February 2013 Non-Beauty Favorites

February 27, 2013, 6:00 am

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February is such a weird fellow - it sneaks up on you with its dreary weather counteracted by pink hearts and chocolate-dipped strawberries, and then it's all gone before you know it. I think I'm glad it's over though; it was quite a challenging month for me and I'm getting really, really ready for springtime showers & sunshine.

As you may remember (and I'm sure you do, I'm just being annoying), I decided not to make any beauty purchases during the whole month; it helps a little that February is so short, right? I'm pleased to announce that I persevered and that my stash not only did not grow but actually shrank considerably within the last couple weeks, thanks to a more scrupulous pruning and generous gift-giving I resorted to. I've also worked on better organizing solutions for my collection and that's definitely a big favorite for the month. I've revamped my jewelry organization too using a good ol' corkboard method; while I dislike having all my accessories clutter on display, it really works in terms of my utilizing my things more and freeing up some space in my vanity drawer.

I'm very sorry to inflict my skeletal hand on you - I could not be a hand model to save my life. Still, this photo was the best of the bunch...

The only thing that I did buy for myself in the entire month was a sterling silver Count Me Healthy bracelet by Chelsea Charles. I will admit that they are quite overpriced for what they are (although I purchased mine with a discount) but it's a really universal basic piece that also has a practical function apart from just looking pretty; it does actually remind me to drink my water more often. Hurray for staying hydrated!

Possibly the biggest highlight of the month was seeing Cirque du Soleil's Amaluna; ever since we saw their classic show Mystère in Vegas last year, we've been big fans of the troupe. Amaluna was a wonderful 2-hour experience tha made me feel like a little girl again, devouring the wondrous acts with my own saucer-sized eyes; although I have to admit I'm never a big fan of the clowns. The costumes, stage, music, choreography and acrobatics, of course, were all first class though. If you're in the Seattle area, book your tickets, you won't be disappointed!

For some more entertainment favorites, in January we started watching a classic 90's sitcom series, 'Frasier'. It's an incredibly funny and smart TV show, even more so for Seattlites, as it pinpoints the little quirks of the city's inhabitants amazingly well. If you've never heard about it, 'Frasier' is centered on the life of Dr. Frasier Crane, a radio psychiatrist, and his family. The show manages to capture the beauty of 'intellectual hypocrisy': while Frasier, with all his psychiatric background, is able to provide great advice to his radio callers, he fails to follow those same principles in his everyday life. Both me and Mr. love it!

Also, thanks to Sandra from '15 steps, then a beauty blog', I discovered a new EP album I've been listening to a lot this month: 'Sea' by Roosevelt. The second song on the album, Soleil, is definitely a firm favorite, and I wish the band came out with a full length album so that I could listen to more of their music. I've also taken to drinking a sleepy time tea this month before bed, and so far, Yogi's Bedtime is the best I've tried: it has a hint of sweetness to it and it feels relaxing and refreshing at the same time. Great for winding down at the end of the day.

I'm already looking foward to March as I'll finally be able to purchase a small but luxurious beauty bit I've had my beady eye on for a long time now, and we have also planned a weekend getaway to San Francisco in a couple weeks time. How has February been for you? Care to share any favorites?

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Rocaille Reviews: REN ClearCalm Clay Cleanser

March 7, 2013, 1:15 pm

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Isn't the title an absolute joy for alliteration fanatics? Linguistic quirks aside, I've purchased the REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser (aaah... see what they did here again?) recently in an attempt to find a Holy Grail morning cleanser for my fickle facial dermis. In the past couple of months, I've been experiencing a lot more hormonal breakouts around my chin area, coupled with an oily nose and forehead as well as annoying, peeling dryness everywhere else. I've also noticed that my face was getting very red and irritated after washing it in the morning with a cream cleanser and wanted to find something a bit more natural and soothing that would leave my skin feeling satiny clean before applying make-up for the day. Overly demanding, moi?

 REN ClearCalm3 Clarifying Clay Cleanser(now, say that fast 3 times) retails at $32 for 5.1 oz/150ml and claims to 'deeply cleanse and purify the skin to leave skin clearer and calmer. The ingredient salicilin gently exfoliates to unclog skin, minimizes the appearance of pore size, and provides antimicrobial and antibacterial properties' (from Sephora's website). The product comes in a signature REN vacuum pump (yay for no preservatives!) with controllable dispensing possibilities. BTW, the photos were taken when the product was still brand new, so no, don't expect your bottle to come all the way full.

The texture of the REN cleanser is that of a slightly more emollient clay mask; with dampened hands, it spreads very easily on a dry face and sets as you massage it in. For myself, I only ever need about 1/3 of a full pump (which is why a controllable dispenser is so important) so I can see the product lasting quite a long time. There is absolutely no foaming action at all. After the cleanser sets, I remove it with a warm flannel but splashing off works just as well. After using, my face feels clean and matte without any residue or dryness. However, I still experience some redness, which I think is down to the essential oil content; also note that this gives the cleanser a very herbaceous, chamomile scent. I don't mind the scent at all but I wish my face tolerated it better... I think a fragrance/essential oil-free cleanser might be my next resort.

As for unclogging and breakout-reducing properties, I don't believe there's anything that can affect hormonal cysts but the rest of my face has been quite clear so far; I usually get some clogged pores on my forehead and they seem to be few and far between now. I've also noticed that my make-up does stay a bit longer and applies better after using the REN ClearCalm cleanser in the morning and my skin looks more satin without feeling tight or dry, which was definitely one of my goals.

So, while not quite Holy Grail, REN ClearCalm 3 Clarifying Cleanser is a great product for combination/oily acne-prone skins that I will continue to enjoy while it lasts but probably won't repurchase. Do you use a separate cleanser in the morning? Which one is your favorite?

Rocaille Swatches: Top 6 Highlighting Eyeshadows

March 10, 2013, 5:00 am

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When we were pitching ideas for our signature looks back in December (see how Dani from Call It Beauty interpreted moi here), my fellow Lipstick Bandits focused on highlighted inner corners as one of the key components of my signature make-up, which, honestly, I'd never really given much thought before. There's a lot of truth to it though; I've been dilligently highlighting inner corners of my eyes since high school and taught this eye-brightening trick to many friends since. So, let's take a look at my top 6 highlighting eyeshadows for the inner corner, shall we?

(As a side note, of course you could be using these to highlight under the brows, on the cheekbones, along the Cupid's bow etc. rather than just inner corners; but that's the only feature I tend to highlight on a daily basis. Well... I may be partial to some lip highlighting here and there.)

1. NYX Single Eye Shadow in White Pearl ($4.50 for 0.085 oz). A bit of a staple for me, a white pearl shadow is what I've been using for highlighting as long as I can remember. Three things to remember: firstly, the finish should be more satin than metallic, secondly, use very sparingly and blend well, thirdly and most importantly: this will only work on white people. Like very pale white.

2. Urban Decay Eyeshadow in Virgin ($18 for 0.05 oz). As you can see, this is almost an exact match for my skintone but with more glowy/satin finish, which is why it makes for a perfect understated highlight on my veiny blue eyelid skin.

3. Inglot AMC Shine Eyeshadow No. 142 ($6 for 3.2 g/0.11 oz). A subtle shade with beautiful light pink/peach opalescence, quite similar to Fyrinnae Crimson Ghost but easier to use due to the pressed form. A lit-from-within pink that won't give you the dreaded pink eye effect.

