It is exam season, wohoo! And so I do what I do best, procrastinate. This time I want to show you which products I have used up over the past few months.
Dr. Stuart's Detox Tea: dandelion root, burdock root, peppermint and spearmint are supposed to detox the body. Do I believe in it? Not really, but it tasted really nice. Repurchase: Maybe.
Garnier Body Repair: this one is for really dry skin, so it is very rich, yet it is quickly absorbed by the skin and doesn't leave any greasy residue. Repurchase: Maybe.
Alverde Body Butter: again this one is for very dry skin. It is a litter rich than the Garnier body repair, since it is a butter. It stays longer on the skin, which I like, and leaves your skin silky smooth. Repurchase: Yes.
Dove Original Deodorant: nothing special to see here. Didn't love it, didn't hate it. The smell is quite powdery. Repurchase: No.
L'Oreal Elvital Nutri-Gloss Crystal Shampoo: this one has glitter particles in it to make your hair look extra shiny. Didn't really work on me, but it is a decent shampoo nevertheless. Repurchase: Nah.
Lavera Face Moisturiser: Your box standard moisturiser. No fuzz. It has very few ingredients and is very gentle, yet moisturising. If you have super sensitive skin, I would recommend this to you. For me it was a little too 'simple'. Repurchase: Not at the moment.
EOS lipbalm: the red one. Strawberry, maybe? I like their lipbalms, they are 99% natural (I think) and stay on my lips for a long time. Back in my Roaccutane days, this and Aquaphor were the only products I would use on my lips. Already repurchased.
Batiste Dry Shampoo: 3 of them. I am not a HUGE fan, however they are the best I have tried so far. They leave my hair feeling quite heavy, the smell is completely overwhelming, in a bad way, no matter which one I have tried so far. They also leave a white cast on my hair, which I really have to work in until it is invisible. Repurchase: Until I find something better, yes.
NYX Blush Taupe: Love it. It is the perfect contour shade for pale skinned people like me. Repurchase: Yes.
L'Oreal Telescopic mascara: This has always been and probably will always be, my favourite mascara. Very lengthening, not so much volumising. Repurchase: Yes.
Rimmel Stay Matte Powder: This is the best setting powder I have tried so far. It wears beautifully throughout the day and doesn't look cakey at all. Repurchase: YES.
Rimmel Wake Me Up Concealer: This was a decent concealer. Light enough colour-wise, but too light in coverage, in my opinion. Repurchase: No.
L'Oreal True Match Concealer: in the shade 2. This has a very yellow undertone, which I love, and has a good, medium to full coverage. Already repurchased.
p2 Mascara: Could be a dupe to the Telescopic one, but it is not as good an dried out very quickly. Repurchase: No.
CD Deodorant: Aluminium free. That is the only upside to this one. Repurchase: No.
L'Oreal Elvital Oil Magique: this is the best hair oil I have tried so far. Makes a huge difference to my haircare regime. Repurchase: YES.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Cleanser: I really like it. It left my skin feeling smooth and it was very gentle. But I ran out of this soo fast! Repurchase: No.
The Body Shop Vitamin E Moisturiser (Intense): This was such a lovely night time moisturiser. Very rich ans smooth. Felt very luxurious on the skin. Repurchase: Maybe (b/c of the price).
Lavera Milk Cleanser: I am already on my 6th bottle of this. Do I need to say more? Repurchase: Always.
Micheal Todd Charcoal Mask: Very gentle, yet purifying. Because it contains hyaluronic acid, I didn't find it drying at all. Unfortunately it is really hard to get your hands on here in Germany, so repurchase: no.
Rituals Tai Chi Shower Foam: to be honest, I was a little disappointed. I heard so many great things about their shower foams and in my opinion it is simply overpriced for what is does. And the smell wasn't great either. Repurchase: No.
Balea Shower Gel and Peeling: I don't think you can go wrong with Balea shower products. So affordable and they do what they promise. Repurchase: Yes.
Weleda Cold Cream: Not an everyday moisturiser. This one is really thick, so more for cold rashes and what not. The smell was lovely. Repurchase: No, bit only because I have my beloved Aquaphor.
Dolce&Gabanna The One Rollerball: LOVE it. It smells quite vanilla-y, but also quite woody. Some described to me as, when you smell it on a cold winters day, it makes you feel warm. And as strange as that might sound, it is true. Repurchase: I asked for the bigger version for Christmas, so yes.
