Nivea Clear-Up Strips

strips for chin and forehead

the nose strip

Recently my skin has decided to be problematic (thanks skin! really appreciate it). More specifically, my nose. Cleanser used to be enough but this time it failed me. So I decided to find some pore strips, which by the way I have never used before but have always wanted to so I don't have any other product to compare it to. I went to Cactus and they didn't have many options, in fact they only had these Nivea Clear-Up Strips, so I got them. 

My first impression was that they smell amazingly fresh and lovely. Which is a good thing because it's meant to stay on the nose for 10-15 minutes. Imagine if they smelt horrible! The instructions were really simple and clear, you cleanse your face and keep the area where you want to place a pore strip quite wet so that they stick. Then you peel away the plastic, stick the soft, fluffy fleece part on and leave it to dry for 10-15 minutes. It then gets rather stiff and dry and is a bit uncomfortable to peel off, but also incredibly satisfying and completely pain free. And voila, my nose was cured! It felt quite tight and looked rather shiny but my pores were unclogged and my face looked fresh.

The pack comes with strips specifically for the T-zone area; the nose, forehead and chin. I think there were two of the chin and forehead strips and four nose strips. I would have liked to have a few more of the chin and forehead ones, but since my main issue was with my nose it worked out for the best. I also (stupidly) don't remember how much I  paid, but I'm pretty sure it was under 5€ and Amazon do them for 3,99€ here. 

Overall, I really like these strips and they make a great addition to my weekly 'spa' routine (which basically consists of face masks, hair masks and now pore strips). 

Have you used these before? What are you favourite products for tackling pores?

Bebe More Range

bare faced

with the Brighten Up moisturiser

with the moisturiser and the eye cream

                            with the eye cream                                          without the eye cream

finished face, no other face products used (foundation, concealer or powder)

I recently spotted new Bebe skincare products in Cactus. I admit, I am always drawn in by cute packaging and Bebe never fail in that aspect. There were three new products in the Bebe More Range, the Melt Away cleanser, the Beautiful Eyes eye cream and the Brighten-Up face cream. Naturally, I bought all three. For science. I don't actually feel bad about it, because Bebe isn't an expensive brand. Also I was in need of a daily moisturiser and I don't even own any eye creams. But there's a first time for everything.

My skin tends to be quite sensitive, in the sense that I have to be careful about what I put on my face. I often find that most moisturisers and creams make my face itch immediately after applying them. There are no actual psychical signs of this but my face feels so uncomfortable. This is also the reason why I don't use many face products like foundation. Even concealer feels horrible. So whenever I find a product that doesn't do this, I stick with it. The Vichy 3 in one cleanser, La Roche Posay Effaclar Duo serum, the Effaclar A.I. cream and the Effaclar Purifying cleanser are my go to products. However they are all on the more expensive side.

I did have high hopes for the Bebe products and they didn't disappoint. The cleanser is just as good as the Vichy and the La Roche Posay ones, my face always feels really soft and extremely clean after cleansing. 

I was most interested in the eye cream and was quite surprised by the results. I found the cream visibly lighten my under eye circles. Let it first be known that I don't really mind my under eye circles, they don't bother me as much as having spots for example, but I actually liked how the cream lightened up those areas. I looked a lot more awake! I don't think the photos do it justice, but you can tell there is a noticeable difference. Out of the whole range, this product is my favourite.

The moisturiser has SPF10 which is good because I have trouble finding  cheap moisturisers that contain any kind of SPF here in Luxembourg. As far as brightening goes, I do notice that my face looks less dull after using this cream. It feels really nice on as well and none of these Bebe products made my face itch or feel uncomfortable, which is a huge thumbs up for me. I have also noticed that my face doesn't get oily throughout the day whenever I use this cream, which is a plus.

So far after a month of trying them all out, I am really impressed with these products and will definitely repurchase them when I run out. The amount that you get in each product is more than enough as well, less is more with the eye cream and moisturiser and the cleanser comes in a reasonably sized tube as well. 

Have any of you tried these products before?

Deauty Box: Experience and Mini Review

Hi everyone,

A friend of my boyfriend's told me about a beauty box subscription that she gets. I've always wanted to try beauty boxes, after seeing so much about Glossy Box and was quite excited to find out about a company that ships to Luxembourg. 

I visited the website (which you can find here) and signed up. You are then asked to fill out a little "beauty profile" quiz, which asks about your hair and skin type and then you get a choice of which kind of subscription you want. It costs 16,95€ a month post and packaging included, and the subscription offers you can choose from are: a monthly cost of 16,95€, three months for 50,85€ or twelve months for 185€. I chose to pay 16,95€ a month because you can end the subscription whenever you want. Since it was my first beauty box, I didn't want to pay more than that up front without knowing what kind of products I would get. 

