Brand Overview: Laura Mercier

Laura Mercier is a brand that I have a love-and-hate relationship with. I love the brand because they make some of my all-time holy grail makeup products, but I also hate it because I can't seem to get on with some of their products that so many people rave about. I find that their products are either a hit or a miss for me.

I guess I'll start off by talking about my favorite products from Laura Mercier. If you've been following me for a while, then you'll know that the Laura Mercier Mineral Powder is my absolute favorite powder of all time. It gives buildable coverage and yet manages to look incredibly natural on the skin. Sometimes when my foundation is looking cakey, I put this on and everything just blends together and looks like skin. It is seriously the best powder I've ever found.

Another favorite of mine is the Secret Brightening Powder, which is a setting powder for the undereye area. I have super dry undereye area and I find that regular powder just dries it out even more and always makes it look super cakey. This powder sets my undereye area without making it look dry or cakey, and never settles into my fine lines. It has micro light-reflecting pigments in there to really help to brighten and illuminate the undereye area to make you look more radiant and awake.

Another favorite from Laura Mercier that I actually got after I took this photo is the Second Skin Cheek Color in Lush Nectarine. I have a lot of peachy coral blushes, but this one is definitely one of my favorites. The texture is velvety soft, and it blends seamlessly into the skin and just makes you look like you have a flush from within.

Laura Mercier Cavier Sticks are great to have if you like easy, fuss-free makeup. They're super easy to just sweep on your lids in the morning, and makes your eye makeup look amazing without having to put too much effort into your eye makeup routine. These are super pigmented, easy to blend, and last well on the lids.

Now time to talk about some un-favorites. The Laura Mercier Smooth Focus Pressed Setting Powder claims to control shine and keep the skin matte throughout the day, however it did not keep me matte at all. After the first two hours, my face started to look oily, and I really don't see the point of using this because it's translucent so it doesn't provide any coverage, and it does set my makeup but there are definitely better and cheaper setting powders out there that do the job just as well as this.

The Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer and Foundation Primer are probably two of their most well-know products and I know that a lot of people love them, but I was pretty disappointed in them. I can see the tinted moisturizer being great for people with dry skin and for people who already have great skin, but for me this didn't provide any coverage at all, and usually starts to slide off my face mid-day even when I use a primer and a setting spray. The primer is pretty average; it makes my makeup last longer but that's about it, it doesn't hide my pores and isn't as smoothing as some of my other primers.

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Current Skincare Favs #3

Michael Todd has been my favorite skincare brand for quite some time now as they use organic ingredients for their skincare products, which I find to be less irritating on the skin and cause less inflammation. I've been using their skincare products for over a year now, and there has not been anything that I don't love from them.

Toner is an essential part of my routine, and lately I've been using the Cranberry Toner, which is packed with antioxidants that help to heal the skin, while the tea tree oil in it helps to fight bacteria and promotes clear skin. This helps to balance my skin pH without making my skin feel dry or stripped of its moisture.

Another product that I've been loving from Michael Todd is the Honey and Oat Cleanser, which is a gentle deep pore-cleansing cleanser that effectively removes any makeup and impurities from the face. This is a sulphate-free cleanser, and the honey in it helps to put back moisture in my skin so my face always feels clean and balanced after I use this.

A repurchase for me is the Avocado and Mango mask, which is my favorite mask to use to put back moisture into my skin while also chemically exfoliating my skin to help to fade any acne scars. It contains mango butter which is rich in vitamin C to help to nourish the skin, as well as salicylic acid which gets deep down into the pores to unclog them and remove any dead skin cells. This makes my skin feel super soft and look visibly more radiant after I use it.

Another product that I've been using to help to fade my acne scars is the Jurlique Purely Bright Mist. Jurlique is a brand that I've heard a lot of great things from over the years, and they also use a lot of natural and plant-based ingredients in their skincare products. I've been using this in the morning as an extra step after I've cleansed and toned, and I've noticed that it really helps to calm down any redness in my skin as well as provide a bit of extra moisture for my skin. I also like to spray this anytime throughout the day when my skin is looking a little dull or dehydrated.

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Some New Hair Products...

I recently got a haircut and now that my hair is relatively short I find that I need to style it differently compared to when I had long hair. So I've been picking a few things from here and there, and somehow this has become quite a big collection of new hair products.

I picked up the Pureology Hydrate Shampoo because I've always heard good things about this line. I thought this would be good to use in the winter time since my hair always gets super dry and brittle during the colder months. This is sulphate-free, which is the main thing I look for in shampoos since sulphates can be really harsh and drying for your hair. I'm absolutely in love with this shampoo as I find that it lathers up quite nicely, which is something that a lot sulphate-free shampoos don't do and I would always end up having to use a ton of products to clean to my entire scalp. This makes my hair feel super clean and soft after I use it, and you only need a little bit to cover your whole scalp.

I also got the Bumble & Bumble Semi Sumo, and this is like a do-it-all pomade that adds a bit of texture and volume, controls frizz and adds shine to the hair. This is quite expensive, but I have to say that I like this quite a lot as I find that this helps to define my hair without making my hair crunchy, and it's also great at adding shine to my dull-looking hair.

I got the Alterna CC Cream as a sample from sephora, and I've been keeping it in my handbag to touch up on my hair throughout the day when my hair is looking a little dry or frizzy. It's a leave-in cream that claims to do 10 different things for your hair such as heat production, UV protection, smoothness, shine, anti-breakage, ect.. It really helps to hydrate my hair and keeps it looking shiny throughout the day, and it's great for people who don't want to use a lot of hair products that might weigh their hair down.

