Highend vs Drugstore: The Melting Gel Cleansers

  Ah, the debate continues...to splurge or to save? This post, as the title echoes, is about which melting gel cleansers are the best from highend beauty or drugstore: Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel or Yes To Coconuts Ultra Hydrating Melting Cleanser. They are both makeup removal/second cleanse contenders, and they both claim to do the same thing: hydrate, remove makeup, & leave skin feeling clean and hydrated. They both actually do all of these things and well, but they do have their slight differences that set them apart from each other...so which is better?

Let's start with highend: Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel has been, like other Clarins products, a cult favorite from their range; its scent is of the regular Clarins kind, a nice splash of herbal/medicinal and gentleness. This cleanser does it what saids on the tin, and then some for me. It removes every inch of makeup during the first round, including the eye area, which it is super gentle on. As you massage the gel onto the skin, it turns into an oil with impeccable slip, and emulsifies into a light milk once hit with water, no film left afterward. The skin is removed of all impurities and makeup, leaving it soft, hydrated, and calm. I always feel I can skip the second-cleanse step when using it (& I don't, but I have been closely tempted somedays...). It's another Clarins win for me, & I hate to admit that I had not tried this sooner; its developing into a staple for the long skincare roads ahead.

Drugstore: Yes To Coconuts Ultra Hydrating Melt Cleanser also does what it claims on the tube; a gel that turns into another great oil with slip to match, removes all makeup, yet advises to avoid the eye area...bummer; this won't be suited for the simplistic because you'll need to go in with another product to remove the eye makeup. The scent for me in no way matches the Clarins one, because it's a mix of coconuts and sunscreen. If you love both of those scents, this could be a year-round winner for you, but coconut isn't really my thing. Not to say that its not a good scent, but if I want a 'food' scent I enjoy a more spicy, herbal, or citrus aroma. I'll take a coconut drink, candle maybe... And the fact that it reminded me of washing my face with sunscreen everytime? Kind of a turn off...I enjoy sunscreen itself, slather it on everyday, but I don't need that fragrance in a cleanser, even though I'm just going to wash it down the sink and it doesn't linger.  Is that a bad reason to not enjoy a cleanser, despite doing it's duty well, is to naysay it because of its scent? 

As it were, these cleansers are both unique, yet the same, and both get the job done very well. The winner for me is the Clarins Pure Melt cleanser, because  I enjoy every single thing about it, and it can go all over the face, which isn't said for the Yes To Coconuts one. Yet, Coconuts still isn't a bad choice to pick either, especially if you love coconuts.

Respectfully, you can find Clarins Pure Melt Cleansing Gel for $37 to purchase here & Yes To Coconuts Ultra Hydrating Cleanser for $9.99 here

Review: Darphin Orange Blossom Oil

Why has this magical oil never been in my routines until a few months ago?? Oils are taking over the skincare game in all the right ways, and next to Clarins & Sunday Riley, Darphin is another great brand to look into if you're seeking out facial oils for your routines.  They have 7 different types of oil elixirs for every skin concern and need; the one I'm reviewing in this post is the Orange Blossom Aromatic Care for Normal Skin. 

It's claims to help brighten, smooth and purify the skin, which it does exactly that, and then some. I don't know what's in this that makes it do the magic that it does, but it also helps calm down redness from blemishes and essentially, help get rid of them almost over night. Again, I really don't know if its even supposed to do that, but it does, and I'm not complaining!

The citrus-orange scent is just so calming and comforting when massaging into the skin; great after a long, winded day. Whenever I'm struggling with spots, I use this alone as my nighttime moisturizer after my Biologique Recherche P50 1970; its super hydrating and just settles into the skin beautifully; my skin never feels tight and upon morning, its soothed, clear, and bright, all from this little bottle.

I do wish the bottle had some sort of pump or dropper, because at $80, having to pour a little out in my hand each time can cause you to accidentally over indulge a little bit and use more than you need; other than that, this has become one of my new favorite oils to use during the evening, alongside my MUN No. 1 Aknari Brightening Youth Serum. 

