Beauty Favourites of 2014

2014 is over, and that means it's time for me to recap my favourite products from the past year! 2014 was the year of my pregnancy so this post also shows the skincare I used for 9 months when my skin was going through a myriad of changes.

My skin during the time I was pregnant was a little problematic. I started developing zits on my jawline and the old problem of back-ne reared its ugly head again. I was terribly upset because back acne haunted me a few years back and after 2 courses of Oratane, I finally rid myself of those incessant spots. So imagine my horror when I discovered that they were back to pay me a visit. Hormones... what a bitch.

Onto the list of favorites! ^^

Make-Up 

Foundation - Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua and Rimmel Wake Me Up Liquid Foundation

I didn't use much make-up during my pregnancy because my skin was pretty dry and foundation didn't sit too well with it. So for the first half of my pregnancy I stuck with old faithful Chanel and for the 2nd half, Rimmel was great for covering up the little blemishes that popped up unexpectedly. It gave me really decent coverage without it being too heavy or cakey. New found foundation favourite! Loved it!

Blusher -Nars Lokoum Cream Blush

I developed a new love for cream blusher because I found that it could stay on longer. Plus it made me look radiant despite the loss of appetite during my first trimester. I actually got comments that I was glowing! *wow seriously?* Kudos to this cream blusher, I was adapting to pregnancy like a pro. 

The rest of the post will be on skincare because that's what I played with the most. 

Skincare

Facial cleanser and remover - Bioderma and Shiseido White Lucent Cleanser

It was still my trusty Bioderma which did not break me out and didn't contain much fragrance because I was really sensitive to scents throughout my pregnancy. I stuck with the facial cleanser that has been my staple since JC days. We had lots of PE lessons back then and those intensive sessions under the sun had me worried that I'll be really tan for life. So I've been using the White Lucent cleanser ever since and it always leaves me clean and refreshed.

Facial Scrub - Cure Natural Aqua Gel

I didn't attempt to use a coarse or a even a fine facial scrub on my face because I was afraid of making my breakouts worse. So I chose this gentle gel exfoliator which scrubs off the dead skin cells naturally without any abrasive rubbing. The hubby got so fascinated by this scrub of mine that he named it "Magic water" because his skin felt uber smooth after using it. 

Toner - Chanel Purete Ideale Nanolotion

This toner was purchased a while back and I've never had the chance to try it. The Purete Ideale range is for oily and sensitive skin and because I tend to have a shiny t-zone which doesn't sit too well under make-up, I thought this to be an ideal product to try. The result? I love this toner! It makes my skin feels really smooth and keeps the shine at bay! It smooths out my complexion making my make-up last longer. 

Moisturizer - Clarins Hydra-quench Cream Melt

My skin was breaking out slightly throughout pregnancy but certain parts of my face felt tight and dry. It was the weirdest combination. I used the only moisturizer I knew would combat my dryness and it did! At night, I'll add a few drops of rose hip oil for added effectiveness. 

Eye cream - Chanel Precision Eye Tonic

I've fallen in love with this product all over again! Pregnancy sucks the life out of you and in addition to feeling like a whale, I went about my facial routine but by the time I got to my eyes, I was running out of patience. So I turned to the fuss-free rollerball alternative and I fell in love with this eye serum all over again! It's convenient, cooling on the eyes and I woke up feeling tired but my eyes gave none of that away. Love this eye tonic!

Acne solution - Mario Badescu Drying Cream

I love this cream, I really do. I went through 2 tubs of this during my pregnancy because of my back acne and those incessant zits on my jawline. My hubby claims it smells foul because I go to him armed with an exposed back and this tub in my hands every night for 7 months. But it works. I kept at it for 7 months because of new zits that popped out but the old ones healed really fast. I caught him applying this "foul cream" on his own face a few nights as well. Pregnancy staple, can't live without this. 

