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 #4

Sexy Hair Healthy Soy Renewal Beach Spray is beach hair in a bottle. It acts as a leave-in conditioner and a texture spray in one to give my hair volume and tousled waves as well as nourishing it at the same time.
I find that a lot of texture or salt sprays make my hair crunchy and dry, this doesn't do that at all. I love the fact that it does two things at once because who wants to put on a bunch of hair products in this hot and humid weather?

I can't believe that it took me so long to try out Hydraluron as this has been the most raved-about product by bloggers and youtubers recently. It is basically a serum that contains purely hyaluronic acid which penetrates into the deep layers of the skin to restore moisture and elasticity of the skin. Consistent use of this will help to increase cell turnover, reduce skin roughness and boost the action of other skin care products that you put on top. Again, as I've mentioned countless times in my previous posts, moisturization is the key to solving any skin problems, so I highly recommend this to any skin types.

I got the Innisfree Vivid Tint Rouge on Ebay recently because I heard that it's apparently a dupe for the YSL glossy stains. I have it in the shade #4 Refreshing sweet orange, which is an orangey red color. It is surprisingly pigmented, and lasts really long on my lips without being drying. I've the tried the YSL glossy stains before, and I have to say that I like the Innisfree one better.

If you read my previous post on cream shadows, then you'll know that I'm obsessed with them and I pretty much wear them everyday because they're great for everyday natural makeup and stay on my eyelids without creasing in the hot humid weather. Daiso Cream Eyecolor in Rose has been my recent favorite. It is a rosegold color that is super pigmented, easy to blend and lasts forever on my eyelids, and it is super affordable too. You can find it on Ebay for around $6.

Here are the swatches:

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Brand Overview: Stila

In this brand overview post, I'm reviewing the brand Stila, which has quickly become one of my favorite brands for buying color makeup. Their makeup are really high quality and their prices are on the more affordable side in high-end makeup.

Stila In The Light Palette is definitely one of my favorite palettes in general. It consists of a collection of matte and shimmery shades, and you can create looks from natural everyday to smokey night-out looks. All of the colors are super pigmented and easy to blend.

Stila Kitten Eyeshadow is probably Stila's most well-known product and it's been super hyped up over the years. It's the most gorgeous shimmery champagne color that works to instantly brighten your eyes, and works well with all skin tones; it's an absolute staple in my makeup collection . You can wear it as an inner-corner highlight or swipe it all over your eyelids for a simple everyday makeup.

I've mentioned the Stila Convertible Color in Gerbera before in my cream blushes post. It a beautiful coral color that's a must-have for the summer time because it helps to instantly create a healthy, dewy complexion, and acts as a blush and highlight in one.

Stila Long Wear Lipcolor in Daring is something that I bought on a whim during the winter time when I wanted a darker lipcolor. It's this oxblood red color that's super in for the fall and winter. It goes on pretty smooth and moisturizing, and as it dries it stains your lips and lasts all day throughout meals without being drying on the lips. I'm definitely planning on going back and picking up more colors from this range.

Here are the swatches for Kitten, Gerbera and Daring:

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Brand Overview: Dior

When it comes to high-end makeup, Dior has got to be one of my favorite brands. Even though their prices are quite up there, I do think that you're getting what you paid for in terms of quality. Dior is known for making very wearable, natural makeup that is great to wear on the daily basis.

Amber Diamond is probably Dior's most popular and hyped up product. It is a powder highlight with very finely-milled shimmers that can be worn both on the face and on the eyes. This is my go-to highlight as it just creates the most beautiful and sophisticated glow that doesn't look tacky at all.

Dior Nude Foundation is my foundation of choice when I want to achieve a flawless yet still natural complexion. It has a medium coverage and dries matte while still making your skin look like it has a glow from within. It is a fluid-based foundation so it has a thin consistency and feels very light on the skin.

Dior Nude Hydrating Concealer has the same concept as the Dior Nude Foundation in that it also feels light and looks very natural on the skin, while also providing good coverage. This is my go-to concealer during the colder months as it is the only concealer I found that won't emphasize my dry patches.

Dior Skinflash is an amazing concealer to use under the eyes to create a bright, glowing look. It has the same concept as the YSL Touche Eclat, but it works so much better. I find that the YSL Touche Eclat barely does anything for my undereyes- it doesn't cover anything and it is not very hydrating so it often settles into my fine lines. Dior Skinflash on the other hand provides medium coverage and cancels out any darkness I have in my undereye eye area. It is also super hydrating and doesn't crease at all.

Dior Addict Lipgloss in #957 is a dark berry red color that is great to wear all year-round. It is very hydrating on the lips and doesn't feel sticky at all. It is pretty pigmented so it can be worn on its own or over other lipsticks, and it makes my lips look super juicy and glossy. Dior Addict Lipstick in #681 Icone is a very wearable pink color that is great for everyday makeup. Again, it makes my lips look super moisturized and hydrated.

In my last skincare post, I mentioned the Dior Creme De Rose as my favorite lipbalm. It just feels super luxurious on the lips and hydrates my lips like no other.

Here are the swatches:

               

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