Natural products that are ALWAYS in my make up bag!

If you read my late blog posts, i have mentioned that i am quite depended on a few items from BURTS BEES and KORRES. I can't go a day leaving the house without these stuff, if i forgot just one i can go insane! The Burts Bees hand sanitizer is an absolute dream, it has that botanical fresh smell, it doesn't feel sticky or greasy (i have tried other natural organic brands and most of them leaves that sticky residue on the palms of my hands and I HATE THAT), specially love the sleek packaging and you just cant go wrong with the price (it's around $ 6.79 in amazon.com). 

Now another amazing product from the Burst Bees are the lipbalms, i have been raving about them since forrrrevahhh (read: since i first discovered them around 3 years ago!). I have a few in different shades but these two are among my top ones, the tinted lipbalm line in rose, red dahlia and tigerlily is my ultimate favorites and from the lip shimmer line i especially love raisin (it has the perfect tint!), papaya and watermelon. The different between these two lines, the tinted lip balms are more moisturizing and sheer but it brings out your natural lip color in a better way which is why i love it for an everyday use, like for example the shade in rose gives that subtle rosy effect on your lip and it doesnt look like you're putting any effort into it. The lip shimmer line is a little bit more pigmented, and it has that cooling tingling feel when you first apply it to your lips which i think is pretty lovely especially under summer weather. Although i rotate them every now and then, i personally like the combo of the rose tinted lip balm and the raisin lip shimmer to use daily, i like to add a little bit of the raisin lip shimmer to the centre of my lip just to give that glowy rosy natural shine.I cant believe it has been more than 3 years i've been using Burts bees products and i am still a big fan of them! What's your ultimate favorite daily lip balms, please do share with me! hope you enjoy reading this post. xx

Products mentioned above and where you can get them online:

1. Burt's Bees tinted lipbalm in rose (if you are in Indonesia you can go to this link http://goo.gl/2Eg3q )

.2. Burt's Bees lip shimmer in raisin (if you are in Indonesia you can go to this link http://goo.gl/3VDZ7 )

3. Burt's Bees hand sanitizer (just go to Amazon.com here's a direct link http://goo.gl/sV1MQ )

4. Korres body butter in Fig (just go to Amazon here're a direct link http://goo.gl/uKiRG )

AVENE creme hydratante spf 20 vs LA ROCHE POSAY hydreane legere

I LOVE AVENE. So that pretty much describe the whole point of my review, but why? It has been a while that i use Avene for my daily skin care and i specifically love the Creme hydratante spf20 for the combination skin. I have tried a few numbers of daily moisturizers from the higher end brands such as Dior, Clarins, Clinique, Shiseido etc but nothing really works best as this Avene one it has been a holy grail item for me that i seriously can't live without! First of all, it doesn't contain parabens, second, it has an anti oxydant which is a must in moisturizers, the texture is extremely light on my skin i barely feel any lotion on my face at all. It has that cooling effect when you first apply it, it has very little smell (more like a subtle powder smell, it's quite nice actually) and it has spf 20 so makes it even perfect to use during the day. As you know if you read my previous post, i live in Indonesia where the weather can be ridiculously hot (well, normally is just hot and humid where you can actually feel like you're melting that is so crazy hot!) so it is very crucial to me to have a a nice moisturizer that hydrates and protect my skin without feeling greasy throughout the day as i have a combination skin and i tend to be oily on my t zone. So i always  put this moisturizer as a base for my make up, even when i don't wear make up! The Avene just works like wonders for me! 

