My Current Morning Face Routine - Simple, Origins, Josie Maran, Cetaphil, Bobbi Brown, Revlon, L'oreal and EOS.

Hi my pretties!
Today I thought I would like to share with you my current morning face routine.
This will also be my first entry with a video!

Just as an FYI, my skin is dry (and I have eczema).

So those of your who have dry skin, you may or may not find this post to be useful.

1) Cleanser - Simple Foaming Cleanser

Loving this cleanser at the moment. Rich with foam, yet still gentle to my skin.

  
2) Toner - Origins Make A Difference Skin Rejuvenating Treatment Lotion

This toner/lotion saved my skin twice - once after a beach vacation and another time after an allergy reaction I had with a range of products. My skin saver!

3) Serum - Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil Light

Using this as serum and very glad I am. Works wonders for both dry and oily skin

4) Moisturizer - Cetaphil Moisturizing Lotion

My go-to facial moisturizer for the past 7 years. Never failed me.

5) Eye Cream - Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream

Don't forget to care for your eyes! This cream is super hydrating and makes applying undereye concealer a bliss.

6) Concealer - Revlon Photo Ready Concealer in Medium 004

Creamy and super blendable, I regret not using this product earlier!

7) Sunblock - L'Oreal UV Perfect 12-hour Long-lasting UV Protector with SPF50

I am not a daily foundation user but NEVER miss applying sunblock for daily protection

8) Eye Brow - Bobbi Brown Natural Brow Shaper in Rich Brown

Strong, framing eyebrows are a must for me! This gets the job done perfectly and with ease.

9) Lip Care - EOS Lip Balm in Sweet Mint

Current favourite! Another product I regret not trying earlier. Love it!

The following video shows steps 5) to 8).
 

I hope this was somewhat useful! 
Forgive me for the abrupt music cut-off in the video - I am still learning! ^_^

Reminder: Product that works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. =)      

EOS - Evolution of Smooth Lip Balm in Sweet Mint

As a lip balm junkie, it is quite outrageous that it is only now that I finally got my hands on the cutest lip balm there is out there - the Evolution of Smooth Lip Balm (EOS).  ^_^ Mine is in Sweet Mint as I love all things minty!

Look how cute it is!! It reminds me a lot of the Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs (or just eggs, period!). At first glance, I had thought that it will be a bit tedious to hold and apply given its rounded shape. We are all used to the usual twist up cylinder tubes of most other lip balms and it did occur to me "Will I often drop this?", especially when unscrewing it open.

Taking it out of its packaging, my first instinct was to give it a sniff! haha! And I was glad I did because, Oh My!!, even without unscrewing it open, I could appreciate the sweet minty aroma of this particular EOS Lip Balm flavor. I am already loving this balm even before I apply it!

My question above was immediately answered when I examine the package.
There is a strategically placed indentation on one side of the packaging that you almost-by-reflex, put your thumbs over as you unscrew it open. Easy and no slipping!

See the indentation on the side?

The balm inside is of course as cute as you'd imagine it to be with its packaging - half a sphere of lip balm goodness. "Packed with antioxidant-rich vitamin E, soothing shea butter and jojoba oil, eos keeps your lips moist, soft and sensationally smooth"

Hello cute balm!

Now I am not very sure how deep the balm goes into the packaging.... Is it just half a sphere or a full sphere of product in there? Given that it weighs 7g, I think it is a whole sphere? Those who have gone through their spheres, let me know! I am curious!

Easy grip for application

The indentation is also handy for a good grip for application. On my first application, I was delighted with the minty sensation on my lips! The intensity was perfect. Not too much and not too little. (I get disappointed with certain lip balms that claim to be minty but did not leave any of the cool minty feel I had expected). As for its moisturizing level, definitely in the "healing" range as it is quite rich. That being said, it does not feel too greasy, sticky or slippery and I am not hating it. It is not glossy on the lips (which I also love).

For those who are not a fan of minty lip balms, not to worry as the EOS Lip Balm comes in a variety of other non-minty flavors such as Strawberry Sorbet and Summer Fruit.

Blew this pic up so you could see the ingredients! Good to know: Exp date is on the top left corner.

Each flavor comes in different colored packaging. Imagine how cute it is to have them all!

