Wipe it off, wipe it off!

This is one of the stranger hauls I have done.

I suddenly had an urge to go and buy makeup remover wipes.  No idea why.

I used to use these frequently, my favourite was the Priceline Beauty Essentials Make-Up remover Wipes for Sensitive Skin and still have some stashed away, but once I was introduced to Micellar Water I lost interest in the wipes.  But these days I find that I come home from work and my skin feels really heavy and icky, and the micellar water is not enough to get rid of the "greasy-dirt" (oh how appealing) sensation.

Thus the face wipes.  They have a bit more heft than the micellar water so I wont need to rub away as much.  My plan is to use the micellar water in the morning as I have been doing - excellent for getting rid of the stuff that accumulates overnight and not too drying.  Then in the afternoon when I get home from work, use a wipe and finish up with a single cotton round (instead of 3 cotton rounds, I wear much makeup...) of micellar water.

I bought some micellar wipes to have in my handbag for days when I need to refresh/redo my makeup at work - such as long days with Parent Teacher Interviews and Info Evenings.

Not surpisingly these are all aimed at dry and/or sensitive skin. Some are from Woolworths (Safeway), some are from Chemist Warehouse.  This haul was driven by the sales/specials at both - if you wait, it'll be on sale at some point.


From Woolworths (Safeway)

Simple Regeneration Age Resisting Cleansing Wipes (25)

Simple Kind to Skin Micellar Cleansing Wipes (25)

Smartskin 25 Moisturising Facial Cleansing Wipes (25)

Woolworths Select Daily Balance Gentle Facial Wipes (25)

Chemist Warehouse
Nivea Pure and Natural Facial Cleansing Wipes (25)

Byphasse Micellar Make-up Remover Wipes (25)

So over the next few months or so I'll have a battle of the Make-up Remover Wipes and fill you in along the way!
What things have you randomly hauled for a specific item?

Any suggestions for other Makeup Remover wipes for dry and sensitive skin?

The Sunscreen Edition UPDATE!!

So way back in October in 2015 I did a post on my Suncreen Haul.  I had intended using each for a week and then updating, but thought it would be better to go the whole spring and summer before updating so I could tell you my opinion based on longer, daily use.

It will be short and sweet because there was a clear winner.

If you recall, I was comparing the Nivea Sun Light Daily Face Veil SPF 30, Olay Complete Defence Moisturisiing Lotion SPF 30+ and Hamilton Sunscreen SPF 50+ Everyday Face Cream.

The winner, that I have used ALL summer, is the Hamilton Sunscreen SPF 50+ Everyday Face Cream,  I will definitely repurchase once I've used it all up.  This did not irritate at all.  It sinks into the skin really quickly and because its tinted there is no white cast.  I did not get burnt (sun or chemically) while wearing this at all.  Its gold!  I have only found it at Chemist Warehouse.

The worst - Nivea Sun Light Daily Face Veil SPF 30.  I used it for a week.  I could not use it anymore.  It irritated my skin and was not a nice sunscreen to apply.  I'm using it up by using on my arms/legs.  It is going nowhere near my face.

Meh - Olay Complete Defence Moisturisiing Lotion SPF 30+.  It did not offend me, but it did not wow me like the Hamiltons.  I will try to use this up before I repurchase the Hamiltons.

What is your favourite Suncreen?

Priceline 40% off Skincare Haul! (Jan 27-28 2016)

Back from Holidays with a Haul!
The time from Christmas to Australia is very busy for me because of family comittments.

Priceline.  Darling.  You set my heart a-flutter.

Also, I'm on a no-buy from now until April so I actually finish off items from my last haul and general collection.
I had a list this time I went to Priceline, and I kept to it.  I'm quite pleased with myself (smug maybe even).  I've been feeling a bit "meh" with my routine - both full routine and short routine, so this was an ideal time to get a few items to change up my routine (also why I hadn't posted for a while - meh feelings make meh posts).  I'll do a follow up post on my new routine, why its changed and how its changed in a month or so, giving me time to incorporate the new items and how they worked.

There was definitely a theme in my shopping this time.  I started off by looking at items I've thought about buying for a while (like the Ponds items).  I then did some proper research on items that have my three favourite ingredients : hyaluronic acid, ceramides and niacinamide.

I don't know if I'm better at reading ingredient lists OR Western Skincare companies have upped their game with skincare ingredients.  I think it might be a mix of both.

I know, shocking, no Nivea creme.  Because I still have tubs left and my mum gave me hers and I gave her my Restorderm.  I don't go through it so voraciously in summer.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast Mains Barrier Repairing cream - This is very soothing and good for irrtated skin.  You can layer it thinly or heavily for a mask.  It feels somewhat siliconey but I like that, it also works well under makeup as a primer in a pinch.