Lush American Cream Conditioner: Very lovely smell. Like cupcakes. And it left my hair incredibly soft, especially since it doesn't contain silicons. But it is quite pricey. Repurchase: Maybe.
Guhl Hair Shampoo for Sensitive Skin: I like Guhl shampoos. Apparently the are concentrates, so you only need very little product. Unfortunately this exact product left my hair feeling a bit dry. Repurchase: No.
Chanel Moisturiser: I'm sorry, I don't remember the exact name of this one! But it was how you would expect Chanel products to be. Repurchase: No, unless I'll win the lottery.
Maybelline Fit Me Powder: Didn't love this. It didn't really mattify my face and it didn't last very long. Repurchase: No.
Catrice Eyebrow Gel: Love it. It has fibres to fill in any gabs and it comes in two different colours. Basically a dupe to the Benefit gimme brow. Already repurchased.
Hübner Augenbalsam: I wanted to like it because it contains hyaluronic acid. But I am not too sure about it. It was quite moisturiser, though, but I am not sure if any other moisturiser would have had the same effect. Repurchase: Maybe, one day.
Paula's Choice BHA 2% Exfoliater: This was the very first exfoliater I used, therefore it will always have a special place in my heart. But I have to say that I am not blown away by this, despite the great reviews on the PC Website. Repurchase: No.
The Body Shop Aloe Vera Moisturiser SPF 15: This one broke me out when I first tried it. Then I gave it another try after my Roaccutane course and it was fine. I liked it, because it contained SPF. The smell really put me off. Repurchase: No.
I am sorry this was a long one! I'll speak to you soon. Oh and also, this is my very first post for 2015, so happy new year! :D
- Julia xxx
¡Hola! What's up? Over the last few weeks I have been collecting garbage. Well...kinda. Basically products that I have used up and wanted to share with you.
Quick overview of all the products. Very exciting.
Lavera Handcreme (Organic with Almond- and Sheabutter) - This is the best handcreme I have ever tried. Therefore it is already my second tube. It is really nourishing but sinks in within seconds.
L'Oreal Elvital Total Repair Extreme Reconstructing Conditioner - This is a conditioner I just tried because it was on offer and I must say that I do like it. Compared to the Lush one I am currently using it is not my favourite, but it does the job and leaves your hair feeling really soft. But full of silicone probably.
Alverde Repair Shampoo Grape and Avocado - This smells vile, like some cough medicine I had to take when I was a child. And it also left my hair feeling coarse. In the end I just used it to wash my brushes with.
Lush Aqua Marina x2 - This is a face cleanser and apparently I must really like this because I had two of those in my Empties- Bag and I totally forgot about them. I would this cleanser is great for oilier and/ or acne prone skin. And it did make a noticeable difference in my skin. Smells a bit fishy though, but I was able to get past that because it's just a great product.
Lush Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask - This is a face mask for acne prone skin with Garlic! What is it with me and bad smelling things?! This smell made me gag a bit, not gonna lie and it didn't work THAT well either. I am not gonna repurchase this one, for sure.
And another picture of the open Lush containers, just so you can see that I am not a liar.
Dr. Hauschka Face Mask - Really moisturising and soothing and it is natural, so you can't go wrong with this one. You can even apply it underneath your eyes and leave it on for as long as you want. Big thumbs up for this one.
Dr. Hauschka Ice Plant Body Lotion - This is just a life essential. Always. I have incredibly dry skin on my arms and this is the only thing that can soothe the dry-, itchy- and redness.
Luvos Face Moisturizer with Healing Earth - This is great for all skin types, except if you have really dry skin. Like really really dry skin. Otherwise this is perfect. Not to heavy, but still moisturizing enough and it helps keep blemishes at bay. Also perfect as a primer underneath make up if you have slightly drier skin. Unfortunately for me, since I am on Roaccutane at the moment, this is not enough for my skin, but I can see myself repurchase this after the 6 month course.
Dermalogica Precleanse - This was just a sample, but I thought I'd still mention it. To be honest I don't really get the concept of a "precleanser", doesn't double cleansing with your regular cleanser do the trick? I mean, it was nice and everything but I think it's just a money maker.
