Tag: beautyblogger

Empties Post – First One Ever!

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Ever since the internet went crazy with “Empties” posts, I’ve been wanting to write one for this blog. The only caveat? Being able to accumulate enough used up products to write a post about. Seems simple, right? Not when you have far too many products and keep switching from one to another, and the guilt of throwing out something you’re not crazy about seems almost wasteful. So for me, using up a product and thinking about repurchasing the same item again means that I need to have thought it was absolutely AMAZING and willing to go through the experience all over again.

So without further ado, here are a few of my empties:

Honest The Younger Eye

I wrote a full review of this product here if you wish to read more details about it. What can I say? I absolutely LOVE this eye cream! It’s everything an eye cream should be and I think it has greatly improved the skin around my eyes tenfold.

Would I repurchase: HELL YES!

Everyone Face For Every Day Tone

I included this product in my skincare routine post. This is one of my favourite toners because not only is it lightweight, but it leaves my skin feeling fresh and clean. It also has contributed to keeping my skin acne-free!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Korres Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer

Even for this, I wrote a full review of this product here, if you wish to read a more detailed description. I’m usually not a huge fan of moisturizers cause even the most lightweight ones tend to make me break out, but this one lived up to its claim of being gentle for acne-prone skin, and I fell instantly in love!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Eye

This cream is a restorative eye treatment for undereye skin. I like that the cream was thick and emollient, and did work in diminishing fine lines caused by fatigue. I didn’t find anything NOT to love about this cream, but at the same time, I didn’t fall in love with it as much as I did with the Honest eye cream.

Would I repurchase: Maybe

Skin & Co. Roma Truffle Therapy Eye Concentrate

I was sad to see this finish as I added this as one of my favourite eye creams that I recommend. This cream feels luxurious and incredibly hydrating. Even a year later I still love it!

Would I repurchase: YES!

Pixi Beauty Sleep Cream

This cream was just a little too much on the thin side for my liking. I’m more into creams that feel very moisturizing and this was a little on the light side, however, it DID keep my skin hydrated and didn’t cause any breakouts. If you want to read a more detailed description, check out the review here.

Would I repurchase: Maybe

Clinique Moisture Surge

I know this is the holy grail of moisturizers for many people, especially if you’ve got oily skin. I was given this cream as a sample by one of the Clinique reps at a cosmetic shop with the promise that I would love it. Well, sorry to burst anyone’s bubble but this is simply too watery for my taste. I guess the lightweightness of it is what makes it perfect for oily skin, but I kinda love thick creams.

Would I repurchase: No

Medusa’s Makeup Grapefruit Astringent

I’m a big fan of toners and this one simply smells amazing! It left my skin feeling refreshed, and kept it from becoming oily too soon.

Would I repurchase: Yes, but they have two other scents (Rose and Cucumber) and I’m curious about the cucumber version.

There’s a satisfying feeling of completion when you get to the end of a product, and I think this is why Empties Posts are so popular. Do you have similar feelings? Would you try out any of these products?

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6 Skincare Secrets to Beautiful Skin!

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Photo courtesy of advanceantiagingskincare.wordpress.com

Exfoliate lips using a toothbrush.

One sure-fire way to keep chapped lips at bay is to exfoliate lips using a toothbrush. I usually do it in the morning, you can use either a lip scrub with it or a pinch of Vaseline and gently scrub your lips. You can either scrub in circular motions or horizontal.

Use a Peel to brighten your skin tone.

Peels are extremely easy to use and can remove dull skin cells from the surface, which in turn helps brighten up your skin tone. Since most peels have acid, I’d suggest once a week usage. I suggest my fave here.

Invest in a good eye cream.

Most people will say that you can use regular moisturizer around your eye area, but they are wrong. The skin around your eyes is thinner and absorbs product much faster, so I recommend using a cream specifically made for the eye area, as it’s easier to cause irritation if you use ingredients that are too harsh for the delicate skin. Need ideas? Here’s a list of some of my favourite eye creams.

Use ice to reduce a pimple.

If you have to go out and have a huge raging red pimple, here’s a quick-trick. Hold an ice cube wrapped in a washcloth against your pimple for fifteen minutes. The ice will help reduce the inflammation and redness, allowing you to apply concealer much more easily. For added benefits, make ice cubes out of rose water for an extra skin-soothing treatment!

