I've skipped two months of this (eep!). It's been difficult trying to balance blogging, YouTubing and transitioning into a new job, but I'm trying my very best to get blogposts and videos out for you more frequently. Here's what I've been trying out this month!
1. Innisfree Orchid Enriched Cream & Gel
These are a brand new, anti-aging line from Innisfree. Their scent smell lovely (albeit a bit strong) and they are very hydrating on the skin. I've seen a definite improvement in the firmness of my skin, though I think this might be more suited to girls with dry skin types, because my oily skin doesn't love the richness of both the cream and the gel. If you've got only moderately oily skin, try the Gel instead - it's much lighter but works just as well as the cream. I like to rub it between my fingers for a bit, and when I apply it to my skin, it just melts and absorbs really quickly.
2. Dr Jart+ Dermaclear Micro Water
This is Dr Jart's answer to the Bioderma Micellar cleansing water. It cleans makeup right off your skin, and very efficiently too. With other cleansing waters (I currently use the Bioré one, and have tried many others) I find that they don't remove makeup as well, and there's always something left over for my cleansing brush or a last piece of cotton to clean up. With this Micro Water, I find that it only takes two cotton squares to completely remove the makeup from my skin. It performs beautifully, and in case you're not familiar with cleansing waters, these are makeup removers that aren't at all oily, and cleanse the skin without the need to wash them off with water. Dr Jart+'s Dermaclear Micro Water is rated #1 on the highly acclaimed 'Get it Beauty' TV review show, and retails at counters for RM89.
3. L'Occitane Almond Velvet Serum
May was a month that saw many new formulations including this lovely bottle of L'Occitane body serum. L'Occitane is a favourite brand of mine, as some of you may already know, and I die for the scents in their products. This Almond serum has a soft, sweet scent and the lightest of textures so you can moisturise your skin without having to suffer the oily feeling that comes after. It's supposedly anti-aging, but since I'm not quite sagging anywhere just yet (and hope never to! ;)) I am not the best judge. Nevertheless, this stays on my bedside table for faithful application each night. Prevention is better than cure, right?
4. Number 76 Ultrasonic Premium Hair Treatment
Okay, the offer for this treatment came at just the right time, because my hair was going through hell in the week leading up to my appointment! It was dry, coarse, and hard, and I was beginning to lose all hope for healthy, lustrous-looking hair. Number 76 is famous for this treatment, and their ability to impart fabulous colours into anyone's hair. I walked in skeptical nonetheless (as a beauty blogger, you tend not to believe everything that's written on the press release) and was pleasantly surprised a few days after to find that even after a couple of washes, my hair retained its softness. It's still a little bit dry at the ends (nothing's a miracle worker), but it's definitely in better health than it was before the treatment. It makes me wonder whether if it might be wise to book in further, repeated treatments.
5. La Mer Skin Tint
La Mer recently released their Skin Tint - the answer to casual, effortless skin. This reminds me of a tinted moisturiser, with its moisturising texture and light coverage. It's best suited to someone with dry skin, since it's extra moisturising, and dry skin types generally need less coverage. On my own skin, it held its own quite well, but needed a significant amount of touching up, since it is quite an emollient product and products like this tend to slip and slide around on my oily skin if left to their own devices. On a dry skin, this would perform beautifully - covering any slight imperfections and giving the skin a radiant finish. An alternative use for this product is as a primer - this would provide an amazingly beautiful base for a mattifying foundation, giving it a more healthy glow instead of a caked-on appearance.
6. Benefit Porefessional License to Blot
This is brand new to my makeup arsenal and I'm already liking it! The Porefessional Agent Zero Shine powder didn't perform as well for me (my oiliness still showed a couple of hours after application), hence the lack of mention of it on this blog, but this blotting stick outperformed and outshined that product in every way. It's easy to apply and travels easily as well (compact, lightweight and most importantly, in stick form), whilst I was trialling this I popped it into my handbag without any weight issues (I hate heavy handbags) and only needed one touch-up throughout the day. It comes in a wax-like formula, and the stick is triangle-shaped so you can get it into the little nooks and crevices between your nose and eyes. All you need to do is swipe with the stick, then smooth everything out with your fingertips. No more shine.
