Holiday Haulin'

I’m back, I’m back! Bet you’ve missed me when I was on a sunbed drinking cocktails and reading countless magazines in Mallorca- I kid, I kid. But I’m back after twelve days in the sun, and it feels like I’ve never even left my quiet, little city. I’m not that happy to be home because I’ve had the most amazing time on holiday and even got a tan, but I missed my bed and the comfort of my own home so it feels kind of ‘good’ to be home.

I was planning on buying quite a lot of stuff whilst being on the beautiful Balearic island, but I ended up not buying that much which my bank balance was obviously quite happy about. I thought I’d show you anyway, since I am really happy with the bits I did buy!

Firstly, I bought an item I was lusting after for absolute ages- a Bourjois Colour Boost crayon, in the colour ‘Orange Punch’. Since most drugstore makeup brands are quite a bit cheaper in Spain then they are in Belgium I was planning on picking up lots more, but when shopping for makeup I always get so overwhelmed I never really know what to buy. I know, I’m such a great beauty blogger! I wore this almost every evening of my holiday and I love it so, so much. It’s quite sheer but the clour is really buildable and feels really moisturising on the lips, and it lasts quite a long time as well! So far it’s a winner.

I also picked up two Clarins products I’ve been eyeing up for a while, and, to be honest I was actually forced a little to buy because you got a free makeup bag containing two sample if you bought two Clarins products! So I picked up the Lotus Face Oil and the Beauty Flash Balm, two quite hyped up products. I only tried these a few times and so far I’ve been absolutely loving both; the Lotus Face Oil smells amazing and seems to do wonders for my oily skin, and the Beauty Flash Balm feels so fresh on the skin and makes every base you apply after look gorgeous.

We went to Palma for a daytrip and I just had to visit the Kiko store. I’ve never actually tried something by Kiko before but heard that their products are great value for money, especially their eyeshadows, so I bought three; two of their Longlasting Stick Eyeshadows and one Water Eyeshadow. I bought their eyeshadow sticks in the colours 06, a beautiful shimmery chocolate brown, and 07, the most gorgeous golden colour which makes an amazing inner corner highlight. I picked up the water eyeshadow in the shade 200 which is the most amazing gold shimmer with an incredible pigmentation and the most amazing glitter ever- if you’re a fan of subtle, I fear this isn’t so much for you. After picking these up I’m actually tempted to play a little with eyeshadows, which is unheard for me so I’ll keep you updated!

I also picked up their Dazzling Highlighter in 02 – Gleaming Apricot. I actually only own one single highlighter (MAC Lightscapade, I’m looking at you), so I thought it was time to expand my collection a little bit. Their Dazzling Highlighters come in a handy stick which you can roll up and sweep across your cheekbones, your browbone, decolletage or anywhere else you’d like. They come in two colours, a shimmery white one or a more subtle apricot one, which is the one I picked up. I’ve been wearing it every day since I got it since it’s so subtle but also makes your cheekbones look amazing and really defined. It’s really creamy and easy to blend in with your fingers, and also smells amaaaaazing!

So that’s all I picked up beauty-wise in Mallorca. I also bought a little leather satchel bag at a market in Son Servera and a beautiful butterfly ring in the most precious little hand-made jewellery store in Cala Bona, which is the little village we stayed in located at the west coast of Mallorca.

I’m planning on doing a holiday essentials post soon, including everything I used every single day on my holiday and some tips for travelling light RE: makeup and skincare. I also might do a little holiday diary, sop lease let me know in the comments if you would like to see that!

