Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Facial Towelettes!

While on vacation I had forgotten to bring along my usual wipes and makeup remover so I ended up picking up a pack of Yes to Cucumbers Soothing Hypoallergenic Facial Towelettes since i've heard so much about this product for such a long time.

I finally decided, why not?!

I actually quite like a lot about this product but there is a bit I don't really like as well.

Here's my review:

Packaging:
I absolutely love buying wipes because I love how the packaging feels in my hands. Sort of crinkly, but like a parcel. I really love the packaging for this product because it's not the typical wipe packaging. It does have the little plastic sticker covering the opening to ensure that the wipes stay moist, but it also has a sort of plastic lid over the top of that. It's a nice change from what i'm used to. I know other brands have this plastic lid feature as well.

Price:
At $6USD per pack of 30, it's not a horrible price. Definitely more expensive than the wipes I usually use but it's not crazy expensive at all.

Quality:
The wipes are quite thick, very durable. You don't need to rub it to pieces on your face either.

Smell:
They pretty much....smell like...cucumbers. Not everyone will appreciate this scent though, since I didn't at first.

Effectiveness:
These wipes are AMAZING at removing makeup. I can see why so many girls have raved about them! You don't need to press into your skin much and takes half the effort of most wipes. I think their power can be compared to a MAC wipe. Wipes however, never remove ALL of your makeup but some, like this one, do a great job of cleaning up (followed by a cleansing brush or face wash etc). They take off most of my makeup in one go.
Now, onto the "soothing" part. Initially it was cooling and soothing on my skin. It really made my skin feel fresh. I guess it's hypoallergenic because I didn't get hives, break out or turn red. HOWEVER, after about 1 minute my entire face was ON FIRE. My whole face felt as though it was burning. Like how it feels when you get sever sunburn and can't move a muscle in your face. This went away after about 15 minutes, but the fact that it even happened (not once, but every single time I use the wipes) just troubled me.

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VERDICT:

I wanted to like them soooo bad! They're effective, they don't smell bad, the quality is wonderful, packaging is great, price is affordable BUT the burning...I mean, that's not supposed to happen!

Nevermind I'm forcing myself to use out the entire pack (granted my reaction is only temporary and not severe in terms of break outs etc) but I don't think I'll be repurchasing.

I would say to try it for its effectiveness, and the fact that a lot of people don't have this reaction but I won't be spending my cash to burn my face (now that I know it affects me this way).

Has this happened to any of you?

Inglot Freedom System

Inglot, a makeup company established in Europe, has become ever popular among beauty gurus. Their Freedom System allows you to pick and choose your colours (eyeshadow, blush, powder, concealer etc) and organise/rearrange them in different sized pallettes, something like the MAC Pro palettes.
They use the same sort of magnetic attachment method, though I do find Inglot has stronger magnet thereby a more guaranteed/stronger hold when it comes to the palettes.

The great thing about Inglot is that their products are extremely affordable and the design/packaging, amount of product and product quality is amazing!

Here i'll be showing you and reviewing one of their palettes with 3 eyeshadows I chose.

PRICE:

The palette, including the 3 eyeshadows @ 3.5g each, came up to $27USD (incl taxes).
Compare this to the price of an empty MAC Pro palettes that hold 2 eyeshadows & 4 eyeshadows at $9USD plus the $12USD pricetag on each of the eyeshadow refill pans to go into the palette.


QUALITY:

I honestly canot speak for the quality of their lip products or eye pencils etc but their blushes, powders and eyeshadows are quite lovely.
Every single shade I swatched in the store was buttery smooth, extremely pigmented (EXTREMELY), didn't come off very easily and the "pans" were quite large.
So, if you must go in and purchase, I definitely recommend their eyeshadows (most of all), blushes (second of all) and powders...BUT THE EYESHADOWS ARE AMAZINGGGGGGG.
They also DO NOT TEST ON ANIMALS <3


PACKAGING:

The freedom system palettes are equally as amazing as the products you put in them. It's a magnetic base with a frosted, see-through cover which has "inglot" all over it.
I find it very convenient since you can still see the colours that are in the palette and the frosted effect is pretty. The magnets are incredibly strong!
The cover WILL NOT pop off just like that. If you hold the cover about an inch away from the base you will feel the resistance and if you're not holding it firmly the cover will fly and snap right back on.
The magnet that holds the pans in their respective slots is also quite strong.
The only problem I have with the design is that, unlike MAC, there is no groove/slot that allows you to wedge your finger nail in and pop out the shadow.
Should you feel the need to move/rearrange the pans you'll need to use a pin or something to slip around the side of the pan to pop it out (it's not as hard as it sounds though).
You can have a palette with up to 10 eyeshadow rounds or squares/ up to 4 blushes/ 2 powders/ 5 concealers/ 10 lipstick rounds etc.


