my skincare routine

I have jumped onto the 'obsessed with skincare' bandwagon and thought I would share some of the things I've been using. I have recently revamped my skincare routine but had these pictures ready to go, so thought it was still worthwhile sharing my thoughts with you.

Environ AVST Cleansing Lotion

This is a runny lotion type cleanser which I use after removing my makeup with Bioderma Crealine H2O. The fact that it doesn't lather or anything like that takes a while to get used to, but it really does clean my face well and is so darn easy to remove. It leaves my skin soft, and once I get out of the 'acne/shit skin' phase I'm in, this will be my cleanser for sure.

 

Bioderma Crealine H2O

This magic water is like a drug for me, I just can't get enough. I've talked about this in depth here, and I am over the moon that it is now readily available in Australia. I use a separate eye make up remover and keep this baby for all over the face, and it takes off the gunk and precleanses as well. To find stockists, click the link to my full review here.

 

Alpha-H Gentle Daily Exfoliant

I may 'like' a whole bunch of other exfoliators on the market, but there is only 'love' in my heart for this one. Nothing gets my skin as smooth as Alpha-H does, and it isn't lying when it says it is gentle. I'm pretty sure I could use this every day without a problem, but I prefer to use it every second or third night. This helps with foundation application as well, as it helps create a more even base to work with. Buy it from AdoreBeauty.

 

Burt's Bees Anti-Blemish Solutions Moisturizer

This is a light-weight moisturiser that I find great for my combination skin, as it hydrates but doesn't add to any oily parts of my face. It smells quite strongly of something 'organic' (you know what I mean, right?) but I have grown to like the scent. The bottle is glass and I like the aesthetic of it. The only problem with the packaging is that because it is a thicker moisturiser, now that I'm at the end of the bottle it is almost impossible to use! I have to scrape it from the pumps tube each time I use it, it is driving me nuts but is worth it. Buy it from Echolife here.

 

 

Though I switch up my skincare quite often, I liked the quality of all these and would readily recommend them. I have since switched up my cleanser and my moisturiser to something better suited to how my skin is at this point, however I would repurchase all of these items! My doctor has supported the idea that my skin acting out is a hormonal issue, which hopefully means it will be back on track soon!

 

Are you obsessed with skin care right now?

What is your current skincare routine?

Some of these items were provided for consideration, but I use them because they work for me. Honesty, always.

Chanel Troublant // Rouge Allure Extrait de Gloss #68

 

The new Chanel 2012 Fall collection saw me drooling. I succumbed to only one item, and that is the beautiful plummy brown pink gloss that is Troublant. The packaging has me smiling as well, it is weighty (as you would expect a $50 gloss to be) and sleek black which is sitting pretty in my makeup bag as I type.

 

 

 

This is my first purchase of this formula and I am loving the triangle tapered tip on the doe foot applicator- I despise brush tips with glosses, and was so glad to see this applicator. It applies the gloss evenly and the creamy texture really glides over the lips.

 

 

 

I never thought a pink/brown shade would suit me, but I feel like a million dollars when I wear this. It's plummy enough for winter but I can see myself wearing it all through the year, and it lasts a few hours on me which I love. It fades evenly and leaves a bit of colour behind, and is sticky enough to grip the lips but isn't overly tacky (in my opinion) I am head over heels for this shade and formulation, I think it is definitely worth trying on in store.

 

Troublant is available at Chanel counters now for $50 AUD for a limited time.

What do you think of this shade?

What is your favourite Chanel product?

 

 

MAC Painterly Paint Pot

As much as I adore new cosmetic releases and squeal over a bright shadow or new gloss, the staples in my collection are the glue that holds it all together. Without my MAC Painterly, my eyeshadows would all be worthless, as crease-city is not a destination I am fond of. This is, to date, the best product I have found to prime my lids with before eyeshadow.

Painterly is part of the permanent line of MAC products, and in my experience is more effective at gripping onto shadows than products like Urban Decay Primer Potion or drugstore eye primers. It makes the colours of my shadows appear more vibrant and it's really easy to blend over, which is really important when considering an eyeshadow primer.

