New Spring skin care routines.

It is late Spring and the sun has come out here in Victoria, BC! About two weeks ago this inspired me to go through my skin care products and toss out what has not worked and what was expired. Armed with renewed enthusiasm, I went shopping for new products that I had researched on the Internet. These products were also receiving good reviews online, but most of all, they appealed to me; pretty much anything with the word "rose" in it. The new products will be in bold.

So, these are my new Spring skin care routines:

Morning

Cleanser: (from last Spring, amazingly still good!)  The Body Shop Drops of Light Pure Clarifying Foam Wash. This products is effective, moisturizing and washes off completely. It helps to keep the skin luminous.

Toner:  Pixi Skintreats Glow Toner with 5% glycolic acid to gently  exfoliate skin. I did not use a toner before, but I realized I did not have a chemical exfoliant and it might be good for my skin; is has!  It does not sting, prepares the skin for serum and, after a few days of using it, it creates a nice texture on the skin.

Serum: Physician's Formula Rose' All Day oil free serum. This products is luscious! It smells amazingly like a real rose and it feels smooth and nutrient. It has a slighly iridescent tint to is that subtly highlights the skin and brings it to life. I love it and I know I will repurchase again and again. Some users complain about the dropper, but I realized it was made only to release a small amount at a time. Usually two drops will cover face and neck.

Moisturizer: Pixi Skintreats Rose Flash Balm. This is a fairly thick moisturizer, but it does not feel so on the skin. Paired with the above serum, is builds a healthy look for the skin and keeps it hydrated throughout the day. I like it but it is expensive for the quantity you get:  45 ml/1.52 oz for $37.00 Canadian. 

Eye-cream: Physicians Formula Refreshmint cucumber and bamboo eye de-puffer. This is a stick products and it does feel refreshing under the eyes in the morning (helps towards that waking up feeling) but it does NOT de-puff anything, sorry. I will not repurchase, I was somewhat disappointed.

Sunscreen: Neutrogena Ultra Sheer Dry-Touch Sunscreen SPF 45. Never leave home without a good sunscreen. I hated sunscreens for their greasiness but this one does  dry out quickly and leaves no white cast.

Daytime Face Mist: Garnier Skin Active Soothing Facial mist with Rose Water. Very refreshing product, especially when the temperature goes up and your skin needs a boost. 99% naturally derived ingredients.

Evening 

If I am wearing make-up I use my beloved Garnier Skinactive Micellar Water. It even removes non waterproof mascara.


Cleanser: Alba Botanica Natural Hawaiian Cleanser. This is a fantastic product and it contains papaya enzymes to lightly exfoliate the skin.

Toner: Same as in my morning routine; the Pixi Glow Toner.

Serum: CeraVe Skin Renewing Cream Serum. Although I like this product, it works better in Winter, as it goes on fairly dense and a bit greasy. It absorbs however. This is a good product containing Ceramides (they form a lipid mantle over the skin and protect it and keep in moisture!) The hyaluronic acid adds moisture (this molecule holds 1000 times its weight in water!) and retinol is the anti-aging agent.  Quite affordable.

Eye Cream: L'Oreal Age Perfect Hydra Nutrition Eye Cream. This is a nice cream formulated to nourish dry, mature skin.  It is gold in tone and it is moisturizing yet not greasy and it is ok under makeup.

Moisturizer, anti-aging: Olay Regenerist Micro-Sculpting Cream, fragrance-free. I like this product, this is my second purchase. The Peptides in it make it anti-aging and I feel it does what it promises, though it does not feel too moisturizing and I add Vichy Aqualia Thermal Riche cream. This cream delivers moisture, but use sparingly otherwise it "pills" on the skin. Also I do not like the scent but that is a personal preference. This cream is full of minerals and hyluronic acid. In spite of the smell, I will repurchase.

Face Oil: I alternate between 2 that I like a lot; The Body Shop Oils of Life  Intensely Revitalizing Facial Oil. The other is Sukin Certified Organic Rose Hip Oil. This is pure Vitamin A and it stimulates collagen production. I do feel that TBS oil is over-priced, although they often have sales and BOGO deals, so I will not complain :) If you get their card for $10.00 you also save 10% on any purchase. I love that the products are all cruelty-free. I am trying to phase out the products by companies who test on animals.

