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Skin care
Why I am broke at the moment |A Haul
3/11/2019
"I solemnly swear I won't be buying more makeup (until I feel the need to"
Most of my purchase was skin care. A mixture of both French Pharmacy and The Ordinary. And two bits from NYX. I also got myself a moisturiser from the Alex Steiner X Primark line and I am currently waiting for a huge order of books - yes...I am back at buying books. Guess I'll have to buy another shelving uni soon, uh?
"From Paris with Love"
Ordinary and yet Important
I also ended up placing an order at Beauty Bay filled with The Ordinary Goodies. It started with me wanting to repurchase The Odinary's Natural Moisturizing Factors +HA as my night moisturiser. It is a simple moisturiser that makes me wake a really glowing and moisturised. I also repurchased The Ordinary's Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 because it is the best hyaluronic acid serum I've tried considering it's price point. Alongside with the moisturiser, it makes my skin free of dry patches and any weird texture.
The new kid on the block is The Ordinary's Niacinamide 10% + Zinc 1%, which I'll be using as my day time serum. I got this after seeing how much Jael from Coquete à Portuguesa loved it and because I wanted something extra for my day time routine. I am yet to try it so I don't have an opinion about it so far.
"More makeup? Yeah kinda"
Probably the last thing I need is makeup but, all of these have a good reason. Starting with The Ordinary's High-Spreadability Fluid Primer, since I was looking after a new primer. I mean, I still love my beloved Soap & Glory One Heck of a Blot primer but I've been feeling my skin changing and wanting different products. I also want to test how this goes alongside a foundation like Fenty Beauty's. I've worn this once I really love the look and touch it gave to my skin although...it appeared to leak a bit? It was a bit strange and I need to try it out more for sure.
To finish off my Beauty Bay haul, I finally got The Ordinary's Serum Foundation in the shade 1.1 N. I heard it's a really lightweight foundation - Ruth from A Model Recommends described it as a tinted moisturiser kind of product - and that's what I was looking after. I still love to wear my Fenty foundation for big events and such but I wanted something more natural for when I have classes and other earthly events. I've worn it once and I really liked it! Although I still want to used it more before reviewing it.
I also ended up going to NYX's store after reading Jael's Favourites Blog Post to pick up these two goodies. (actually I picked 3, but the third one is for my friend) The NYX Can't Stop Won't Stop Concealer was a really nice discovery and surprise! I am proud to say that my beloved Makeup Revolution concealer has found it's match. This ended up looking more yellow than what I was expecting but somehow it helps with concealing the purple of my dark circles. And lastly but not least, I got my self a mini NYX HD Finishing Powder because I wanted to get a new powder to have on my makeup bag but I didn't want to get anything big or overly expensive. For 3,5€ this does the job and I am now temped to get the Banana powder version to try out as well.
Having this said, I also ended up ordering a few books from Bookdepository. I've been reading more lately and I'll probably take a week this month to post a few reviews here as well.Spoiler alert: the ACOTAR saga is coming.
Having this said, I also ended up ordering a few books from Bookdepository. I've been reading more lately and I'll probably take a week this month to post a few reviews here as well.
Have you bought any of these products?

The Ordinary Glycolic Acid | A Review
10/26/2018
My September Favourites | 2018
9/25/2018
Three Morning Skin Care Essentials
8/07/2018
My Current Night time Skin Care Routine
7/23/2018
The Body Shop Vitamin E Toner
2/19/2018
Skin Care love from Korea
2/11/2018
I am a believer that we should take care of ourselves. Yet, I am guilty of not doing that as often as I should - long work schedules, too much work at the University, too tired, and so on. And yet, one of my main goals for 2018 is to love myself more. not only accepting myself as I am, but also making sure that I am nurturing myself and giving an occasional treat.
UNIK Serums* | A Review
10/30/2017
PIXI Glow Tonic | Review
10/03/2017
AHA and BHA Toner are more available than ever. More and more brands started to launch their own - even really affordable ones like The Ordinary. But today I am planning to talk with you about the one that spiked my curiosity and my latest skin care obsession. Meet Pixi Glow Tonic, my new go to toner.
New acquisitions
7/28/2017
Guess who is finally trying to get some blog work done? I am currently on vacation but I thought this would be the perfect timing to work around a few posts. With that in mind, I'll be sharing a few things I've got during the last couple of months. A few of these ( specially what concerns skin care) are replacements of things that had previously run out or thought it was time to switch. I also had to grab sun protection since the summer time kicked with full force (and still I wasn't able of saving myself from getting a sunburn on my shoulders....)
