My Evening Skincare Routine

So I hope you have seen my Morning Skincare Routine and like that, my PM routine is just as simple.

That might seems a lot but it really isn't that much going on. Just hear me out. 

Like my morning routine the 1st and the most important step is cleanse. Same cleanser as I use in the morning which is the Oskia Perfect Cleanser. I am not gonna get into details because I have a full blogpost dedicated to this cleanser so please do check that out if your are interested. I sometimes use Bioderma cleansing water to take off my eye makeup first if I need to. I am not gonna include a photo because I am sure you all know Bioderma. It's definitely the most hyped up product in the past a couple of years. 

The toner I use in the evening is Pixi Glow Tonic. It's a chemical exfoliating toner to eat away dead skin cells, brighten and smooth skin texture. If you are familiar with Caroline Hiron's blog then you'll know this toner for sure. In case you don't know she is a very well-known English skincare expert. She raves about this product and I agree with her it is such a lovely product and very gentle to use on a daily basis. I don't ever use physical exfoliators, you know the ones with actual beads in them. They are just way too harsh for my skin, they make my skin red, and they feel drying afterwards. I think we should all avoid exfoliators with beads in, and use exfoliating toners like the Pixi one.  

I tend to use a serum in the evening unlike my morning routine because when you sleep at night your skin can absorb much more. Serums are more concentrated products, which are very nutritious for our skins. The Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate is hands down one of the best serums I have ever tried. It's an oil which means very moisturizing. It contains numerous beneficial essential oils which are very good for the skin. It regenerates, repairs, and replenishes skin for smoother, healthier skin. It's just a all around good serum like the Estée Lauder advanced night repair which I also love. My skin looks so plumped and for some reason less redness after I use this. I can't explain it, very nice indeed, very nice. 

As now you probably can tell that I love oils. I prefer oils over creams. Oils are just so much more nutritious. They are definitely good for the skin and way more moisturizing than creams. The ones I current use are a mixture of the Nude ProGenius Treatment Oil, Josie Maran Argan Oil, and Tarte Pure Maracuja Oil. One drop each mixed on palms of my hands then tap and press onto my face. I can't even begin to explain how good that feels afterwards. Soft, plumped, and moisturized. My redness is also reduced. I'm happy! I got the miniature ones because they are just so cute and travel friendly. 

As far as eye cream and lip balm goes. I use the same as my morning ones, which you can read all about it on my Morning Skincare Routine blogpost. 

There you have it: my complete PM skincare routine. Just remember use what's best for your skin and start cooperate oils more into your skincare routine regardless morning or evening. They are just so darn good for you. 

Thank you for sticking around with me and see you all lovelies next time! 

Tweet me @eflicciardello 

XOXO

إقرأ المزيـــد

My Morning skincare Routine

When it comes to skincare I believe that less is more. You don't have to layer and layer and layer some more to achieve what you think is the best result. In fact it is exactly the opposite in my opinion. I am not a skincare expert by all means, but I have tried SO MANY skincare products (believe me), and so many ways of using them, and finally I figure out what works the best for me.

I try to use natural products as possible as I can because harsh chemicals and preservatives can cause irritation or sensitivity or maybe other affects on our faces.

You can see here my AM routine is very simple but effective I have to say. Basically just good old cleanse, tone and moisturize no other unnecessary steps added.

The most important part is definitely cleanse. A good, effective cleanser is a must in everyone's routine. I don't ever use facial wipes as my cleanser. They just don't cleanse AT ALL and very harsh when you rub it all over your face. I don't use foam cleansers either because they tend to strip my face and leave this nasty tight feeling afterwards. I like cream and more balmy textured cleansers. They are gentle, moisturized and very effective as far as cleansing goes. My favorite cleanser at the moment is the Oskia Perfect Cleanser. I have a full blogpost dedicated to this lovely cleanser so do check that out if you want more detailed info. Basically this cleanser is very natural, gentle and effective. Smells really good too. I like to leave this on for like 3-5 mins before rinsing it off because I feel all the good ingredients can penetrate into my skin and just feel lovely afterwards. Can't explain it. I just love it. It's definitely one of my favorite cleansers.

I tone after cleansing my face. The toner I am currently using is this lovely rose water from Helan. It's an Italian skincare brand which you can get it from your local pharmacy here. Unfortunately I don't think you can get it online unless you are in Italy, but to be honest you can get rose water in every country, and you don't have to use rose waters, whatever toner you may prefer. I just love rose water as my toner because they are gentle, moisturizing and brightens your complexion.