You can read up on more of Darphin's oils and purchase them here 

Product Review: Clarins' Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil

The most gooey, lovely oil that your lips will feel. I believe Clarins has mastered something that I have yet to come across in this big, beauty world of ours and have executed their first try spot on perfect with their Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil ($24).

From the formulation, to the cushiony dow-foot applicator, to the way it makes my lips look and feel, I fell in love with this product from the first nights use. I woke up the next morning to see my lips plump, full, as well as looking and feeling hydrated, soft, and smooth.

The texture is that of a lip gloss, though a bit more oily (duh), on the thicker side, with a slight tacky feeling after application; the intensity of the fades after sometime. For someone who loves lip gloss (not me), you will LOVE this on top of a matte lip to add that extra bit of unf, or for those who aren't much of a fan of lip gloss (over here!), this won't feel like a lip gloss at all, in fact you don't even have to wear out and about as a lip gloss, but as a nighttime treatment for your bedtime routine like I do.

I only wear/use this as a nighttime lip treatment within my skincare routine, and my lips are all the ever grateful for it. I don't own any lip glosses, I hate them rather, because of the gooey, sticky, tacky textures they leave behind...not to mention when half my head of hair gets glued to my lips, doesn't make a great look, personally.

At the end of the day, anyone that picks this up will love it! Whether you use it with your makeup look or throw into your skincare routine to pamper them lips up a bit, this is an all around winner for lips.

They come in 2 'shades'; I emphasize shades because the colors are very faint; you're not going to get a bold, glossy lip of color with these guys. I own just one of the shades, 'Honey' and the other shade from this collection is 'Raspberry' which is a nice berry-pink shade.

I'm absolutely thrilled that Clarins' decided to bring these babies back, hopefully permanently, since the praise of them are through the roof! It would be a smart move on their part I think ;)

You can find both shades still available on the Clarins US online store here!

Cleanser Review: Clarins Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream vs Extra-Comfort Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream

photo credit: amazon.com

When a brand discontinues your favorite product, the usual follows: crying, screaming, pulling your hair,  giving the company nasty looks through your computer screen...listen, we have all been there. I know I have, hence why I'm making this post about Clarins' Extra-Comfort Cleansing Cream. The Goddess of Skincare herself, Mrs. Caroline Hirons, got pretty much everyone on this planet in love with this jar of goo, even me. You can read her quick little review on the original here, and her thoughts about the new reformulation here.

Its a thick, rich, cleansing cream with that dynamite smell that Clarins is known for and that all fans of the brand absolutely adore. Its such an experience on the skin with using this cleanser, that I couldn't really remember loving a cleanser as much as this one prior. It makes you forget about every other cleanser that you've ever used (a bit of a stretch, maybe?) , because you never want to use anything else...except on the day that you found out it's no longer going to be sold, and that they are coming out with a reformulation of the product... whilst throwing in the verbage 'anti-pollution' in the middle of it.  ?!?!!? If you're feeling a bitch-face through your screens, its because I'm making a hard one. 

Listen: Clarins, next to La Roche Posay, are two brands that I hold very dear to my beauty heart, they were the first brands that I got into when I started my beauty adventure. I'm their ride or die chick so-to-speak, but sometimes you need to take a step back and literally be like, 'WTF BUT WHY?!' Even to your favorite brands.

At the same rate, I can't knock the new one till I try it, right? So, thats what I decided to do, I took the plunge once my Extra-Comfort ran (almost) dry (I left just a bit in the jar...no matter how much I got the urge to scoop it all out and slather it all over my body...just so I can compare the 2 for this post. The sacrifices that were made...). Long story short, I ended up loving the Anti-Pollution version as well, thus I deserved a swift kick in the arse for giving this one the cold, hard shoulder in the beginning. 

photo credit: clarins.co.uk

Its in no way shape or form like the original,  nothing beats it, nothing tops that luscious, glorious cream in jar. I still find it a shame that Clarins decided to do away with it, truly. But honestly, this new formulation isn't all that bad, really. YET, it fails to replace it.   

