[Skincare Review] Avene Soothing Hydrating Serum

Picture from Avene's official website

This is my HG serum. I've used at least 4 or 5 bottles over the past few years, and always come back to it. 

Serums are the one product you might want to invest in, because their formula is generally more concentrated and targeted at a specific skin trouble: pores, wrinkles, spots, etc. I think most younger skins don't really need any wrinkle or spot correctors. My main trouble is a dehydrated skin with fine lines (especially on the forehead and around the mouth) and slightly enlarged pores on the cheeks. My pores have never really bothered me, although a few times I've been told to buy pore refiners by some SAs. More concerning for me is the dehydration and the fine lines, and this serum helps in fighting them. The texture is a slightly watery gel, and the pump bottle delivers just enough product for the whole face with one push. I warm up the product in my palms and apply after lotion. It absorbs quickly and leaves a slight film on the skin (which I appreciate, because it makes me feel like my skin is protected from agression, or something, but I know some won't). I wake up with supple hydrated skin. I sometimes skip the cream afterwards, especially if the weather is more humid. I just had a near disastrous experience with the steam milk cream from Skin Food I mentioned a couple of post earlier (details to come in a future post), and a good skin diet with lotion-serum only in the evening helped my skin rest.

Other serums I've tried: Bioderma Hydrabio, Estée Lauder Advanced Night Repair, Kiehl's Midnight Recovery, Clinique Even Better. The Even Better is the only one that felt confortable on my skin, absorbed quickly and leaving a bouncy feeling, but I did not see the spot correcting effect. 

The official pitch: 

Intensive soothing and hydrating care for sensitive skin, irritated or weakened by external factors (stress, pollution, unsuitable skincare…). The Soothing Hydrating Serum is highly concentrated in Avène Thermal Spring Water providing an immediate calming effect. The thermal water is carried by liposomes (patented system) to ensure an optimum long lasting diffusion in the upper layer of the skin. The glycerine improves the skin hydration, suppleness and comfort. Thanks to the delicate formula of the Soothing Hydrating Serum the skin is silky smooth and rebalanced. Paraben free.  

It retails around 21€. 

xoxo!

In Cosmetics Paris April 2013 Part 1: Upcoming Beauty trends

Last month was held in Paris the first In Cosmetics forum of 2013, where professionals of the industry meet to finds new ingredients suppliers and catch up on the latest trends. I attended as a visitor because I was interested in some of the conferences. Here's for you a little summary of the upcoming beauty trends to watch out for! I'll do a separate post for the make up part because this post was getting way too long.

BEAUTY

A changing view on UV rays and sun exposure

Do you use BB cream with SPF50 PA+++? Apply sunscreen as a make up base and never go out without a hat and dark glasses? UV rays are probably the biggest concern for a lot of us beautystas, terrifying riders of Doom and sunspots and early wrinkles. 

Well as it turns out, too much protection will lead to a "lazy skin syndrome", much as muscles will go flask without exercising, you skin will be more sensible to the slightest UV exposure if you never ever let it breathe. Moreover, as women, we are more sensible to osteoroposis and weakened bones. Sun rays will provide you with vitamin D, absorbed through the skin. Since my mother is a doctor she tends to be double careful when it comes to this and makes me drink a capsule of vitamin D every six months or so (you're supposed to be drinking one every once a year so I need to remind her that YES, I had it this year, thanks Mom). 

Anyway the explanation and comparison with muscles seemed pretty sensible to me, and despite having a skin very prone to sunspots (especially on the lips, sob) I do enjoy some days in the sun just so I can get that "healthy dose" of UV rays. 

New skincare and beauty treatments are aiming to turn UV into a positive light (Biolumen and Luminotherapy)

Of sensitive skin and stress

You've probably noticed how lack of sleep and hectic everyday life can affect your skin and cause unwanted trouble. Well there is a connection between the brain and the skin health, a no stress situation will cause the neurotransmitters to release endorphins which help your complexion glow and your skin to shine (à la Edward Cullen in Twilight?)  

