Clarins – Bubbly Michelle

3 holiday essentials you need! : Becca, Clarins, Nuxe

April 19, 2015July 31, 2015by Bubbly Michelle24 Comments

Hi There! Hello from sunny Seychelles. Since I do enjoy blogging on holiday, here’s a quick post on todays essentials. A trio of amazing products for shimmering limbs, glowy complexion and lusciously glossy, healthy lips.

(L-R) Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse Or shimmering dry oil, Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector in Opal (5g mini size) and the Clarins Instant Light Lip Comfort Oil in the shade 02 Raspberry.

Let’s start with my favourite of the three, the Becca SSP.

The Becca Shimmering Skin Perfector has been one of my go to products for complexion illumination for ages, and when I saw they released a mini trio set containing the Gold, Pearl and Opal, I knew I had to get that too. I figured the tiny purse friendly size would be quite handy.

The Shimmering Skin Perfector is Beccas star product. It’s what Becca is known for. If you ever were curious how models in bikini cover shoots always sport such amazing healthy, glowy skin, this was most likely the product used; it’s a makeup artists favourite.

Although the regular size comes in a pump bottle, this mini one actually comes with a wand. I still prefer pump bottles for hygiene reasons, but this version is great for someone who wants to sample the product without having to drop a load of cash one go.

The Becca SSP is the perfect consistency for mixing, and not too runny that it alters the texture of your foundation. Just one pump (around the size of a grain of rice) mixed in with your foundation is all you need create a beautiful natural, glowy finish and perfect for combining with my matte foundations to counteract the overly flat, matte look.

You could also use this under your foundation as a primer on just the areas you want added glow, as well as over your foundation, patted lightly on the bridge of your nose and tops of cheekbones for a beautiful glossy highlight (which you’d see in my FOTD photo at the end of the post). The highly pigmented, creamy formula ensures you don’t mess up the layer of foundation beneath.

Opal as you can see is a golden beige product and works great for any skintone.

Personally I prefer Pearl. The translucent white shade, which adds extra ‘highlight’ in a subtle manner. You won’t look ghostly I promise. (For reference, i’m an NC 35)

Next up, Nuxe Huile Prodigieuse. A multi purpose dry oil for face, body and hair. I have this in a tiny travel size with just 10ml which came as part of a Nuxe gift set.

It’s said to contain 6 plant oils for nourishing skincare benefits. Unfortunately since the packaging is in french, i’ve no clue what they are! But, let me give you the low down on what it does.

Huile Prodigieuse Or, the shimmery version of their regular dry oil has a pleasing fragrance and is infused with golden shimmer. The consistency is quite thin, it applies without any streaks resulting in a uniform veil of shimmer.

I use this on my legs and arms for a warmed up shimmery glow. A beautiful St. Tropez, illuminated look.

As the name suggests the finish is dry. You won’t feel oily and sticky after this absorbs in (use on damp skin, straight off the shower so it sinks in easily) ; and unlike creams, it won’t melt and make your limbs feel gross once you step outside, making it the perfect moisturiser for your next trip to the tropics or the beach.

Lastly my latest find. The elusive Clarins Instant Light – Lip Comfort Oil in the shade 02 Raspberry which seems to be sold out almost everywhere.

As of late nourishing lip oils and lip glosses are the hottest beauty trend, with each brand introducing their own version to stay competitive. I’ve sampled a few and have been loving the Dior Rouge Brilliant glosses lately and this is yet another to add to my HG ‘lip treat’ list.

The Clarins Lip Comfort Oil is a thick syrupy-oil consistency and has a mild tint to it. What initially caught my attention though was that it smells soo darn good! It’s fragrance of red berries is so addictive, making me want to keep reapplying throughout the day!

As you’d expect, this does feel slightly tacky, although nothing like your typical sticky lip glosses. I found it wasn’t catching onto hair all day, although I did wear it loose on the beach. So that’s a plus!