Differences: The obvious packaging change, from tub to tube. The color of the cream is also slightly different; the original was cream in color, while the reformulation has a very slight pink tone to it. And the consistency is quite different; the original being just a bit thicker and I feel a bit more easier to work with. 

With all that being said, I can't say anything negative about the reformulation itself, if anything, it gets the job done just as well as the original, and my face is just as happy with it. It still works well for dry, sensitive, normal and even combo skins types; oily and acne skins, you may need to step back from this one, it may be a bit much.

For now, I'm throughly enjoying the Anti-Pollution Cleansing Cream, regardless of all the gripe and fuss I keep making about Clarins discontinuing the original one, and will probably end up repurchasing it again once I run out. This cleanser is more on the expensive side, in most places I've checked, it ranges but usually goes up to being about $44 for the 200ml tube; though I purchased mine here for over $10 less than that; and I found another online beauty shop that has it for even less than that price, at $26, here, which seems to be the best price I've found thats available to ship to the US. 

If you tried both cleansers, how did one over the other fair for you?

Makeup Stash: Foundations

The main makeup product that I'm most picky about are foundations. Either I can never find one exactly my shade, it oxidizes too much, its too oily, matte, heavy...I seem to find more cons than pros with foundations & I don't know if its because I'm too damn picky or what but, foundation is kind of a big deal when it comes to makeup (& mascara, but thats for another post, another day) & so I think for me, that justifies me being so picky about them. I do heavy research before I go out & commit to buying any one foundation, because 1. they are expensive, usually & 2. for reasons stated above. The research I do means reading reviews, watch YouTube videos, the like.

Its also rare that I ever finish one up completely; the last one I did was Dior's 'Diorskin Nude BB Creme', which since I have repurchased but, I've also noticed that it oxidizes awfully pink on my skin now, & I don't know why. I've come to put that on the back shelf, sadly. I will tell you why I loved it though: it never felt heavy, it gave light coverage (BB creme after all) but it didn't separate, never irritated, & lasted for a good part of the day (with work thrown in between). Its sad that I can't use it anymore, I may try again during the fall/winter months, but thats a debate I need to take on myself.

Another BB Creme, which was a bit of a surprise to me on how much I ended up loving it, is the Physicians Formula 'Argan Wear Renew BB Cream'. Its this thick, hydrating & softening foundation that just sits on my combo skin lovely. Even though its a bit thicker in consistency than I'd normally like, in no way does it feel that way. There is a bit of a fragrance to this, but it fades away. Like Dior, I've never run into any issues on this one, & the fact that its super affordable, it will be a constant repurchase again & again & again...

Moving away from BB Cream's now...

The next 2 may not surprise many and I won't make this too lengthy due to the fact that you can find so many reviews & videos on these products. Chanel's 'Vitalumière Aqua Foundation' & Giorgio Armani's 'Luminous Silk Foundation': Both are standout foundations. If you want more of a medium-to buildable-full coverage, Chanel's your best bet out of the two. They both settle on the skin very smooth. Armani is less watery of the two; you really got to shake up the Chanel one before use or it will get slippery. I do notice that Armani clings to dry parts of my face at times, just a note for more drier skins. Also, these two give a more 'dewy' look to the skin so, if you're on the oily side, these probably shouldn't be your top picks but, maybe a matte primer or moisturizer before applying may help subdue that part. I will say that I do love the Armani one just a bit more, only because I was able to find practically my exact skin color in a bottle, which is like HOW WOW FANTASTIC THANK YOU. A lot of positive feelings here.

