NATIO EYE CONTOUR TREATMENT GEL

I was looking for a morning eye cream the other day at Myer Center. I picked up the Natio Eye Contour Treatment Gel in the end after trying it on my hand over the counter as I really enjoyed the scent and its cooling effect on the skin. If you do not know about Natio, it's an Australian owned and operated beauty brand and offers plant based beauty range. The brand's skin care range is created using the principles of aromatherapy, which focuses on blends of pure essential oils extracted from aromatic flowers and plants. If you read my previous posts, you'd know I've grown a bit of passion for the natural and organic beauty products so I love the company's beauty philosophy and vision. 

Back to the product. This eye gel is especially made for the morning time and targets on the puffiness and dark circles that we experience often in the morning. The cornflower and chamomile are supposed to soften, soothe and firm the eye area while the cucumber and calendula to cool, moisture and calm the skin. I find it quite gentle on the eye and very pleasant to use. It feels soothing and cooling when I gently pad the product around my eye area and it absorbs quickly enough without annoying me with the sticky touch that gel formula products always do. It seems to work well to calm down the puffiness. Because it's lightweight yet moisturising, it works with concealer rather than against it. It definitely helps prevent the fine lines from showing after a few hours wearing concealer and that's a big plus for me. However, I've seen no sign of diminishing the appearance of the dark circles around my eyes. Having said that, I've never used any eye products that effectively tackle the dark circle issue and I think it's more of a curing "inside" than "outside" problem. 

Overall I am happy with this product and would recommend it as a good morning eye gel or a good base for eye makeup. My test of this product is in the summer so we'll see if I am still satisfied with its moisturising power when I go back to a colder weather. 

Have you tried this eye gel? What's your current morning eye skincare product? 

BALANCE ME CLEANSE AND SMOOTH FACE BALM + MADARA PURIFYING FOAM REVIEW

I bought MADARA Purifying Foam before I had any cleansing balms in my life and when I firmly believed in foams to better cleanse my skin. MADARA Purifying Foam promises to 

"Cleanse deeply yet gently; Remove make-up; Regulate oily area while soothing dry areas"

Having dry and sensitive skin on the cheeks and comparatively oily skin on the T-zone, I was quite excited to try this cleanser as it seemed to tick all the boxes for what my skin needs in the summer. I like the self-foaming plump, which makes it very convenient to use in the shower. Although I am not fond of the scent of this cleanser, it's totally tolerable as it's a rather subtle one anyway. It does not irritate my skin or cause any redness on my cheeks but I would not consider it being very moisturizing. My skin does get the dry feel quickly after I wash my face and I have to reach for more hydrating skin care products whenever I use this cleanser. It's not ideal for me but something I am willing to let it go if it does a good cleansing job on my skin. However, that's the main problem I have with this cleanser. It cannot wash off any waterproof mascaras on my lashes, which means I cannot use it as a night time cleanser and I can only use it in the morning. Being only a morning time cleanser, it's a mediocre product for me as it's not that hydrating on my skin and I do not find it to be the most gentle. Therefore it's not something I will repurchase in the future. However, I did read some good reviews about the product. If you do not wear waterproof mascara and have normal or slightly oily skin type, this cleanser might be your best friend. 

We all know my love story with Monu Cleansing Balm, which without any doubts opened my heart for the cleansing balms. However, I have to admit 35 pounds is a bit of a pain and therefore I started to look for a less expensive cleansing balm that will do a fairly good job as the Monu one. Since there are so many good reviews about the Balance Me Cleanse and Smooth Face Balm, I decided to give it a go. The cleanser is expected to 

"cleanse away dead skin cells, makeup and even waterproof mascara and leave skin soft, radiant and calmly clean" 

