Evening Skincare Routine

I thought it was about time to do an updated skincare routine, but this time, dividing the topic into an Evening and Morning part. I decided to start with my Evening Skincare Routine because this is the time I spend the most time taking care of my skin. It's the best time to get your skin to recover and reconstruct overnight, and prep your skin for a dewy start in the morning!

I am currently so happy with my skin and I think I owe it to this routine. By all means, don't take everything I say as something permanent because I especially switch up my skincare, a lot. I think switching up skincare it crucial with hormonal changes, climate change, and whatever else gets in the way!

watch below :) subscribe to www.youtube.com/etherealellie

I wanted this video/post to be a way where we can all share our skin troubles and give each other advices. This is my advice, but leave a comment below and tell us what some of your advices are.

My very first advice for good skin is hydration. I explain it in the video, but for those of you who are more "readers" than "watchers", I'll ramble on here in this post if you don't mind! My skin is combination-to-oily, sensitive, very dehydrated, and acne-prone skin. I call it, the worst of all things put together. I battled with acne and just bad skin all throughout high-school, and then a bit through college. Then I suffered from adult acne and went through Acutane and other laser treatments.

Besides drugging my body with Acutane nothing else seemed to work. I stopped taking medicine for my skin when I saw how much negative effects it had on my body. Since then, I've been trying to find products that work for me.

I've come to the conclusion that my skin behaves well when I feed it water-based, water-infused products. These are products that are not just creams and butter-y products that are heavy and block the pores. I favor products that feel like water in some cream or gel form that hydrates the skin for hours. You can see by the products I talk about, what those products all have in common. Water.

Removing makeup
I start by removing my makeup with the all-too-well-known Bioderma Miscellare Crealine H2O. It's simple. Take a few cotton pads. Dap it with this magic water. Wipe your face. Makeup off. Boom!

But here's a note to remember. Don't replace this for a proper cleansing session! You want to let the Bioderma be a preliminary step, and then go on to really washing your face with a good cleanser.

Cleanser
I currently use two cleansers on and off. Both I love, both I'm almost done with, and both I will repurchase again! One is the IPKN Pore Refresh Cleansing Foam. Don't care anymore what skincare gurus say about foaming cleansers, because at the end of the day, this particular cleanser gets deeeeeep into my pores and really washes everything out and away! I use this in the morning sometimes too, and I have no trouble with it at all :)
The other cleanser is the Clinique Take the Day Off cleansing balm. The only balm I've used. Seems pretty good. It does the job, takes the remainder makeup off, cleanses skin, makes it feel fresh... what more to say?

Toner
I'm a toner junkie. If there is something I will never leave out, it is toner. Peeps, do tone your skin. It preps the skin for all that luxurious product you apply afterwards. It cleanses the skin somehow too! I am a total fan of the Mario Badescu toners. All of them, but in particular the Cucumber Cleansing Lotion. I know it says lotion, but don't be put off by it. It is a toner.
What I featured in my video though was the Seaweed Cleansing Lotion. Equally good, more gentle because it is for the dry-skinned peeps. It has "witch hazel" that took the skincare blogs by storm! So if your looking for an alternative to the Pixi Glow Tonic you might consider this. But *cough cough* I prefer the Mario Badescu one!

First Level Aqua
I have no name for this stage. The product is called a serum, but it feels too light to be anything really. It just feels like water. I call this the "First Level Aqua" because I like to use a really replenishing, hydrating, water-infused product before I begin with proper serums and creams. This is because when a water-infused product lays as the foundation to my other skincare, I find that thicker and heavier products soak in better!!! And that's so important for me.
Currently I'm using the ISOI Bulgarian Rose Blemish Serum. All natural, no chemicals, and gel-type serum that feels exactly like water that doesn't drip off. It soaks into the skin in less than a few seconds because the skin loves it. It's like watering a tight skin, and giving it instant satisfaction.

Serum
After I lay a good foundation for the skin, only then do I apply a thick oil-based serum. Currently, I am loving the Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate. When I used this oil serum by itself without a water-based foundation, it did nothing. My skin did not eat it up. But with a good water foundation, this did sink it deeply and I found my skin improving so much. It's helped with the scarring and blemishes and overall good skin quality!
As a side note, I also like to use the Mario Badescu Vitamin C serum at times. That also is an oil-based thick serum great for acne-skinned, hyper-pigmented skin types.