Now just recently when i finished my Avene, i was intrigued by the hype of another french pharmacy brand called the La Roche Posay, people seem to rave so much about the Effaclar line especially the Effaclar duo that seem to take care blemish spots really quickly. Since i wasn't having any problems with my skin and i needed to buy a new moisturizer i thought i'd give the hydreane legere from La Roche Posay a go since it is also paraben free. I bought it and the first thing i did when i received it was to smell it, and the scent is way too strong, it lingers a while after i applied it to my face. It has a parfumy kind of smell that most high end skin care brands typically smell like and i'm not fond of that smell. The texture feels a little heavier and creamier than the Avene so later in the day it doesn't really absorb oil on my t zone as well as the Avene. The bottle is 40ml just like the Avene so it finishes just about the same time frame (about two months if i use it constantly). Another down side of the hydreane legere is it doesn't have spf, for the price i think the Avene is still more worth the price since the Avene is a little more expensive (in Indonesia at Avene counter is Rp. 380.000 that's around US$ 39.00 and La Roche posay where i bought it online was for Rp. 171.281 that's around US$ 18.00). Quite disapointed with this product but i'm still curious to try other lines from the La Roche Posay as so many people raved about them, so wait until i get a hold of another La Roche Posay. Nevertheless, i don't think i'm going to finish the hydreane Legere from La Roche Posay as i'm defiinitely going back to my Avene Creme hydratante, although i do have a wish list of moisturizers to try i'm staying loyal to my Avene! What's your favorite moisturizer? please let me know if you have recommendations and leave a comment below! cheers. xx

Products mentioned above and where you can get them online:

1. Avene Creme hydratante spf 20 

2. La Roche Posay hydreane legere

My current make up removing routine

When i was asked to post a skin care routine, i wasn't sure what to share since i have never been a high maintenance with my skin care although i feel i really need put more attention to my "aging" skin (sad but trrrue). But i think for now i am quite happy with the stuff i'm currently using to wash my face and removing my daily or heavy make up at the very least. So i have these three individuals that works differently at their best (for me!), Eu thermale Avene gentle gel cleanser (for your info, i am a sucker for french pharmacy brands), Clarins instant eye make up remover and the all naturals Witch hazel toner. Personally, i don't normally wear a heavy make up on a daily basis or even sometimes i would even go bare just putting moisturizer, under eye concealer and a lip balm (ok i know that's not bare at all hahaha). On a busy day or if i have to go out i do put on make up base like BB creams and other basic stuff, i even do my brow (actually, i always do it). Every time i come home i always always always wash my face, no matter how tired i am but going to the bathroom and get cleaned up top to bottom is like religion to me, i can't stand feeling sticky and tired at the same time. 

So i still like to keep it simple, first step i put the Clarins instant eye make up remover to a cotton pad and gently wipe my eye make up, i try to do it slowly because the eye area is the thinnest most delicate part of our face skin. I actually just recently bought the Clarins eye make up remover right after my Bioderma miscellar solution had finished, reading good reviews about it i decided to give it a go and turns out okay so far it does the job and i love their new compact packaging. Second step is i wash my face with the Avene gentle gel cleanser just to make sure i get rid every last traces of make up left on my face, i probably put a like two pumps on my skin, i rub it against the palms of my hands and slowly rub it onto my face, do like a circular motion massaging it gently. I have been using the Avene gentle gel clenser for like almost two years until i realized, this stuff contains parabens. It really broke my heart because i loved it, it feels really gentle but the fact is not really that gentle if it contains parabens, you know what i mean? So i am currently on the hunt for a best replacement. I already have a few organic or natural ingredient brands in mind like Origins, La roche posay, Ren, Korres, Dermalogica etc (i'll make another blogpost for my skin care wish list) or better yet, Avene improve their formula for the Gentle gel cleanser so i don't have to switch! If you're the kind of person that don't mind parabens this works great, but if you do have others recommendation please let me know!

The last step after i make sure my face is all clean from make up i pat on Witch hazel toner to a cotton pad (this specific brand i bought it when i was in Australia but i guess you can use any brands as long as it's pure Witch hazel). Witch Hazel is made of plant, and it can cure itchy skin, stings, irritations and works amazing for other things too but most interesting is it tightens the skin and fight bacteria. That's why although i am not a toner person but i always include Witch hazel water to my skin care make up removing routine to make sure i really clean my face and pores thoroughly! As much as i love make up, but i love my skin feeling fresh and clean even more! xx

Products mentioned above and where you can get them:

1. Avene Gentle gel cleanser 

2. Clarins instant eye make up remover

3. T.N Dickinson Witch Hazel 

(If you are in Indonesia, unfortunately i don't know where to get it but you can get them on Ebay/Amazon if that helps)