Clarins' 'Skin Illusion Natural Radiance Foundation': Its about medium, buildable coverage & consistency, probably almost or just as thick as the PF's 'Argan Wear'. Like the 'Argan Wear', the bit of thickness doesn't feel heavy on the skin. I found that a light moisturizer/primer works best underneath this foundation for best longevity & less of a chance of it breaking apart on. I noticed the first few times using it, it had the tendency to do this, mostly in my more oily areas & cling to drier patches, but hasn't since I started incorporating a lighter moisturizer (currently like to use Diptyque's 'Protective Moisturizing Lotion' underneath). I also like applying this with a particular makeup brush, Lancome's 'Foundation brush #2'; this flatter type of brush really helps this foundation disperse evenly and smoothly onto the skin for a marvelous application and look.

A little side-note, like most Clarins products, this does have a fragrance to it. Its not overly strong and  doesn't stay on the skin for very long...yet, if you are very sensitive to fragrances, I may read the ingrediegents list first and/or stay a way from this one, just to be safe. With that said though, I do really love using this and I have been picking this up more lately because it's been outstanding in Florida's summer heat and humidity. It gives such a nice, subtle, radiant look. Its not overly dewy or luminous (which can look more oily than luminous for those prone to oiliness). I'm rarely ever disappointed with Clarins, & this is no exception.

Getting Ready for Summer series, Part I: A Very Clarins Summer

If you have been following my instagram for a while, you know I am a Clarins girl through and through. From their skincare, bodycare and makeup, they always (for the most part) get the nail on the head. And when it comes to sun protection & enhancement, its no different.

With summer comes the dreadful rays & heat, we need to protect our skin from that (everyday though folks, not just during the summer!). With my Getting Ready for Summer series, this first part is going to get into what I use to stay protected from the sun, getting that summer glow,  and ending with 2 little figure-boosting lotions to help define and contour the silhouette for the bikini season ahead. 

The most important step to prep for summer is some good SPF protection. Clarins has a different variety of ways to protect yourself this summer, depending on your own personal preference, with a lotion or oil; and they are known and widely popular for having some of the best suncare products out on the market today. In lotion form, I love to use their Sunscreen Care Cream Broad Spectrum SPF 30 ($36) option. It smells lovely and doesn't leave any greasy or oily residue; it dries into the skin nicely. What I really love about this, its targeted and recommended for sensitive skin types, so even the most sensitive will stay protected with no irritations whilst promoting a more evened tan, on top of being water resistant. Another option if you're not a fan of lotions, they have a sunscreen oil spray, with the Sunscreen Care Oil Spray SPF 30 ($36). This is great for both body and hair, while not making you an oil-slick on either areas. This also helps get an even tan, while being water and sweat resistant. Also, don't forget that you always have to reapply sunscreen (after 80 minutes for the lotion and 40 minutes for the spray, respectfully).

*Non-Clarins sun-protection notable mentions: I have loved the Korres Red Vine Year-Round Hair Sun Protection for a few years now & it continues to be my staple year-round when it comes to hair sun-protection. This is strictly for use on the hair only, wet or dry, and can be used everyday if desired. It doesn't weight the hair down and smells divine. This one is a bit harder to find in the states; I managed to find one from feelunique.com for $16 here. NOTE: UK shipping to the US takes longer and times vary from state to state. Another notable mention is by La Roche-Posay with their Anthelios 60 Ultra-Light Sunscreen Fluid. Another brand for having top-notch suncare, this sunscreen for the face is absolutely outstanding. I am on my second bottle of the stuff; with its slight-matte, non-oily finish...on-top of having an SPF of 60 thats works great for sensitive skins, its worth the $29.99 tag. The packaging and size is also so convenient for travel. You can find LPR and their sun-range numerous places in the states, such as Ulta, CVS, and Walgreens to name a few.

