Spring Skincare Haul

Over the last few weeks I picked up some new skincare products, some to replace things I've used up and others as back-ups or bargains I just couldn't pass by. This may constitute a rather small haul if you compare it to other beauty bloggers and their loot but I'm really looking forward to using these products!

I've raved about the Garnier Moisture Match moisturisers before, but I believe they have now been discontinued as I just can't find the blue version on shelves anymore. I was at a bargain centre recently and came across two boxes heavily discounted so I purchased one for my skincare back up box and one for my older sister who I think this would work wonderfully for. Another repurchase was my beloved La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo+, which is a saviour for acne-prone or just generally crappy skin days. A brand new purchase for me was a total bargain at $0.80c and I love the brand - Derma Sukin Daily Hydrating Wash!  I've actually seen some positive reviews on this product and need a bit of hydration at the moment so it was worth a try.

 I've seen quite a few peel off masks on YouTube and the like, so when I saw this Formula 10.0.6 Get Your Glow On Brightening Peel Off Mask advertised in my supermarket catalogue for half price I was mightily intrigued. I've only used this once but gosh it was satisfying to peel it off, and the scent was really lovely so I'm enjoying this.

See that little hole in the top of my Effaclar Duo+ tube? That would be my puppy Winston's doing, he obviously wanted lovely clear skin too! But how can I be mad at this face?!

I'm really drawn to the aesthetic of Aveeno and have had great success with their products in the past (the night cream and unscented body wash, to be exact) so I added this Aveeno Positively Radiant Cleanser to my stash. Now that I'm actually the kind of blogger who finishes up whole products I don't feel too bad about having unopened cleansers around when I know I'm going to use them - does anyone else feel this way too?

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Hope you're all having an amazing day!

-Emma x

Current Skincare Routine

Keeping a track of the skincare I use helps me understand what my skin wants and needs - sort of like keeping a skincare diary but one that I share with you all! This is what I've been using for over a month now, though I have switched out a few products since snapping this shot. 

I've moved on from using my cleansing balms to this Shu Uemura Unmask Cleansing Oil* (how huge is the bottle!?) I'm not a big fan of the way it removes eye makeup, but it melts face makeup away with ease and doesn't break me out plus I adore the gorgeous design on the bottle and how it looks on my bathroom countertop.

I then use my Mario Badescu Enzyme Cleansing Gel (which I have since switched out for something gentler!) to cleanse my face. I adore this cleanser, it seems to have helped with my acne scars and it really cleans my skin well. I have found that my skin has become a bit sensitive lately so have moved onto a cleanser that targets that instead, but I would definitely still recommend this gel cleanser (I've used about 3/4 of it as a testament to that!)

In terms of keeping my spots under control I use the amazing La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo all over my face, then after it has sunk in I slather on some Aveeno Positively Radiant Night Cream*, or in the morning I use the newly reformulated Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturising Lotion +* which is nice and light for hot weather. I forgot to include my beloved Lancôme Dreamtone Serum* in these shots, but I'll have a full review up soon anyway.

For my lips (and my cuticles) I use the Suvana Certified Organic Paw Paw + Honey Balm*, which I much prefer over the cult Lucas Paw Paw which contains petroleum.

I have to admit that I don't apply eye cream as often as I should, but when I do I love using Indeed Labs Eysilix* which is nourishing but doesn't cause milia. If my skin is a bit rough I crack out the Mario Badescu Buffering Lotion, if I've got a spot I turn to the Mario Badescu Drying Lotion and dry patches are seen to with the RosehipPLUS Rosehip Oil Roll On* (perfect to travel with, score!)

 

At least once I week I skip all of my nightly treatments in favour of the Origins Drink-Up Intensive Overnight Mask, which smells delectable and leaves my skin oh so soft.

 

So that is the round up of what I have been using!

Have you tried any of these products?

What daytime moisturiser do you think I should try next?

 

Emma @ emmabovarybeauty

May Favourites

The cold mornings are yet to deter me from playing around with my makeup, and I found quite a few things to love during May!

I really enjoyed the skincare products I used during May, my skin was pretty well behaved and sometimes I begrudge the 6 week cycle I work with in terms of skincare and the like. Being able to trial new products is a wonderful part of being a blogger, but it can also be frustrating when I find products that really work for me.

