Mini Drugstore Haul: Skin Care and Lipstick

       Now that I've gotten my skin used to more expensive face wash, I've come to slightly dread the time where I'll need to buy one again! I have seen a big difference in my skin since I've invested a little bit more, so I'm not too willing to go back to the products I used to use. However, I decided to try a new face wash this time, and picked up a few other little things from Shoppers Drug Mart that I needed while I was there.

I decided to stop purchasing full face wipes, as they're not the greatest for your skin, so I chose these instead. These are the Quo Mini Eye Make-Up Remover Pads. I find that it works just fine if I take my eye makeup off with a remover pad or eye makeup remover lotion, and use a washcloth for the rest of my face before going in with my cleanser. Quo is a Canadian brand exclusive to Shopper's Drug Mart, and I generally like their products. These come with 30 in a pack for $5.00, so it wasn't a bad deal. Hopefully these don't sting my eyes, as I've been having quite a problem with that lately!

I didn't go with my usual Biotherm this time, and picked up the RoC Multi-Action Makeup Remover Milk instead. I have never tried this brand, and don't know much about it besides the fact that it originates in France. It has everything I'm looking for in a cleanser for the winter months. As much as I like Biotherm, it always made my skin feel tight afterwards, and I'd have to apply a heavy moisturizer. This 3 in 1 cleanser is meant to remove face and eye makeup, tones and refreshes your skin, and moisturizes your skin for 24 hours. I will likely do a review on this once I've tried it out a few times. It's for all skin types, which is fine for me right now. This cleanser was about $17.00, $2.00 less than my Biotherm one.

Possibly a little TMI coming your way, but I've been having some skin related issues lately. I really needed something that would cleanse as well as soothe and calm my skin. I was originally going to go for the Avene Thermal Spring Water, which I'd tried before and liked, but they didn't have any available in the smaller size. So, I picked up the 1.69 fl oz size of the Vichy Thermal Spa Water for about $7.50. People buy these products for all kinds of reasons, normally to spray on their face in the summer time. I decided to use this for other reasons, as the Vichy Thermal Spa Water has 15 rare minerals, is 100% natural and soothes and protects your skin. I used this when I got home, and right away experienced some relief. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who is experiencing sore, irritated skin. 

Finally, I picked up Rimmel's Lasting Finish Lipstick in Airy Fairy. I actually wanted to try this colour, because it's the colour Anna Saccone Joly aka the Style Diet wears all the time, and it looks fantastic on her! This colour is so pretty when swatched, so I'm really looking forward to wearing it. It feels creamy and moisturizing, which I need right now, so let's hope it works out. I'm tired of searching for the perfect lipstick!

That's it for my little haul, hopefully some good reviews coming soon!

xx

Must Haves For Flawless Skin!

Here are my current Must Haves for achieving flawless skin! Step up your face care routine this winter to make sure your skin stays flawless!

PRODUCTS FEATURED:

Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse

Bioderma Sensibio H2O

Nip + Fab Scrub Fix

Neutrogena Naturals Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Moisturizer

The Body Shop Luxury Flannel Face Cloth

Tarte Maracuja C Brighter Eye Treatment

Current Offers!

The Body Shop 

Cyber Monday 50 % off site wide + free shipping with any $50 purchase! Valid 12/02. No code required.

AND

30% off all gifts! No code required.

Biotherm

Cyberweek Event 25% off orders $100 + and 20% off orders under $100 and free shipping!

Code: CYBER

Hope you all had a great weekend! xx

My Skin Story: From Hormonal Acne to Clear Skin!

This is my skin with no makeup on, right after washing (and first thing in the morning, as you can see from my bed head). I did not edit out any spots, blotchyness, etc. I still get the occasional spot like pretty much everyone my age, but it is not too often nowadays. My skin has settled on a combination type, and that's what I've been working with for a few years now. Some people may say that my hormonal acne has gone away because I have gotten older, and am no longer a teenager. This is WRONG, as whenever I stray from the products and behavior that keep my skin clear, it breaks out again.  

Disclaimer: Before I say the first step that keeps my skin clear, just a reminder that this is not for everyone, and unless prescribed by a doctor, you should not go on it for this reason. 