As for the make up, the only really expandable thing here are the lip stains (aka matte liquid lipsticks) because I was really in need of the rest. Except the highlighters but those were a gift to myself for surviving my degree without getting insane. (hurray!)
First Impressions | Skin Care
7/03/2017
Hello! Hello! Here I am to share a few new items I got into my skin care routine. I decided it was time to shake things up a big and some changes into my routine. (And I am not finished yet). I decided I need another toner for my morning time ( a simpler one, without acids or anything like that) and a new eye cream since I had an eye allergy at the beginning of the year - it wasn't pretty at all. I also wanted to try out The Ordinary since they seem like a really good brand with really amazing products at a really amazing price!
What is it for, you might ask? It is another step between toner and serum. Usually provides extra vitamins to the skin and prepared it for the serum and moisturiser. Many essences contain ingredients that help with acne problems, break outs, refining the skin texture or even clogged pores.
The first essence getting attention in the beauty-world was the SK-II Essence, with Galactomyces - which is pretty much fermented wheat - that helps with most of the problems I've mentioned before. The down-side with this product is it's price - 165$ for a bottle with 150ml.
But like most beauty products, it didn't take long until brands started to release dupes and their own version of a essence. The most notorious one was obviously Missha's The First Treatment Essence, which actually contained better ingredients than the SK-II version.Personally, Missha's version was still a little on the expensive side of my pocket, especially considering I was really on defence regarding if I should or not get this type of product. After some research, I found out about Secret Key's version.
I think I could say that the Secret Key Essence is somehow the dupe of the dupe, since to me it looks more similar to Missha's version than to SK-II version ( if you check the ingredient list you'll see how the formulas differ between each other).
This bottle of 155 ml of product cost me around 16€ ( at the time, but I also had to pay extra taxes due to customs...). The bottle is made of glass - which makes me a little scared of using it around, since I can be quite clumsy sometimes. Also it means that it isn't travel friendly...when I went on Holiday I had to make the decision of not taking it with me because I knew it would break for sure.
In terms of application, I usually pore three or four drops on hand and pat it onto my face and let it dry and sink in. After that I usually apply my serum and/or my night moisturiser. And yes, I use this after applying my tonic/acid toners.
And regarding results, I can say that I am really happy about getting this. My skin always feels a lot softer whenever I use it and I've also noticed that old scaring has been fading away or disappearing completely. My pores also look less clogged around my nose area.
I also need to mention that this product doesn't contain any alcohol or perfume, making it quite friendly of those with more sensitive skin. Whenever my skin is in a nay-mode - specially during that time of the month - this helps my skin calm down. And you are wondering - would I buy this again? Yes I would. I'm also curious about the western version The Body Shop has launched from their Vitamin E range. I'll probably get it for the really cold Winter time.
You can easily find this product in places like Jolse.com or around good sellers from ebay.
I hope you enjoyed this review, any doubts or questions feel free to ask. Take care everyone, have a nice day!
I think I could say that the Secret Key Essence is somehow the dupe of the dupe, since to me it looks more similar to Missha's version than to SK-II version ( if you check the ingredient list you'll see how the formulas differ between each other).
This bottle of 155 ml of product cost me around 16€ ( at the time, but I also had to pay extra taxes due to customs...). The bottle is made of glass - which makes me a little scared of using it around, since I can be quite clumsy sometimes. Also it means that it isn't travel friendly...when I went on Holiday I had to make the decision of not taking it with me because I knew it would break for sure.
In terms of application, I usually pore three or four drops on hand and pat it onto my face and let it dry and sink in. After that I usually apply my serum and/or my night moisturiser. And yes, I use this after applying my tonic/acid toners.
And regarding results, I can say that I am really happy about getting this. My skin always feels a lot softer whenever I use it and I've also noticed that old scaring has been fading away or disappearing completely. My pores also look less clogged around my nose area.
I also need to mention that this product doesn't contain any alcohol or perfume, making it quite friendly of those with more sensitive skin. Whenever my skin is in a nay-mode - specially during that time of the month - this helps my skin calm down. And you are wondering - would I buy this again? Yes I would. I'm also curious about the western version The Body Shop has launched from their Vitamin E range. I'll probably get it for the really cold Winter time.
You can easily find this product in places like Jolse.com or around good sellers from ebay.
I hope you enjoyed this review, any doubts or questions feel free to ask. Take care everyone, have a nice day!
Trying Caudalie Skin Care
3/11/2017
Skin Care has always been one of my main concerns and interests. I am always trying to to keep my skin hydrated and all breakouts at bay. This usually requires looking for products that won't be too harsh and will nourish my skin.
