Clinique Travel Box -Hong Kong

One of my favourite things to do when I go abroad, is to shop at Duty Free. Especially when I am in the country where the exchange rate is terrible -such as the UK- I take the full advantage of being able to shop without tax, because just a tiny bit of discount matters. Another reason why I like Duty Free is because they have exclusive products / sets that you can't miss out. This Clinique Travel Box is definitely one of them, considering the fact it's a set of full sized products.

Travel Box Hong Kong £55
All About Shadow Quad / Going Steady
Quickliner For Eyes Intense / Intense Charcoal
Lash Power Feathering Mascara / Black Onyx
Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm / Pudgy Peony
Cheek Pop / Plum Pop
Makeup Bag

I always wanted to try their Cheek Pop as I had heard so many good things about it. The shade Plum Pop does not look like a plum shade to me but it's a gorgeous bright pink that instantly brightens up the completion. Unfortunately blue toned pink does not look as pretty as I wish it would be on my skin, but the pigmentation is great and it blends easily into the skin.

It's easy to create both a simple and feminine look, and a smoky and seductive look with All About Shadow Quad in Going Steady. Using shade 1 on all over the lid with shade 3 on crease, you can reach a feminine version of 'no makeup makeup'. I used shade 1 on the lid, shade 3 on the crease, shade 4 on the outer corner, and shade 2 on the lower lash line in the photos above.

Shade 4 is a little bit hard to blend, you really need to be patient and keep blending for a couple of minutes -which I am not even exaggerating- until there is no line. Yes, the application takes a little longer but it's worth it. Look how beautifully each shade blends with each other! 

Also Quickliner For Eyes Intense is a very good pencil eyeliner that provides you a smooth application, and the sponge on the other end comes in handy when you want to smudge the line. And my favourite product out of everything in this beautiful set is the mascara. Feathering Mascara is one of my favourite mascaras ever, because it really does make my lashes look like feather -very light, separated and full. People often ask me if my lashes are naturally that long and full when I am wearing it -that's how natural the lashes look! I have two tubes opened -and I must say it dries out pretty quickly which makes it a tiny bit clumpy, but still works wonderfully- and both are almost empty because this is the only mascara I wear recently. I am going to repurchase it over and over again for sure.

If you like a bright pink lipstick that does not make your lips look flat and old-fashioned, Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in Pudgy Peony is perfect for you. You still can see your lips through as if your lips are candy coated. The lipstick itself is pretty sheer yet very pigmented. The bright blue toned pink is not my kind of shade, but I love how it wears! I totally understand why Chubby Stick has been raved about and influenced other brands to bring out similar types of lipstick. 

The makeup bag is also very cute and bright which represent Hong Kong -the very energetic city. It's not too big nor too small, which is very handy to have in your makeup bag collection. Apparently they have different Travel Boxes represent different cities such as London, NY and Paris, and they all look so pretty! And I think they did a very good job representing each city with a perfect colour scheme. If you like bright pink, you will absolutely love this set. 

What is your favourite product from Clinique? Let me know!

Autumn Skincare Routine 2014

As I often receive requests for a skincare routine post, I am sharing my autumn skincare routine today with you today.

To cleanse my skin in the morning, I use Peaches and Clean from Soap and Glory. I only use it in the morning to cleanse my skin, as it doesn't remove my makeup at all (though they claim it does).  It smells like fresh peaches which is refreshing in the morning, and does not strip the natural oils of the skin. Then I apply Organic Rose Skin Conditioner to balance out skin's pH balance. Though it's a very affordable product around 1,000yen mark, it's such a lovely lotion that moisturises my skin without making it greasy. 

I have been enjoying Superdefence SPF20 from Clinique since I got it in spring. It does leave a slightly oily feeling on the skin, so I blot with tissue before applying a makeup primer on top. It protects my skin from the sun damage and dryness, I love how it gets two jobs done within seconds! I use Superdefence SPF20 Eye Cream from Clinique to finish off my morning skincare routine. The formula separates for some reason and I need to shake the tube before use to mix the liquid and cream. It's kind of annoying that sometimes just liquid comes out and it makes a mess, but I still love this product because it hydrates the eye areas that tend to get dry, and creates a perfect base for concealers that I pile on later.

In the evening, I change up skincare products depending on my skin condition. To remove makeup / cleanse, I love using Take the Day Off Cleansing Balm from Clinique. It's very similar to the Chamomile Cleansing Butter from The Body Shop (and the Chamomile one smells divine whilst Clinique one is fragrance-free) but much more powerful in my opinion. You literally need a tiny bit to remove makeup, which makes this big jar last for ages. I use Badger Organic Beauty Balm Damascus Rose when I don't mind using a muslin cloth which I usually avoid. It smells divine and makes me feel relax.

After cleanse, I apply Even Better Essence Lotion from Clinique with the palm of my hands. It's moisturising yet not too heavy, I can literally feel that it makes my skin supple. It has an odd smell (very subtle though) which I am not a big fan of, but I still enjoy using it as it works really well.

SK II Stempower Essence is a serum that I've been using for about 3 months now. It smells like tea to me! It's got a very silicone-y texture and makes my skin surface silky smooth. It claims to reduce the appearance of pores on the cheeks but to be honest, that hasn't happened. For a 16,500yen serum, I have to say that it's not worth it. I will try to use it up as it feels nice on the skin, but I don't think it's doing anything. Advanced Night Repair from Estee Lauder is much better!