This oil instantly make the lips look glossy and plump and in the mean time works on hydrating and nourishing it (with plant oils such as Jojoba, Raspberry seed and Hazel), softening flakes and smoothing them out making it easy to exfoliate the dry bits without causing any injury to your delicate lips. A wonderful product that combines skincare with makeup!

Lastly, here’s my MOTD, a beach friendly look I wore for poolside lounging.

I’m wearing Opal mixed in with my Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin Enhancer + CDP Radiant Fluid Foundation combo which gives the skin that glowy sunkissed finish. Brows are done with the Suqqu brow pen for a natural and water/sweat/humidity proof result and lips nourished with the Clarins Lip Comfort Oil.

Sounds like a lot of makeup right? but all applied in very thin layers for a natural look 😉

Skincare

Skincare essentials – Travel edition

January 19, 2015August 1, 2015by Bubbly Michelle16 Comments

There are some things in life I just can’t live without, and that’s a decent skincare arsenal. Here’s mine, stripped down to a bare minimum. These are all I need to keep my skin happy during a short getaway.

Bare in mind that this is just what I packed for a couple of days at the beach so I haven’t included a heavy duty cleanser as I’m not wearing much other than a concealer and brows. Somedays I do a little eye liner, but that’s about it.

To me a good skincare routine includes an effective cleanser. For now I’m relying on this one by Murad. I’ve repurchased this and it’s been my go to cleanser for the last 5 years or so. It’s their Soothing Gel Cleanser formulated for sensitive skin. The texture is very light weight and jelly like. It doesn’t foam much but cleans my face without stripping it of all moisture. Skin feels comfortable and bouncy. I use this morning and night.

If i’m wearing any eye makeup, I use the Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover to cleanse it off at the end of the day. I pack this smaller travel size bottle and it doesn’t take up too much space in my travel pouch. For speedy eye makeup removal (even waterproof mascara) without any sensitivity I highly recommend this one.

After cleansing, it’s moisturiser and sun screen. No matter how humid or sweaty the weather is, it’s a non negotiable step. Ideally with my extra oily t-zone, i’d happily go without moisturiser, but since it’s something I don’t compromise on, next best thing is my Hydraluron hydration serum. It gives my skin a burst of moisture and absorbs immediately leaving NO oily feeling.

I then follow with my daily sunscreen which is the Avène Day Protector UV EX SPF 30 PA ++++. I like that it’s formulated for sensitive skin and also absorbs well into the skin leaving it velvety and supple. Again, no oiliness. On the down side, I am convinced this blocks my pores. But until I find something as good as this, it’s a necessary evil i’m willing to put up with. Sigh.

For eyes I always, always use an eye cream. Even during the day, under makeup, I use one.

For travel I mainly pack these three. One serum and two eye creams.

For the ultimate line busting solution, my go to is the Zelens Triple Action Advanced eye cream. It’s a light gel texture and feels amazing on the eye area (for those of you who have very dry under eyes or love richer night creams, this one will feel rather under nourishing as it absorbs completely).

Usually I apply this after I have prepped my under eye with the Lancôme Génifique Yeux. Which is a serum that absorbs immediately and leaves no greasy feel under the eyes. The reason I pair all my eye creams with the Génifique Yeux is that I notice it boosts the anti aging benefits of my eye creams and I love it.

For nights I prefer to alternate my Zelens eye cream with the Shiseido Bio-Performance Super Corrective eye cream. This is my holy grail hydrating/anti-aging eye cream. Although it’s not as effective on deep, stubborn wrinkles (compared to Zelens) I love it for how hydrating it is. It actually does an amazing job hydrating so I always repurchase this.

If you don’t have any major wrinkle issues and/or in the mid 20’s to early 30’s this is the one for you! It keeps eyes looking bright and youthful as well as controlling the appearance of any new fine lines.

The one thing I NEVER ever leave home without is my Lancôme Visionnaire Serum, reviewed here. It’s been my holy grail serum for the last three years or so.

If uneven, blemished skin with noticeable pores are your concern. This is what you need. It will make your skin look rested and glowing overnight. I have several of these at home, including this tiny version I use when I travel.