I got a small-size of the Ojon Rare Blend Oil as I find that oils like this last forever and I always get tired of using the same product before I even use it up. This has really helped to repair my hair and make it look more healthy and glossy. I also use this as a heat-protectant and leave-in before I blow-dry or straighten my hair to give my hair a little extra protection.

KMS Hair Play Makeover Spray acts as a dry shampoo and volumizing spray in one to give you that voluminous and textured just-got-out-of-bed hair. I've been using it every morning to give my hair a bit of extra oomph, and I find that it works really great to absorb any excess oil from my hair and keeps my hair voluminous throughout the day.

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Current Favorites #9

I recently got the Guerlain Terrocota Bronzing Powder as a birthday present to myself and I've using it nonstop. This is a luxury item so it's not something that everyone needs, but it is nice to have if you have the money to splurge on a high-end bronzer. It is incredibly natural looking on the face, probably one of the most natural looking bronzers I own, and blends seamlessly into my skin.

My go-to lipstick recently has been the Dior Addict Extreme Lipstick in Riviera, which is a gorgeous orangey red color. It is one of those lipsticks that goes on quite sheer to give you a natural tint, but you can also build it up to a quite bold color. It feels super creamy and moisturizing on the lips and reminds me a little bit of the the Revlon Lip Butters, except that this feels more comfortable on the lips and lasts longer.

I recently found these Smashbox eyeshadows in my local Winners for super cheap, so I quickly grabbed them because I've always wanted to try out some Smashbox eyeshadows. The single I have is in the color Minx, which is the most unique taupe color I've ever seen. It has both a purply tone and a bronzy tone depending on the light that you're looking at it under. It has definitely been my favorite crease color as of late.

The trio I have is in the color Screen Shot, which is the perfect combination of eyeshadows to create a neutral everyday look. It consists of a matte light brown color, a bronzy gold color, and a dark brown with goldern shimmers. These are super pigmented and easy to blend, and I really have nothing bad to say about them. I'm definitely interested in trying out more Smashbox makeup in the future!

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Lush Goodies

I recently popped into Lush with no intention of getting anything, but somehow I managed to walk out with these two things in my bag. Story of my life.

If you've been reading my blog for a while then you'll probably know that I'm a mask junkie, and I literally have a drawer full of just face masks. I've heard a lot of great things about the Mask of Magnaminty for a while, and it's supposed to be great for people with oily/combination and acne prone skin. It contains china clay which helps to draw out the impurities from your pores as well as pieces of aduki beans to gently exfoliate the skin. It is very deep cleansing yet it doesn't leave my skin feeling dry because it has honey in it as well to calm and soothe the skin. Apparently you can also use this on your back if you have acne there. It has definitely made it into my top face masks and what makes me love it even more is the fact that it literally looks and smells like mint chocolate chips ice cream! I just want to lick it off when I put it on my face!

The Big Shampoo is a clarifying shampoo made with sea salts that is supposed to get rid of any product buildups in your hair and give your hair massive volume. I love the concept of clarifying shampoos and I already loved the Bumble & Bumble Sunday Shampoo, so I decided to give this a go. It makes my hair feel so clean and soft, and my hair looks super shiny and voluminous after I use this! You need the tiniest bit and it foams up once you work it into your hair, so I can see this tub lasting me quite a while. It is definitely one of my all-time favorite shampoos and no wonder it's a best seller!

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Supplements for Healthy Skin, Hair & Nails

It took me quite a longtime to put this post together because it is a topic that I'm quite passionate about, so here it is. A disclaimer that I have to make is that I'm in no way an expert in supplements and all the information that I'll be sharing are just what I've found out throughout my own research throughout the years and the products I'll be talking about are what have worked for me.

Although skincare and makeup or any type of beauty products make a difference to the way your skin or hair look, I feel like supplements can make the biggest difference over a long term. As cliche as it sounds, I have to go with the phrase "you are what you eat" because if you eat healthily and you put good stuff into your system it's definitely going to show on your skin and hair. Since I'm not the healthiest eater I have to cheat this by taking supplements. I've definitely noticed that my skin looks clearer with less breakouts and just overall more radiant when I take supplements consistently.Unlike skincare or makeup that works differently for different skin types, supplements generally work for anyone withe any skin types.

The Amazing Grass Green Superfood is a nutritious powder that contains all the vitamins, minerals and nutrients that your body needs in a day. I often take this first thing in the morning as I find that it really helps to flush out the toxins from my system and make me feel full and energetic throughout the whole day. This is what I swear by to keep my skin clear and radiant, and it's also great for my body because it gives my body the nutrients that it needs since I'm not the healthiest eater.

EmergenC is another drink powder that is packed with vitamin C and electrolytes to keep you hydrated and your immune system strong when you're sick. Every time I get a cold or I feel like I might get sick I start drinking this, and it seriously makes me feel ten times better the very next day. When you get sick your skin often looks dry and dull, but when I drink this it keeps my skin looking hydrated and radiant.

Hydraluronic Acid and Collagen are two ingredients that are naturally found in your body and are the building blocks of your hair, skin and nails. I find that these are very helpful to take in the colder months because they really help to keep my skin moisturized and plump, as well as keep my skin from getting any dry patches. I also notice that my hair and nails look shinier and grow faster when I take these two.