You get 4-6 products each month and you can browse the brands they have here.

They ship the boxes between the 10th and the 25th of every month. I ordered and got mine in June last year, but put off blogging about it because I wanted to try and reupload some of my lost photos first. This also explains why I only have a few photos of the box and only of the products.

I ordered the box as a one off and then ended the subscription because I had to save money for my summer holiday.

All in all, I wasn't too blown away by the products. I got an Etat Pur cream for sore legs, a Savon d'Alep jasmine soap, a mini Estée Lauder Revitalising Supreme Anti-Aging moisturiser, the Absolute Nude eyeshadow palette which contains six eyeshadows and a lipstick in the shade 260 It's a Matt World by Catrice and a Eucerin shaving cream for men as they added something for the man in your life.

On the one hand, there are only two miniature products, the shaving cream and the moisturiser. The rest of the products are all full size, which is good. However, the brand of the lipstick and palette, Catrice, is rather cheap. That being said, the colour pay off of the eyeshadows isn't terrible and the lipstick is rather pigmented. The lipstick's packaging is nice and doesn't feel cheap at all. It has a rather strong smell of sweets though, which some people may find pleasant but it's a bit too sickly for me.

I compared the palette to the original Naked palette, and the shades are somewhat similar, so it is a cheaper, smaller alternative. The palette retails for 4,99€ and I think the lipstick costs around the same. (The Catrice website doesn't seem to have any prices).

My boyfriend appreciated the shaving cream and used it when we went away on holiday, as it was the perfect size for travelling. I was a bit confused as to why they added a leg cream and a soap to a beauty box though. I ended up giving the palette to my sister but I kept the lipstick, as I don't own a lot of red shades. I never used the soap, because I'm more of a liquid soap person, or the moisturiser because I'm picky with what I put on my face and I don't want to end up loving it, because I get the feeling the full size is expensive. I used the leg cream once because my legs get really bad cramps at night time, but felt not difference.

I might subscribe again one day when I have a bit of extra money, because it is a fun experience, not knowing what you are getting. But for now I don't feel the need to get a box full of beauty surprises.

What are your experiences with beauty boxes? Which ones would you recommend?

Product Comparison & Review: Bioderma vs RoC

Hi everyone!

You'll probably have noticed that I haven't blogged in ages, if you look at the date of this post and compare it to the one beneath it. I've had a rather long blogging break, for no particular reason, other than having lost my mojo a little bit. But it's back and I've got many interesting posts planned!

For now though, I have a make-up remover comparison.

RoC Double Action Eye Make-Up Remover 

for Sensitive Eyes and Removes Waterproof Eye Make-Up

I used to only ever use make-up removing wipes. such as the Garnier ones, and the occaisional liquid remover, but while working at the pharmacy back in January, I was given this RoC make-up remover. I felt like my wipes didn't remove as much eye make-up as I'd like to, so I decided to give it a try. But after almost a month, I had to give up. It was SO greasy, obviously because it's an oil and water combination so as to remove waterproof make-up, but I'd never had such a bad problem with oily make-up removers before. And apparently it works for all skintypes. I used it on cotton pads, after shaking well, to remove my eye make-up before cleansing, toning and moisturising my face, and after all that, I still had greasy eyes. And it didn't stop there, the grease would travel down my cheeks, and it felt horrible. It's safe to say this product was not for me, despite liking the idea of using a liquid make-up remover. I'm well aware products, especially skin products, suit different skin types well, so I'm not saying this product is rubbish, but it's definitely not for me. I'm glad I didn't have to pay for it, to be honest. I'm  not sure how much it costs, but I've seen it one the internet for around 10€ for 125ml.

Bioderma Sensibio H2O Solution Micellaire 

for Sensitive Skin, for Face and Eyes

This product is no stranger to the blogging world, but to be honest, I never really wanted to try it out. I'm not sure if I thought the hype made it a bit overrated, but I just did not feel like trying it, despite the fact that even my sister raved about it. Eventually, after the whole RoC fiasco, I decided it to give it a go (that, and because my mum came home one day with 4 bottles of it (two of which were for my sister). The moment I used it, I realised what a great product it was. Again, I put a bit on a cotton pad, and took of my make-up, letting it sit on the eyes for a bit. It really does feel like I was taking off my make-up with pure water, but it has the same effect as an oil/water combination, which is great! There was no grease in sight, so I was extremely happy. I must admit, I'm a Bioderma convert now. And the best thing about it is, it lasts for ages! The downside is, it's quite pricey, 15€ a bottle I think (my mum found a special offer in Auchan, 2 for one, I think!). But for 500ml, it's only 5€ more than the RoC remover, which is half the size. I definitely reccomend it to anyone who wants a better make-up remover than an oily make-up remover. And you can use it on your face as well as your eyes, which is a bonus, because I wouldn't dream of using the RoC remover on my whole face! 

