Origins Sample Trio Set

I have been intrigued by Origins for a quite a while now, so many bloggers rave about the brand that I wanted to see for myself how good their products are. So when I saw a sample kit of the brand’s bestsellers at Sephora during Black Friday, I could not resist. Obviously, I’ve had the samples for a while and I feel like I can finally give you a proper review on the Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask, Modern Friction Nature’s Gentle Dermabrasion and Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask.

First up, the Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask. I was most excited about this one since it’s supposed to help clogged pores with charcoal acting as a magnet and white clay. The texture is a bit weird, it’s quite thin and does not go on evenly, however it does dry quickly and you can feel it tightening like a peel-off mask would. Overall, it is a decent mask, but I was not blown away. I guess regular use could help keep your pores clean but I find other masks work better when my skin is acting out.

Next we have the Modern Friction Nature’s Gentle Dermabrasion, a slightly sticky cream with rice starch that exfoliates your skin. This is a super gentle exfoliator that would be great if you have sensitive skin or like to exfoliate your skin quite regularly. Obviously this is not abrasive so its effects are more subtle than other products but I like how it does not make my face red, making it great for mornings when you need a bit more glow. Out of the three products, this is my favorite.

Lastly is the famous Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask which is a cream with avocado and apricot kernel oil that works on the same principles as Asian sleeping masks to provide intense hydration to your skin as you sleep. When I woke up after using this, my skin was soft and well hydrated. I can see this being very useful for people with dry skin or during colder months. However, it left my face a bit tacky upon application and I don’t think it works as well as some Korean sleeping mask (I’m looking at you Laneige). If you suffer from dehydrated skin this might be a great option for you as it is more readily available than its Korean counterparts.

Overall, I liked my foray into Origins but I was not as impressed as I thought I would be. Don’t get me wrong, everything was nice and worked well, but I thought I would get more impressive results. I might look into other products to see if I can find my own rave worthy product from the brand.

The sample set I bought is not for sale anymore, but I saw that Origins offers the same products in bigger sizes along with a face brush as part of a set (Masker Trio) on their website. It is more expensive but reasonable since the sizes are quite generous. You can also purchase the products individually from any Origins counter, their website as well as from Sephora and Feelunique. 

Missha Super Aqua Refreshing Cleansing Foam

I have previously mentioned that I am not the biggest fan of foaming cleansers. They tend to remove all the good oils from your face along with the bad which can leave you with unbalanced skin. There is however an exception in my beauty cabinet and it’s the Missha Super Aqua Refreshing Cleansing Foam. 

First of all, excuse the beat up packaging, I’ve had mine for a while and need to buy a new one. You should also know that the packaging as changed since I got mine so don’t worry if you cannot find the exact same online. Amongst its ingredients, Missha claims sweet flag and willow bark extract as key, saying they help create bubbles and a massaging effect. 

To me this is a no non-sense cleanser that really does refresh the skin and leaves it clean. I don’t use it to remove my makeup, instead I use it either as a second cleanse in the evening or as a light morning cleanser. It doesn’t have magical effects (it doesn’t claim to either) but it feels lovely on the skin. Unlike the majority of foaming cleansers, the refreshing cleansing foam did not strip my skin, in fact my skin felt soft and well balanced after use. I would not go as far as to say it’s moisturizing but it’s certainly close. I can see myself repurchasing it again and again because it truly feels refreshing to use, smells lovely and is super affordable.

If you are on the lookout for a good basic cleanser I highly recommend the Missha Super Aqua Refreshing Cleansing Foam. You can find it on the Missha website (they have different international versions) as well as in their stores. You can also find it online on different websites that stock Korean beauty brands.   

Tea Tuesday: Kusmi Imperial Label

People often say there is nothing a cup of tea cannot fix and I have to say, there is something undeniably comforting about a nice cup of hot tea. The key is in finding the right blend, some are invigorating while others relax you. When I’m seeking comfort, I usually opt for the Kusmi Imperial Label, a lovely tea that I want to introduce you to for this Tea Tuesday.