If you're not a big fan of messy spray tans or laying out for time on end to get that natural, tanned glow to the skin, than you're in luck!! The Golden Glow Booster's for face ($30) & body ($45) are probably the most easiest way to get that 'natural', sun-kissed glow to the skin that I've found on the market. All you need to do is take a few drops (number of drops vary for face & body) of the glow booster and mix it into your moisturizer(s) (it doesn't have to be Clarins-brand) and apply as you normally would with your day cream and/or body cream. NOTE: you can not use this alone. you must use a moisturizer with this; they advise this on the packaging and online. After one use of this, my skin has this 'natural', light glow to it; you can also build it up with everyday use to your desired tan-level, the more you use, the more glow & tan you get. I like to use it about 2 days straight, just to add a slight touch of color to my skin, and I absolutely love how it comes out. No streaking, no funny smells, no orange-skin, and you really can't mess up with this one. You can't get much easier when it comes to self-tanning! The sizes are small & great for travel as well.

SPF? Check! 
Tan? Check! 
Now, just a little lift and contouring of the figure...

With continued use, the Super Restorative Redefining Body Care ($94) & Body Lift Cellulite Control ($70-$99) will help redefine your 'silhouette' as well as help correct and prevent cellulite in troubled spots. Whether these actually do their full purpose, I can't say 100% that I have seen turnaround results, yet these feel great on the skin nonetheless. I feel more of a difference with continued use of the Redefining lotion, but love the consistency of the Cellulite Control; at the end of the day I do love both, and it doesn't hurt to apply a little extra help where needed (it gives me that little extra boost of confidence, don't judge!). 

I'm all set and ready for summer! 

What are some of your favorite, summer-time must-have products that weren't mentioned? Or any of these that you tried and loved as well? Share your products and experiences below in the comments!

***disclaimer: i was not sponsored or paid for by Clarins (though would love to be :x) or any other brands mentioned in this post. i bought all of these products on my own.***

An Inside Look at my Beauté Cabinet

I posted a picture of whats inside my bathroom beauté cabinet  some time ago on my instagram page, though I failed to list what exactly is inside it...than again, characters are limited on instagram just as twitter (expect with a bit more wiggle room), so I couldn't list every single bit. Well, today's post was a spontaneous one, but thought since I have some extra free time to knock out a post today, thought this would be a good one to do. This has changed and been updated a bit since and I won't be going into any descriptions or reviews of these products on this specific post, but I will try my best to direct link every product mentioned with where you can purchase. If you guys would like a post with more in-depth detail(s)/reviews/etc on everything here, leave a comment below on this post or send me a message on instagram or twitter!

Now, let's get on to it...I will be starting from the bottom to top, left to right.

1st shelf: Cleansers/Mists (& 1 eye cream)

• Emma Hardie: Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm, (200g, $78.40)
• Diptyque: Multi-Use Exfoliating Clay, ($65)
• Clarins: Extra Comfort Cleansing Cream (discontinued, bummer)
• Mario Badescu: Chamomile Eye Cream, ($18)
• Institut Esthederm: Osomoclean Hydra-Replenishing Cleansing Milk, (on sale for $25.50)
• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Rose Hydrate Calming Creamy Cleanser (not available in the U.S.)
• Tata Harper: Purifying Cleanser, ($58)
• Clarins: One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser with Orange Extract, ($35)
• Boscia: Clear Complexion Tonic, ($24)
• Caudalie: Grape Water, ($18)

2nd shelf: Makeup Removers, Tonics, Moisturizers/Creams

• Institut Esthederm: Osmoclean Osmopure Face and Eyes Cleansing Water, (on sale for $32.10)
• Vichy: Purete Thermale 3-in-1 Calming Cleansing Solution, ($17)
• L'Oreal: Clean Artiste Waterproof & Long-Wearing Eye Makeup Remover, ($6.99)
• Sephora Dispense Pump Bottle: Bioderma Sensibio H20, (prices vary)
• Bobbi Brown: Lathering Tube Soap, ($29)
• Pixi: Glow Tonic, ($29)
• Clarins: Toning Lotion with Camomile, ($24)
• Clinique: Mild Clarifying Lotion, ($13.50)
• Institut Esthederm: Osmoclean Hydra-Replenishing Fresh Lotion, (on sale for $25.50)
• Embryolisse: Lait-Crème Concentré, (2.6 oz, $28)
• La Roche-Posay: Toleraine Soothing Protective Skincare, ($28.99)
• Clarins: HydraQuench Cream-Gel, ($49.50)
• Antipodes: Rejoice Light Facial Day Cream, ($36.70)

