I like pretty things. My current obsessions are skincare and makeup! You can contact me at hellocari@hotmail.ca
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Dealing with Hormonal Breakouts
Sunday, March 24, 2013
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*.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
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.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
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)
Friday, March 15, 2013
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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
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
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!
Monday, March 11, 2013
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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 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)
Sunday, March 10, 2013
The French Pharmacy Skincare Post
My current obsession is skincare and I just can't seem to get enough of them these days. My skin is dry-to-combination and sensitive so I always have to do a ton of research before I commit and purchase the things that I do slap on my face.
Here are some of my recent purchases:
Bioderma Sensibio H2O - Micelle Solution
| Bioderma Makeup Remover - One of those things that you wonder how you lived without |
THIS! Whatever you read on the web about this stuff is true. If you haven't tried it yet, I definitely recommend Bioderma. I use this all over my face to take makeup off - and it takes everything off - and then I do my usual facial washing. I am a proponent of thorough face cleaning especially if you wear face products. If there is one thing you take from this post, I definitely think this should be it.
La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo
 |
| La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo - Breakout's Enemy Number One |
And let me tell you, it does work. I put this on a spot and in a few hours the redness disappears and the pesky spot is much less inflamed. A little disclaimer before you rush out to buy this, I am not a skincare expert by any means but like I said in the beginning of this post - research is my best friend. I did a ton of research before getting this product and here in Canada we have the "stronger" sister of the UK version linked above. I already own the US version which is more of a spot treatment than an overall facial moisturizer. I wanted to try out the UK version however and ordered it on Escentual.com. They are having a 1/3 off sale for all the french skincare brands they carry for March so go and check it out!! (So now you understand why I bit the bullet and forked my cash hurray!). I will definitely let you guys know about it once I receive the package.
Nuxe Rêve de Miel - Honey Lip Balm
 |
| Nuxe Rêve de Miel Honey Lip Balm - Cheaper (and STILL AS GOOD) alternative to Fresh Sugar Lip Treatments |
La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum
|
| La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum - Dehydrated Skin Saviour |
This winter was especially drying for my skin and my usual skincare of cleanse-tone-moisturize routine did NOT cut it. So I started to dabble in the world of serums and boy was I instantly hooked. The La Roche-Posay Hydraphase Intense Serum was bought from a recommendation of this really nice SA at Shoppers (for the UK ladies I think this is equivalent to Boots). I've been using this for most of winter and it honestly saved my dry-dehydrated skin. It contains "Hyaluronic Acid Fragments" which gets quickly absorbed in my skin and immediately makes it feel smooth and hydrated. Don't get scared with the acid term. Go and google (yes I use "google" as a verb) hyaluronic and you will see what I mean.
I use this mainly as my morning serum to keep dry-patches away from my face all day long.
So there we have it, a few of my french skincare item favorites. Do you have recommendations as well? I would love to 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)
First-post-ever!
Finally bit the blogging-bullet and here I am.
Time to post something fantastic!
<insert fabulous post here>
=)
xoxo
Time to post something fantastic!
<insert fabulous post here>
=)
xoxo
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)