4. MAC Frost Eyeshadow in Ricepaper ($15 for 1.5 g/ 0.05 oz). A classic favorite for more olive/yellow skintones, this light yellow cream with a satin finish works wonders to conceal bluish darkness around my eyes, especially paired with a more warm-toned look. Well, as warm as I can get it on my winter cool skintone!

5. Wet'n'Wild Eyelid Shade from the Walking on Eggshells Trio ($2.99 for 0.12 oz). A delightful, creamy metallic that's borderline too dark depth-wise to be used on my skin right now but can still be pulled off due to the highly reflective quality. Just get it already, you'll thank me later.

6.Inglot Pearl Eyeshadow No. 397 ($6 for 2.7 g/ 0.09 oz). The mother of all inner corner highlights and possibly my most reached for eyeshadow. In the pan, it looks darker than the Wet'n'Wild but actually swatches lighter (which is why it still wins) with the same buttery metallic texture.

Hopefully, this was helpful to some of you rather than just self-indulgent but I do love me a good inner corner highlighting action. As you may observe, matte shades are distinctively absent from this little round-up; I just haven't found any highlighting mattes that would rock my boat yet. What are your favorite highlighting eyeshadows? Any suggestions?

3 Extra Ways to Condition Your Hair

March 14, 2013, 12:48 pm

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I'm sure that you've all noticed that as our skin gets drier in the colder months, so does our hair. As we're getting towards the end of winter here, I think our tresses deserve a little TLC to prep it for the spring and so I've decided to share my 3 favorite ways to add extra moisture and nourishment to my hair.

Before I start, I just have to include a little disclaimer: I am by no means a hair expert or even a hair person. But, as some of you may know, I've been working at a salon/beauty supply for about a year now and have picked up some nifty tricks here and there. It also seems that somehow hair products are not the most talked about in the blogosphere and since I get to try quite a few by way of work, I might as well share, right? Right.

1. Hair Mask + Extra Boost: Goldwell Rich Repair 60sec Treatment ($17.95 for 200ml/ 6.7 fl.oz.)+ Enjoy Intensive Reconstructing Spray (~$22 for 300ml/10.1 fl.oz.). I'm sure many of you already use a mask in your haircare routines, and the Goldwell Rich Repair is my favorite; it has hydrolyzed keratin and silk very high up the ingredients list, smells like cherry vanilla and can be just used in place of your regular conditioner - because it's a 60 seconds mask, you don't need to go through the whole 'leave for 15 minutes under a plastic cap' ordeal. It moisturizes and smoothes the hair nicely, and with the addition of Enjoy Intesive Reconstructing Spray (I have the old packaging to show you here; it looks more like the Conditioning Spray bottle below these days) beforehand it provides a lot of protein to rebuild my color-treated hair. The Enjoy I.R.S. is mostly a keratin amino acid spray, which in practical lingo means 'protein that won't overproteinize your hair'. Some forms of protein, like animal protein, has a tendency to push out water molecules out of a hair shaft, leaving it dry and brittle; but the Enjoy spray can be used every time you reach for a hair mask, or even in conjunction with a moisturizing conditioner.

2. Leave-in conditioner/detangler: Enjoy Conditioning Spray ($19 for 300ml/ 10.1 fl.oz). If you now think 'gosh, she really likes those Enjoy products' - yep, I do; I also use their shampoo and conditioner, but that's for another post. Anyway, I like this spray detangler for its unparalleled smoothing properties without weighting down the hair; although on my fine hair, it does need to be used quite sparingly. As with any conditioner, I always recommend applying only from ears down; on chin-length hair, that's basically just your ends. Another nifty thing about this one is that it can be used as a leave-in or rinse-out.

3. Serum/oil: MoroccanOil Treatment ($43 for 100ml/ 3.4 fl.oz). You've probably all heard about this one already but it is worth the hype; it conditions with the antioxidant-rich argan oil and the blend of silicones protects the hair against heat damage, frizz, humidity and even static and can also be applied on both damp and dry hair. A small tip before you buy: take a sniff first, some people can't stand the signature orange blossom scent of this line. For a similar effect from other brands, try the Enjoy Smooth & Shine or better yet, Loma Organics Fortifying Repairative Tonic (formerly Loma Pearatin Fortifying Repairative Serum).

Depending on how dry and damaged your hair is, you could try incorporating just one or all of the above steps to your routine to give it an extra conditioning boost. I usually just go for one of these on the days I wash my hair to keep it healthy and shiny and I want to say my hair is the best it's been in a long time. What do you use to condition your hair? Any products worth checking out?

Disclaimer: The article above features a mixture of products I purchased myself and samples I received as part of my employment. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. Thank you for reading!

Review: Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15

March 19, 2013, 7:50 pm

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There seems to exist a great divide between foundation wearers: the 'liquid-only' types and the 'mineral-only' types. Personally, I stand above the chasm; I do love both kinds and everything in the murky, shark-infested waters between the two (cream, cream to powder, creamy powder...) but I'll tell you this: most days, it's mineral foundation. Just because it's quick, it's invisible, it doesn't cling to dry patches and it blurrs enlarged pores. What's more to like? Which is why, when my trusty old pot of mineral goodness came to its end last week, I dug into this beauty: Laura Mercier Mineral Powder SPF15 in Tender Rose ($36 for 0.34 oz).

According to the brand, Mineral Powder SPF15 is 'a finely milled powder composed completely of natural elements with 15 active amino acids to promote radiant skin, diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles'. According to me, it's a buttery smooth illuminating mineral foundation with light to medium buildable coverage; look, it has crushed pearls in it! Compared to other mineral foundations I've tried, Laura Mercier Mineral Powder has a lot less dry and creamier texture that evens out imperfections while giving a rather radiant finish to the skin; matte lovers beware!

On my combination skin, the effect is just my skin but better; the product is nearly invisible on the skin but gives a healthy glow overall. On my T-zone, I do wish sometimes it looked a bit less glowy but I could fix that with some blotting powder if I really wanted. In terms of lasting power, it's on the further end of the spectrum for me, along with other powder foundations, and it doesn't break down or go patchy towards the end of the day. I obviously still need to use a more heavy duty concealer on my spots and hyperpigmentation marks as the coverage is not the highest but I do prefer to do a bit more detail work if it keeps my foundation looking natural and subtle.

In terms of color match, I think Tender Rose is a great match for fair skin with cool/pink undertones. Weirdly, when I was swatching it on my arm, the shade oxidized in the middle to a darker, more orangy color but this does not happen on my face at all - I wonder if maybe rubbing the product in too much caused it to oxidize? I had similar experience when swatching the Everyday Minerals Jojoba Base (far right), another creamy mineral powder, and again it doesn't seem to oxidize when it's actually on my face... Interesting.

L-R: Laura Mercier Tender Rose, Physicians Formula Healthy Wear Powder Foundation in Translucent Light, Everyday Minerals Jojoba Base in Alabaster

Overall, I'm really glad I decided to purchase the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder and I've already worked it into my everyday foundation rotation. The product also works beautifully as a radiant setting powder for more matte/flat foundations, and I do like the more luxurious feel of the packaging, even though it'd be a pain to travel with. Have you tried Laura Mercier Mineral Powder? Are you a 'liquid-only' or 'mineral-only' type?