Evening Primrose Oil is also said to be very good for the skin because it contains fatty acids which help to keep the skin hydrated and prevents any dry patches from forming. It's also supposed to help with acne as well as increasing the blood circulation to the skin to keep it toned and bright.

Acai Juice is not only super yummy to drink but is also pack full of antioxidants that help to reduce inflammation in the body as well as riding the body of any toxins, which essentially leads to clearer, more radiant skin. You can obviously substitute this with eating more fruits and vegetables, especially blueberries and cherries. Tart cherry juice is another delicious and healthy option that gives you a great amount of antioxidants.


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Brand Overview: Antipodes

I've been slowly transitioning my skincare routine to the more natural side and Antipodes is a New Zealand brand I discovered that makes organic and natural skincare products.

The Antipodes Manuka Honey Mask is probably their most well-known product and is what made me fell in love with the brand in the first place. Manuka honey is an antibacterial ingredient that helps to fight acne while still being nourishing for the skin. I find that a lot of acne-fighting and detox masks tend to dry out the skin; this one doesn't do that at all and is super gentle on the skin. Sometimes I get the under-the-skin pimples that are super painful and takes forever to go away, and this really helps to soothe my breakouts and reduce the redness while also giving my skin intense hydration. My face always feels super soft like a baby's bottoms after using this!

Antipodes Juliet Skin Brightening Gel Cleanser is what I've been using as my morning cleanser. What I look for in a morning cleanser is something that's gentle yet effective and won't dry my skin out, and this does just that. It contains the same acne-fighting manuka honey as the mask, as well as superfruit extracts that help to exfoliate the skin to reveal a brightener complexion. Definitely another favorite from Antipodes!

I recently ran out of my Caudalie Beauty Elixir and was looking for something cheaper to replace it, which is why I picked up the Antipodes Resurrect Facial Toner. It's a refreshing and hydrating toner that instantly awakens my skin and perks up my dull-looking complexion; great for mornings where you skin just looks tired and lack-lustre.

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Outfit of the Day #3

I love mixing feminie and edgy pieces together and this outfit is a great example of it. The pastel speckled sweater and the mint colored chiffon skirt make a quite feminine outfit. To make the outfit more edgy and street chic I added a rosegold spiked necklace and some rosegold sperry to pull everything together. Since I already have a lot of colors going on in this outfit, I thought the rosegold pieces coordinate quite nicely with each other without being too flashy. The floral velvet bag adds a nice vintage vibe to the whole outfit.

Sweater: H & M

Skirt: Romwe

Bag: Urban Outfitters

Shoes: Sperry

Necklace: Urban Outfitters

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Current Favorites #8

I've been obsessed with these NCLA nail wraps as they're so easy to use and they literally last for weeks on my nails. I got the floral ones first and I loved them so much that I picked up these limited edition ones. If you suck at doing nail arts or just don't have the patience to do them, then these are perfect for you as they have all sorts of patterns and colors! I've been wearing them as accent nails and I think that they give my nails a great pop of color for the summer time.

I can't believe that it took me so long to discover MAC All That Glitters as it's one of their best-selling eyeshadows. It's the perfect bronzy champagne color and if you love neutral shimmery shadows then this is a must-have for you. I've wearing this all over my lids with winged liners and it just looks super put-together without too much fuss.

I've been looking for a great summertime concealer that's sweat-proof and long-lasting for a long time, and a lot of Asian bloggers have recommended the Canmake Cover Stretch Concealer. It is seriously the longest-lasting concealer I've found, and it provides medium to full coverage while still looking natural. I have super oily skin and this literally doesn't budge until I go take my makeup off at the end of the day.

I got a BareMinerals Ready Foundation sample from Sephora, and I didn't have too high of an expectation when I tried it as I already found my holy grail powder which is the Laura Mercier mineral powder. This surprisingly gave my face a very similar finish to the Laura Mercier mineral powder. The coverage is bulidable and looks incredibly natural; no matter how many layers you put on your makeup never cakes up, and it just looks like a second skin.


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Disappointing Products #3

Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel did nothing for my skin. It felt very light on the skin but did not moisturize my skin at all, and was definitely not worth its price point. I much prefer the Clinique Moisture Surge Extended Thirst Relief over this, which does a better job at moisturizing the skin while still being oil-free and also light-weight on the skin.

I know the Laura Mericier Primer is a favorite of many people, but I found it to be just a mediocre primer. I feel like you could find primers with similar quality at the drugstore for less price. I don't hate it but I definitely won't repurchase it because I've found way better primers than this. At the moment, my favorite primer is the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer which does everything I'm looking for in a primer; it keeps my makeup looking matte and natural throughout the day.

Makeup Forever Super Matte Powder definitely did not keep my face matte, neither did it keep my makeup fresh throughout the day. It is a translucent powder so to me it is useless because it does nothing for my face.

Dior Nude BB Cream was a letdown for me as it didn't cover anything on my face and didn't last on my face at all. It also felt a bit greasy when I put it on and actually broke me out. I've yet to find a western bb cream that works as well as my Korean ones. My favorite bb cream at the moment is the Dr Jart Water Fuse BB Cream which feels super light and moisturizing on the skin, covers all my redness while still being incredibly natural and lasts throughout the day.

