Article: My Skincare Routine (Every Other Day)

We’ve talked about this, dear reader. On Monday I revealed (!!!) my daily routine, and today is the day that I show you a little more of my skin(care).

These four products are little add-ons to the base routine, and I reach for them when my skin’s feeling a bit flatter than usual, or if I’m just looking to feel a bit more pampered.

7. Oasis Beauty Lips and Lashes
I’ve reviewed this before here and it has proved to be more than just a one-hit-wonder in my books. This is a curious product but it’s like a kind of uber-soothing eye cream that does great things for both your eyes and your lips. I have had a lot of compliments on my eyelashes and I think it’s because I put this on every second or third night. I neglected it a bit for a couple of weeks and I looked a lot more tired than usual too – I think it has brightened up my eye area and is wonderful and gentle to put on.

8. Now Solutions European Clay Powder
This stuff is good fun because you can use it as a base for a multitude of face masks. I mix it with a little Dr Bronner’s castille soap because the soap is jojoba and coconut oil-based but you could also mix it with any other kind of oil suitable for your face, or with water if your skin is oily. It’s great for drawing out impurities and it dries hard on your face. I use it when my skin is feeling a bit hormonal and pimply.

9. Korean/Taiwanese/Japanese Facial Sheet Masks
The one pictured is a My Beauty Diary mask but I am not mask-ist and like to use a wide range of different face masks. You can see some that I’ve reviewed by clicking here. I pretty much pick these up anywhere and everywhere, and while I bought the one pictured from a Japan Mart in Glenfield Mall, I’ve bought others from Missha and Cutie & Beautie. You can also get them from Amazon and of course, BeautyNetKorea.

10. Clarins Extra Firming Night Cream
I love Clarins but sadly it’s not really in my budget. I bought this travel size product from a little shop on Ponsonby Road down the Three Lamps end for a great price and I use it sparingly when my skin feels super tired and lustreless. It’s a little bit of luxury and I like to think it calms down my thinking wrinkles.

Have you used any of these products before? Have you got any recommendations for sheet masks? Let me know in the comments!

Article & Look: David Bowie

I decided to join the hoardes of people that aspire to appear in Google Image Searches of “David Bowie Makeup” recently by painting my beautiful model D’s face in what I’m going to call a Reverse Bowie.

She was a very good sport and let me do her hair in a very wild 80s kind of half up-half down style with a lot of volume at the top. We took inspiration from the cover of Bowie’s Aladdin Sane, as you might have already guessed!

To achieve this Ziggy Stardust-esque look, we used the Kryolan Aqua Colours which were fantastic to work with and would be great fun to do other colour-heavy face painting looks.

After the base was applied and the colour went on, we did a dark blue contour on her other cheek which you might be able to spot in these pictures. You could also pair this with a bolder red lip or try it with other colours – pink and teal perhaps!

Although it’s not your usual smoky-eye-and-a-bit-of-lippy, I thought I’d post this look up for a change – we had a great time putting it together.

What did you think of the Bowie look? Would you try this for a party? Let me know in the comments!

Review: Beauty Clinic MediHeal Tea Tree Sheet Mask

Before today, I’m pretty sure that most of my readers have not had the privilege of seeing my AMAZING Hannibal Lecter face-masked face. Today, dear reader, you shall become part of the privileged few to see my face with a sheet mask on.

The mask in question is this Tea Tree Healing Solution Essential Mask by Beauty Clinic. I picked this up from the Japanese Mart on the bottom level of Westfield Albany, and I’m sure you’d find more of these at similar places. If you don’t live on Auckland’s North Shore, you can also pick them up on Amazon and eBay.

I bought this mask in particular because a) I love sheet masks, b) I LOVE SHEET MASKS, c) I had a couple of pimples I wanted to clear up and d) SHEET MASKS FOR LIFEEEEEEEEE

The mask is pretty similar to most Korean sheet masks when you take it out of the packet – it’s very cold, looks like the top layer of a ghost’s face and smells quite herbal. This one contains witch hazel and tea tree, as well as a few different herbal extracts. It didn’t smell strongly and it felt very soothing on my face. Before applying this one, I double-cleansed my face and applied toner.

This is my glamorous self wearing a face mask. Sheet masks are funny things, and I can never smile properly while wearing one because it makes the mask bunch up and move around. This one feels wonderful on, and didn’t sting like other masks I’ve worn. I kept it on for around 20 minutes, and was very happy with the result.

Clean, clear, soft skin with minimized redness and more chilled-out pimples. I think my skin was actually better after using this mask, and I’m very pleased with it. I might even buy a box off Amazon when I get through the other six thousand face masks I have been hoarding.

Have you ever tried a Korean sheet mask? What do you think of sheet masks? Let me know in the comments!

Article & Haul: Korean Skincare Party!

Today, an interesting-looking parcel landed on our doorstep.

Jonny was confused by it. I was hugely excited. It was a parcel sent to me by the lovely Abby, who is living in Korea! She sent me a LOT of beautiful samples of Korean skincare, many of which I have been absolutely dying to try out.

Abby was so so generous and I cannot thank her enough. I am truly overwhelmed by this amazing little parcel – for me, this is more exciting than six BeautyJoint parcels or maybe even a MAC parcel. She also sent me the most gorgeous blue-based pink (my favourite kind of pink) Etude House lipstick which you can see at the bottom right of the above photo.

There are five different types of masks which I am very excited about (I love Korean sheet masks) as well as heaps of toners and creams, essences, emulsions and cleansers. There are also things like the “Milk Talk” below – I don’t even know what it does yet but the packaging is beautiful. I can’t wait to review them all!