 

Cetaphil Derma Control SPF30+ Moisturising Lotion*- I have been using this as my day lotion, and I love that it knocks the sunscreen step out of my routine as well, saving me time every morning. This is a really nice lotion, and I love the sturdy lightweight packaging, and the fact that the formula is non comedogenic and therefore great for acne prone skin like my own.

Aveeno Positively Radiant Night Cream*- I normally find it really hard to fall in love with a night cream, as often they are too heavy or rich for my skin. This strikes the perfect balance between hydrating overnight and being lightweight, so I think this would work for both dry and oily skin types.

La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo- Am about to run out of this and am on the hunt for my next tube. I saw online that my local pharmacy should stock it, so I have my fingers crossed that they have it on the shelf as I find it helps with the overall appearance of my skin without drying out my face as some anti-acne products do.

Like most months, blush is something that I just couldn’t leave out of my May Favourites. I have been alternating between bright pinks and apricot tones for my cheeks, tying in my lip colours to that in an effort to channel this post from Estee.

MAC Cream Soda blush- Still loving this apricot tone blush from the Archie’s Girls collection, it has been in my favourites a few times and I’ve been wearing it a few times each week since Chris bought it for me (pretty good considering it was a consolation choice, as I hadn’t yet gotten my hands on Prom Princess from the same collection!)

Chanel Pink Explosion- One of my very favourite blushes, this hot pink shot through with shimmer lasts all day on the cheek and is a beautiful bright pop of colour to brighten up a dreary Melbourne day. I would definitely recommend the Chanel Joues Contraste blush formulas, I love the two pans that I have and I hope to collect more for my collection.

Too Faced Boudoir palette- I have an in depth post on this coming up, suffice to say I absolutely adore it and have used it a whole lot since it left Mecca Maxima in my clutches.

MAC palette- I made this little quad by popping Woodwinked, Patina, Performance Art and Nylon in an empty 4 pan to create a nice neutral palette for myself. I use Nylon in my inner corner and have been loving mixing Woodwinked + Patina together lately.

Carmex Peach*- My love for these knows no bounds, I love this shade and the pink tint as well. They feel nice and minty (from the camphor) and glide on easily, and the colour is enough to brighten up my face without looking too overdone. This peach tone works really well for me when paired with the Cream Soda blush.

The extra things that have been making me smile this month!

Kit Cosmetics Cuticle Oil*- For once in my life, I am making an effort with my nails and hands! I have been loyal to using hand cream and cuticle oil more often and am starting to see a difference, which I am elated about. This cuticle oil comes in a polish style bottle and I find it really easy to apply and rub in, which again encourages me to load up my fingertips more often.

Elizabeth Arden Mediterranean perfume- I love mini versions of perfume bottles, and this was a bargain I picked up from Priceline quite a while ago. I love the fruity floral scent which contains mandarin, peach, plum with some magnolia and orchid. The main reason for its place within my May is that every time I wore it around Chris, he commented on how amazing I smelt. A definite winner!

Have you switched up your skincare routine for winter?

What blush shades have you been wearing lately?

*Marked products were provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

Skincare Routine

Each time I am in the midst of a ‘good skin’ month, I feel the urge to post a round-up of the products that I’ve been enjoying. Despite suffering through what I believe was an allergic reaction to my hair mask (exacerbated by constant scarf wear!) I have been happy with the texture of my skin and am thankful for a range of products for helping me out in that respect. Since I am consistently rotating my skincare in order to review products on this blog, many are press samples or things that I only use for a 6 week period to keep the reviews coming. Just something to keep in mind!

In terms of my morning routine, I like to keep it quite simple and use cleansing water like Bioderma Crealine h20 to rid my skin of any remnants of my nightly routine. I’ll be honest and say that this isn’t always a step I undertake daily as I can be quite lazy in the mornings! I then pop on a full pump of Cetaphil Derma Control SPF30+ moisturiser*, which is broad spectrum and non comedogenic. This keeps my skin smooth and helps prevent acne whilst providing UVA/UVB sun protection. I find this to be a great moisturiser and I’m glad that the lightweight bottle is pump action and cheap enough when it comes time to repurchase! While this sinks in, I begin applying my eye makeup, then move onto applying primer and the rest of my makeup routine.

