How I Keep It Clean!

Hey loves!

I have done my first and last ever skincare routine back in February, I think it's about time I re-do one since a few of my skincare products have changed. Some say it's not good to change products and stick with what already works for you and some say you should change the products otherwise your skin will get used to them and they won't do anything for you. I prefer to change products because I feel like there is always something better out there. So far I have come across only one product which was a total disappointment. Besides that everything I use seems to work! :) FYI: I have normal/combination skin with oilier T-zone. Of course, as we all know, skincare is serious business. While there are only few types of skins, every one of our skins and needs can be different. These products are what works for me and even though we may have the same type of skin they may not work for you.

Face Wash 
Origins Checks & Balances
I'm really happy with this facewash because it gives my skin a squeaky cleaning feeling. This facewash is lasting me a VERY long time. I really need a dime-size amount for it to foam up. Even though it costs a little bit more than I would like to pay for a facewash, I am happy with how it performs. It cleans my face and leaves my skin super soft. I also love that it's paraben free.

Moisturizer

Origins A Perfect World SPF25

Unlike some people, this is my day and night moisturizer :) It leaves my skin very hydrated and soft. It has a herbal-y scent and a very creamy consistency. It's formulated without many of the harsh chemicals, and has SPF. I really love this moisturizer!

Facial Scrub

St. Ives Green Tea Scrub

Since I discovered this scrub several months ago I have not been using anything else. I did make the mistake of trying L'oreal 365 scrub which left my forehead super dry and flaky but I learned my lesson and went right back to St. Ives. I am in my second container which will be replaced with the 3rd one soon. I think this scrub is gentle enough to be used daily. I use it about 3-4 times a week. It does leave my face a bit too squeaky clean, in other words, a bit dry. However, for me, that is expected since it cannot clear breakouts (like it claims on the container) without drying them. I follow up with my moisturizer anyway, so dryness doesn't bother me.

Facial Mask

Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask

You either love or hate this mask. I haven't heard of anyone calling it so-so. For me, this mask gets the job done. I try to use this mask once a week and I also use it when I have an occasional zit as spot treatment. One downside of this product is that, it seems to take away skin's natural oiliness. I feel as though my face has been stretched after washing this mask off. That's why I follow with my moisturizer right away. I am sure the reason I feel like my face is stretched is due to the fact that it opens my pores, still it's a weird feeling. I do like it a lot for drying up unwanted zits.

Toner

Kiehl's Acai Damage-Protecting Toning Mist

Takes off any remaining make-up, balances skin's pH level. I love that it leaves my skin very refreshed. I actually like to spritz this on my face every now and then to freshen up!

Eye-cream
Kiehl's Eye Cream with Avocado
I purchased this avocado eye cream during a time when I was experiencing dryness and a bit of redness around my eye area. I knew for a fact it was because of the eye make-up remover I was using at the time. Since I stopped using the eye make-up remover and started using this eye cream, the dryness and redness both vanished. I do love this eye cream but it doesn't do much in terms of aging. In fact I am certain it doesn't do anything for aging. It's more for providing moisturize in eye area. I will most likely not repurchase this product but will continue to enjoy using it while it lasts. This little container sure is packed an incredible amount of moisture!

My eye make-up remover is just a mixture of extra virgin olive oil and water. I have not seen any disadvantages of using this as my remover, in fact I believe it to be much safer and healthier than store-bought eye make-up removers. Not to mention a lot cheaper! I think this mixture does an amazing job dissolving the most stubborn eyeliner and mascara!

I'm planning to keep my products the same with the exception of my eye-cream and now you know the reason. I will be searching for a real eye cream with anti-aging benefits pretty soon as I'm getting close to finishing up my little tub of avocado cream. Please feel free to recommend some eye creams I should be checking out. If you know of any formulated without parabens and phthalates I would love it even more! :)

Do you keep your facial skin care products the same or change them up once in a while?

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado

Hi ladies!!