Label Imperial has a base of green tea enhanced with orange, cinnamon, liquorice and a hint of vanilla. Just the scent of this is comforting, the cinnamon is quite strong and it feels like a warm blanket for your senses. Taste-wise however, the orange comes out more and it is actually made softer with the vanilla that adds just a hint of creaminess and sweetness. When I first read all the ingredients and notes, I was not sure how this would turnout but it’s a truly unique and lovely blend. 

The Kusmi Imperial Label Tea is available online here and from many health food/tea stores. 

The Other Woman

Who doesn’t love to spend a cozy evening at home watching a great movie? As much as I love it, I feel like most recent movies are not that funny, maybe it’s just my sense of humor but I think movies from the late 90s and early 2000s were the best. Maybe we were not trying as hard back then and I think there was a bit more magic and innocence to the stories. But worry not, if you feel like I do, I have the perfect movie to make you laugh and remind you of those classic movies: The Other Woman.

Cameron Diaz (already we’re off to a good start), Leslie Mann and Kate Upton star in this comedy that revolves around the life of a woman who finds out her boyfriend is actually married and a serial-cheater. After learning the truth, all three of them will unite to make his life miserable and take their revenge on the man who wronged them.

All the action and dialogues are super funny, I honestly hadn’t had such a good laugh in a long time from a movie. The characters put themselves in ridiculous/hilarious situations and it’s lovely to see this unlikely friendship develop between them. It reminded me a little of The First Wives Club which was a lovely surprise since that is one of my favorite movies. At the end of the day, it’s a really cute and entertaining movie that is sure to make you smile and laugh. 

You can have a look at the trailer here, I don’t think you will regret it.

If you want to watch The Other Woman, you can find it on Netflix, iTunes and on DVD.

Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Gel: A Spa in a Tub

I love a good body scrub, nothing will make your skin as smooth and soft than a good exfoliation session before applying a nice body cream. Sadly, I feel like most scrubs on the market don’t do much, they either don’t have enough exfoliating particles to make a difference or they leave an unpleasant oily residue on your skin. However, the Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Gel as renewed my faith in quality scrubs.

First let’s just all marvel at that gorgeous blue color. Isn’t it so pretty? This is a seas salt based scrub and though Lush calls it a shower gel I wouldn’t use it for that purpose. To me, this is very much a body scrub, the sea salt allows you to really exfoliate your skin efficiently without being too harsh. Surprisingly, I found it nicely moisturized my skin as well, leaving it soft but not greasy or sticky at all.  I also love the scent, a mix of mimosa blossom, jasmine and citrus fruit with a bit of saltiness that makes it super refreshing. To me it smells like the ocean and a spa, making for a very relaxing combination. 

This is not the most abrasive exfoliator I have used but it works really well. I love how this allows me to use it more often with irritating my skin. I have not tested it for this purpose yet, but I think this could be quite nice to use before applying self-tanner or a gradual tanning lotion. Rub Rub Rub can seem a bit expensive at first because the tub is not very large, however it is very concentrated so you don’t need to use a lot at a time. I suspect mine will last me for a long time and I can see myself purchasing it again.

You can get your own Lush Rub Rub Rub Shower Gel from any of their stores and on their website. 

Innisfree Get One; Give One Sample Kit Promotion

If you are a regular reader of this blog, you will know that I love Innisfree. Last fall, the brand launched a global website that allows you to shop your favorite products no matter where you live in the world. It has quickly become my favorite online shopping site, what with their weekly offers and amazingly fast shipping (we are talking four days for Canada with Pantos).

 One of my favorite promotions from the brand is their Get One; Give One offer that allows you to choose a sample kit for yourself and also select someone special to receive a free kit of their choosing. I think this is such a great idea, the samples kits are quite generous (some have a sheet mask) and I love how you can easily treat a friend or family member to some new skincare. Your shopping experience turns into a lovely way of saying to someone that you are thinking of them.

I picked the pore care kit which contains samples from the volcanic pore care range, including the pore cleansing foam, pore clay mask and pore essence. Instead of a sheet mask, the kit came with two of the volcanic nose packs which are easy to use pore stripes. This is a great way of testing out new products before buying the full-size.