COLOUR SELECTION:
Inglot has a huge, and beautiful, selection of shades.
The little problem I have though is that their colours have no actual name, just numbers.
In any case it doesn't take away from the fact that the product itself is highly pigmented, long wearing and a dream to apply.

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The shades I chose:
White/Chapagne: AMC Shine 30

Green: Pearl 433

Purple: Pearl 423

Makeup junkies looking to expand their collection, find new colours, try new products AND makeup newbies looking to build a collection and not break the bank...
You must try Inglot, especially the eyeshadows...zero disappointment.

xoxo

Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System

So many of you, i'm sure, have been wondering whether these cleansing systems (re Clarisonic, Olay, Sigma etc) are really worth trying.

The main reason I even considered any one of these systems was for cleansing my skin after makeup. Many others look at the systems to minimize pore size, diminish redness, clear their acne etc.

Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System is one of the cheapest of the choices unless you want to shell out $120-$200USD on the Clarisonic.

I was not one of those people who felt it necessary or even easy to spend that much on something that may in fact screw up my skin and purge it to oblivion, so much so that I never come back from the trauma, or just not work as I want it to, SO I purchased the Olay system at CVS for $30USD!

I'll do a quick pro/con listing at the end, but first let me tell you about price, design, feel, effectiveness and whatnot ;)

There will be a lot of comparisons of course against the Clarisonic.

Battery Compartment

Please excuse the not so white coloured bristles: Evidently I use it.

PRICE:
At $30USD per unit this brush is one of the cheapest you can find.
Super affordable on any budget so if you try it and don't like it then you don't feel like you put out so much for so little.
Also at $11 for a pack of 2 replacement brush heads compared to the $40+ for the Clarisonic 2 pack brush heads/ $25 for 1 you even end up saving there!

DESIGN:
It has a slim handle so it's very easy to hold. It's smaller than the Clarisonic in width and it's also lighter.
The brush head snaps in easily and doesnt fall out. I had a bit of trouble with putting in the batteries (it comes with batteries) as there's no sort of latch or release button at the bottom of the device.
You have to pull it (or wiggle it out...both of which frustrated me to no end), and when I realised I was getting nowhere I got my boyfriend to do it and he got it open in seconds! It's a "technique". Unlike the clarisonic it is not "waterproof", it is "water resistant" meaning that you cannot submerge the Olay brush in a tub but you can easily use it in the shower so absolutely no worries there (unless you wash your face submerged in a pool of water...highly unlikely).
The brush also comes with TWO speed settings, something the Clarisonic Mia 2 has only now included as there was only one speed on the Clarisonic Mia.
The Olay brush also only has ONE type of brush head but it's quite soft. Maybe later on they will develop others if need be.
Also the cleansing brush from Olay uses oscilation unlike the Clarisonic which uses "sonic"/vibrations.


FEEL:
The brush rotates (as mentioned before) at two speeds. Depending on how "deep" you want to cleanse, you can adjust it to suit. I use the higher speed just because I like the feeling.
You don't need to press the brush into your face (light pressure will do), and because it rotates you can actually feel it on your skin unlike the Clarisonic which, even though it deep cleans, you can't realy FEEL it working.
I prefer feeling of the rotating brush than just passing a sonic brush over my face and hoping it works. Of course, because it rotates it is slightly more abbrassive than an sonic pulse but the Olay cleansing system isn't "rough" on the skin.
It's not too harsh at all and I have sensitive skin.
The brush head itself is relatively soft as well.