Careful use of beauty oils

This one caught my attention because one of my dehydration relievers is Décléor's rose oil, which is lovely not only for the scent but also the great emollient feeling. So basically the latest research show that beauty oils might fry your skin under sunrays. Huh I know, not pretty, did they not think this thoroughly before launching the products? So i guess I'll use the rest of my bottle at night only. 

What do you think of these new beauty trends? 

xoxo

 

Sasa Order and First Impressions

Sasa is probably the best-known website for Asian cosmetic and skincare products. It offers a huge selection, not only of Asian brands but also European and American. The only drawback for me is the minimum order amount for free shipping to Europe ($100) which is just about the limit over which you get custom duties. From my experience, I've noticed anything over 100€ gets taxed, and I'd rather not risk it for $100. However, Sasa regularly organizes free shipping events for lower amounts (usually $19.99, $29.99 or $39.99). This is the latest order I've received from them. 
 

Skinfood Steam Milk Mask Cream

I was attracted to this for three reasons: 

1) I am running out of Laneige's Water Sleeping Pack, which works great against sudden bouts of dehydration (after sun exposure for instance) 

2) I've recently finished my Skinfood Avocado Rich Toner and Emulsion, and I was quite satisfied with them so I wanted to try another product from the brand 

3) I've been considering purchasing Steam Cream, and this one had Steam in the name. Lol yes I'm totally buying the marketing. I haven't had the chance to try it yet, but the packaging is super cute, it's a small milk carton.

From the official website:

A steamed milk-infused cream that immediately melts into skin, transforming dry skin into a soft, firm, smooth texture, like a facial mask does.

[Steamed Milk Story]
When steamed, milk turns into a mound of microfine bubbles that are sustained with all the benefits milk has, and yet feels silkier and softer to the touch.

* To Use

At the end of your daily skin care routine, apply an ample amount to the face with gentle strokes.

So basically the instructions of use are the same as Laneige's sleeping pack, apply a generous amount after skincare routine. 

K-Palette Real Lasting Eyeliner 24h WP Limited Edition

I had a discussion a while ago with the super nice author of Bittenbefore who recommended this as a really waterproof formula which could resist through sweat. I tried it today and unfortunately, on me it doesn't perform as well as Dollywink's liquid eyeliner. Maybe it's a difference in formula between the Japanese and HK editions, or between the regular and limited edition, but Dollywink held up very well after my sweaty dance lesson with almost no smudging, and K-Palette couldn't last through a regular day (and very cold to boot, since winter has been awfully persistent this year around here). It smudges noticeably on my single eyelid and also tends to transfer on my undereye area. I'll do a more detailed review after I've tried it some more and compare it with the Dollywink. 

Koji Spring Heart Eyebrow Pencil in Dark Brown

Cheap + automatic + integrated brush, that's all I ask for in an eyebrow pencil. 

Shiseido Aqualabel Moisture Lotion R

This was my HG lotion when I was living in China. Amazingly I don't think my skin has ever been better as when I was there. Pollution you say? Apparently my skin loves it and thrives in it. Maybe I should do facials in the parking lot or something. So I've been wanting to go back to that time of skin bliss and recreate my skin care regimen of old (but I think good sleep schedule also played a huge part in that). It's also quite pricey for a lotion (about 15€) so if I find a suitable replacement in France I won't repurchase. I've only used it a couple of times so I'll update on that later. 

xoxo!

 

FOTD - Green and Coral

Greens and purples are great for emphasizing dark eyes, but they can be tricky to apply, the wrong shade can make your eye look bruised and people look at your s/o suspiciously! But colour is a great way to add drama to a day look without looking garish. Here I used Urban Decay's Book of Shadows II, Absinthe and Protest, and as you can see the colour is visible mostly when my eyes are closed, but people definitely noticed the enhancement. UB's eyeshadows quality have improved over time, since I use mostly the Naked Palette 2, I can feel and see the difference. BSII's eyeshadows have great colour payoff but they do crease by the end of the day, even with a base, whereas Naked 2 hold better. Still, I was impressed that the make up was okayish after an hour of sweating at my dance lesson - apart from the creasing, everything held pretty good. 
 