The tube packaging makes it easier and more hygienic to get the product out compared to the Monu Cleansing Balm. Its scent is a combination of honey and lemongrass, which is refreshing but not overwhelming. When I massage the product on my skin, the exfoliation beads do not dissolve, which is slightly annoying as I find them a bit harsh on my skin. However, they do not cause the redness on my skin so I am not overly concerned. After massaging the balm on my skin for about 30 seconds as per the instruction, I apply warm water on my skin and continue massaging the balm on my skin for a bit.  Rinsing off the balm is not a pleasant experience for me as I find the balm simply too oily to be removed from the skin by water and in the end I just give up. With the Monu Cleansing Balm I do not think the muslin clothes is that critical in the process but with the Balance Me Cleansing Balm it is definitely the step that I cannot miss. I've been using the clothes provided with the Monu Cleansing Balm though, as I do not want to have all the different muslin clothes hanging in my bathroom. After using the muslin clothes to remove all the residue from my face, my skin feels deeply cleansed yet soft to touch. The muslin clothes does work like a magic for the Balance Me Cleansing Balm as I literally can no longer feel any oil residue left on my skin, which was the biggest worry when I first used the cleansing balm. What I really like about this cleansing balm is that I find my skin has gained more balance than before. Recently I woke up every morning with my whole face matte as well as hydrated. I also noticed my T-zone bothers me much less now when I have my make-up on throughout the day. So so far, so good and it's a keeper in my skin care routine. However, please be noted that this cleansing balm is designed for normal to dry/sensitive skin so if you have oily skin it might not be that great for you. If your skin experiences break-out easily, please also be careful when using this cleansing balm as it is a "rich" cleansing balm in the process and has three butters in the ingredients: cocoa, shea and mango. Regardless, my skin has been happy with this cleansing balm and I currently see it as the dupe for my Monu Cleansing Balm. 

Have you tried these two cleansers? What is your current favourite cleanser? 

CURRENT NIGHT TIME SKIN CARE ROUTINE

I find putting together a skin-care routine is rather tricky. It's not difficult to find a particular product that I like and enjoy using but building a routine is like building a team, easier said than done . However, having had no blemishes or pimples for two months and having been in love with how my skin feels and looks every day recently made me think it's time to share. 

First thing first, remove all make-up and cleanse the skin.

Bioderma is the gentlest face makeup remover I've found and I've been using it for years without any problems. However, it's only most effective for face makeup and I turn to Clarins Instant Eye Makeup Remover to remove my eye makeup especially for those waterproof mascaras. Clinique Take The Day Off Makeup Remover For Lids, Lashes, and Lips is also a favourite of mine for removing eye makeup but I like the Clarins' one slightly more for its beautiful scent and its non-greasy feel and ultra gentle on the lids. As you probably have guessed, Monu is my number one facial cleanser at the moment and it leaves my skin feel squeaky clean and soft. 

Facial skin care

I was so sceptical when I bought my first bottle of SK-II Facial Treatment Essence (aren't we all?) and I did not get the WOW moment straight away. But in a few weeks I was convinced this stuff did work and I am now close to finish my second bottle (very sad...). It's very light weight but it does not leave your skin feel dry. It helps restore the oil water balance in my skin, clear up some blackheads on my nose, brighten my complexion and overall makes my skin feel younger. After applying the SK-II Facial Treatment Essence, I use Antipodes Apostle Skin-brightening & Tone Correcting Serum to further improve my skin tone and the product's texture is just perfect for summer. The more I use Pai Rosehip BioRegenerate Fruit Seed Oil, the more I love it. It gives me the softest skin I've ever wanted and my skin looks beautiful and glowing (not oily) the next morning. I've also used it on my boobs and they love it too (try if you also experience dry skin on your boobies). 

Last but not the least, eye skin care

I've started to use EL Advanced Night Repair Eye since I was 25 and I can no longer count how many pods I've consumed in the past years. I use it as an eye serum rather than an eye cream, which means I'll put an eye cream on top it. At the moment I use Elizabeth Arden Visible Difference Moisturizing Eye Cream and together with EL Advanced Night Repair Eye it provides perfect nourishment and hydration to my eye area. Clinique All About Eyes is an all time favourite of mine to use together with EL Advanced Night Repair Eye. I currently ran out of it and therefore it's now shown in the picture. I am almost 30 now and have no lines around my eye area and I truly believe the eye duo I've been trying works. 