1) BIRTH CONTROL

Birth control drastically helped get my skin under control, especially in the beginning stages when I was 15 and had fairly severe acne. This was the initial step that allowed me to even get to the other steps. When you specifically have hormonal acne, combating hormones with hormones is one of the best steps you can take to get your skin to behave, and fast. I have gone off of birth control once or twice since I was 15, and my skin has started to break out again every time, although not as bad as it might of if I didn't take care it. 

2) TAKING YOUR MAKEUP OFF BEFORE BED

When I was younger, I never listened to or cared about all the warnings that sleeping with your makeup on can cause significant damage to your skin. I used to fall asleep with my makeup on CONSTANTLY. Taking it off consistently every night has allowed my skin to repair itself so much more than it ever had the chance to. Not only did it reduce any breakouts, but it allowed my skin to repair itself overtime, and faded some of the acne scars I have from when I was a young teen. This is a definite must for clear skin.

3) USING THE RIGHT PRODUCTS FOR YOUR SKIN

You need to look specifically at what products are meant to do for your skin, and target the areas that you wish to change. If you are looking to reduce the size of your pores, look for a product that specifically says it does that. If you are looking to balance and tone your skin, look for a product that does that. Research what you are putting on your face, or at the very least read the back of the bottle. The skin routine that I have now works wonders for me, and that is because each product that I use is meant to target a certain aspect of my skin that I do not like. Below are the products that I have settled on and use on a regular basis, as well as what I use them for:

Biosource Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Toning Mousse: Cleanses, tones and removes leftover makeup. 

Nip + Fab Scrub Fix: I use this once a week to keep acne away/get rid of any spots I may have, plus brighten and renew my skin.

L'Oreal Radiant Tone Ideal Moisture Day/Night Cream: I use this in the morning to moisturize my skin and keep it looking radiant. I also use this to smooth away any texture, which I did have an issue with from leftover scarring/acne. 

Marcelle BB Cleanser: I use this at night to deeply moisturize and repair my skin overnight.

4) USING A WASHCLOTH

This used to be just an aid in taking off my makeup, until I realized what it was doing for my skin. A washcloth acts as an exfoliator, helping to slough off dead skin cells and renew your skin, making you less susceptible to acne and breakouts. This cut down on how often I was exfoliating and how many products I use. This is an absolute must every night in my skin care routine.

5) TREATING YOUR BODY RIGHT

When it comes to eating, unfortunately I do not eat anywhere near how I would like to. This tends to happen when you're a student. However, I rarely drink, do not smoke or do drugs and get plenty of sleep on a regular basis! Smoking, drinking and lack of sleep have a significant effect on your skin, and do not allow it to reach anywhere near it's full potential.

And those are my secrets to clear, healthy skin! Hope you enjoyed! 

High End Drugstore Products: Why You Don't End Up Spending More

                As you may have been able to tell from my previous posts, I am a big fan of drugstore products. I buy almost all of my hair and skin care products from Shoppers Drug Mart on a regular basis. It wasn't until a couple years ago that I ventured over to the "high end" section of hair care, and it was only this year that I discovered high end skin care. Now when I say high end, I mean anything that is over a certain price point. In Shopper's, they generally have these products separated into different sections. However, drug store high end is still only high end to a degree, as they try to keep these products below a certain price point as well. I think I only started checking out these products when I left home, as I was always discouraged from spending too much on anything. 

Having said that, there's something I've noticed since I began to purchase these products. I'm actually not spending more money. The large majority of drugstore users shop at these stores for deals and affordable products. Nothing wrong with that. Spending much more than $10.00 at a time on pretty much anything is a no no, and that's just how it is. And these products generally work perfectly fine, they do what they're supposed to. This year, I started to want to REALLY take care of my skin, and transform it from just okay to really nice, clear and radiant. Many will just say to cut out this and that, don't drink caffeine or diet pop, drink lots and lots of water, blah blah. I'm a student, realistically none of that is going to happen right now and I'm good with that! I have watched all kinds of beauty tutorials and reviews on YouTube for years now. As there are a multitude of beauty gurus out there, you can always find someone with your same hair or skin type. This has lead to me getting it right almost every time I've purchased a product that they've recommended. 