Ok let me explain what's going on here. I use Dr. Hauschka Normalizing Day Oil as my moisturizer most days. It balances out my face. I have normal to combo skin and I do get quite oily sometimes as well. I know what you all think? Oil's on oily face? Yes that's right. This stuff is so good it actually makes me less oily. It makes sense though. The reason why I am so oily sometimes it's because my skin is not moisturized enough so it generates more oil itself. I seriously love this day oil. It smells so delicious. The only downside is that the bottle leaks like no other's business so I had to depot it to this Sephora spay bottle that I had. 

Now onto the eyes. I started using eye creams since I was 18. I know right?! I am a firm believer that the earlier you start using eye creams the younger you'll look when your are older. Prevention is far more important. If you wait until your wrinkles poped up then using eye creams it would be too late because even the best eye creams cannot cancel wrinkles let's face it. It can make them less visible but definitely cannot make them go away. So the earlier the better. 

The one I am using at the moment is this Kiehl's Rosa Arctica eye cream. It's very nourishing because it is targeted for mature skin, but I am gonna use it anyway for the "prevention" purpose I just mentioned above. I use it 2 times a day and I feel like my dark circles are a lot better when I use it. It brightens my under eye area. I don't know about taking away wrinkles but my eyes are definitely much smoother after applying this cream. I really do like this one but I don't think I would repurchase it anytime sooner after finishing it just because I have some other eye creams I wanna try. I always change eye creams that's just the way I am. I like trying new things, but that being said, it is a good eye cream if you are looking for something to brighten and smooth the eyes. 

This is by far the best lip balm I have ever tried. It is the Nuxe Reve de Miel. So many people rave about this product and I can definitely see why. It's nourishing, and it's matte. I think that's quite rare for a lip balm. Most of them are very shiny and sticky, and I just don't like that to be honest. I use it throughout the day whenever my lips feel dry. It stays on for ages that's another reason why I love it. 

The Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-free Gel Cream is used on days when I wear foundation because it is very light in texture so it holds my foundation well in place. Though it's light it's very moisturizing. 

If it's a very sunny day I do wear this Kiehl's Ultra Light Daily UV Defense SPF 50 sun cream. It is very light on the skin and it doesn't leave the white cast on your face. And it's SPF 50 so you get the best protection and your foundation stays on very nicely. I don't wear it every single day though I probably should but I just don't think it's necessary when it's cloudy or rainy outside. 

There you have it my complete AM skincare routine. Hopefully this is somewhat helpful to you, and as usual if you have any questions please feel free to leave comments down below or tweet me @eflicciardello. 

إقرأ المزيـــد

My thoughts on Estée Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator

Buongiorno my lovelies. I have got something very special  to share with you all today. Well at least to me it is quite special. Hopefully after you see my review it would become part of your beauty routine as well. 

I have struggled to find the perfect primer/illuminator for a very long time until I got my paws on the Estée Lauder Idealist Even Skintone Illuminator. For me pretty much all poreless foundation primers are too siliconey, too slippery and I just hate that kinda feeling on my face to be honest. And on the other hand, most of the illuminating primers are way too oily, too greasy and my foundation just don't last as long. So for me it's really rather difficult to find the perfect primer/illuminator. But I have found it and I am really pleased with it. It is everything I am looking for in terms of minimize the size of my pores, keep me matte and yet illuminate my complexion makes me look awake. 

It's in a similar packaging like the famous Idealist pore minimizing serum which I also love. It also comes with a pump which in my opinion all skincare products should do. It's just very hygienic and easy to use. I got mine from the duty free shop on a cruise ship but all major department stores sell it. You can also get it from Sephora and of course Estée Lauder websites. You do have size choices which is really good. If it's your 1st time and you really wanna give it go before splurging on the big bottle, you can get the smallest size which is 1oz 30ml cost $62 on the official Estée Lauder website. Mine is 1.7oz 50ml which costs around $92. It's pricy yes because it is a highend brand, but it worths every penny in my opinion. 

(See how glowy after I blend out but definitely not over the top)

You can use it as a serum like it supposed to be, but I just really like it as a primer before applying my foundation. It works wonders in that perspective and I'll tell you why. 

• It keeps me matte (but definitely not flat) so my foundation stays in place all day
• My pores look tiny you can't even see them after I apply it. Well I don't really have large pores to start with to be honest (lucky me I guess hah) but when I get oily you can see them for sure, and this serum just keeps me looking matte not oily at all so my pores are almost invisible. 
• It illuminates like no other people's business but in a very subtle way, makes me look awake even though I had a late night. 
• Nice golden sheen suits my complexion. I am slightly yellow undertoned but I think it suits all skintones. 
• It drys instantly leaves no greasy or tacky feeling on my face
• It smells very nice not strong at all (important to me) 
• It lasts long despite the high price tag, a little bit goes a long way
• It's a serum which means good skincare benefits 

If I must state a con on this product it would be the price, and that is it. I absolutely love this baby and I think you would too. 