A few months ago I read a blog post about the Caudalie Moisturizing Toner and I got really curious. I am really into acid toners ( Glycolic Acid is love in what concerns taking care of dead cells) but once in a while I like to switch into something more light (specially if I am using a more harsh or potent serum with vitamin C for example). With all of this in my mind I decided to give Caudalie's Toner a try along side with their Grape Water.
The Sunblock of my life
4/22/2016
When you live in a country were 70% of days consist of sunshine you tend to think little about it. Although I shall mention that people should be careful with the UV radiation, no matter where they live and how much sun there it. Did you know that fog does not protect you from getting a sun burn?
But still, I had a terrible love-hate relationship with Sunblocks. They would be either too white, too gressy or they wouldn't work with make up no matter what I would do. I mean, it's quite frustrating to be honest because in the end, I want to protect my self but also be able to look the best I want.
With that in mind I decided it would be a good idea to research for the perfect sunblock. A friend of mine that also is in love with Korean and Japanese beauty talked with me about the Bioré UV Aqua Rich Watery Essence Sunblock and let me tell you...it is one of the best purchases I have done in my life.
This Sunblock has SPF50+ with PA++++ which is probably one of the strongest you can get. I have fair complexion so I need to use something high...unless I want to be the long-lost cousin of Mr.Krabs...which I really don't want to. I once got a terrible sunburn on my back and scalp and I swore I would never get something like that. In terms of texture this product is just pure perfection. It has a watery, kind-of gellish , texture which is super easy to blend into the skin. It does not leave a white cast on the fast or a greasy feel to the skin.
Because this contains Hyaluronic Acid, it also helps with keeping my skin hydrated. What does this means? It means I don't get oily around my T-Zone as easily as normally would. ( I have dehydrated skin so, anything that has Hyaluronic Acid is my best friend).
Overall, this is probably the holy grail of holy grail sunblocks. But if you can't get this for some reason, I would recommend you trying out Missha's new Sunblock line (with those really cute animals on it), Etude House's Sunprise line or Bioderma's Photoderm Line which isn't too greasy. Khiel's also has a very kick-ass sunblock that doesn't mess up the make up or feels too greasy. Bottom line is : protect yourself. Skin Cancer isn't something we would take on a light weight.
Do you guys have any recommendation for a good Sunblock for me to try out? This one will probably run out before the Summer time so, I'm already checking for a replacement.
Thank for reading and take care! Protection is a must-do!
Because this contains Hyaluronic Acid, it also helps with keeping my skin hydrated. What does this means? It means I don't get oily around my T-Zone as easily as normally would. ( I have dehydrated skin so, anything that has Hyaluronic Acid is my best friend).
Overall, this is probably the holy grail of holy grail sunblocks. But if you can't get this for some reason, I would recommend you trying out Missha's new Sunblock line (with those really cute animals on it), Etude House's Sunprise line or Bioderma's Photoderm Line which isn't too greasy. Khiel's also has a very kick-ass sunblock that doesn't mess up the make up or feels too greasy. Bottom line is : protect yourself. Skin Cancer isn't something we would take on a light weight.
Do you guys have any recommendation for a good Sunblock for me to try out? This one will probably run out before the Summer time so, I'm already checking for a replacement.
Thank for reading and take care! Protection is a must-do!
10 Korean Products you need to Try
8/21/2015
Korean Beauty has been getting some attention, specially when beauty gurus like Michelle Phan and Professional Makeup Artists like Lisa Eldridge mention them on their channel's. I've always been really curious about it, specially as someone who started to follow kpop stars and their makeup looks. Also, Korean beauty is known to not be overpriced and with really good quality.
I've been able to try out a nice quantity of products from Korean brands so I decided to share 10 products I believe you should keep in mind if you want to try out for the first time Korean Beauty.
But keep in mind that because I want to try as many products as possible and because I really do like them, it's possible that I might do another round-up post with another 10 products in the future. But for now, here are my 10 products.
It's impossible to deny the quality of Korean Skin Care. They usually give priority to good ingredients like Glycolic Acid or Hyaluronic Acid - it's is quite hard in Western Brands. Although I would advise you to always check the ingredient list and reviews no matter what. For example, it's common to find mineral oil and lavender oil in some Cleansing Oils, which isn't the ideal to those who have sensitive skin. Without further due, here are the 6 Skin Care products I recommend you without any doubt.
