Hello everyone!

Today I wanted to go into my skin care routine. This was brought about by the particularly good skin days I’ve been having and I think (hope and pray) they’re here to stay. 

My current cleanser of choice is the QV Face Gentle Cleanser. I’d been using this for years and years and I find the formula a little heavier and more moisturizing than something like Cetaphil. Once a week, I use the Ren Flash Rinse 1 Minute Facial after I wash my face at night. This stuff is amazing, it leaves the skin looking really healthy and feeling very smooth. It can be a bit tightening though and I'm not sure I'm a fan of that. 

The Skin Food Black Sugar Mask is supposed to be for the face, but I find it a little too strong on me. However it does make a really good body scrub and I’ve really enjoyed using this in the shower. It melts away after you scrub and smells amazing. Most days though I just use the fish-shaped silicone exfoliator. It’s softer than it looks so it does a good job of removing dead skin without being too rough.

On the face, I’ve been using Laneige Water Bank Essence_EX whenever I’ve needed moisturizing. I also like patting it into my skin over my foundation for extra moisture and a light glowing look. The Nature Republic Aloe Vera Soothing Gel is a little too thick and it doesn’t absorb so well on my face, but it is perfect for the body especially in the summer. I especially love using it after I shave my legs or exfoliate as it leaves everything feeling very supple.

When I feel like having a mask, I use a sheet mask or the Ren Glycol Lactic Radiance Renewal Mask. Not super fond of the smell, but it’s very good at making skin look plump, healthy, and glowy. When I don’t feel like using something as precious and expensive, I mix honey with olive oil (at a ratio of 2:1). It’s rejuvenating and really moisturizing and cheap, cheap, cheap.

I use the Murad Essential-C toner for days when I have break outs, making sure I only run it over the areas where the pimples and pigmentation are. My skin tends to get dry and patchy if I use this all over. This is more of a night-time thing as it does have vitamin C. I use Bioderma Créaline H2O to remove makeup. I used to use the Sensibio, which was too strong for me (read the review here). Shifted to the Créaline, loved it. I’m on my second bottle now!

Lastly, and I really felt this was worth a mention, is the Muji Cotton Puffs. To be perfectly honest, this was a splurge-y purchase (not all that expensive, but more than I would pay for cotton anyway). It is just cotton, but this is just so soft. I’ve had cotton pads that have felt abrasive when I rubbed them on my face, I don't have that problem with these. I justify this by thinking, “well, it’s 129 pieces and they’re soft af.”

Here's to more good skin days~

I always looked forward to October when I was in school because the semestral break was coming up and that always meant that I was going to Hong Kong for at least a week. I always used that time to get a head start on my holiday shopping. That being said, I always got a few things for myself or started looking for things to put in my wish list. My birthday is in November and Christmas comes a month after that so it gave me enough time to hint what I wanted, but my parents would always get me something else anyway (sigh). In the spirit of that, I decided to run down the ten things I desperately want, but may or may not be able to get my hands on.

Nars Audacious Lipstick in Vera & Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Creme Lip Colour in #05 Mademoiselle

I have to confess that the first two items on this list are way, way, way beyond my budget for lipsticks. The reason they're here is because they are both incredibly pretty and I have to stop myself from going to their respective counters and swatching them all the time. Vera is a bright raspberry pink and I am a huge fan of berry shades. It has similarities to my Clio Art Lipstick in MO 28 Blossom Ruby, but with a richer color. Mademoiselle on the other hand is a gorgeous sheer pink. It makes a gorgeous MLBB (my lips, but better) lipstick and it is really creamy and moisturizing.

Shu Uemura Anti-Oxi Skin Refining Cleansing Oil

Shu Uemura has a long history of amazing oil-based cleansers and I have several friends who absolutely swear by these products. Everyone and their mother has lusted after the Shu Uemura cleansing oils and my mom and I are no exception. We both really really want this particular variant because of its claim that it effectively cleans off pollutants that cling to the skin. 

Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard

If I was going to be well and truly honest, these first four products are all on this list because my friend Pauline has recommended them in some shape or form over the last year. She too has been eyeing this concealer. She has recently gotten her hands on it and raved about it in her September favorites. After a few mishaps I've had with some concealers I've tried in the past, I'm ready for something that really works. It has everything I want; a light buildable coverage, does not crease, is long-wearing, and lightens dark areas!

VDL Expert Lip Cube EX in #502 Hello Stranger

Have you ever gone shopping for someone else and bought them something you wished you could keep for yourself? I got this for my friend Danie as an extremely early Christmas present and she absolutely loved it and used it straight away. When I was at the VDL counter, the saleslady and I could not stop gushing over this deep red color. Apparently, this new line is more moisturizing and is of higher quality than the older lip cubes. Manufactured in France, the whole line was designed with roses in mind which is reflected in the color and fragrance of these lipsticks. If you haven't noticed yet, I am a sucker for berry lipsticks with beautiful scents.

Makeup Forever HD Pressed Powder

I have been wishing for this pressed powder for the better part of eight months. I recommended it to my cousin, Kim, and I was supposed to get it earlier this year when she bought hers, but I did not have enough money on me at the time. She has since finished her powder and loved using it. It has the nicest texture and I love that it is translucent and as a compact it is great as an on-the-go product.