Sunglasses and SPF

As soon as the sun kicks in, my obsession with protecting my face from the harmful rays does too. I’m that girl who frantically carries a tube of SPF with her everywhere she goes and make sure she reapplies every two hours- at least. Now on ‘normal’, not-sunny days, I don’t usually wear an SPF because I’m inside most of the time anyway and I don’t want to smear SPF all over my full face of makeup- ew. But as soon as it gets seriously sunny outside and I’m planning on spending my day out, out comes the SPF- and the sunglasses…

My favourite SPF ever (dare I say that?!) is the Dior Bronze SPF 50 Beautifying Protective Suncare, a facial SPF I bought for my holiday last year and have repurchased for when I’m going to Mallorca for 12 days this Wednesday. It has lasted me through the entire holiday, even though I applied it every two hours every single day, and I still have lots left. It smells AMAZING and really summery, but that might be a problem for sensitive skinned gals because it’s scented a lot. It’s quite thick but really easy to apply and blend into the skin. It doesn’t leave a white residue and it really, really protects your skin against the sun; on the last day of my previous holiday I decided to not reapply it in the afternoon in an attempt to tan my face a little bit, and I got burned. A lot. I absolutely love this product and I couldn’t recommend it enough; it hasn’t broken me out and even though it’s quite heavy, it’s really moisturizing so your face doesn’t get dried out by the sun.

Another SPF is the Shiseido Expert Sun Aging Protection Cream SPF 50+. This one’s waterproof and has an anti-aging complex, penetrating the skin cells to reassure optimal sun protection. Now I haven’t used this as much as the Dior one so I can’t really say much about this yet until after my holiday, but the scent of this is very subtle and it sinks into my skin really easily, which is nice as it doesn’t make me look like a greaseball- which the Dior sometimes does. This does, however, leave a really white ‘veil’ over my skin, and even though the sales person told me Shiseido had changed the formula of this so it wouldn’t look as white on the skin, I still feel like it does.

Now another summer obsession of mine are sunglasses. I can’t live without them and wear them all year round, since my eyes are really sensitive and can get red and watery very easily. I’m never seen without sunglasses in the summer; I even wear them in the pool. Last year’s sunglasses were a pair from H&M that broke a couple of days after the holidays. I don’t particularly like H&M sunglasses as I find the designs to be a little bit dodgy but they’re cheap as chips so you can’t really complain. Yesterday, I came across these three beauties in a local drugstore, and yes, I bought them all. Three pairs of sunglasses. But they were only €9 each, so who am I to complain?

One round pair and two cat-eye pairs, one black and white and one brown. I couldn’t really decide so I went for all three. They all have an UV-filter and feel like they’re quite good quality, which is always good! Round and cateye sunglasses are my absolute favourite since they’re quite unique and can be a very nice accessory to your summer outfit. But even though I’m in love with all three of these, I can’t wait until I can call a pair of Ray Ban Erika’s mine… A girl can dream, right?

What are your favourite SPF’s? Are you also sunglasses obsessed?

Taking It Off

I’ve always been really thorough with my cleansing routine. Wipes have always been a no-no for me and I always made sure that I was removing my makeup properly. Double cleansing, however, is quite new to me. I ‘discovered’ the benefits of it around this time last year and since starting to incorporate two separate cleansers in my routine my skin has been looking and feeling a lot better.

With double cleansing, you use a first cleanser to remove your makeup and surface impurities, then follow up with a second cleanse to really get into your pores and deeply purify the skin. I used to use my beloved Bioderma as a second cleanse then use a milk/gel/etc. as a double cleanse, but that wasn’t really thorough enough so I decided to start using an oil as my first cleanse, and it has made all the difference.

My oil cleanser of choice is the Origins Clean Energy gentle cleansing oil (€21 for 200ml). I bought this somewhere last week (see this post) and I’ve been absolutely loving it. It contains a lot of beneficial ingredients like olive, sunflower, sesame and safflower oil which help to remove dirt, pollutants and makeup really well. It also contains a lot of protecting ingredients like macadamia and kukui nut as well as vitamin E.

I usually use one pump for my face and one pump for my eyes as you really only need the tiniest amount of this. I do tend to use a little bit too much though since I just simply adore the feeling of massaging an oil into your skin; it makes me feel so relaxed. The scent of this is absolutely unreal. After massaging it in for a while I add a little bit of water, which transorms the oil in a beautiful milk which helps remove the last traces of makeup.