3rd shelf: Oils, Serums, Masks, Treatments

• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Rose Hydrate Miracle Makeover Facial Oil, (not available in the U.S.)
• Bella Mechelle Cosmetics: Citrus Boost Oil Serum, ($10.99; get 15% OFF your first order with promo code 'JBEAUTE', ends 6/20/15)
• Klorane: Smoothing and Relaxing Patches w/Soothing Cornflower, ($21)
• Antipodes: Divine Face Oil, ($27)
• Clarins: Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil, ($53)
• Sephora: Pomegranate Eye Mask, ($5)
• Freeman Beauty: Pineapple Enzyme Mask and Facial Clay Mask with Avocado & Oatmeal, ($4.29 each)
• Kypris: Antioxidant Dew, ($67)
• Decléor: Aroma Cleanse Clay & Herbal Cleansing Mask, ($42)
• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Rose Hydrate Intense Moisture Mask, (not available in the U.S.)
• Charlotte Tilbury: Goddess Skin Clay Mask, ($70)
• La Roche-Posay: Effaclar Duo Acne Treatment, ($36.95)
• Super Facialist Una Brennan: Vitamin C+ Brighten Glow Boost Skin Serum, (not available in the U.S.)
• Bite Beauty: 5 Night Fix For Lips, ($15)
• Sheyn Skin Co. : Breakout Control Mask & Spot Treatment (sample, full size is $53)

Skincare Routine: Night

Sorry for the delay on this post, finally found the time to sit down & type this baby up.

Get your tea ready folks, this will be lengthy one…

Pre-Cleanse: Again, with the pre-cleansing. Like I said in the last post, for my pre-cleansing I stick to micellar waters because more times than not, they are gentle enough for all skin types, even sensitive. My choice of micellar waters change now & again, but for nighttime use I love using Bioderma at the end of the day because it removes EVERYTHING, & isn’t that the point? ;)

Cleanse: I have been loving cleansing balms. I was late to the game of balms, but its better late than never, right? Best switch I ever made to be honest. My favorite cleanser of all time (too bold?!) is the Emma Hardie Amazing Face Moringa Cleansing Balm. I can literally just go on about how much I love this cleanser but, I’ll save that for another day with another post (& also because I just ran out & am going to try something new…I will switch back to it in time…). 

At the moment I am using the Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm. I am still trying to get used to the non-lux feel of this particular one; & unlike the Emma Hardie one, there is no fragrance (which is great for a lot of sensitive skin types). I can’t give a good review of this particular one just yet, considering I just starting breaking this in less than a week ago but, fingers crossed this can be a cheaper & viable replacement of my beloved moringa one.

Toner: Again, I go back to using the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Hydrating Toner.

Treatment (if needed): If I need to put a halt on a breakout(s), my current treatment that I reach for is Dermalogica’s  Clear Start Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment. Now, from my personal use of this product (it has been some months now), the title is misleading. For me, this doesn’t help clear my spots overnight but, it does help clear my spots in a few days time. I don’t get severe acne, more times than any it’s always hormonal, regardless this still does the trick. There is no burning or redness either, which I have experienced with almost all other acne treatments. And, it’s also quite affordable at $19, with a little going a long way so this will last those people who have the occasional breakout a very long time.

Eyecare: Like the morning, I use two different eye creams at night. One that you read in my morning skincare routine, the Boots Hydrating Eye Cream, I use the same way as I do in the morning, around the contours of my eye. For under eye treatment, I am currently using the Body Shop’s Vitamin E Eye Cream. It claims to help reduce the appearance of dark circles, fine lines, puffiness, etc. NOTE: I do not have heavy dark circles or puffiness so, I am unsure how this would work on those that do. For me, it shows with time but, I haven’t seen a complete disappearing act of the dark circles just yet. Though in the morning, my under eye area is so soft, hydrated, & smooth. The price point on this is pretty good as well; a plus is that there are usually great sales always happening either on The Body Shop’s website (& in-store) or Ulta’s website (& in-store) so always look out for those if you can.