The samples come in a cute cardboard envelope that you can actually transform into a little drawer to store your samples. All the instructions are on the back and easy to follow. This is such a cute way reusing something we would normally throw away/recycle.

You can get your free sample kit when you spend over 50$ on the Innisfree global website. Simply go to your basket and select the one you want from the right hand-side menu. 

Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Blackberry

Spring is usually all about pastel colors for nails and as much as I love the trend, sometimes it just does not feel appropriate. I know we are almost at the end of April, but I can still see patches of snow trying to hold on outside. This is why I turned to one of my favorite transitional nail polishes: Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Blackberry.

I love wearing this in the fall, but I realized it is also perfect for spring when the weather is still cool. Blackberry is a gorgeous inky blue shade and I find it quite unique because it does not have any purple undertones at all. It’s a perfect in between shade, not too light or too dark and the cream finish makes it super chic.

As for the formula, I love the Gelly Hi Shine line, the polish is opaque in two coats, the finish is super glossy and the dry time is minimal. The polish also wears really well, it lasted several days on me without chipping even though I did a lot of manual that normally destroys my nail polish. Barry M created a solid line with great quality products at a super affordable price. I highly recommend this nail polish and I think a few other colors will make their way to my collection in the future.

The Barry M Gelly Hi Shine in Blackberry is available in the U.K. from Boots and Superdrugand you can also find it on the Barry M website. 

Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lip Gloss in Precious Petal

Bold lips are my way to go, no matter the seasons or occasions, I love how they instantly perk up my complexion. Nonetheless, I know that a lot of people prefer something more natural and I will admit to going for a lighter lip color from time to time. I don’t usually give Elizabeth Arden makeup much thought but their products and seasonal collections have so many great everyday staples, I got curious. I received a sample of the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lip Gloss in Precious Petal as a gift with purchase and I am thoroughly impressed.

I think this is just the perfect everyday gloss, the sheer peachy-pink color adds just a hint of color and the formula is super glossy. The subtitle golden shimmer adds more dimension but fear not, there is no grittiness here. This is a no fuss gloss, it enhances  your lips but remains natural enough for those who prefer a more minimal approach to makeup. The formula is not sticky, it actually feel kind of creamy and moisturizing on the lips.

Another thing that makes this product even better is its scent: an incredible sweet vanilla scent that is mouth-watering. I look forward to using it just for the scent to be honest. As I mentioned, this is a sample size so I had a look at the full-size and the real packaging is really chic. I know it should not matter but it is always nice to have something pretty to use and with this gloss you get the best of both worlds because of its quality formula.

You can get the Elizabeth Arden Beautiful Color Lip Gloss in Precious Petal from their website, Feelunique and at any of their counters. They also have quite a few lovely limited edition products which are definitely worth checking out. 

Pixi Flawless Beauty Stick

When it comes to base products, I feel like it can be very difficult to find a good match shade-wise from more affordable brands. Obviously this all depends on your skin tone, but if you have very fair skin like I do, you know the struggle. Pixi makes great makeup at great prices and their Flawless Beauty Stick is great for fair skinned girls.

This is basically a foundation stick that offers medium coverage and one of the most natural skin-like finishes I have ever tried. I was really impressed by how it manages to cover redness and small imperfection without looking like you have anything on. The finish is luminous without being shiny and it is quite long-lasting. Also, I love that this is fragrance-free and has an SPF 28, added sun protection is always a plus in my book.

blend it into your skin which makes color matching easier. I have the lightest shade and even though it looks a little dark a yellow in the swatch, it disappears into my skin. The yellow undertone is also great at covering up redness. I have shied away from foundation sticks in the past because they always looked so thick, but this one has definitely changed my mind. 

You can get the Pixi Flawless Beauty Stick from Target and the Pixi store in London. However, it is out of stock online and I think they might be discontinuing it so I would highly recommend you grab it if you see it somewhere.