Origins claims it smells like grapefruit, orange and lemon but I find that it smells a lot more like lavender and sandal wood, which are my two absolute favourite scents ever. I always look forward to using this at night and I will definitely repurchase this when it runs out. It breaks down the makeup and leaves me with a clean face ready for a second cleanse.

People with oily skin might be a little bit hesitant about using oil on their face whether it’s a cleanser or just a facial oil, but instead of just adding more oil to the face, facial oils dissolve the bulk of the natural sebum on your face thus being really beneficial. I have oily skin myself and I find that my skin has benefited a lot from using oils on my skin. I don’t really recommend Origins products if you’ve got really, really acne prone and sensitive skin because they do contain quite a lot of essential oils, which can be possible irritants.

I love Origins packaging, which might be slightly irrelevant but it always draws me in. It is slightly unconvenient that it doesn’t have a pump and you need to buy a separate one, but I really recommend buying one since otherwise you might be using too much product.

INGREDIENTS: Olea Europaea (Olive) Fruit Oil, Carthamus Tinctorius (Safflower) Seed Oil, Sesamum Indicum (Sesame) Seed Oil, Helianthus Annuus (Sunflower) Seed Oil, Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Seed Oil, PEG-25 Glyceryl Trioleate, Macadamia Integrifolia Seed Oil, Aleurites Moluccana (Kukui) Seed Oil, Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Sweet Orange) Peel Oil, Lavandula Hybrida (Lavandin) Oil, Citrus Medica Limonum (Lemon) Peel Oil, Citrus Aurantium Bergamia (Bergamot) Fruit Oil, Citrus Grandis (Grapefruit) Peel Oil, Cedrus Atlantica (Cedarwood) Bark Oil, Pogostemon Cablin (Patchouli) Oil, Salvia Sclarea (Clary Sage) Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis (Rosemary) Leaf Oil, Pelargonium Graveolens (Geranium) Flower Oil, Fusanus Spicatus (Australian Sandalwood) Wood Oil, Amyris Balsamifera (Sandalwood) Bark Oil, Linalool, Limonene, Sorbitan Trioleate, Tocopheryl Acetate

For my second cleanse I’ve been using the Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cleanser (€17 for 150ml). I bought the cleanser, toner and moisturiser about a month ago (a review is in the making!) and so far, I’m really impressed. This is a gel cleanser which does also contain vitamin E as well as avocado oil and other beneficial ingredients. You’re supposed to massage it on to wet skin in upward circular motions, avoiding the eye area.

I tried using this on dry skin because I don’t really believe in applying products on wet skin, but it just doesn’t work. This gel cleanser needs a little bit of water to lather up and really work. I usually dampen my skin a little, then add a few drops of water to the cleanser and apply it to my skin. My second cleanse is where I try to do a little bit of facial massage, since it’s really beneficial to the skin and one of the best things you can do to achieve healthy, glowy looking skin. It improves circulation and muscle strength and therefore delays wrinkles, and don’t we all want that?

I really, really like this cleanser- it makes my skin feel really clean without stripping it too much. Sometimes my skin does feel a little bit dry after using it, but then I just use a heavier moisturiser.

I don’t really know if I’m going to repurchase this, though; it does contain parabens and sulfates, which are quite nasty ingredients and possible irritants to the skin. I don’t really mind, because after all it’s a cleanser and and you wash it off your face, but I prefer more natural ingredients in my skincare.