What are your current night time skin care routine? I am looking for a new eye cream to try so please comment below if you have any recommendations. I am thinking of Pai Echium & Argan Gentle Eye Cream. Good or not worth the hype?

JANUARY HIT AND MISS BEAUTY PRODUCTS

I've done quite some damages to my credit card this month and all my online shopping activities have been beauty related. The products in this post are not everything I've tried but products that I've formed an opinion. 

The Hit Products

ANTIPODES Apostle Skin-Brightening & Tone-Correcting Serum

I have my first impression of this product here. It has been my everyday serum this summer when I want something light weight and oil free. It sinks to the skin and leaves the skin feel fresh, which is a big plus as I find some serums, although are also oil free, can have a sticky texture and feeling on the skin. It provides adequate moisture to the skin in the summer heat and also has a soothing effect when applying thanks to its scent.  In the past a few weeks it has helped brighten my skin tone and calm down the redness on my cheeks. 

PAI Rosehip RioRegenerate Oil

I always reach for this product when I find my skin feeling a bit dehydrated and lacking the desirable glow. It's more nourishing than the ANTIPODES serum but it does not feel oily either on the skin despite of being an "oil" product. It's absorbed by the skin quickly and it gives an immediate healthy glow to my skin once applied. I always find my skin feel more elastic the next morning whenever I use this oil the night before. 

MONU Cleansing Balm

I've been raving about this product. Full review is here. 

MAYBELLINE Colour Tattoo in 55 Inked in Pink and 25 Bad to the Bronze

It's a hit product among bloggers and Youtubers. I do not seem to remember seeing any negative reviews yet about MAYBELLINE Colour Tattoo and there are reasons for that. It's so easy to use, very blendable using just fingertips and has a decent staying power on my eyes. Oh and it's so affordable that I picked up two shades without blinking an eye. Bad to Bronze is my go-to colour and Inked in Pink has a purplish pink tone, which I absolutely adore. I also like to wear the two colours together: Inked in Pink on my eyelid while Bad to the Bronze on the crease and the outer corner of my eye. It takes literally five minutes but it looks like I blend my eyeshadows like a pro. 

BODYSHOP Honey Bronze Bronzing Powder in shade 03

It has a matte yet creamy texture. It's a buidable product so you do not have to worry about having a harsh line even if you are heavy handed. I use it as contour and love how subtle it's on the skin. 

The Miss Products

THEBLAM Carrot Oil-Free Eye Makeup Remover

On David Jones website, it describes this product as: 

"theBalm's oil-free Carrot Eye Makeup Remover gently washes away all types of makeup, without leaving unwanted residue.

- Infused with carrot extract
- Gently cleans and moisturises
- Free from parabens, synthetic dye and phthalate
- Not tested on animals
- Suitable for all skin types"

Sounds lovely right? I also think if a brand makes good eye makeup products it shall also know how to remove them gently and effectively. But it turns out this eye makeup remover struggles to remove waterproof mascara, which is disappointing but does not necessarily stop me from using it. What makes me have to give up using this product is it's not gentle at all for my eyelids and it irritates my skin to the point that it's simply too painful to use it. 

NEUTROGENA Rapid Clear 2-in-1 Cleanser Mask

I've only used this product twice since I got it. I thought I could use it in the morning shower whenever I woke up feeling a bit oily. I expected it to help better remove the excess oil on my face compared to a very gentle non-foaming cleanser (I have not found MONU Cleansing Balm back then) so that I could feel more refreshed. Although after using this product my skin does feel free of oil, the smooth feel on my skin seems to be fake as if it's not being deeply cleansed but covered with chemicals. The second time I used it my cheeks went quite red, which made me more concerned of the ingredients in the product. I do not think I'll try to use this cleanser again and I might either pass it to my husband or use it as a body mask where I have less sensitive skin. 

What are your favourite products of the month? Have you had any disappointing experience with a product? 