Tea Tuesday: Twinings Pomegranate and Raspberry Herbal Tea

Tea always makes me think of England and even though I don’t take mine with milk, I enjoy the whole experience and tradition of tea drinking. One of the most iconic tea brands in my opinion is Twinings. The British brand makes some of my favorite teas and their fruity herbal tea blends are delicious. In the spirit of spring and tea time, I bring you the lovely Twinings Pomegranate and Raspberry Herbal Tea for this Tea Tuesday.

This is a true fruity tea, it is sweet but you can actually taste real fruits in it and there is a light tartness to it. I love a cup of this in the morning or in the afternoon, it just feels refreshing and reminds me of nice summer days. It is actually quite similar to the Twining Cranberry and Raspberry Herbal Tea but it is not as fruity. I personally prefer the cranberry and raspberry over the pomegranate one but it is not available in Canada. If you live in the U.K., I highly recommend you give these a try. I feel like fruit teas are not as popular as other but they are perfect to curb sugar cravings and they can bring so much diversity to your cupboards.   

You can find the Twinings Pomegranate and Raspberry Herbal Tea in most grocery stores as well as on their website. 

Innisfree Pomegranate It’s Real Squeeze Mask

It should not come as a surprise to any of you when I say that Innisfree makes my favorite sheet masks. The price-quality ratio is remarkable, they smell great and on a more superficial note, the packaging is gorgeous. With all that in mind, I was quite shocked to see I had not posted anything on my favorite mask: the Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Pomegranate Mask.

This one was actually the first sheet mask I purchased from Innisfree years ago and I have repurchased it many times over the years. It claims to firm the skin, add radiance and reduce wrinkles. First of all, I don’t think a sheet mask can reduce wrinkles but I think this can help minimize their appearance by hydrating the skin and making it plumper. Wrinkles are not a concern for me (I am in my early twenties) but I really appreciate the hydration boost this gave me.

The most noticeable effect in my case was the radiance, after use my skin always looks brighter and softer because this mask is very soothing. I love how it calms inflammation thus reducing redness in the skin. As always, the experience is very pleasant and the light sweet scent of the mask helps me relax. I can’t quite put my finger on it but this sheet mask makes my skin look a lot better even though I can’t really explain what has changed. 

You can find the Innisfree It’s Real Squeeze Pomegranate Mask on the Innisfree globalwebsite and I highly recommend having a look at the other masks as well.

Lush Mother Superior Bubble Bar

Today I bring you the second part of my Lush weekend reviews with a product that is sure to energize you for the upcoming week. The Mother Superior Bubble Bar is a limited edition product for Mother’s Day, but I wish they would make it permanent.

The Lush bubble bars are solid products that you crumble under running water to create lush scented bubbles. These are quite cost-efficient when it comes to products you put in your bath because you can use them multiple times unlike bath bombs. So far, I have only used mine twice but I think I can get at least six more uses out of it because this particular one foams really well.

More than lovely fluffy bubbles, this bubble bar will also give a very light blue tint to the water and it smells divine. The scent is a light mix of jasmine and orange blossom, it smells quite delicate and fresh for a floral fragrance, it’s not overpowering at all. This has the same scent as the Rub Rub Rub shower gel so you might already be familiar with this scent. I love how the orange blossom tones down the jasmine making this a perfect scent for spring.

The Mother Superior Bubble Bar will not be around for long so I highly recommend you head to your local Lush store or their website to pick one up. 

Lush Big Blue Bath Bomb

This week has been full of lovely baths curtesy of my new Lush products. In my last haul, I mentioned I would be reviewing the products as soon as possible because one is limited edition. So this weekend will be Lush themed as I have compiled my thoughts into reviews of the 2 bath products and as you can expect from Lush, they are amazing. To really put the stress of the work week behind us, let’s start with the Big Blue Bath Bomb.

The Big Blue Bath Bomb is my absolute favorite bath bomb, its effect is just so great for the price. To me using this creates the ultimate relaxing bath experience. This blue ball of goodness turns your water into the most beautiful shade of blue and contains little bits of seaweed that float at the bottom of your tub (don’t worry it won’t clog your drain).