Second Level Aqua
I am sandwiching products by layering them with water, water, water! I recommend this light-weight moisturizer to everyone! It is the Missha Water Supply Essence. It replenishes the skin, and your skin will love it. That is all. It's just so great, and it is thicker than the ISOI product and lighter than a regular moisturizer so it's that perfect layer to go on top of my serum.

Third Level Aqua - final
I want my skin to remain nourished all night. I'm going to finish everything with the thickest and heaviest product. But don't be put off by the sound of "heaviest". It is still a gel and it will help your skin remain bouncy and youthful. It is the Missha Cell Renew Snail Cream. I talk a bunch about this in my last monthly favorites here: May Favorites
It's a great finish off!

Eye Cream
I either do this at the beginning or at the end. Either way, I like to take care of my under eyes before I regret it later on! I currently using the Kiehl's Avocado Eye cream. Great hydration and not too heavy on the skin!

Leave a Comment bioderma, clinique, evening, ipkn, isoi, kiehl, kiehls, missha, serum, skincare

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Non-makeup Beauty Bag Essentials

These items have been a non-stop hand reach this past month. Even if you're not a beauty girl, I think most girls carry these few items in their handbag somewhere. I chose my favorites that I found in my pouch that aren't makeup.

A hand lotion is a must. I found this travel-friendly version from Bioderma and it's lovely. Although personally I've been loving and preferring This Works Deep Sleep Dream Cream, I chose the Bioderma because the scent of the Dream Cream is that of natural essential oils, and not everyone really gravitates towards it. I absolutely love the scent, but just in case, I like to carry a more mild scented lotion around, such as the Bioderma Repair Hand cream. They are though, both great for the parched hands!

For lips, I've been endlessly using the Nuxe Reve de Miel lip balm. It's by the far the thickest consistency I've ever used. it's a honey content that has little beads that I use to exfoliate my lips. I recently went skiing, and this thick balm totally helped my lips stay in supple condition for the whole day! I love it so much, and it lasts forever because of the thickness of the balm. I also love that it's in a glass pot. It feels so luxurious.

For the people who have anxiety, I recommend This Works Deep Sleep Stress Less rollerball. You can dap it (or roll it) on your pulse points, and you can waft it every now and then. The scent is also similar to their Dream Cream, full of essential oils and herbal scents but it really does help relax and refresh yourself. I like to just sniff it when I feel a little anxious, and it clears your mind in the freshest way!

Finally, I have a pretty scent that I like to carry around. Recently, I have fallen head-over-heels for the Fresh Hesperides Grapefruit fragrance. I have since been trying to get a hold of it, but it seems to be sold out each and every time I am at Sephora. I am hoping to catch a VIB sale soon at the same time this is back in stock so I can purchase it with some discount. On one note though, I do NOT recommend a rollerball. I never quite understand the likes of it. It isn't hygienic at all, and times when you are wearing something and some fuzz of your sweater, say, is on your skin, then as you roll this over that, it'll eat up the fuzz as well. Soon or later, you'll have this liquid perfume full of little fuzzes collected from rolling it on your skin throughout the day. Perhaps you're only supposed to apply this after a shower? But then, what's the point of carrying it around! Anyway, next time I'm getting this, I will purchase it as a spray. But by all means, this is the prettiest, freshest, most feminine smelling stuff ever! It truly is light and clean, fresh and ever so pretty. I don't have anything like it, and I am in absolute love with it.

I sometimes chuck them into my bag carelessly, while other times, I'll put them in my Tory Burch makeup pouch. I, however, usually carry more than these four-- makeup bits of course.

Leave a Comment aromatherapy, bioderma, deep sleep, fragrance, Fresh, grapefruit, hand cream, lip balm, makeup bag, nuxe, reve de miel, sephora, this works, tory burch

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Best of 2013.

I am spending the day before New Years at home, relaxing and cleaning my room. I thought I'd spend a few hours in the morning to film my Best of 2013 Beauty Favorites video while I could, so that I can post the video by tonight. Filming a video takes longer than one would think, and editing it is just a whole heck of a chore! But now that I've got it done, I feel I can concentrate more on finishing this day with a more reflective note.



As always, it's pretty difficult to pick and choose "the favorites" of the entire year. I am one of those people that buy something after much research and review-reading. Once I decide to keep it in my collection, that means I love it. To choose the best from all the ones I love is seriously difficult. So, I just gravitated towards picking the ones I "used" the most instead.