MONU CLEANSING BALM

If you read my last post here, you already know my love for Monu Skincare Cleansing Balm. It's so gentle that it does not cause any redness on my cheeks (a big issue for my skin using other facial cleansers recently) yet it cleanses my skin like nobody's business. It also brightens my skin tone and leaves my skin feeling deliciously supple.

The product has a spa like scent and my husband said it smells like rosewater or Turkish delight. It has a gel-ish creamy texture and very fine exfoliation beads in it. When massaging the product on the skin, the exfoliation beads dissolve in a few seconds and the balm transforms into an oil form, which removes all the non-waterproof makeup. I usually add some water to emulsify the balm to a smooth milky texture and let it work on the toughest waterproof eye makeup. In the end I rinse my face with warm water and the muslin cloth that comes with the product. My skin feels not only thoroughly cleansed but also extremely comfortable and satisfying: no dryness, no redness and no dullness.

If you have dry and sensitive skin like me, I highly recommend you try Monu Cleansing Balm. However, I can see this product being suitable for all skin types. Although it's not a  foaming facial cleanser, it does not leave that disgusting oily feeling on my skin like other non-foaming cleansers do. It leaves your skin feeling fresh and glowing.

Have you tried Monu Cleansing Balm? What's your favourite cleansing balm that you think I should try?

2014 BEAUTY HAUL #3 AND FIRST IMPRESSIONS

I've made quite a few online orders recently and truly believe shopping is the best mood booster (until I  receive my credit card bill for this month). Here are my first impressions of what I got from feelunique: 

MONU Cleansing Balm

I tried it last night and this morning. I love it so much that I have to dedicate a blog post just for this cleansing balm. Stay tuned. 

Elemis Skin Glow Exfoliating Face Wash

I like the scent of this product, peachy fruity but not overly sweet. It's a gel like texture with beads in it for exfoliation. I find the texture a bit too running for me but not a major problem. What makes this product a worrying one for me are the beads. They are not rounded and have irregular edges on them which scratch the skin. As a matter of fact, the beads are the roughest ones I've ever used in any exfoliation product so I am a bit scared of using it daily. If you have sensitive skin like me, I do not think it'll be a part of your daily skin care routine. 

Korres Lip Butter in Wild Rose

BEST lip butter I've ever come across and no, I am not exaggerating.  It's nourishing yet light on the lips. It provides just the perfect amount of colour, which naturally blends with your natural lip tone. The colour does come off a bit when you drink but it does not leave a dramatic kiss on your mug or wine glass and so it's more office or business dinner appropriate if you work in a corporate environment. I also find this product in the end leaving a nice natural rosy tint on your lips, which seems to last forever. I ordered two more shades today so you know I am in love. 

Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick in 16

It's a coral colour on my lips and a satin matte finish. It's long lasting and I noticed it does not transfer much to my tea mug. It's not super drying however it does sink into the dry patches on my lips but a bit of lip balm underneath may solve the problem just fine.

Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquer in 401 Aurora

Rimmel Apocolips Lip Lacquer was in so many Youtubers' favourite videos and it's probably a bit of a shock that I only just got my hands on it. How can a lip product neither a lipstick nor a lip gloss be more gorgeous than both? Well Rimmel did it. I love how non-sticky and non-greasy it's on the lips while maintaining great pigmentation. I am happy with the colour I got but I definitely will need to stock up on more colours. It's not very long lasting on my lips, far less long lasting than Rimmel Kate Lasting Finish Lipstick. But I love it equally if not more for it's hiding of the imperfections on my lips.

Have you tried any of the above products? Which one do you want to try the most?

2014 BEAUTY HAUL #1

It's definitely a beautiful thing to receive a beauty parcel on the second day of the new year and I cannot think of any better things in my first 2014 beauty parcel than organic skincare.

Pai Skincare Christmas 2013 Limited Edition AU$50 (Great value!)