At night, I take a lot more time caring for my skin. I begin by removing my eye makeup before I hope into the shower, with Maybelline’s City Rescue makeup remover which I am about to run out of. I then use Dermalogica Precleanse* and Antipodes Grace cleanser* while I shower. I am still having a love affair with Precleanse, and am enjoying the touch of class that Antipodes brings to my bathroom. I find the creamy formula of Grace to still be quite lightweight, and it doesn’t add any oil or shine to my skin as I at first thought it might. I do still prefer my Soap & Glory Fab Pore Hot Clothcleanser* though, as I find it leaves my skin softer and smells a little nicer than this luxe metal tube. I switch up my facial scrubs quite often, and right now I’m using the Dermalogica Skin Prep scrub* (sample tube).

After cleansing, I move onto layering a few treatments and serums depending on how my skin is acting that particular day. I suffer from a little bit of acne, and so without these treatments my skin acts a fool! Mario Badescu is wonderful for acne prone skin, and I rely on the Buffering Lotion to take care of my bumpy forehead and deep pimples, while the Drying Lotion stops the spots about to erupt in their tracks. I also love La Roche Posay Efflacar Duo to keep my skin acne free overall, and will definitely be repurchasing when this tube meets its end. I sometimes use Lacura Hyaluronic Gel to help suck some moisture into my skin, but lately I’ve been favouring my Kosmea Radiance 24/7 Youth Boost*.

To end my skincare routine, I take time massaging in a night cream to moisturise the dry patches of my face. I was using a lightweight lotion during the heat wave we experienced earlier in the year, but now that it is chilly I have cracked open my tub of Aveeno Positively Radiant Intensive Night Cream*. Such a lovely name, isn’t it? I found the texture of this really strange, it is sort of like curdled yoghurt, and at first I doubted how hydrating it would be. Happy to report that I was way off, you need the tiniest bit of this to cover your whole face and it works so well at hydrating without being heavy or breaking me out!

 

 

Phew! That rounds up the skincare loot that has been slapped on my mug lately. Now it is YOUR turn! What products do you swear by for your skin?

 *Items provided for consideration. Honesty, always.

 

 

 

September Finito's!

Yup, it is empties time again at camp emmabovarybeauty!

I am pleased with my efforts to make a dent in my sample/travel sized products, and I am happy to think that some of these are things I would like to repurchase sometime down the line.

Body Care!

 

Glad to finish the Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash (sample)*, I thought I had already used up all of my samples but this one was found floating around and I burned through it. I am not a fan of unscented body washes, but this didn't irritate so it might be great for those against scented body washes. I would not repurchase.

 

The 1SkinSolution Vanilla Bean Body Cream (travel size)* was a delight to use, these last few months have seen me up the ante with moisturising my body and this was such a delicious scent. It's a runny liquid formulation that is moisturising, I will be repurchasing down the track.

 

The TREsemme Moisture Rich conditioner wasn't very impressive, it wasn't the worst conditioner I've used but it was only passable. I like the feel of Terax too much to enjoy most other conditioners...let me know what you think I should try next?

 

Lush Too Drunk Emotibomb was sadly a chucker, I bought this who knows how long ago and it went bad. I don't partake in baths often enough to make these purchases necessary, so the next Lush thing on my list is Ro's Argan Body Conditioner, as it is shower friendly.

 

Deodorants!

 

Spray Fresh Activ High Energy deodorant is one that Chris and I both used. It isn't too strongly scented but the fact that they leave out the 'e' in active irks me. I find it sometimes stings but Chris says my pits need to 'man up', and he has already repurchased.

 

Rexona Girl Tropical Energy deodorant is my all-time fave, it smells great and does a good job of keeping me fresh. I always have a stock of these in my bathroom cupboard (and already have another emptied for October empties!) so yes, repurchase.

 

Skincare!

 

I find the BeautyCareCo makeup pads to be a cheap option to throw in the cart when I am at K-Mart, but they do fall apart more easily than the Priceline branded alternatives. I am almost done with another pack of these (I bought a double pack) and though I prefer the Priceline ones, I will repurchase.

 

Avene Cleanance Oil-Free Emulsion moisturiser* was something I really enjoyed using during this transitional weather, though I needed something heavier in the evenings this was nice for day use. It made my skin feel smooth and sunk in fast, and I would repurchase this down the track and come back around to using it. It's hard when you change up skincare often, but knowing what I like is a nice feeling.

