A Happy Holiday Haul - 2013 Edition

Hi everyone! I hope you guys are enjoying the holidays and spending a lot of time with friends and family while eating tons of yummy holiday treats (*looks at self* yup I'm guilty on all counts!)

So I'm here today to talk about the things I bought/was given over the holidays. If you have yet to take advantage of the holiday sales, perhaps this post will give you some ideas. 

Hair Care Routine: Winter 2013 Edition

I usually don't have any problems when it comes to my tresses. I have been blessed with a fairly healthy head of hair that I don't do much with. Styling it barely on special occasions... not because I don't want to but because I lack the skill? Lol.

November 2013 Favourites

December is here. That means that its about time for a list of things that I have been loving from last month!

• First off is the Aesop Calming Shampoo. For many years, I stuck with using a duo that worked very well for me. Until this year. For some reason, I started having a LOT of hair fallout and was clueless as to why this was happening. In any case, the hairstylist I went to at that time suggested that I change my shampoo and conditioner. So I did. Suddenly I no longer had the security of using my magic hair duo (for the curious, it was a Pantene conditioner and Head and Shoulders Shampoo in the Pink variety). It was a very sad time. Lol. But all joking aside I finally found a shampoo that I think I will stick to for a while. This shampoo by Aesop calms my scalp down, especially right now when the dry air is so irritating and makes my scalp go bat crazy. It also gives this amazing shine to the hair. Amazing for sensitive scalp.

50 Random Facts About Me

A very different post today. Some of you maybe reading my blog and wonder (or not, that's okay too), who is this woman? Well, my friend, today is the day you get to know more about me.

One Week of Pampering : Fun Sunday

Welcome to the last post in this mini-series! Wow that week just flew by, didn't it? Today will be a different post from the previous ones in the sense that it is not strictly beauty related.

One Week of Pampering : Spa Saturday

Hello Weekend! 

Hopefully today you will have more time for relaxing and just taking things slow and easy. Well alright reality check, if like me, you have a mountain of house chores, then after completing everything on your to-do list then wouldn't it make much sense to take a break and enjoy your me-time? =)

One Week of Pampering : Glycolic Friday

Hi there! Can you believe its Friday? We are now five days deep into our week of pampering!

One Week of Pampering : Treatment Thursday

How is everyone doing today? Are you feeling tired from work/school/life? Well not to worry, I am here to bring you another pampering post. Welcome to Treatment Thursday.

After yesterday's long post (read Hydrate Wednesday here. in case you missed it), today will be refreshingly short. Yah, i know its mind boggling since I usually yap on and on ;)

One Week of Pampering : Hydrate Wednesday

Welcome to Hump-Day Wednesday! 

Its mid-week and what should we do to pamper ourselves today? If you live in a cold climate like me - hello Canadian winters - then you know how important it is to stay hydrated and moisturized. The heaters are on and the cold air feels super dry. You really don't have a choice lol.

One Week of Pampering : Deep Pore Cleanse Tuesday

Hi again! This is the second installment of my mini-series that I dubbed "One Week of Pampering". In case you missed the first one, go ahead and read Exfoliate Monday here. 

Once a week, I like to do a deep pore cleanse. This helps my pores appear smaller and also over time, decrease the chances of breakouts on the face. 

One Week of Pampering : Exfoliate Monday

Kicking off the mini-series this week, today I'm going to give my 2 cents on the topic of exfoliation.

Mini Series - One Week of Pampering

Starting next week, I will be putting up a new post each day (from Monday to Sunday) where I talk about how I pamper myself in the evenings. I think this would be useful to those who are planning and preparing for a big event, or just anybody who wants to have a relaxing time at home. I really think it makes a difference when you take the time to make yourself feel special because I believe you need to take care of yourself first before you can really take care of others!