PS. There will be some colorful liner looks coming very soon to a blog near you featuring Laura Mercier Mineral Powder on mah face, if you'd like to see what it looks like on!

3 Bright Liner Looks

March 22, 2013, 5:30 am

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Apparently, March is sponsored by number 3; makes sense, right? (Except, I have a post lined up featuring number 5... and I won't wait till May). Mad ramblings aside, a couple days ago I was feeling particularly guilty for my usual work 'slap-rinse-repeat' make-up routine and decided to call on my bright eyeliner pencils for a little help, and here's the result. It's nothing ground-breaking, really, but I promised to show Laura Mercier Mineral Powder on my face (used as a base, not a setting powder) and I haven't shared any looks in a long time...

Firstly, the turquoise waterline, featuring Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Electric. Honestly, I don't do the whole tightlining thing too often; I wear contact lenses and I keep them on for over 12 hours at a time, so putting anything else in my eye is really not ideal. This was fun though; and the white balance in the photos makes me look less... basemental? Benefit Coralista on the cheeks, Giorgio Armani Rouge d'Armani Sheers in Coral 301 on the lips.

Secondly, the royal blue cat eye, featuring Sephora Collection Nano Eyeliner in Azur Blue no.16. Not my favorite eyeliner pencil formula but a gorgeous color nonetheless. This bright eyeliner on the top lashline is something I do quite a bit, especially with a very fine line of black smushed into the lashes to offset the bold color. NYX Powder Blush in Pinky on the cheeks, can't for the life of me remember what was on my lips... Fresh Sugar Treatment in Rose, maybe? (well that's really helpful...)

Thirdly and lastly, the purple lower lashline, featuring Urban Decay 24/7 liner in Ransom. I don't think that purple under the eye was my greatest idea yet; towards the end of the day, it definitely complimented my white face to make me look like I'd been freshly dug out. I do like that color a lot, though, and a brighter color on the lower lashline is such an easy way to de-yawnify a neutral eye look. Again, Coralista on the cheeks, MAC Jest lipstick lightly dabbed on the lip and topped with a clear gloss.

I'm scratching my head now as to which springtime-appropriate looks to experiment with next. Have you been playing with color recently? Are there any looks you would like to see featured?

February-March 2013 Empties

March 26, 2013, 11:41 am

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Hurray for another round of beauty trash and a little update on my stash reduction! I powered through a lot of deluxe samples these past couple of weeks and (drumroll) even managed to completely finish some make-up products!

Starting with skincare: I used up my Alaffia Rooibos & Shea Antioxidant Facial Toner more info here, and honestly, that's the only product I may consider repurchasing at some point in the future; all the other bits in the photo were just not that great. The Estee Lauder Soft Clean Tender Cream Cleanser was not tender at all on my skin; it seemed so loaded with a floral fragrance that my skin would instantly turn beetroot red on contact, plus it felt heavier that my regular Clarins Cream Cleanser. From the three make-up removers pictured, NARS was the best but still not great enough to warrant a future purchase. The By Terry Creme de Rose smelt absolutely beautiful but the siliconey texture did not agree with my combination skin, and lastly the Lancome Absolue Eye Premium BX was fine (it actually has tiny light pink pearl particles to brighten) but by golly, for $95 it better make my undereye area the best I've seen... which it didn't. And I prefer a lighter, more hydrating texture.

 

Some fragrance samples: Bvlgari Mon Jasmin Noir (citruses, lily of the valley, jasmin, cedar, patchouli, musk) was umm... not dark enough for me, despite the name a bit too bright and pretty; but then, it's a younger sister to Bvlgari's Jasmin Noir. On the other hand, Thierry Mugler Alien (Indian jasmin, woods, white amber) was a lot more memorable with its strong but cheerful jasmin notes and sensual dry down, and Mr's favorite from the three perfumes. My favorite though was Kenzo Amour (white tea, rice, cherry blossom, frangipani, heliotrope, musk, vanilla, woods, incense), an oriental, warm scent with incredible sillage and lasting power; in fact, I've finished my sample about 3 weeks ago and can still smell it on some of my scarves. The beautiful, smoky, creamy sweetness of Kenzo Amout definitely captured my imagination and I think I will be going back for a full bottle as soon as I finish some of my less-loved perfumes.

Oh hello, make-up empties, how nice to see you! Finally, I'm making some progress in downsizing the make-up stash, and so 3 full size products are biting the dust: a Coastal Scents Flawless Finish Mineral Foundation in Honey Light (replaced by the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder), a Wet'n'Wild Eye Khol in Taupe, which I used for my eyebrows, and lastly Essie nail polish in Hot Coco, which mysteriously dried out on me as was beyond salvaging.

Haircare and hand creams: Alba Botanica Gardenia Hydrating Hair Conditioner, smelt nice but that's about all I can say on the subject, Loma Objective Clarifying Shampoo, sadly discontinued but replaced with MoroccanOil Clarifying Shampoo; I'm not sure yet which one I like better but I think the MoroccanOil is a deeper cleanse. For hand creams, L'Occitane Shea Butter has already been repurchased in the large tube, and Bath & Body Works Shea Cashmere Hand Cream is really nothing like it and I'm not sure who needs shimmer in their hand cream...

Lastly, three lip-themed discards: Lush Sweet Lips Lip Scrub did an okay job of exfoliating the lips but I've found that for me, a damp towel is a whole lot cheaper, faster and less messy; no sugar crystals clinging to the corners of my mouth like a five year old who just had a donut. The Lush Let Them Eat Cake is just far too old now to be safe for use, and the praline-shaped no name lip gloss, a gift from my sisters-in-law, just wasn't something I enjoyed using, even though I really appreciate the sentiment behind the present. Oh, and some things that aren't pictured: two very old Lush bath bombs, Honey Bee and Big Blue (maybe) have finally been used up as well.

Now, for some more stash-reducing magic: I did another big clearout of my make-up drawers with specific recipients in mind; what I mean is that I divided my rarely used items into a couple piles and then packaged them nicely in little pouches and make-up bags, ready to be given to (mostly work) friends. Not to get into too much detail, I approximately gave away 20 various full size make-up products, 7 make-up brushes and 5 deluxe make-up samples.

Now, as for my monthly 2 items allowance: depending on the counting method, I'm either over or short or just right. For some replacements, I got Essie Chinchilly to replace Hot Coco, especially that Chinchilly has just been discontinued and I'd had my eye on it for a long time. For bath treats, I got three bubble thingies from Lush since I'd diligently used up everything in my stash. In terms of new purchases, I got a new high-end lipstick, review coming soon, and a lash serum, something I'd never tried before. So, to make things fair and square, I shall now specify that my allowance is two new items excluding replacements, and still, back-ups can only be bought once the product in question is nearly/completely used up or otherwise disposed of. I think I didn't do too terribly this month; I already have one order planned for April, which I'm going to count as one purchase, and I'm not sure what the second new item will be.

February-March Empties Total: 23 items, including:
9 full size products
8 deluxe size samples
3 one-time use samples/ perfume vials
3 products tossed
32  products given away
Year To Date Amount: 52 full sizes, 21 deluxe samples, 9 one-time use samples.