Paint Pots come in 5g glass jars which feel nice and heavy in the hand, with a sturdy black plastic lid. Each morning I pop on my facial moisturiser then swipe a small amount of Painterly onto each eyelid. I then flick through my collection to decide on what look I'm going to create that day. By that time Painterly has had time to settle, and I go about applying my eyeshadows. I find that if I apply this at 6.45am, by the time 6.45pm rolls around my eyes are still looking good. I don't experience any fading or smudging, and I am happily crease-free unless I take a nap during the day. Even then, I'm usually okay. Sigh, the life of a uni student!

I have been using this pot for over a year now and as you can see I have plenty left. I use this at least once each day, and as I wear eyeshadow almost every day I would say this is great value! I must mention that I prefer the creamier Paint Pots over their glittery counterparts (like Genuine Treasure from the Posh Paradise collection) as I find these a million times easier to spread and work with in general.

Painterly doesn't contain glitter or shimmer so can be used with muted daytime looks or under a smokey eye for night. It's a beige colour that is a touch darker than my uber-pale skin tone, and this works perfectly for me.

As you can see, it's a really natural looking product. I found myself without this for 4 days last week and I couldn't bear using my eyeshadows without it, so just wore liquid liner. I don't like having bare lids with my liquid liner, however, as I like to use Painterly and a neutral shade to mask the discoloration on my lids even if the shadow is not the focus. This is why I think Painterly would make a great staple in anyones collection, if if you don't wear full on eyeshadow all the time.

On the MAC website Paint Pots are described as 'eye colours' but they really are so much more than that. They come in range of neutral shades (check them out here) so if you have a darker skin tone or want a darker base, you should be able to find one. I have my eye on Rubenesque next, but am trying to fill up my MAC palette so we will see.

Paint Pots retail for $35AUD or $17.50 USD.

Yes, the difference is ridiculous but there you go. Lucky the Paint Pots are worth the $35!

What eyeshadow primer do you swear by?

What is your favourite Paint Pot shade?

*This product was purchased with my own moolah, I have received no compensation for this review. Honesty, always.

bye bye goose man!

Chris had been mentioning that he had developed tiny bumps on his upper arm and bicep, and I was clueless as to how to fix his problem. He said 'you're the beauty blogger!help me!' and so off I went to find out what to do. Okay, so as I googled I became distracted reading some of my favourite blogs, but lo and behold there the answer lay!

Vita from Making Up 4 My Age is one of the sweetest bloggers I know, and she mentioned the Palmer's Skin Smoothing lotion in her empties here. Vita mentioned that it contained alpha/beta hydroxy and worked well at keeping her keratosis (or goose flesh!) under control! I connected the dots and realised that my man was suffering from keratosis as well, so I nicked up to Priceline and picked him up a bottle.

Palmer's Skin Smoothing lotion claims that it will "remove dry skin cells...[and] uncovers healthier looking skin".

The lotion is based on the Palmers cocoa butter formula with vitamin E. Palmer's says that

"This fast-absorbing lotion helps redue the appearance of fine line and wrinkles and evens skin tone. Your skin will feel soft, smooth and healthy with no greasy after-feel."

Chris is much more confident since using this smoothing lotion and his skin is moisturised and goose-flesh free. I am absolutely enthralled with the fresh yet masculine scent it has, and can't help but snuggle up to Chris once he applies it. It's so refreshing to find a product that does exactly what it promises plus more, and is affordable and easy to find.

This is a definite repurchase for me, it is a lovely lotion even without the benefits of the Alpha/Beta Hydroxy, and so Chris is happy to use this each night over any other I've purchased for him. If you suffer from keratosis or know someone who is driven crazy with it, let them know about this!

Palmer's Skin Smoothing Lotion retails for $9.95 for 250ml and is available from Priceline, Target, Kmart, Big W, Price Attack, Hairhouse Warehouse, pharmacies and supermarkets.

More information about Palmer's can be found here.

Have you ever suffered from keratosis?

 What producs from the Palmer's range do you love?

This product was purchased with my own moolah. Honesty, always.

Illamasqua Climax Lipstick

I adore this lipstick, but it does get awkward when someone asks me what I'm wearing on my lips...

Illamasqua Climax is something that I didn't pick out myself, but was chosen by Oonagh at the Myer Bourke St counter in Melbourne quite a while ago when I had her do my makeup. I buy most of my Illamasqua from her and love stopping by for a chat, though I never walk away empty handed! She is one of the best makeup artists I have come across both in personality and in makeup application skills, and I highly recommend seeing her if you need help finding something amazing or learning a new technique. Oonagh rave aside, on to the lipstick!

