only ever not liked a couple of their products. I think all of Revlon products are great, especially their foundations and the new color range. Maybelline makes a great selection of mascaras and eyeliners and their eyeshadows are extremely pigmented and high quality for the price.
2. Favorite face, cheek and lip products?
-Face products: Loreal true match lumi foundation has a great shade selection of cool and warm tones, has perfect medium coverage and makes your skin look more luminous just like it says.
Neutrogena healthy skin foundation is a new buy for me and it is already a holy grail foundation for me. It goes on smooth and blends perfectly while covering imperfections and not feeling or looking heavy.
-Cheek: Physicians formula happy booster blush is a sheer pinky blush that is good for "no makeup" days or any natural look. It comes in two shades, a darker pink and the light one which I have. Revlon photo ready creme blush in flushed is a long lasting creme blush. It is very pigmented so a light hand is needed but it stays on all day and can either look natural or dramatic depending on how much you put on. This is the only creme blush I've actually liked so that says a lot.
-Lip: Revlon colorburst lip butters were new over the summer and I went out and picked up a couple colors to try out and end up going back to get every color. They are a little less pigmented than lipstick but have more staying power and moisturizing benefits than even high end lipsticks. My favorite colors are candy apple and sweet tart, a cherry red and a candy pink.
Revlon super lustrous lipstick are possibly the best lipsticks i've used. They are pigmented and stay on longer than most lipsticks. They also have a color range that reminds me of higher end lipsticks. I'll do a full review on these with swatches. Nivea mint & minerals lip balm is a perfect little winter lip balm. It doesn't dry out your lips even more like chapstick does and I have noticed that I need to use less lip balm after finishing a tube of this balm because it moisturizes your lips so much.
3. Least favorite products?
-Garnier skin renew miracle skin perfector bb cream was something i picked up during the drugstore bb cream craze. This really just didn't give any coverage and even the lightest color was too dark for both my mom and I's skin (I'm not all that fair). It felt like a really heavy moisturizer mixed with foundation. It's nice for if you don't need a lot of coverage or you just want to even a little bit but it's just not as great as some other bb creams.
Covergirl nature luxe waterproof mascara is a product I thought I liked at first until I started using it on a daily basis and realized the scent made my eyes water. I'm not sensitive to scents so that was a shock but I do love the mascara for the light coverage it has, I just can't deal with the scent. It's a very natural coverage, similar to Maybelline great lash but more noticeable.
4. Underloved product?
-Almay intese i-color liquid eyeliner I picked up on whim when I ran out of my other liner but I have stuck to this one religiously now. It is long lasting, the brush is small enough to be easy to maneuver and it is easy to blend and not too wet.
5. Overpriced product?
-The new Loreal visible lift foundation is around $16 at all of the stores I have been too and even with a coupon that's too much for a drugstore foundation. I've been trying to find the cheapest price so I can try it out but I just don't want to shell out $16 for a foundation I might not like. I've heard great things about it though so maybe I'll cave soon.
6. Best drugstore dupe?
-This was a tough one because usually if I like the higher end one I just stick with it, but I have been going back to drugstore concealers. The Maybelline super stay 24 hour concealer is very similar to MAC pro longwear concealer in texture, staying power and coverage.
7. Not worth the hype?
-I generally only buy things that I know I will like, but there have been some things with big hypes that I thought just didn't fulfill my expectations for them. The first is Maybelline great lash mascara, now I used this mascara when I first got into makeup and it was perfect then because of the things I don't like about it now. It just doesn't show up well and so isn't noticeable, and for $6 a tube I could go buy a better mascara. Next is the Maybelline baby lips balm, I usually don't say I hate lip balms because they're just balms and can be used up and are cheap. The problem with these though is they're $5 for a tube and just dried my lips out even more. I ended up using them up so I wouldn't waste them, but they just aren't that great for all the hype, the nivea lip balms are much better and are cheaper.
I'll be doing separate reviews of some of these products!
Sunday, December 16, 2012
5:46 PM
Heather
I tend to buy drugstore mascaras over high end ones because if you end up not liking it, you only wasted a couple dollars versus upwards of $20. I have used high end ones but never really found that I like them or can't deal with shelling out big bucks for them. So here are my favorite drugstore mascaras.
Almay get up & grow waterproof is a great natural looking mascara with buildable coverage. It isn't too wet but also holds a curl very well. I usually don't like Almay makeup but this is the one exception. The brush is nice as well as it gets the smaller lashes without trouble and makes getting to the root of the eyelash much not a chore.