I hope you liked this comparison, and if any of you use either of these products, let me know your experiences!

Current Skin Care Routine

Hi everyone! I thought I'd do a blogpost on my skin care routine. My skin has been clear and healthy for over three months now, since I started using these products, so I thought I'd share my tips and tricks. I've repurchased all of them, that's how good they are.

My skin type:

I'd say I have combination skin, but it's hard to tell, because it constantly differs depending on the seasons, sometimes it's greasy (Spring/Summer), sometimes it's very dry (Autumn/Winter). Is that normal? I really have no idea about skin. Spots were also a big problem. I used to never use any kind of product, but now that I've started, I've found it's made a huge difference. I've been spot free for over three months, with the allowance of one or two at my time of the month. 

What my skin goes through, make-up wise:

Like I've mentioned so many times, I never use foundation. Ever. This is due to the fact that when I was a young teenager, so around 13 years old, my mum told me that using foundation and concealer will just hide the problem and not deal with it. You'll be cleaning your skin and then putting stuff over it, so scars and spots will never have the chance to heal properly. I don't know if that's strictly true, that foundation, concealers and powders don't help at all, but I chose to believe it anyway. I'm definitely not saying foundation is bad, the main reason I don't use it is because I really hate the way it feels on my skin. I'm very weird regarding textures, and feeling it on my face just disgusts me a bit. But it's all personal choice, if foundation works for you, then that's great! I do occasionally use concealer, but recently I've stopped (concealer free for over three months!). I do use blush, but I've never found that damaging to the skin.


What I use:

I use all of these products apart from the face wipes in the morning too.

Garnier Essentials Make-Up Removing Face Wipes

I remove my make-up with these wipes every night before bed. They don't sting and they take off the majority of my make-up.

Vichy Purete Thermale Paraben Free One Step Cleanser for Sensitive Skin

After removing my make-up with the wipes, I splash my face with cold water. Then I use a coin sized blob of this and rub it in all over my face, eyes included, as it not only works as a cleanser, it also works as a toner and make-up remover. Then I rinse again with cold water. This leaves my face feeling really fresh and clean.

Bebe Young Care Shine Control Oil Free Face Toner

I use a bit of this with a cotton pad and rub it in all over my face. It stings a little, but it really does clean all the excess dirt off of my face and leaves my skin feeling nice and fresh.

Bebe Young Care Relaxing Care Day & Night Cream for all skin types

I use this as a moisturiser, after the toner dries. It smells amazing and leaves my skin feeling really soft.

Important tips that everyone already knows:

• Drinking a lot of water! I've been gradually swapping Ice Tea for water, and yes it has been hard but it is so important, not just for your skin, but for your hair and body too. 
• Fresh air. After being ill with the flu for a week, I like to spend as much time as possible outside, because the difference is so noticeable. Being stuck indoors makes my skin even greasier and more prone to breaking out in spots.
• Vitamin D (i.e. being out in the sun) My mum always says getting a lot of vitamin D does wonders to the skin, just don't forget suncream!

What are your favourite skin care products?

I went shopping (Review)

After work, we went to the supermarket and I couldn't resist buying some bits, it's an addiction I swear! My boyfriend and I needed to get some light bulbs and we left with a bunch of new toiletries. By "we" I mean I did, although he did get new razor heads. I'm this bad on a daily basis, what will I be like when I get paid?! Also, I might, possibly, maybe, with a bit of luck be going to England in February. I'm planning something a little bit big and exciting, but I don't want to mention it yet, just in case it doesn't work out. But let's be positive!

Anyway, onto what I purchased/repurchased and what my mum also picked up for me.