Innisfree Apple Juicy Cleansing Oil
By far, the best cleansing oil I ever tried. It doesn't contain any bad ingredient although people allergic to parfum/fragrance might be a little hesitant. It's really gentle but cleanses the skin and all traces of makeup without problems. You can also use this to remove your eye makeup that it won't sting your eyes or anything like that. I have to admit that I am a bit curious to try certain cleansing balms ( like Clinique take the day off) but I'll probably repurchase this for sure. If you are looking for a cleansing oil, think about this one.
Missha Time Revolution Clear Toner
If you are familiar with Missha you know they are fairly popular because of their BB Cream and because of their Fermented Essence. This toner is part of the same line that carries that Essence and contain both BHA and AHA acids, doesn't have any alcohol and isn't really harsh on the skin. I'm seriously thinking about promoting him as my everyday morning toner ( since I like to use something more strong at the night time like the FAB pads). I also really like this for those days where you feel your skin more sensitive and asking for more of a gentle care. I'll probably repurchase this toner around September or October.
OST C20 Vitamin C20 Serum
It's probably one of the most popular Korean Serums of all time. This serum is known to take care of scars and spots. And it's what it does. Ever since I started to use this Serum my skin has improving a lot - and when I say a lot, I mean that scars with more than 2 years are finally fading and disappearing. You just need to be careful with two things : if you happen to wear this in the morning always - ALWAYS - apply SPF ( actually, you should always apply SPF no matter what) because vitamin C makes your skin more fragile to sun exposure and don't let the bottle be exposed to sun since vitamin C is quite unstable and doesn't work nicely with sun exposure, since it oxides and the serum looses it's powder. I keep mine out of the sun and inside of the box to prevent that
Mizon Hyaluronic Acid 100 Serum
Because of Caroline Hirons recommendations I started to be quite interested in finding a good serum Hyaluronic Acid. The problem? It's quite hard to find serums with that in Europe and when you get to find them they are really expensive. When I found this one last year I got curious. The result? I'm on my second bottle because of how much I liked it. It's perfect to use both in the night and morning time and I probably won't switching this for nothing. If you have dry skin or dehydrated skin be sure to add this to your " to try list".
Innisfree It's real Squeeze Mask in Green Tea
Sheet Mask are a huge thing in Korea. I used to not understand the hype until I tried this one. When you have one of those really long days and you need to relax or you feel like your skin needs a "pick me up" treatment, grab one of these. It's really moisturising and it does take care of your skin. The one present here is the last I have from Innisfree and I've been saving it until I'm able to repurchase more because after trying a few from Etude House, I believe these are by far better ( not that Etude House's are bad, they aren't...I just prefer the texture of these). They also have more types of masks if you are interested. Oh and they are really affordable as well.
Lioele Waterdrop Sleeping Mask
Sleeping masks are another thing that it's big in Korea. They are meant to lock in the moisture and add another boost to your skin during the night. I got this one because it's fairly popular, affordable and...it has Hyaluronic acid. Also, a little goes a long way with this mask and a tube will last more than 9 months if not a full year believe me. It also gives a really nice fresh feeling to the skin ( which we love specially during the summer)
Now into Makeup wise, their base makeup products are usually really good. Their BB creams are by far better than the western ones, although sadly they lack of a good colour selection. Because Korean Woman love their eyeliner, usually theirs is also really good. Oh their lip products are to die for. Overall, they are worth to try, but here are some specific recommendations:
3CE Full Cover Concealer
If you are looking for a dupe or something similar to the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer, try this out. I got it not only because of that but also because Bethany Y used to rave a lot about it. I had to stop using it during summer because I got a bit tanned but it's perfect for the Winter time. I'm planing on trying more concealers in the future but I'll be sure to repurchase this one. The downside is that 3CE isn't sold everywhere as easily as other brands like Etude House or Innisfree.
Holika Holika Pore Cover Base
Looking for a nice primer that takes care of hiding your pores but you happen to not like Silicone ( or being allergic...I think most people also forget that there are people allergic to silicone) ? Try this one. I actually got it because it was really affordable and since I'm not a huge fan of the Porefessional, I wanted to get something similar. I ended up getting something better. The primer has more of a creamy consistency, doesn't break me out, mess with my foundation or anything like it. I might be curious to get other type of primers, but this one has a permanent spot in my stash.
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Eyeliner
I'm still not a huge pro in what's related to eyeliner but, I have to say that his is by far the best I've come across. It's super pigmented and it doesn't fade or anything during the day. Mine is starting to dye ( well, it's been one year since I got it so, it's quite normal) and I'll be getting a backup soon. And possibly the brown one as well. This one has a brush tip but, if you prefer there's also the felt tip option as well.