Facial Mask - Innisfree Super Volcanic pore clay mask

Hubby got this for me from his last trip to Korea and man, I love this mask. This has a natural clay fragrance that did not turn me off and it brightens up my complexion so I don't look sallow and tired. It made my skin less shiny too. I require only a little for my face and I love the cooling sensation as well as how easy it is to wash it off because with clay masks, the worse part is taking a hundred years just to get the product off your face. But for hygiene purpose, I would have preferred if it came with it's own spatula.

The Ultimate Pregnancy Staple - Pai Rosehip Oil and Clarins Stretch Mark Control

This rosehip oil is my ultimate indulgence throughout the 9 months. I applied it faithfully every night with my Clarins Stretch Mark Control to keep those nasty lines at bay, and it worked. Apparently women with more fats around their tummy gets little or no stretch marks so I'm not too sure if my tummy has tons of fats or this miracle combination works for me but rosehip oil is an absolute staple. Add it to your daily moisturizer, or your body lotion, or your stretch mark cream and trust me, after 9 months you'll thank me for it. :)

Nail Polish - OPI Underneath the Mistletoe 2013

I know it's taboo to apply nail polishes when you're pregnant and I stayed away from it despite how hard it was. But that doesn't mean I can't look at my collection and drool right? I went through my entire collection as I was moving house and asked myself which colour I would apply if I could and it's this beautiful red jelly base loaded with glitter. Needless to say, that was my first pick for CNY this year. 

Hair care

Shampoo - Aveeno Nourish & Moisturize

This has been my favourite shampoo for the past couple of years because it smells incredible plus you only need a 50 cents amount to lather up the whole head. My head feels clean yet it doesn't dry out your ends like some shampoo does. I got mine from iherb.com. Feel free to use code EWU596 for $5 off $25 and $10 off $40 for first time purchase!

Treatment - Tsubaki Damage Care Treatment with Natural Oil

I first discovered this during a Shiseido warehouse sale where ladies were snapping this up like they were free. I decided to get a couple to try because I always welcome new treatment masks for my hair. It was love at first application and wash. I only used the smallest amount and massage it into the ends of my hair. The end results were silky smooth tresses that was so easy to comb. Love love love this to bits!

Leave-in Conditioner - It's a 10 miracle leave-in product

I still swear by this after 2 years. It's convenient and effective. Just spray, comb and go. If only it's not such a pain to purchase this. It's a 10 products are currently sold in the US. I often get mine from eBay. 

Fragrance - Jo Malone English Pear and Freesia

Throughout my pregnancy, my aversion towards scents had me eliminating my favourite perfumes from my collection. Chanel Eau Fraiche smelt like sewage to me and it made me really sad to shelf that perfume until now. But one of my lovely bottles of Jo Malone did make the cut and didn't get thrown to the back of my closet. Loved it then, loved it when I was pregnant, love it now. 

That's it for my 2014 favourites! I really hope to discover more new products this year. There has been some newbies that I've been eyeing and dying to try out. I hope to do more reviews soon!

Beauty Favourites of 2013

Hi everyone! So here it is again, my beauty favourites of 2013. I'm not a bonafide beauty expert, just someone who really loves beauty products and is constantly learning something new about makeup and what looks good.

So, presenting my personal favourites of 2013!

From left to right:

Nail polishes: OPI Underneath the Mistletoe and YSL Bleu Cobalt
Blush: Nars Deep Throat
Highlighter / Concealer : YSL Touche Eclat shade #1
Moisturizer: Clarins Hydra-Quench Creme-Melt
Lipstick: YSL Rouge Pur Couture 203
Foundation: Dior Snow BB Cream and Chanel Vitalumiere Aqua
Mask: Glamglow
Mascara: Maybelline The Falsies
Serum / Essence: SK-II Facial Treatment Essence
Cleanser: Bioderma
Hair leave-in conditioner: It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in Conditioner
Fragrance: Fragonard Belle de Nuit Intense
Eye serum: Lancome Genefique Eye Light Pearl Serum
Body Moisturizer: Soap & Glory Righteous Butter
Spot Treatment: Mario Badescu Drying Cream

Do we think alike on some of the above items :)

Victoria Secret Body Mists

As you probably know, I love fragrances. I have over 20 bottles of perfume and yes, I do agree its excessive, but I use all of them. Different moods, outfits, weather and occasions to pair up with the many scents I own.