EFFECTIVENESS:

The very first time I used this cleansing brush was the night I got it of course...because I couldn't wait, plus it was the PERFECT time since I had a face full of makeup on for the entire day. I used it together with Philosphy Purity Made Simple face wash AFTER I removed my makeup with "actual" makeup remover (to normal people: oil, milk, wipes etc) and good Lord if you had seen that brush head afterwards! You would think makeup remover would actually remove your makeup.
HAHA NO.
I've tried it after using many different makeup removing methods etc and the result is the same: a dirty brush, tinted brown-ish with all the guck that was left on my skin. It honestly makes me feel more confident that I've removed all my makeup/cleansed my skin properly and even after a few months of use breakouts have almost completely ceased.
My skin feels smoother (and felt instantly smoother after the first time I used it) and cleaner.
My serum and moisturizer sinks in so much better and glides so much better onto my skin.
Some people may go through a skin purging process (as with the Clarisonic) where you make breakout after the first few uses. This is almost always the result of your skin pushing out all the nastiness from underneath. However if it persists you may be using the brush too often.
Some people may not be able to take daily use of the cleansing system because it may in fact be too harsh for your skin using it in that way.
It definitely deep cleans and removes excess dirt/makeup, it has made my skin smoother and allowed  to absorb/sink in quickly, and it hasn't made me break out.
If you are looking for something to "shrink" your pores, I can't really say in relation to the Olay Pro-X Advanced Cleansing System as I haven't noticed any reduction in pore size, which could be due to the fact that I don't really have a problem with large pores.

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Pros & Cons:

PROS:

1. Affordable (system and replacement heads).
2. Easy to use.
3. Small & light design.
4. Uses batteries
   (easily replaceable compared to the Clarisonic where you have to replace the entire system once the battery malfunctions or stops charging).
5. Water Resistant.
6. Two speeds.
7. Deep cleans effectively.

CONS:

1. Only have one type of brush head.
2. Water resistant (not really a con unless you're a mermaid).
3. Uses batteries (some people may not like the idea).
4. No brush cap/storage container to protect the brush/brush head (the Clarisonic comes with a brush cap & pouch).
5. Comes in one colour.

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If you're looking for a cleansing system/facial brush or just a good deep clean I would recommend trying the Olay cleansing system.
I would also say it's another must-have for those who wear makeup on a regular basis :)

xoxo

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration Lotion Sunscreen!

Recently I was sent the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration lotion sunscreen to test and review in my Vox Box (see a previous post done on my Summer Beauty Vox Box contents).

So here is the first of my reviews!

Summer is here in full force and one of the hottest months of the year is upon us! If you're like me and enjoy the pool, beach or just taking in some sun in general you're going to need to protect your skin.

A good sunscreen is a must year round!

I'm not big on laying out in the sun to tan because i'm very careful with what I expose my skin to but if you're one to do that then you definitely need a good suntan lotion with high spf.

Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration really surprised me since I don't like most sunscreens that are out on the market.

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Company Description:

Introducing our new sunscreen lotion, the only sunscreen with hydrating ribbons for continuous in-sun moisture.

With its ultra-luxurious hydrating silk ribbons, Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration™ lotion sunscreen nourishes and pampers skin while providing broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection and 12-hour moisturization when out in the sun.

           

Features & Benefits:

• Lightweight, luxurious hydrating ribbons infused with silk protein pamper and protect skin when in the sun, providing 12-hour moisturization
• Safe and effective broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection
• Nourishing antioxidants
• Exotic botanicals
• Warm tropical fragrance
• Lightweight feel

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My Take:

Packaging:

It comes in a bottle, no pump. The shape however is quite attractive and you can see the product through the plastic. It's really quite pretty. Easy to hold and very easy to squeeze so you don't have to be shaking it upside down to get the product out.

Smell:

This is the second thing I really noticed. Well of course I went ahead and popped the bottle open and sniffed it. It has a HINT of typical sunscreen smell but 90% of what my little nose took in was tropical, coconutty goodness! Most sunscreens, when you take a sniff and they smell good, don't smell very lovely after slathering it on as the scent disappears being replaced by the typical sunscreen fumes. This one, even after an hour or more smelled just as good as when I smelled it from the bottle. I was still smelling yummy even after being in the pool for quite some time!