Masks: Garnier Skinactive Moisture Bomb Sheet Mask with Chamomile and Hyaluronic acid. This mask is so moisturizing! It leaves the skin hydrated and soft. It is suitable for dry and sensitive skin. 

- The Body Shop British Rose Fresh Plumping Mask. This smells fantastic and it is truly an indulgence, but well worth it :)

- L'Oreal Pure Clay cleansing mask with Argile. I only used this mask once, so more feed-back coming later.

- Physicians Formula Charcoal Detox Cleansing Stick.  My first encounter with this product was not positive. Although it smells great, kind of floral, is left a dark cast around my nose. The stick goes on black and I think the pigment, however small, gathered in my large pores on the sides of the nose. I will give it another try, skipping the nose area. 

This is it for now! I am really enjoying my new products and I am getting better at sorting and keeping less potions around, which really works well . I hope that this article has helped you, and that you enjoyed it. Please feel free to leave comments and feed back :) Lots of love!

 


 



 

Thoughts about hoarding cosmetics

I love the Internet, and I love YouTube. I am often on the latter, watching either Tarot readings for my sign, or makeup videos. The makeup videos, being about different looks or product review,  are exciting and also quite addictive.
I always loved makeup for self-expression and to create a look of well-being so, over the years, I accumulated quite a bit. Lipsticks, eye shadows, foundations, powder and concealer, lots of concealer. Then there is the skin care, and I shall return to it in a later post.
As I move from cosmetic reviews, swatches and makeup looks, I noticed (many other women noticed this too) that my desire to buy new cosmetics has increased! I just have to try this new bronzer (forget that I already own 3) and, of course, the new lipstick and mascara made with the ultimate magical formula. Before you know it, you find yourself swamped with too many cosmetics that you don't even use, when it comes down to it. I realized, I have become just another consumer. This new awareness has prompted me to stop and think before I buy; do I really need it? Will I use it? I have stopped running to the cosmetic counter, unless I myself have been researching a product, and I have learned to rediscover and shop my own stash, and fall in love with so many products all over again. very gratifying.

Hello! I am back after 3 years of silence...I know, unforgivable, letting down the millions of fans and all ;) I wanted to say that, in this time, I have grown and conceived new ideas about beauty and what it means to me, that I would like to share.
Of course this idea includes men, I want men to feel included in this journey.

This is Australian actor Mahesh Jadu, of Kashmiri roots, for example. Ok, ok, men should not feel that they have to be that gorgeous to be beautiful! It is really a state of mind and an attitude of self-care. Good, basic grooming is the basis of all beauty, physically speaking. Someone well groomed shows self-love and high self-esteem; this creates the vibration of beauty.

At the end of June, my long-distance relationship ended and left me with a sense of injustice. In any case, 3 days before the break-up I felt the need to shorten my long hair

int a bob. I cut it myself.

I have always considered my long hair  a part of my identity and femininity, and now this new, short look is amazing and carefree and it is transforming my thoughts about my beauty and femininity. As I have been healing (and the bob was a premonition that change was coming), I have been feeling free and beautiful regardless of hair length, and receiving many compliments. What I am trying to say is, I am in a place of self-love and great self-esteem. So, no matter what happens in your life, man or woman, love yourself, care for yourself and you will be beautiful.

I wanted to say sorry if anyone has found this page - it has been abandoned for a while as I am ging through a divorce. I will get back into this soon, please be patient, thanks.

Hello!

My name is Michela, a.k.a. VioletSplendor10 on YouTube and Amazaz on Makeupalley. I am a writer of metaphysical non-fiction and fantasy & sci-fi fiction, but I have a great passion for all things make-up and beauty and, based on this hobby, I have built a part-time career as cosmetician and make-up artist that I enjoy.  This blog will be my outlet to sound off on whatever I find fascinating, beautiful, original; makeup techniques and reviews and swatches of selected products and much, much more! I hope you'll join me on this journey and that we all will have FUN!

My muse is the gorgeous Italian actress Monica Bellucci, who also has been photographed without makeup(do not have that pic yet) and without airbrushing, as the photo below shows.

Monica is talented and obviously beautiful, but her strength is in  the fact that she is intelligent and knows that, as she said: "...Beauty has to be inhabited." I look up to a few artists out there, and I will write about people I find truly beautiful and talented and discuss and/or try to reconstruct a certain make-up look.