SKINCARE ESSENTIALS | WINTER EDIT 2016

My skin care routine has definitely changed over the years. I constantly try and discover products that is well suited for my skin type. For reference, my skin type is oily / acne prone and can get quite sensitive. Through out the years, I found that my skin reacts better with gentle products with less harsh chemicals, or products that are well suited for baby skin. 

CURRENT FAVOURITES | Skincare Add-Ons For Acne - Prone Skin

My skin has its ups and downs but recently, I think I've found the products that works great with my skin. Technically speaking, I still have pigmented scarring from previous acne but one thing I'm happy about is the texture of my skin is even! It makes makeup application a lot flawless. 

BEAUTY GRAB | Avene Skincare for Acne Prone Skin

Another brand added to my list of to try products for acne prone skin. I know for the longest time, one of the main reasons that I break out is because of constant change of products I use. I did manage to stick to one product for the entire year but I got bored. I did however managed to find that gentle products works great on my skin, therefore I'm only sticking to products that are also suitable for sensitive skin.

TRAVEL SKINCARE MUST-HAVES FOR MY ACNE-PRONE SKIN

I spent the last week of 2015 out of town with family and it was amazing! A much needed getaway to relax and unwind. My skin was not doing so well for the past couple of months, one because i'm trying a bunch of stuff that caused irritation to my skin, two I stopped using my holy grail products which is the dumbest move I've ever made! I also managed to get a sunburn on my face on Christmas Day which is a bit sad. I did put on sunscreen but I guess it wasn't strong enough to be able to protect my face against New Zealand sun. Oh what a bummer!

BEAUTY GRAB | Finally Revisited iHerb After A Year!

iHerb is one of the websites where I first got all my e.l.f Cosmetics and other skincare stuff exactly three years ago! It used to be one of my favourite website simply because they purely organic, high quality products, and their service is simply amazing! To check out these products, click here. 

Pin-pointing Acne With Spot Treatments

For the longest time, I have been suffering from acne. However this year by far is the worst. Last year was indeed a joy when I started using the Loreal Skin Perfection range. It dramatically changed my whole skin. Fast forward a couple of months later, it all went downhill when I started trying out new products. My skin did not like it and decided to have a breakout party! Mind you it wasn't just a breakout, but it got to the point where its cystic acne and would stay for months! I knew I had to bust out my good old spot treatment products. One tip I can give is finding the solution / ingredients that works great for your skin. Mine happened to be sulfur, zinc, and salicylic  acid. 

UNBOXING | Lust Have It! October Beauty Bag 2015

*affiliate post*

Current Favourites | Going Dewy for Spring!

For everyday wear, I like to spice up things and rotate in between products that works great depending on how my skin is behaving. At the moment, I have been into "less is more" look with a bit of glow than my usual matte look. I do have oily skin, but I kind of like to keep a little dew on the right places. 

THE FACE | Makeup Removal Essentials

Number 1 rule for makeup junkies out there : ALWAYS TAKE OFF YOUR MAKEUP at the end of the day! This is the most common mistake every women commit. I'm not gonna lie, I'm one of them! Especially after a long night out, or a long work day, cleansing my face is the last thing I think of! I've gotten better now and never miss a day without cleansing my face! *wink*

Current Favourites: Under The Weather Skincare Products!

Unhealthy eating and stressed for the past week brought my skin to total turmoil. Little friends started popping out and partying in my face which is by far the worse that my skin suffered from. I freaked out and used multiple products excessively to try and make the breakouts go away but then I realized that I'm making it worst for my skin. So instead, I minimized the products I use and went back to the OG that helped me through monthly breakouts. 

BEAUTY GRAB: REN Clearcalm 3 Replenishing Gel Cream

Ren Clean Skincare is one of the skincare brands that I have been eyeing for quite sometime. Some of the UK bloggers I subscribed to raves about this skincare brand like no other. I went to Mecca Cosmetica exactly 3 weeks ago to see what the brand's range has to offer. For reference, I have oily/ acne-prone skin with a bit of sensitivity here and there. 

Current Favorites: WINTER PRE-MAKEUP BASE

Winter season takes a toll on everyone especially when it comes to skin. The environment feels too dry, and cold which sucks out all the moisture off your skin leaving it dehydrated and dull. It can also cause tendencies where your skin condition changes. My skin type is normally oily, but during winter season it changes to combination oily/sensitive. 