Overall, I am very happy with the EOS Lip Balm. Price wise, it goes for a bit higher than most lip balms but you are getting 7g of high quality product. Evolution of Smooth Lip Balms are available in Canada at selected Shoppers Drug Mart and Rexall outlets.  

To my knowledge, EOS Lip Balms are not yet available in Malaysia. A friend and myself have decided to start a small online shopping project where we will bring products that I love in Canada available to my readers in Malaysia and vice versa. We chose the EOS Lip Balms as our first item and will bring more items if there is a good response. To my readers in Malaysia, if you would like to get your hands on the EOS Lip Balms at reasonable prices, do check out Beautiful Beauty Buys and check it out soon as the current order for the EOS Lip Balm is open only till the end of October 2013.

Reminder: Product that works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. =)      

Lancôme Hypnôse Star Show Stopping Volume Mascara

Just wanted to share a quick take on a recent sample of Lancôme Hypnôse Star Show Stopping Volume Mascara I got from a gift-with-purchase Lancôme event at The Bay.

I am definitely impressed with the amount of volume this mascara delivers to my lashes. Also loving the fact that, on me, this is quite purely a volumizing mascara (I have read reviews by other users that this mascara did lengthened their eyelashes. This was not the case for me).  I wear glasses on a regular basis and mascaras which are lengthening really put me off as they would have my lashes touching and messing up my lenses.

In the picture above, I had applied only one coat of the mascara - thicker, fuller lashes without clumps. Imagine how dense my lashes would be with 2 or 3 coats! I absolutely love the Lancôme Hypnôse Star Show Stopping Volume Mascara and will definitely be getting the full size once I am done with my sample.

Super gorgeous packaging!

 Reminder: Product that works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. =)  

The Bay Lancôme gift-with-purchase promotion (October - November 2013)

Wow! It is almost mid October!! Fall is now in full swing.

Earlier today I drop by one of my favorite department store here in Canada - The Bay. I love the Cosmetics & Fragrances department at The Bay because they often have beautiful sets of gift-with-purchase promos by selected higher end skin care & cosmetic brands. Today I went to get my hands on some Lancôme goodies!

Now this gift-with-purchase thing is not uncommon. I have seen similar promos back in Malaysia. But the thing I love most about the Canadian promos (and I believe in the States as well) is that for most events, you only need to purchase a minimum of 30 to 35 dollars worth of product(s) to qualify for the free goodies. This is about  MYR93 to MYR109. Back in Malaysia, the common minimum purchase is MYR300 to MYR350 (some even go as high as MYR500!). Plus the free goodies offered are often not as abundant as the ones given in North America. So yeay me! =)

Back to Lancôme...

For Lancôme's gift-with-purchase promos, the usual minimum purchase is CAD35.00 (before taxes). I was running low on their Effacil makeup remover. (It is my current favourite remover. I will review it soon. ^_^). The Effacil sells for CAD35.00 at The Bay. With only purchasing the Effacil, I am already qualified to get their free goodies!

Above is the Effacil that I bought, and below is a picture of the Effacil with all the goodies I received!

Isn't it awesome?! I felt great not having to purchase unnecessary items to qualify for the promo. (I often buy things I don't need back in Malaysia to make the minimum purchase. I guess I could just not get the goodies back then, but hey! some of them are too cute to resist, right?)

They were 8 items in total, including the makeup bag.

The first 2 items are a set of serum and face cream duo. They have 3 different sets so you can get the one that is most suitable for your age group. For myself, I was given Lancôme Génifique Youth Activating Concentrate (8ml) paired with Lancôme Bienfait Multi-Vital High Potency Daily Moisturizing Cream with SPF 30 (15g). 

Next is a choice of perfumed body lotion (50ml) - La Vie Est Belle or Trésor. After giving both a smell, I went for La Vie Est Belle.

The next 2 items are a duo of eyeshadow palette (2g) and lip color. There are 2 sets to choose from. One set comes with a lipstick (with the more neutral eyeshadow palette), while the other a Juicy Tubes. I chose the one with the Juicy Tubes (10ml).
 

Good size shimmer shadows palette with a mirror!

Helpful guide at the back of palette

Juicy Tubes in Raspberry Ice

The gift set also includes 50ml of the famous Lancôme Bi-Facil Double-Action Eye Makeup Remover. Great size for travel.