Please please let me know whether you like it if you do decide to buy it. I would love to hear all about it. I do! Thank you for reading and until next time, stay fabulous! 

Tweet me @eflicciardello 

XOXO

إقرأ المزيـــد

Lepo Compact Rice Powder Review

Like shine free face? Looking for the perfect matte setting powder? Look no further.

I have normal to combo skin and do get quite shiny during the day with just foundation on. A few months ago I came across this "rice powder" from my local erboristeria ( it's Italian. It means herbalist's shop in English). The lady who sells this told me that it is made from rice, very natural no nasty chemicals and do work really well in terms of absorbing oil on the face. It all sounds too good to pass so I picked it up. And I love it! Have been using it everyday and I have nothing bad to say about it.

Lepo Rice Powder €16.80 10g

It is an Italian brand but you can however purchase through the Lepo website. They do ship worldwide.

It claims to remove shiny traces and adds brightness to your face. I have to say that I agree with it 100%. There's something about this powder that just instantly takes away the shine and feels extremely light on my face. It's just so comfortable to wear it on a daily basis. It does have a color to it but very slight almost translucent. You definitely can't use it as a foundation but on a good skin day I can get away with it by using just a little concealer and this powder on top. 

Lepo Compact Rice Powder in shade 20

It comes with a puff which is really rather nice. I however use it with my Real techniques Duo fiber face brush to apply this powder. It just gives a very light yet even coverage. It never ever looks cakey on me. I use the puff when I go out for touch ups. FYI I do need to touch up with this powder if I need my makeup to last all day. 

I can't say enough good things about this powder. It just does the job very well, and did I mention it also smells divine? €17 euros and you get 10g of product I think that's pretty darn good. 

So yeah try it and I think you'll really enjoy it if you are after a matte, shine free face without the cakeyness. 

With the powder on ( as you can tell it takes off the shine on my face but doesn't look flat either)

Tweet me @eflicciardello  

Ciao a tutti! 

إقرأ المزيـــد

Oskia Perfect Cleanser Review

Have you ever said to yourself that would I ever find the perfect cleanser? Well come and have a little read on my thoughts of Oskia's Perfect Cleanser! It might just be the perfect cleanser for you. 

I thought it is time to start a blog post on reviewing Oskia's Perfect Cleanser because there aren't many reviews on this cleanser and let's face it it is not the cheapest cleanser so it would be nice to read all about it before splurging on it!

Oskia Perfect Cleanser £32.50 from cultbeauty.co.uk

I am not gonna write down what it says on the box or it will just be a very long boring post. You can however go to the cult beauty website for details of this cleanser. 

The perfect cleanser is a balm cleanser that comes in a  very nice tube which makes it easier to squeeze out the product, and when you rub it between your hands it turns into an oil which I really like. It doesn't feel waxy on your face and it is very easy to spread. Then what you do is add a little water so that the balm turns into a milk lotion and after that you can either rinse it off or wipe it off with a muslin cloth like I do.

Left: with the cleanser on and right: rinsed off

Now you can tell after I rinsed it off my skin looks very glowy and health (no filter photo) 

This cleanser is all natural and very beneficial to your skin. It contains not 1 but 8 beauty boosting active ingredients. 

1. MSM for collagen production
2. Coconut cleanses and removes impurities 
3. Zinc Glycine Complex heals, soothes and reduces redness
4. Prebiotic Oligosaccharide protects the skin from harmful bacteria 
5. Rosehip seed oil encourages cellular synthesis and collagen production
6. Vitamin E protects agonist free-radicals
7. Phytosterols, triglycerides
8. Omegas 3,6&9 repair the skin's barrier function to restore softness and elasticity 

Ingredients list 

I have normal to combo skin with a slight sensitivity to it. I have tried many balm cleansers in the past (FYI I don't ever use foam cleansers as they do dry my face out and I just don't like the tight feeling on my skin) and I have to say that this one along with the Emma Hardie balm cleanser are the best ones out there in the market. If I have to compare this one with the Emma Hardie one to be honest I can't tell you the difference apart from the fact that they do smell differently but equally divine. They both remove makeup and cleanse the skin very well, not waxy and easy to spread. They both cost the same but with the Emma Hardie one you get 100ml as for the perfect cleanser you do get 25ml more so 125ml in total. So I would suggest get the Oskia's perfect cleanser over the Emma Hardie one just because you get abit more with what you paid. The Emma Hardie cleanser lasted me 8 months so you can imagine how long the Oskia's one would last me. You do the math. 

All and all this is the perfect cleanser for me. It suits all skin types, very gentle and beneficial to the skin. My trick is that leave this cleanser on your face for like 3-5 mins after you rub it on because it will really penetrate deep down your skin and absorb all the good ingredients. 

