Nighttime Beauty Routine

I know the importance of skincare and having a good routine but if I’m honest all of the products, oils, serums and acids confuse me! My skin tends to be on the drier side, I don’t get a lot of acne which I am thankful for and ultimately I don’t like to use too many products and keep things simple. Over the past 3-4 months my skin has been pretty good and I put that down to my current combination of products.

In this post I talk you through what I’m loving for my skin and also mention what I use to keep my lips and hands in tip top condition.

Cleanser:

Clinique Take the Day Off Balm – I won this cleansing balm in a giveaway 18 months ago and I’ve barely made a dent in it! Granted I don’t use this every time I remove makeup but I have started using it more regularly lately and I find it gets makeup off my face so easily and doesn’t leave my face feeling greasy afterwards. The texture changes from a balm to an oil when it is applied to the skin and you can use as little or as much as you like. The product is not scented and doesn’t irritate my skin. For all you sensitive skinned beauties out there I urge you to try this.

Masks:

The Body Shop Honey & Oat 3 in 1 Scrub Mask – This mask I use 2-3 times a week and it is very gentle on the skin. It’s also great if you want a quick mask, the tub recommends leaving it on for 5-10 minutes. The mask contains bits of oat but they don’t feel scratchy on the skin when the mask is applied. The scent of this is very natural and a little goes a long way.

Natio Face Mask Purifier – I have used this face mask for a while now and I’m currently on my second tube. A 100g tube will last me a couple of years. I tend to use this 1-2 times a week depending on how oily my skin is and how often I’ve worn makeup. This is a clay mask and contains kaolin but the mask doesn’t feel too drying. This mask is also unscented which is good if you’re sensitive to smell.

Moisturiser:

Palmer’s Moisture Rich Night Cream – I picked this moisturiser up on Feel Unique in late 2017 and started using it in March 2018. It comes in a 75g glass jar (which would be a little heavy for travel) but for the price I paid that’s a generous size – I paid $14 (NZD) from memory. I love the scent of this, it’s a cross between cocoa butter and shea. If you’re sensitive to smell the scent doesn’t linger. It is recommended to only use this at night as Retinol is listed as one of the ingredients and it can make your skin more sensitive to the sun which is why using a day moisturiser with SPF is encouraged.

Facial oil:

Trilogy Sensitive Very Gentle Restoring Oil – A couple of months ago I was trying to decide whether to try a facial oil or a serum. I settled on an oil as the texture is more lightweight and soaks into the skin easier. Ever since I started using this oil I have noticed the biggest difference, my skin feels softer, my skin is less dry and foundation and concealer don’t settle into lines around my nose as much. I use roughly 4 drops of this oil every night and apply it after moisturiser. The oil is unscented and contains maqui berry, apricot, and sea buckthorn. It’s rich in essential fatty acids and antioxidants.

Lip Treatments:

Clarins Lip Comfort Oil in Honey –  I am not the biggest fan of honey scents but this lip oil smells good! I tend to use this if my lips feel extra dry or to protect them in the cold weather. The oil feels tacky upon application but soon loses that sticky feeling. The applicator picks up a generous amount and I normally do two lighter coats on each lip rather than one.

Vaseline Cocoa Butter – I try to apply lip balm most nights before bed to keep my lips soft and supple and this lip balm is lovely. The little pot is the cutest and it will last ages! The Cocoa Butter scent smells good enough to eat and this works just as well as normal Vaseline in a jar, plus it’s easier to tote around.

Hand cream:

The Body Shop Frosted Plum – I have finished up numerous tubes of hand cream from The  Body Shop in various scents. Currently I am using Frosted Plum which I picked up last December as it was one of the festive scents. The smell is like a floral plum and whilst it is ok it’s not my favourite. The hand cream is moisturising though and comes in a fetching metallic purple tube! Hand cream is the final step in my evening routine before lights out.

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What products are essential to your nighttime routine?

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April Favourites 2017

April has been the month I have finally nailed down a stable blogging routine and even got back into planning posts! I feel like I’ve got my mojo back and over the next few months I hope I can return to posting every week. I have a new blogging routine, two posts per week on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I have also been lucky to have a couple of long weekends and a few bonus days off work. I spent most of that time sleeping and catching up on TV shows.

Onto this month’s favourites:

1. Cat ears headband – My boyfriend bought me this headband for Christmas and I have been wearing it more recently. I remember mentioning to him once that I’d wanted a pair for a long time and I don’t know whether he remembered or if he saw it and thought of me. He says I make a very cute kitty so I like wearing it when I’m around him. The headband has black and pink furry ears with ribbons and little bells that jingle when I move my head.

2. Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil – Honey – This is one of the products I received in Stashy’s giveaway. I didn’t try it for a little while but when I did it was love at first use. I’m not the biggest fan of the smell and taste of honey but I like this. It’s sweet but it’s not overpowering. The texture doesn’t feel sticky on the lips and doesn’t leave residue as it wears. The applicator looks big but it is the perfect size.

3. Vanessa White – Chapter Two – Vanessa is probably best known as being one fifth of The Saturdays and she released her second EP in March. Vanessa continues the R&B sound from her first EP and her voice sounds glorious. Vanessa has the type of voice where she can belt but also sound soft and tender and evoke emotion. R&B isn’t normally the type of music I like or listen to but I have a special appreciation for Vanessa’s sound. Standout Tracks: Running Wild and Good Good.

4. Mini Eggs – With April being the month of Easter I have had more of a sweet tooth and a craving for chocolate. I’m not a chocoholic but I did enjoy treating myself and properly trying Mini Eggs. I tried them a couple of years ago and kind of forgot about them. I rediscovered them and I’m a fan! The pretty pastel colours and mini size make them very more-ish. I’m not afraid to admit I polished off a whole bag by myself on Easter Sunday. I’m glad these aren’t sold year round as I would polish off several more.