Lastly, I also pack two SOS treatment products where ever I go. One is the Avène Soothing serum. It’s what I rely on when my skin feels sensitized and red. If you suffer from sensitive skin, this product is gold. It instantly calms angry, red blotchy skin.

My second SOS product is the Dermalogica Overnight Clearing Gel. It’s god sent for banishing those pesky, holiday ruining breakouts. Apply this at the very first sign of a blemish and you could control the breakout as well as enable it to heal without leaving any discolouration or marks. Certainly a product worth investing in.

So there you have it. My skincare essentials for travel. They all fit into a relatively small pouch so by no means is it a burden carrying them around. And at the end of the day, my little bag of magic comes equipped with everything I would need for any holiday emergency!

Lifestyle, Makeup, Skincare

5 Simple steps to get the ‘glow’

August 4, 2014August 4, 2014by Bubbly Michelle12 Comments

‘Lit from within’, ‘glowing skin’ phrases we hear almost everywhere. Personally I am sick of hearing it over & over, but then it’s summer, who doesn’t want to look healthy and glowy right?

So here’s a guide to achieving glowing skin. A 15 min manual if you may, cos I know we all are pressed for time!

I like to start with skincare. As no amount of makeup can make up for unhealthy skin.

Also since this is a quick guide. I am just focusing on speedy remedies. Starting with..

Exfoliation
As you may already know, our skin is made up of layers and layers of cells. The oldest layer being right on the top.
As skin renews its self and constantly pushes new cells to the surface, this older layer sits on top and starts to accumulate as a coating covering the new healthy skin underneath. This is how you find skin to be dull and lackluster.
In order to achieve maximum luminosity, the accumulated dead skin cells need to be gently brushed away. So we use an exfoliator. Personally I prefer a chemical exfoliator over a mechanical exfoliator (regular face scrubs or wash cloths) which is a very mild form of exfoliation using peeling products with fruit acids or lactic acids (which I shall do a separate post on later). But since many of you are most likely to have a scrub of some sort at hand, I say grab that. If it’s a brightening exfoliator, even better!

Gently exfoliate your skin with this. Vigorous, over enthusiastic buffing is not advised as this leads to broken capillaries and sensitized skin which leads to red and raw skin. Not the look we are aiming for.

Moisturize
For the new skin to be glowy we need to ‘water’ it.
Exfoliation temporarily takes away the natural layer of sebum on top of your skin. So we absolutely must moisturise after exfoliation. This stops skin from loosing its moisture as well as help retain and capture moisture to the upper layers with the help of ingredients such as Hyaluronic acid.
Moisturisers also help temporarily take care of dry flaky skin. Which is the key culprit that inhibits light reflecting off your face (which is what creates the said glow we are after). The best way to explain this is, think of how light reflects off a smooth flat surface as opposed to an uneven bumpy surface. You see where I am going with this right?

Bronze
So it’s summer and the hottest chicks around are sporting a tan. Why aren’t you? Let me break down the benefits of a little tan.
1) Bronzing instantly slims down your face. Especially if you concentrate it towards the outer areas of your face when you bronze. So Ideally you do a quick sweep all over and then go back again just around the outer parameter deepening the tan.
2) You are instantly able to wear brighter lipsticks and blushes than what you are usually confortable with, which in turn draw attention to your features. AND you can easily pull off more dramatic makeup looks! As much as the ‘pale and interesting’ look can be appealing, try a bit of bronzing if only for summer.
3) You look like you came back from an exotic vacation. To me, this is reason enough!

Highlight
So bronzing and highlighting go hand in hand. When a bronzer darkens and ‘recedes’, you need to ‘bring out’ certain areas of your face with a little highlighter. This instantly lifts your features and make them look more sharp and defined. A little highlighter dusted on the high points of your cheekbones, bridge of your nose and chin goes a long way.
If you are naturally oily around the t zone, you can skip the nose as you are most likely averse to highlighting that area.
However I find that if you use a good mattifier under makeup, then this is an extra step that makes your skin look beautiful. As much as I hate oil, I love a lit from within glow. And a highlighter is the quickest way to give you bucket loads of this.
*Of course less is more. Always keep that in mind when using a highlighter. In general use a very sparse, tapered brush or a fan brush for best results.