Lavera Cleaner for Dry Skin - It says "foam" on the bottle and that was what kept me away from it for the longest time. But my bought it and I tried it and fell in love. It is not drying at all and really light. I'm already on my second bottle.
Clinique Take the Day off Cleansing Balm - This was my very first cleansing balm ever, after I read about cleansing balms on Caroline Hirons blog. And once you use a cleansing balm, there is no going back. But really. Cleansing balms are the best. Especially this one from Clinique since it is so gentle and doesn't contain a bunch of unnecessary ingredients. BUT ever since I ran out of this, I use plain old coconut oil and it works just as well.
Lush Breath Of Fresh Air Toner - Didn't do anything for me. I initially bought it because I read so many good reviews about it. Since it contains tea tree oil and what not and it's supposed to help with breakouts. But the effect was just like I was spraying water on my face. And the spray- thingy squirted out way too much product and made your whole face wet (that's what she said- I don't know about you, but I am cringing over here haha).
MAC Eyebrow Pencil Fling - Nice colour. Way too much money for an eyebrow pencil and way too little product, though. I ran out of this after 3 weeks of using it. Not cool.
Manhattan Tasty Lips Peach - A shimmery, peachy browny lipgloss that isn't sticky and smells of peaches. Excuse me? Does it get better than this? I don't think so. Already repurchased.
I am going to "Back to Lush" the three empty containers and you're allowed to choose one face mask for it. Do you have any recommendations for their face masks? Thanks ;)
- Julia xxx
I know I haven't been posting as regularly these days and that is because Uni has taken over my life, once again. So please bear with me here, I'm trying my best to balance everything and eventually everything will settle down.
Now I have been on Roaccutane for over one and a half months now and with the change of my skin comes the change in my skin care. My skin is (still) nowhere near perfect and I still break out quite frequently and don't even get me started on the acne scars. It is certainly not the hardest part but it kinda sucks not being able to do anything, since I can't use anything harsh on my skin during the 6 month Roaccutane course.
Being back at Uni, I have noticed that within the first week my skin went crazy and started breaking out again. Maybe it came with the stress/ nervousness (even though I am not that stressed yet). My other guesses where that I am either allergic to the washing powder or the water just isn't as clean, since I live in a bigger city and my skin is just being a diva over it.
Be that as it may, I had to change my whole entire skin care routine adjusting to the circumstances.
I have found a few products (mainly in my mom's little cupboard over the sink), which I would've never tried without my mom introducing me to them or at least encouraging me to use her things, which is weird since she is not into skin care at all and just buys whatever falls into her hands and I am the total opposite.
Now in all the years I have been struggling with acne, I have never, not once, found a product that REALLY worked for my skin and where I could actually see a difference over the course of one week/month. Duh. That's why I started taking heavy (legal!) drugs. But I am so happy to say that these products I am using at the moment make all the difference. Of course I am still on Roaccutane and one could say that it's only due to that, but when I stop using these products, even for one night (!), my skin gets worse again. So without further ado: the products.
Starting of with cleansing. I like to double cleanse in the evening and believe me when I say: This makes all the difference! Before trying it out myself, I wouldn't have believed it either, though. I know everyone always says that you shouldn't go to bed with your make up still on, so I used to use whatever cleanser I had laying around and quickly took of most of my make up. Out of sheer laziness. What a mistake I can tell you now. You have to take off your make up first (properly) and then also clean your skin underneath.
So first I use the Dermalogica Precleanse and rub it into my dry skin and over my eyes. Then I apply some luke warm water to my face, so it turns into a milky liquid, and I rub some more, gently. Using a washcloth, which I run under hot water, I take everything off. Then I use coconut oil and massage it into my skin. I really massage my face, and let me tell you, it does not feel great. I learned it from Caroline Hirons (my Queen) and again, this makes all the difference! Make sure to take your time here, it will be worth it. Using the same washcloth rinsed under hot water, I take everything off.
Make sure you change your washcloth on a regular basis. I don't use mine more than two to three days in a row. And you don't really need the Dermalogica Precleanse, I just need to use it up, but I find substituting it for coconut oil as a precleanser works just as well.