I divided it up between skincare and makeup bits. Watch the entire video here:


I realize that there are so many products that I love but couldn't mention. I also realized that in the video, I forget to talk about two things that are actually right there! That's what happens, I guess, when you just wing things through. The first one is a hand cream: Rose of Bulgaria Hand Cream and the other is Nars Laguna Bronzer.

I also want to do a special mention to NEOM Candles because I enjoyed them so much this year. Although I wanted to stock up when I went to London, I just couldn't find them anywhere in the department stores I visited. I may have to just order it online! But really, NEOM candles have been just amazing and I highly recommend them as well.

On a final note, I wish everyone a Happy New Year! 2013 has been one heck of a year. Thank you to all my subscribers, readers, and followers. I truly appreciate all of your feedback! I hope to continue blogging next year with better content and format on both my blogs and Youtube channel.

I hope all of you the best in 2014 :)

Leave a Comment benefit, bioderma, bourjois, ciate, deborah lippmann, diptyque, essie, estee lauder, favorites, hourglass, jo malone, laura mercier, life update, lifestyle, mario badescu, Naked, Nars, new years, rimmel, Urban Decay

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When in Paris... Drugstore and Pharmacy Haul from CityPharma and MonoPrix

I came back from my trip to London, Paris, and Strasbourg last night and the first thing I knew I had to do was find some way to organize the blogposts I will be posting about my trip, experience, food, and haul. Since I am mainly a beauty blogger, I thought I'd get right on to blogging and filming my haul videos.



Watch the Youtube video of the Haul: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y79r2nM8AqA 

The first one up is my French Pharmacie and Drugstore haul. This is mainly from Paris, and mainly from two stores. One is from a place called CityPharma on Rue du Four which seems to be one of the best bargained pharmacy in Paris. From far, I could see the huge crowd in the store and I knew it meant business. The other store is a store called Monoprix which is where I mostly bought my makeup bits.

Although I wanted to buy Bourjois when I was at Boots in the UK, my sister convinced me it'd be cheaper in Paris. So, I waited and as soon as I walked into Monoprix I filled it with a Happy Light Foundation, Healthy Balance Matte Unifying Powder, Mineral Radiance Pressed Powder, Black Jack Clubbing Mascara, Chocolate Bronzer.

Here are the pictures of the makeup as promised in my video.

Bourjois Mineral Radiance 02 Vanilla

Bourjois Happy Light foundation in Light Beige

Healthy Balance Powder in 53 Light Beige

By far, one of the best touchups I've used for such an affordable price! 

Here is also the perfume from Nuxe that I mentioned in the video but forgot to show. I have been chucking this in my bag and spritzing it to feel fresh, ladylike, and pretty! It's quite pricey but this smaller sized deluxe size is perfect for me. 

The rest of the CityPharma haul is all the same as is the video. The reviews of some of the products will soon follow. But until then, this will have to do! Also, look out for my UK Drugstore Haul coming soon :) I'm also going to do a lifestyle post and recommendations of where to stay, go, and eat in London, Paris, and Strasbourg.

4 comments bioderma, bourjois, cleanser, french, french pharmacy, french pharmacy haul, la roche-posay, lifestyle, london, nuxe, parfum, paris, pharmacie, strasbourg, toner, vacation, zinc

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Discovery Product #1 Bioderma Hydrabio Masque

Here's another series of blogposts you'll see throughout the months. It's where I want to bring light to a special product that hasn't been mentioned a lot (or at all) in the beauty community. The first one up is this Bioderma Hydrabio Masque. I know a lot of you know the Bioderma Crealine H20 but honestly, I haven't seen anyone talk about this hydration mask!

I know there has been some hype around the Origins Overnight Drink Up Mask but honestly, that did not suit me at all! I found I could not sleep properly at night because there was this melting liquid thing on my face and I was afraid it'd get on my pillow. Also, my skin didn't "drink it up". Instead, I broke out a little bit the next day.

But in comparison, this mask is everything I was looking for! I have a few essential hydration skin products I will be talking about in some future post, but honestly, this has to be in that category of really effect hydrating skin products! What you do is put it on for 10 minutes and wipe off the excess with a cotton pad. The formulation feels like a really light lotion that feels water-based.

