Weekly Favourites │3

I t's all about the eyes for me this week, I've been feeling and looking so tired... Lucky for me there's nothing a good eye cream, false lashes and mascara can't fix! After getting on with this powerful combo I feel much more awake. I start with the Origins GinZing refreshing eye cream to kinda conceal those terrible under eye dark circles of mine, the cream has a bit of a shimmer/sparkle to it so it gives a nice glow and it feels so refreshing! Eyeshadow wise, I've been sticking to the Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette. I apply W.O.S under my eyebrows and all over my lids lightly, Naked 2 in the outer corners creating a V shape for depth and Venus in the inner corner to brighten! It's quick and easy. Most days I just do winged liner and the eyeshadow combination goes great with it. For lashes, I've been applying the Dior Diorshow Maximizer Lash Plumping Serum almost religiously. Every morning before mascara and at night before I go to bed. My lashes look fuller though I don't think they will actually grow longer, but we'll see. After the serum I apply Rimmel London Scandaleyes Retroglam Mascara* in Extreme Black, the wand on this mascara is amaziiiing. It has a concave shape so it gets every eyelash on my lids! Finally, those days when I want to add a bit more to my eyes I put the Dolly Wink eyelashes. My favourite are #10 Sweet Cat and #4 Feminine Style. 

What are your favourite eye products?

*Product received complimentary for testing purposes from Influenster.

Turmeric Face Mask & Tea Tree Oil Face Scrub│DIY

F or the past weeks I've been trying out home made face masks and scrubs, most of what I've tried out has worked for me. You know, nutmeg, egg whites, cinnamon, oatmeal... I really like doing some research on what the ingredients are good for and which benefits I'm getting from them. I'll try to post every single one I've done so far, let me start with these two: Tea Tree Oil Face Scrub & Turmeric Face Mask.

Above you can see the items I used, including the Origins Checks and Balances Face Wash, to start off with a clean face. Afterwards I applied the scrub, massaged it for a few minutes and then rinsed off. Finally I applied the Turmeric face mask and left it on for about half and hour. Though, 20 minutes is more that enough. 

Tea tree oil is known for its antiseptic, antifungal and antibiotic properties. It has many benefits from soothing itching and irritation from bug bites, skin infections and it even works against dandruff! It is also a natural remedy to cure pimples as it acts as a disinfectant and soothes the skin. I use this scrub to prevent breakouts and keep my skin clear, it leaves my skin feeling soft and exfoliated.  If I need a quick fix for a pimple I gently dab a tiny amount of tea tree oil directly on the afected area.

Here's what you'll need:

- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar

- 1 tablespoon of raw honey

- 1 tablespoon of olive oil

- 3-5 drops of tea tree oil

Once you've mixed all of the ingredients, gently scrub your face with the mixture for 5 minutes. Remember to do it gently as sugar may scratch your skin. 

Ingredients:

Sugar - acts as a gentle exfoliator without leaving residue that might clog pores, it has moisturizing properties that prevent skin from drying.

Honey - contains antibacterial properties, attracts moisture and is full of antioxidants.

Olive Oil - works as a cleanser, moisturizer and is full of vitamin A and vitamin E, these antioxidants help restore skin elasticity.

Tea Tree Oil - has powerful antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.

To finish off right, there is the face mask. Turmeric is very popular amongst Indian brides, as they use it to brighten skin before their weddings. The spice is high in antioxidants that slow cell damage, has anti-inflammatory properties that help with acne, dry skin, psoriasis and eczema.

How to make your own turmeric face mask:

First mix the following ingredients

- 1 tablespoon of flour
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 3 tablespoons of plain yogurt (or milk)
- 1/2 tablespoon of honey

Apply a thin layer of the mixture onto your face and leave it on until it dries (the thicker the paste/layer, the longer it will take to dry) Then rinse with lukewarm water and follow with a moisturizer. At first, it might seem like the yellow pigment won't come off your face, but don't panic. It will :)

Hope you have fun doing these! As a tip, I recommend doing a test on skin with the two main ingredients as sensitive skin may suffer from side effects.


Will you be trying this DIY facials?

Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Mask│Review

Skincare is something I'm really into, I like doing research on key ingredients that could possibly help improve the condition of my skin. I'm not saying I have terrible skin, I just like looking after it. I guess I could say I'm still jumping on the bandwagon as I don't really have a million face masks or lots of serums (ew serum texture). But I'll probably start a new obsession. As I did with hair care! Masks are something I'm always looking forward to, as I find they're directly related to relaxing and having a nice quiet time. The Aesop Parsley Seed Cleansing Masque ($39.00 for 2 fl.oz) is a clay-based deep cleansing mask, but surprisingly it isn't abrasive to any type of skin. I have normal - sensitive skin and I find this mask to work great. I leave it on for 20 minutes and after I wash it out my skin feels softened, refreshed and more importantly deep-cleansed. Whilst drying, there are some patches that dry faster than others, I don't really know why this happens but it seems to me that it takes more time to dry on dry or problem areas. Did that made sense? The key ingredients are parsley seed, evening primrose and rosehip seed. 

