Lash lash, baby, lash lash, Current Mascaras!

I've been quite good in the past 12 months about changing mascaras every few months.  I am prone to eye problems so try to be vigilant about stuff like that.
I also randomly sanitise my eye products with ethanol.
But I digress,
Current favourite mascaras!

I've been playing around with a newer one, a stashed one, and a random purchase that was my reward for surviving a particularly tough week at work.
All of them have little rubber bristles - I did not realise that at all until I took photos.  But I have mentioned before that its my favourite brush type.

First up - Essence Plump no Clump (I think it's now discontinued?)
This is a nice natural looking mascara (by my standards).  A light coating that says "hey I have lashes and they are pretty" without being too dramatic.  And sometimes thats what you want from a mascara.  Just a little icing on the cake. The brush is a monster and I think I would use it more if it had a smaller brush.  The product is a really nice consistency and the brush doesn't get too much on it, so only minimal wipeoff needed.

Maybelline Lash Sensational
My new fav!  I was late to bandwagon for this nabbed one during the last Priceline 40% sale.  I have fallen in love.  So much in love that I've already bought a replacement from Chemist Warehouse.  Oh this just works so well.  I think it works better than last years favourite from Essence.  And you know it will be in a sale sooner rather than later so no fear of having to buy it full price.  With my allergy eyes, I don't want to pay heaps for something.  It is a wet formulation, but not a runny wet like Rimmel.  This has a heavier gel like consistency and builds nicely, but you do need to take off a lot of product when you take the brush out.  The little tiny combs on one side a great for getting mascara on the base of the lashes.

Revlon - (The one with the midget brush) Ultimate All-In-One
Ok.  I did not expect the brush to be SO DAMN TINY.  But it works.  I think I'll like it more as the formula dries a bit.  Same performance as the Essence one above, so in terms of saving money, I would repurchase the Essence mascara over this one (if it was still around).  It is a bit fiddly with the midget brush to get the lashes, more time and effort compared to the Lash Sensational.  So I'm a little "meh" on this one. I have much fear of stabbing my eyeball with this midget brush.

What's in your current mascara rotation?

Update - Face Wipe Haul

Some of you may remember this post.  Where I went nuts and bought 6 different types of makeup remover wipes to try.

So far I've tried out :

Byphasse Micellar Water
Not bad - does a really good job of removing eye makeup!  Heaving mascara and eyeliner combo were removed fairly easily.  My face did feel warm afterwards and a bit "soapy" compared to using micellar water and cotton rounds, so I need to either rinse my face or use the cloth just before I shower.  So its not actually suitable for the job I wanted it to do - which was be able to be used which at work or out if I need to clean off my makeup.  The cloth itself is soft and pliable, actually feels like a piece of fabric but is not itchy.

Smartskin
Erm, not overly fond of these.  The formula irriated my skin and the cloth was not gentle as well. These have been relegated to be used as hand wipes to use them up  Definitely not going near these again.

I'm currently up to the Simple Age Regenerating wipes, which have been the best so far.  They dont leave a residue on my face at all and the cloth is quite gentle, so when going over my eyes, it doesn't rub and irritate.

So thus far, some "Mehs", a "No Way" and good progress on another!

Do you have any other recommendations for me to try out?  What ones have I missed that should try?

Stalking the Bae again! ChiChi Viva La Diva lipsticks

I tend to go through makeup phases - obsessed with eyeshadows and playing with new combos. Finding the perfect My Lips But Better lippie (I think I have 3  5 now...).  Stalking brands I like on Instagram (ChiChi and Australis in particular).  Foundations - my sensitive skin yearns for a light cover, thus the 15 or so foundations/bb creams I have.

You get the gist?

Myer had a 40% off ChiChi this weekend.  Oh My, that beat the Target 30% off ChiChi.  I really like the ChiChi lippies (cos the tubes are sexy and the lippies smell of turkish delight, oh and they last ages on me).

I already had a vivid purple - from my purple lipstick obsession November/December 2014.
Super Duper Dope.

So bright.  So sassy.

Through various purchases in 2015 I had collected a few (many) more.

I now have this :

Must be true luv...

I knew this time around I was not after a pink or a purple.  So ended up with:

Hollywood Wannabee, Urban Chic, Flirt

That went well.  Only one deep fuchsia.

Top to bottom : Hollywood Wannabee, Flirt, Urban Chic

Of these, my favourite it Flirt, its the brighter version of My Lips But Better.