Overall, I feel a lot happier about the size of my collection now and I'm looking forward to freeing up even more space in the upcoming months. One thing I've observed though is that the entire stash-reducing process is making me a lot more careful and discerning shopper and that not so many items manage to catch my attention. How are you doing on your minimalist resolutions? Have you discovered any new ways to reduce your existing stash as well as new make-up lemmings?

Rocaille Swatches: 5 Favorite Blue Nail Polishes

March 29, 2013, 5:30 am

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Blue has been one of my favorite colors since early teenage years when I had my room decorated in a dusky navy with yellow accents. Even though I don't really enjoy it anymore as part of my interior decor, it's still a hue I go for over and over in my clothing and nail polish choices. Since I've now gathered quite a collection of blue nail polishes, I thought what a better time to share!

Going from lightest to darkest, first up I have Essie Bikini So Teeny to show you. This neutral toned baby blue with subtle silver sparkle was part of their Summer 2012 collection and definitely one of the best selling shades from that release. It's a gorgeous pastel blue that looks smashing against a light tan but compliments my pale skin as well. Application is standard 'good Essie' - two coats for opacity with little dragging or streaking.

Next up, a nail polish I've had in my collection for the longest time out of this bunch: China Glaze Secret Peri-wink-le. Apart from stupid name hyphenation, it's a dusky periwinkle cream with a touch of lavender; it swatched truer to color on my nails than it appears in the close-up shot. Secret Peri-wink-le definitely has a denim feel to it but is more understated elegance than cowgirl chic. Great application with 2 coats, however the polish tends to separate quite a bit in the bottle.

For mid-depth blue, Essie Butler Please from their Holiday 2012 collection is a more recent favorite. Conversely to the previous polish, this is a bit more true in the close-up shot than the nail swatch but brighter, almost a lighter ultramarine with a cream finish. Unfortunately, this formula gave me the most trouble on application; it was gloopy, uneven and chipped within a couple days, which rarely happens on my nails. I don't remember it being this thick when I first got it, so I'm not sure why the consistency changed - well, a gorgeous shade nevertheless.

Getting towards the darker spectrum, a drugstore favorite: Revlon Top Speed nail polish in Royal. This is an amazing, deep royal blue with a high-shine, almost jelly finish. Compared to the recently released OPI Eurso Euro, it's a lot more saturated and a touch lighter; compared to OPI Dating A Royal, it's a lot more vibrant (no white mixed in) and it doesn't lean purple. Application was standard 2 coats, although the formula is a bit thicker and needs to be worked quickly.

 

And lastly, a single (mini) OPI... a metallic sapphire Into The Night from their Amazing Spiderman collection, sadly discontinued shortly thereafter. The coverage on this one is slightly lower with 3 coats necessary for full opacity, however the bright side is the longevity - it wore on me for 6 days with only minimal tip wear. A gorgeous, subtly shimmering summer night sky blue with a hint of purple.

And there you have it! Hopefully this was useful for some like-minded blue polish fanatics; let me know in the comments your favorite shades, I'm always open to recommendations! What is your favorite nail polish color of all time?

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Review: Elemental Herbology Purify & Soothe Cleansing Balm

April 2, 2013, 12:43 pm

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I'm sure by know you all know I'm a big proponent of non-foaming cleansers (like the previously reviewed Clarins Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream or REN ClearCalm Claryfing Clay Cleanser), especially of the balm variety. A good couple months ago a new one came on my radar, the Elemental Herbology Purify & Soothe Facial Cleansing Balm ($46 for 2.5 fl oz on beautybar.com), a deliciously thick, fragrant example of what I like in my cleansers from an up-and-coming natural British brand.

The Elemental Herbology cleanser comes in an esthetically pleasing matte white tube with a screw on top, and once squeezed out, lookes like a thick, oily salve in a suspicious yellow/brown color. Once warmed up with fingers, it liquifies into a viscous oil which is easy to spread on the face, and smells strongly of Angelica and some other herbs; as far as I can remember, Angelica does wonders for dehydrated skin, so a big plus for me here.

I use about hazelnut size dollop of the balm and massage it vigorously into dry skin after getting rid of most of my make-up with a separate remover; I'm only using this as a second cleanse so I can't vouch for its make-up removing properties. Also, I don't use it on my eyelids, although I have used it very close to the eye area and haven't noticed any irritation. It feels pleasant and nourishing on the skin and wipes off easily with a hot flannel, leaving no greasy residue but only clean, glowy skin.

I've been using the Elemental Herbology Purify & Soothe for about a week now and overall I'm really happy with its performance - my skin feels properly cleansed but doesn't get very red in the process, and the action of massaging the balm into the skin helps me to get rid of any dry flakes. I do however question the price point; as you can see below, in comparison to my hand, the tube is rather small and probably won't last very long. Would I purchase it again at the full price of $46? Probably not. The quest is not over yet.

Have you ever tried cleansing balms or do you use non-foaming cleansers? Which ones are your favorites?

A Week in Photos #2

April 10, 2013, 7:19 pm

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I apologize for the sparsness of blog posts recently; I seem to have lost my motivation somewhere and it hasn't turned up yet. But, in the meantime, some things I've been enjoying...

Rose flavored macaroons from Chantal Guillon // Spring on the way to the library // Favorite mug of the moment: David's Tea The Perfect Tea Cup // And speaking of tea, David's Cream of Earl Grey... // That's what's cooking, good-looking: Wagamama // New Fyrinnae pretties // Surprised by how much I like Murad's Skin Perfecting Lotion // German chocolate!

What have you been up to?

Rocaille Reviews: Sande Handmade Natural Soaps

April 15, 2013, 1:03 pm

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As regular readers of this blog may know, I am a bit of a natural skincare afficionado: if I can find a natural product that's just as effective as its more chemical-laden brethren, I'm going to treasure it for a long time. I've been on the lookout for natural bar soaps for a while now and have tried a number of small, independent companies, so when Pam from Sande Handmade Natural contacted me and graciously asked whether I'd be interested in reviewing her products, I jumped at the chance - and was very pleasantly surprised!

First off, the soaps came snuggly wedged in a mountain of peanuts with pink tissue and individually wrapped in bubble wrap. That's possibly one of the few things I would suggest changing; I hate packing peanuts with a passion and they are detrimental to our environment, so there. The full-sized soaps came all with cardboard sleeves with a bit more information about the product, and the very generous sample size soaps came wrapped in brown paper, as you can see above. I received 7 of the big soaps and 4 samples, all in different scents, and a natural washcloth.

One of my immediate favorites when I opened the box was the Hearts Desire Soap ($6.95), complete with a pink heart jutting out the top and some iridescent glitter. Heart's Desire is a 'romantic delicately scented soap, formulated with essential oils of rose geranium, tangerine, and lavender' and to me, it would make a perfect Valentine's Day gift. It's a very feminine, fresh soapy floral without the usual green tomato vine aspect of rose geranium. As far as I've noticed, all of Sande soaps feel quite creamy and soft to the touch, thanks to a mix of base oils (olive, coconut, palm and sweet almond oils) but lather well to a dense, rich foam that rinses with no residue but also without leaving the skin 'squeaky' clean. They're not as moisturizing as my Shikai shower gel or L'Occitane Shower Oil but a lot less drying than something like Lush bar soaps.