A trial size of their latest Hypnôse Star Show Stopping Volume Mascara (4ml) was also in the set.

Last but not least, the makeup bag! You can choose between a pink bag or a blue bag. Since I already have a couple of pink makeup bags, I chose the blue! It is a good size satin bag with the Lancôme flower embossed on the front.

So there. I was very happy with the whole package and look forward to more gift-with-purchase promos! For those in Canada, this promotion is on till November 9th, 2013 at all Lancôme beauty counters at participating Hudson's Bay stores. *While supplies last. So get yours today!

Product Empties: Raw Essentials Refreshing Face Wash, Garnier Fructis Fruit Sensation, & Bioderma Micelle Solution For Sensitive Skin

Here are 3 products I recently finished....

Raw Essentials Refreshing Face Wash

I have never heard of the Raw Essentials line prior to using this product. The selling point for this line I guess is that their products are all processed at temperature of 115°F. "115°F Keeps your skin ALIVE!" is their motto.  

This particular face wash is also fragrance free, paraben free and cruelty free. "Formulated with Certified Raw Complex featuring Cold Pressed Tamanu and Manoi Oil for younger looking, radiant skin." Tamanu oil is pressed out from olive-like Tamanu fruits/nuts. Manoi Oil is a combination of oil from Tahitian gardenias and coconut oil.

Tamanu fruits/nuts (taken from Wikipedia)

In summary, I love the luxurious foamy lather straight off the pump (I have been loving foaming pumps as it saves me from lathering product in my eczema affected palms which I find irritable). This facial wash cleanse my skin nicely without drying. (Please note that I use a makeup remover with all cleansers). I also love how much product there is in 1 bottle - I picked this up over 2 months ago at a Shoppers Drug Mart for CAD9.98 (before taxes). 

Garnier Fructis Fruit Sensation in Passion Splash

Bought this shampoo from Wal Mart for under CAD2. I am usually not too picky with my shampoos as long as they do not leave any heavy or coarse residue in my hair. This shampoo is silicone and paraben free. Hair feels refreshed and cleansed. As for hydration level, it is similar to any hydrating shampoo in the market prior to any conditioner. In other words, nothing too spectacular. I do love the passion fruit scent!

Bioderma Micelle Solution For Sensitive Skin

This product needs no introduction. Many beauty bloggers raved about it so I gave it a shot. While I agree that it does a good job at removing makeup and cleansing, I am not totally sold and will not repurchase. It burns my eyes as I remove my under eye concealer and also dries out my skin =(

Reminder: Product that works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. =)  

Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream

Today's entry will be on one of my essential skin care products. It is the first product of it's group that I tried and to date, I had only tried 2 others. I am talking about the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream.

Eye creams became a part of my daily routine since 6 years ago. I remember heading to Holt Renfrew in downtown Calgary (in Alberta) to try the Bobbi Brown Creamy Concealer. The sales associate applied some of the Hydrating Eye Cream and this helped with the smooth application of the concealer under my eyes. She also mentioned how important it is to incorporate an eye cream in your daily skin care regime.

Since my skin is on the drier side, the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream was a clear fit from the start.

Pros:

• Texture: Creamy but not so overly creamy (if that makes sense!). Quick-absorbing on application and non-greasy.
• Hydration: The cream definitely delivers a high level of hydration. As a result, the under eye area feels soothing and smoother.  

Fast-absorbing and non-greasy

Additionally, this product makes applying under eye concealer a breeze. 

A little bit goes a long way

Value:
        The Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream comes in a glass jar of 15ml (0.50 fluid oz). This might sound little but comparing the price of this product with other high-end eye creams, it is not bad at all. And since you only need a small amount with each use, I have made a jar lasts 3 months. (That's CAD56.00 for 3 months of high quality product).

Cons:
        I personally love this eye cream but if I were to mention any not-so-good points, it has to be the scent. I could distinctly smell the Aloe Vera. Most people may find it "fresh" but I just don't favor it. It doesn't bug me enough to stop using the product (and the smell doesn't linger long anyway).

One potential downside that some people may find with the Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream is the fact that it does contains ingredients such as Aloe Vera, Witch Hazel Extract, Jojoba Seed and Avocado Oil. You might think, hey, those sounds good for your skin! Well yes if you are not allergic to them. (Plus some may not favor any products with oil in them). So I am just putting it out there that this eye cream has those ingredients.