First up, a few Dove products. If there's one thing I can never have enough of, it's shampoos/conditioners. I have about a billion, and I love trying new ones, because I feel I've been getting closer to the perfect hair products that work a treat with my hair. I remember my sister saying she was content using her Dove shampoo and conditioner, back when I was getting Lee Stafford stuff in December, and after she left to go back to England after Christmas, I noticed Dove products in the shower. My family would say I'm know to, ahem, borrow other people's shampoo without asking, but the last few years I kicked that habit of wanting what others have, but these looked so lonely. And almost empty anyway. So I used them and my hair felt so, so soft and lovely, even when I let it air dry. It usually goes frizzy and horrible but I really noticed a huge difference using the Dove products. They also smell really nice and the packaging, which is white with gold, is very elegant, if shampoo can be elegant. The ones I got today, the same as the ones left abandoned it the shower (let me just note, if they belonged to my mum or other sister: sorry for using the last bit!), are called Dove Hair Therapy Nourishing Oil Care, which claim to "revitalise and smooth dry, rough and frizzy hair with weightless nutri-oils". That's my rough French translation anyway, because I'm too lazy to google what Dove has to say about it. But I'm sure it says pretty much that in English. So I got the shampoo, conditioner and a deep conditioner. They also had a leave-in conditioner, but I have my Bed Head Ego Boost for that. anyway, you're supposed to leave the deep conditioner in for about 3-5 minutes, which I did, and my hair is very soft and feels sort of light, but that could just be me thinking it feels like that. It definitely doesn't feel full of product, which makes my hair feel heavy and horrible, which is great! So far, I love this stuff.

Next, I asked my mum if she could find me bebe Relaxing Care Day & Night Cream, which is my moisturiser, and if she could find the bebe face wash, to get that too, please. Problem was, I was at work at the time and didn't have enough time to describe the product in detail, and the shop she went to only had my cream and a toner. Which is great because that means I get to try out a new product! So she got the bebe  Shine Control Oil-Free Face Lotion, which promises a "shine-free complexion, with lemongrass and fruitextracts and it cleanses and gets rid of dirt and excess oils that are on the skin". Again a rough translation, this time from German to English. Using my decent language skills, like a boss. So yeah, I had a bit of a mishap when I opened it and spilt it all over the place, over than that it's great. My day&night cream is great too, I've really seen a difference since I started using it, I get less spots (hardly any now!) and my skin feels really soft and is less patchy. My face wash, which we couldn't find (I looked too, when we went shopping), has also contributed to my improved skin condition. I really love these products and would recommend them to anyone who can get their hands on them. They have something to do with Johnson products, but I'm not sure if they're available in England, or if they're named differently. If not, try www.amazon.de or www.amazon.fr, because it's made in France apparently but is also translated into German, so I think you'll probably find it on one of those. More on my bebe experiences here.

And finally, a deodrant, Fa Mystic Moments Seductive Fragrance*, which I've repurchased because it is a very nice smelling deodrant indeed, probably the best I've ever smelt. My boyfriend loves it, probably because it smells quite "sexy" if that makes any sense?*(I noticed it had seducative fragrance after having written this sentence) It's so nice, and works well, it claims to have "24 hour reliable protection", and this really is a first, I actually believe that. Unless of course you do nothing but sport all day, therefore sweat like a pig, because the only thing that will help you in that case is a shower. It also says "no white marks & skin friendly" which is also very true. No translation needed because it's all in English (apart from the back, that's all in French and Dutch.Grrr) But yeah, this deodrant is great! I love it.

Have you tried any of these products? What are your thoughts?

bebe Skin Care Products

 

I'd run out of my Nivea Young Care stuff that I'd been usuing since March, and I wanted to try something different, but had no idea what to pick. So I just randomly chose a BeBe Day and Night moisturiser and a three in one face wash. I have combination skin, so I picked up the face wash for normal to combination skin, and the moisturiser is for all skin types. 

• bebe Young Care 3in1 Fresh Washgel for normal to combination skin

It claims to remove makeup and leave your skin feeling soft and fresh, and it's also soap free. And it actually does what it claims to do. It made my skin feel really nice and soft, and it felt clean, which is always a good thing haha. I really like this product, despit being all about nice smells, because obviously it doesn't have a smell, being soap free. I actually prefer this to my old Nivea one, because it seemed quite heavy. This even looks soft when you put it in your hands. It also looks quite shimmery and silky, if that makes sense.

• bebe Young Care Relaxing Care Day and Night Cream

Whereas the face wash doesn't have a smell, this cream smells absolutely wonderful! I really love this smell! I do realise that there is more to life and products than their smell, but for me it is really important. The moment I used this, I knew it was good. Every other moisturiser I've used makes me skin so oily, and makes my face really shiny. This one just does it's job, and keeps my skin moisturised without overdoing it. It also leaves my face very soft and nice smelling, of course. 

So I think I'm sold. I really do like these products, and until I find something even better, I'll stick with these.