Juli's Used Ups

Let me start with a lippy I consequently used until I reached bottom (or tube): 

Really, this one is from MAC's 2008 collection (see Temptalia). I have a special storeage for MAC's LE's (some never used) in a dark, cool place and sometimes I revisit Zeeee Box-e and I find myself something useful or fun. Ofcourse, I'm aware of expiry dates so I use my sniffer, and some good ol' logic to see if it is still fresh. 

MAC slimshines are lovely & creamy moisturizing hints of colour for the lips. Funshine is a coraly pink that is lighter than my natural lip colour. I get a wonderful nod to lighter lips with colours like these.

The rest:

July has been somewhat unproductive, but I used up some things:

1. Fairy Drops Mascara  Platinum Mascara film type

Ok, not quite used up but logic and knowledge of mascaras told me it is time to let this one go. I know lots of women love Fairydrops but somehow most of their mascara do not really work for my type of lashes. They do not hold curl that stubbornly as the likes of Majolica Mallorca or Fasio and that is mostly what I need. It's still a good mascara, though, but only with a base.

2. Nude Nailpolish: Nails Inc Basil Street, Essie Barefoot & OPI Let Them Eat Rice Cake

With nailpolish the logic of throwing away is a lot easier, because they are often dried out or separated. I've also finished a bottle of Seche Vite Thinner which can bring some dying nailpolishes alive again. Then again, I have so many nailpolishes that I screen the ones that I really want to thin up again. Or, I need some space and will use some other nudes before possible repurchase.

3. Tatcha Restoring Eye cream (right corner- small sample)

Lovely, but also a bit too pasty/thick for summer time.

4.  Saniflore Aqua Magnifiqua toner (review here)

Absolutely delicious for congested [summer] skin. I can feel it doing something extra when my skin is congested, but without having that stripping feeling those generic anti-acne potions have. It smells so herbally fresh too: repurchase!

5. Rene Furtherer Naturalia Dry Shampoo

I gotten into this one thanks to MostlySunny's rave. AGREED!  It's so delightfully thin and mops up the right amount of grease. And, hardly no white residue! For the supermajority that doesn't have blonde roots it is so wonderful to have a spray that doesn't make you look like you have grey hairs. Even blondes will get a slightly greyish look with about most dry shampoos so I have no idea why companies don't make them better like this one.

6. Vichy Cellu-destock Serum Flash

6%! 

-> 

for the ones that read my neverending stories of battling the ghost of cellulite (albeit very alive) know that I have a serious Caffeine habit. This serum has 6% Caffeine in it. I liked it but it also felt like my 1st tube of Cellulite-busting potions from 1993: perhaps the scent or the texture. I didn't feel it was too effective but I've been slightly inconsequent with it. It's also quite expensive per ml so I think I'll try something else next time.

7. French Girl Organics Rose Noir Cleansing Oil

I featured this baby as a part of my Organic black bottle collection (here). It's a dense cleansing oil that does not foam: I always expect a foam as I'm used to Asian cleansing oils, but Organics seldom do. It cleanses up heavy duty makeup and/or sunscreen but I do need a sudsy cleanser afterwards for rinsing off the oily feeling. It smells lovely like a soft rose.

8. REN Radiance Perfection Serum

This serum is actually meant for younger skins in need of a radiance boost. However, I often serum up twice a day so I really liked this one in the morning: it has some antioxidants (eg: Bitter Orange, Lingonberry) that combat the oxidant effect of sunrays during the day.

That has been my round-up of July's Used Ups. It has been wonderful to take a step away from my normal lipstick routine by taking up a paler hue like MAC Funshine: it does take some more work with the rest of the face (more eyemakeup, etc).  For this month I'm thinking to step out of the box again with lipcolour: perhaps a good berry hue for Indian Summer? We'll see ; )

Face Tonic edition *roundup*

Sometimes I get into a certain hype of something, then I buy some (and some more), and then I think "do I have enough?". Answer: "I might have too much".

 Within this edition I bring you floral waters...I gotten into them during the summer, re-introduced by Tammy Fender and her blissfully calming Roman Chamomile Tonic that was a part of her sensitive set. After that I ventured on more types of facial waters within a cheaper range and more variety in the properties of the embedded flower/plant etc. 

Here's a roundup of the ones I have:

1. Erica Rosewater:

 Erica is a Dutch brand that basically brings out simple organic products. It is made of a 100% Bulgarian Rosewater and it costs me under €2. Perhaps there are more bio-dynamical brands out there but for the purity it is simply a wonderful water that calms and is quite rejuvenating for the skin. I mix mine with OrangeBlossom water for a more diverse blend and sometimes I add some MSM powder to get an even effect in calming redness etc.