Etude House Dear My Wish Lip Talk
What can I say? I have six shades of this and I love them. I dare to say that I like this lipsticks more than my MAC lipsticks ( although shades like Craving will always have a spot in my heart). Their scent is amazing, the packaging speaks for itself and this is one of those lipsticks that I apply, live my life, eat, drink and I'll still have lipstick on. I'm still thinking about getting the two Nudes they have in the Range to finish the collection.
There obviously more products I could recommend. Like the Etude House BB Cushion or the Aritaum Blushes. But like I said, I still want to try out more products so, I might mention them in the future.
Do you have any recommendation?
I hope you liked this post. Take care everyone, have a nice day!
Now into Makeup wise, their base makeup products are usually really good. Their BB creams are by far better than the western ones, although sadly they lack of a good colour selection. Because Korean Woman love their eyeliner, usually theirs is also really good. Oh their lip products are to die for. Overall, they are worth to try, but here are some specific recommendations:
3CE Full Cover Concealer
If you are looking for a dupe or something similar to the Nars Radiant Creamy concealer, try this out. I got it not only because of that but also because Bethany Y used to rave a lot about it. I had to stop using it during summer because I got a bit tanned but it's perfect for the Winter time. I'm planing on trying more concealers in the future but I'll be sure to repurchase this one. The downside is that 3CE isn't sold everywhere as easily as other brands like Etude House or Innisfree.
Holika Holika Pore Cover Base
Looking for a nice primer that takes care of hiding your pores but you happen to not like Silicone ( or being allergic...I think most people also forget that there are people allergic to silicone) ? Try this one. I actually got it because it was really affordable and since I'm not a huge fan of the Porefessional, I wanted to get something similar. I ended up getting something better. The primer has more of a creamy consistency, doesn't break me out, mess with my foundation or anything like it. I might be curious to get other type of primers, but this one has a permanent spot in my stash.
Clio Kill Black Waterproof Eyeliner
I'm still not a huge pro in what's related to eyeliner but, I have to say that his is by far the best I've come across. It's super pigmented and it doesn't fade or anything during the day. Mine is starting to dye ( well, it's been one year since I got it so, it's quite normal) and I'll be getting a backup soon. And possibly the brown one as well. This one has a brush tip but, if you prefer there's also the felt tip option as well.
Etude House Dear My Wish Lip Talk
What can I say? I have six shades of this and I love them. I dare to say that I like this lipsticks more than my MAC lipsticks ( although shades like Craving will always have a spot in my heart). Their scent is amazing, the packaging speaks for itself and this is one of those lipsticks that I apply, live my life, eat, drink and I'll still have lipstick on. I'm still thinking about getting the two Nudes they have in the Range to finish the collection.
There obviously more products I could recommend. Like the Etude House BB Cushion or the Aritaum Blushes. But like I said, I still want to try out more products so, I might mention them in the future.
Do you have any recommendation?
I hope you liked this post. Take care everyone, have a nice day!
With Love,
Diana
Diana
How I overcome my Acne
8/18/2015
Just like any teenager, I had that really horrible phase where pimples, spots and blackheads appears and started to set camp on my face. As you can imagine, I struggled a lot with this. I still remember the day , back in middle school, when a class-mate decided to point out how bad my nose was. ( I still dislike her to this day...not only because of that but also because she wasn't a really nice person. I don't really have contact with her now - thankfully).
Besides that, all the inflammations, scars and oiliness were a major problem. During my late teens I tried to work on the problem but I was a noob at the time and I ended up using products that created more problems. Because I didn't have the amount of information I have nowadays, many mistakes were made.
But in recent year I got the luck of meeting friends who have been studding Pharmacy and know bits and bobs about skin care. I also discovered the fantastic world of online research the amazing blog of Caroline Hirons - the mother of all good skin care.
Changed had to be made and here are some things that I did and personally helped me a lot. Note to the fact that every skin is different, although there are certain points I believe are the same to everyone.
Cut on Dairy
In recent years studies have proven that out metabolism isn't quite ready to cow milk. Don't get me wrong, there are in fact people that don't have problems with dairy and live happily with it. If you are one of those people, please just ignore this. Now, the fact is that I started to notice that when I reached my 20s, I wasn't able to process milk like I used to. I can still drink it occasionally, eat food with cheese ( like lasagne or pizza) but I can't be drink the 3 or 4 cups of milk I used to. Since I switched it to tea, I've seen major improvements on my skin.