Serum: Serums have been tricky with me; I can never tell if its actually helping or doing nothing to my skin, all I know is that I love Vichy’s Idéalia Life Serum. It’s supposed to improve skin pigmentation & give a more youthful appearance. Now, at 26 years old, I don’t know if I actually need to be looking more youthful than I already do, yet, in some way, over time (on my third bottle of this stuff) it has shown to improve my skin discolorations due to old acne scars. It has taken a lot longer than 8 days (another claim by Vichy) to see any kind of dramatic difference, so that claim also tends to be a bit misleading (personal opinion). Patience is a necessity when it comes to noticing a difference when using any kind of skincare product, & my patience is slowly starting to show and pay off, which makes me appreciate this product even more.

Oil: Oil is another new thing that I have let sneak into my skincare routine. With my combination skin, I never thought oil can help oil but, apparently it does just that. By the recommendation of another beauty blogger, Jess [who runs the amazing blog called Making It Up, check it out here], I decided to pick up & try my first oil by Clarins, with their Lotus Face Treatment Oil. Like the Clinique balm, I have not been using this for a long time so I can not say much about this yet; patience & time shall only tell. I love mixing this & my nighttime moisturizer together & have high hopes of letting more oils into my skincare routines in the future.

Moisturizer: I surprised myself at how much I actually really love this particular moisturizer but, than again, it is by my beloved Clarins. I use their Multi-Active Night Youth Recovery Cream for Normal to Combination Skin. This is yet another anti-aging product, though these have seemed to work best for my skin. It has medium consistency, & even when mixed with the oil, my face never looks or feels like an oily mess. It takes a few minutes to sink in, & when it does, my skin feels hydrated, comforted, & soft. When I wake up in the morning, my skin does look more radiant & awake like I got a good 8 hours of sleep in (even on those days where I don’t!). I am on my second pot of this baby, & this is a moisturizer that I will always have on hand.

I also exfoliate usually about twice a week, where I switch up products and/or the order that I use these products above in. I will make a separate post coming next with all that info.

Where to Purchase Products Mentioned In This Post...

• Bioderma Crealine Micellar Water , $35 (500ml) or $28 (250ml)
• Emma Hardie Moringa Cleansing Balm , $55 (100ml)
• Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm , $28.50
• The Body Shop's Vitamin E Hydrating Toner , $13
• Dermalogica Clear Start Breakout Clearing Overnight Treatment , $19
• The Body Shop's Vitamin E Eye Cream , $18
• Boots Beautiful Skin Rich Hydrating Eye Cream , $14.99 (currently on-sale at ULTA for $12.74)
• Vichy Idéalia Life Serum , $39
• Clarins Lotus Face Treatment Oil , $52
• Clarins Multi-Active Youth Recovery Cream , $62

check out & follow my instagram, where i update daily about the ongoings of my beauté life!

Skincare Routine: Morning

My morning skincare routine doesn’t vary quite often but, just the same I rotate out products once I use them up unless I see a significant difference, which in that case I would repurchase certain items here & there.

First things first…

Pre-Cleanse: I have been getting into the habit of pre-cleansing; which essentially is just a prep-cleanse before my actual cleanser. I am not saying that you NEED to pre-cleanse but, it helps along in the process of being able to help the skin get rid of dirt & impurities. My pre-cleanse cleanser (for nighttime as well) is & has been a micellar solution. For the morning, my pre-cleanse is Vichy’s 3-in-1 Micellar Cleansing Solution. From what I have seen, majority of micellar cleansers are great for sensitive skin types & have become a staple in the beauty world when it comes to the best kind of makeup-removers. I use this one by Vichy by soaking a cotton pad & gently swiping it across the face, which lifts up all dirt & impurities (your face does get dirty while you sleep!), which reveals a soft, clean complexion. I also find this particular one the best eye-makeup remover (better than Bioderma even, gasp!). After the prep is done, I get down to where the real action begins with my skincare.