Finishing powder
This is the final step. A good finishing powder is like the invisible butler. You never see it but you know that the job is being done. So what exactly does a finishing powder do?
It essentially smooth’s out the complexion, like photo shopping an image.
Pores and fine lines are blurred and look less visible. Also the fine shimmer in these helps light reflect off your face better giving you ‘the glow’. It basically makes your skin look healthy and even. I personally never skip this step. Hence why I have my trusty Guerlain Meteorites with me no matter where I travel!

So there you have it. The secret to healthy and beautiful skin. Although it was a lot to read, this only takes a very little time when you actually get down to doing it. After which you are left with gorgeous youthful fresh skin that is luminous!
I hope you enjoyed this post and stay tuned for some body basics that will be coming up later this week to help you get the ultimate summer/beach ready body.

Wishing all of you a happy week ahead!
xx
Michelle.

Lifestyle, Makeup, Skincare

Current favourites

July 27, 2014July 27, 2014by Bubbly Michelle8 Comments

Hi Hi!

Todays post is all about products i’ve been enjoying lately. Random lifestyle and travel necessities kinda mix with a few beauty essentials thrown in as well.

I usually save posts like this for Instagram, but this time around I wanted to add some quick reviews too, so what better place to do a detailed post than right here, my outlet, my blog!!!

Let’s start out with the edit.

First up, some things I use when I travel.

My Benefit eye mask- A little treat from my visit to the San Francisco Benefit store on Fillmore street. I love how soft and silky this feels and is my inflight essential. I need this to get some shut eye while I patiently (Or impatiently rather) wait till we land.

Sleep sniff box- It’s a soothing mix of essential oils (Lavender, Cammomile & Neroli) that calms the mind and gets you into a nice relaxed state. I love to keep this in my carry on so I can take a whiff of this and go right to sleep.

Next, some mode essentials

Lace slippers – This is by far my most loved pair of shoes right now. Since i’m a jeans and tee kinda gal, they are super easy to mix and match and I always love how it shows off my pedicure too! It’s a very budget friendly find from Bershka and I really can’t get enough. Plus, they are virtually weightless! I can walk miles in them… Glad I packed these for my holiday.

Red Valentino bag – Just big enough to hold my phone, mirror, lipstick and maybe a perfume. But is oh so light and I love how the bright red instantly lifts any outfit. Plus these shoulder bags are always great when going sightseeing cos you can be ‘hands free’ to have your camera ready while making memories! I am glad I am finally putting this to good use, it’s been neglected for far too long.

Some beauty!

Clarins samples – Always a favourite for when I travel. There are quite a few that I use on a daily basis so I am glad I have them in a convenient travel size as well. The products I enjoy the most are their Defining eye lift serum, Hydra Quench moisture mask, Hydra Quench cream gel and the Instant eye makeup remover.

So a quick review on these.

Defining eye lift –

I am someone who wakes up with majorly puffy eye lids. Although they slowly ‘depuff’ by the time I get around to doing my makeup. I still like to use this to tighten my eye area. It’s a serum that can be applied before your regular eye cream and just a tiny amount will do. I apply it on my eye lid and smooth it out towards the brow in a patting motion so that it stimulates circulation and drains any water retention that causes the puffiness. If you are looking to add one more step to your eye routine, this could be a worthy contender!

Hydra Quench cream mask –

This is a Clarins product that I LOVE. It’s not expensive and works just as effectively as some of the more pricier moisture masks i’ve tried. I also love the nice fresh scent of this particular line by Clarins. I use the gel moisturiser of this same line for morning hydration and have talked about it before.

Instant eye makeup remover –

Just a good speedy eye makeup remover with no irritation. I love how this dissolves mascara without having to ‘rub’ too much. And I am glad I have this in a travel size. Clarins really are soo generous with samples. Kinda addicting in a way..