I choose a moisturiser depending on how dry my skin feels. When it feels very dry, which is rare, I use Dew Superior Concentrate Cream. It's a heavy moisturiser that felt too much in the warmer season. It melts on the skin and creates a barrier on the skin surface which protects it from dryness. It has collagen and hyaluronic acid to replenish the skin. It feels a little oily but my skin looks fresh and plumped in the morning!

I'm on my second jar of CyberWhite HD Advanced Brightening Night Creme and I absolutely love it. I'm not sure about the brightening affect, but it's such a lovely moisturiser to use all year round! Not too heavy, not too light, glides on like whipped cream, smells divine...the only downside is the price and the heavy jar. 

When my skin needs an extra tender care, I add a couple of drops of Terracuore Damask Rose Dew Oil . If you love a rose scent, you will love this oil. I talked about this amazing facial oil HERE so I'm not going to ramble about it again but this has been my skin saviour!

Lastly I apply an eye cream. You can use a serum instead but I recommend you to use an eye cream which is especially made for the skin around your eyes, if you are older than 25. I have tried many eye creams in my life as I have really bad dark circles and when the skin around there is dry, it looks super cakey and wrinkly when concealers are applied. I got a sample sachet of Midnight Recovery Eye from Kiehl's a few months ago and the shop assistant told me that it combats dark circles. But then I saw some YouTubers raving about Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado. I went back to the shop and asked what the difference was. She told me that the avocado one is for younger skin, especially for ones who don't have any specific concerns. It replenishes the skin around the eyes, which makes it look like the wrinkles are gone. She recommended Midnight Recovery Eye for my skin because of my concerns. And it works wonders. It definitely reduces the appearance of wrinkles and dark circles even when I'm lacking sleep. It smells lovely, feels very light yet moisturising, there's nothing to complain about this amazing eye cream. 

It got much longer than I expected... Thank you for reading, and hope you enjoyed it!

My summer 2014 skincare routine

I took photos in May when I received some requests for my skincare routine post, and finally I'm writing about it today! It took me 3 months to do it, and I even used up some of the products I was enjoying at that time. But seriously, all the products I'm talking about today are amazing.


- MORNING -

I take a shower every morning, and use  Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser to cleanse my face. It's kind of a boring cleanser but obviously gentle on the skin. It never irritates my skin and leaves my skin fresh and clean without the tight feeling that I hate. I also love Origins Checks and Balances, which smells of mint mixed with some other essential oils. It's perfect for combination skin as it hydrates the dry areas and gets rid of excess oils at the same time. It leaves my skin more refreshing than Cetaphil does, which makes it more suitable for summer in my opinion. I love love love this cleanser, maybe the best one I've ever tried.

After washing my face, I use Nature Conc Clear Lotion with a cotton pad to gently exfoliate and hydrate my skin. I love using it in the morning because it doesn't leave any greasy feels on the skin. Such a refreshing toner that makes my skin look clearer. Then I use Estee Lauder CyberWhite HD Advanced Brightening Moisture Creme to moisturise my skin. It's a perfect moisturiser for daytime as this siliconny texture creates a smooth skin surface and my makeup would sit very nicely on top of it. I also love using Clinique Superdefense Daily Defense Moisturizer SPF 20 especially on my day off when I don't wear makeup as it protects my skin from the sun. 

Then I apply Superdefense SPF 20 Age Defense Eye Cream from Clinique. I love the idea of this eye cream having SPF effect, as my eye areas tend to get dark spots more than any other parts of my face. I apply the sunscreen from Origins as well, it's a little greasy to be honest but it leaves the right amount of oil once blotted. It's a shame it's only sold in Asia!


- Night-time -

RAFRA Balm Orange is definitely one of the best cleanser when it comes to removing makeup and leaving the skin super smooth at the same time. It literally smells like orange juice, and the consistency is much thicker than normal balm cleansers which warms up on the skin and gently exfoliates and removes makeup and dirt on the skin. It makes your skin feel like a baby's for sure, I promise.

Then I use Clinique Even Better Essence Lotion or Dr. Ci : Labo Herbal Serum to hydrate my skin. Even Better Essence Lotion is such a nice lotion that hydrates the skin without being too heavy. It feels very light on the skin but makes my skin moisturised and kind of plumped. Herbal Serum isn't a serum, but it's got oxygen, 15 different kinds of plant extracts, vitamins, collagen, hyaluronic acid and ceramide. It sinks into the skin very quickly and makes my skin feel fresher and smoother.

To moisturise, I use Estee Lauder CyberWhite HD Advanced Brightening Night Creme. I almost use up one jar, and I've got another one waiting for me to open. I'm not sure if it really does brightens up my skin tone, as I just found some new dark spots around my eyes today (damn myself didn't wear sunscreen until I was like 25) haven't noticed any difference on my complexion, but I love how moisturising it feels on my skin. I also love the scent, it could be a little overpowering for some people but I love it so so so much.

I also use argan oil sometimes to combat dry patches, and Estee Lauder Advanced Night Repair (I got a 50ml one the other day, woohoo!) for a special care. Also, RapidLash Eyelash Enhancing Serum is something you need to try out if you haven't tried it yet. It really does make your lashes longer and thicker in a week. I had bald patches in my eyelashes but it made my lashes fuller instantly! I was really impressed, and now I cannot live without it....I don't know what to do when it's gone empty as it's quite pricey and I don't think I can purchase it myself! 

So these are the products I use on my face day and night. I have some more products I'm loving right now, I will make sure to write about them soon!