Other products used: Skin79 Oriental BB Cream, Japanese liquid eyebrow liner whose name rubbed off completely, Dollywink liquid eyeliner in black, MUFE aquaeyes champagne eyeliner, YSL Rouge Volupté #26, L'Occitane rouge à lèvres Corail Brocart, Jill Stuart Mix Blush Compact #9

xoxo!

Haul week

I'm not usually into buying a whole lot of makeup at once because I am a cheapskate, but for some reason this week I actually spent enough money at once to call it a proper haul >-> And no, I am not particularly proud of it, but I had a really stressful week and I had to get my mind off it somehow...

This is the resulting damage -->

Top: Make Up Forever Dual FIber Brush 55N

Middle: YSL Rouge Volupté #2 Blond Sensuel, MUFE HD Blush #6, Lancôme Color Fever Gloss #384 Rose Ballerine, Chanel Aqualumière #2 Monte Carlo

Bottom: GWP Bourjois pouch, Healthy Mix Powder Foundation in Fair Skin, Healthy Mix Serum in #52 Vanille, Kiehl's Lip Balm #1

To further control damage, most of these items came with a good bargain so my conscience and my wallet feel better ;) I had a 20% discount at Sephora on one purchase so all the items from the top and middle rows were cheaper, except for the Chanel liptstick which I bought on impulse in another store. Bourjois were having a special sale where you had a 5€ discount on purchase of two items from their lineup and the pouch as a GWP. And I'm most proud of getting the Kiehl's lipbalm as a GWP from a magazine, so it only cost me 2€ instead of the store price which is 10€. I had been wanting to try this lipbalm since once of my friends said it was the best she had ever tried so I hope it will be working for me too :)

I love cream blushes so I was really excited to buy the MUFE HD Blush. I was a little disappointed when the make up artist told me and showed me how the result looks much better with a brush application. One of the reasons why I like cream blushes is that they are usually fuss-free and I am able to use my fingers to apply them. So I bought along with the HD Blush the dual fiber brush, which happens to be the first professional brush I have ever owned. I asked the MUA what she thought about the MAC 187 because I considered buying it. In the end I chose the MUFE brush because I figured it was probably good enough for my personal use since I am nowhere near a pro and don't want to spend almost double the price on a brush. Anyhow we'll see how it goes :) I'm really impatient to try the blush though I hope it gives me a good flush to go to work on Monday :)

The lip products were totally bought on impulse, I wanted to buy something from the Lancôme Spring Collection and I liked the baby pink color of Rose Ballerine so I went for it. I was really surprise to discover the lavender scent when opening the tube. Review later when I get to try it.

YSL Rouge Volupté #2 is the first lipstick I own from this brand, I think most bloggers love these lipsticks, and I can see why. Very creamy, very opaque, a little product goes a long way. #2 Blond Sensuel is a peachy nude color, great if you want to achieve the Tsubasa Masuwaka Garyu Look. It's a good dupe for Mac's Crème de Nude, although I think Mac is more pink while the YSL is more orangey.

Chanel Aqualumière is a "sheer colour lipshine", the color is a deep rose with gold speckles, I really like it.

I used to have the Healthy Mix Foundation in #52 Vanille, and I really liked it, made my skin dewy and did not feel like I had foundation on. Unfortunately it did not survive my trip to Malaysia, I think the hot and cold temperatures made it go bad. I'm excited to try the serum, the texture looks like it's even finer than its predecessor. I rarely use powder because I think it dries out my skin, so I'll see how it goes with Healthy Mix. The GWP pouch is pretty nice, quite well made and roomy.