Back to the post,

Hand creams – I’ve been loving two actually. I use the thicker, more nourishing La Mer one as a night time treatment and this Diptyque Eau Rose as a day time hand cream since it’s smaller and I find is very easy to take around in my bag. Personally I wish La Mer would do a more travel friendly size of their hand cream. Have you seen how heavy the cap is??? It’s insane. I feel like I need a separate bag to carry this in!

Now onto some makeup bag essentials..

Hakuhodo retractable brush – Fits perfectly in my little makeup bag and great to use with any powder I might be carrying. I love how it is encased in this holder so the bristles don’t mingle with the other contents of my bag. So hygienic.

VDL Blotting powder – I love this stuff. I remember how I tried this the very first day at the counter and all dewiness, GONE right in front of my eyes. It’s lightweight and doesn’t leave a white cast cos it’s translucent, so even if you have darker skin, this works perfect for you too.

Diptyque Do Son – This is my favourite Diptyque perfume. It’s a heady scent of Tuberose, something feminine and floral but is still a bit creamy and smooth. I’ve had this for over a year now and I still can’t stop using it. I like to keep a sample in my bag so I don’t have to carry my bottle around when I travel. Works out perfectly for me. But I think I may need to restock my samples next time I visit a Diptyque store..

O.P.I Avoplex cuticle oil to go – Something I can’t live without! You really REALLY need to try this. It’s a little tube with a brush tip applicator which instantly hydrates dry cuticles. Normally for me hand creams alone aren’t enough, and I always rely on this baby to keep my hands looking well groomed and hydrated.

Sensai Lip treatment sample – So I have never owned this in a full size and it is my second sample pot (I got three!). But I am completely in love with this conveniently packaged coin size pot of lip treatment. It’s my nightly lip balm and I also keep it in my makeup bag to use as and when needed. The texture of this is not waxy or oily like normal lip balms, but a lightweight formula that feels like a light moisturiser. It keeps my lips in good condition, so I like to have this around.

Armani Flash Lacquer 520 – This is my go-to lipgloss these days. It’s a medium pink with a slight warm tone. Perfect to mimic youthful healthy lips. I also love that this can be layered over lipstick to make them more pinky and flushed. I believe it’s a fail safe colour for most skin tones.

concluding with some lifestyle products…

Penhaligons Endymion candle – Where do I even begin…. It’s an addictive creamy scent with a very sexy warm profile. I keep this in my living area and light it whenever I need to feel pampered and relaxed. I love love love this!

Breath luxury phone portable charger by M.Craftsman – Can’t count how many times this has been my saviour when my phone died. This portable charger can store up to 2.5 times your iPhone battery and is great for when you are on vacay so you can charge on the go if you are out all day. I actually have two. And how sleek is the packaging with the leather and suede mix? VERY!!!

Last but not least –

Some Fashion/Art in the form of Manolo drawings. Who doesn’t like shoes? And I think Manolo makes some of the most creative and exotic ones. I love to brows through this little book and dream of all the gorgeous shoes that I would just love to try on some day. These are more like works of art. Truly admire Mr Manolo.

So there you have it, a ramble about my current loves. Hope I didn’t bore you too much 🙂

In any case I plan to do more lifestyle type posts like this in future to break up the monotony of just beauty and skincare reviews.

Wishing you a great weekend!

Michelle.

Skincare

Morning skincare routine

May 4, 2014July 30, 2014by Bubbly Michelle4 Comments

Here it is, the final entry for skincare week!

I know I seem to have worked backwards as far as sequence goes.. but that’s how my world works!

So this is going to be all about morning skincare. I basically keep it very simple and never really go overboard with any anti ageing skincare during the day time as I feel the benefits of skincare are delivered more effectively in the p.m, as skin repairs itself at night while we sleep.

I normally start off with a mild cleanse, as there is no makeup or dirt to be removed. All a morning cleanser needs to do is take away last nights left over skincare (if any) and clear out any dead skin cells.

For that I rely on this Murad one.

Also around three times a week I sneak in a bit of Clarisonic action skipping my Murad cleanser for some extra deep cleaning and literally sweep away any dead cell buildup. I pair it with this Soy face cleanser by Fresh.