Why i still love BB Creams from Holika Holika

At first i thought I should've done this post ages ago during my early days raving about these two BB Creams from a korean brand Holika Holika, but this time is actually the perfect time to spill it out since it has been almost over a year since i discovered this amazing BB Cream. Around early last year i started becoming obsessed with BB Creams, i did a lot of research and went on a BB cream adventure where i read thousands of other people's reviews and tried many of them my self. The brands i've tried which mostly Korean were Lioele Dollish Veil Vita, Lioele Triple the solution spf 30, Lioele water drop spf 27, Missha Perfect Cover spf 42 , Skin79 Triple functions spf 25 (the hot pink one), and then later the western ones like Bobbi Brown spf30 and Clinique age defence spf 30. BUT, when i came across Holika Holika the Aqua Petit jelly, it wowed me! The formulation feels so simple. The reason i became obsessed with BB Creams because i'm not a foundation type of girl, the weather where i live makes it impossible to wear it during the day (and sometimes at night!), it is hot, humid and i just easily sweat under normal weather not unless when i'm in an air conditioned room(yeah i sweat easily it's so gross! hahaha). So BB creams were simply the middle ground to my needs, it has a light to medium coverage, the texture is obviously lighter than a foundation and the formula is suppose to be nourishing to your skin. So after a while hunting for the perfect BB cream for my normal to combination skin, the Holika Holika Aqua Petit jelly was like the answer to my prayers, i finally found my dream BB cream! 

Honestly i fell for the cute packaging at first but then reading other people reviews raving about this product i just had to have it! The texture feels literally like jelly, it is liquidy like it contains more water than other BB creams which is GREAT but it doesn't fall off easily, it actually glides into my skin naturally giving a smooth and slightly dewy finish (but not greasy). The light coverage feels like my own skin but makes it look A LOT BETTER! The watery texture is absolutely what i had been looking for in a BB cream, just perfect for summer or if you are like me who lives in a tropical weather then you will love this!  The bottle is a 40ml which it can lasts me up to three months if i use it constantly. The down side of this BB cream is sadly it contains parabens, which is an ironic to my switching mission to cruelty free skin products. BUUUT i still love it so much it is so hard to let go! I do hope one day Holika Holika will soon improve their Aqua petit jelly formula to a more natural cruelty free and use safer ingredients (please please please!). 

Now the second product from Holika Holika that i also absolutely adore is the Luminous silk spf 42, when the Aqua Petit Jelly is perfect for day time, i found the Luminous silk is better for night time when going out. The texture feels just a tad heavier but still light. It doesn't feel as watery as the Aqua Petit Jelly but when apply to my face it evens out my skin tone since it has a medium coverage and gives an amazing smooth finish. Unlike the Aqua petit Jelly that gives a dewy look, instead the luminous silk gives a silky matte finish which is why i love it for a night out. Another great thing about this BB cream, this one is actually paraben free! So why not make the Aqua Petit Jelly paraben free too right? Anyways, for application, both i prefer using a stippling brush because it helps gives a sheer finish that it still looks natural and i usually don't powder my face anymore after that because i'm already happy with the finish they both gives to my skin. Yess, it is that good!

I know the picture and the lighting is not the best but here's a swatch to give an idea on how the texture looks like on my skin (I am Asian with warm olive undertone and i have a normal to combination skin). 

The left one is the Aqua petit jelly, as you can see it looks lighter and jellier compare to the right one which is the Luminous Silk that's a little bit darker and heavier in texture. Most of my friends who i told about this product also loves and raves about this BB cream so i hope you do too and if you do, leave a comment down below let me know how you go about it! 