The packaging of Illamasqua lipsticks are really classy, with squared off edges in a sleek black design. I did have a bit of a problem with this particular lipstick as the bullet broke off inside the tube, which resulted in scratches up the side of the lipstick itself. I can still use it, I just can't be too rough when I'm applying it.

You can see the damage to the edge in this shot, and also the super cool Illamasqua detailing on the top of the packaging. It feels luxurious in hand without being really heavy, so I think it's the best of both worlds.

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Climax is described by Illamasqua as a dusty rose pink with a matte finish, and I'd say that is right on the money. I'm often wary of matte formulations as my lips aren't always in perfect condition, but this sets onto the lips without looking dry and stays that way. I find the matte formulation suits the shade, and it adds longevity which is a massive matte bonus. It feels comfortable on as well, so you're safe there.

 I sometimes like to pop a bit of sheer gloss over the top of this, when Oonagh originally applied this on me she popped Illamasqua Sheer Gloss in Soul over the top, which is described by Illamasqua as a shimmering champagne nude shade. I absolutely adored the effect but didn't pick up Soul on the day, so I'm planning on wearing Climax with MAC's Tread Gently Tender Tone when it arrives in the mail. I think the dusty rose shade looks amazing with warm golden shimmers on top! 

I think that Climax really suits my pale skin tone, but I think that it would be amaaazing on a darker skin tone as well. It lasts much longer than a lot of my lipsticks (haven't actually timed it, sorry) and it sort of stains the lips and fades evenly so it's great for long days at work or university. I'm really happy with my first Illamasqua lipstick purchase, and I know I'll be back for more in the future.

Illamasqua Lipsticks retail for 15.50 pounds in the UK and approximately $42.00 AUD. Illamasqua counters are at limited Myer counters in Australia, and a visit to the counter is definitely worth the trek if you aren't too close to one. I recommend both the Chadstone counter (see JeNelle, she is amazing) and Oonagh at the Melbourne Bourke St location.

What are your favourite Illamasqua products?

Have you had a makeover with them before?

What do you think of Climax?

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes

Being quite new to the beauty game means I haven't had years of finetuning application technique or finding my HG product list (yet!). I have spent my time, however, trying new things that come my way and trusting my gut instinct as to whether or not I like them. In my search for a 'perfect' mascara, I present Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes. 

Doll Eyes vs Bare lashes

My gut instinct says this mascara does good things for my lashes!

I've forgotten how I came to possess this sample size Lancome Doll Eyes mascara (have a feeling it might've been in a beauty sample box?) but I'm mighty happy that I've had the chance to try out a high end mascara for the very first time.

This 2ml sample excited me first with it's name, as I'd definitely love to have lashes like a doll! The scent that it possesses was another interesting aspect. If anything, other mascaras I've tried smell like chemicals, but never have I had one that smells of roses!

The smell probably won't be an awesome addition for those with super-sensitive eyes, but for me it's a nice touch that makes my mascara application in the morning a little bit of aromatherapy as well! This mascara doesn't smudge on me at all and I find the formula wears well, even on long days and into the night. It's not a very wet formula which I prefer, as it means less mascara splodges when my lashes hit my lids.

The brush tapers out at the end to make a sort of cone shape, which makes it easier to wiggle into the lashes on the very outer and inner corners of my eyes. I find that I'm still often too lazy to catch every lash on my way out of a morning (see photos for proof of this, wasn't my best application efforts!) but it's nice to know I've got a wand that is capable of it.

Wider shot of my mug which isn't flattering, but shows the difference quite well I think.

Overall I am really enjoying using this mascara. I do find that it stings if it gets into my eyes (for eg if I don't remove my makeup before I shower) but that is the case with most mascara so I'm not complaining. I will most likely repurchase this as a full size in the future, but will probably stick to cheaper priced mascaras for everyday wear.

Lancome Hypnose Doll Eyes mascara retails for $52 AUD and is available from David Jones, Myer and online at Adore Beauty here.

What is your HG mascara?

What mascara do you think I should buy when this runs out?
Drugstore options?

Feel free to leave any of your mascara review links in the comments below :)