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Luxury High End Makeup Haul & Review

It was my birthday a few weeks ago and I decided to treat myself to a few luxury beauty bits that I've been lusting over for a while.

Laura Mericier Second Cheek Color in Lush Nectarine is a peachy pink that applies quite sheer on the face to give you a natural flush. It has a satin finish on the skin so you could blend this all the way up to your cheekbones to give you a natural, diffused glow. It feels super light and velvety when you put it on your skin so you won't feel like you're piling on another layer of makeup on your face.

The Estee Lauder Eyeshadow Duo in Raisins has been on my wish list for a while, and is a must-have if you love neutral shadows. It consists of a pinky champagne color and a burgundy color. These two colors may look pretty typical but blended together they look super pretty and dimensional on the eyes.

YSL Sheer Candy in Luscious Cherry is a sheer cherry red color that could be worn sheer or built up to a medium opacity. YSL Sheer Candy lipsticks feel super moisturizing and comfortable on the lips and is a must-have if you like a sheer glossy tint on the lips.

YSL Glossy Stain in Corail Aquatique is a lipstain that dries to a glossy finish and actually feels comfortable on the lips unlike a lot of other lipstains which tend to dry out my lips. The color I have is a pretty coral color, and it actually does last throughout the day. A lot of people have been saying that the L'oreal Lip Lacquers are dupes to the YSL Glossy Stains but in my opinion they're nothing like the YSL Glossy Stains, and if you have the money to spend on a highend lip product, I highly recommend you to get this!

Here are the swatches:

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Brand Overview: Caudalie

Caudalie has quickly become one of my favorite skincare brands as every product I've tried from them have made it into my skincare staples. I also love the fact that their skincare products contain mostly natural ingredients which helps to reduce the inflammation and acne on my face.

Caudalie SOS Thirst Quenching Serum is a great serum for all skin types because it gives you intense hydration without feeling heavy on the skin. This is pack full of hydraluronic acid which is the miracle ingredient for plumping the skin. I've also noticed that this has helped to reduce the pigmentation and scarring on my face significantly over time.

Caudalie Lip Conditioner is a great basic lip balm that helps to hydrate and soothe dry lips. It is quite thick so I usually use it before I go to bed to let it do its job overnight, and in the morning I always wake up with super soft lips!

Caudalie Beauty Elixir is a quick pick-me-up for when your skin is looking dull because one spray of this will instantly brighten and tighten your complexion to make it look more fresh and glowing. You can also use this to set your makeup as well as take away the powderyness of your makeup. I go through this stuff super quick because I can't get myself to stop spraying this throughout the day!

Caudalie Divine Oil is a super versatile product as you can use it on your skin, hair, body and nails. It contains a mixture of essential oils that helps to nourish and hydrate you from head to toe. Definitely a must-try from this brand!

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Current Favorites #7

So cream cleansers have become pretty popular lately and a lot of brands have started to make them. Since "like dissolves like", these cleansers dissolve into an oily consistency once you massage it onto your face and really helps to break down your makeup which are often oil-based. The Borghese Cleansing Creme has become my favorite cleanser at the moment. It feels super luxurious to massage this onto my face, and it leaves my face feeling squeaky clean and also moisturized

Benefit Fakeup has become my go-to undereye concealer lately. The actual concealer is surrounded by a layer of moisturizing balm, so you're getting the concealing action and the moisturizing benefit in one. This won't cover really bad undereye circles, but if you suffer from really dry undereye area and you just want a bit of brightening then this is perfect.

I finally picked up another one of Buxom's Lip Creams as they came out with a few new colors. This time I got the color Mai Tai, which a gorgeous orangey coral color. If you remember from a few posts ago, I mentioned that these lip creams are my favorite lip products of all time, and I seriously have to restrain myself from getting every single color. These lip creams are super pigmented and they make your lips look super juicy without feeling sticky on the lips. They're just super comfortable to wear on the lips and last pretty long as well.

I'm excited to say that I finally found my holy grail primer, and it is the Hourglass Mineral Veil Primer. This stuff literally does everything I'm looking for in a primer. The fact that it is mineral-based and oil-free means that it is great for people with acne-prone skin and it won't clog your pores like a lot of silicone-based primers do. I find that it is also great at minimizing shine and smoothing out the skin texture, as well as making my makeup blend to a super natural and flawless finish. I find that when I use other primers my makeup will start to separate and look cakey by the end of the day, but when I use this one my makeup doesn't do that at all and even when my makeup starts to fade, it actually fades to a beautiful natural finish.


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Brand Overview: Benefit

First of all, can we just admire at the adorable packagings from Benefit? I feel like Benefit probably has the cutest packaging on the market, which makes me love their products even more. I did not realize the amount of product I had from Benefit until I started to gather products for this post. Most of these are loves, but I do have a few misses unfortunately.

Benefit Fake Up Concealer is my latest purchase from Benefit, and what drew me to this is the fact that it's supposed to be super hydrating. I suffer from super dry undereyes and I find that most concealers tend to accentuate the fine lines in my undereye area and make them look cakey. This Benefit concealer is super unique in that it has the concealer in the middle and a layer of hydrating balm on the outside so it helps to keep your undereye area hydrated throughout the day. It doesn't have the highest coverage so I wouldn't recommend it to people with serious dark circles, but if you're like me where you just want a bit of hydration and brightening then this is perfect for you. This looks super natural and does not crease or settle into fine lines.