TonyMoly Perfect Eyes Long Kinny Gel Pen Liner

This is a recent discovery for me and yet another one of those things I bought for someone else, but desperately wanted to keep. I was surprised to find out a Gel Pen Liner even existed. I've seen them in retractable pen or pencil form, but never as a liquid eyeliner. It combines the best of both worlds because you get the staying power of a gel liner, but the precision and handling of a pen liner. It also has a great brush tip and is pigmented. It also is not too glossy when dry and does not smudge. Not a lot has been said about this eyeliner, but when I get my hands on it (and I promise you, I will get my hands on it) I will definitely write a review.

Innisfree Skinny Microcara

Just look at how tiny that brush is! This came to my attention just as I was commiserating over the fact I couldn't get an Eyeko Skinny Brush Mascara in the US because Sephora doesn't carry it. Not only is this Innisfree one more accessible to me, it comes in a non-waterproof formula that will be so much easier to remove. I'm not a big fan of clumpy lashes so this should help with lash separation as well as lengthening.

Laniege Water Bank Essence EX

I got a sample of the regular Water Bank Essence last year and I have been meaning to buy it ever since. The other essence products I've tried haven't really exceeded this one. I keep remembering how lovely this was to use. The whole Water Bank line is really good and I would like to get the whole collection, but if I come up short, I would be really happy with just this one product.

Clinique Moisture Surge

I cannot express just how much I want this. I am running out of the sample I bought and I live in fear of running out before I can get a full-sized one. This has done wonders for my skin. Moisture Surge not only moisturized it, but it made it brighter and more elastic. Make up went on smoother and every time I use it I get complimented on how glowy and radiant my skin looks. I've been alternating this with Nature Republic's Soothing & Moisture 92% Aloe Vera Soothing Gel, which is a really good gel texture moisturizer in its own right, but there is a definite difference in how soft my skin is after using Moisture Surge. If there was anything on this list that I wanted more than anything, it would be this product. There are so many things I love about it and I have grown to really need it.

I came up with this list after whittling away other products that didn't come up to scratch after reading reviews or after swatching. These are the ones I really could not get out of my mind. Some of them have been on this list for a long time and I just have not been able to get around to buying them or I keep stopping myself because of the price tag. I hope that I save enough money for a few of these or with luck someone gifts me one of these lovely products haha.

...Or they go on sale!

1. Clinique Moisture Surge
2. Laniege Water Bank Essence
3. Innisfree Skinny Microcara
4. TonyMoly Perfect Eyes Long Kinny Gel Pen Liner
5. Makeup Forever HD Pressed Powder
6. VDL Expert Color Lip Cube Ex in #502 Hello Stranger
7. Nars Radiant Creamy Concealer in Custard
8. Shu Uemura Anti-Oxi Skin Refining Cleansing Oil
9. Chanel Rouge Coco Hydrating Lip Creme in #05 Mademoiselle
10. Nars Audacious Lipstick in Vera

It’s hard to believe that July is over! This month I veered towards more natural looks versus my usual heavy eyeliner or bright lips. These products really helped achieve that and were incredibly quick and easy to apply. A definite plus since I could never wake up early enough and always rushed through my morning routine. Without any more further ado, here are my July Favorites!

Bourjois Cream Blush in #04 Sweet Cherry

I absolutely love this product. The color is gorgeous and very natural. I never used to like blush because all I had were powder blushes and they dried up the skin on my cheeks. The cream blush doesn’t cake or cause dryness, which is fantastic and a little does go a long way. I tried liquid cheek tints before too and I found them somewhat difficult to control and took too much time to apply and perfect. The Bourjois Cream Blush extremely easy to apply and blend even if I’m in a hurry or applying makeup in a car.

Clinique Chubby Stick Moisturizing Lip Colour Balm in #14 Curvy Candy

My friend Ren gave this to me a few months back and I’d been using it on and off. Recently it’s become a makeup bag staple. It’s super easy to just glide on and I like the heft of it. It’s longer than your usual lip balm and I like that it feels like a giant crayon (is that weird?) The color is sheer, but buildable and it doesn’t feel heavy or look too gloopy when you apply more.

The Face Shop Flebote White Crystal Effect Essence

I got this last February and I’ve recently reincorporated it into my makeup routine. I say makeup not skincare because I mix this with whatever base I’ve chosen for that day. It makes the consistency a lot more moisturizing and a lot thinner. I especially like mixing it in with concealer as it helps prevent it from looking cakey especially on the under-eye area. It also makes the concealer easier to blend.

VDL Tint Bar Triple Shot in #502 Triple Burgundy

I first saw this product in PONY’s Krystal Rum Pum Pum Pum makeup tutorial and I was so excited to see it at the VDL counter. I can’t be too sure, but I think this color has been discontinued. This was one of the ways I used to cheat the lip gradation look, but recently I’ve been mixing all the colors together when I use it and it makes a really nice raspberry shade. The product itself looks really unique and interesting on top of that, it smells amazing.

Urban Decay Naked Basics Palette

I cannot stress how much I love this palette. My friend Gaby recommended this to me after I whined about how badly I needed good neutral eye shadows. The matte neutral shades apply beautifully and are very pigmented with or without primer. I also like that there is one shimmery shade for highlighting the brow bones and the center of the eyelids. I especially love how small it is and that it comes with a mirror, which makes it incredibly travel-friendly. It does not, however come with a brush or have a brush compartment. Though this doesn’t bother me quite so much because of how easy they are to apply and blend even with just fingers.

Everything here was such a staple this month and always managed to make its way into my makeup bag and will likely remain so until the season changes. Most of these are still relatively new so they’ll last me quite a long time.

Wow! This post turned out longer than I expected. Even so, I could probably go a little more in-depth and review some of these products later on. I’m also thinking of doing a post about lip products some time soon so watch out for that!