Finally on to the good stuff,

During the a.m I like to use this Facial Treatment Clear lotion by SK2 which is a clarifying toner to refresh and wipe off dead cells and prep skin for the next step.. moisturizer!

Moisturiser is something I take very seriously as my combination skin can be a real pain in the a** if not hydrated well and the dryer areas such as my cheeks can be especially uncooperative when I am applying foundation, and rebel with flakey patches. The key is to find a product that works great at hydrating as well as being light enough to not cause an oily mess on my t-zone as the day goes on.

I really love the Clarins HydraQuench range for this. It hydrates but is light enough for the daytime. It’s also a great basic moisturizer that pairs well with most serums as it doesn’t necessarily have any specific anti ageing or treatment properties that may conflict with the serums that you may currently use. It has a lovely light texture, a refreshing soft smell and absorbs really fast.

I’d highly recommend the cream gel version to anyone with oily or combination skin for effective oil free hydrating . Two thumbs up!

The next product is a fairly new addition to my routine. It’s this really nice Soothing Serum by Avène. It’s heaven sent for days when I wake up with a nasty red blemish or any irritations in general. This baby calms skin like nobody’s business! If you are plagued with sensitive skin as I am, you’d know the woes of dealing with hot, flushed red patches all over your face. The Soothing Serum calms redness caused by irritation within 15 mins and works really well for me. I just love it. (I use this before moisturizing btw and only when needed, not everyday)

Next up, eye creams

In the mornings I choose light or lifting eye creams. I find that my regular night eye creams are too heavy for the day time and would cause my concealer to migrate and shift as it makes the under eye area very slick.

So the SK2 Facial Treatment Essence eye cream is perfect for that. It’s a very light texture and delivers just enough hydration to create a good base for applying any concealer.

Another eye cream I really love for day time is this one by Lancôme. The Rénergie Yeux Multi Lift. I am so drawn to eye creams that lift the eye lid and deflate any puffiness. And in the mornings it’s essential to have depuffed under eyes to stop them looking tired. And this one is not too heavy and hydrates just the right amount. A big plus for me.

One more eye cream I really loved for it’s lifting action is the Clarins Defining Eye Lift. It instantly lifts up the eyelid and gives it a more youthful appearance. It also tightens the under eyes. Sadly I only had a sample of this and never really purchased it as it’s not necessarily hydrating enough to use on the whole eye area (it’s a runny liquid type serum). But I hope to purchase this in future as it did a good job as far as lifting goes, and I can use this strictly on my lids.

With that, I conclude my a.m routine.

Hope you found this post interesting.

Wishing you a lovely Sunday, and if you are a residing in Singapore there is a little giveaway happening on my IG (which ends tonight). Pop by there and leave a comment to win a whole bunch of Yves Rocher goodies that were so generously sent to me by Yves Rocher Singapore specially for my lovely followers. There are two sets up for grabs 🙂

Skincare

My favorite face masks

May 2, 2014May 3, 2014by Bubbly Michelle4 Comments

Face masks, the emergency rescue team of the skincare world. Apparently there’s a mask for pretty much everything these days. Be it an instant ‘lift’ for sagging facial contours, miraculous skin plumping anti-agers. And the best of all wrinkle relaxers!

My weakness is hydrating masks and clarifying masks.. and can’t seem to get enough of them!

I’ve used quite a number over the years and have arrived at these fab 5 that never disappoint.

a. Sisley Black Rose cream mask

b. Avène Soothing moisture mask

c. Clarins HydraQuench cream mask

d. SK2 Facial treatment mask

e. GlamGlow Supermud clearing treatment mask

Usually masks are part of my morning routine.. I basically pop one on before I head to shower (which is after I have cleansed my face) and more often than not, it’s this Clarins HydraQuench.

Once I am done showering I just wipe off the excess and go right into makeup.. I have never had a problem applying makeup over this (provided you do a thorough wipe), and it eliminates any chance of flaky spots and creates a good canvas for my foundation!