Don’t remove eye makeup with a makeup wipe.

Makeup wipes are too harsh when trying to get rid of mascara (especially if you’re scrubbing your eyes, a major no-no since it promotes premature wrinkles and wreaks havoc at the delicate skin). What I do is break up the makeup using Johnson’s Baby Lotion by placing it on a cotton ball and gently applying it to my closed eyes. I let the lotion soak in for a few seconds and then wash it off with lukewarm water. Not only will your eyelashes be moisturized, but it’ll also cause less breakage. Added bonus: this method removes all of your eye makeup in less than ten seconds!

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Review: Sunday Riley Luna Sleeping Night Oil

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If you’ve been following my blog, then you know that I have a soft spot for skin oils. I know that it may seem counterproductive to use oils if you have oily skin (like I do), but in reality, in some weird way, drying out oily skin actually creates more oil than applying oils. So when I received this product in my latest Allure Beauty Box, I was thrilled to try it out.

Packaging: A gorgeous glass bottle with a dropper dispenser.

What It Does: Moisturizes, eliminates redness, fights wrinkles, makes pores smaller, and improves damaged skin.

Active Ingredients: Retinol and chamomile.

Verdict: Now, I know that some people may not be into this oil because it does have some fragrance to it (and maybe it can be irritating to sensitive skin). But the fragrance that it does have is due to natural essential oils from neroli, blood orange, ylang ylang, and vetiver. But if you don’t have sensitive skin, then this oil may be perfect for you. I really loved how it made my skin feel so velvety soft in the mornings (after applying it at night) and also making it plumper. It truly gave me the dewy skin that is oh so coveted by the beauty world. What I love is that the oil is very lightweight, and it’s perfect even for acne-prone skin as myself. I highly suggest to check it out if you need an oil, but if you’re looking for a cheaper alternative to skin oils, then check out my favourite Vitamin C oils here.

Price: $105

Where To Buy It: Sephora.com

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Get Amazing Brows Everyday!

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I’ve always been obsessed with having good eyebrows, and some people are born with naturally amazing arches, whilst the rest of us need a little help. I know that nowadays the instagram brows are the trend, but I personally prefer a more natural brow. Like most people, I don’t have time to spend twenty minutes filling my eyebrows in the morning, the steps below guarantee to give you awesome brows in less than six minutes! So go ahead and press that snooze button, get some extra z’s cause you won’t be needing too much time to get ready in the mornings with these fool-proof brow tips!

First Step:

Outline the shape you wish to have either by using an eyebrow pencil or eyebrow marker.

Second Step:

First, fill in your arch and tail using a darker shadow shade.

Then using a lighter shadow shade, fill in the first half of your brows (closest to your nose) and the top half of the arch.

I’d suggest purchasing one of those duo eyebrow shadows palettes, such as Bobbi Brown Brow Kit ($55 at Sephora).

TIP:

In order for brows to look natural you need to shade in a way where the light would naturally hit, hence the lighter shade on top, and the darker shade in the arch.

Third Step:

Using a spooley brush through your eyebrows to better blend the shadows and get rid of any excess product.

TIP:

Run some brow gel if you have unruly hair to keep brow hairs looking sharp and clean all day!

One of brow gels I absolutely love is Maybelline’s Makeup Tattoo Studio Waterproof Eyebrow Gel ($9.48).

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Review: Yves Saint Laurent – Touche Eclat Blur Primer

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I was really excited when I received this in one of my Allure Beauty Boxes, because the packaging for it was incredibly elegant that I was certain that the product inside would also be of excellent quality. This primer is to be primarily used before foundation, but since I don’t use foundation, I actually use primers as a base for underneath my eyes before I apply concealer as it helps keep my eyes hydrated as well as help the concealer glide on the skin without any problem.

What It Is: Blurring and Illuminating Primer

What It Does: Maximizing Skin Radiance

Active Ingredients: Corn Oil, Apricot Kernel Oil, Rice Bran Oil

Verdict: I absolutely LOVE this primer! If there’s one word that best describes this primer is luxurious. When you apply this on your skin it just feels so opulent and hydrating. Upon application, you instantly see how it helps create a blurring and radiant canvas on your face (in my instance, it truly helps with brightening up and blurring the dark under eyes I have). The primer has tiny gold flecks that help capture the light and brighten up any dull skin. It’s very rich and nourishing feeling. Not only that, it seems to erase pores, creating an even, smoother skin. If you really wish to have a top-notch primer, I suggest investing in this one, because it’s truly one of the best!