It's quite lovely!

Feel:

It's very easy to rub in and quite lightweight and absorbs quickly. With a lot of sunscreens, the "moisturizing" ones usually leave a sort of greasy feeling on my skin that I DON'T like and going into the water is like having some sort of soapy, slippery substance on your skin. However, the Hawaiian Tropic Silk Hydration really felt lovely on my skin. Just like a moisturizer, not something that merely claims to be a moisturizer. It didn't have me looking like a super shiny grease ball dressed in a bikini, and after wading in the pool it didn't turn white and drip off like some sort of left over soap on my skin (as most sunscreens do). I used it all over my face as that's probably the part of my body I protect the most from the sun and had no adverse reactions nor did it sting or burn on application (another problem i've encountered with some sunscreens), and because it is very lightweight it didn't weigh down the skin on my face and the smell didn't suffocate me at all.

Selection:

I really like that it comes in spf 12, 30 and 50. It would be great to have a higher spf than 50 as well just for those with really sensitive skin, red heads etc. All in all it's great that they have varying degrees of protection to pick from. I received spf30 (the minimum for me when it comes to sunscreen) and it worked very well! Spending over an hour in the scorching hot sun in my country, no clouds overhead and no shade in the pool resulted in absoutely no sunburn, no red marks or blotchiness on my skin (something I get when the sun is too hott).

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Verdict:

I would say Hawaiian Tropic did a very good job on this product!

I love the smell, the feel, the weight and the protection. It is one of the few sunscreens I have enjoyed in my life, and I'm not saying it to deliberately promote the product.

It really and truly is quite lovely and definitely something I will be purchasing soon when I run out of this little one!

Suggested retail: $9USD for a 6oz bottle.

You should try it! Give it a sniff in the pharmacy or wherever you go to purchase it and you'll more than likely love it. In light of the season I would say it's definitely a must have :)

xoxo

Please note that even though I was sent products to test and review by Influenster and their affiliated brands all opinions expressed are my own and there is absolutely no bias. Rest assured all that I speak of is from my personal experience and not information to promote the product.

100th Post! Garnier BB Cream Review!

BB creams have suddenly become all the rage, nevermind it's always been the "rage" in Asia as this is a beauty staple!

BB cream is also called "Blemish Balm" or "Blemish Base", a soothing cream used by German dermatologists to calm and sooth skin after facial peels and other procedures, and now is basically used to improve the look of the skin, moisturise and nourish it.
Sort of a multi-purpose light foundation.
Originally BB creams in Asia come only in very light shades and aren't very tinted but have the effect of evening out your skin tone.

Recently other brands have branched out into the BB cream market and started producing what they term as "BB cream" for the western market.
Most of these creams (maybelline, garnier, Dr. Jart etc) come in more shades than the original BB cream thus making it available to persons of darker skin tones.

I decided to purchase the Garnier BB Cream Miracle Skin Perfector after a few months of deliberation.

It retails in Target for 11.99USD and comes in 2 shades: Light to Medium, and Medium to Dark.

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What it claims to do:

1. Hydrates for 24hrs
2. Evens tone
3. Corrects blemishes
4. Boosts healthy glow
5. UV Protection SPF 15

Easy on sensitive skin, with a luxuriously light texture that conceals blemishes and optimizes radiance, while protecting and nourishing your skin. A natural, healthy glow that is simply beautiful.

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My Take:

Feel:

Garnier's BB Cream is buttery smooth, cooling and very easy to blend into the skin.

It's not at all thick but it is not watery.

It is very light and moisturizing and my skin feels quite supple throughout the day and after removal.

You only need a pea sized amount to cover your entire face.

Shade Selection:

With only 2 shades it may not be suitable for those with very dark skin tones but it will suit most skin tones as it sort of adapts to your skin tone the more you blend it in.

I use Medium to Dark and i'm a MAC NC37 in Studio Sculpt/ CHANEL VLA B40/ EL DWL Intensity 3.
It is a TINY bit dark on me but gives me a sort of sun kissed glow (the light to medium was too ashy for me).

Coverage:

It evens out skin tone very well!

Has the same amount of coverage or more than the Chanel VLA foundation and definitely provides more coverage than a tinted moisturizer.

