I usually don't like doing "Favourites" posts, but because I had some beauty products that I was obsessed with throughout the month, I thought to share my love towards them with you all.
Revlon Color Burst Lacquer Balm in Coy has been on my lips since I got it in the end of September. I usually don't emphasise my lips with a bold lip stick but this particular shade is absolutely gorgeous that I instantly fell in love. I might do an in-depth review soon so I'm not going to ramble about it now but it's a perfect autumn / winter shade. Another product that's been on my lips is L'Oreal L'Extraordinaire by Color Riche in 601 Nude Ballet. I think I got it in summer and I've been loving it since then, but especially in October I was wearing it a lot when I had strong eye makeup. It smells like peaches or apricots or something delicious, and makes my lips look glossy and full and just beautiful. Also it lasts for at least 2 hours on my lips which is impressive for this kind of formula.
No7 Stay Perfect Shade And Define in Cook Mink has been my favourite for months also. I got it in July, and I kind of regret why I didn't buy more shades. I only have Cool Mink and Glistening Ray, and I'm thinking of buying Coffee Bean and Velvet Truffle next time I come to the UK. Cool Mink looks much more pigmented when swatched on the back of my hand, than it does on my eyelids, but still it's such a beautiful taupe colour. It stays all day and never creases. For the cheeks, I've been loving PIERRE COULEUR Mineral Mousse Cheek in CK-1 Lovers Pink. It's a Japanese brand and I got this blusher a long time ago to review. The shade is perfect for autumn / winter as it's such a lovely plum colour. It's got this unique mousse-like texture, I apply it on my cheeks with my fingers and blend with Stippling Brush from Real Techniques. It creates such beautiful cheeks as if blushing from within.
For foundations, the combination of LUNASOL SKIN MODELING WATER CREAM FOUNDATION in OC01 and Dior Star in 020 has been my favourite. I wish I could use Dior Star by itself but the shade I got (again, to review) is a tad too dark for my skin tone and it kind of oxidises throughout the day, so I have to mix it with the one from LUNASOL which is too bright for my skin tone. This combo makes my skin looks flawless that sometimes I look in the mirror at work and think "WOW my skin looks amazing today". My skin doesn't get shiny when these foundations are on, and my pores are invisible.
Skincare wise, I've been enjoying Twany Time Refresher. It's a serum that you apply right after you cleanse your face. Massage it into the skin for about 30 seconds, until it feels less slippery, then leave it for about 1 minute so that it sinks in. Then add lotion, moisturiser and eye cream like you usually do. When I use this serum / mask, my skin looks plumped and moisturised, and I can tell my skin is satisfied! It's such a lovely product. Prada Candy L'eau is my signature winter scent. It smells very similar too Candy, but with a hint of citrus it smells a little lighter. It smells like caramel in a very sophisticated way, not like a body spray, which is suitable for business occasions too.
L'Oreal Extraordinary Oil for Thin Hair is a must-have for this season. It smells divine and makes me feel happy instantly. The oil itself is super light that doesn't weigh my hair down at all. The only downside is that the scent doesn't linger. I wish I could enjoy the scent all day. Alterna Bamboo Volume Weightless Whipped Mousse is such an amazing product. I apply it on my wet hair and blow dry as usual, and it gives such great volume! I have the cream version of it as well, but this one works better for my limp hair. I usually get it permed every 6 months or so but I am currently suffering from this weird skin disease on my scalp (I know it's gross but it's caused by stress and I just cannot get rid of it for months!) which makes it impossible to go get my hair done, thus my hair is really limp and boring. This mousse saved my life as it just sets my hair within seconds! Though it smells like grandpa for some reason, I am loving it.
Hope you enjoyed! x
Sweets Sweets Velvet Souffle Cheek 900yen
I cannot believe that I forgot to write about this amazing blusher that I got back in August. I thought I wrote about it as it has been one of my favourite makeup items since I got it. This jelly-like blusher is from a Japanese drugstore brand called Sweets Sweets. The pricing is a little lower than Majolica Majorca, and a little higher than CANMAKE. I think they used to be a tacky brand before, but their stand at Matsu-Kiyo looks really nice now.
I picked up this blusher as the idea that it's got this jelly-like texture sounded interesting, and the colour payoff was amazing when I tested at the store. There are 4 shades in total, and I picked the shade 03 Apricot Souffle as it was summer. I am thinking of purchasing 01 Apple Souffle now because I am looking for a deeper shade for the colder season.
I know you can't tell from the photos but the texture is very unique. It literally like jelly, soft and cold, and very pigmented as you can see from the photo above. The top swatch is when applied with a stippling brush, and the bottom one is done with my finger. It goes on a little patchy when I use my finger to apply, so I dip my stippling brush from Real Techniques directly, and apply on my cheeks. That way it gives a perfect finish that looks like my glow is coming from within.
I sometimes apply it as a "blush primer" if there was such a thing. I apply this before powder as you should be doing, and then add another powder blusher on top to make it last longer. It's such a lovely shade that never looks too much, so it's easy to pair it with a different blusher.
I absolutely love this blusher and think it's an amazing quality for 900yen. I am so going to purchase 01 Apple Souffle after writing this review, I want to go buy it now although it's 2:30AM. They just came out with some glossy lip sticks and oh gosh some shades look so pretty! I will definitely write another review when I've got them!
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!