Conclusion:
        The Bobbi Brown Hydrating Eye Cream is definitely a must in my skin care regime. As I said, I have only tried another 2 different eye creams and both times had me returning to this product. In Canada it retails for CAD56.00 (before tax) for 15ml and is available at all Bobbi Brown counters and online. In Malaysia it is also available at all Bobbi Brown counters (I used to get mine from Parkson in Subang Parade) and Bobbi Brown stores (such as in 1 Utama). Unfortunately I could not recall how much it costs in Malaysia (I will update when I remember).

Reminder: Product that works for me may not work for you, and vice versa. =)  

Just Bought Products: Small Drugstore Haul - Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Treatment, TRESemme Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo, Revlon Photoready Concealer, Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer & Quo Eye Liner

Just wanted to share a small drugstore haul I purchased today.  =)

First of, is the Marc Anthony Oil of Morocco Argan Oil Treatment. I had just finished a bottle of a similar product and wanted to give this a try.

I also wanted to get a dry shampoo. In the past, I have used Dove's dry shampoo and was reaching out for it when I saw that TRESemme also has one and it was on sale for the same price as the Dove's. Since I know how good TRESemme products are (I have used their shampoo, conditioner and heat protector), I'd thought I will give their Dry Shampoo a go - got the TRESemme Fresh Start Volumizing Dry Shampoo.

Next, I am running low of my Shu Uemura under-eye concealer. Now that I am back in Canada, Shu Uemura is not a brand that I could easily get my hands on (not too sure if it is even available here). So I have to find an alternative. A while back, I was satisfied with Bobbi Brown's creamy concealer and thought that maybe I should go back to it. I searched reviews up on drugstore concealers with creamy consistencies and stumble over the Revlon Photoready Concealer. Hopeful that this concealer will impress me as it did to many other users.

On my way to the cashier, I saw that the Rimmel section had a sale going on and I bought another one of the highly raved about product - the Rimmel Apocalips Lip Lacquer.
 

Mine is in the shade 101 Celestial. Super excited to try this!

Last but not least, I passed a clearance box and in it was this Quo Eye Liner. Almost all of my eyeliners are either black or brown and I had wanted to get an eyeliner in a color that will brighten up my eyes a bit.

  The shade is called Ice Pink and it is from their Pearl Eye Liner collection.

Can't wait to try out all these products!

Curve Ball: 36 Hours of Fruits/Veges Only Diet

Almost a week into September. Wow. Pretty darn fast. Fall will soon be in full blast and I hope the Winter that follows will be gentle this year.

Today, I feel like posting something that is not directly a review. A curve-ball. =)

In general, I try to lead a somewhat balanced lifestyle. I adore food (both the indulging ones as well as the healthier varieties) and try to incorporate a minimum of 3 days a week of gym time. Looking at what I have been eating in the past month made me feel a little guilty as it has been almost a whole month of Eid celebration (which translates into rich, heavy dishes. Most definitely not on a daily basis but a little more than I would have in an average month). So to "improve" the situation a bit (haha), I casually did 36 Hours of a diet that consist only of fruits and vegetables. One golden rule is only boiling is permitted. And no added sugar or salt or any other "flavorings." I had aimed to do it for 3 days (lol) but only managed a day and a half before my urge took over. Still, I think it did wonders for my digestive tract and I will definitely try again (thinking of slowly making it a weekly thing). Just wanted to share what I ate during the 36 hours.....

For brunch, I had some Maui Juice from Booster Juice. It was a blend of oranges, pineapples and bananas without any added sugar or milk product. I knew I had wanted a drink with banana for the extra energy since it was a Brunch (not having a proper breakfast has been a bad habit of mine and I am trying to change this. Nothing beats a good breakfast).

Dinner yesterday was of a bowl of pear and peach slices (so yummy!!). I also had an ear of boiled white corn.

I started this morning with a bowl of fruit salad (a mix of peach, strawberry and raspberry. Again, I LOVE the mix of different textures). Sadly, that was the end of the short 36 hours trial. But I am not disheartened as the effects after only doing it for 36 hours were desirable that I am highly motivated to try it again, and next time go for the full 3-day plan. ^_^