I'm going to list below what I plan to post for each day. But please keep in mind that there might be a few changes. I'll try to stick the schedule below though =)

Monday: Exfoliate Monday

Tuesday: Deep Pore Cleanse Tuesday

Wednesday: Hydrate Wednesday

Thursday: Treatment Thursday

Friday: Glycolic Friday

Saturday: Spa Saturday

Sunday: Fun Sunday


I hope you guys enjoy this mini series!

xoxo

Hadalabo Gokujyun Super Hyaluronic Acid Skincare Range

From left to right: Hadalabo Gokujyun Super Hyaluronic Acid Foaming Wash, Toner and Moisturizing Milk

Another japanese skincare post! This one more affordable than previously posted SK-II range (you can read it here). 

Hadalabo is a drugstore brand in Japan known for being affordable, gentle, suitable for sensitive skin and its simple, no-frills approach with ingredients. Don't mistake simple for non-efficient though. I found that this particular range, Gokujyun, is a hardworking moisturizing range that keeps my skin calm and hydrated for the entire day.

Product Empties - October 2013

I am pretty terrible with keeping empty bottles of things. I like to avoid clutter and keep things clean and organized and so my first reaction to empty products is to chuck it awayyy asap.

Well now, see what I did for you guys here. That's right. I went against my natural inclinations and kept the darned things haha! 

Body Care Routine - Winter Edition November 2013

I always tell people that my favourite seasons are Autumn/Fall. I love wearing cozy sweaters and trendy coats, as well as fashionable boots! I get excited buying fall and winter fashion items. 

The one thing that I'm NOT excited about is dry skin all over my body. If i just use normal foaming body washes (even in the summer), I swear that my skin becomes reptilian...all scaly...*sheds tears* its terrible.

This winter I became so frustrated with how itchy and dry my body was. My limbs were so parched that I felt they were being torn in two, so finally I put together a routine to take care of my issues. Today I'm going to talk about the products I use to control my super dry body skin. I am going to restrict it to just body care and do a separate post on winter hair care and winter skin care later on. Hope you enjoy this post!

Happy Eid/Thanksgiving Haul!

Hello everyone! Today I would like to share some new purchases that I made. All of these are bought from various beauty stores in Pacific Mall here in Toronto. Of course, they can also be bought online from different places (sasa, w2beauty, etc) if you don't happen to have access to an asian beauty store nearby. 

Mono Cream Shadow Look

Most days I can't be bothered to use 2 or more shades of shadow on my lids, specially if I'm just stepping out for a quick errand or two. For the majority of the time, I rely on my cream shadows to create a simple yet sophisticated eye look that makes it seem like I spent more than 2 seconds blending and faffing. 

Concealer Talk: Estee Lauder Double Wear Stay-In-Place Flawless Wear Concealer

I have previously talked about the foundation, the Estee Lauder Double Wear Light, and how much I really liked its finish and longevity. Its no wonder then that when I was having a serious bout with hormonal breakouts that I turned to its concealer cousin. I ran as fast as I can to the nearest counter now that I look back, because during that time, I was preparing for my engagement photos! No pressure right?

How I deal with the common cold

A bit of a different post today. I woke up this morning not feeling well after spending the night waking up every hour, on the hour while being plagued with strange dreams (in my dream i was also sick lol..)

These are a few of my favourite things - Summer 2013 Edition

Hello ladies (and any gents?). Can you believe its mid-September??? Soon it will be snowing outside and the christmas shopping will begin. *shudder*

Don't get me wrong. I love buying things. Sometimes too much. My husband jokingly calls me a hoarder because I like to have multiple of things. I hate running out of something I use daily! Please tell me I'm not alone in my hoarding ways...

Holy Grail: Sunscreen Edition - Biore UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence SPF 50 PA+++

The Japanese has done it again! Honestly, their skincare is the BOMB. And so cheap too! Today I'm going to talk about a sunscreen I have been using for a good 3 months now and I am super satisfied and happy I found it. I bought this sunscreen while I was shopping in Tokyo in the basement floor of an Electronics store (yah i know!), of all places. Actually the store was the entire building and each floor sold something specific (i.e. one floor just for tvs, another just for cellphones, etc etc.) 