The suspiciously dark Cocoa Mint Soap ($5.95) smells just like After Eights, or Starbucks Peppermint Mochas. 'This luxurious soap smells subtly of peppermint and chocolate. Cocoa Butter is a rich emollient that moisturizes your skin while the peppermint essential oil energizes and awakens the mind and adds in a refreshing cooling sensation'; this would be just perfect for a quick morning shower. Apart from cocoa butter, this soap also contains aloe, shea and illipe butters and truly feels very decadent and pampering on the skin. Another favorite!

Now, something for lavender lovers: the Lavender Oatmeal soap ($6.95) is 'beautifully scented with lavender essential oil and textured with oatmeal to make a mild exfoliating soap scrub'. As opposed to rock-hard Porridge from Lush, the oatmeal particles are much smaller, softer and scaterred more sparsely throughout the bar so that the soap feels more knubbly than scratchy on the skin. The top of the soap is decorated with lavender buds and the soap smells of fresh, slightly sweeter lavender without the pungent herbaceous notes that I tend to dislike in lavender scents.

The Patchouli Rose ($6.95) is probably the single soap I don't love from the selection I received; it smells of extremely earthy aspects of both patchouli and rose, a bit like kaolin clay and geranium, which again, I quite dislike. 'A dreamy blend of citrus oils with warm lavender and added lemon balm leaves makes this soap one of a kind'. I don't get any of the lemon and lime used, to be honest, and I wish the scent was a bit brighter - but I'm sure there are soap fanatics out there who love this.

'Strong and sultry, our rosemary soap gives off a powerful, refreshing aroma to stimulate the skin and mind. Made with botanical oils, shea butter and pure rosemary essential oil to energize and renew' ($3 for travel size). Again, this would be fantastic as a morning and/or summer soap, as the rosemary is both vivacious and herbal with a touch of coolness. My only complaint is that after a couple weeks, the rosemary aroma is a bit less pronounced than when I first got it but I'm not sure if that could be helped.

The Kitchen Blend soap ($6.95) is a pleasant mix of lemon, lime, orange and rosemary essential oils that help to neutralize cooking odors; you know, like when you have this lovely combination of onion and garlic from your bolognese sauce right on your fingertips? Kitchen Blend is also nicely textured with coriander, sesame, poppy, fenugreek and celery seeds - it's almost like the contents of my spice and herb drawer in one lovely soap.

 

I also received four sample-sized soaps, from left to right: a Lemongrass soap ($6.95) with orange peel, cedarwood and of course lemongrass essential oil, which health benefits include helping the nervous system, toning, anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties. This is also blended with cornmeal to mildly exfoliate the skin. Next, the Sweet Hearts glycerin soap ($6.95) is a musky pink lotus and golden amber blend with moisturizing mango and shea butter, and it looks super cute with its dark pink hearts design although the color transferred onto my skin slightly. The unassuming creamy bar to the right is another favorite, a Gardenia & Grapefruit soap ($6.95) smells like an exotic getaway with clean floral and citrus notes. And lastly, the Dark Amber soap has a spicier, more sensual scent with maybe a touch of vanilla and it's the one I currently keep in my soap dish.

Pam also included a 100% Natural Ayate/ Agave Washcloth ($6). When dry, it looks absolutely terrifying and scratchy but when soaked in warm water, it turns soft and pliable and makes a great exfoliator for the skin. It also helps to spread the lather on your body nicely without wasting too much soap. Personally, I'm not a big fan of washcloths in the bath/shower, although this makes for a great natural and more durable alternative to a loofah.

All in all, I really enjoyed trying Sande Handmade Natural soaps and I've definitely found a couple of new favorites among her scents. Sande Handmade Natural now also carries natural perfume oils, bath salts, mineral mud masks as well as lots and lots of other delicious soaps; I particularly like the sound of Honey Almond Oatmeal soap and Eucalyptus & Lemongrass soap with Dead Sea Salt. If you're looking for a new soap company to try, definitely check out Sande's Etsy shop, link here.

Do you prefer using bar soaps or shower gels for your body? What is your favorite soap brand?

Disclaimer: The article above features products I received for review consideration from Sande Handmade Natural. All opinions are 100% honest and my own. Thank you for reading!

Spring Make-up Update: Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Shalimar

April 18, 2013, 6:00 am

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Remember how I mentioned that luxe lipstick I picked up recently as part of my two item montly allowance? It's love, peeps. But before I get ahead of myself, we're talking Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Shalimar no. 166 ($35 for 0.12 fl oz or 3.5g) , a long-lasting, hydrating formula ensconced in some of the most gorgeous packaging available. So there.

The story of how this came about is that I had a Nordstrom gift card I received for my birthday (in September!) from a friend, the present accompanied by a remark that it was meant for a Chanel lipstick of my choice. The thing with Chanel though, I don't love their formula, at least from what I've tried. So I buried the gift card in a drawer until Kate from Drivel About Frivol posted about her all-time favorite lipstick formulas - and it was a done deal then.

As far as the most evident aspect of the Rouge Automatiques, the simple gold tube is simply stunning. To me, the design evokes a vintage, 1920's atmosphere, a slim bullet with beautiful, cursive engravings that would be produced from a tiny beaded clutch with a flourish. In terms of practicality, I was somewhat anxious to smush the tip of the lipstick into the automatically retracting top but of course, nothing like that has happened as the design is simply without fault.

Guerlain's Rouge Automatique lipsticks have 'an innovative formula [which] combines long-lasting hold with comfort and radiance'. And this, my dears, is actually the truth; this fantastic lipstick forms a veil rather than film of color on the lips but stays on just as well as the most clingy formulas. It cushions the lip with just the right amount of slip, looks faintly glossy and doesn't sink into the vertical lip lines. But best of all, it lasts (and lasts) without drying out the lips in the slightest; even at the 6 hour mark, my lips remain soft and comfortable without the need to reapply. It's perfection!

Shalimar no. 166 is a neutral cool hot pink with hints of strawberry, no shimmer. In the tube, it appears as it might contain just a whisper of sparkle but this doesn't really translate onto the lips, however the finish is quite glowy. The pigmentation is good but the formula itself is thinner so a couple swipes would be ideal to build up the intensity. The lightweight feel entails an effortless, more natural look as opposed to something more old-school like YSL's Rouge Purs.

L-R: Guerlain Rouge Automatique in Shalimar, Annabelle Twist-Up in Kinky Pink, Revlon Kissable Balm Stain in Smitten, Revlon Lip Butter in Berry Smoothie

The past couple of weeks I've definitely been more discerning when it comes to my lipstick formulas and shades, maybe because I'd somewhat culled the collection and ascerned what I like and dislike in my lip products. I can honestly confess that nothing gets my heart beating faster than a beautiful cool pink lipstick with no shimmer in a hydrating formula, and Rouge Automatique in Shalimar is all that and more. I will be definitely picking up more colors in the near future; Champs Elysees and Nahema in particular are calling my name.

Have you tried Guerlain's Rouge Automatique formula? What is your favorite high-end lipstick?

Springtime Bathtime!

April 21, 2013, 5:30 am

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I'm a bath person, through and through. Every night, I look forward to my relaxing soak, lights slightly dimmed, sounds from the rest of the apartment muffled, just my underwater floating pale limbs and... bubbles. Preferrably, lots and lots of fluffy bubbles, smelling like cleanliness, peace of mind and a good night's sleep. Because that's what baths are for, are they not?