I was only plannig on getting two - Flirt and Urban Chic, and then my eyes spotted Hollywood Wannabee.  I checked my photo I had taken of my ChiChi collection and discerned that I did not have this tone.  It is brighter then in the photo but not Barbie bright.

I really like the finish of these and they last nearly a full work day - including morning tea, lunch, coffees and waters.  I only reapplied at the end of lunch break.  Some of the deeper shades - reds, burgundy and dark purple - they stain my lips so I didn't really need to reapply, unless I want the full bold colour again.

The matte shades are not a finish like the Australis Velourlips - where its a dryyyyyy matte.  These still have movement which is why they aren't as long lasting as the Velourlips.  Much more comfortable however.

This is the one brand of lipstick that I seriously collect.
Whats your favourite makeup item to treat yourself with?

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?

Sheet Mask Review : The Face Shop Real Nature Red Ginseng

Its been a while since I've done a mask post, to be honest I haven't used a mask in ages because my nose has been blocked and masks just felt too smothering.  

This mask is from a mid-year haul I did from RoseRoseShop.  I have had samples of Red Ginseng creams that I really liked, however the creams were quite expensive (I think around $58 for 30ml) so I thought I would try these from The Face Shop - I generally like their masks and haven't had any allergic reactions or major irritations from them so far.

This mask came in a 3 pack and worked out to AUS$3.74 - so $1.25 a mask.  Which even with shipping is a third of what you might pay for a single Face Shop mask in some shops here in Australia.

I didn't have a plan for which mask to wear - it was a spur of the moment idea and thought I might as well try something I haven't before whilst my skin is in a happy place.  The mask is means to be a hydrating mask so better for normal to dry skin.

Red ginseng itself has compounds in it (ginsenosides) that are anti-inflammatory and have some anti-oxidants in them.  This makes red ginseng useful for dermatitis, dry, inflamed skin.  Wooo! Because of these ginsenosides the collagen levels in skin are also boosted, which makes the skin have more moisture and look smoother.

The mask itself is the usual heavy cotton but this time instead of being plain old white, it was a pale rusty colour.  My understanding is that this is from the red ginseng and the cocoa present.  I cant tell you if there was any smell to this because I have lost 95% of my sense of smell from Imuran.

The mask in the packet did not come out sopping wet like the Aloe and Rice masks do, however there was still a good 10ml of essence in the bottom of the packet after I took the mask out.  I spread the rest of the essence on my arms and legs and they seem to have benefited from it.

The mask was nice and easy to wear and did not tear when I unfolded it.  It also did not make my face tingle, sting, itch or burn during wearing - I had patch tested it earlier and that seemed fine but I have had masks that are ok in patch tests and then with the mask itself, irritate my skin.  Around the 20min mark it started to feel dried out and I took it off.  Its summer over here and I had the Air Con blasting so that might be a reason why it didn't last 30mins like the Aloe and Rice masks tend to do.

The next morning my skin was not in any way inflamed or such, in fact it looked the opposite, clear and smooth.  Not dewy or brightened - I didn't expect that because that was not the purpose of the mask.  However when I cleaned my face with micellar water I noticed the cotton pad came away with some of the same colour as the essence!  Not overly disturbing, and nice to know that the colour didn't sink into my skin.

I have two left of these and there not a mask that has "wowed" me, so I dont have it on my list to repurchase.  But I do plan on looking for more Red Ginseng masks to try - what ones would you recommend? 

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?

Reddit made me do it. Covergirl ClumpCrusher Mascara

I value reviews from other people and while on the AustralianMakeup reddit forum I kept on seeing positive reviews of ClumpCrusher from Covergir.

Then Woolworths had 50% off Covergirl.  Seriously the AusMakeup forum is damn good at finding and announcing sales.  Good times to be had!  Many dollars to be spent!

Reader.  I bought the mascara.

Now you ask why is that a big deal?
Well I've never really liked Covergirl after some incidents (allergic reactions) with their foundations many years ago and they just seemed to be a "no-go-zone".  This is the ONLY Covergirl product I own.

But this mascara is awesome.  The brush is the rubber bristle type that I favour and this stuff layers really well.  Its not an overly wet formula and dries quickly so that the layers don't clump (der).

I reach for this most often now and it can be a light day time look or a heavier night look depending on the layers.