Maybelline full'n soft is more of an intense natural (does that make sense?) coverage mascara. They have a waterproof version but I thought i'd try out the regular one. I generally find with non waterproof mascaras that they run and just generally don't work out well on me. This one is very different, it holds a curl, isn't too wet, and doesn't run. The brush is just a basic one but it does make a difference on the outside lashes as far as coverage. You can also use this mascara on your bottom lashes and it doesn't run or rub off.
Maybelline falsies is such a raved about mascara and it's easy to see why. It doesn't look that great when you look at the brush but trust me it is one of the best drugstore mascaras. The brush has a slight curl (doesn't show up in the picture) that gets to the root of the lashes and actually curls them a bit. Most mascaras that claim to curl, never do, but this one does. It is quite an intense mascara and so one coat is just enough. It holds a curl extremely well and lasts all day.
All of these mascaras are great so I recomend you check them out! Personally the Maybelline falsies is my all time favorite and the Almay get up and grow comes in second. I like to layer them if I need more of an intense look. What are your favorite mascaras?
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
5:37 PM
Heather
4:03 PM
Heather
I pick up a lot of smaller versions or trial sizes of products before I give in to buy the full size. These are two things that I will definitely be buying full size.
Redken All Soft heavy cream is the first, I got this for free at Ulta when they were having a sale on the full size pump bottles of Redken shampoo/conditioners. It is a leave in conditioner treatment that you put on after shampooing while your hair is still wet, leave it in for 10 minutes and then wash it out. The ends of my hair are dry because I have naturally blonde hair and end up having to dye it all the time to maintain it so I was really excited when I got this. It is quite possibly the best deep conditioner I have used. Before this I used the Pantene beautiful lengths deep conditioner, which is still great, but this one beats it out.
The full size version is around $17 and the mini versions are $5
Matrix wonder boost root lifter is a spray on volumizer that you use before blow drying. I never really like these because every single one I have tried hasn't really done much, but this was free so I gave it a shot. I still have so much left in the little bottle and I have used it every time I style my hair, so I know the full size will last forever. You can control the amount of volume you want, the more you put on the more volume you get. It never makes your hair sticky or hard and the style lasts.
Saturday, December 8, 2012
3:11 PM
Heather
While Christmas shopping I couldn't resist picking up some new beauty items (you can never leave Target with only what you came for). So here we go!
Herbal Essences Honey I'm Strong Conditioner-It smelled good and I've been looking for a new conditioner so I thought I'd try it out!
Garnier Sleek & Shine Hairspray-This is my go to hairspray, doesn't leave hair hard or sticky but holds the style and keeps humidity away
Redken Smooth Lock heat glide protectant-My hair stylist used this on me and it made my hair super soft so of course I bought full size
Neutrogena clear pore cleanser/mask-I used this way back in middle school and it worked so I thought I would try it out again
Johnsons Melt away stress lotion-Just a random little lotion that looked nice, smells good too!
Neutrogena Makeup removing wipes-My go to remover wipes
Pixi nail color trio (limited edition)-This looked pretty and I'd been looking for some glitter polish
Pixi endless silky eye pen-I have been meaning to buy this for a while now and finally caved, really hope it's worth the $15
Neutrogena Healthy Skin foundation-My old foundation was starting to break me out so hopefully this one doesn't. I've heard great things so my hopes are high
NP set lip balm with benefits-Saw this in a magazine tutorial for red lips and it looked nice so I picked it up, review to come
Eucerin skin calming creme-Another little lotion
OPI ridge filler-For some reason my nails are in bad shape lately so nail polish doesn't look very good, hopefully this helps
St. Ives green tea scrub-I've used the apricot scrub before but I wanted to try something new so this one it was, plus it smells so good!
Nivea creme-perfect little hand creme for winter and purse friendly
Revlon nail polish in Vixen and Scandalous-Pretty dark winter shades. Scandalous is a dark purple and black glitter shade while Vixen is a dark red wine purple
Ardell 305 and 135 false lashes+Duo lash adhesive-I've never used false lashes before so I figured I'd get some cheap ones to start off with
Exfoliating cotton pads-I heard these take off more makeup than the normal ones so here's hoping!