But I digress, the basement level had all these wonderful beauty items! Here take a look.

Haircare goodies

First encounter with SK-II

Back in June, I visited Japan for my honeymoon. One of the fervent wishes I had for this trip was to purchase some serious Japanese skincare. If you have been reading this blog since its birth in March you would probably already have an idea how skincare obsessed I am. Anyway, along we came to this department store called Keio. They had many high-end brands in the beauty floor and I quickly ran to the SK-II counter to get a one-on-one consultation. In that consultation, the SA used a device to take a close up picture of my face. I'm not really sure how it works but after the device performed a skin analysis, my skin's health is shown in different percentages. Let me just sum up the results as poor. *sigh*

Sadly, I was told that my skin's age was 30, which really in the grand scheme of things, is not that old. Yet, it really made me sad because I wasn't 30 yet.... good marketing? to make me buy things? haha well it worked. 

Let's talk Brows

A recent visit to a spa resulted in uneven eyebrows (how annoying, I never returned to the place) and prompted a mad search for an eyebrow product that would give me natural looking brows while I grow mine back. Below I am going to list the eyebrow products I use according to how I rank them, with my favourite product saved for last.

Follow me on Bloglovin!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Hello, just a quick post today reminding my readers to follow on Bloglovin. I really like this blog feed reader and I use it myself to follow other blogs!

Talk to you again soon! 

P.s.  My husband gave me a ragdoll kitten as a birthday present. How adorable is she?!? I named her Potato.

 

More posts are coming!

Hi everyone! Apologies for being gone for so long. I'm still alive though and I promise I will be putting up more posts soon! The picture above is just a preview of what I've been buying lol. Please follow the blog to make sure you don't miss any of my future exciting posts!

Brush Cleaning Extravaganza

Hey guys! It's me! I hate to start a post with the stereotypical "I'm sorry I haven't posted anything lately." but hey! I'm really sorry I haven't posted much lately. Life is too hectic! A big event is coming up in 3 weeks (my wedding) and that is taking up much of my head-space.

Emma Hardie Amazing Face Lift & Sculp Moringa Cleansing Balm

By now, everyone in the blogger-sphere has probably given their two cents about this cult-favorite. So of course, I had to write my own thoughts about it! Haha, pardon me but here we go.

My Skin is Confused: Oily Skin Saviour

Why hello there. If you have read any of my previous posts, then perhaps you have come across my description of my skin being DRY.  Now I have an announcement to make. My face has been an oil-slick this week. It has caught me off guard so quickly that I don't even have words. Curse you time-of-the-month!!!  

The Weekend Post : Triple Mask Treat

Today I decided to give myself a bit of a pamper by using three masks targeting my skins different issues!

The Makeup: Foundations I am Loving

I am super picky when it comes to foundations. Mainly because I have combination skin - very dry and flaky in some areas (but its getting better now due to my updated skincare!) and oily in my t-zone. Not to mention I am also acne-prone and have to make sure I don't use makeup bases that clog my pores (clogged pores = trouble). However, I managed to find three products that I can use and like.

Alpha-H Liquid Gold Discovery Collection

Here comes another cult beauty favorite! I have been reading a lot about the Alpha-H Liquid Gold range for a few months now and finally bit the bullet and ordered this set from Beauty Bay.

Skincare Haul : I've been Online Shopping

My order from Escentual finally arrived in the mail! I was so happy as it felt like Christmas all over again. As you can see from the picture, the order was very La Roche-Posay heavy (surprise, surprise!). 

Dealing with Hormonal Breakouts

It's that time of the month (excuse me to the non-ladies) and mother nature has brought along some nasties. Most of the time, I can ignore spots and pimples just fine. However, this month was particularly bad, due to many reasons, and so I came up with a trio of products that helped with my breakouts.