Price: $52

Where To Buy It: https://www.sephora.com/product/touche-eclat-blur-primer-P397615

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Review: Kylie Cosmetics Lip Kits

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I’ve been avoiding to purchase anything from the Kylie Cosmetics brand, namely because I’m not a fan of the whole Kardashian-Jenner clan, so I wasn’t too keen to be sending my hard earned cash their way. However, there recently was a BOGO Sale at the Kylie Cosmetics site, (meaning you purchased one lip kit and received the second free), and decided I would give this brand a go.

I know many people are fans of the lip kits and wondered how well they’d compare to my favourite liquid lipsticks (Jeffree Star).

The lipkits I bought were in ROSIE and AUTUMN.

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(Top: Autumn lipliner, Autumn liquid lipstick. Bottom: Rosie lipliner, Rosie liquid lipstick)

ROSIE:

The lipliner went on fabulously, it was soft and feathery and really complimented my skintone. The liquid lipstick itself wasn’t so amazing. First of all, the colour was supposed to be a dusty rose, and instead it was more of a mauve shade (it had a lot more purple tones). Not to mention that this lipstick NEVER dried down, meaning it stayed wet ALL day even eight hours after application! So eating whilst wearing this liquid lipstick was messy and even simple kissing made it transfer on my boyfriend’s lips. Overall, I was completely disappointed in this shade and formula.

AUTUMN:

As with Rosie, the lipliner for Autumn was just as awesome, velvety and very pigmented. When I applied the liquid lipstick, I realised right away that the formula for Autumn wasn’t the same as the one for Rosie. Autumn dried down after being applied, although it takes about two or three layers for the colour to be uniform. The colour itself was beautiful, and although this colour dried out, I still wasn’t too keen on the formula.

Verdict:

For $40* (including tax & shipping & handling fees), although I got the BOGO deal and it did come with lipliner/liquid lipstick duo, I still don’t think that these lip kits were worth the steep price. I know there’s been much debate over Colourpop liquid lipsticks and Kylie Cosmetics liquid lipsticks being essentially the same thing since they’re made and packaged in the same factory. But having tried the Colourpop liquid lipsticks, the formula between those and Kylie lipsticks don’t seem the same at all. Rather, the Colourpop formula is actually better in my opinion for a fraction of the price (just for $6.50!). Overall, although I do love the shade Autumn a lot and may wear it more often than Rosie, I can’t truly say that I’m in love with these lipkits. Ultimately, Kylie’s lipkits are all hype with very little turnout.

Price: $29* (price without tax & shipping & handling fees)

Where To Buy It: https://www.kyliecosmetics.com

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Review: Korres Pomegranate Balancing Cream-Gel Moisturizer

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I’ve previously tried products from this brand before, and I truly loved it. I like how they use all-natural ingredients, and from the products I tried, they’ve actually made my skin way better in both look and texture. So bonus points for that!

Being someone who’s always had oily skin, trying to use moisturizer has been almost impossible as all the ones I’ve tried tended to be too rich and break me out. And who wants to look like a pepperoni pizza, right? So when I received this moisturizer made specifically for Oily-Combination Skin in my Allure Beauty Box, I was tempted to give it a go.

What It Is: Cream-Gel Moisturizer for Oily-Combination Skin types

What It Does: Delivers ultra-hydration whilst minimizing pores and creating a matte, yet luminous complexion.

Active Ingredients: 5% Pomegranate water, Pomegranate Extract, Alpine Willowherb, Tannins, and Polyphenols

Verdict: Oily-acne prone skin gals, this product is for YOU! This moisturizer is THE BEST I’ve ever tried. Not only does it keep my skin hydrated, but it also mattifies the skin without it looking dull, but rather refreshed. From the very first application the cream felt luxurious and thick, but when applied it actually felt rather lightweight. It also has a very faint, yet clean smell to it. The packaging is simple, yet sleek. I really love how it makes my skin feel less oily, but plump with hydration and ultra-fortifying. I don’t have issues with big pores, but this product also helps with minimizing pores and giving them a smaller appearance. I highly recommend this cream if you’re looking for a moisturizer for oily and acne-prone skin.