 

Clinique Turnaround Concentrate Visible Skin Renewer wasn't even mine to begin with, my cousin lived with us for over a year and left this behind. I loved the way it felt on my skin but don't know if Clinique still make this exact formula...I am tossing this because it's been around forever, but I would repurchase (you know how those Clinique GWP's sucker me in!)

 

Kiehls Cucumber Herbal Oil-Free Toner* was another travel sized product I was happy to complete, I used this after cleansing to make sure my skin was a clean slate for my serums. I loved the deep green colour of this liquid, and though I find toners hard to see results from, I think I liked this. It lasted forever!

 

Face of Australia Purifying Cleansing Wipes were a mad sale purchase, I love picking these up when K-Mart are having a $3 off FOA sale and neglect to exclude this wipes. They are thin but sturdy and I mainly use them for swatch clean up and the odd residue wipe off on my face.

 

 

How much did you finish this month!?

 

 

*Marked products were PR samples or sent for consideration, but the fact I used them up speaks volumes. Honesty, always.

 

 



Big Sales! ft. Aveeno, Face of Australia and Clean and Clear

Thought I would share the products I purchased from Big  W over the weekend, as they are having a great sale on most of their cosmetics. I saw buy 2 get 1 free for NP Set, blanket sales for Australis as well as the brands I chose my items from.

I love the Face of Australia polish formulation, and at the moment the whole brand is $3 off, bringing even the new Barbados collection down to $>>>>>>

I chose Bright Lights Pink City, I Like to Mauve It and You Blue Me Away.I already received some other other shades from the collection from the company, which is why I only chose 3 shades.

After seeing a lot of wonderful reviews of this new mascara release from Face of Australia, I decided it had to be mine. The second tube was for my sister, who asked me to grab her a new mascara as she had run out of her usual one. The purple packaging is so pretty, and I can't wait to let you know how I go with this.

I can never pass up cheap wipes, and the $3 was welcome for these!

Decided to grab the Clean&Clear cleanser as I'd seen a review of the other type in the range, and thought the idea of shine control seemed nice. I am currently trialling another so this will be put away for later. The Aveeno was something I picked up for Candice as she isn't near a Big W out where she lives, but needed a cleanser that was foaming but made for dry skin. I've made her promise to do a guest review on it here, so that should be interesting. I like having a range of age appropriate/skin type appropriate posts on emmabovarybeauty, so a wider range of people can benefit from the reviews!

All that for $41.88? Yes sir!

I have a feeling the sale ends tomorrow (Weds 25th) but these brands are always affordable and available there, so do let me know if you check them out!

EDIT: This sale is on until May 2nd, as the lovely Lynette mentioned in the comments. Go forth and shop, my beauties!

Thailand Empties!

I thought I would share with you the products I finished up while overseas- I am most proud of the Clinique, I do hope it impresses you!

I forgot to include the Clinique product in the round up, sorry guys!

The wipes in the background are my HG wipes, and I used these to refresh my face after a swim and before bed if I was too lazy to wash my makeup/sunscreen off. The Lush bag held a Satsuma Santa bath ballistic that I had taken along with me. I haven't had much experience with Lush bath products, and though this was okay I don't think it is a must have from them. It's limited edition from their Christmas launches and turns the bath water bright red- a little frightening to be honest! But an overall nice citrusy smell.

The Dove deodorant made me feel comfortable, even in the Thai heat, but I reapplied after each swim so didn't get a clear indication of its strength and wear time. It was nice but not sure if it was outstanding, I may repurchase in the future but I have deodorants I prefer so we'll see. The Aveeno body wash was a sample I wanted to use up, don't like unscented bath products so won't repurchase.

The Clinique Deep Comfort body lotion is the empty I am most proud of! It came from a GWP that Clinique ran a while ago, and the reason I am proud is because I am not one to use up whole lotions, even sample sized ones! I chop and change frequently and to be honest I don't moisturise enough, so to see this go was a win for me! It was full when we arrived in Thailand, and empty after a week and a half. Let me tell you, my skin was baby soft! The scent of this is strange but I like it, so I may repurchase after I finish the zillion lotions in my collection.

Do you use up many products while on holiday?

Have you used up many lotions in your day?

What are your HG body lotions?

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion

I'm normally one to fall in love with sweet or sugary scented lotions, so when this Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion fell into my lap I didn't think it would steal my heart. It is fragrance-free and says it will moisturise for 24 hours. Here is what Aveeno says about it:

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion is a naturally nourishing, non-greasy lotion with natural colloidal oatmeal and rich emollients to actively soothe and protect dry skin. Proven to moisturise the skin for 24 hours, increasing the skin's moisture level by three times within four hours. Fragrance free.