The Weekend Post: Everyday Makeup

My everyday makeup look is very minimal and neutral. But after taking a picture of the products I've been loving this past week to create my everyday face... I'm reminded that a minimal look does not necessarily mean minimal number of products *insert grimace here*.

Treatment Oils

Left to Right: Josie Maran Argan Oil, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate, Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

My face used to be an oil-free and serum free zone. The idea of putting any kind of oil on my face was cringe worthy and all in all sounded too crazy to even contemplate. Since my skin tends to react easily to things that it doesn't agree with, I steered clear of any treatments for a long time.

The Weekend Post : Spring Shopping

This week I did a bit of naughty shopping. I set out to grab a few things in preparation for spring which officially starts later this week! I can't wait for the cold to finally go away and to wear lighter clothing and bright makeup! 

Product links below:

• Forever 21 Top
• MAC Mineralize Rich Lipstick in Lady at Play
• NARS Blush in Deep Throat
• Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder in Diffused Light
• Dynamite Necklace
• Forever 21 Earrings - Socialite Pearlescent Studs and Green Owl
• Korilakkuma - phone case for my s3

How are you preparing for spring? 

*Disclaimer: All items mentioned are purchased with my own money and I am in no way affiliated with the mentioned sites and companies (i wish lol) 

The Routine: Night Time Skincare

Sometimes when you hear the word "routine", it might sound like the equivalent of "boring". Something to expect, nothing special. For my night time routine however, this couldn't be farther from the truth. These days, I look forward to my skincare regimen the most at night. I find the entire process soothing and relaxing. Add the fact that I know I'm taking good care of my skin and that brings me so much joy and satisfaction like you would not believe (haha skincare junkie here).

Its worth noting that I have more steps at night than for day (you can read my daytime skincare here).

So without further ado, here goes the routine. List goes in order of application.

Step 1. Cleanse

Bioderma Sensibio H2O - Micelle Solution

This is Step1a for the night. I find this Micellar water very effective in taking off the day's gunk off my face. Its very gentle to my eyes, which I love, and melts off any makeup I have on. The key is to place a saturated cotton pad on your eyes for 10 to 15 seconds and let the solution do its magic so you can minimize the dragging of your skin around the eyes (bad! stop doing that if you are).

Then I move on to the next cleaning step, which is using my favorite cleansing tool.

Clarisonic Mia

My color of choice is this gorgeous light blue. It goes well with my bathroom colours (haha! OCD much?). 

For ages, I stared at this thing on the sephora website while googling reviews, oooh'ed and aaah'ed while watching youtube video reviews . Finally the inevitable happened - I gracefully caved. 

I started using the Clarisonic early this year and I loved it. It really cleans your face like no other and my skin feels really clean without being tight and dry. Initially I was using this once a day but have since cut back to once/twice per week. Some people say that there is a purging phase during initial use, which I think I experienced but not to any massive degree. I think the purging was just the clarisonic doing its deep pore cleansing thing and getting rid of the hidden junk under my skin.

I use the Clarisonic with Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser which was also included in my daytime skincare routine.

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

This cleanser works well with the Clarisonic. Because I have dry skin, I tend to avoid foaming cleansers. I have used foaming cleansers before and they left me with tight and dry skin which was unpleasant. On the days that I don't use my clarisonic, I would use this on its own for a gentle wash.

NOTE: Recently, I seem to have developed a sensitivity to Cetaphil. Does that sound crazy to anyone? I mentioned that I've been using this cleanser for more than a decade and didn't have any previous issues. Maybe my skin is changing? I have no idea. Sometimes I feel a slight burning on my cheeks! This is obviously not a good thing. After doing some research, I purchased another cleanser online, the La Roche-Posay Toleriane Dermo Cleanser. I will let you know how this cleanser compares after I get the package!

