Moist to the People- hydrating with Olivine, The Ordinary and Herbivore

Blog -> Instagram -> Blog (& Instagram)

Going off the blog has not diminished my love for cosmetics...au contraire...I think I bought more because my skin was very *wack* and sensitive so my game was more on.

I went to post on Instagram (@suikerstruisje), every now and then, because I just love how a beautiful product can look in synch with other elements. But I miss writing in depth of how it works and how I find it effective. Emoticons are what they are, simple, and lengthy reviews are often looked over at the Gram.

So let's work it on the blog again :)! 

Left to right: 

• Olivine Love & Roses Beauty mist could pass as simple rosewater concoction, were it not that the roses have been organically harvested, rose quartz have been infused in the water, Moringa Seed extract, Andean Orchid Flower and Cassia extract that mimics hyaluronic acid...To amp up the beauty ritual, Olivine recommends chanting/voicing the mantra 'I am divine' while spritzing your face with this gorgeous tonic. Moreover, the bottle is a recyclable glass... 
• The Ordinary Buffet has become one of the Ordinary's star products, although it would be hard to pick a favourite of any of Deciem's newer, affordable skincare-line. What makes Buffet such a winner is the massive concoction of peptides that has been a bliss to my post Fraxel-laser skin...During autumn '16 my skin hardly recovered from the abrasive actions of the laser, nevertheless this peptide concoction offered my skin a helping hand in building up new skincells (also thanks to Rosehip oil and Manuka honey). For more info on the peptide blend, check their website here.
• Herbivore Orchid anti ageing Face oil has the most gorgeous dainty smell of all my skincare. And that is a lot. Positive emotions by scent can also help the pro-youth feeling (I don't like the word 'anti-ageing' for the record). Then I hear you think: with soooo many oils on the market, what makes this one IT? To me, I like a simple ingredient list with oils, I like complicated serums but the oils should be oils and a tad simple. Notwithstanding, they should be very potent. Orchid extract has minerals like Zinc,  Calcium and Magnesium but the process of the flower developing itself is so intricate that the 'plant memory' of youth and regeneration is quite upscale. Adding a beautiful Camelia Flower oil for the positive omegas makes it a gorgeous blend.

Ok, so let me add the way I posted this on Instagram. I'm always itching to write full reviews...

Now I noticed I've gotten lazier on the text...So give me some time and I'll be full-on blogger again, with plenty-o-text...

SÉROZINC for everyone

I've been reading a lot about La Roche Posay Serozinc: how good it works, but mostly how hard-to-get it is...

I'll probably rejoice the ones that haven't got it yet (but want) and dissapoint the ones that got it by all kind of difficult ways: It's relatively easy to get by easyparapharmacie.com (here).

This used to be a complicated, French only site: Nowadays they are fully in English with various ways of payment, shipping & other uncomplicated webshop-la-la-la thingies.

Ofcourse, I added something more. The Phytokeratine travel set has been a mere €4.50 for a 50 ml shampoo &  mask. And here is that Lierac Bodyslim stuff again: I'm gonna try the nightime version.

DHL shipping is €10 for my region & it took only 2 days. It might be a lot but most of their products are slightly cheaper: eg. The Serozinc is €4.94 whereas on Dutch sites it's like €9. 

Ps: not promoting or affiliated with anything, just ask my creditcard company ; )

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.

Cosmetic newbies

I bought some new cosmetic things:

My Beauty Diary Rose & White Peony Brightening Mist

It's from the same company that makes the infamous sheet masks. I figured out that I might like their spray too. Until now, I do: it's quite neutral but still lovingly hydrating.

And one of their masks too: The France Apricot masks...these are so dewy and lovely. (both are from sasa)

I also bought this:

Yep, from strawberrynet...

And it is?

Edward Bess compact (cream) rouge in Island Rose.

Gosh, I have read so many raves on this product. I was looking for a lighter cream pink blush for the summermonths and initially I wanted to go for Bobbi Brown cream pot in Pale Pink based on someone's gorgeous makeup, who is a brunette as well (I first thought pale pink was just for blondes).