Cut on SLS
Another big move was cutting out foaming cleansers. I remember the first time I heard someone mentioning this I thought they were quite crazy and didn't make any sense. I mean, how was I suppose to cleanse my face? But the truth is that there are better options. I started to use cleansing oils, gels and creams and my skin loved the transition. Foaming Cleansers are quite strong and over striping. They do more harm than good.
Add More Water and Stay Hydrated
Water. Seems foolish right? But it isn't. Just like Caroline Hirons says : " the first state of our skin is dehydrated". Seriously, start to drink more water and you'll see a huge difference - not only on your skin but also on your whole body. I've been drinking more water during the day and my meals - I also drink more tea and my skin thanked me.
Also, I switched to more moisturising moisturises - without any mineral oil or anything like that and after that my T-Zone stopped producing tones of oil and I stopped having dry patches around scars and spots.
Bye Bye Mechanic scrubs, Hello Hello Chemical Exfoliation
Exfoliation is a really important step, since it removes the dead sells of our skin. Usually brands proceed to make those " get + beads" scrubs - which work nicely as body scrubs - and tell you splash that on your face. The problem is that the skin you have on your face is more sensitive than the one you have on other pars of your body. Those beads end ups damaging more your face than actually doing anything good.
A good alternative is chemical exfoliation. I started with something low ( NEVER, but NEVER start with something super high like Liquid Gold. Don't do that to your face pleaseee!) like a exfoliating mask that contained both AHA and BHA acids and now I use two toners with both acids. The difference is huge - no more spots and my blackheads are less clogged.
Add Vitamin C to your life
Vitamin C is a really important vitamin. There some tutorials and DIY with lemons and orages but...STAY AWAY from them. Vitamin C is a really unstable ingridients and rubbing your face with an orange or with a lemon won't help your skin at all. There are really good Serums with Vitamin C in the market.
Ever since I add it to my routine, there haven't been spots on my face and those really old marks and scars started to disappear. I'll probably do a review soon about the one I'm currently using so stay tuned.
Add SPF to your life
I mean, another perk of Vitamin C is that it doesn't react really well with sun exposure. But even if you aren't using that, you should add SPF to your life - unless you spend your whole time inside a room or something. Sun protection is a serious matter.
Wash your make up brushes
I always washed my foundation brushes but now I apply this to all of my brushes. Seriously, wash them. I can't really imagine how people can use a dirty brush twice or trice on their face. Like seriously, it's not okay. Bacteria and everything will start to live on your brush and use your face as a camping place. Even if do more spot cleaning than deep cleaning - which please do at least once a week - just do it ( no, I have no intentions to sound like Shia LaBeouf, but if that helps so be it)
You obviously don't have to follow all of this. This is how I overcome my acne, not a set of rules that you should follow. Truth to be told, I never felt as comfortable with my skin as I am now. The idea of just using concealer and powder would be a mere mirage two years ago and now it's pretty much what I do whenever I'm not using lighting base product like BB cushion or Powder Foundation. If you want to treat your acne my advice is to make that a priority and leave makeup behind a little. Also, be sure to know if you aren't allergic to certain ingredients and products. Oh be alert - food poison can also cause skin problems.
Did you like this type of posts? I'm thinking about doing them a bit more since the latest posts have only been about reviews. Maybe School looks and bag essentials? Oh and I might do a Birthday wish list as well.
Take Care everyone and thanks for reading!
With love,
Diana.
Diana.
Firs Aid Beauty Try Out Kit
8/04/2015
I know...Long time no see ( or in this case write and read? ). Besides the writer-block I had, I decided that I had to take a little break from the blog. I've been going outside and taking my time to be with my friends and at the night time, I've been watching as many good-quality movies as I can. I mean, Once mid-September starts, so will my really crazy schedule of classes and everything. I'll try to post as much as I can but...we all know that school is quite a priority for these shores.
Today's post will be my impression/review on the Try-out set from First Aid Beauty I got a few months ago. I've been quite curious about FAB for a while since it's not only raved by many American and Canadian Bloggers, but it's also raved by Caroline Hirons. And we all know that if the Queen of skin care recommendations says something is nice - in this case their pads - I will try it out as soon as can. Or if my bank account allows it. Since I wasn't only curious about the pads, I thought this kit would be a nice acquisition. And it was because now I now that I can't live without two of these products but that I really hate one of them.
First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser
Seriously, just skip it. Don't waste a single penny on this, it's not worth it.
I mean it. It probably one of the worse cleansers I ever tried. First, it claims to be SLS-free but it still lathers a lot, which I wasn't really expecting.