INGREDIENTS: Aqua / Water / Eau, Sodium Laureth Sulfate, Decyl Glucoside, Glycerin, Cocamidopropyl Betaine, Disodium Cocoamphodiacetate, Acrylates Copolymer, Peg-200 Hydrogenated Glyceryl Palmate, Lauryl Glucoside, Sodium Chloride, Pentylene Glycol, Triethanolamine, Phenoxyethanol, Peg-7 Glyceryl Cocoate, Distearyl Ether, Behenyl Alcohol, Methylparaben, Laureth-2, Propylparaben, Sodium Methylparaben, Squalane, Prunus Amygdalus Dulcis Oil / Sweet Almond Oil, Prunus Armeniaca Kernel Oil / Apricot Kernel Oil, Tocopherol, Ascorbyl Glucoside, Persea Gratissima Oil / Avocado Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Citric Acid

So after using these two products, my skin feels clean and ready for my evening skincare routine. I'm trying to make my reviews etc. a little bit more in depth and to add ingredients as much as I can since I'm quite big on ingredients myself, and I like to know what I'm using.

Have you tried any of these cleansers? What products do you use to double cleanse?

Kiehl's Rare Earth Deep Pore Cleansing Masque

I’ve always, always been a huge lover of facemask. Ever since I was about 12/13, I used to buy those €1 satchel masks you find in almost every drugstore, and I still love treating my skin once a week. I’ve always been more drawn in to cleansing masks because I suffered from bad acne and oily skin, and I still get some blemishes every no wand then so it’s essential for me to just get rid of all the bad stuff that’s clogging my pores (gross, I know).  So last month, I made a little Kiehl’s order and got this clay mask along with some other products. I had never really tried Kiehl’s skincare before, so I was really curious to how the products, and especially this face mask would perform.

The Rare Earth Pore Cleansing Masque claims to help eliminate surface impurities and toxins you get exposed to during the day from the skin, making your skin looking fresh and clear and minimizing the appearance of pores. It contains amazonian white clay which helps to purify the skin and it also contains oatmeal and aloe vera, which are two ingredients that help to calm the skin down and prevent redness.

The mask smells really fresh and ‘clay-y’, but it doesn’t have a really noticable or predominant scent to it. It’s white, which is unusual to me because most of the clay masks I’ve tried out are either black or green.

Upon application, the mask feels really cooling on the skin. You only really need the tiniest amount, and seeing as the tub is really, really big it’s great value for money as it will last you a long time. It feels really light on the skin, much lighter than for example the Origins Clear Improvement clay mask which feels really heavy on the skin and can feel quite stingy. The Kiehl’s mask doesn’t feel stingy at all, in fact it actually feels really soothing. It takes about 5 minutes to dry up, but it doesn’t really get ‘hard’, if you know what I mean. A lot of face masks give that tight, craquelé-ish feeling to the skin which can make you feel quite uncomfortable and unable to smile without feeling like you just injected botox in your entire face- this one doesn’t.

After about 15 minutes I rinse it off using tapid water. Since it doesn’t dry up really hard I find it really easy to remove and it doesn’t really stick to the skin. After use, I find that my skin looks so much brighter and clearer and my pores really do look minimised. It might just be placebo-effect, but I do really think that this face mask lives up to what it claims to do and I’ve been reaching for it every time I want to give my skin a little bit of a detox.

It’s not as ‘hardcore’ as some other face masks I’ve tried like the aforementioned Origins Clear Improvement mask. The ingredients aren’t as hars hand I do find that the Origins one gives my face a deeper cleanse, but on sensitive skin days or days where I just want to cleanse my skin without being really harsh, I use this one.

I really, really love this Kiehl’s face mask and I would love to try more of their skincare products. As I said, I also purchased their Ultra Facial range which I’ve been really loving as well so I’m planning on reviewing those products after I’ve been trying them out for a little bit longer. Have you tried this face mask? Have you tried any other Kiehl’s products, any suggestions for me?

A Little Skincare Haul

I'm sorry for the bad lighting!