The photo below shows naked lashes (right) and double coat of the ClumpCrusher (how I normally wear it).  This is a really light-weight mascara and my lashes don't feel heavy or sink down from multiple layers.  Nor do I feel my lashes underneath my eyebrows - if you've never experienced it, it is a seriously weird sensation.

It also helps blend my real lashes and false lashes when I wear them (another phase I'm going through - Daiso lashes.  Yes.  Many many Daiso lashes have been bought).

I was worried that I was allergic to it but realised that it was my sunscreen when it got into my eyes (science experiment - wear mascara on a day when you don't wear sunscreen.  See if eyes get itchy.  Such Science. Many variable. Wow.).  Results in - not allergic to it, which is a bonus.
Would I repurchase?  Yep. But only on sale.  I've yet to find a mascara that I'm willing to spend more than $10 on.  I've yet to find a mascara that beats my all time favourite from Essence.

Sheet Mask Reviews - Nice Rice and Blah Bamboo

Two sheet masks, from different families, both alike in dignity.

But no.

Missha 3D Bamboo Sheet Mask - I bought this in April in one of my first hauls from RoseRoseShop.  I dont like it. It has a design that makes it "3D" by having a seam down the centre to join two halves.  But the fabric is CRISP.  It did not soften with heat from my face during the 15 un-fun minutes I kept it on for and it did dry out in that time frame.  There was not much essence left in the packet after as well.  Something in the ingredients irritated my skin slightly, or the fabric itself.  I did not see that much of a result from this.  I wont be repurchasing this and probably wont try others in Misshas 3D range.

Disappointment City

Oh but this mask!  Sasatinnie Rice Soothing Face Mask - I purchased this from Sasa in June.  I got three and wish I had bought more.  This has rice, hyaluronic acid and other goodies in it that my dry skin just loves.  This is the opposite of the Missha mask above.  I would say that this currently is my favourite Rice Based Sheet Mask.
I've left this mask on for up to 45 minutes and there was around 15 ml of essence in the packet which I decanted into a dropper bottle and used over the following days.  I wanted to use up all of the essence and if they sold the essence in a bottle I would definitely buy it!!

So unassuming yet such a star performer.
Much love.  Such wow.

The licorice noticeably brightens my skin. This is a very nice list of ingredients but I think the rice and licorice are the standouts. 

What sheet masks have surprised you or disappointed you?

Heeeeeeeeey-heya Bae-By! ChiChi Pretty Palette

Sooooooo.

Got another ChiChi Pallete.

And its not a new one (though my heart yearns for the new Summer Palette that is limited edition).
I am surprised by this purchase because I have sampled and poked and examined most of the palettes and this one hasn't really caught my eye before.
But all of a sudden it was "I wish to add you to my collection.  Now.  Get in my basket", and lo - she came home with me.

She's so pretty, she's so fine.

Add she's mine!

I think after I got the Sunset palette that this suddenly made sense to have. The coral in the centre, plus the purples and blues are the main colours that spoke to me.  Again pigmentation is lovely - you only need a light touch to get a colour hit.
I wore the blues to a hen's party the other week and they lasted from 2pm to 9pm easily.  My face was still all "done" when I got home.  I actually over did the blue when I applied it and used the matte soft pink (4th from left) to tone it down.

Have you bought any of the new ChiChi palettes?  Or suddenly fallen for an old Palette?

Sheet Mask Review : LoveMore Rosa Hybrida Whitening Mask Sheet

Le Sigh.
Short and sweet today.

In case we had not figured out yet, I love roses : the flowers, the scent, the turkish-delight.
This mask did not make me sigh with joy or satisfaction.

The scent is a lovely light rose, so that was nice.

But apart from that, ehhhhh meh. I think I only left it on for 15 minutes.  This was not a soothing mask for me.  The sheet was very thin and a bit delicate - I think I prefer something heftier in my masks.  The mask has a blue backing plastic and another fabric-y backing so you need to take it out of another package after you take it out of its package.... I don't mind one backing layer but this was fiddly and I was worried I was going to tear the mask itself.

There was something in the ingredients which irritated my skin, so there was a "reddening" not a "whitening" effect.  And that is not desirable.  I cant pinpoint exactly what it was however which is somewhat useless.  I am going to assume it is not the rose ingredients them-self as I have used pure rose water before with no irritation and currently use a rose-water based toner (my routine has changed....massively.  Update as soon as I get the photos done!).  Maybe the sea-water (which I can test as I have amassed quite a few "sea-water" based masks) or a preservative (which does seem more likely with my allergies).