LUST HAVE IT! April Unboxing / Impression

*affiliate post*

Another parcel turned up by the doorstep and guess what?! It is unboxing time! One thing I love about subscription boxes is that, you will never know what you'll get unless you can't contain yourself and decided to watch/read sneak peak! For April's Lust Have It! beauty box, it focuses more on skincare and body care for winter. I know I've said it on my previous unboxing post, but winter is no joke! It does unusual things to your skin by sucking up all the moisture off your skin. 

WINTER MASK DUO

I feel like winter time calls for pamper session the most. Simply because the weather is pretty dry and cold, so our skin tend to feel dehydrated and flakey. Mind you, I have oily skin but whenever it is winter time, I do get dry patches especially around my nose and under eye area. I also suffer from frequent breakout when my skin gets too dehydrated which is quite odd. Took me some time to find products that I can use to help clear my skin as well as add moisture back into my skin. 

Mask of Magnaminty from LUSH is my favorite face mask for clearing breakouts and unclogged pores. I would commend this product as a 2 in 1 face mask. It has grounded aduki beans and primrose seeds as an exfoliant to help remove a layer of dead skin cells. Also the peppermint oil helps in making my skin feeling fresh and revived. I like to leave it on for 10minutes (concentrating on areas where I break out the most), pat with warm water to start exfoliating and then fully rinse. It does help with demising small acne bumps in my face also reduce the swelling of bigger acne. 

VITAMIN E Sink-In Moisture Mask from The Body Shop is the one I resort to when my skin feels tight and dehydrated. I use it as an overnight moisture mask to really sink in my skin leaving it soft and supple the next day! The mask has a creamy jell like texture which helps it sip into the skin fast without that greasy feeling. Sometimes I would apply it and leave it for 10minutes, wipe with warm flannel before applying makeup. It makes the makeup application smooth. 

These two face masks are my go-to skin savior this winter! It does wonders to my skin, making it look plump and brighter! 

What's your must-have pamper products this winter?

xo

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MINTY LUSH HAUL

Little shopping spree from LUSH after a long day? Yes please! It's been months since the last time I bought something from Lush! I remember the first ever product I bought was the Karma Kream body lotion which landed a spot in my list of all time favorite moisturizers (read my post here). Another two favorite products are the Mask of Magnaminty (thanks to Nicole Guerriero from Youtube) and the Herbalism facial cleanser. Both of the products worked great on my oily skin and it did help clear out my skin. Anyway, my main reason for my LUSH trip was to find a shampoo that works great for dry and irritated scalp. Ofcourse, I came out with other things! 

Beauty Grab: REN Active 7 Eye Gel

The third eye cream I featured on Meet Mariee and the one that beats them all! I used to talk highly about the Antipodes Kiwi Seed Oil eye cream which I still love until I found a great alternative! I first heard about REN skincare through reading UK based blogs. This skincare line seems so big in UK that almost everyone raves about this brand. Luckily,Mecca Cosmetica stocks REN skincare so I went to have a browse.

GOING BACK TO BASIC WITH MICELLAR CLEANSING WATER

Back when skincare products were non existent, water was the only thing used to clean everything. No Parabens, harsh chemicals etc, best part is - it was free! Invention of chemical peels, anti-ageing products, and more took a big leap during 20th and 21st century due to its fast solution for any skin problems. In reality, we are putting more harm into our skin without even realizing. Don't get me wrong, I love a good "quick fix" but sometimes it is best to embrace the natural way possible.

BEAUTY GRAB: Skinfood Rosehip Oil

Having an oily skin, I used to stay away from any facial oil. I thought that instead of moisturizing my skin, it will make it greasy and oilier! Well that thought was all wrong! Including facial oil as part of skincare routine is actually helpful especially when we're talking about Rosehip Oil. I would say that it is one magic oil!

SKINCARE ROUTINE SIMPLIFIED

My skincare routine has tremendously changed over the past year or so. I remember posting about my skincare routine consisting of gazillion products and I found that it irritated my skin even more. Due to different harsh ingredients on top of each other as well as the abrasive rubbing and scrubbing of my face.

DID NOT SEE IT COMING!

December last year, there was so many giveaways happening on Beauty Review NZ. I took part on most of them and did not expect anything. Until I got an email 4 days after from one of the giveaways I took part in. Turns out I've won the Skin Food skincare package worth $50 NZD! This is definitely a first, and it is quite strange because I have not tried any Skin Food product and I've been eyeing them for quite sometime.