The name said it all. Have you tried it yet? 

Tweet me on: @eflicciardello

إقرأ المزيـــد

REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: JACQUELINE BURCHELL “I AM PERANAKAN” NAIL LACQUER COLLECTION

For someone who can draw and paint but can’t (for the life of her) varnish her nails beautifully let alone decently, finding the right nail polish is of the highest importance. Sadly, that someone is me. Yeah! How ironic, right? I draw. And I paint but I can’t seem to translate it to painting my nails. Sigh. Would you believe me that I always spend hours (sometimes even half a day… *shrug*) painting my nails? Every time I’d move to the other hand, something terrible would happen to my first set of freshly painted nails and I’d have no choice but to fix ‘em. Then for some impalpable reason I’d accidentally repeat messing that same set of nails before I could even finish my other hand. Please don’t ask me why my life is like that coz I REALLY HAVE NO IDEA. I’m innocent.

When I first got my hands on a JB nail polish back in November last year, that’s when I realized that hope is not yet totally lost for my case, haha. I, for the first time, was able to finish painting my nails in just one hour. You may say, “What?! One hour? Seriously?!” Hey! Don’t judge me. Truth be told, that’s the fastest I’ve ever painted my nails. You should, in fact, be congratulating me. Hmp! And so I thought I should buy more JB nail polishes because inasmuch as I would like to get the credit for that victory, it’s really the nail polish that’s responsible for that achievement. But like usual, I haven’t really gotten around to purchasing a new nail polish since that post so my nails remained unvarnished for quite a long time.

Last month, I attended Jacqueline Burchell Spring Collection Launch and after enjoying the event and having a good time there, JB asked me if I would like to try one of their collections. I was like, “What?! Are you kidding me? That isn’t even a question!”

And here we are today! I’m sorry for the long intro. *W-wait! What? You mean, we’re not even half-way through* RELAX . There’ll be a GIVEAWAY at the end of this long post so your time won’t be wasted, I promise. #YAY

Today, I present to you the “I AM PERANAKAN” nail kit from Jacqueline Burchell.

Could we all just take a moment and adore the packaging? The artwork is really eye-catching and I tell you, this tin-can-box-type packaging is a total space-saver. 'Really lovin' it! <3

I love that I can use it to store these lacquers this way...

Or this way! =)

Alright! Let's discuss the contents. Inside I have 6 mini nail lacquers (size: 5ml - 0.17oz). I got 4 Peranakan inspired nail polishes, 1 top coat and 1 base coat. Peranakan is a term used to refer “descendant”—click HERE for a more elaborate explanation, because if you’ll ask me, when I saw the term “Peranakan-Inspired”, I automatically think of the Peranakan Museum here in Singapore.

Moving on, here are the four Peranakan-inspired nail lacquers:

LC039 - MY LOVELY BAJU

LM009 - NONYA LAKSA

LP007 - MY LOVELY NONYA

LM008 - KUEH LAPIS

And because these are "mini" nail polishes, the brush is, of course, shorter than usual which you might find not easy to work with but I actually liked it. I don't have a spacious nail bed to paint on so the small brush seemed to work perfectly for me, haha. Want some proof? 

They’re all obviously pretty and absolutely stunning! I like how creamy and opaque each of these nail lacquers are. In fact, I almost didn’t need a second coat for the pink one (see photo below), but I still went for two coats just because it's my first time to use it. 

With these lacquers, I was able to paint my nails in less than an hour which is unbelievable if you know my pedicure skills. Really! Told yah, it’s the nail polish working the miracle! And you know what? It seems that glitter polish is my thing, harhar. 

TAKEN WITH FLASH

WITHOUT FLASH

I’ve tried all these colors for two weeks and out of these 4 (four) lacquers, my favorite is MY LOVELY BAJU because it’s just... it's drop-dead gorgeous! It's classy and girly and super pretty overall. Don’t you think so, too? C'mon! Look at these photos below:

If you’re a nail polish lover, you’ll instantly fall in love with this set. So! On to the GIVEAWAY now!

If you’d like to win your very own I Am Peranakan Nail Kit, all you have to do is to enter this giveaway through the rafflecopter below. In case you don't win and you're really so inclined, a set costs S$48 and there are a total of three to choose from. For more information, just click HERE or go to Jacqueline Burchell's website: http://jacquelineburchell.com/

I’m afraid this giveaway is only OPEN TO SINGAPORE RESIDENTS.  I hope you understand. I really appreciate all your support and I look forward to hosting an international giveaway, too, real soon! 

***

Thanks for reading this post and good luck to everyone who’ll join!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

إقرأ المزيـــد