It doesn't have any added fragrance so it has a really chemical smell...not to say plane awful. But what really makes me hate it is what this did to my face. It's quite over striping so my skin would be super dry and tight in a way that it's not healthy at all.and the worse? I broke out really badly.
It took me like a month to clear all the spots and thankfully most of the scars are finally faded.
Also, it has this really weird consistency...maybe I got a bad batch? But still...
Also, it has this really weird consistency...maybe I got a bad batch? But still...
I won't be getting this ever again and I don't really know what to do with the rest of the tube. At this point, I wouldn't even give this to my worse enemy.
First Aid Beauty Facial Radiance Pads
Now, the star of the kit that I shall keep repurchasing - at least until I find something similar with a better price but, so far there isn't such thing.
These are exfoliating pads - meaning they are part of my chemical exfoliation with BHA and AHA. These are pretty much, perfect. They aren't as gentle as my Missha Clear Toner ( which I still love and will repurchase) but they aren't super aggressive either. They just have the enough power I need to exfoliate my face a bit more twice a week or when my skin is having extra issues.
They don't have a funky smell, they don't contain any alcohol and I don't have any problems with them. I actually already repurchased a tiny pack like this but I'll probably just get the 60 pads pack next time. If you want something that exfoliates nicely but isn't aggressive, try this.
These are exfoliating pads - meaning they are part of my chemical exfoliation with BHA and AHA. These are pretty much, perfect. They aren't as gentle as my Missha Clear Toner ( which I still love and will repurchase) but they aren't super aggressive either. They just have the enough power I need to exfoliate my face a bit more twice a week or when my skin is having extra issues.
They don't have a funky smell, they don't contain any alcohol and I don't have any problems with them. I actually already repurchased a tiny pack like this but I'll probably just get the 60 pads pack next time. If you want something that exfoliates nicely but isn't aggressive, try this.
First Aid Beauty Ultra Repair Cream
Lastly but not least at all, the Ultra Repair Cream has been my go-to night moisturiser. It's quite thick and it makes wonders during the night. My skin is quite dehydrated and does love moisturisers like this one.
The only problem I see with this is one : it has eucalyptus oil and can be quite bad to people with super sensitive skin and two, I ended up foundation a Cheaper version from Mizon after repurchasing a tube of this.
Nevertheless, this is a really good product to use. Since I tend to leave the fancy ingredients to my toners and serums, the only thing I ask my moisturisers is to moisturise. And it's what this does. Although I have to say that I always love when we get to find moisturisers with Hyaluronic Acid and free of Mineral Oil and those things.
Overall, the only thing I won't recommend at all is the cleanser. Seriously, it's not worth it...unless you want some really painful break outs..
By the way, I did a few changers around the blog : new banner, icons, photo and overall look. I still need to add a new signature and I might add another widget or two - like the one I have for Pinterest.
Thank you for reading every one!
With Love,
Diana
Lioele Waterdrop Sleeping Pack | Review
7/05/2015
So apparently there is a heat wave around Europe...yet here we are having Spring weather. I probably shouldn't be saying this because the heat is coming back. Actually it's a good thing because this year I really want to go to the beach and maybe tan a bit ( no worries, I already have a potent SPF with me, I'll probably do a SPF post later). I really want to enjoy going to the beach and pool with friends this summer. It's not something I usually do but, there's always a first time right?
Also, guess who got two packages held by custom services...Like seriously, one of the packages comes from the Netherlands, why did they even spot it? What bugs me even more is the fact that I have to wait extra time to get my stuff. Now, post-wise, I'll be talking today about the Lioele Waterdrop Sleeping Pack.
There has been a "Sleeping-mask" craze around Europe right now. Ever since The Body Shop launched their Sleeping Mask and Caroline Hirons started to talk about the Mizon Star fish cream ( Mizon and other brands are now stocked in Europe by Cult Beauty but things cost 3 times more than what they cost in Korean and Online Beauty shops...even with me counting on custom taxes), there has been interest here around this department.
Personally, I had been thinking about getting this product for awhile since I friend got it for herself and liked it a lot. I got the change to try out a sample and the final decision was made.
The product comes in a 120ml blue tube that although simple has the typical cute style that Korean brands usually carry and Lioele, like Etude House, likes to keep the very princess-inspired look. (I'm a sucker for cute packaging, I admit it!)
This is a king-size tube. I mean, I can slap this across my face everyday and I bet that I'll only need to get a backup next year. It's true that it's not travel friendly but seriously, brands usually don't have that in mind when making everyday products like this. Specially when they deliver samples or you can depot a bit whenever you travel ( it's not that hard I think).