Cleanser: I like using milk cleansers in the morning & in general; milk cleansers never dry out my face (unlike gel & foam). I find them to be relatively gentle as well, while leaving my skin clean, soft, and hydrated most importantly. This cleanser will vary every once in a while, unless I absolutely LOVE the cleanser I am using, such is the case with the Clarins Gentle Cleansing Milk w/Alpine Herbs, for Normal or Dry Skin. I put a little bit in the palm of my hand and put a little water into it, and massage it over my face, eyes, and neck, than proceed to take it off with a dampen a muslin cloth (flannel or wash cloth). For me, this is very gentle on my sensitive eyes (it may not be for the extremely sensitive though) and very calming on my skin in general.  I have come to have a bit of a love affair with Clarins over the last few months (a wonderful one at that!).

Toner: Toner’s and I have this love/hate relationship, so I don’t usually use them every single day but if I do, I spray it on rather than wiping it all across my face (I will get into that with my nighttime routine). The one that I love to spirtz on is by The Body Shop from their Vitamin E line. This is a great shot of hydration in the morning, absolutely love it. It has a very light scent that’s calming as it is pleasant. This line will pop up again within my routines.

Eyecare: I like to use two different products for eyecare in the morning. Firstly is Clarins Eye Contour Gel, which refreshes and cools my sensitive, tired under-eye area in the morning; it awakens those babies up! I personally love using eye gels in the morning because I find them to be more beneficial but, thats just a point of preference rather than any kind of skincare rule. The only thing that I don’t like about this particular eye gel is the packaging. The little tube just seems to sometimes have a mind of its own and the product comes out without me having to lightly squeeze the tube…which in turn starts to waste the product…which in turn makes me sad. I have the same problem with another Clarins product because its in the same kind of tube, grr. 

Getting over that…

The second eyecare that I use is by Boots, the Beautiful Skin Rich Hydrating Eye Cream for my     eye contour & right under my brow bone; areas where dryness occurs. This is great in hydrating and moisturizing that area perfectly; no other extra benefits with this one, does what it saids on the tube & the price point is pretty spectacular as well.

Serum: For serum, I go back to the Body Shop’s Vitamin E line with their moisture serum. I always need that extra boost of moisture to combat the dryness that my combination skin has. This serum is so light and soothing when applied to the skin & you just need a little bit for all day hydration. 

Moisturizer: I switch off between two moisturizers, depending on the kind of day. For more of an everyday (school, work, errands, etc) I like to use the Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream. Now, I don't necessarily  need to worry about wrinkles just yet, regardless, this is still a great day moisturizer suitable for all skin types. No oily residue, no neglect of moisture, just a perfect pot of everything in one. When I know I will be away from home all day, I switch it with the Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré. I also use this as a makeup primer, and the makeup stays in place ALL.DAY.LONG. Probably the best 2-in-1 because you get the hydration from the creme as well as your makeup looking fabulous all day long. LOVE this multi-tasker!!

Next post…Nighttime Skincare!

That post will be even longer so make sure you grab a cup of tea beforehand…


Where To Purchase Products Mentioned In This Post...

• Vichy's Pureté 3-in-1 Cleansing Solution , $17
• Clarins Gentle Cleansing Milk w/Alpine Herbs , $31
• The Body Shop Vitamin E Hydrating Toner , $13
• Clarins Eye Contour Gel , $36
• Boots No7 Beautiful Skin Rich Hydrating Eye Cream, $14.99 (currently on sale at Ulta!)
• The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisture Serum , $21
• Clarins Multi-Active Day Early Wrinkle Correction Cream , $59
• Embryolisse Lait-Crème Concentré , $16 (1oz) & $28 (2.54 oz)

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