Well, little… It might not look like so much stuff but my bankbalance isn’t really happy with me. I was in need of some new skincare since I’m running out of my usual moisturizer and as I’m leaving on holiday in a few weeks time, I thought I’d pick up some other bits. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I get really paranoid about running out of stuff whilst on holiday! I absolutely love buying skincare and I think it’s fair to say that I love skincare more than makeup. I think this is just because I’ve had bad skin for such a long time, and now my skin is finally clear I can start using products that would have broken me out otherwise! My skin is oily but can be combination since I do get some dry patches around my nose and on my chin sometimes. I do get some blemishes, but it’s not as bad as it used to be. I suffered from acne and still have some scarring left, so I do tend to look for brightening skincare products that will slowly make those little scars disappear. I also tend to go for brightening products that encourage cell-renewal and inject a serious dose of nourishment. Even when I do have a couple of blemishes, I like to keep them hydrated and try not to pick at them as I find they disappear so much quicker and don’t leave a scar when I do that.

I first went to the Clarins counter and picked up two things I have wanted to try for the absolute longest time: the Exfoliating Toner and the Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream. I’ve heard so many great things about the Exfoliating Toner and have never actually tried a real chemical exfoliant, so I’m really curious about this product. I needed a new cleanser for when I go on holiday and had been eyeing up this cleanser for a while now, so I naturally had to get it! Not the most practical packaging for travelling, but oh well. Even though my skin is quite oily, I hate cleanser that leave my skin feeling too clean and stripped. I do have quite sensitive skin, so I think this will be perfect for me. I’ve only used it once so far so I can’t really say anything about it, but it feels really good on my skin and is great for facial massage, which I like to treat myself to every evening.

Next, I went to the Origins counter. I originally only wanted to pick up the two moisturisers, but I caved and also bought a toner and the cleansing oil. What can I say.

The Clean Energy cleansing oil is quite a new Origins product. I saw it in store a few months ago and immediately knew I had to have it. I’ve actually never tried a real cleansing oil- I’ve tried gel cleansers that turn into an oil as soon as you massage them in- and because Origins is one of my favourite brands ever, I really wanted to try this. By the way, the pump is sold separately- naughty Origins! I would really recommend it though, as it might get a little bit messy and to avoid spilling product everywhere. The United State toner is something I hadn’t ever heard of before. It’s a toner for combination skin, which aims to balance out the oily and dry parts on your face, which sounded perfect for me. I’m also saving this for when I go on holiday because I’m using my Kiehl’s toner up, which I also really like. 

Then on to the best part: the moisturizers. I got a sample of the Ginzing moisturizer a few months ago and I really loved it. It smells really good (like all Origins products, actually) and sinks beautifully into the skin leaving it fresh and moisturized. Perfect for summer, really. The consistency and product itself reminds me a little bit of the Clarins Daily-Energizer Cream-Gel! I also got the High Potency Night-a-Mins, which is a nighttime moisturizer I’ve been wanting  for about a year now but just never bought. Now I have it I couldn’t be happier! I got the oil-free version of it because as I said, my skin can get quite oily and even though I do like (and need!) a lot of hydration, I don’t like it when my moisturizer leaves me with a sticky, greasy face! The scent of these moisturizers is almost the same, although I do find the Ginzing one smells a little bit fresher which is perfect for the morning time.

So I might have spent a little bit too much money on these, but I believe that you have to invest in your face. You only have one, so why not take care of it? I think that if you put a lot of effort and work in something, you get something good in return. And I’d rather pay a little bit more for skincare than waste my money on going out and getting drunk a few times a week.

I really hope I will love these products but I’m quite sure I will, as Clarins and Origins are two of my favourite brands ever for skincare. I really hope I’ve finally discovered my perfect skincare routine, so I’ll keep you updated on that. I’m planning on doing more skincare-related posts, so please let me know if you’re into that! Maybe a post on facial massage or just a post showing you my current skincare routine, or telling you how I’ve cleared my acne? Please let me know! I’m planning on trying some of the Dr. Weil for Origins brightening products next, and I’m also looking more into REN skincare, the masks especially. Let me know if you have any recommendations!