Saturday, December 6, 2014

Review: Dr. Andrew Weil For Origins Mega-Bright SPF 30



Since I am nearing the end of my current daytime moisturizer which is the Orgins Dr. Andrew Weil for Orgins Mega Bright SPF 30 moisturizer, I thought I would do a review. This moisturizer claims to lighten dark spots and and prevent further discoloration of the skin. According to the Sephora website, It is formulated with rosa roxburghii, white peony and melanin-inhibiting palmaria.

One of my major skin care concerns is hyper-pigmentation left behind from previous breakouts. Because of this, I wanted to get a daytime moisturizer with an SPF to prevent further discoloration and help the healing process. So when I came across this particular moisturizer I figured I would give it a go since it is suppose to help with pigmentation and it contained an SPF.

First lets start of with the smell, it does have a scent but it is nothing overpowering and I for one really enjoy it. The scent doesn't linger at all and after application I rarely ever smell. The consistency is more on the thicker side, which allows for it to be is pretty moisturizing. Once you apply it your face isn't left sticky or overly shiny and it creates a good base for your foundation. Overall, the product itself is good. If you are looking for a simple daily moisturizer and have dry skin then this one is a good way to go. The only complaint I would have is the whole "Mega Bright" aspect, over the course of me using this product, I never found my skin to be any brighter than usual nor did I see it helping my hyper-pigmentation. I would say this is where the product fell short for me because it was basically the reason I purchased this particular moisturizer. However, it did a good job moisturizing my skin and I definitely did enjoy using it as a daily moisturizer and it never broke me out (works well in the heat too!).

Considering skin care is so personal and what may not work for me may work for you. I would definitely suggest hitting up Sephora and trying a sample of the moisturizer out for yourself. Especially if you're in the market for a new one and were considering this one. And as always, if you have any questions leave them down below.

Cheers,
Farhaa

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Maybelline Expert Wear Natural Smokes Quad



I purchased this quad a little while ago and thought I would share my thoughts. I have had a pretty good experience with the Maybelline Chai Latte quad and few of the others. Since this particular quad was on sale I thought I would give it a go.

However, much to my dismay, this quad wasn't particularly as pigmented as I had initially expected it to be. In comparison to the chai latte quad it much less pigmented in my opinion. With that said, is this quad a complete write off? No. The liner and crease color in the quad are more pigmented and can be used to create a subtle brown smoky eye. The base color isn't bad either but it really confuses me as to why there is so much more of it? Which leads me to the last shade in the quad the lid color. This shade is very sheer and can hardly be seen over the base shade. The shadows themselves are more on the chalky side and not very smooth, which you can actually see in the swatch down below.

Overall,  I think I would pass on the quad considering how much more not only Maybelline as a line has to offer but other drugstore/high-street brands have to offer. There are so many smoky brown palletes you could go for instead of this one. It is such a shame considering how beautiful the shades look.

Here is a look I created using the pallete:





Here are some swatches: *Not the best at photographing swatches :(  

                              

Thursday, February 6, 2014

My Top 5 Winter Essentials






Hello Everyone,

Because I live in Canada, I have had quiet my fair share of experiencing cold weather. I though it would be a great idea to do a quick post on my top 5 winter essentials. Most of these are directed towards dealing with really dry skin. So if you have dry skin and live in warmer climate you may also find some these suggestions helpful.

1. So the first winter essential I have for you is a lip balm. It is the Kiehl's LIP BALM #1 (yes, that is the name). It has an SPF of 4 and is a petrolatum based lip balm that can also be used as a skin protectant. I use this lip balm at night before bed and when I wake up my lips are moisturized, and well hydrated. They sometimes even look a little plump which is always a plus.

2. The next product on my list is the Triple Moisture Body Cream from Bath and Body Works. I find applying any sort of body product a chore in the winter time because it is freezing and I rather put on my pajamas instead of slathering on cold body cream and waiting for it to absorb. One of the reasons I really like this product because it truly is non greasy which allows it to absorb quickly. With this body cream I don't have to wait so long and the scent (Coconut Lime Breeze) makes the whole process a little less daunting. In summary, this is a great body moisturizer and works great in the winter to prevents you from having dry itchy skin.

3. Josie Maran Argan Oil has been my night time face moisturizer ever since I got my hands on it. I was at first hesitant to use this product because it is an oil and my skin is prone to breaking out. But after reading reviews online I thought I would take the risk and give it a go. And I am quite glad I did, it has been an amazing moisturizer for skin and I feel like it has been improving my skin tone. I definitely think I need to use the oil more before I can comment on any other benefits it has provided. But I can assure it makes a great moisturizer for dry flaky skin.

4. The next product I would like to share with you is the Orgins Drink Up 10 minute mask. This is a great mask to use on those lazy Sundays during the winter months. I find this mask instantly adds a boost of hydration to my skin. The Orgins masks are some of the most popular and hyped up masks in the blogging and YouTube world so I don't think there products need much convincing. Basically, its a great mask and it smells divine.

5. The last product I have to recommend is Ole Henrikson Express the Trust night time moisturizer. Now I have only been recently been using this product and was initially going to recomment the Avene Ultra Rich Compensating Cream. But after some thought I figured this would be a more suitable recommendation to make because for one, in my experience it provides similar results without being to heavy on the skin and if you are one of those with oily/combo skin you probably won't like the Avene moisturizer.  On the other hand, the Ole Henrikson Express the Truth is really nourishing but has a much lighter consistency in comparison to the Avene moisturizer. In addition, as much as I love the Avene moisturizer it contains shea butter (which is most likely why the formulation is so thick) which can be harder for the skin to break down and can even cause clogged pores. So if you have extremely dry skin and are looking for a night time moisturizer I would try the Ole Henrikson Express the Truth, it contrain Vitamin C and Hyaluronic acid and smells of oranges, which I personally love!

Well those are my top 5 recommendations. If you have any questions or recommendations of your own please leave a comment down below. Hope everyone has great rest of the week


Until next time,
Farha
x