My skin has been so stressed and dehydrated recently. My skin would be producing a lot of oil, but I had so many dry patches. Also, my makeup throughout the day would end up "cracking" and gosh, it just was not a pleasant sight! I also find that when my skin is dehydrated, whatever acne I am suffering from becomes more aggressive. So, enough was enough, I had to take it within my own hands.

I've been trying this out for months now, using it time to time. Every time I use it, I think how amazing it is. In fact, days when I know my skin is just such a dehydrated thing, I pop a massive amount of this on my face and seriously, within a minute it is all gone. My skin loves this thing! And so, when they say "wipe off the excess" I find that I don't have any excess left...

They recommend that for the best use, use it consecutively for 10 days. I haven't had the time to do it each night for 10 days, but I know it is just great for people with really dehydrated skin and who want something that won't be too much that it'd break them out. This doesn't even feel icky or sticky when applied and even after! After you wipe it off, you find that your skin feels almost wet and supple! I love it.

And then of course, with this kind of hydration, you find that your makeup just glides the next day! When I use this at night, I sometimes finish it off with a lotion after I wipe the mask off. But, I think just by itself is enough too!

I found more detail on their website regarding this product:
• A BIODERMA innovation, the patented Aquagenium^® biological complex re-trains the skin to generate in depth the hydration essential to its natural balance and to lock it in on its surface.

• Hydrabio Mask provides deep-down, long-lasting moisture during periods of extreme dehydration. The skin thus regains its comfort, softness, suppleness and radiance.

• A galenic innovation, the Hydrabio Mask smooth and wrapping texture leaves a pleasant feeling of softness and protection.

• The Hydrabio Mask formula is hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic.

*Hydration of the upper layers of the epidermis.

Leave a Comment bioderma, dehydrated skin, discovery product, facial masks, hydrabio, hydration, hydration mask, mask, origins, skincare

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2012 Beauty Favorites!

2013 is in full-swing, supposedly. I, however, lose all grasp of time between the end of one year and the start of another. It's one party after another, and endless holiday eating that an understanding of time is broken down. Still, 2013 is here and I took some time to think about what I loved most in 2012. It was actually quite easy to pick and choose. Although I absolutely LOVE all that's in my makeup collection, if I had to choose something that stood out most to me the past year, it would have to be these. Some are new discoveries and some are old classic favorites!

I have featured...

• Bioderma Crealine H20
• Diptyque Eau Duelle
• This Works Perfect Look Skin Miracle
• Origins Rescue Mask
• Laura Mercier Silk Creme Foundation
• Nars Sheer Glow
• Stila Perfecting Concealer
• Urban Decay Naked Palette
• Estee Lauder Bronze Sands Palette
• NuMe Arganic Oil
• Benefit Coralista
• Tarte Exposed
• Mario Badescu Bee Pollen Night Cream
• Mario Badescu Seaweed Night Cream
• Giorgio Armani Mascara
• Butter La Moss
• Butter British Racing Green
• Sally Hansen InstaDry
• Burberry Copper Lip Mist
• Urban Decay 24/7 Glide-on Eye pencil

Sorry that the video was cut off short. I guess my camera decided I was talking a bit too much and just shut down :( Anyway, thankfully I got to my final product so that was good. I hope you enjoyed it and tell me what some of your top 2012 beauty products were down below :)

2 comments benefit, bioderma, burberry, butter, diptyque, estee lauder, giogio armani, laura mercier, mario badescu, Nars, NuMe, origins, sally hansen, stila, taste, this works, Urban Decay

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A Busy Post! (Recent Faves & Glossybox Review)

It's what I call my "Busy Post". I've been so busy I haven't been able to blog about the things I've been enjoying. I've been enjoying quite a lot of and some of them are recent purchases. I've introduced some of them here. Other recent favorites are ones I've been using for quite some time now but wanted to just go on about why I still love them!

I've also included a review of the October Glossybox. Unfortunately, I don't say the best things about this month's box but watch to find out what I think. I'd also love to know what you guys think :)

**

Here are the products I mentioned:
1. Nars Blush in "Sin"
2. Nars "Ondine" Single Eyeshadow
3. Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage concealer shade SC-4
4. Essie "Bahama Mama"
5. Essie "Case Study"
6. Urban Decay Naked Palette
7. Bioderma Crealine H20 Makeup Remover
8. October Glossybox

Leave a Comment bioderma, essie, Glossybox, laura mercier, Nars, nars blush, october, Urban Decay

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Summer Essentials: How to Keep Makeup On All Day

I don't know I didn't try again sooner but the key to keeping makeup on all day in the summer is PRIMERS... and a few extra bits here and there. My past experience with primers didn't go well and ever since I've been roaming from no primers to maybe BB creams, then back to nothing at all! BB creams were much too heavy though it did the job. Primers, well, bad experience. 