I saw in a review (here) that this one is quite similar so I went for Edward Bess instead. This one is cheaper via strawberrynet (with my discount € 20  and BB is € 25 in our shops). Also, I remembered one reviewer saying this one is travel-friendlier in size, and that is true as well. I also prefer Edward Bess as a brand because his ingredients are more naturally based. And this one got high reviews as the hybrid product it stands for: normally the hybrid lip/cheeks only work well on one part, either cheek or lips, but the raves said and showed it performs good at both tasks...

gonna find out for myself...;)

Also, the shop had a massive action going on (buy something via your mobile get a Calvin Klein lipgloss and buy something before a certain date get a Lancaster Lipstick, both by choice:

The Lancaster CM46 is a sheerer fushia pink with a blue-toned glimmer: really lovely for cooler complexions and the Calvin Klein LG 13 has the most perfect golden shimmer:

Kind of a face & lipstick haul this time....

Continuing Therapie: Roques Oneil Restore Aura Spray

I have been on some therapeutic ventures since receiving my Roques Oneil Discovery set: But, like any good therapist would say...even when things go quite good, you got to continue with the therapy.

This sample size I received in the Discovery box is rather big. I think it is a similar size as the Caudalie Beauty Elixir travel spray. Similar to Caudalie Beauty Elixir, this spray also should be applied after makeup (or after cleansing) or during the day for an aromatic 'perk me up'

source: RoquesoNeil

It has a more wholistic approach compared to the French Caudalie, which, as the name suggest, is targeting for 'Beauty'. Roques Oneil is looking for 'Aura', thus inner-beauty and balance.

But most people realise that the balancing of the inner self will attribute to a happier outer self. And, honestly, the names and approaches might be different but the sprays have a similar effect, containing an aroma that is wonderful for either energising (Caudalie) or soothing (O'neil).

Also, they both target dehydration by hydrating /refreshing the skin by spraying it on.

Ingredients:

Nice, I like the liquorice extract for its brightening properties and the rose is delicately present in its scent.

At the time being I prefer this Roques O'Neil spray over the Caudalie. Caudalie has some strong mint in its formula that intitially feels refreshing but I concluded my skin doesn't like it on the long run (and it didn't get more beautiful either). That is just a question of personal taste and the level of sensitivity of your skin. I see Spearmint featured in the Aura Restore mist as well but it doesn't hinder my sensitive skin at all.

I got the Restore Aura mist in the discovery set I bought at Cultbeauty.

Finished & Repeated: Caudalie Beauty Elixir

I'm happy to show something that I liked so much that I bought myself another bottle:

I think I do not have to add too much to its hype, because this products has been discussed a lot lately on beautyguru-bloggers sites such as Lisa Eldrige and also among the beautiful-&-succesful on IntotheGloss.

I really like to see what succesful people are using in daily life, because they have busy schedules and will only settle for things that are the best and really work for them. If they are beautiful as well I consider it even more because they have busy schedules AND the products to keep the stress at bay: double effect.

Normally I am not too much into cult-products. Long time ago I went for the Embryolisse and it wasn't really working for me.

Short review anyway:
It differs from a water mist like Vichy, Evian or other by having aromatherapeutic oils added such as peppermint, bitter orange, rose & citrus. This makes it a refreshing spritz on the face after makeup or during the day. It is not a toner, which can have loads of aromatherapy too, but more of a morning booster that also makes your face slightly glowier.

Official Ingredient list:
Aqua (Water) Alcohol denat Glycerin* Rosa Damascena Flower Oil * Rosmarinus officinalis (Rosemary) leaf Oil * Potassium Alum Citrus Aurantium Amara (Bitter Orange) Flower Water * Citrus Aurantium Dulcis (Orange) Floweroil * Mentha Piperita (Peppermint) Oil * Commiphora Myrrha Extract * Styrax Benzoin Resin Extract * Melissa Officinalis (Balm Mint) Leaf Oil * Vitis Vinifera (Grape) Fruit Extract * Citral Citronellol Farnesol Geraniol Limonen Linalool