I used to match the colour of my perfumes with my outfits. Anna Sui secret wish when my outfit is green, Davidoff cool water when I'm in blue, and Calvin Klein eternity moment when I'm wearing pink. I know right... Like huh?! That was me 5 years ago. 

Then I went through a phase of buying a fragrance because it looks pretty on my dressing table. Anna Sui have the prettiest perfume bottles in the market. But I soon realize that their scents are all pretty similar. That's when I decided that I needed to shop for diversity and stop focusing on the packaging. 

Fast forward to today, I have since ventured into more grown up territories with perfumes such as Jo Malone and Chanel. I still love my CKs and Anna Suis but once you've experienced the lasting power of an Eau de Parfum, you'll think twice about purchasing an Eau de Toilette. 

But perfumes are really costly, and so I decided to look into budget options for scents I personally feel that Victoria Secret makes the most amazing feminine scents. I picked these up during a sale recently and am loving them all! These are body mists that I'll spritz on my wrist and neck instead of my regular perfumes on not so sunny days because they won't last as long if you perspire. I use it as a room spray as well to keep my room smelling awesome all the time!  

My absolute favorite of the lot is Pure Seduction. I'll highly recommend this if you want a fruity yet something not overpoweringly sweet like some of their scents can be. It smells so good! I find myself reaching for this the most often. 

Sheer love smells floral yet fresh. It has a lighter scent as compared to Pure Seduction which makes it a lighter alternative on days when you want to smell like the sweet girl next door, fresh faced and very girly. 

Aqua kiss is something my hubby loves. It doesn't have the 'sweet' scent that makes him cringe but the right amount of musky subtle sexiness combined with floral freshness that exudes a slightly mysterious persona as compared to the other two. 

P.s. I'm trying very hard to dissect the scents and I don't think I did a very good job. *hangs head*

41 days till Christmas!! Yay!!

♥ Michael Todd Charcoal Detox Cleanser ♥

I'm in love...

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Gel like liquid

Where was this cleanser my whole life?!

I love how spa-like it smells. My facialist massages my face before each session with lavender essential oil, and this cleanser smells strongly of lavender. Aaa-may-zinnnng!
This cleanser removes makeup, dirt and other impurities from your face, but it doesn't strip your skin of the necessary moisture. Omg, like seriously. I love love love this cleanser. 210ml for about S$25, doesn't get any better than that.

I do not usually trust cleansers that claim to remove makeup, so I usually Bioderma my face and follow up with this to give it a final rinse-off. This product is worth a try. My new holygrail. I get super excited when I get to go home and wash my face!!

Products I'm currently loving

I'm always trying out new skincare products and this month, my skincare has somehow taken a turn for the organic route. I'm loving all these products at the moment because they are mostly made from natural ingredients such as fruit or plant extract without any nasties that can harm our delicate skin.

Toner 

I adore this Michael Todd Blue Green Algae Toner. I think it's one of the products to get rid of the bout of acne that popped out of nowhere 3 weeks before my wedding. Could be stress induced as well but this toner was my savior. You'll experience a bit of purging before the pimples clear up, and it'll stay that way, or at least it has for me for the past 3 months. It contains a hint of  lavender scent as well. Love love it!

Serum 

I discovered the Ilike series when I tried out a facial session at Qi Mantra. I liked the products that were used on my face very much and consulted my therapist thereafter about them. Ilike is a skincare brand from Hungary and their mission is to provide the purest skin care products that bring immediate effects by using whole raw herb, fruit and vegetable pulps and not commercial extracts. The serum that was carefully selected to be used on me was the Ilike Age Defense Bioflavonoid Serum to hydrate my innate dry skin which also aids in anti-aging  and improving blood circulation. It smells like blackcurrent and only a pump is needs for the face and neck. The consistency may be thick for some and I was told to add a few drops of water before application.