It came in a box of 5, so I will give it another whirl, but if its still irritating then I shall gift them to my sheet-mask buddy.

Would I repurchase - no.  I have several other rose flavoured masks to try in my stash (I, uh, counted them yesterday and I have around 118 sheet masks.  I've got a fair few to get through) and this was not memorable enough to be repurchased immediately (like the SkinFood Snails - got two backup boxes in my last haul from RRS!!).

What favourite flavour/ingredient of yours has let you down before?

Mask review : Sexy Look Moisturising Cotton Mask

Such Sexy Look.

Much Black.

Moisturising!

Wow!

This mask is lovely.  Just lovely.

I think I'll leave it there....

This was a mask I picked up in July in my random city haul.  No idea what it did - just read the ingredients on the back and liked the sound of them.  Very much masking on the edge sometimes.

Ingredients: aqua, glycerin, hydroxytheyl urea, calendula officinalis flower extract, cistus incanus flower/leaf/stem extract, gama amino butric acid, phenoxyethanol, chlorphensin, camellia sinensis leaf extract, hematite extract, ribes nigrum fruit extract, iodopropynyl, butycarbamate platinum, fragrance.
*just be careful of urea if you have inflamed/red skin.  Great for dry but not inflamed skin.



The mask itself is a heavy black opaque cotton that is full of essence.  It stayed on for over 30mins without drying out and my skin was bea-u-ti-ful afterwards.  This is definitely on my repurchase list when I go Melbourne again, if I can find a box of 5 I would be delighted.  I wish I could buy a bottle of the essence alone.  My skin was soft and dewy and bouncy for the rest of the day - I did this in the morning.


Ninja time!  I totally sent this to my friend who is also into sheet masking.>>>>>


Have you ever just bought a mask and found it was wonderful?
And also felt bad-ass while wearing it?

Mizon WaterMax Moisture BB Cream

I have been on a hunt for a BB Cream as my skin has improved and I dont need 6 layers of foundation.
Here in Australia BB creams are, shall we say, orange.  Great for tanned skin.  I dont tan.
I tried Garnier (got it in a subscription bx that shall not be named), Nivea (let down city), samples from Maybelline (but Maybelline foundations always oxidise on me.  Not their concealers however..) and swatched Australis and my beloved Rimmel.
All were "Nopes", not even a "if I work it into my skin really well can I make it work?".  Oh and Australis oxidised like hell - my hand looked like someone had drawn a line in fake tanner.

So when I did my large haul from RRS I saw that Mizon had a BB cream that was also in their "free Shipping", and it was a respectable price, so I put it in the order.

Ingredients: Aqua, ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate, cyclomethicone, titanium dioxide, glycerin, butylene glycol, cetyl ethylhexanoate, sodium hyaluronate, cyclopentasiloxane, dimenthicone, crosspolymer, cetyl peg/ ppg-10/1 dimethicone, dsodium chloride, trehalose, natto gum, rosa hybrid flower extract, biosaccharide gum-1, sodium pca, sorbitol, glycine, alanine, proline, serine, threonine, arginine, lysine, glutamic acid, iris florentina root extract, viola mandshurica flower extract, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) extract, glacier water, sea water, betula platyphylla japonica juice, hydrolyzed coralline officinalus extract, butyrospermum parkii(shea butter), mangifera indica (mango) seed butter, olea europaea (oluve) fruit oil, helianthus annus (sunflower) seed oil, oenothera biennis (evening primrose) oil, disodium edta, polymethyl methacrylate, Ci 77492, Ci 77492, Ci77499 , phenoxyethanol, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, fragrance

It is a hydrating BB Cream - I have not found a BB cream for dry skin in my search from Australian shops.  They were all (the ones I tried) for normal, or even oily skin, essentially containing salicylic acid and mattifying ingredients.  So that in itself was another point towards this product.

I am please with how it has turned out.  It is a close colour match for my Rimmel foundations, just a touch greyer but that does not faze me overly as once you do the rest of your makeup you cant see any grey.  This BB cream doesn't inflame my skin at all (giving dark looks to a Nivea BB cream) and it doesn't dry out over the day so I still have a nice soft dewy look.  If my skin is a little flakey it will "catch" on the flakes, so use this on moisturised skin so it has a smooth base - or use a primer.