This is also a great mask for a mid week treat too, the refreshing fresh fragrance of this is soo calming and helps with relaxation if you want to curl up in bed and catch up on some reading!

The Avène Soothing mask is my savior when my sensitive skin decides to act up. This is great for moisturizing and calming skin that’s irritated. In my case when I am suffering from allergies and my face get’s itchy.

I apply a thick layer of this and wait for about 15 mins and wipe it off. I always follow this up with my Avène Deep Moist Lotion which was discussed here. It helps with continuous hydration as well as takes off any residue of the mask, as I feel that foundation doesn’t spread as smoothly over this.

This mask has no heavy scent, just the usual calming Avène fragrance if you are familiar with it.

* Also note, it would also double up as a great treatment mask for sunburnt skin! Perfect for Summer.

Sisley Black Rose mask is my weekly treat. It’s soothing rose fragrance is just what the doctor ordered for weekend pamper sessions.

The second ingredient in this is Shea butter, which explains the intense plumping and hydration. It also contains Glycerin to hold moisture, and a tonne of other plant extracts to work on those anti ageing claims.

I love that the scent of this is from rose flower oil, a nice luxurious touch, which is expected for the price you pay.

The main benefit of using this is the instant radiance and plumping which helps iron out wrinkles temporarily, leaving my complexion looking glowy and most of all youthful! And the intense hydration is not short lived either, so that’s a plus as well.

I usually don’t wear makeup after applying this, and only use it on afternoons when I have plenty of free time to relax and enjoy this to it’s full potential.

Here’s a closer look at the masks discussed,

My absolute favourite clarifying mask is GlamGlow Supermud. It’s great for a good deep cleansing to get rid of any congestion and is also my go-to spot treatment! Just a dab of this on an emerging spot instantly calms it down and stops it becoming a big angry zit!

Although some may find the earthy, herby scent a bit overwhelming, I don’t mind it. You can read more here.

Now onto my favourite in-flight mask! The SK2 treatment mask.

Personally, not a big fan of sheet masks, but I always pack one of these for long haul flights as the dry cabin air can rob your skin of its moisture and radiance. Using one always allows me to disembark looking just as fresh as I boarded! They are generously soaked in Pitera enriched Treatment Essence which brightens and deeply hydrates. If you are new to these, the texture can be a little strange as it feels somewhat slimy.. but it’s something you eventually get used to.

Bottom line, all these masks are pretty good. I would most certainly repurchase each and every one of them. However if I had to recommend just one. It would be the Clarins HydraQuench. It’s great value for money and a must try by the brand.

The GlamGlow is also a great buy if you have acne prone skin. Although it’s on the pricier side, you get a lot of applications from a single jar so it lasts quite a while! Good value in my opinion.

Other info-

GlamGlow is available at Sephora and Tangs Orchard Singapore.

Sisley is available at DFS Galleria and Metro Paragon Singapore.

Clarins is available at all Clarins counters island wide.

Avène is available at all Watsons outlets island wide.

Skincare

Cleansers, Cleansers, Cleansers!

April 26, 2014April 28, 2014by Bubbly Michelle21 Comments

I believe thorough cleansing is an integral part of ones skincare routine. As much as you put in effort to do your makeup, it’s also important to remove it at the end of the day and let your skin breath.

Unless you wear a lot of makeup you probably wouldn’t want to double cleanse. But making sure skin is squeaky clean before you get into bed is possibly the best beauty advice I could give anyone.

So if you are still on the look out for that perfect cleanser, maybe you’ll find something you’ll like here… So read on!

Here’s my stash. I know to some it may look a bit excessive, but I like to keep a wide selection at hand for my various cleansing needs. I promise you all of these purchases were necessary 😉

So what exactly are these so called ‘various’ cleansing needs?

a. Something mild, to use as a pre cleanser when I feel like double cleansing.

b. Morning cleansers

c. Heavy duty makeup removers (in my case, cleansing oils)

d. Cleansers I use with my Clarisonic

e. Exfoliating cleansers

Starting with morning cleansers.