Benefit Watts Up Luminizer is a peachy champagne highlight that helps to impart a sun-kissed glow on your face. The fact that it's in a stick form makes it super easy to apply and blend out.

Benefit They're Real Mascara was a miss for me, unfortunately. I tried it several times and just found that it did nothing for my lashes and even weighed down my curls. I know it's a favorite of many people but it just did not work out for me.

Benefit Hoola Bronzer is definitely one of my favorite bronzers of all time. I'm the type of person who has to wear bronzers all the time because I have a pretty chubby face, and this one from Benefit looks super natural on the face and helps to make my face look more defined and chiseled. It has a grey undertone so it won't look too orangey or muddy on the face.

Benefit Porefessional was one of the first primers that I purchased and I used to love it, but after trying out so many primers over the years I found that it was just mediocre. I feel like there are much better primers on the market and this one is just overhyped. At the moment I'm just trying to use it up but I probably won't be repurchasing it.

Benefit Velvet Eyeshadow in Buckle Bunny is a must-have if you're a neutral shadow lover. It's the most gorgeous shimmery rosy taupe color that's super soft and easy to blend out, and lasts well on the eyes. I love using this shadow for the single-shadow look because it is one of those shadows that just has so many dimensions to it, so you can wear a sheer layer all over the lids and build it up in the outer corner.

Benefit Highbeam is another great luminizer from Benefit. It's a pinky beige highlight that comes in a liquid form so you can use it alone or mix it with your foundation to create a dewy complexion.

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Products to Achieve a Glowing Complexion - Skincare

I've been all about the glow lately and these products have completely changed the way I feel about my skin. I used to be so insecure about going out of the house wearing no makeup, but with the help of these products lately my skin has been looking ten times better without having to put on any makeup. I did a makeup edition of this post a while ago so feel free to check it out. But if you're not a makeup gal, these products will help you to achieve a brighter and more perfected complexion without the use of makeup.

Clinique Radiance Renewer is a gentle overnight exfoliant that helps to slough off dull surface skin cells and encourages the growth of new skin cells for a brighter and smoother complexion. The texture of my skin has improved quite a bit since I've started using this with smaller pores and less pigmentation and scars. It's not as harsh as something like the Alpha-H liquid gold, but the result is equally amazing.  My skin looks smooth, clear and glowing.

Clarins Beauty Flash Balm is one of the best-selling products from Clarins, and is a beauty bag essential of many beauty editors and professional makeup artists. It is a moisturizer and primer in one that serves as a quick pick-me-up for those mornings where your skin just looks dull and lack-lustre. It'll seriously transform your complexion in a few seconds to make your skin look more hydrated, fresh and luminous. The priming aspect of it is also pretty awesome as I find that it really does smooth out the appearance of pores and make my makeup last longer.

Balance Me Radiance Oil is essentially glowing skin in a bottle. This award-winning product is pack full of nutrients that your skin will just drink up, and it always feels so luxurious to massage this into my skin. It works to decongest the skin a well as replenishing and rebalancing the skin, so it's great for all skin types.

Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask is the bomb-dot-com when it comes to creating a more luminous and perfected complexion. Every time I use this I'm always surprised by how amazing my skin looks in the morning. It is just the best thing for your skin, period.


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Outfit of the Day #2

This is definitely one of my favorite outfits to wear in the summertime because it's super bright and colorful. The key to wearing colors is to have them somehow coordinate with each other. As you can see, the turquoise necklace coordinates with the blue floral skorts, and the pastel orange semi-sheer top matches with the rosegold Sperry. All the colors coordinate with each other without being super matchy-matchy. I chose to go with a neutral black bag to balance out the colors.

Top: Zara

Necklace: Forever 21

Floral Skorts: Zara

Bag: Zara

Shoes: Rosegold Sperry

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Disappointing Products #2

I tried the Clinique SuperCity Block SPF 40 because it sounded like it would be good for my oily skin since it's oil free. Unfortunately it broke me out. On top of that, I also found that the slight tint did nothing for my skin and did not cover anything; it also left my face looking super shiny. My go-to sunscreen at the moment is the Allie Mineral Moisture Gel SPF 50, which is the lightest feeling sunscreen I found so far and leaves my face looking matte.

I love me some shimmery bronzy eyeshadows, and Bobbi Brown Shimmer Wash Eyeshadow in Rosegold was rated as a must-have eyeshadow for neutral shadow lovers. Unfortunately, this shadow had too much of a red undertone in it and made me look like I had pinkeye- not a flattering look on me. This eyeshadow had a good formula though, the color just didn't work out for me.

Illamasqua Cream Pigment in Hollow is another highly-rated item and is supposed to be a super subtle and natural-looking contour/bronzing cream. I don't have any bronzers/contours in a cream formula so I thought I would give it a go. Although I like bronzers with a neutral/greyish undertone, this was just completely grey and made me look sickly instead of healthy and sun-kissed.

I tried out the Estee Lauder Shadow Paint in Pink Zinc because it's supposed to be the longest lasting cream shadow on the market. When I swatched the color on my hand it seemed like a beautiful pinky champagne color, but when I used it on my eyes it was all shimmers and no pigmentation at all. The longevity of it was mediocre as well. I'd much prefer my Maybelline Color Tattoos over this, which are much more affordable and last way longer.