I cant use it when my skin is inflamed however, as it is too sheer for that even when layered and I think it oxidises if I layer it under my Rimmel foundation, but by itself it works very well.  I will definitely use this up.  If I cant find a better one (also trying out samples of Etude House Precious Minerals BB creams) I might repurchase it.

What BB Creams have impressed you recently?

Product Review : 3W Clinic Fresh Collagen Mask Sheet

Another sheet mask!

This is a simple one from 3W Clinic.  I bought this in a 10 pack off RRS waaaaay back in April and it was 80% so it may depend on how long stocks last (I tried ordering another type, but they had run out when I put my order in - but today 6/7/15, they still had these masks on the website).  I wish that RRS included an ingredients list - sometimes its really hard to find the ingredient list via Google.  Same with Sasa.  Just show a photo of the ingredients even!

This was the first sheet mask that really got me into the whole "lifestyle" of sheet masking - I had used random masks here and there but this was a purposeful bulk buy so I could mask more frequently.  I think I've used around 5 of them thus far.  They're a great go-to mask if you're not sure what your face needs in terms of treatments but really want to sheet mask (like after marking 60 exams in one day).

For me, there is not distinct perfume apart from the scent I now associate with Asian Skincare (like how my "It's Skin green base" smells and my Mizon Snail Ampoule smells).  Kinda sciencey and clinical.  Which I dont mind at all.  Having said that, I have a shocking sense of smell!

I leave this on for at least 15 mins, up to 30mins. I want to find one of the Daiso silicon mask cover to see if that helps at all.  There is a generous amount of essence with the mask which I think helps with it lasting longer and not drying out quickly.  There is usually around 10mls left in the packet after taking out the mask.
As per usual I will have layered some toners and serums/ampoules before putting this on.

I love the moisture I get from this mask.  The collagen is very low on the list, so a "token" nod to collagen.  If it had been labelled as a "Hydrating Mask" probably more apt.  I think the glycerin and sodium hyaluronate do most of the hard work here.  Good thing my skin likes to drink those two ingredients up!  This is a nice mask to use in the morning as well - I wear it while I watch the morning news while I'm waking up and having my coffee (hey coffee masks...ooooh),  My skin can get ridiculously dry during the day and my makeup looks dreadful by lunchtime and I've observed on days I mask in the morning I still look decent by 3pm (end of classes).

I've got a large stash of masks I'm going through at the moment so I'm not in a hurry to repurchase.
What sheet mask got you into the "lifestyle" of sheet masking?

High Tea Sandwiches on my face - SkinFood Premium Lettuce & Cucumber Watery Emulsion

This is an emulsion, which is a step commonly found in AB routines, not so much in Western.  Emulsions are similar to light moisturisers, and some people might find this enough as their final step, but this fits into my routine at step number 4 (or 5 if I do a mask) out of 9.  My routine is based around getting moisture into my skin as I have dry and dehydrated skin.

Full Size, 140ml

I bought this as a sample pack first after doing some research on it, because I'm always hesitant to go full on and buy a full sized item straight off the bat.  I started using the sample when I had finished another set of samples and was waiting for an order to arrive.

Its a very light cream, halfway between a serum and a cream.  The bottle has a small opening and you have to top the bottle onto your hand to get some out.  I use around 1/6th of a tspn.  It would be more convenient in a squeezy tube or if the bottle had a pump.  The bottle itself is a clear minty plastic by the product itself is white.  It has a mild fragrance that really does make you think of cucumber, its not an offensively strong fragrance and it disappears after you tap it in.

I think that this product has helped to fill a "layer" in my moisture sandwich.  I now notice when I don't use this product.  My skin will get drier a little earlier and be more prone to flaking. Its not a precious like my Snail Ampoule, but I am enjoying using it currently.  It is budget friendly and cheaper than the Avene Skin Recovery Cream I was using instead.  I dont know if its any better than the Avene, but being a 1/4 of the price (RRS), I am happy to use this.




If anyone has the ingredient list I would really like the link please!  I cant find the ingredients in English.  So I am hoping that this is full of nice and friendly things.

Snails?! Snails ^_^ Mizon Snail Repair Intensive Ampoule

One of the items I picked up in my first RRS haul was the Mizon Snail Ampoule sample pack.  At first I used it only at night - I test every thing at night so if things go nasty I can re-wash and treat then sleep through the worst of the flare up.  This was the first AB product I fully introduced to my routine.