I feel like I’m in Bali every time I use it. It also contains sea salt which really helps relax your body after a long day and I find it very soothing for sore muscles. In terms of scent, Big Blue as quite a light fragrance with a refreshing mix of citrus and saltiness. I think it smells like a beach and it has one of those scents that is relaxing but not overpowering. 

I cannot recommend this product enough and you should definitely give it a try. You can get the Big Blue Bath Bomb online from Lush and it is available in stores all-year-round. 

Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Baby-Mild Castile Liquid Soap: The Best Way to Clean Makeup Brushes

When it comes to beauty I am pretty good at following the rules, I always take my makeup off before going to bed, I don’t wash my hair every day, etc. However, I am not so diligent when it comes to washing my makeup brushes, I know this is a bad habit and I don’t like to use dirty brushes full of bacteria, but I always put it off. I used different soaps and even shampoo to get my brushes clean but the process was never enjoyable or fast. Well now, the laziness is gone, my brushes are clean and the whole process is super quick thanks to my new ally: Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Baby-Mild Castile Liquid Soap.

This is an organic and Fair Trade soap that can be used for a myriad of uses, from basic house cleaning to hand washing. I personally have only used this to wash my brushes and I was really impressed by how great it works. This soap left no residue and all the makeup was thoroughly removed, even brushes with white bristles looked as good as new. While this is powerful (you only need a little), it did not dry out the brushes or alter the bristles in any way. I also found that it took less time and rubbing to remove the makeup and it washed away very quickly, unlike other soaps that keep foaming.

I went for the mild unscented version because I did not when my brushes to be scented since I’m using them on my face and eyes and I would not want to use anything that could be irritating. There are however different scents to choose from so I you are looking for a great multipurpose soap to use around the house, you can opt for something I bit more fun like peppermint, rose, lavender or citrus orange and there are also 3 more scents to the line.

I found the Dr. Bronner’s Unscented Baby-Mild Castile Liquid Soap in my local health food store but you can get it on the Dr. Bronners website and if you scroll to the bottom you can find a list of international stockist.  

Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Special Set

Hello everyone, today I wanted to let you all know about a great gift set Innisfree currently offers for a limited time. The Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Special Set contains a selection of amazing products at a great price. Let’s have a closer look at the items shall we.

The star of this set is the Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask (full size), this is one my favorite clay mask, it performs amazingly well. I originally bought this set only for the mask because it is the same price as getting the mask alone, so why not score some freebies as well. There is a more detailed review of this coming soon.

You will also receive Volcanic Pore Cleansing Foam (small size: 30ml) which is quite similar to the Volcanic Pore Scrub Foam except this does not exfoliate. This was a nice cleanser, not my favorite, but it cleansed my face thoroughly without drying my skin. It is great to use after a workout because it is refreshing but I think it would be a bit stripping to use on a daily basis (most foaming cleansers are).

Next is the Volcanic Pore Toner (small size 70ml) a dual phase toner that you shake before applying. This is amazing at keeping your face matte, it is designed to keep sebum at bay and it really prevented my T-zone from getting oily. Sadly for me, it contains silica which my skin does not like so I can’t really use it. However I would highly recommend this if you don’t have a problem with the ingredients (list here) and your skin gets too shiny during the day.

Lastly you will get an Inni-Kra Card Wallet which is small zippered pouch. The quality of this surprised me, it is really well made. You can use it to carry cards and money or simply to organise things in your bag, no more lost hair ties or pins.

The Innisfree Super Volcanic Pore Clay Mask Special Set retails for about 20$, that’s an amazing price for value. You can purchase it on the Innisfree global website and I think this is limited edition so I would not wait too long if I were you. You can also have a look at the other gift sets available here.

A Small Lush Haul

See, I had a purpose when I walked into Lush last weekend. I was simply going to get one bath bomb as a treat and leave. I did not need anything else really, but unlike all the other times I succeeded in my mission, I failed. Everything was too tempting and I walked out with three new products. So there you have it, the back story into this little haul which unintentionally is comprised of all blue products. 