Countless reviews on YouTube have led to me purchasing my beloved Bioderma Sensibio H2O for the first time. I have never seen or heard a bad review on this stuff, and that's coming from girls of all skin types. Great, great stuff! Having said that, this cleansing water is more expensive than what I would typically buy. I had never tried a cleansing water before Bioderma, and would never really have thought to. However, from the first day I started using it, I noticed that it did amazing things for my skin. My skin felt softer, produced less oil and looked more clear. It also eliminated the need for another drug store product I was using on top of my makeup remover, to get a similar softening effect. I haven't repurchased this other product since. Interesting.

Oh Biotherm....how I love you. I just started using this product, and I'm obsessed! This is the Hydra-Mineral Cleanser Foaming Mousse by Biosource for normal to combination skin. I noticed a difference in my skin after using this product twice. I have to say, through all my years of buying Clean and Clear, Garnier, L'Oreal and even Neutrogena, there has never been a time where I've noticed such an amazing difference, especially in such a short period of time. I actually bought this product on a whim, as I have not seen it mentioned in a YouTube video yet on my usual subscription channels. This cleanser eliminated the need for a toner, as well as cutting down my use of Bioderma to only once a day.

Last but not least, another recent purchase, my Bed Head Self Absorbed Conditioner. After using this product for the FIRST TIME, my hair was so lovely, full of moisture and frizz free that it eliminated the need for any other product I would normally spray or scrunch into my hair after it was dry. It also did the job better!

All 3 of these products are in the "high end" category of the hair or skincare section of the drugstore, and all three have eliminated the need for at least one other product for me. The prices are not outrageous, they are all $20 or under. Don't get me wrong, there are so many great drugstore products that cost less than this. However, if you're going to end up spending the same amount anyway for 1 versus 2 or 3 products, do some research on what would really work for you. You may be surprised how much better your skin or hair gets from one amazing product.

TIME TO HAVE A NAP! xx

My Skincare Routine (Combination Skin)

Although my skincare routine changes up often, this is what I have been using lately to keep my skin clear! I have hormonal combination skin, which gets better or worse depending on the time of the month, weather changes and stress. 

Bioderma is a cleansing water that I use to take off my face and eye makeup, including waterproof mascara. This particular formula is for sensitive normal to dry skin, which works fine for me as my skin tends to dry out in the colder months. This is possibly the only makeup remover that I have come across that doesn't sting my eyes. When my skin is really breaking out and unhappy, I use this as my only cleanser and it seems to calm my skin down! I purchased this 250 ml bottle from Shoppers Drug Mart on sale for $16.99.

The Nip + Fab Scrub Fix is the best affordable facial scrub I have found for acne in quite some time. It's one of those products that shows an immediate improvement in your skin after you use it. It's packed with salicylic acid and bamboo to treat and renew your skin. Although the packaging seems small, a little goes a long way, especially as this is only a once a week treatment. I picked it up for around $12.99 at Shopper's Drug Mart, but it can be purchased in select countries online on Nip + Fab's website.

I LOVE Neutrogena naturals! This is such a great line, especially for the price. When you're dealing with hormonal combination skin, the gentler the products the better, whether or not they are meant to treat acne. I actually preferred the Purifying Facial Cleanser over the Acne Foaming Scrub for my skin, as using an exfoliator twice a day can break my skin out and/or make it worse. The daily moisturizer is packed with vitamins and makes your skin glow. It's actually relatively thick, so you need very little. My skin seems to like it and it doesn't break me out. I purchased the Multi-Vitamin Nourishing Daily Moisturizer from Walmart for $16.99, and the Acne Foaming Scrub from Shopper's Drug Mart for $12.99.

Last but not least, this is the Pore Refining Serum by No7. There is not too much to say about this product, other than the fact that it is meant to do exactly what it says in the name. I wouldn't say this product is a miracle worker, however it does make your pores slightly less visible, and can be used as a light moisturizer as well. I use this product once a day, sometimes in the morning and sometimes at night. I purchased this for about $18.99 at Shoppers Drug Mart. I will likely not be repurchasing this product, as it does not do enough for me for the price!

And that's it!