Let me start this by post by thanking everyone for entering my giveway and for all the support. Since school starts today, I've been working on preparing more posts in order to not leave the blog without posts. I finally found my muse so I shall take advantage of it right?

As for today's post, I believe everyone around here knows how much I love Etude House as a brand. I mean, they are affordable, the quality is good and the packaging is probably the cutest thing I ever had the chance to encounter. So when their Dreaming Swan collection was launch I obviously fell in love and decided to snatch a few items to try out. And yes, I'm totally keeping the boxes...How couldn't I? I'll probably try to find a way of using them as decor pieces.

But before I start to talk about the products, let me talk you a bit the Dreaming Swan collection. The collection was developed by Etude House and Kerrie Hess - who happens to do various illustrations to fashion magazines and other brands. And let's say that both match perfectly.

The collection had various items - cushion cases, face powder, blushes, highlighters, a brush and of course lipsticks. From all the items I got myself 4 items t try.

Starting with the face products, I got myself one of their cushion cases - not only because it's gorgeous but because I really wanted to try a BB cushion for the longest time. The case is made of sturdy plastic and contrary to what I though initially, the design is printed directly on the case instead of being a sticker. That made me quite happy since I was scared that if it was in fact a sticker, it would come off with time.

I also got myself their Dreaming Swan Veiling Pact which is their version of something like the Hourglass Ambient Lighting Powder - it makes my skin look amazing with my makeup and it's one of my go-to products o whenever I have special events. Although I would be extra careful with the product since it's a bit fragile and might break quite easily. Besides that I really like - it provides a gorgous glow to skin while keeping the oiliness away.

From this collection I also got myself one of their lipsticks in PK023 , which is a very neon Pinky Coral. The shade and the packaging are gorgeous but sadly, I'm quite sad with the product itself. Usually Etude House lipsticks are quite moisturising and really easy to wear and apply. With this one I need to have my lips fully moisturised, without any dry patch and I need to apply a lip liner all over my lips other wise it will sink into the fine lines of my lips and look really bad. It's also a bit drying on my lips. But keep in mind that I only got this shade so I don't know if it's something just related to this shade or if it's something constant to all the range. 

Lately but not least at all, I also got a Shine Volumer, which the same as a highlighter. This little guy can be used in the inner corners - which is what I do most of the times and I like it in that way - or as a typical highlighter. It can also be used as eyeliner. The only thing I don't like is the applicator since I can't apply it on my cheeks or on my eyes since it's too big for that. I got myself shade 3 Glowing Tutu. 

Overall, I'm really happy with all of the products. You can still snatch them at Etude.com and online stores like Jolse.com and Beautynetkorea.com. 

I hope you guys liked this post and let me ask you, have seen their latest collection? I really like some of their lip shades but I'll probably pass it. But their nail polishes look really nice. Thank you very much for reading and take care! 

I didn't open the palette because I want the person who wins this to do it herself ( I almost thought about it in order to take photos but..it would be quite bad in my opinion. But here are some photos of the box and of course, if you want to check how the colours look you can head over to Too Faced's Website  to check it out. 

The Giveway is international and in ends in November 30th. 

All you have to do is to fill the widgets form. The only mandatory entry is to follow me via Blogger or Bloglovin ( both links can be found on the right side of the blog, although I'll leave my Bloglovin link here just in case. 

So participate and be sure to tell me what type of posts you would like to see here! I have already a couple prepared but I always like to know your opinion!

Take care and Good Luck!

 

Before you all ask, yes I decided to change the look of the blog again. But this time I finally have things like I always wanted to and I was able to add a menu under my banner. I also added a About Page, Contact and Resource Credit page where I present myself, present my business contact and give credit to the resources I used to create this blog look. I'm really proud of how this turn out, even if I had to spend like 2 to 3 hours working on designs and coding. The only thing I might adjust in the future is to center the blog post name and maybe build a different signature to the posts. But yes, I'm really, really happy about this theme. It looks more polished, happy and...professional? ( not really, but let's pretend it is)
Also, I'm on a blog post product spree. I have at least other 5 posts ready to be written and scheduled, which is nice since school is going to start in less than 2 weeks. I can't believe I'll be back to the crazy routine of classes, drama and everything. But hey, I was also kinda missing it.
And with that in mind, I decided to share 5 products that can make us look fresh and polished and ready for the day without spending too much time on it - because we all love to spend those extra 5 to 10 minutes sleeping. Or pretending to.

Concealer is magic
Unless you have to many skin problems - and believe me, I also used to so I totally understand you - my recommendation goes to concealer. You can concealer the dark circles, occasional spots and correct some more reddish areas of your face. But if you feel that it's too little for you, my recommendation is to get a nice BB cream. You are free to do whatever you want but, personally I believe school isn't the place to wear heavy make up. Specially if you spend 8+ hours outside your comfort zone.

Powder does the difference
Even if you are just using concealer, using a powder to set everything is something to keep in mind. Of course, if you want something with a bit more coverage you can always use something like a Powder foundation, which will help you covering a bit more but keeping at the same time the fresh and healthy vibe.

Blushing those Cheek Bones
Blush can make a huge difference to a look. Weather you go for a powder or matte blush, is all up to you. Although I have to say that I would be a bit careful with the shade selection and how heavy you apply it. On another situation, rocking a more "BAM" blush shouldn't be a problem, but for daily wear, something more toned down is okay. But again, if you want to rock a "BAM" blush, just do it. ( unless it's forbid in your school/campus. There's no need to get into trouble because of a blush shade)

Mascara to Wake Up those Lashes
Weather you want or not to do a full eye look is up to you. I decided to leave out that because it really depends on the person and how comfortable they are with that and how much time they have. The same applies to Eyeliner. Now Mascara is that simple thing that can make a huge difference. Find your perfect and favourite mascara and rock it every day. You'll see the difference in your eyes. Literally.

Lipstick to a pop of colour
Or moisture. I went for a lipstick that moisturises at the same time but in reality, it really depends on what you want and like. There are days were I like a really bold matte colour ( In the University there aren't major problems with that). But again. if you are in an environment where you can't do that, you can always use a lip balm or a more toned down lipstick. Just be comfortable with that.

These are some ideas I have, but seriously just do what makes you happy. If you like to do a more heavy make up do it. If you think you just need concealer for your dark circles or no make up at all, it's also fine. Just be happy.
Thank you for reading! Do you have any other recommendation for the school time? be sure to leave it!Take care!

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!

 

With Love,
Diana

 

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.

I've been struck by the writter block light. I haven't felt the necessary inspiration to write...I sit myself in front of the computer with tones of things in my mind and photos already edited and...BAM. Nothing comes out. But since I started to do some workout, I really hope that at some point that helps me with this little problem. I mean, there's so much I still want to share with you guys!

In terms of makeup, I've been keeping things simple lately. I haven't been wearing any foundation. It's wither my BB cushion or this Powder foundation alongside with concealer. 

I mean, for once my skin is getting clearer and clearer so there aren't major spots or scars to cover - I shall write a post later about how I archive it -  and second : IT'S SUPER HOT HERE. I mean, it's summer, what can I expect? I don't like the sensation of having foundation melting on my face or caking all over the place. Besides, I also learned how to appreciate good looking and natural skin. If want to add something extra I do my eyeliner ( which has been quite an experience itself...let say that me and cat eye have a problem but I shall master it! even if it takes me the hole summer...) and add a pop of colour on my lips. 

With Love,

Diana,

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...

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 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