First of all we have the products I originally went into Lush for: the Big Blue BathBomb. This is my all-time favorite bath bomb, I find it super relaxing and I love the color it gives to the water. Unlike other products, its scent is not too strong so it is also great if you have a sensitive nose.

Next was the Mother Superior Bubble Bar, a sweet and fresh smelling product that will turn your bath into a bubble fest. I really like the Lush bubble bar and this one smells incredible which is why I couldn’t resist it when I saw that it was limited edition for Mother’s Day. If you are interested in this one, I would not wait too long before getting it or it might be sold-out.

The last product to make its way into my basket was the Rub Rub Rub Shower Gel. I had been wanting to try this out for a while because I was out of body scrub and since it was placed right next to the register I figured it was a sign. This smells just like the Mother Superior bubble bar and it has a gorgeous blue color. It is categorized as a shower gel but in my opinion it is much more like a scrub with a runny texture. I have already tried some of the products and once I am done testing them you can expect to see reviews and more pictures on the blog.

You can find all these products in your local Lush store and online.

What are your favorite Lush products? 

Tea Tuesday: Kusmi Bouquet of Flowers No. 108

I am back with more Kusmi for this Tea Tuesday. I have slowly worked my way through half of my Kusmi collection but you can expect more reviews on this amazing brand in the next few weeks. For now, I bring you a perfect tea for spring: the Kusmi Bouquet of Flowers No. 108.

Fun fact, this was actually the first recipe created by the brand’s founder Pavel Kousmichoff and it dates all the way back 1880. This particular blend is a mix of black tea and Ceylon with citrus, flowers and bergamot notes.  I really liked this one, unlike most black teas it is quite light and the flower notes really soften the taste and fragrance. I’m personally not the biggest fan of Ceylon but I thought the bergamot really helped sweeten the bitterness and balance it with the flowers and citrus notes. Not only is its name spring-like the taste is as well: it’s light, delicate and needs to be savored. It does not pack a punch flavor-wise, but it makes it really nice to sip when you want to have a relaxing cup of tea.

You can purchase the Kusmi Bouquet of Flowers No. 108 online from the company and you might be able to find/order it in any stores that carry the brand. 

Ren Clarimatte Clarifying Toner

I have always been a fan of toners, I love how they refresh the skin and help my moisturizer penetrate better. That being said, a lot of them don’t actually do much for the skin or simply dry it out. This is why finding a great product suited for your skin concerns is so important. My personal favorite is the Clarins Gentle Exfoliator Brightening Toner, I have repurchased it many times, but when I finished my last bottle I decide to try something new: the Ren Clarimatte Clarifying Toner.

This particular toner is alcohol free and contains different acids such as lactic and glycolic acid that come from the fruit extracts it contains (in this case passion fruit and pineapple). You can read more about the ingredients and see the full list here. With continuous use, this toner helped decongest my skin and balance it. The acids also have an exfoliating effect, making your skin brighter and smoother. 

I really enjoyed using this and the reasonable price makes it a great everyday staple in my routine. I have actually used up my bottle and I am now trying to get my hands on a new one. It is simply one of those products with a great fuss-free formula that performs without being irritating and that is the reason why it reinforces my love for toners.   

If you are interested, you can find the Ren Clarimatte Clarifying Toner on the Ren website as well as on Feelunique. 

Veep: My Favorite Political Comedy

Tonight is going to be great one in the television world. The fifth season of Game of Thrones is premiering and everyone, myself included, is super excited to go back to Westeros. That incredible phenomenon of a show aside, today also marks the return of my favorite on screen politician: Selina Meyer. Veep is coming back for its fourth season and I could not be more excited.

If you are not familiar with the show, the story follows the life of Selina Meyer the Vice President of the United States and her staff as they navigate daily life and the political world. The entire cast is hilarious but Julia Louis-Dreyfus steals the show for me, her performance and charisma cannot be matched. Her character is a character itself on the show, she can be awkward and sometimes self-centred but I find that, balanced the other actors, it all makes for good fun. Tony Hale as the VP’s personal aid also deserves a special mention because he is so endearing as well as funny and his relationship with the Veep is unlike any other.