Last months, after going through the last dregs of my bubble collection, I picked up a couple treats from Lush and I thought I'd share my thoughts. First off, Dorothy Bubble Bar ($6.25 for 3.5 oz): 'Our Dorothy bubble bar will take you far from the rain and grey clouds to somewhere over the rainbow where blue birds fly (...) The exotic floral scent of ylang ylang, sweet figs and uplifting orange oil will take you down the yellow brick road and far away' (from Lush website). Dorothy is an item I'd been meaning to try for a really long time and I'm really glad I finally decided to give it a whirl. Being partial to both ylang ylang and singing 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow' in the tub, this is just perfect for me: sensual, warm floral with the feminine sweetness of ripe figs, similar to their Figs and Leaves bar soap. Now, I'm pretty stingy with my bubble bars, so this size comfortably lasts me four baths, somewhat justifying the price tag.

 For some fun in the tub and to try one of the reusable bubble bars, I've also chosen Carrot ($7.95 for 4.2 oz), which was released with their Easter collection. 'This bubbly carrot may not improve your eyesight, but it will fill your bath with piles of frothy lemon and buchu scented foam.' For ignorants like myself, buchu is an African fragrant shrub with an herbal aroma. Carrot smells mostly of sweet Sicillian lemon with some clean musk, simple yet refreshing. It also produces lots of bubbles when held under the running tap water, although the process is a bit more time-consuming than using their regular bubble bars.

Rose Jam Bubbleroon ($6.25 for 3.5 oz) is my current absolute favorite; 'Rose Jam is based on a decadent traditional Turkish recipe for rose jam that our Turkish rose absolute supplier shares with us every year, and is made with our sophisticated new rose perfume.'. Growing up in Poland, I have very fond memories of rose jam, which our delicious donuts (pączki) are traditionally filled with. This rose bubbleroon certainly evokes the feeling of sweet decadence with its powerful but slightly green aroma; while there's very little of the geranium aspect to this rose (which I prefer), it's not musky old-lady either. The coconut-oil center does make this bubble bar more moisturizing than others I've tried, although the bubbles seem to disappear slightly faster.

Lastly, a robin egg bath treat from my Spring 2013 Fortune Cookie Soap Soap Box: The Birds and The Bees bath fizzy ($4.50 for a set of 2). I don't have it anymore to give you a run down of the scent but it had a very pleasant fruity kick to it, with maybe a bit of luscious late-blooming floral. The formula boasts honey powder and sweet almond oil to moisturize the skin, and I did notice a bit of oil residue floating on top of the water.

I also wanted to share how I now store my bath treats: I purchased these two clear plastic food containers from The Container Store and they're just perfect for preserving the scent of the bubble bars for longer. They're easily stackable inside my bathroom drawer, easy to wipe down and most importantly, now I can see what I have in stock instantly.

What's in your bath tub or shower this spring?

(Com)Pressing Fyrinnae Eyeshadows

April 26, 2013, 12:55 pm

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Yet again, I've succumbed to the lure of Fyrinnae loose eyeshadow minis (remember that one order I already had planned back in March?); I looove the ultimate appeal of their sparkliciousness. I hate however how inefficient these little pots can be - so while I was a rather absent blogger for the first two weeks of April, I was a very dilligent (com)presser.

Pressing loose eyeshadows really is a rather satisfying experience. Look at all the space saved! All these empty pots consolidated into one perfectly slim palette! Oh, and the simplicity of just dipping your brush into the tiny pan, no spillage, no fall out! I will admit that I have become quite an ardent enthusiast of squeezing sparkly goo into tiny metal receptacles and I'm certainly enjoying the fruits of my (messy) labor.

In terms of the process itself, I largely followed Kate's instructions on pressing her Fyrinnae minis, with some minor adjustments. First off, I purchased my supplies at TKB Trading, including the 15mm tin pans (which, although prone to rusting if exposed to water, have the advantage of magnetizing to my Z palette, as opposed to the aluminium pans), as well as their little pressing kit, pressing ribbon and their own mixing medium, which I used instead of glycerin suggested by Kate. In terms of the process itself, I found that in order to get the just right consistency of the mixture, I had to add the mixing medium immediately followed by isopropyl alcohol; it simply refused to ball together otherwise. Lastly, I was not able to press right after filling up the tin pans because there was too much of the mixture oozing out the sides - so I waited a couple hours for the alcohol to evaporate before using the ribbon and my little stamp to press the eyeshadows down.

Here's a look at all of my pressed old & new Fyrinnae minis together in a Z Palette - oh, and an extra Barry M Dazzle Dust in Mushroom I couldn't stop myself from pressing too. Some of you are probably thinking a) at least half of these shades look exactly the same b) why even go to all this trouble? To that, I can only answer that I am slightly addicted to neutrals in general, taupes in particular, and that I really enjoy my Fyrinnae shadows. I find their shade selection interesting, the complexity of the shadows unique, and the price point more than tempting. So there. Oh, and their lab is within an hour drive from where I live - buy local!

 All of the shadows together, left to right, top to bottom: Electric Stardust Arcane Magic, Newcastle, Snow Leopard, Herbivore, London Mod, Nijiro, Witchy Woodland Creatures, Feisty Fennec Fox, Barry M Dazzle Dust in Mushroom, When I Grow Up, (shades I owned previously:) Moon Child, Kurisumasu!, Envy Me, Steampunk Arcane Magic, Madame & Eve's Arcane Magic, (new) Enchanting Otters, Crimson Ghost, Sacred, Damn Paladins (renamed Work Safe Blue), Evocation, Purgatory, (new) Dapper Mr Shark.

Swatches of the newly acquired shades after pressing, neutrals first, on bare arm (no primer): Nijiro, Witchy Woodland Creatures, Newcastle, Feisty Fennec Fox, Snow Leopard.

And the brights: Electric Stardust Arcane Magic, Herbivore, When I Grow Up, London Mod, Dapper Mr Shark, Enchanting Otters (look at the multicolor sparkle! look look!)

So far, my new favorites are definitely Witchy Woodland Creatures, Electric Stardust AM, When I Grow Up, Dapper Mr Shark and Enchanting Otters. I haven't experimented with all of these shades yet but I do have a couple looks already that I'm intending to post some time soon, so keep your peepers peeled. Also, I haven't noticed my pressed shadows performing any differently to their loose forms and the biggest upside to the whole endevour is that I now reach for my Fyrinnae pretties almost every day.

Have you ever tried pressing loose pigments or eyeshadows? What shadows have you (re)discovered recently?

Murad Monday: Skin Perfecting Lotion

April 29, 2013, 3:13 pm

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Recently, I received a good selection of Murad skincare as a little bonus from work and have been very excitedly trying out my new goodies. Since Murad is such a varied and popular line that somehow isn't very talked about in the blogosphere, I've decided to bring you some reviews here and there in form of a 'Murad Monday', and today we'll start with my new morning mate, Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion ($35 for 1.7 fl oz).

'Pores are minimized as texture is refined by this ultra-light, oil-free moisturizing formula. Queen of Meadow and Algae Extract penetrate to clear pores and reduce sensitivity. Retinol encourages healthy cell turn-over while Arnica soothes irritation' (from Murad's website).