Here is what I have to say about it: it rocks!

Since trying this out, I have come to appreciate it's lack of scent. It works beautifully with any perfume and does not compete, and most importantly sinks in so quickly it's unbelieveable. The one thing that can turn me off a lotion is the waiting period, when you're standing around impatiently waiting for it to sink in so that you can get dressed,so this moisturiser is perfect for me. It's sort of silky when you rub it in, but still doesn't cling to clothes at all so you can pop it on and dress straight away.

This is now my HG body lotion, and I will definitely be repurchasing when this bottle runs out. I'll also be grabbing the handbag size for my upcoming trip to Thailand.

PROS:

pump bottle means easy/lazy access (354ml size)

sinks in immediately

super affordable so you can use it all over your body

dermatologist tested

gets rid of my scaly winter legs, ready for bikini days!

non-comedogenic, so won't clog pores

CONS:

can't think of a thing

DETAILS:

Aveeno Daily Moisturising Lotion is available at Priceline, Supermarkets and Pharmacies Australia wide, and is also popular in the US. It comes in 3 convenient sizes:

71ml for $3.95 AUD (perfect for travel!)

225ml tube for $9.95 AUD

354ml for $12.95 AUD (pump bottle)

This product was provided for consideration for review which in no way affects my opinion- honesty, always.

June Empties

I am back this week, after university assignments and crappy Crazy Johns internet ruined my blogging time. I'm sorting out my internet this week, but until then I am in the university library finishing off assignments and writing away.

I managed to get through quite a few shower products this month, as I was determined to use the half empty bottles up so I could treat myself to new shower goodies (Lush, here I come!)

Here is what I used up in June!

*

Radox Soul Soother Body Wash

The cranberry scent of this suckers me in every time, even though the seeds get caught in the opening every single time I try to use it!

*

Batiste Dry Shampoo in Blush

Love Batiste, though this scent isn't my favourite.

*

Treacle Moon My Coconut Island shower gel

Adored this!

*

Rexona Girl mini deo in Tropical Energy

Massive favourite!!

*

Priceline wipes x2

I try new wipes all the time, but always come back to these. Faithful and work wonders for me!

*

Aveeno Shower Gel (mini)

Review coming shortly, this just wasn't made for me

*

Crappy brushes and a mini liquid liner

Super scratchy and I have no use for the liner, in the bin they go!

*

Endota Spa Lavender and Alpine Pepper hand cream

Reviewed here, loved this baby

*

Maybelline Powder

Was using this way back when I owned not a scrap of makeup, and happened to see it sitting cracked at the back of a cupboard during the week. There was hardly any left, shouldn't have hung on to it anyway. Liked this, will see how my Covergirl powder goes before I decide whether or not to repurchase.

On a side note, I explained to Chris the idea of Pan Pron, and how exciting hitting pan on a product can be. We were in Priceline last week and he sees that some testers had pan showing- he thought he was a king for pointing it out to me. Such a cutie, I'm teaching him well!

What have you finished up this month?

Will be reviewing the body wash/shower gels from this post and more of my favourites soon, in a soapy spectacular post!

emmabovary xx

May Empties

I'm not finished up as many make-up items as I'd like to, and I think it is because the only things close to being finished are things I don't want to be without=( I despise limited edt/discontinued favourites, always breaking my heart. Anyway, on goes the empties!

*Treacle Moon 'That Vanilla Moment' body scrub 225ml- Am reviewing this shortly, love it!
*Priceline Round Cotton Pads- a make-up bag necessity, have repurchased.
*Dove Silk Dry Deodorant with moisture cream '24hr'- didn't find this to work all that well, won't repurchase
*Scarlett, Cacharel EDT sample,1.5ml-Nice, but nothing amazing for me
*Romance by Ralph Lauren- liked this, but Mum wears it so I'll leave it to her to rock
*Maybelline Falsies mascara- Dried up quite a bit and got 'crunchy', byebye. Loved it,though. Review here
*Aveeno Skin Relief Body Wash sample,29ml- fragrance free and a little too bleh for me

Have my fingers crossed I get thru more in June. Have you tried any of this months empties?
emmabovary  x