This is by far one of my favorite TV show and seeing it return for a new season brings me a lot of happiness. It always manages to make me laugh by turning serious situations and settings into something slightly ridiculous. They just take everything so seriously that you cannot help but laugh. I already had a fun-filled marathon of the past 3 seasons so I am all ready for the premiere.

You can catch the season premiere of Veep tonight on HBO and you can easily catch up on past seasons as they are all available on DVD and on iTunes. 

L’Oréal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive: Doutzen's Nude

When it comes to models, everyone has their favorites and for me Doutzen Kroes easily makes the top 3. I mean she is just so gorgeous! So when L’Oréal released a lipstick named after her I was intrigued. The L’Oréal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive is a line of lipsticks and nail polishes inspired by the brands spokeswomen. As much as I love Doutzen, I was not too sure about her shade, but in the end I caved and you can read my thoughts on it today.

The Doutzen’s Nude lipstick comes in a pale bubble-gum pink color that has a lot of frost to it. Personally, I’m more of a berry/bright lip colour kind of girl, I feel like it complements my fair skin better and since my lips are quite pigmented, pale lip colours tend to look odd on me. From the ads I think this would look great if you had a bit of a tan or similar coloring to Doutzen. I can’t wait to test it out once I breakout my self-tanner and get a bit of color. This is definitely not a universally flattering shade. If I go for a full layer, it looks too frosted and pale, but when you simply dab it on straight from the bullet, it looks quite natural. Applied this way, the frost makes the lips a bit fuller, adding dimension and the color highlights the lips beautifully.

While this is not my favorite shade I am still really happy with my purchase. The effect I get is similar to that of a great lip balm: plump, soft lips with a hint of colour. The formula is also quite long-lasting and creamy, making it easy to apply. On a side note, I really like the packaging of the Collection Exclusive line, it looks really chic and more expensive than it really is.

You can find the L’Oréal Colour Riche Collection Exclusive lipstick in Doutzen’s Nude in most drugstores and L’Oréal retailers. The whole line contains six shades of nudes in total to match most skin tone, so if this particular shade is not for you I still recommend having a look at the rest of the line since this is a great lipstick. 

Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream

I’m finally back, my posts have not been very consistent the last few weeks... There was the Easter break and I have been working on a new design for the blog, which took a little while but I’m very happy with the results. I’ll let you know more about the whole process in a later post and don’t be surprised if things change a bit more as I’m still trying out new ideas. To get back in the swing of things, I bring you a review on the Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream.

I was pretty intrigued by the idea of a BB cream for your body and bought this in the two available shades. As far as body lotions go, this one makes pretty big claims, stating that its use will hydrate, illuminate, even, firm and correct your skin/skin tone. After 5 days of use, you should see all these results, but I have to say that after weeks of use I did not notice any firming or correcting effects.

Nonetheless, it hydrated my skin well and did even out and illuminate my skin. The thing is though, the evenness and illumination part don’t last very long. As soon as you apply it you can see the difference but the tint of the cream quickly disappears as it sinks in so it does not do much in the end. Your skin will look more luminous for a while after but I think that is mostly due to the fact that it is well hydrated.

The lotion comes in two colors, the lightest one illuminates more and has a more yellow tone and the darker one leaves a pinkish glow to the skin. I was expecting the color to show up more, but the effect is quite subtle. While this BB body cream does not live up to its claims, it is a nice light moisturizer that would be great for the summer and I will gladly use up my two tubes. It penetrates very quickly and does not leave any sticky residue. If your skin is very dry I don’t think this will provide enough moisture but it makes for a nice finishing product before going out.

You can find the Jergens BB Body Perfecting Skin Cream in most drugstores and I saw on the Jergens website that they also offer a version with SPF15 which would be great for daily protection when the weather starts to warm up. 