2. Erica Orange BlossomWater (Neroli)

Similar as the Rosewater only orangeblossom water has different properties and you can read several of the raves/benefits on MUA (here). I adore the scent as it is flowery-citrusy positive scent and it has adstringent qualities which works on the acne-prone parts of my face. It is still mild enough for the dryer parts. 

3.  Sana Hadanomy Mist

I have this one for more than a year and it has been a repurchase. It is supposed to have collagen inside and it is not as natural/organic as my other blends. However, I love the fact it is slightly 'tacky' or better say moisturizing and without scent at all. 

4.   Suti Peppermint Water

I got this one based on rave reviews and the fact that peppermint is known as the ultimate calming plant. Then again, I googled 100% peppermint water later and got cheaper options. I still love Suti and this blend is really refreshing on holidays or as a perk up during flying. I prefer to use the pure blend and not mix it with other waters.

5.  Melvita Eau Fraiche Micellair

Finally a more productive water: a micellair that removes makeup as well. This has also been a repurchase and I prefer it over Nuxe Micellair/Bioderma as it is natural, and effective cleanser and feels really soothing on the skin.

6.   Saniflore Aqua Magnifiqua

My original review is over here. I haven't been using it that much yet because I'm quite attached to my rosewater/neroli/MSM mixture but I still like its effectiveness on pores and congested skin. 

7. Saniflore Noble Chamomile

Original review here.  I decanted this in a tinier bottle on my lastest journey, but the passenger next to me was not so enchanted by the calming chamomile than I was. I still like it, but sometimes I prefer peppermint water for a less plant/dirt-like scent.

8. Kora by Miranda Kerr Energising Mist

I bought this one based on curiosity and the fact the model herself looks basically flawless. I am not too fond of the blend: somehow the citrusy note has too much of a herbal essence that I neither find soothing or energising. Also, the mister isn't really distributing the water evenly over the face.

 

So this is the collection of face tonics that I have right now. So do you like them and what types do you reach for?

Saniflore Aqua Magnifiqua

The Tonicum-journey continues....

Aqua Magnifica is already a good name, and one of the French magazines I bought said it was really a good tonic for combination skin. Plus the skin that has been thinking it's 18:

-> I had to buy this <-

Saniflore Aqua Magnifica feels like a zesty and slightly adstringent lotion with a dose of 9 herbs suited to remove impurities, clear pores and illuminate: such as Peppermint leaf water,  green oregano, lemon,  Rosemary and Clove.

 AQUA / WATER − ALCOHOL DENAT.* − MENTHA PIPERITA LEAF WATER / PEPPERMINT LEAF WATER* − CAPRYLYL/CAPRYL GLUCOSIDE − ARGININE − SALICYLIC ACID − CYMBOPOGON FLEXUOSUS OIL* − CITRAL − ROSMARINUS OFFICINALIS LEAF OIL / ROSEMARY LEAF OIL* − MENTHOL − MENTHA PIPERITA OIL / PEPPERMINT OIL* − GERANIOL − LIMONENE − SATUREIA MONTANA OIL* − EUGENOL − CYMBOPOGON NARDUS OIL / CITRONELLA OIL* − EUGENIA CARYOPHYLLUS FLOWER OIL / CLOVE FLOWER OIL* − NEPETA CATARIA OIL* − ORIGANUM HERACLEOTICUM FLOWER OIL* − THYMUS VULGARIS OIL − THYME FLOWER/LEAF OIL* − LINALOOL − CITRONELLOL − MELISSA OFFICINALIS LEAF OIL* − CITRIC ACID 

These are wonderful ingredients to decongest skin: I already feel it has a refreshing effect upon my teenage-spirited T-zone. I guess the T stands for Teenager anyway?

I have only been using it sporadically for 3 days, hence too early for a full review. I like to use it in the morning on the T(eenage) zones, ofcourse, and sometimes I dab it on during the day on my nose and chin: if they are having a pimply time...

It smells refreshing like a zingy herbal garden: oh, how flawed I am in describing scents. It lingers for about 15 minutes if you do not apply daycream/serum etc afterwards.

Well, you notice I am quite into tonics lately, but I like to ask you if you 'believe' in tonics or you actually think they are not that necessary in skincare?

Ps: available on French website Easypharmacie.com. In a far far away past I have written a tutorial of how to order from this site, and they are still in mysterious French so you might need it, or a friend/you who will visit France soon.