5. Jigsaw puzzles – Over the past few months I have gotten back into doing jigsaw puzzles. I used to love doing them when I was a kid (I even had a Barbie one). My boyfriend’s parents have been picking them up second hand for a couple of dollars each and I’ve been helping complete the jigsaws when I visit. I especially like the Wasgij brand as the pictures are so detailed and full of bright colours. I got given a couple that were duplicates and I’ve loved doing them in front of TV of an evening. It’s relaxing and it’s a good feeling when one is completed.

6. iPad Mini 4 – Gold – I have always been an Apple fan and in March I treated myself to an iPad. I have had my laptop for four years now and while it’s still going strong some days I’m not online much so the iPad is more portable. I can play games, listen to music, watch videos and catch up on news in a smaller format. I am still getting into a routine with my iPad and which apps I need/want to download. One of the hardest things I’ve found is picking a background image, they either haven’t looked right or been high enough quality.

April’s Spotify Playlist:

Combining artists I’ve listened to for years with a couple of funky, new tracks.

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What were your favourite things in April?

Stashy’s Giveaway Prize + First Impressions

It’s exactly two weeks since a very exciting parcel arrived all the way from Canada! I was selected as the lucky winner of Stash Matters’ giveaway back in January and I was over the moon when the goodies arrived! The shipping was pretty quick and didn’t take long at all. Everything was packaged so well and it was lovely of Stashy to include a card (which nearly made me cry) and a few little extras. I wanted to do this post to thank Stashy and share my first impressions of the products as well. I’ve been doing my best to try out all of the products over the past two weeks but I haven’t quite got to everything yet!

The card – how cute are the stickers?!

Like Stashy did in her giveaway post, I will break everything down into categories to make it easier.

Skincare

1. Sukin Micellar Water – I like the fact this bottle isn’t as big as some of the others on the market. Garnier’s 400ml is just too much, I didn’t use all the product within six months as advised on the bottle. This has a nice scent to it and I’ve used it a handful of times so far.

2. MUJI Sensitive Skin Moisture Toner – This may be bad but I’ve never used toner before. I don’t even know what they’re supposed to do. I like the packaging of this, it feels sturdy and you can see exactly how much is left. This will become part of my makeup removing routine.

3. Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream – Haven’t used this yet but this is one of the items I was most excited about. My skin can get dry sometimes so I’m hoping this will combat that dryness.

4. Clinique Take The Day Off Cleansing Balm – This tub is huge! I have been using this as the first step to take off my makeup and I like the balm to oil formula once it comes into contact with your hands. I find a little goes a long way and this will last me ages!

5. Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in Honey – Haven’t used. Next time I’m just chilling at home on a day off from work (sometimes I get busy on days off) I will try this.

6. Etude House 0.2 Therapy Air Mask x5 (Snail x2, Aloe x1, Hyaluronic Acid x2) – Sheet masks are foreign territory to me but I’m looking forward to trying these. The aloe and hyaluronic acid masks sound particularly appealing.

Body Care

7. Lavanila The Healthy Deodorant in Vanilla Coconut – Sadly this isn’t my favourite giveaway item. The scent of this is nice and the formula is creamy and doesn’t irritate my skin but I don’t find this as effective as my usual deodorant. I might reserve this for cooler months or nighttime after I shower.

Makeup

8. CoverGirl TruNaked Eyeshadow Palette in Roses – This palette is the Naked 3 dupe I’ve been missing. I’ve got a W7 dupe palette but it’s crap and this is so much better. The colours are all so stunning and the formula is buttery soft.

9. Maybelline Lash Sensational Mascara – I hadn’t even taken this out of the packaging until Monday this week. I have heard so many good things about this mascara and I hope it lives up to the hype! I’m also glad this is the washable version, the last waterproof Maybelline mascara I had was a pain to remove and I began to resent buying it because of that.

10. Teeez Spectrum of Stars Eyeshadows in Smokey Rose – Worn once. I love the box and packaging, it’s almost lip balm like. This shade looks lovely by itself and the duo chrome effect is subtle but pretty. This is actually a really nice shade for everyday wear.

11. Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector Pressed in Opal – This mini is one of my favourites from the parcel. When I opened it up I couldn’t believe the cuteness. The product itself is gorgeous and a little goes a long way. I can see myself wearing this a lot.

12. Lancôme Juicy Shaker in Berry in Love – This is another unused product but I can’t wait to try it! I loved the look of this shade when Stashy purchased one for herself. Berry In Love is very much a Chanelle colour. I’m excited to be able to try so many new, higher end brands.

13. MAC Lipstick in Brave – One word, stunning! This lipstick colour is the shade I didn’t know I was missing. I love this lipstick so much and I’ve only owned it for two weeks. If you love Syrup (like me) or you’re looking for a new neutral lippy, you’ll love this.

Tools

14. Surratt Relevée Lash Curler – I haven’t used these. I admit I am still slightly intimidated about giving them a go in case I chop my eyelashes off but I will try them sometime soon.

15. H&M Precision Makeup Sponge – I am a fan of the other makeup sponge I have but having another is super handy. This sponge is so soft and washes up nicely. It even comes in it’s own little bag.

After receiving the package I had some questions about certain products and how best to use them which Stashy was more than happy to answer. In some ways I still consider myself a beauty novice and it was good to hear her experience and knowledge. Thanks so much Stashy!

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I hope you enjoyed reading this post! Let me know if you’ve tried any of these products and what you think!