Okay I think that's it for the cleansing step. Phew that dragged on.

Step 2. Tone

Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion

Same toner that I use for daytime routine. This clarifying lotion will take off any last bits of residue on your face (if there's any!). Read the daytime skincare routine for the spiel on this product.

I am currently looking for an alternative that I can rotate this toner with. It's not the I don't like this product anymore. I do think it works great in keeping acne at bay. But sometimes I think I can skip the salicylic acid and go for something gentler and more hydrating. 

Step 3. Facial Mist

MAC Fix +

It might sound strange to some people that I use the fix plus after my toner but hear me out. I like the refreshing mist on my skin! After I tone, I find that my skin is no longer damp from the cleansing step (damp is good since the moisture in the skin will keep your skin hydrated under a serum...more on this later...) and using mac fix plus fixes - see what I did there?? - in a jiffy. In any case, this is the description from the MAC website:

"An aqua-spritz of vitamin and minerals, infused with a calm-the-skin blend of green tea, chamomile, cucumber, topped off with the fresh, natural, energizing scent of Sugi. Adds radiance, finishes makeup. Spray it on. Skin drinks it up!"

To me, this is my equivalent to Claudalie Beauty Elixir. Since I already have the fix plus sitting on my dresser, I figured I might as well use it since I don't reach for it very much for after-makeup spritzing anyway.

Step 4. Serum

Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair

I started using Advanced Night Repair (or ANR) this year and it has made the most remarkable difference in my skin's tone and texture. I can harp on and on about how amazing this stuff is, but I will spare you and instead may I suggest going to an Estee Lauder counter and asking for a sample. They don't bite, I promise. Prepare to fork out your money the next day though. This serum is serious stuff.

Along with its anti-aging properties, the ANR also contains Hyaluronic Acid which helps hold moisture in your skin like a barrier. Remember that mac fix + step? Well this is where it comes in. The moisture from the facial mist which is loaded with good things can now be kept ON your skin for far longer and its properties won't evaporate as quickly. I hope that made sense.

Step 5. Moisturize

For this step, I might use an overnight mask if I feel like my skin needs that extra moisture for the night or if not, then I will use a regular moisturizer. 

Clinique Moisture Surge Overnight Mask 

This is a really nice mask that can be left on the skin while you get your beauty sleep. I like that it gets absorbed right away on my skin so no need to worry about the any residue or stickiness left on your pillow!

I like to use this mask after exfoliating, usually the same night that I use my clarisonic since the deep cleaning makes my skin absorb the moisture better! I wake up to soft skin and I just love this mask. For days when I don't use this mask, I use my normal moisturizer.

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

My daytime moisturizer as well as the moisturizer at night, this covers most of my needs. I tried to steer away to others but I always go back. There's something about its nice and light texture that I miss when I switch to something else. Also one of the few moisturizers that don't irritate or cause breakouts on my skin while giving a boost of moisture. I also apply this down to my neck and decolletage. Good stuff.


BIG PHEW. So much writing! If you got this far, thank you for reading all that! Do you have any special steps you take for night time? Let me know!

*Disclaimer: All items mentioned are purchased with my own money and I am in no way affiliated with the mentioned sites and companies (i wish lol)

The Routine: Daytime Skincare

In my French Skincare Post, I mentioned that this winter was particularly tricky for my skin. Going through a lot of changes - moving to a new place with intense winter heating (its ALWAYS hot), out of whack hormones, and sleep deprivation - meant that my skin was not looking its best. I had to do something. 

I should probably tell you a little about my skin. I have dry-to-combination, sensitive, acne-prone skin. Because my skin is combination, I find that using only one line of products (for example, an entire range of products designed for acne problems) does not suit me. So then what does a girl have to do? I have to go trough trial and error to find out which combinations of products would work better for me by picking and choosing from different lines and creating my own combo of products. Most of the items I use are tried and true because I have been using them for years. Recently though, I introduced some new items to my existing daytime skincare routine (another post is coming up for night time) and so far so good. I will be listing them in the order of use below.