Plus some other little bits shown in the pictures. I'm planning on doing reviews of some of the stuff so look out for those.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
1:49 PM
Heather
Hello all! So since it's getting a bit cold most places (for some reason here it's in the 70's) I figured that a winter skincare routine would be in order. I don't think I use that many products, but in the winter you do need to add some things to the routine.
I rotate my treatments every other day since I use glycolic acid and so my skin doesn't get used to anything to quick.
First step is to remove my makeup with Almay oil free makeup removing liquid. I have been using this stuff for years because it doesn't break me out, isn't heavy and gets everything off. I sometimes add in wipes if I wore mascara that doesn't want to come off.
Cleansers:
Next is cleansing for which I have two cleansers. The one I am using at night is the Ponds luminous daily exfoliating cleanser which is gentle enough to use everyday. It has tiny exfoliating beads in it that actually make your skin look brighter just like it says! I usually don't like exfoliators because they're too rough or just don't do what they say but this one is perfect.
The other cleanser I use in the morning is the Philosophy purity one step facial cleanser which I'm sure everyone knows about by now. I find that it's not the best cleanser but it does its job and also softens my skin so I like it. I used to use this as my nightly cleanser but I've been needing more of a deep cleansing lately so I switched to the Ponds cleanser.
Treatments:
I use the Mario Badescu glycolic acid toner every other day to make sure all the makeup and dirt is gone and it clears up any little breakouts you may have as well. It's just a basic toner but I would say it is better than drugstore ones I have used because it's very gentle but still works very well, also for the price you get a lot of product.
Next treatment I use on the other days is Alpha H liquid gold which has an obvious cult following. I started using it after A Model Recommends on YouTube said she swears by it and it's been a mainstay in my product lineup ever since. You can use it every other day if your skin isn't very sensitive, but some people need to use it less than that. I leave it on as a treatment over night, so it's the last step in my plan and I don't use moisturizer afterwards. On the days I use my toner I use moisturizer.
Moisturizers:
I switch to the Cetaphil moisturizing lotion in the winter because I need heavier moisturizers in the winter as my skin gets very dry. This one is heavy enough to keep my skin from getting dry but is non-comedogenic so it won't break me out like other heavy ones seem to do.
Last is the Origins gin zing eye cream which I did a previous review on. It's still to soon to say anything on dark circles fading but I do notice my eye area is a lot brighter and I use less concealer. It's also good on "no makeup" days if you don't feel like wearing a ton of concealer/foundation it still makes you look more awake.
Friday, November 30, 2012
2:02 PM
Heather
Since it's the end of November, it's time for November empties!
First I have the Clean and Clear dual action moisturizer which I use during the warmer months because it keeps my skin from getting oily and stops breakouts. It's great for warmer months because it's very light, but that doesn't work well in cooler months.
Next is the Neutrogena makeup removing towelettes (hydrating) which are the first removing towels I've used, as I usually use the Almay liquid. I've been going out a lot more recently so I picked these up in case I got lazy (which I did). They're great for when you get home late and don't want to wash your face. Be sure to rinse your face with water after using them or they may break you out!
Que Bella detoxify dead sea mask (target) is just a simple mud mask but I did notice that it works much better than other cheap ones I've tried so that was nice. I believe you can only pick up this brand at Target though.
Garnier triple nutrition nutrient spray is a great shine/leave in conditioner type treatment. I put it on after I get out of the shower and tousle it through my hair and when my hair dries it is a lot more healthy looking.
Lush cosmetic warrior mask- I did a previous post reviewing this so check that out
Maybelline dream fresh bb cream- This was a good base during the summer months so I was just finishing it up. It doesn't have much coverage but it does mask some imperfections. I did a previous review on this as well.
Too Faced Snow Bunny bronzing powder-I got this forever ago and have just hit pan. It has 4 colors in it, a light pink, darker bronzy pink, dark brown and shimmer white. I use the colors for eye shadows and highlights and as a "bronzer" during the summer months. You need a light hand though because it can make your skin look oily if you put too much on. It is a great multipurpose product though.
Mario Badescu sample size strawberry face scrub, whitening mask, and orange tonic mask-The strawberry face scrub has to be my new favorite scrub and I'm planning to buy the full size. It smells just like strawberries and has a great texture that's not to rough and your skin looks amazing afterwards.
The whitening mask is great for breakouts and reducing redness, I noticed that my skin was much clearer after using it.
The orange tonic mask is more of a moisturizing mask which I don't need but it would be nice if you have dry skin.
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)