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French Pharmacy Skincare Haul & Review

I've always loved French pharmacy skincare brands such as La Roche Posay, Vichy, Nuxe, etc., and recently I found a site called escentual.com which sells a lot of French pharmacy skincare brands for really affordable prices. After doing a thorough research online, I made a list of a few French pharmacy skincare must-haves that people recommended and purchased them on escentual.com. The prices are significantly cheaper than what you would pay for in your local drugstores and the shipping was only $5.

Vichy Normaderm 3 In 1 Cleanser + Scrub + Mask is a multipurpose product that you can use either as a cleanser or a quick 5-minutes mask. The Normaderm line is targeted towards acne-prone skin, and I've tried a few things from this line before and loved all of them. This mask is clay-based so it helps to clear out the impurities from your pores while also being slightly exfoliating. This is great for days where I don't have the time to do a 20-minutes mud mask but still want to deep cleanse my skin.

La Roche Posay Cicaplast was mentioned in quite a few blogposts that I read and caught my attention. It is a pro-recovery gel that helps to accelerate the healing process of your skin, so it's great for people who use a lot of acne-fighting products which can be quite harsh on the skin and cause the skin to become quite sensitive over time. It contains ingredients such as copper, zinc and manganese which have been shown to speed up the regeneration of skin cells. Basically it helps you to build a new layer of skin. I find that it really helps to calm down the redness in my skin as well as making my pimples go away faster without leaving any scars. I've using it as a nighttime moisturizer and so far I'm loving it.

You guys know that I love my Dior crem de rose lipbalm, but I find that I go through it really fast and I just can't afford to use it everyday. So I picked up the Caudalie Lip Conditioner to use as my daily lip balm because it was significantly cheaper, and I think I'll save the Dior one for special occasions. I use it before I go to sleep because it is super thick and takes a while to absorb, but in the morning I wake up to super soft and hydrated lips. Definitely another love from Caudalie!

I had to get the Bioderma Sebium Pore Refiner because Lisa Aldridge mentioned it in several of her videos as her go-to primer for her clients with oily or acne-prone skin, and I always trust her recommendations since she's a professional makeup artist. It keeps my face matte throughout the day and works as a primer for my foundation to prolong its longevity. It also works as a skincare product to regulate sebum production and tighten pores over time. I find that a lot of primers can clog my pores overtime but this one doesn't and actually makes my pores look smaller.


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Current Favorites #6

I decided to add Trilogy Rosehip Oil to my bottles of facial oil collection after seeing it on practically every beauty blogger's blogs. Rosehip oil has become pretty popular lately for its ability to decongest pores as well as heal breakouts. It is rich in antioxidants and vitamin E which help to repair skin cells and fade any pigmentation. It feels super light on the skin and absorbs into my skin right away, and I find that I can pair this with my moisturizer without feeling like I have too much products on my face.

I've been looking for the perfect yellow nail polish to wear in the summer time for a longtime, and I finally decided to splurge on a Butter London nailpolish. Butter London Jasper is the perfect shade of pastel canary yellow that adds a great pop of color to your look. The formula of Butter London nailpolish are always super creamy and opaque.

I got the Benefit Watt's Up Luminizer as part of my Sephora Beaut Insider b-day present. It's been on my to-buy list for a while and the fact that I got it for free is even more awesome. It's a peachy golden highlight that helps to give a luminous glow to the skin, and I've been all about the glow lately.

I got the Etude House Cute Eyes Maker after hearing so many Korean beauty bloggers rave about it. It's supposed to help you to achieve aegyo sal which has been pretty popular in Korea and a lot of k-pop stars even undergo surgeries to get it. It has two sides with spongy applicators. One side is super shimmery which you're supposed to use in your inner corner, and the other side is a very subtle matte brown color which you're supposed to use underneath your aegyo sal to bring it out even more. Definitely try this out if you want that Korean ulzzang look!

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Outfit of the Day #1

I want to start making these outfit of the day posts because fashion is another one of my passion. I would describe my style as casual chic and street-style, and I often get my fashion inspirations from people I see on the streets. This outfit is definitely a more feminine side of style.

Top- Urban Outfitters

Skirt- Motel Rocks

Belt- Asos

Bag- Modcloth

Shoes- Crocs Adrina Flats

I wore this outfit while strolling in the park one day. The ombre skirt is definitely the statement piece in this outfit; I feel like I could throw on anything with this and still look super put-together. A basic white top is definitely a wardrobe staple piece because it goes with everything. The embellished collar and pocket of this top makes it a little bit more unique than the typical white tops. I added a belt to accentuate my waist because both of the top and the skirt are quite loose. To add a bit of pattern into this outfit and to make it a bit more casual, I went with this photorealistic canvas tote bag from modcloth, and I think the details on this bag are just breathtaking! For shoes, I went with my Crocs Adrina flats, which are my favorite shoes to wear in the summertime. They're literally the most comfortable pair of shoes I own, and the fact that they change color in the sun just makes me love them even more!

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Disappointing Products #1

In my past posts, I've only talked about products that I liked; I thought it's about time that I mention some products that I didn't like so much. It's rare for me to find products that I don't like because I usually do pretty thorough research before I purchase anything, and a lot of these products that I'll mention are actually cult favorites of many but they just didn't work for me. A disclaimer that I want to make is that what works for you may not work for me and vice versa, so hopefully you guys won't be offended if I'm bashing on products that you actually enjoy using; these are just my personal opinion. I will also be mentioning some alternatives that I think work much better.

Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray is a salt spray that's meant to give you tousled beachy waves, however I found that it made my hair look dry and crunchy, and actually weighed my hair down instead of giving it volume. It was hella expensive too. A cheaper and better alternative would be the Sexy Hair Soy Renewal Beach Spray, which acts as a leave-in conditioner and a salt spray in one to help to hydrate the hair while also giving it texture and volume.

I decided to try the Bobbi Brown Long Wear Gel Liner because it's supposed to be the longest wearing gel liner on the market. Unfortunately, it did smudge on me, even with the help of a primer. Keep in mind that I have super oily eyelids, so if you have normal or dry eyelids it might work for you. I have yet to find a gel liner that lasts on me so if you have any great suggestions please leave them in the comment area below!

Benefit They're Real Mascara claims to give the false-lash effect in a tube, however I found that it did nothing for my lashes. It did not lengthen nor volumize, and it also weighed down my curled lashes. The only good thing about it was that it lasted pretty long without smudging. For a better alternative, try the Kiss Me Long & Curl Mascara, which will definitely give you the false-lash effect and I always get compliments from people when I use this.

YSL Touche Eclat is meant to act as a concealer and a highlight in one to brighten up your undereye area and erase any signs of fatigue to make you look more awake and rested. However, I find that it is far overpriced and over-hyped. It just didn't cover anything and the formula was way too dry for my undereye area; I would prefer a drugstore concealer over this. If you want a concealer that's going to cover and brighten your undereye area, try the Clinique Airbrush Concealer. It is super creamy and hydrating, and is one of few concealers that doesn't emphasize the fine lines in my undereye area. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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Current Skincare Favs #2

Borghese Fango Active Mud Mask is a long-time cult favorite and I've always been a bit skeptical when it comes to super hyped-up products like this. I finally bought it when strawberrynet had a sale a while ago, and I can't believe that it took me so long to try this mask because this is without a doubt the best mud mask that I've ever tried. Being a mud mask, it does more than just cleaning out your pores. It contains super gentle mud particles that helps to gently exfoliate and draw out any impurities. My complexion looks significantly smoother after using this, and it also helps to heal up my breakouts faster. The avocado and almond oil in it helps to give hydration so my skin doesn't feel dry or stripped of its natural oil after using this.

Lately I've been trying to go natural with my skincare because I found that my skin has gotten quite sensitive after using a lot of acids over time. I decided to try the PAI Geranium & Thistle Combination Cream since I already love their rosehip oil so much. Apparently this has gotten quite popular lately and is the moisturizer of choice for many makeup artists. This is not quite as heavy-duty as the Murad mattifier at oil-control, however I still like it on days where I won't be wearing makeup for a long time. This feels super light and non-greasy on the skin and leaves a beautiful matte finish on the skin; I find that sometimes I can even skip the primer with this one. It is also packed full of great ingredients such as essential fatty acids, jojoba oil, borage oil, etc. to rebalance the skin and keep it hydrated throughout the day. I'm definitely in love with the brand PAI at the moment.

Alpha-H is another brand that I've been meaning to try for a while after hearing so many British beauty gurus rave about it. I got a set from lookfantastic a while ago that came with a bunch of travel size products to try out; my favorites are the Daily Essential Moisturizer SPF 50+ and Liquid Gold. On my lazy days I like to slap on the Daily Essential Moisturizer because it is a moisturizer and a sunscreen in one, and it contains a lot of antioxidants which is always a plus. This feels super light, is non-comedogenic, and doesn't leave a white cast on the skin. Liquid Gold is another cult favorite and it claims to be an "overnight facial in a bottle". It contains 5% glycolic acid, and it's supposed to resurface your skin overnight to even out the skin texture, refine the appearance of pores and brighten up the complexion. I was skeptical at first about how this would work on my skin because I already use a lot of products with higher percentages of glycolic acid, but surprisingly this showed amazing results after just one use. This did everything that it claims to do and just made my skin look amazing. I'm definitely going to purchase the full size sometimes soon!


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My Online Shopping Guide

Being a self-professed beauty junkie and shopaholic, I've shopped at pretty much every single online shopping site over the years. I love online shopping because it saves you so much time and money, and you can find some really unique pieces that you won't be able to find in stores. Today I'm here to share my online shopping experiences as well as share with you some tips and tricks and my favorite sites to shop at. Because there's no way that I can go through every single one of my favorite sites, I've created a page with a comprehensive list of sites that I recommend, including beauty, fashion and supplements. You can click here to go the page or simply click the online shopping guide button on the menu.

Tip #1 - Always compare the prices
Just because you have a favorite site to shop at doesn't mean that you have to get everything from there. A site may have one brand for really cheap prices but might jack up the prices for another brand. So before you purchase something, always compare the prices across different sites. Also, always check on ebay because 75% of the time I can find something for a cheaper price on ebay. I know some of you might be a bit skeptical about ebay, but as long as you always buy from sellers with high ratings you shouldn't have a problem. Personally I've never had a issue with shopping on ebay.

Tip #2 - Look for coupons
This is what I love about online shopping because there's always coupons floating around on the internet. Retailmenot is my favorite site for looking up coupons, and it's the only legit one that I found so far. Also, subscribe and sign-up for the website's mailing list because they often send out exclusive sale promotions to their subscribers. I've also added a new feature to my blog where I'll be updating on the latest sale and coupon codes on the top left corner, so definitely check in everyday for the latest sale in beauty and fashion!