Step 1. Cleanser

Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

I've been using this cleanser for a decade (that makes me sound like an absolute old fossil doesn't it?) and whilst everything else in my routine has changed since then this has remained constant. I would change into something else but this would always be under the sink just waiting for my little hands to reach back for it. Whenever I have problems with my skin, which seems to be all the time these days, I know that this trusty cleanser will be available to save the day.

Step 2. Toner

Clinique Acne Solutions Clarifying Lotion

A few years ago I had an unpleasant visitor in my life - hormonal breakouts. Without going too much into detail and grossing everyone out, let me just say it wasn't pretty. I can deal with one or two blemishes at a time but back then my chin and jawline area had more than a few and so in desperation, I went to the Clinique counter at Yorkdale and hope and prayed that this thing would sort it out. 

This is one of the two things that I use to control acne at the moment. Along with having sensitive skin, I am also acne prone (what the heck right?) and so as a preventative measure - now that my skin is mostly clear - I splash some of this on a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face. The active ingredient in this toner is salicylic acid which I find works better for my sensitive skin as opposed to another popular alternative, benzoyl peroxide. A word of caution, depending on your skin type this could be very drying. Make sure you are using a proper moisturizer if you decide to use this product.

Step 3. Serum

I switch between serums depending on what I think my skin needs that day. For the days that I feel dry and need some extra help for dryness I use the La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum that was previously mentioned in my French Skincare post. 

La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum

The dispenser of this serum is a pump which makes it very convenient to use. The consistency of the serum is a very clear liquid which gets quickly absorbed in your skin. I really like this serum. I find its very gentle, doesn't sting my face, and most importantly it does what it claims to do. The hyaluronic acid in it keeps hold of the moisture in your skin. I use this under my moisturizer for helping lock in moisture for far longer during the day - very much like a barrier, I guess. Dry patches be gone!

The other serum that I use for daytime is the Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamin C Collagen Booster - phew that was a mouthful. 

Ole Henriksen Truth Serum Vitamic C Collagen Booster

Now, mind you, I don't use both of the above mentioned serums at the same time. I save the Truth Serum for days when I feel like my face needs to be brightened. Particularly useful after a night of little sleep when your face just seems to be bland and in need of that extra oomph to make you look alive and awake. I've only been using this for a month or so and in that span I haven't noticed it to cause me any breakouts so winner! It has some anti-ageing properties too so that's nice. I do think it makes my face look more radiant after application and its claims of protection against environmental aggressors is a nice extra. Like I said though, I just started using this recently, and along with my other serums for day and night time, can't really prove anti-ageing benefits to this serum as of yet. 

Step 4. Moisturizer

Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief

I hate the feeling of greasy skin after you moisturize. I also hate strong perfumes on my skincare - they sometimes give me headaches. This particular moisturizer doesn't have an annoying scent and has a nice gel-like texture that immediately dries into a smooth finish on my skin so I can put on make-up faster and easier.

This is also oil-free which if you're acne prone, usually means its a good thing. I know if a moisturizer doesn't agree with my skin because it would break me out almost instantly. This one works very well for me and it has been my main moisturizer for two years! 

If you need something more intense - sorry I couldn't think of another word - then check out Moisture Surge Intense. 


Step 5...6...7... no I'm just kidding. That's it for the daytime skincare routine. For people who are the i-only-wash-my-face-with-water-and-nothing-else type this is probably excessive but it works for me. It only takes a few minutes really, maybe 5 if I'm being slow that morning, as my main goal would be to get ready as fast as humanly possible if I'm leaving for work, etc. 

I hope you guys found this useful! Let me know. =)

*Disclaimer: All items mentioned are purchased with my own money and I am in no way affiliated with the mentioned sites and companies (i wish lol)