Full sized bottle (30ml)

Hello darling

Liquid Gold Magic Snail Stuff

I'd tried a snail mask I'd picked up earlier and was VERY impressed by the results I got from the mask and so decided to dip my toe in the sea of snail products.

I've been able to use this on my skin when it's in various stages of irritation.  It helped immensely clear up the most recent reaction.

Ingredients:

Things that do stuff.  SNAILS!!  Also sodium hyaluronate is very high as well as glycerin and pantenol (humectants doing their things).  Copper peptide is interesting because it is shown to help with healing in the skin and is anti-inflammatory.

I used this after my toner which my skin was still damp and was able to use a small amount to cover my face, between 1-2 drops (2 drop is a fullish dropper like below) and pat this onto my skin.  It is a bit "gloopy" and heavier than my Indeed Labs Hyaluron serum, but my skin drinks it all up.  I apply this also before I apply a sheet mask, which seems to help amplify the moisture absorption.

I now have 3 bottles of this precious ampoule and am using it both AM and PM.  It is definitely a game changer for me in terms of improving my skin in terms of "bounce", smoothness, and recovery from flareups. I have noticed that a skin flare up now recovers in a matter of days instead of two weeks.  In my eyes that is simply amazing.  

 I purchased it through RRS for around $14 AUS for a 30ml bottle.  After I had decided to buy the full size, RRS was out of stock for a bit and I was sad.  So when it was back in stock I bought up.  From purchase to receiving the delivery is usually 2 to 2.5 weeks (including weekends), which I am quite happy about.  This is also in the "Free Shipping" category at the moment with RRS which is why I bought multiples - its all about making the most out of your shipping "space" as well.
I have not found an Australian product that does the same for skin at such a price.  Even my Hyaluron serum is normally $30.  And don't forget the Dr LeWinns Diamond serum that is $70 (which does NOT SPARKLE, I was very disappointed when I tested it in Priceline.  No Sparkle.  Oh, didn't really do much either)  So to get something that is budget friendly and works a treat makes me very happy.

Mizon has a range of snail items that I am slowly acquiring.  I have noticed that some brands have "bee and snail" together which are very popular on the AB reddit forum, however I am allergic to bees and would probably need my epi-pen if I tried any of those.

So unless I find something better, I will be sticking (heh) with my Snail Ampoule.  If my skin is happy, then I'm happy.

What has been you skincare game-changer?

Product Review: The Face Shop Aloe Mask

I read somewhere in the past week that sebum decreases in the skin during winter.  Which might partly explain why dry skin flare ups can happen more frequently in winter. Also external factors like heating etc.
I have epic dry skin right now.  It is ridiculous.

Today's mask (which I have just had on my face) is The Face Shop's Real Nature Aloe Mask.
I purchased three of these from RRS in my April haul, this is my second use of this "flavour".  It's a very soothing mask and provides great hydration.
Side note - I'm going to start masking every day I think because of how dry my skin is <sigh>

I took about 14 photos.  Only one worked,  I really need to start taking photos earlier in the day with better light and when I am more awake.  My poor little camera tries it best, I'm just impatient.

Ingredients:Water, glycerin, aloe barbadensis leaf extract, butylene glycol, alcohol denat, betaine, sodium hyaluronate, xanthan gum, hydrogenated lecithin, dimethicone, phaseolus radiatus extract, betula platyphylla japonica bark extract, rumex crispus root extract, carbomer, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, triethanolamine, methyl paraben, propyl paraben, fragrance

phaseolus radiatus : Mung Bean.  Listed as being good for cooling the skin, helping irritations and removing toxins.  Slightly anti-septic as well.
betula platyphylla japonica bark : Japanese White Birch.  Various studies (1) show that this helps reduce flare-ups of atopic dermatitis (maybe I need a vat of this alone!)
rumex crispus root : Curly Dock (I admit, I read this first as Curly Dork and laughed for a bit - I am in post-exams and post-report exhaustion) Also used to treat skin inflamamtions (like psoriasis and dermatitis)

Again there was around 10 ml of essence left over in the packet.  I'll use that in my routine tomorrow morning.

The scent is mild aloe, very inoffensive.  Soothing, easy to fall asleep with this on.
I left this mask on for 30mins tonight and was just beginning to dry out along the edges, but was still quite damp and I wiped the extra essence on my arms (sharing the love).