Lush Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner

Today was not a typical day for considering I spent most of it lifting heavy things and repotting plants. Don’t get me wrong, I had fun but it left me feeling tired and a bit gross (soil tends to get everywhere). Needless to say I was really looking forward to a nice bath, but I didn’t have the energy to fuss with a whole routine. So the lotion was ditched in favor of the Lush Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner. 

This product was design to emulate hair conditioner but for your skin, so you simply apply in the shower and rinse it off.  It contains cocoa butter, cupuacu butter, almond oil and argan oils to really nourish and moisturize your body and it is rose-scented. To me, this is the perfect product to use if you are in a hurry or don’t feel like putting on lotion because you don’t need to really rub it in, it just glides on the skin.  

I was actually very surprised by how well this worked. You do feel a bit of a residue after your shower, however it’s not as bad as some lotions and it goes away pretty quickly. I love the idea of a body conditioner because I don’t enjoy the feeling of rubbing lotion on dry skin. Once everything skins in, you are left with soft skin and I did feel like it was deeply nourished as opposed to just having a moisturizing layer that goes away quickly. Price-wise, it is on the more expensive side so I would not use every day, but I enjoy having a small tube of it for special days.

You can find the Lush Ro’s Argan Body Conditioner online here and in any Lush store. 

L’Oréal Hair Expertise Oleo Therapy Oil Infused Shampoo

Hello everyone, today I’m back with a new review. I have been doing some spring cleaning and realized I had a tone of pictures of products I had not reviewed yet. Over the last few weeks I made a lot of efforts to spring clean my bathroom cabinet and finish up as many products as possible so I can move on to others. Since I have super long hair, shampoos and conditioners were the easiest to go through which leads me to today’s review of the L’Oréal Hair Expertise Oleo Therapy Oil Infused Shampoo.

Basically, this shampoo contains a blend of six different flower oils (along with others like coconut oil) to nourish and moisturize your hair, leaving it silky and smooth. The first thing I noticed when I used it was the texture, it’s very thick and reminded me of honey, but don’t worry it’s not sticky. However, your hair needs to be very wet to allow you to distribute it properly and adding a bit of water to your hands will also help the process. Because it is a sulfate-free shampoo, this does not latter a lot, but my hair felt very clean afterwards and it was very easy to rinse out (the texture had me worried at first).

After use, my hair felt super soft and smooth, it also looked very shiny and healthy. I think this is a great and affordable oil-infused shampoo, it delivered on all its claims and feels luxurious to use. Another thing I loved about it was the scent, it’s a lovely clean floral fragrance that smelt natural and expensive. I will definitely have a look at the other products from the range soon, the hot-oil treatment and mask sound very promising for some TLC after a day by the pool.

You can find the L’Oréal Hair Expertise Oleo Therapy Oil Infused Shampoo in most drugstores and L’Oréal retailers. 

Simple Facial Cleansing Wipes

For all the makeup wipes lovers out there, I have a review of the much raved about Simple Cleansing Facial Wipes. But first, let me start this by saying that I am not a fan of using wipes to remove makeup or cleanse the skin, I just feel they are not thorough enough. That being said, these wipes were not all that bad.

The Simple facial cleansing wipes, are free of many ingredients that can irritate your skin such as: alcohol and fragrance, so we are already off to a better start. I used the wipes to remove my face makeup before going to the gym and they did a great job. The cotton was soft and did not pull on my skin. As for the formula, it removed all my makeup gently and there was enough to really soak the wipe. Unlike other wipes, these did not leave any residue on my face and they were not drying.

For me, the one down side was when I tried to remove my eye makeup with these. While the wipes have enough solution to remove face makeup, they are not wet enough to remove my mascara properly and I don’t wear waterproof mascara. My other pet peeve was how the cotton felt rough against my eyes and all the scrubbing necessary to remove my makeup left them a bit red.

All in all I don’t love this product and I will stick to a mini bottle of Bioderma to get ready before the gym. However, they are better than most wipes and if you simply want to remove your foundation, they get the job done nicely and can come in quite handy.

You can find the Simple Facial Cleansing Wipes in many drugstores or have a look online to find your closest retailer.

Have you tried these wipes before? Are you a fan of cleansing wipes?