Today's post is about my new eye-cream. I personally have never used an eye cream before because honestly I just didn't think anything of them. I always thought; I use a moisturizer twice a day so why would I need an eye cream? However, recently when I am taking off my eye make-up (using a Target brand eye make-up remover, which I had to buy because they were out of the Neutrogena ones) I'm experiencing a bit of irritation/stinging around my eyes. The skin there feels sort of thin when touched. So this led me to thinking that maybe it is time that I start using an eye cream. I just couldn't figure out whether it was due to using this eye make-up remover or that skin surrounding my eye just needs special attention. I have been using this eye make-up remover for about a month now, and I'd say the irritation/burning started about couple of weeks ago. So I ended up getting this Avocado eye cream from Kiehl's. I have tested it in store and was sold within a few seconds. This cream is just amazing!!! Don't let it's tiny size fool you, it's packed with so much goodness.

Yes, I tried to capture moisture in the second square! :) I tried a bit on my hand, because really that's all you need, and it goes from this cream state to pure moisture in matter of seconds. When you pick it up, it feels and it is quite thick in consistency but on contact, it will get super light and moist. Two other things that I love about this eye cream are that it isn't stick at all and it doesn't get in your eyes. My skin feels so hydrated and soft after using this for hours. Since I started using this my eye area isn't getting irritated anymore while I am taking off my eye make-up, hopefully this cream has a contribution to my problem so at least I know the cure for it! Right now, I am using this twice a day, well more like once a day and once a night :) I think it really locks in moisture and still works after it's absorbed in your skin. I just love it!! If I had to pick something negative about it, it would probably be the packaging. Then again it may be just me since I am not really fond of this type of container because I have to dip my fingers in them, not cool or sanitary for that matter! Hopefully one day it will come in a bottle form with a pump! If you are searching for an eye-cream, you may want to check this out! It retails for $25.50 for 0.5 oz container. I think it will last me about 4-5 months or maybe more because I use a very small amount.

Kiehl's Açaí Damage-Protecting Toning Mist

Hey everyone!

I have a small update on my facial skin care products and as you can tell from the title, today I'll be reviewing my new toner. I was previously using Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner and was pretty happy with it, it did the job. However anyone that knows me also knows that I am pretty big on paraben (and many other chemicals) free and organic products but of course I wasn't about to just toss a full bottle of toner so I used it up! I even use a paraben and bad chemical-free dish-washing soap and hand soap. I wish I could do the same with make-up and while I do have many chemical-free make-up products that I love, I just can't see myself giving up MAC and other brands that I absolutely adore. Ok I'm going off topic here...So I recently finished my bottle of Dermalogica Multi-Active Toner and decided that I won't be repurchasing it mostly because it does contain parabens and I also wanted to try something new. I have never used Kiehl's products before but heard great things about this company and it's products so I decided to give it a try.

 Here's the break down of Açaí Damage-Protecting Toning Mist:

What is it? An antioxidant toner that helps to balance and refine skin's texture and tone, provides a layer of antioxidant protection, aids in tightening pores, can also be used as a anytime refresher (yay! I can see myself carrying this with me all summer long for a quick spritz, especially in super hot and humid Chicago summer, it'll be my best friend!) It's 100% natural origin and 77.1% of ingredients come from organic farming.

What does it contain? Açaí berry, fruit waters, flowers, leaves and stems of plants, leaf oils, lavender oil and more...very floral indeed!

How does it feel on skin? I spritz it on a cotton round and then apply it to my face, right after using my face-wash when my pores are open, and it feels so refreshing, it almost feels like my skin can breathe again after I use this. It's definitely more moisturizing than Dermalogica toner, I think it's the oils that cause it to be moisturizing, which Dermalogica toner doesn't contain too much of.

What about the smell? Lavender definitely owns this toner. If you can't stand the smell of lavender then this toner may not be for you. I like lavender as long as it's not super pungent, and in the case of this toner, it's not.

Will it break the bank? It is $26 for a 6.0 fl. oz. which I consider to be reasonable for a product that doesn't contain most of the harmful chemicals many others do. I was paying $31 for 8.4 fl. oz. of Dermalogica toner.

What do I love about it? The packaging, it's a plastic burgundy bottle wrapped with the information label which looks pharmacy-like, sort of. I love the fact that it is in a spray form! And of course, that it feels great on my skin and that it's formulated without all the chemicals. That it's made to improve the size of pores, hopefully it'll work with my pores because they are getting huuuuge!

What could improve? In stead of plastic, it could be a glass bottle. But then it would be probably more expensive...can't have everything we want, can we?!

What do you girls think about Kiehl's, have you ever used or do you currently use their products?