My favourite is this Murad one for sensitive skin which I’ve been using for almost two years and love. It’s a gel formula and so mild; never strips my face off all it’s moisture. I love its very soft fresh fragrance and although it doesn’t lather too much, it’s very pleasurable to use.

I specially cherish it on days when my skin’s breaking out, as this never aggravates any sensitivity.

Pre cleansers

No cleanser post is complete without a mention of this miracle water. My trusty Bioderma. It’s a Micellar water cleanser, which requires no rinsing and is a soap & alcohol free formula. Also this has no detectable smell so it’s great for those who are sensitive to overly fragranced cleansers.

Personally I really love it for days when I wear little to no makeup and it’s my cheat for a quick cleanse without messing with cleansing oils. It’s also mild enough to use in a double cleanse routine.

On the down side I always see a tiny bit of makeup residue on my cotton pad after toning. So I always make sure I tone to get that last bit of makeup off.

What I love the most is this never leaves my face feeling tight or dry. A must have in everyones stash!

The makeup removers

For cleansing off a full face of makeup, I always rely on oils. They really do take off makeup effortlessly with no scrubbing. I seriously can’t believe I waited so long to try these!

Oil cleansers are usually applied on dry skin unlike regular foaming cleansers then massaged in and washed off. And my favourite cleansing oil is the SK2 one. I love that it’s so effective when it comes to taking off all makeup, no need to double cleanse. And it leaves no oily residue on your face but a soft moist bouncy clean feeling. It’s my favourite!

Also in my stash are two Shu Uemura cleansers. The POREfinist and Ultim8 (Both sent to me by Shu Uemura for review). They both do a good job cleansing off makeup but I am not too crazy about the fact that these sting my eyes. Specially the POREfinist, as it’s a finer and thinner formula than the Ultim8 it always, always gets in my eye!

Cleansers I use with my Clarisonic

I only use one to be honest and that’s the Soy Face Cleanser by Fresh. Possibly their most popular skincare product. This has a very refreshing fragrance which I LOVE! I believe it’s cucumber… hmmm hard to describe actually.

It doesn’t lather up much as it’s a gel cleanser but after use I feel that it leaves the skin a bit thirsty. Not in a tight uncomfortable way but more of a ‘on the brink of feeling dry’ way.

So I am still on the look out for a more hydrating gel cleanser to use with my Clarisonic, so please let me know which ones you use with your Clarisonic. I’d love to give them a try 🙂

Daily exfoliators

As much as I’d love to believe the claim that this gentle exfoliator is fine for everyday use. Good sense tells me not to.

Since skin doesn’t renew itself that fast, I feel that exfoliating everyday aka over exfoliating is just as bad as under exfoliating. That being said, the Clarins One-Step Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser smells sooo nice, it makes me want to! But of course I don’t! haha

It smells so fresh and I just love using this, but of course maybe once every three days or so, in the mornings. If you are lazy or keep forgetting to exfoliate, purchase this, it’s easy to use and you’d eventually train yourself to routine exfoliation!

I also love that the beads in this are not as abrasive compared to some in the market. And it’s actually pretty mild and never leaves your skin looking bruised and rosy!

Here’s a look at texture, I didn’t take any of the cleansing oils as they are purely just oil!

So in summary,

Murad Soothing Gel Cleanser- For those with sensitive skin and redness try this mild cleanser.

Bioderma Créaline Micellaire Solution- Sensitive / Normal to Combination, great for lazy days and travel.

Shu Uemura Cleansing POREfinist- Oily to Combination skin to take off heavy makeup.

Shu Uemura Ultim8 – All skin types and claims anti aging skincare benefits so I’d say it’s suited for mature skin as well.

SK2 Facial Treatment Cleansing Oil – All skin types to take off heavy makeup.

Soy Face Cleanser- Normal to Combination skin (Although it’s recommended for all skin types) a good everyday cleanser.

Clarins Gentle Exfoliating Cleanser – All skin types

Hope you enjoyed this post and I plan on doing more skincare posts in the weeks to come.

So feel free to let me know if there is anything you specifically want to see on my blog 🙂