Price: $34

Where To Buy It: https://www.korresusa.com

By: Azzurra Nox

Secrets to Gorgeous Hair!

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We all know that one girl, ya know, the one with the incredible locks, who has no bad hair days, ala Blake Lively or Megan Fox. Instead of getting hair envy, you too can achieve luscious, shiny locks with some secret ingredients that you may already have lying around your home! Beautiful hair shouldn’t be unattainable, so read below for some tips and tricks on how to get that perfect mane!

Next time you lather, think about adding these key ingredients in your shampoo:

Take one cup of baby shampoo (I prefer Honest) and mix in the following ingredients depending on your hair type:

If you have dry hair:

2 tablespoons olive or coconut oil or 1 egg

If you have oily hair:

2 tablespoons lemon juice or aloe vera gel

If you have normal hair:

¼ cup beer or flat champagne

Is product build-up causing your hair to be flat and dull? Then consider this trick:

Rinse your hair with ½ cup baking soda dissolved in 2 cups of warm water. What this does is remove all the product build up you have in your hair, such as hair spray, dry shampoo, or serums.

Are you suffering from dandruff? Then this trick is for you:

Rinse your hair with 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar in 1 cup of warm water. The vinegar will help zap away any oils and shed those dreaded flakes for good!

Let me know if you try any of these tricks or let me know some of yours in the comments below!

By: Azzurra Nox

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Split-Ends? Oh no! How to Avoid & Prevent them from Happening

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It happens to the best of us. No matter how careful we are in handling our locks, or how often we go to the salon for a trim, split-ends are bound to happen, especially if you use hair dye or heat. We’ve all envied those models in shampoo commercials with the perfect shiny tresses (newsflash: most of the time those models are wearing wigs or extensions!). But envy no more!

I’ve tried numerous remedies that promised to eliminate split-ends, and sad to say, 95% of them have been grossly inefficient.

But every time, I fall for it again. With starry eyes and hope in my heart, I think, maybe this will actually work! Well, recently tried a home remedy that does deliver and it doesn’t cost that much! And apart from it being fairly inexpensive, it’s also easy-peasy (I’m all about avoiding complicated methods).

Split-Ends Rescue Remedy

Ingredients: Cup of flat beer

Method: Pour beer into a spray bottle and spray into the hair.

Leave in hair for an hour, then rinse out with a mild shampoo.

Why This Works: The proteins and natural sugars in beer bond to your hair, helping to strengthen and mend damaged follicles.

How to Prevent Split-Ends: Do not wash your hair more than three times a week.

Do not brush wet hair.

Avoid heat and chemicals.

I hope this is helpful! Let me know if you try this method and what you think of it!

By: Azzurra Nox

Review: Lancôme DRAMA LIQUI-PENCIL Longwear Eyeliner

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If there’s one makeup product that’s a staple in my makeup bag, it’s eyeliner. I’m always changing it up between pencil and liquid, and this new one from Lancome promises to combine the intensity and precision of a liquid eyeliner, but with the fool-proofness of a pencil liner (which is more forgiving especially if you’re in a hurry or putting on makeup early in the morning whilst being in a hurry as I do when getting ready for work).

What It Is: A long-wear highly pigmented liquid pencil eyeliner.

What It Does: 24-hour wear, blendable formula, no smudging!

Verdict: This liqui-pencil is absolutely phenomenal! I LOVE how pigmented the eyeliner is, and the fact that it’s very forgiving and fool-proof to apply when you’re strapped for time. It is precise and doesn’t budge all day. Even when I swatched it, it was difficult to remove (I had to use both makeup remover AND cleanser to get it off). So you’re assured that this eyeliner will stay on your lid and not migrate half way down your eyes by the end of the day. It’s also sweat-proof (no running eyeliner when you’re hitting the dance floor or gym!), and even if you forget about wearing liner and rub your eye, this liner isn’t going anywhere! This liner comes in various vibrant colours ranging from blue, black, brown, and purple, but I got the blue and find it such a fun way to have a pop of colour on your lids whilst wearing nude eyeshadow.

Price: $23

Where To Buy It: Sephora

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By: Azzurra Nox