Moisturizer 

I was introduced to the Ilike Sour Cherry Whipped Moisturizer because my therapist found that my skin has been producing excess sebum to overcome the dryness within my skin. This moisturizer helps to tighten pores and treat water deficiency  and is suitable for normal to combination skin. I'm not a massive fan of cherries so this scent is not one of my faves but because it smells so strongly of cherries, I'm positive this is the real deal and not some chemically produced goo. After using this for a couple of weeks, my flakiness around my nose is gone and my skin is very much more hydrated and plump and visibly less oily especially when I wake up in the morning. Definitely repurchasing!

Lip Scrub 

Most people I know neglect their lips and forgot that exfoliation of your lips is just as important as the rest of your body. My lips get pretty dry and a habit of applying lip balm after living in Australia for 3 years has without a doubt left a lot of product buildup on my lips. A good lipscrub once a week would be awesome at keeping your lips soft and supple. My hubby's sure as hell not complainin' :) 

I'm currently loving Lush's Popcorn Lip Scrub which is absolutely delicious tasting. Yes, you can lick it off and actually eat it because the contents are mainly castor sugar and oil. It smells amazing as well. Be sure to get yours quick because its a limited edition flavour!

And a holla to this product which my facialist at RoyalSecrets recommended to me. 

This little bottle of genius leaves my skin feeling baby soft just 5 seconds after application. Cell Definition is a serum used to combat pigmentation, enlarged pores, fine lines and premature aging. Oh my gosh... I love this little baby. Pricey like hell, costs me $100 for 8 tiny bottles but turns out one bottle can last me for abt 2 1/2 months because I only use it twice a week. Only a few drops is needed for your whole face and neck. My pores appear smaller and my face is less oily throughout the day. 

So there you have it! My loves for the past one month! Will look for more products to review! Let me know what you think as well! :)

Review: Bioderma Makeup Remover

My favorite make up remover currently. So obsessed that I have it in all 3 sizes. Haha!

Bioderma is one of the gentlest yet most effective cleansers available. I have yet to meet anyone who is sensitive or doesn’t like it. It looks and feels just like water, yet it will remove all but the most stubborn of waterproof makeup. I discovered this after realizing that my skin was breaking out due to the prolonged usage of oil cleansers. Bioderma’s Créaline is probably the crème de la crème of micellaires – unperfumed, totally hypoallergenic and most importantly, very good value for money. 500ml for S$39.90 as compared to the Shu oil cleansers going for S$130 for 450ml. I'm glad my face decided to act up.

Application. I soak a cotton pad with the solution and begin removing my makeup. I usually end up using 2-3 pads depending on how much makeup I have to remove.  For eye makeup, I usually soak a cotton pad and place it over my eyes for about a minute before gently swiping the makeup away. I can usually get my waterproof mascara completely off with about 3 pads. For the toughest mascara however, I still need my trusty clinique eye make up remover to complete the task.

Overall, I like how the product is extremely gentle on the skin and does not leave it feeling dry like some cleansers do. I follow this process by my usual facial cleanser and everything is as good as new.

You may come across a name difference, with some bottles showing the label as, “Bioderma Sensibio” and others as “Bioderma Crealine”. From what I've learnt, both are essentially the same product. It's just currently marketed under the new name of “Sensibio”.

Have you tried the Bioderma Sensibio H₂O solution and what did you think? :)

Review: Sampar Skin Quenching Mist

Am not a fan of rosewater although I know the amazing moisturizing properties it contains. I often find the rose scent too overpowering and have on more than one occasion steer clear of products that contain it.

Until this. 

This I love. The rose scent is pretty light and I enjoy the mix of geranium in it as well. And the most important point of all, alcohol free. Always proud of products that are. Serves as a quick pick me up mid-day to refresh your makeup and to keep dryness at bay in air-conditioned offices. I find that my skin becomes less oily because it helps to moisturize the skin, tricking it into thinking that it has sufficient moisture hence sebum need not be overly produced to compensate for the dryness.  I use it as a toner before my moisturizing routine at night as well. 

I got this as a GWP during a X'mas sale at Renaza wellness. It retails for $36 on their website. But feelunique has it for £14 currently with free international delivery.