Products mentioned above and where you can get them:

1. Holika Holika Aqua Petit Jelly 

(if you are in Indonesia here's a legit link for you http://goo.gl/wNsM5 and if you're in the states/UK you can also get them from EBAY/amazon or online webstore sells it a lot) 

2. Holika Holika Luminous Silk 

(if you are in Indonesia here's a legit link for you http://goo.gl/mzP0e and if you're in the states/UK you can also get them from EBAY/amazon or online webstore sells it a lot) 

My TOP 5 favorite neutrals

It was only until recently i started to like wearing darker bolder colors, all this time i have been a massive sucker for nude or neutral. I could not pass a lipstick counter without checking out what nude colors they have, bought something, got home and realized that there's a similar only a tad different shade with the one i just impulsively purchased. I just cantttt resist a good neutral shade, what can i do? A girl can never have too many lipsticks right?

From left to right: MAC kinda sexy, YSL fard a levres rouge pur spf 8 number 66, MAC fanfare, MAC cosmo, CHANEL rouge coco mademoiselle 05

So speaking of neutral lipsticks, after struggling to decide which are my extremely TOP 5 among my many neutrals out there, here are my most worn, most loved, most repurchased, most  GO TO neutral shades evverrrr. Here's from left to right according to the most lightest to the darkest neutral is the MAC Kinda Sexy from the cremesheen line which was the best discovery for me around four years ago, at that time i was in search for the perfect pale nude pink lipstick that is not too sheer, quite pigmented but easy to wear. So when i finally found the Kinda Sexy i was ecstatic and wore it almost ALL THE TIME, day and for a night out. The color is build able,  as you know most MAC lipsticks are highly highly pigmented and so is this one but i like to wear it lightly during the day so it gives that clean fresh look to my skin tone and i'll just work it a bit more when i decided to wear it for a night out so the color pops out more. 

The second from the left is my absolute favorite for the evening, it's the The YSL fard a levres rouge pur spf 8 number 66,  this one has a bit more fresh peachy color, i guess it depends on the skin tone, at least it shows a really nice sheer peachy color on me. This one i can say, it's like my lip color but WAAAAY BETTER! If you see the swatches below, the YSL tend to look a bit darker under the sun light but it's actually a lot more lighter on the lips (again, i suppose it really depends on the skin tone), you'll see under shadow it appears reaallllly nice and smooth, it has that romantic look. Like most YSL lipsticks, this one also feel so soft and moisturizing on the lips it barely feels like lipstick. I've been in love with this specific color for almost eight years now and i cant even tell how many time i've repurchased it.

Now move on to the third one in the middle and forth one, it's the MAC fanfare and MAC cosmo. The story behind this pretty pretty thing is i loved my MAC Kinda sexy so much i decided to look for a shade just a little darker, you know just to switch every now and then. So after fiddling and did plenty of swatches in the MAC counter annoying the counter sales (they're mostly always annoyed anyway, not meaning to be cynical here, but seriously, i've been to MAC counters in my country and met rude unfriendly sales unwilling to serve customers who regardless only to browse or to buy, its sad and annoying!), i finally found the perfect ones a shade darker than the MAC Kinda sexy and thought immediately this was going to be my new go to and i'm still loving it until now!The difference is the MAC fanfare is almost similar to the Kinda Sexy but just a tad pink darker, while the MAC Cosmo is more  of a light brownish pink, nice for an everyday!

The last one is the CHANEL coco rouge mademoiselle in number 05 which my husband bought for me, i have to say i don't wear this one as much as the other four but on a special occasion where i feel like dressing up a bit during the day but don't want to overdo it, i'd go for this color. This color is more to a darker peach brownish tone if that makes sense, it gives that sophisticated look if worn under a subtle make up. So that's my TOP 5 neutrals! Thank's for reading love! xx

Below is the swatches in direct morning sunlight

 From left to right: MAC kinda sexy, YSL fard a levres rouge pur spf 8 number 66, MAC fanfare, MAC Cosmo, CHANEL rouge coco mademoiselle 05

Below is the swatches under the shadow

From left to right: MAC kinda sexy, YSL fard a levres rouge pur spf 8 number 66, MAC fanfare, MAC Cosmo, CHANEL rouge coco mademoiselle 05

Products mentioned:
1. MAC kinda sexy
2. YSL fard a levres rouge pur spf 8 number 66 
3. MAC fanfare
4. MAC Cosmo
5. CHANEL rouge coco mademoiselle 05