I love the packaging and I cannot wait to try out the products in the set:

Organic Muslin Face Cloth

Rosehip BioRegenerate Oil 30ml

Rosehip BioRegenerate Face Mask 50ml

MADARA Purifying Foam AU$15 (on sale, was AU$25)

MADARA comes from Latuia, a small country in Northern Europe. You can read more about the brand and the company's products from their website: http://www.madara-cosmetics.com/intl/about/values/ (as a business graduate I do tend to have a good browse about company's profile etc. :)

On the packaging it says this facial cleanser can deeply and gently purifies the skin and removes makeup. It can regulate your oily zone while soothing dry areas. I have not used any of the products yet so I cannot say much about the result. However, I do notice alcohol is included as one of the ingredients and that got me a little bit concerned. I usually do not have break out problem but my skin can be sensitive at times and I hope the alcohol in it will not irritate my skin. I'll have a post about this cleanser if I end up really liking or hating it.

PATYKA ABSOLIS Rose Face Toner AU$25 (on sale, was AU$50)

On PATYKA website http://laboutique.patyka.com/en/ it has "Beauty Portrait" and when you click it it'll lead you to a few questions about your skin problems and your age. In the result page it'll put together a list of products as recommendations to tackle your skin issue. Although the questions are not the most detailed ones, I think it's a good way to try out some products of a brand.

Back to this toner, it's alcohol free and smells like roses (as if I needed to emphasise it). I am sure it'll be pleasant to use this toner and I hope it can be a bit more hydrating than some other organic rose toners I used before.

I got everything in this post from I AM NATURAL STORE as after some browsing online I think the prices for the products I want to get are quite competitive. They offer free shipping in Australia wide orders over AU$50 and that's another advantage to shop there if you live in Australia. I also received a small gift from them as you can see in the photo: a Vanilla blackberry scent fragrance (trial size). I am not sponsored by them but just want to share this online shop with you as I had a lovely online shopping experience with them.

What did you get for your first beauty parcel in the new year? Have you used any of the products in my parcel? Please leave a comment if you do as I would love to hear what you think of these products.

THE ANTIPODES DEAL

The problem with xmas gift shopping is I always come back with unplanned gifts for myself. Last Friday when I was looking for a gift for my mother-in-law at Myer Center, I "accidentally" saw the deal sign for Antipodes - 3 for 2, and that's the sign for "time to get the credit card out".

I spent almost an hour there and tried all the facial products I am interested in. Here are my first impressions of the products I tested:

Ananda Antioxidant-Rich Gentle Toner
This toner is on the pricier side (about AU$35/100ml). But it's sold out at the store and if not because of that I would have taken it home with me. First impression - bliss in a bottle.

Apostle Skin-brightening & Tone Correcting Serum
It's the bottle in the middle. I cannot tell yet if it'll do all that it's said on the website but I do like the light weight texture and think it's great for my summer day routine. First impression - summer breeze.

Hosanna H2O Intensive Skin-plumping Serum
It's the bottle on the left. Although it's also a water based and oil free serum, it definitely has the "plump" effect on the skin straight away. On the packaging it also says the product is scientifically shown to stimulate optimal synthesis of type I collagen by up to 72% so that's something to look forward to in the long term. First impression - dry skin day saver.

Divine Face Oil Organic Avocado Oil & Rosehip
I like how it gives that richness feeling to the skin but I do feel it's a bit heavy for summer use in Australia especially if you have oil skin (I have normal to combination skin in summer). I'd imagine this product to work wonders on skin in the cold winter nights so I'll get it when the season is about to change. First impression - potential of a future hero.

Vanilla Pod Hydrating Day Cream
It has Vinanza Grape from award winning Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc grape seeds. Being a Marborough Sauvignon Blanc enthusiast I was a little surprised I did not fall for this product as I had imagined. I am not sure I love the scent and the texture so it's an easy miss on my list that day. I may try again in the future and hopefully there'll be the connection I look for. First impression - just not for me yet.

Avocado Pear Nourishing Night Cream
It's the jar on the right. The scent has a soothing effect and that's what I want for a night cream. Nourishing on the skin, yet the texture is not overly thick. Oh and there's hope it'll help fight signs of aging. I do not think I can ask for more. First impression - the perfect match.

What's your favourite Antipodes product?