But recently I've been annoyed at having to touch up during the day in the hot summer day. Wished for a way to keep my makeup on all day, and thought, why not try primers again.

The thing that I was absolutely looking for however was that the primer not only did the job of prepping skin and keeping makeup on, but must also be helpful to the skin and not make the skin breakout or any of that. There are lots of products that perhaps do the job but aren't responsible for what happens after. 

Point is, I wanted a primer that would benefit my skin AS WELL as keep my makeup on all day, but also something that was light and oil-free enough to keep my skin looking fresh. 

So these are what I've been using, in rotation or together. The moisturizers I have mentioned in my previous Summer Mattfiying Moisturizers post. As for the other products, I will soon post a review of the two face primers I am raving about at the moment. I can't believe it took so long to realize I really needed primers!

Leave a Comment bioderma, face primers, jemma kidd, la roche-posay, primers, skindinavia, summer, summer essentials, this works, tinted moisturizers

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Summer (Mattifying) Moisturizers

Summer is great at erasing and melting makeup. It's also great for ruining skins and make things worse for those who already have it bad! Okay, alright. I'll stop being so pessimistic. But thing is, summer entails a lot of things you've got to watch out for. For me, it's how to keep MAKEUP on.

I'm going to do a face primer post soon, but even before we get to the primer I've found that using mattifying moisturizers from the start really help keep makeup on, and oil blocked.

After using my Mario Badescu toner, I apply this recently attained Bioderma Sébium Pore Refiner. They recommend you use it in the day since it won't be hydrating enough for the night. I apply this right in my T-zone area, so my forehead, nose, and chin. I also apply it on the inner parts of my cheeks so near my nose. I tend to get oily around there too.

Then I use my La Roche-Posay Effaclar M (Daily Mattifying Moisturizer) and apply it everywhere else. You can also apply it on top of the sébium for an extra moisture. This moisturizer will make sure your skin isn't too tight. The content of this is a very light moisture that turns slightly powdery. You'll find that your skin does look and stay matte for a lot longer.

The Bioderma Sébium is also similar to the La Roche-Posay in texture. It's a light moisture that quickly smears into the skin and you can instantly see the mattifying effects of the product.

With these two moisturizers, then a primer I find my makeup lasts so much longer and in a healthy state too.

If you have dry skin, you probably won't need a mattifying conversion in the summer. But for those with combination/oily skin, it's important to start from the basis and work yourself up to your makeup. Also, the two particular moisturizers are really good skincare products even for sensitive skin. You won't find yourself breaking out and it keeps break outs at bay!

What conversions do you make in the summer?

Leave a Comment bioderma, la roche-posay, matte, mattifying, moisturizer, skincare, summer, summer skincare

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French Pharmacie & Beauty Haul

My sister took a trip to Paris and while her stay there, I sent over a list of French products I wanted from their pharmacies. I've had quite a list built up from watching a lot of Youtubers and beauty gurus and their gush over French skincare. However, with the currency exchange and the calculation, most of them were near the same price as if you were to get them here in NY. The ones I feature in my video are ones that were slightly cheaper.

I also added in some miscellany products I was dying for as well. One was the Diptyque perfume which I heard was much cheaper in Paris than they were here. I am an addict of Diptyque and in particular, "my scent" is the Eau Duelle one. She stocked me up on a large and small bottle of it, and I couldn't be more content! I had run out of my old bottle just in time to start with these, fresh from Paris!

The other non-pharmacy product was the Cire Trudon candles... which if you are a candle junkie you will know that this is just a must-have (well, subjectively speaking). It's the oldest candle company run today and the packaging is the utmost regal. The store in fact, is here in NYC as well but the price just isn't a bargain. It's not shocking but still, if I could get it cheaper why not, right? The scent my sister bought for me was the Earnesto, which smells clean, fresh, herbal, and botanical!

Watch my video as I go through each product and gush over their divine beings... :)

Leave a Comment bioderma, bourjois, cire trudon, diptyque, french pharmacy, french pharmacy haul, haul, loccitane, nuxe, paris

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