After that I use another cleanser, yes you have heard me right, but this time not a balm cleanser but a 'regular' (?) one. Now my mom bought this and when I saw that it said 'foaming' on the bottle I had to give her a little bit of a lecture. BUT I have tried it myself and it only foams because of the dispenser. Once you work it into your skin, it doesn't foam, hallelujah!
Another product which my skin loves is the Dr. Hauschka Clarifying Toner. Now I believe I have talked about this before, but somehow it just can't be the same. I formerly said that this product does nothing for my skin and was a little bit of a waste of money. Again: BUT, my mom bought herself a new one after she ran out and I used it for a few days (because why not, when it is sitting there anyway :D) and I noticed that my skin has gotten significantly better. I didn't put it down to this product, though, more so to the drugs. Then after moving back into my dorm room and not being able to use my mom's stuff, my skin got worse again, like I said. So I decided to splurge and see if my skin would get better again when using this product, and it has. I don't know why, though. Have they changed the formulation or something? Whatever it is, I love it.
The last few steps involve moisturizer. A lot of moisturiser. The Dr. Hauschka toner is a little drying but over all my skin is just super dry at the moment anyway. The best moisturizer is by far the Lush Celestial Moisturizer. It is super moisturizing and gentle and it also just contains good stuff.
Fun Fact
A dear friend of mine has suffered from neurodermatitis (or atopic eczema) every since she was a baby and she found out about Lush around 4 years ago. Ever since using this exact moisturizer, her neurodermatitis has improved SO much and never came back. She even uses it on her body. For years her parents and doctors have tried all kinds of creames and methods and nothing worked, until she stumbled across this Lush moisturizer.
Rambling over.
And for my eyes, because I already have fine lines around my eyes (I AM 20 FOR GOD'S SAKE, sorry), I use the Hübner Augenbalsam with hyaluronic acid.
Ok, so this was a rather long blogpost, I am sorry. But I did have a lot to tell you about. If you found this interesting then stay tuned for a morning skin care routine sometime this week.
Talk to you soon!
- Julia xxx
I have pretty bad skin but I have found a few products which work pretty well at keeping my acne at bay (as far as that is possible) and still moisturizing my dry skin.
I do have mild acne with blackheads, whiteheads and big spots (sorry for grossing you out here) but at the same time my skin is very dehydrated and I can get dry patches all over my face if I don't take care of it.
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| Cleansers |
I like to use my Clinique Take The Day Off cleansing balm, especially when I am wearing make up that day, because it feels really good on my dry skin and it removes every last trace of my make up. It even removes waterproof mascara within seconds.
I massage it into my dry face for 30 sec. to 1 minute and than add a little bit of warm water and take everything off with a muslin cloth.
After that I use the Avene Clean-Ac cleansing creme to really deep clean my skin. This is a soap-free cleanser that is super gentle and won't dry out your skin.
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| Exfoliators | |
For chemical exfoliators I usually use the Paula's Choice 2% BHA Liquid which helps to get rid of my spots and fade my acne scars. So it does make spots disappear faster but it doesn't prevent them from coming at all. To change it up I like to use my Alpha H Liquid Gold once or twice every week, to help my scars disappear even faster and to brighten dull skin. As a spot treatment I am still using up a sample of the Avene TriAcneal gel, which is a thick yellow-y gel with glycolic acid. I put a thick layer of it on any of my big spots and though it doesn't get rid of them overnight, it really heps to reduce their size.
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| Masks | |
When I am not too lazy, I try to use a mask at least once a week. My two favourite masks are the Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcol Mask and the Avene Cleanance Mask.
The Origins mask is a grey charcol mask, which really helps to draw out the dirt in your pores. I like to use it before I go to bed and I can see a clear improvement in the appearance of my skin the next day.
The Avene Cleanance mask is again with glycolic acid. You're only suppossed to leave it on for 5 minutes since it is so aggressive. It also helps to make my spots fade quicker and to brighten my skin.
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| Moisturizers |
Because my skin is so very dry, I have to use a thick moisturizer at night. I am currently really liking the Lush Celestial moisturizers, because it is super hydrating, it's natural and it doesn't break me out. I find it really hard to find a thick moisturizer that doesn't break me out, so the Lush one is perfect.
For my lips or any super dry and cracked skin, I use the Eucerin Aquaphor Healing Ointment which works wonders! I am absolutely obsessed with this stuff. It is a great lip balm but it also helps to heal small cuts.