All I need is some concealer for my spots and i'm good to go!

Smell:

It has a very light scent to it that goes away quickly.
Some people may not like the smell at first but don't worry, it disappears fast! It almost smells like a facial wipe to me. Very clean!

Finish:

It gives a very natural finish. I still set it with a little powder because it does give a very glowy finish. Those with oily skin will definitely need to set it with powder and blot throughout the day. My skin does look quite natural and flawless (with concealer) and it stays this way throughout the day! You can't tell I have on any makeup.

I love that it has spf 15 uva/uvb protection, a necessity for your skin!!!

Packaging:

It's great that it comes in a tube so it's easy to dispense and you get A LOT of product (2.5 oz to be exact).

Not blended

Lightly Blended

Fully Blended

I would give this product a 4.5 out of 5.

It's a wonderful and effective product but if you're expecting not to have to blot throughout the day then you're looking at the wrong product.

I think BB creams are the new "tinted moisturizer" of this season and perfect for summer!

Light, good coverage, moisturizing and has spf :)

xoxo

So I know I haven't done a post on the S&G Hand Food (AKA my absolute favourite hand cream for about 2 years now) and i'm basically skipping that to do this post on the S&G The Righteous Body Butter, but they're basically the same amazing moisturizer just for different parts of the body :D

To give you a quick run down, Soap and Glory is UK beauty brand that had originally dealt with skin care but recently branched out into makeup etc.

Their classic S&G pink scent is my favourite! It smells like Chanel Coco Mademoiselle!

Absolutely wonderful and classy.

You have to smell it if you get a chance, actually....TRY IT!

I recently purchased S&G's The Righteous Body Butter for $18usd at Sephora and I am equally as pleased with it as I am with the Hand Food.

I don't moisturize my skin often enough and I thought hey, why not try the body butter since I love the handcream and the delicious scent!

It's super rich, creamy, soft and effective! Has my skin feeling beautiful and smelling amazing! You don't need a whole lot to cover your body. I don't dig out the product, but rub my hand over it to pick up a little. I put it on at night before bed :)

It's a moisturizer that you'll feel encouraged to slather on and is very good for super dry and neglected skin like mine. My legs feel a whole lot smoother now! I would definitely recommend you try it :)

xoxo

Summer Vox Box!!

Hey everyone!
Tardy with my posts once again! :(

Now I have lots of free time to give you a dose of beauty and lifestyle goodness multiple times a week :)

I recently received my Summer Vox Box from Influenster.
Influenster is a wonderful service allowing bloggers like myself and others to test out products from different companies of both the beauty and lifestyle variety.

The more "influential" you are the faster and more you qualify to receive a free Vox Box filled with goodies :)

Here's a peek at what I received!
Reviews of each products will be coming soon!

(PS. I did receive the Soft Baked Bar....but I ate it. OOPS!)

When I opened the box it smelled amazing!!!

The Neutrogena Clear hair products made that box smell so good!
Review will come soon.

The hand cream has a citrus smell (at least that's what I got from it).
Review will come soon! It might even compete with my Soap and Glory Hand Cream ;)

The feminine products from Always (Proctor & Gamble) are so pretty! I don't usually use always but I've got to say their new Radiant Line is great, and the new liners that can fit all types of panties (brief & thong) are so unique and I applaud them for that little innovation. Now you don't have to buy different kinds! The new Inifinity Pads from the line are wonderful! I never liked Always Pads but the ones from that line are AMAZING.

The nail polish colour I received is gorgeous and I quite enjoy the metallic polish (the trend and the application). I'll definitely be doing a post on that one soon to see how Sally Hansen's version looks and holds up.

I have to say, even though the Quaker Soft Baked Bar isn't in the pictures it was DELICIOUS! So yummy! I loved it! Will definitely be looking for it in the grocery soon :)

I was going to slather on the sunscreen today and lay by the pool BUT the weather is horrible :(
A review will come soon though! The smell of this one isn't typical sunscreen smell (slight but not totally) and has a coconut sort scent to it.

As I mentioned before, you all have a lot of reviews coming your way.
I LOVE this edition of the Summer Beauty Vox Box!
Thanks Influenster!!!

xoxo