First off, props to Murad for encouraging acne-prone and oily skins to use a moisturizer; I know how badly dehydrated my skin gets with all those acne treatments! The Skin Perfecting Lotion is essentialy a lightweight hydrator with a hefty dose of retinol to help exfoliate the skin, and interestingly enough it's part of two lines within the Murad product range: the Acne line (blue) as well as Age Reform (purple, formerly grey) - it's exactly the same product under the same name, just different packaging and target group. Pretty smart, right?

The consistency of the Skin Perfecting Lotion is that of a quite thin, almost gel-like lotion (duh!) with a very, very subtle fresh scent; most of the time I can't smell it at all. For my face and neck, I squeeze out a dollop about the size of a hazelnut, spread it onto my fingertips a bit and then quickly pat it on the face. It completely sinks in within a minute but still gives a bit of a glow to my skin; the finish is definitely not matte. The product feels very cooling and refreshing on my face and actually helps to calm down the redness I get after washing my face. After applying the lotion, my mug feels hydrated, supple and very comfortable - no tightness or tingling there!

But the main reason this is such a firm favorite not just for me, but also for hundreds of people who have rated it on Makeup Alley, Sephora and Murad's own website is that this light refreshing lotion REALLY hydrates, without any of the greasiness or clogged pores some moisturizes leave behind. My face can get very irritated and flaky due to acne topicals I've been prescribed and this really helps to balance it out in the morning. I definitely enjoy using my tube of the Skin Perfecting Lotion and will probably repurchase once I run out.

Have you tried Murad's Skin Perfecting Lotion? What is your favorite lightweight oil-free moisturizer?

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Blue and Purple Fyrinnae Looks

May 2, 2013, 2:46 pm

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I've promised some make-up looks featuring the new Fyrinnae eyeshadows I've had for a month or so now, and since I'm not overly talkative today, I thought it'd be a good moment to post. The eyeshadow looks themselves aren't terribly new and innovative but I've had some fun trying them out and all in all, I can say that I'd used a lot more color for the past month than in the past; so a win overall. Unfortunately, the photos don't do the shades justice - they all turned out majorly overexposed... I think I must underestimating the amounts of daylight we get in now after the winter gloom.

Green and purple: Herbivore all over the lid, blended out with a matte taupe Inglot (I know - cheating!) and a pop of mint in the inner corner thanks to Arcane Magic in Electric Stardust. You can't exactly see that but this combo is fanastic, Electric Stardust picks up on the green duochrome in Herbivore and it's insanely harmonious, colorful but still quite subdued. Lips are NYX Mega Shine gloss in Dolly Pink.

Violet: When I Grow Up all over the lid and along the lower lashline, blended out with Snow Leopard, Moon Child to highlight the inner corners. A very simple look but with enough impact thanks to that vibrant violet shade, possibly in my top 5 favorite purples of all time. By the way, that should be a fun post, no? Maybelline Color Sensational lipstick in Warm Me Up patted lightly into the lips.

Gradient Liner: Feisty Fennec Fox all over the lid as a neutral shade to offset the colorful liner: London Mod in the outer corner, When I Grow Up in the middle and Crimson Ghost in the inner corner. I believe I also used some Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner in Binge as a base for the shadows. A new Givenchy patted lightly on the lips, details soon to be revealed.

And there you have it, some slightly less neutral looks from me; I think I would like to do a couple pink & purple looks and some blues & greens still, so I might share these at some point. Have you been experimenting with color lately? Any favorite shades?

Zoya Nail Polish Exchange

May 6, 2013, 2:49 pm

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As some of you fellow polish fanatics may know, Zoya was offering their annual Nail Polish Exchange deal in honor of Earth Day a couple weeks ago, and I just could not stop myself from getting some new lacquers (just $4 each!), especially that previously I'd only had 2 of their bottles in my collection. Well, and since they're just too pretty, I just had to share with you.

 The minimum order requirement for the Exchange was 6 bottles, so I purchased (clockwise from top): Aurora, Jem, Kimber, FeiFei, Wednesday and Julie. I think I did quite a good job picking out shades that suit my preferences but I have to say that I expected Wednesday to be a bit bluer and in fact it's a pure medium mint green. Below is a look at my entire Zoya collection with added Pandora and Jules in the bottom left corner.

Now, for the polishes that I exchanged the Zoyas for... it's a motley bunch, with mostly drugstore. Instead of shipping the rejects back to Zoya, I decided to save on postal fees and just give my old polishes away to friends. I got rid of 3 Sinful Colors polishes in Hot & Sour, Aqua and Cinderella, a discontinued OPI in Panda-monium Pink!, an Essie in Demure Vixen, one Essence polish, one polish from Joko (a Polish brand) and one Petites polish in Passion Orange. I haven't worn any of these polishes in a very long time and decided that overall, I wasn't a fan of how they looked against my skintone.

As a little extra, here's how Zoya Julie looks on my nails - very soft and feminine, no? My weeding out of old unloved polishes has been rewarded not only with a lovely bunch of new shades but also an incentive at work by which I'm able to score some free OPIs of my choice, so watch out for some more nail polish related posts. Out with the old, in with the new!

Have you bought any new polishes lately? What are you wearing on your nails right now?

New Skincare Additions

May 15, 2013, 6:21 pm

≫ Next: Lips Like Velvet: Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas

≪ Previous: Zoya Nail Polish Exchange

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I'm slowly but surely going through my accumulated skincare backups and introducing some new(er) products to my routine, so I thought it'd be interesting to share my experiences with you.

As you've probably deduced from reading this blog, I absolutely love trying new skincare products, even though I think my face often does not appreciate the constant rotation - but I also think I've been finding some long-term favorites recently!

First off, a product I've been using the longest now: John Masters Organics Vitamin C Anti-Aging Face Serum ($30 for 1 fl oz), a certified organic product with Vitamin C, extracts of sea algae, nettle and rosebud to moisturize, stimulate collagen production and bring antioxidants to the skin. I'd purchased it on a recommendation from another beauty blogger who absolutely swore by the product, and I was hoping the serum would help to fade my post-acne hyperpigmentation. After a couple months of testing, I think it does help a little bit to get rid of unsightly dark marks, although the effect is by no means dramatic or particularly fast. I'm also not the biggest fan of the texture, as it remains slightly sticky on the skin after application, and it seems my moisturizer doesn't absorb quite as well on top of this serum. Overall, it's an ok product but I would not repurchase.

 At the same time I've started using the Murad Skin Perfecting Lotion, I also introduced one of their night creams to my routine: Murad Essential-C Night Moisture ($63 for 1.7 fl oz). The product features a patented technology to increase elasticity by stimulating collagen production, vitamin C to fight free radicals and shea butter to moisturize. I was getting a tiny bit bored of using my Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil and thought this would be a lighter option for warmer weather. This definitely has a thicker consistency than the Skin Perfecting Lotion, which is expected from a night cream; what I didn't expect though is that it absorbs very nicely with no oily residue. It has a refreshing, orange & thyme scent and it does make my skin feel soft and hydrated by the morning. I have a lot of night creams to power through but I might repurchase at some point in the future!