Here's a little ingredient breakdown:

Parsley: this herb contains volatile oils and flavonoids, the beneficial properties of parsley include: antibacterial, anti-inflamatory and antioxidant properties. Parsley is also a great source of vitamin C and beta-carotene (pro-vitamin A).

Evening Primrose: contains a high concentration of a fatty acid called GLA, a fatty acid that has healing properties. It also has gamma-linoleic acid, linoleic acid and other nutrients that are essential for cell structure and improving elasticity of the skin.

Rosehip Seed (Rosa Canina): these seeds are one of the richest source of vitamin C and contain essential fatty acids; omega 6, omega 3 as well as antioxidant lycopene and beta-carotene. The essential fatty acids provide moisture and antioxidants. The vitamins help combat wrinkles, sun damage and most importantly, uneven skin tone.

Full ingredient list: Water (Aqua), Kaolin, Aloe Barbadensis Leaf Juice, Bentonite, Alcohol Denat., Glycerin, Lavandula Angustifolia (Lavender) Oil, Oenothera Biennis (Evening Primrose) Oil, Rosa Canina Fruit Oil, Phenoxyethanol, Ormenis Multicaulis Oil, Carum Petroselinum (Parsley) Seed Oil, Methylchloroisothiazolinone, Methylisothiazolinone, Linalool.

Have you tried this mask? 

Wants: Skincare Obsession!

Lately I've been obsessing with skin care products rather than makeup ones, as you can see on my previous posts. So I made a list of new products I'd like to try according to my skin type and needs :)
1. Antipodes Aura Manuka Honey Treatment Mask ($39.00): I've heard many great things about this mask, it's deeply moisturizing, cleansing and anti-oxidizing. It's suited for most skin conditions. 2. Chantecaille Ultra Sun Protection SPF 50 PA+++ ($.88.00): We all know that protecting our skin against sun damage is super important and this invisible shield delivers comprehensive UV protection. The formula contains a combination of highly effective broad spectrum UV filters (SPF 50 for UVB and PA+++ for UVA). 3. Lush Coalface Facial Soap ($.13.95): Am I the only one who thinks about the movie Annie Hall whenever I see black soap? Well, actually this soap is inspired by it! It contains liquorice root and charcoal that help clear up blemishes. 4. Lush Mask of Magnaminty ($.24.95): A deep cleansing mask with china clay and fresh peppermint to clean the pores deeply and tighten at the same time. Suited for most skin conditions except those sensitive to peppermint. 5. Skinfood Rice Mask: Skinfood is a korean brand I recently discovered, they have a variety of products made out of organic fruits, vegetables, etc. This wash off face mask contains ground rice, it moisturizes skin and brightens tone. 6. Antipodes Juliet Skin Brightening Gel Cleanser ($.34.00): A high performance gel cleanser that helps to bring out the brightest complexion. It contains exfoliating extracts from the New Zealand kiwi superfruit and vibrant hibiscus flower. It's known for helping with freckling which is why I'm most interested on trying this! 7. Aesop Purifying Facial Exfoliant Paste ($.49.00): This tube is packed with fine river-bed quartz to exfoliate away tired skin. I've always wanted to try Aesop and this would be a great product to start with!
Would you recommend any of these products? What's on your skincare wishlist at the moment?
Don't forget to enter my giveaway for a chance to win Urban Decay's Naked Basics Palette!  ENDS TOMORROW!

Picks: Moisturizers

I hope you don't find this post boring, cause I know skincare stuff isn't very eye catching, but it's very important. Actually, it's the most important step on skincare. Moisturizers form a barrier between the skin and the environment that holds water in the epidermis. It helps protect against pollution and sun damage, that's why it's also important to use a product which contains SPF to protect against UVA and UVB rays. I have combination skin and it benefits from oil-free moisturizers. There are all different skin types and moisturizers and when you find the right one, your skin will look bright and smooth!


Benefit triple performing facial emulsion SPF 15 PA++: this is an oil-free facial moisturizer with a very lightweight formula. I first tried it when I bought the B.right Radiant Skin Intro Kit that included a facial polish and two facial moisturizers. I really like how it feels on my skin because it's VERY moisturizing but yet very lightweight! It contains a very pleasant aroma and makes my skin feel fresh and clean. I've heard one or two negative reviews about this lotion before but I really, really like it! It works great on my skin!


L'occitane Ultra-Matte Face Fluid: this moisturizer is recommended for combination to oily skin because it has red rice extract along with other ingredients that help control oil on the skin. I use this after washing my face with the Foaming Rice Cleanser on my problem areas, which is the T-zone (where most of the oil patches are) and it does reduce shine. It has a very light and clean fragrance as most of the products from L'occitane (which I'm in love with!) So if you have oily-combination skin like me, this moisturizer (and cleanser) will work great on your skin!

Depending on your skin type, this may or may not work for you. But I totally recommend these moisturizers for oily or combination skin!

What is your skin type and favourite moisturizer?