Neutrogena Hydroboost Sheet Masks 5 pack - I've heard some pretty good reviews of these and I do like to try new sheet masks and if I can get them from Priceline on sale, even better.

Neutrogena Hydroboost Night Concentrate - Wanted to try something different for my night routine.  It doesn't feel super heavy and sinks in quickly from the patch testing I've done.

It's blue! The little specks disappear when you rub the cream in and don't irritate.

Nivea Pure and Natural Soothing Day cream - I'd tried and used an item from this range before which I really liked so thought I would grab this (so much hype about their Cellular Range that this seems to have been forgotten).  A nice rich cream, hopefully will keep my skin nice in the AirConditioned classrooms.

Typical thick white cream. Doesn't leave a white cast when rubbed in though.

Physiogel Daily Moisture Therapy Intensive Cream - I've waxed lyrical about this in a previous post and got some more.

Physiogel Daily Moisture Therapy Lotion - a lighter version (duh) which I bought in a smaller bottle to try after being impressed with the Intensive Cream.  This has become my daily morning moisturiser.  I much prefer it to Restoraderm.

Pond's Hydra Revital Aqua Collagen Serum - I keep on investigating Western Skincare serums as I feel that the Eastern serums tend to have too many botanicals in that have caused allergic reactions.

Pond's Hydra Revital Aqua Collagen Toner - Again wanting to try more readily accessible toners that I can use in different ways.  This has some different ingredients to other toners I looked at.

Simple Kind to Skin Soothing Toner - I bought the travel size on a whim in the last sale.  And its become my daily toner of choice, so decided to grab the full size.This has allantoin and niacinamides in very high on the ingredients list!  Really rare in drugstore/Priceline toners!

Trilogy Certified Organic Rosehip Oil - I've nearly used up the rosehip oils I bought last year and there were many rave reviews for this particular one.
  (Side note - SO MANY Rosehip oils were blends of different oils!  Read the ingredients carefully!)

What did you get at the sale?  Did you freeform or have a list?

When Freebies are Besties : Physiogel Daily Moisture Therapy Intensive Cream

I've been on a bit of a mission to find moisturisers (both face and body) in Australia that contain ceramides. This has been more difficult than anticipated.  Why dammit?

So ceramides?  Ceramides are important in preventing water/moisture loss through the skin as the molecules hold onto water molecules.  Unsurprisingly people who have eczema have fewer ceramides in their skin, so using products that contain ceramides helps to refill these levels and also restore the skins barrier.  Now that my skin has stabilised from the Imuran I want to maintain my skin barrier as best I can so I don't have to go back onto Prednisolone.

I have Restoraderm in my collection, but that's on the pricier end of drugstore moisturisers ($25 for 250ml) and it does not rock my world.  I tend also to only buy this on special.  I know that Ego QV and Cetaphil are always recommended for dry/eczema/sensitive skin but my skin reacts badly to some of the QV creams and I didn't care much for Cetaphil, it was very "nothing".

One of my friends got the Priceline Skincare Goody bag several weeks ago and one of the items in the bag was the Physiogel Daily Moisture Therapy Intensive Cream.  My friend has the opposite skin type to me, so this was far to greasy for her.  Thus I acquired it.

So far I know that this is available in 100ml at Priceline for $14.  Which is on par for the Restoraderm.  However this has a much shorter list of ingredients and my skin liked this product more, there was something in the Restoraderm that made my skin feel uncomfortable.

Ingredients : Aqua, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Butryospermum Parkii Butter, Glycerin, Pentylene Glycol, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Hydroxyethylcellulose, Squalane, Carbomer, Sodium Carbomer, Xanthan Gum, Ceramide 3

I like the fact there are very few "filler" items in this list.  There are several ingredients that are helpful for the skin - squalane is a component of our skin and when used in creams it acts as an emollient and keeps moisture on the skin.  Shea butter is also quite high on the list, shea is very good for dry skin and eczema prone skin. Glycerin helps to draw water further into the skin.

This cream is a medium weight (Nivea creme would be heavy weight, Restoraderm is light weight to me), spreads easily and sinks in very nicely without leaving a tacky feeling.  My skin feels softer after applying this and the fast absorption makes it idea for the morning.  This also layers nicely under Nivea creme for a night time treatment.  I've nearly finished the tube and am scraping all of it out!

I've done a bit of research and have found that nearly all the Physiogel products have ceramides in them so I plan to buy some different creams and see how they perform.

What ingredients have you been on missions for?