Happy New Year of the Rabbit to all! This is actually my year hehe :) My resolution is to upload and take care of my blog better, the rabbit inside me is too lazy to keep up unfortunately...

xoxo

Skincare Review: Clarins Gentle Night Cream

Excuse the weird lightning, I was trying to take advantage of the last sun rays in my room x)

This has become my HG night cream. My skin has been causing me troubles since last year, although I've never had any acne problems until I was 21-22. So I tried using a more appropriate skincare regimen as well as eat a more balanced diet. It's great because at work we have a cafeteria with choices of 4 main dishes, as well as entrees and desserts. Although it's not the tastiest food it's a better incentive to eat balanced rather than when you go to the restaurant. And it's cheaper ;p

I've stumbled upon this cream by chance, and I'm glad I did. I was browsing through Lancôme's products in the department store when a saleswoman from Clarins approached me and convinced me to get this cream :p I used to be wary of Clarins as their products are usually heavily-scented and cause me breakouts. She gave me a sample of this and I went to buy the full-size bottle as soon as I was out of the sample product!

What their website says:

Gentle nights for sensitive skin: White Linen, Christophine and Hazelnut Oil prepare skin for a beautiful wake up call.The perfect nighttime partner to Gentle Day Cream which continuously helps balance skin. It optimizes the benefits of sleep to help restructure and replenish. Upon waking, skin is soothed, soft and radiant.

Apply in the evening using light, sweeping movements to clean, dry skin on the face and neck. For very sensitive skin, alternate with Skin Beauty Repair Concentrate.

-Vegetal complex based on Brown Linseed and Christophine: calms, soothes irritations.

-Liquorice extract: softens, soothes.

-Noctoferrine® (an exclusive Clarins protein): helps neutralize nocturnal free radicals.

-Hazelnut oil: no

This range was formulated specifically for sensitive skins and dermatologically tested. I tried the day cream as well but it didn't impress me much as it was too thick and not moisturizing enough in my opinion. However the night cream really delivers as I have been waking up with soft baby skin since I started using it. The gentle cream comes in a hygienic pump dispenser, and I usually use a little more than half a pump for my whole face and my neck. Be careful not to use too much as it might make your face slightly greasy.

This cream immediately soothes my skin upon application, and doesn't leave any greasy feeling if I don't use too much. The perfume is quite strong and will linger but it doesn't bother me too much and I like it (kind of floral? I suck at describing odours lol). It penetrates quickly and leaves your skin moisturized. I can't stop touching my face after I've used it, and my bf appreciates the baby skin too :)

I started using this cream as the weather got colder, I think it would be too rich for a warmer/more humid weather. It should be great for the drier colder winter nights though!

At 51.50€ for 50mL it's quite pricey, but I had a Sephora VIB 20% discount coupon and I thought this was definitely worth the splurge :) I might switch if I find something less expensive but for now I will definitely repurchase.

Ingredient List:

Shop Review: cosme-de.com

Cosme-de.com is a Hong Kong-based website selling cosmetics, from western high-end brands like Dior and Givenchy to eastern bestsellers like Laneige and MBD. Their selection can be quite limited depending on brands but I was looking for Skin79 BB Cream and Laneige Skincare so it was right on spot. Shipping is free internationally on all orders, so the price you see is what you get, although some items can't be ordered alone so you might have to buy at least two items. You get a $5 coupon on first registration.

I placed my order on Tuesday, September 28th, and received my package on Friday, October 8th (although I wasn't home so I had to pick it up this morning). You get a tracking number (typically RB*********HK) for the Hong Kong Post tracking service, so you can know the status of your order up until it leaves the country. My package took the plane on October 5th :)

Since it was my first time ordering I only bought two items, Skin79 The Oriental Gold BB Cream and Laneige Water Sleeping Pack_EX. Reviews coming up soon, but I've been using a sample of the BB Cream and I really like it.

Here is what my package looked like. Neatly packed and sealed :)

I got some My Beauty Diary blotting paper for free:

I was really pleased with my order, the items were shipped fast and were intact, with no damage at all. I will definitely order again :)