I’m particularly ecstatic about trying the Etude House lipstick, the Innisfree Green Tea range, the Tony Moly mask, the Tony Moly Red Appletox Honey cream and the Etude House Milk Talk.

OIL CLEANSERS
The Face Shop Pore Clean Cleansing Oil with Cherryblossom
Innisfree Apple Juicy Cleansing Oil

SECOND CLEANSERS
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Cleanser
Etude House Baking Powder BB Deep Cleansing Fom
Innisfree Calming Gel Cleanser
Etude House AC Clinic Daily Skin Care Kit

TONERS/SKINS
The Face Shop the Smim Toner
Innisfree Green Tea Pure Skin
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Toner
Tony Moly Floria Whitening Petal Toner
Tony Moly Berianne Skin

MASKS
Tony Moly Floria Nutra-Energy Mask Sheet with Argan Oil
Beauty Factory 7 Days Aloe Mask
Etude House Pomegranate Natural Mask
Etude House Pearl Extract Natural Mask
Dewy Tree Honey Moist Black Sheet Mask

ESSENCES/SERUMS
The Face Shop Core Seed Purifying Essence
Innisfree The Green Tea Seed Serum
Innisfree Eco Science Wrinkle Spot Essence

EMULSIONS
The Face Shop The Smim Emulsion
Laneige Moisture Balancing Emulsion
Tony Moly Floria Whitening Emulsion

CREAMS/MOISTURISERS/LOTIONS
Tony Moly Berianne Lotion
Etude House Face Conditioning Cream
Tony Moly Red Appletox Honey Cream
Etude House Collagen Moistfull Cream
Innisfree The Minimum Moist Cream
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Oil-Free Gel Cream
Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Mosturiser

OTHER
Laneige Moisture Power Essential Skin Refiner
Skinfood Watery Berry Sun Lotion
Innisfree Tangerine Blossom Perfumed Body Cleanser
Tony Moly Perfumed Body Classic Shower Gel
VedaCel Hairich Shampoo and Conditioner
Aquamoist
Etude House Milk Talk in Strawberry

MAKE UP
Tony Moly Live Aura Luminous Live Aura CC Cream
Etude House CC Cream Silky
Etude House Pore Ever Pore Primer Essence
Etude House Dear My Blooming Lips-talk in PK015

I will be reviewing each and every single one of these in the coming months so keep an eye out. If you have any from the list that you’re really curious about, let me know and I’ll review it sooner!

Have you used any of these products? Are there any favourites of yours in here? Let me know in the comments!

Lust List #8: Chocoholic’s Anonymous

Today’s lust list was inspired by fellow chocolate lover Steph over at Misc. Bliss. Steph lives in Korea and makes wonderful posts about her life there as well as Korean beauty and skincare hauls and reviews which make me mega envious. Love your work Steph!

1. Too Faced Chocolate 
It smells like chocolate. It is makeup. I would be a terrible beauty blogger if I didn’t want this eyeshadow palette.

2. Lush Cupcake Face Mask
I have used this in the past and I need it back in my life – it looks like chocolate cake batter and it smells like mint chocolate chip. Does great things when my skin is grumpy with me (and when it’s not too!).

3. Bourjois Chocolate Bronzing Powder
So many people have raved about this one and for $15, I really don’t think you can complain. Did I mention it smells like chocolate?

4. My Beauty Diary Chocolate Truffle Mask
These are supposed to work magic on tired skin, and although they seem to be a little flimsy, I can’t imagine anything better than putting one of these super-hydrating chocolate masks on.

5. Amelia Bath and Body Organic Chocolate Face Mask
This face mask is kaolin-clay based and has two different types of chocolate powders among its five ingredients. It also comes in a cute amber-coloured  jar which appeals to me more than I can understand.

There you have it – my chocolate themed lust list dedicated to Steph! If you haven’t checked out her blog, go do so here.

Do you own any of these products? Which one would you like to try? Let me know in the comments!

Haul & Review: Cutie & Beautie + Lioele Face Mask

As you know, I was sent a few samples from Cutie & Beautie and upon trialling them, discovered what might be the best BB cream in the entire world. When I bought the Lioele Triple the Solution BB Cream from Cutie & Beautie I also picked up this Lioele Essential Mask Sheet in the Red Ginseng variety. They kindly sent me the Skin79 Aloe Fresh Mask Sheet and a wee sample of the C.A.D. Oxygen Pore Cream by Lioele free of charge, which was a wonderful surprise!

I haven’t tried the Aloe Fresh mask sheet or the pore cream yet, and I think you already know how I feel about the Lioele BB Cream (I want to marry it) so today I’m going to do a quick review of the Red Ginseng Essential Mask.

This mask is designed to smooth and lift your skin, and I think it probably did that. I took some photos of my face in the mask but I honestly look like Hannibal Lecter so if you weren’t so lucky as to be privy to my Snapchats, you’ll have to email me for the photos. I read Sara’s review here and she has a few pictures for reference in her post.

The mask itself is cold and wet when you take it out of the sachet, but in a pleasant, refreshing way, not in a Labrador-nose kind of way. My skin was tired and a little dehydrated when I applied this mask, and I had a few blemishes. I didn’t notice any sensation while the mask was on apart from cooling.

After twenty minutes I took off the mask and checked my skin out in the mirror. It seemed noticeably plumper and more hydrated (probably to be expected) and I feel as though my forehead wrinkles had been smoothed out a little. My skin tone seemed less red and more even, and my pimples also looked smaller and less noticeable.

Overall, I was impressed with how it made my skin look and feel, and I’d definitely buy this one again. I felt very pampered wearing this, although I think I gave my fellow Snapchat users a little fright.

Have you tried out cotton face masks? What did you think? Let me know in the comments!