Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Oil Jelly

Hada Labo Gokujyun Premium Oil Jelly 
During the cold season, I sometimes feel my skin needs intense moisture. As I have combination skin I don't suffer from dry or chapped skin, but when I was younger -until the age of 25- I had really dry skin that sometimes I couldn't even laugh as my skin felt so tight because of the dryness. Whenever I had really really dry skin that none of my moisturiser worked, I applied a very thin layer of Vaseline to protect the skin. But it felt awful on the skin. Very greasy and sticky. Since then, I haven't had a good impression about Vaseline that I hadn't owned it even...until I got Hada Labo Oil Jelly.

The base of this 'jelly' is something called Super Vaseline which melts at 35 degrees which is about the same as our body temperature. It's so soft that you might be able to tell from the photo above, I put my finger in and it instantly started melting that it literally felt like jelly.

It doesn't feel heavy and tacky like normal Vaseline, it's more like a gel consistency when applied to the skin. It contains polymer that makes the skin feel smooth, and it works amazingly that you cannot tell that you just applied Vaseline 30 seconds ago. I was expecting it to be sticky, but I was completely wrong. It's not sticky AT ALL! Also it doesn't have any scent to it which is perfect for those who are sensitive to fragrances.

It's easy to carry it around in your makeup bag as it's compact, and you can apply it on the skin on top of your makeup as it's so light. You also can use it on your hands, nails, hair and lips! It completely changed my perspective about Vaseline. Well done Super Vaseline, you really are super!

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream

bareMinerals Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream £26.00
Are you into this 'No Makeup Makeup' look? Are you confident on your skin? You don't like foundation yet want something to even out your discolouration? If you answered yes to any of the questions, you will like Complexion Rescue Tinted Hydrating Gel Cream from bareMinerals. I had seen quite a few beauty bloggers raving about it so I was pretty excited to receive it to review.

The shade I got is 03 Buttercream. I first thought it was too yellow for my squinting, but it actually didn't matter -because it's so sheer that you can't tell its shade. It definitely gives a natural glow. Not a glittery glow, a very fresh skin-like glow.

My skin has been behaving well recently, but as I got older my pores appeared bigger. So even when my skin is clear I have to be really careful not to emphasise my pores by any products putting on my skin. And this tinted cream kind of does make my pores visible and noticeable. I think one of the reasons is because it gives the natural glow that reflects lights that makes each pore stands out.

It also makes my skin a little shiny and greasy throughout the day even if I set it with powder. I have to use extra blotting paper when I wear this cream. I have to test it longer during the winter to judge fully whether it makes my skin greasy even in the cold weather or not, as it just started getting cooler in Japan (finally!).

However, it's a wonderful cream if you have dry skin with smaller looking pores. I want to introduce this cream to myself in my early twenties when I had really dry skin. Any foundation made my skin look dry which made it look older, and in winter it sometimes peeled off even. It would work amazingly on dry skin giving a natural shine and glow.

I definitely recommend this cream to young, dry skin that needs a little bit of something rather than being bare-skinned. It's got SPF30 PA+++ which makes it a perfect base product to wear when you go walk your dog -or just going to a supermarket on a lazy weekend when you don't want to put makeup on. Consider it as a slightly tinted moisturiser that makes your skin look healthy and dewy.

If you have oily to combination skin, you might not like this. Avoid purchasing it online, go to the shop and test it on your skin, see if you really like it for a couple of hours at least. If it doesn't make my skin greasy during winter, I might wear it underneath my foundation, but not on its own because of the pore-emphasising effect.

Have you tried this cream yet? Do you think it's worth the hype?

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!