Unless I find another Aloe Mask that is better than this one, I will always keep a few of these in my stash.  Lovely times guaranteed!

How do you keep your skin hydrated in winter?

Sheet Mask Review : Skin Food Hydro Fitting Snail Mask Sheet

It's the time of year for a teacher in Australia where there are mid-year exams and report writing happening AT THE SAME TIME.

Life just stalls for the month of June and then we have July holidays to recover.  I hauled hard and sensibly in May because I knew grown-up decision making would not happen with shopping in June.

Anyway, since jumping on the AB Train I have well and truly fallen in love with wearing sheet-masks (look there might just be an uber-order of masks coming from Sasa).  And snails.  

Snails get on mah face!

So today I'm reviewing a mask I got in an order a month or so ago (mixed order for myself and my brother whose skin a opposite to mine - that was a challenge).

Box of Happiness (snail angels singing)

Oh hi me in the shiny reflection

Comes with 5 in total.  I am rationing these delights of my life.

Ingredients 

Water, glycerin, dipropylene glycol, butylene glycol, alcohol, snail secretion filtrate, PEG-60 hydrogenated castor oil, hydroxyethylcellulose, xanthan gum, cellulose gum, disodium EDTA, methylparaben, phenoxyethanol, parfum

(I am too brain dead to analyse the above apart from SNAILS - and no plant allergens wooooo).

There is around 15mls of excess essence! I decanted it into a handy-dandy Daiso bottle and have been using since my Mizon Snail Ampoule samples ran out and I am waiting for my new bottles to arrive from RRS (lets just say my AM and PM routines are now longer, better, happier).

I always apply a hyaluronic serum before a mask (cleanse, tone, serum, mask) because I am trying to shove as much moisture into my skin as possible.

This type fitted very nicely (so far the best fit of the sheet masks I've been using) and the hydration was amazing.  I always have a tingle at the beginning of a mask - due to very sensitive skin - but my skin was glowy and bouncy after this.  I kept poking it and going "bouncy".  Bouncy skin was very rare before the AB routine.  

Heh - "bouncy".

If you like snails and you have skin prone to dryness and redness I would definitely recommend this.  I will buy more of these once I work through a portion of my mask stash. 

I will be posting some hauls soon when my RRS order and Sasa order comes in!  And I will posting about my updated routine later on in the month.

Let me know what your favourite sheet mask is in the comments!

Product Review : Dirty Works Rose&Glow Moisture Mask

I picked this up at Target about a month ago, just before Easter.  It retails for $12.95, but often can be included in 30% sales, which is when I bought it.
This particular mask is targeted as adding moisture back into the skin, seeing as my skin is quite dry overall and I get very dry patches on my cheeks I thought this would be good to help my skin while its recovering from allergies.  It's not meant to exfoliate the skin but has ingredients that will increase moisture in the upper layers of the skin.  It's applied onto the skin for 5 minutes and then washed off.

No roses were harmed in the making of this product.

Ingredients:
We can see that it has good ol' hyaluronic acid in (sodium hyaluronate) and collagen amino acids, both of these help to hold moisture in the upper skin layers, but glycerin is much higher in the list. Panthenol is another humectant which can also be useful in helping with skin irritations. 

I do admit when I first applied it, there was a bit of tingling (I always panic with a tingle!) but that settled after a minute and the rest of the time it was very comfortable.  I did not apply a thick layer and focused most of the product on my cheeks and forehead (being the driest areas).  Because it was only on for 5 minutes it did not have a chance to dry out and was very easy to remove.  I used a microfibre cloth and warm water.*
I then followed up with my usual layers of Indeed Labs Hyaluron serum and Avene Recovery Cream. But I did notice after I washed it off that my skin did look plumper and less dry.  However I haven't yet just washed it off and not followed up with moisturiser.  I seem to be stuck too much in a routine that I moisturise any time I wash my face.

*I've used this a couple of times and have increase the wear time.  I've actually kept this on for nearly 30mins once and it didn't go crunchy or dry, so it might have potential as a sleep mask.

There is a definite fragrance of rose (turkish delight-esque), but I happen to like it, so it was not too intrusive nor did it give me a headache.

I am definitely keep using this product and with the cold months now arrived I plan to use this more frequently through the week instead of a now-and-then treatment.  I might use this as a hand-treatment as well seeing as its so affordable (and easy to find!).

What masks do you use to keep dry skin at bay?