I've been using this on a daily basics and I really can see an improvement on my face and how this helps to make it look more healthy and moisturised in the morning. It kinda amplifies the potency of my regular night moisturiser. Also, it's not really thick and it sets/sink into the skin really quickly, not leaving that greasy feeling that might be quite uncomfortable for some people.
I usually only use a small pea-size, there is no need to use more than this. Not only this doesn't leave the sticky/greasy feeling as mentioned before, it has a cooling sensation as well. Quite relaxing actually.
In terms of Ingredients, it's quite safe according to CodDNA. I know some people might freak out because of the two preservatives that are present here but, I've heard that there isn't any medical study that proves it's relation to breast cancer for example. I actually found a Paula's Choice Article where she talks about it and where she has links to other health departments. But you are obviously free to be scared and want to play safe. I play it too by not applying Mineral oil on my face. Oh, and let's take to compliment Lioele for also having Hyaluronic Acid here. I mean western brands, this is what you place on a product to make it good and moisturising...not the bloody Mineral oil. (pardon the small rant)
Overall, I do recommend this product without thinking twice. I got it for 15$ I believe at Jolse.com and I'll probably repurchase it. Considering that I'll only need to do that next year.
And now I'm off to prepare another posts. I mean, after so much time without post, I'm really making an effort to post more now during July and August.Next I'll probably talk about the Zoeve Rose Golden Palette - who's ready for that?
Take care everyone, have a nice day!
With Love,
Diana.
The tittle for this post could also be " The best cleansing oil I've tried so far" but, it was way to big.
I've been doing what I said I would and I've been preparing posts...and watching way to many shows. Before I start talking about this cleansing oil please allow me to recommend you Sense8 ( it's a Netflix show). If you like series with good character development, fight scenes and touch of philosophical bit here and there it's the show you need to watch. A friend recommended it to me and I couldn't stop watching it.
Now, back to cleansing oil world. Everyone knows how much I love cleansing oils to remove my makeup and cleanse my face. It's no secret that I said no-no to foam cleansers. But finding a good cleansing oil isn't as easy as it seams. Most cleansing oils either have things like Mineral oil ( which can be for me as bad as SLS) or more active oils that can cause breakouts or inflammations on more sensitive skins. The previous cleansing oil I was using had Lavender oil and somehow my skin wasn't really happy about it. Also, I tend to like cleansing oils that are a bit more rich, since them seem to cleanse my skin more easily and I tend to not need to use as much product.
So, I ended up finding myself needing a new cleansing oil and having the hard task of finding something good that wouldn't break me out. Western oils were a no at the time because the ones we usually find at the Korean market are cheaper and better. It turns out that it's kinda the same...until I found this bad boy. I ran every name of cleansing oils at cosdna.com in order to check their ingredient list and if they had bad ingredients.
It turns out that the Innisfree Apple Juicy Cleansing Oil is by far the safest cleansing oil I could ever get, since the only bad ingredient is fragrance.
So, what does this cleansing oil has it that others don't?
First, the packaging is quite efficient because I can pour oil onto my hand without having it flying around the bathroom. I can't possible explain how mad I get whenever I get my mirror stained with oil because of bad packaging. I usually keep the seal because I do have my cat playing around my room sometimes and I don't want it to ruin and break my bottles.
Another personal perk of this cleansing oil it's amazing smell of green apple. I stated before that fragrance can be bummer to some people but personally, I didn't had any reaction with the fragrance existing in this cleanser. The smell is really fresh and makes me want to massage this on face, like if I was at a spa.
It has a richer texture, not too thick but not light either. It's perfect to massage and break all the makeup, specially eye makeup. This takes care of waterproof mascara and waterproof eyeliner without any problem.
As you can see here the ingredients aren't anything complicated or that could make you break out ( unless you are allergic to apples or to fragrance). Overall, I do believe this is by far one of safest cleansing oils I even had the change to try out. I do want to try the Unna Brennan Superfacialist Vitamin C cleansing oil and the DHC cleansin oil everyone loves ( the last one is quite expensive so I probably won't try it in a near future) but I'll for sure repurchase this cleansing oil. So far I'm quite impressed.
I got this cleansing oil at Jolse .
Which kinda reminds me that for the first time in my life I got a package stopped for customs. I'm not sure how much I'll pay but...I really hope it's not that much. I really shouldn't have ordered again so soon...But I needed a backup of my daily moisturiser... I'll be sure to share that tale whenever that packaging finally arrives.
Thank you all for reading. Take care and have a nice day!
With Love,
Diana
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