Lastly, somewhat of a cult favorite: Thayers Rose Petal Witch Hazel Alcohol-Free Toner ($7.99 for 12 fl oz). This toner is a blend of aloe vera juice with witch hazel extract, rose water, glycerin and some vitamin E - can't really simplify those ingredients any further! At first I just couldn't get used to the strong rose geranium scent of this toner but it definitely grew on me and I look forward to its refreshing boost now. As far as the results, it does exactly what is says on the front: it's gentle, it's moisturizing, it helps to tighten the pores slightly and for me reduces some of the redness and the number of breakouts. I actually like this product a lot and I think it's a steal for the price; I recently got talked into a different toner by an aesthetician that was 3 times the price and half the size of Thayers and I can't see any benefits from it at all. Go check Thayers witch hazel out if you're in the market for a new toner!

As a side note, if any of these products piqued your interest, they're now available at beauty.com with a 20% off discount for their Friends & Family event, and although I haven't shopped with beauty.com yet (and I'm trying to be good and not buy anything now!), I'm obsessed with their partner site drugstore.com. Just thought I'd let you know!

Have you introduced any new products to your skincare routine recently? What is your favorite toner and night-time treatment?

Lips Like Velvet: Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas

May 22, 2013, 11:25 am

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Recently, I've been on a mission to somewhat revamp my lipstick collection; I swatched, compared and roadtested most of my stash and then gave away a significant portion to make room for some newer and better lipstick specimens. And so, via the irresistible incentive of Sephora VIB sale and an equally alluring post from Driveller Kate, came into my possession this luxe beauty: Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas no. 201 ($36 for 3.4g/ 0.12 fl oz).

 (As a side note, does anyone else find the name just a touch pompous? It's like calling your product 'The Lipstick'. I know the French can get away with almost anything and sound glamorous, but isn't this kind of a tall order to fill...? The Lipstick? I'm not quite sure if it's more impressive or just megalomaniac.)

 Lo and behold, this lipstick is a true beauty; in fact, I do not own a single piece of make-up that is more beautifully packaged than Le Rouge. The cap is envelopped in genuine soft black leather interrupted by a silver metallic accent, engraved with the brand's name and decorated with a single stud at the base. The design under the cap is just as harmonious, and the lipstick bullet comes engraved with the Givenchy logo of quadruple G's. The attention to detail is so tremendous that I honestly had a hard time bringing myself to actually using this product.

 Givenchy Le Rouge in Rose Taffetas is described as a 'light pink coral' but could also be categorized as a warm rosy pink. All of Les Rouges 'deliver intense color and semi-matte finish all in one stroke' (as per Sephora's website), and if you're wondering about the semi-matte, it's almost like a velvety effect - it's not completely matte like the Revlon or MAC offerings, but it's definitely not a cream either; there's no visible glossiness or shine to the product. If anything, the finish is very much like the bare skin of one's lips.

 In terms of consistency and wear, Le Rouge goes on smoothly on the lips with no tugging, and covers very well in a couple swipes. It doesn't seem to plump up my lip lines but doesn't make them more apparent either. After 3-4 hours wear, it does start to feel a bit clingy and drying, though this can be alleviated by adding another layer without compromising the finish. I would say it lasts somewhere around the 5 hour mark (by which point I obviously have to eat... and it doesn't make it through the meal without needing to touch up). My lips do feel a bit dry after wearing Le Rouge for the day, however they're not completely parched like they would be after wearing a full on matte, and wearing a good matte lip balm underneath (Nuxe Reve de Miel, of course!) helps a lot as well.

Compared to my other light pink corals, Rose Taffetas (left) is similar to MAC Viva Glam Cyndi (middle) but more vibrant, opaque and obviously without shimmer. Compared to YSL Rouge Pur in Pink Grenadine (right), it's quite a bit lighter and with more pink rather than red undertones. On the lips, it also doesn't look like anything else I have in my collection and goes with a variety of different eye looks as a slightly brighter but still rather classic option.

Have you tried Givenchy Le Rouge formulation? What is your favorite matte or semi-matte lipstick?

Evening Routine Staple: Dermalogica Precleanse

May 26, 2013, 6:00 am

≫ Next: If I Could Only Have One: Laura Mercier Second Skin Cheek Colour in Lotus Pink

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Be it make-up wipes, dual phase remover, micellar water or ritual chanting - all of us make-up wearers have our favorite way of removing the slap from our faces at the end of the day. After trying and liking the DHC Cleansing Oil, I was on the lookout for a natural oil-based option and I've stumbled upon this little gem: Dermalogica Precleanse ($37 for 5.1 fl oz/ 150ml), a deep-cleansing oil featuring a blend of apricot kernel, kukui, rice bran, sunflower, safflower and olive oils.

'Deep-cleansing oil melts impurities and make-up from skin. Achieve ultra clean and healthy skin with the Double Cleanse regimen that begins with PreCleanse. Thoroughly melt away layers of excess sebum (oil), sunscreen, waterproof make-up, environmental pollutants and residual products that build-up on skin throughout the day with skin fortifying Olive, Kukui and Apricot oils. Add water to transform this hydrophilic (water-loving) formula into a milky emulsion that easily rinses debris from the skin's surface, allowing your prescribed Dermalogica Cleanser to penetrate even further for professional cleansing results. Formulated with conditioning Rice Bran and Vitamin E oils, this gentle blend can be used around the eye area to even remove waterproof mascara. Offers a deep cleansing ideal for even the most oily skin conditions. Formulated without artificial fragrances and colors.' (from the blurb on the cardboard box)

The packaging is rather simplistic and utilitarian, although I find that one has to quickly tip the bottle upside down, shake out the preferred amount and then tip it back up to avoid wasteful spillage down the side of the cap. The product is clear and not very viscous, which makes the application a tiny bit more challenging, and smells lightly and very pleasantly of tangerine hard candy/ lemon drops.

As described, I usually pour a bit in the palm of my dry hand (by bit, I mean the size of a nickel, or about 7 drops... see, I'm anything if not technical), and then dab the oil on my face, starting on the forehead, cheeks and chin. Whatever is left, I gently dab onto my eyes, and then with both hands I first massage the oil on my face, then moving onto the messier eye make-up; I simply prefer not to smear black mascara all over my face. I delicately rub the oil between my lashes to get everything off, then rinse my hands from the oil, and with damp hands emulsify the oil on my face, starting with my eyes this time (same reason as above). Like promised in the product description, it turns into a milky lotion after adding the water from my damp palms, which in turn rinses clean with warm water. Oh, and by clean, I mean no residue, but no squeaky feeling either - it just leaves my face feeling soft and comfortable and with neither a trace of make-up nor even a smidge of mascara on the lower lids. I then move on to using an actual facial cleanser.

To sum up, on the plus side Dermalogica Precleanse is a (somewhat) natural cleansing oil that's very effective and pleasant to use. On the down side, it's rather pricey, hard to come by (as Dermalogica can only be carried by spas or wherever there's an esthetician on hand... and which is why you probably shouldn't be buying it from Amazon; they have their own online store, though) and definitely more time consuming than using something like a make-up wipe (brrr!). I'm not sure yet if I'll repurchase; after the recent price increase, I may want to try Nude's slightly cheaper version first, or come back to micellar waters. But if you do like cleansing oils and are looking for a more natural alternative, I do recommend you check out Dermalogica's Precleanse for its gentle but ultra-effective formulation.

Have you tried using cleansing oils in your evening routine? What is your favorite way of removing make-up?