Tip #3 - Calculate the shipping
Always look through the shipping information before you start to shop. Some sites charge you ridiculous amounts for shipping, so in the end it might not be worth it to buy it online.

Tip #4- Look for reviews
With online shopping, it's so easy to get ripped off sometimes. If you don't know whether the site is legit or not, look for other people's shopping experiences and reviews online. If you're buying makeup or skincare, look for reviews and swatches online to know whether if it's suitable for your skin type or skin tone. For example, if you're buying a foundation online, get your shade matched at a mac counter and then look for reviews online to see what shade of that foundation is equivalent to your mac shade because most people will have a mac shade. If you're buying clothes online, sometimes the site will allow customers to review the items online so you can see what the people who've bought the item think about the sizing or the quality of the clothing. As well, you can look at the model's height and weight and what size she is wearing.

Tip #5- Keep your purchases under $80.
I know a lot of you will have questions regarding taxes and customs. Customs won't check your order if it's under $20, but from my experiences if it's under $80 I usually don't get charged for taxes and customs. This is just my personal experience and it might vary depending on where you live.

Tip #6 - Get Cash backs
Ebates is a program that allows you to get cash back when you shop online. Simply go on ebates and click on the website that you want to shop at it. Ebates will track down how much you spend on that website and it will give you a certain percentage back every three months.

Now, time to talk about a few of my favorite sites to shop at. I love trying out beauty products from all over the world and I love the fact that online shopping allows me to do so. One of my favorite site to buy asian beauty products is sasa. It has so many brands on there that I've never heard of, and their prices are quite fair. Shipping is usually free with $100 purchases but they often have promotions where they give you free shipping for orders above $39. Roseroseshop has a lot of korean beauty products for super cheap prices; shipping starts at $5. For US & UK beauty products, beautybay, feelunique, and lookfantastic are three of my favorite sites. They all offer free shipping with no minimum purchases and their prices are so much better than sephora.

My favorite online clothing store is urbanoutfitters. They have a lot of unique brands on there and they always have amazing sales. Shipping to Canada is free with a minimum purchase of $50. I also love the fact that they allow customers to review the clothing pieces online so you know what's worth buying and what's not.

What's your favorite site to shop at?



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Brand Overview: Kevyn Aucoin

Kevyn Aucoin is a brand that I recently discovered and fell in love with, and I feel like it's a brand that deserves more attention than it receives. I love their elegant and understated packaging, and their products just have a super luxurious feel to them.

Kevyn Aucoin Sensual Skin is a multi-purpose base product that is my secret weapon for creating a flawless and perfected complexion. You can mix it with your moisturizer or primer to create a tinted moisturizer or use it on its own as a full-coverage concealer. I usually stay away from full-coverage base products as they tend to look cakey on the skin, but this one manages to cover everything flawlessly while still making your skin look like skin. This is without a doubt my favorite base product of all time.

If you've been following me for a while, then you'll know that I have an obsession with cream blushes, and I had to give the Kevyn Aucoin Cream Glow a try after falling in love with their concealer. I have it in the shade Tansoleil, which is the perfect shade of apricot coral color. It dries down to a dewy finish, which helps to give my face an amazing glow. It's also super easy to blend and lasts all day on my oily skin.

Kevyn Aucoin Sculpting Powder is hands down the best bronzer/contouring powder I've ever tried. If you want defined, chiseled cheekbones and a slimmer face, then you have to try this. A lot of bronzers have an orangey undertone which can sometimes make you look like an oompa loompa if you don't use it properly. This one however has a neutral grey undertone which looks super natural and subtle on the face.

As usual, here are the swatches:

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Products I Can't Live Without- Skincare

So it should come as no surprise to you that these products have made it into my holy grail skincare products list as I've mentioned them over and over again on my blog. These are my fail-safe products that I know I can absolutely rely on to get my skin better.

It  is essential that your face is completely clean without any trace of makeup at the end of night, and no matter how expensive of a serum or moisturizer you use, if your face is not clean before you put them own, they would just be useless. The gentle vibrations of a Clarisonic help to get deep down into your pores and remove any impurities from your face. Even if you don't wear makeup, a Clarisonic is still going to benefit you because it physically exfoliates the skin to stimulate cell turnover and creates a clearer complexion overtime.

I don't think I need to say more about the Peter Thomas Roth Max Complexion Correction Pads because you're probably tired of seeing this. This is my go-to product when I'm breaking out or when I have uneven skin texture. Click here to see a more detailed review.

Another product that you're probably tired of seeing is the Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Mask. This is just a miracle in a bottle because I see amazing results just after one use. It feels like a moisturizer and I leave it on overnight, and in the morning my skin  just looks more perfected and glowing.

The King Olive Sebum Care Mask makes getting rid of blackheads so much easier. I haven't been getting a single blackhead on my nose since I've started using this. It's like a black goop that sinks deep down into your pores and after 15 minutes it dries up and you can just peel it off. It is super gentle and doesn't hurt at all. Follow my blog with Bloglovin

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Current Favorites #5

One of my summertime skincare staples is the Murad Oil-Control Mattifier, and I can't believe that I haven't mention it on my blog before because it is what I absolutely swear by in the summertime to keep my oily skin at bay. It is the only thing that will keep my face from looking like a oil slick throughout the day, and I've pretty much tried every single oil-controlling or mattifying product on the market.

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