My Current Skincare Routine :D

Hi everyone!

I hope you're all well :)

I had sad news yesterday, with my psychiatrist having to go away, thus transferring me to someone else's care. I cried.

But anyway, let's focus on what the post is about, shall we?

Lyn asked last time what my current skincare routine was. I didn't want to do one without really sure of the things. 

Truth is, my whole routine was disrupted when I ran out of my HG moisturiser and I haven't found a replacement. I had recently placed an order so hopefully it'll come back to my routine!

I used to rely on TWO main things: Eskinol Papaya Smooth White Facial Deep Cleanser and C+M Papaya Gel Moisturiser. I am not using any of those now. The reason why I had it as a routine was to fade my acne scars FAST.

I made do though.

I found a routine that works for me.

So far I haven't had any breakouts. The last breakout I had was on my nose, and it didn't occur to me to use my Mario Badescu, so I have a nasty scar there >_>; but that was 2-3 weeks ago.

Moving on!

Here are the facial washes I use~

Facial Cleansers & Scrub

I don't use them ALL at once! That's just crazy!

I use the scrub when my nose feels all congested and to scrub off some flaky scars. Do I think it works? So-so. It's not a miracle product.

Sometimes I also use two gentle scrubs from SkinFood for daily use.

Peeling Gel (Gentle Scrubs)

I use the St. Ives Apricot Cleanser when I feel like my face needs a gentle, gentle scrub. I use it when my pores are just feeling weirdly congested. After cleansing, usually it leaves my skin soft, not too dry.  This is supposed to fight blemishes.

I generally use the TheFaceShop Blemish Zero Bubble Foam Cleanser in the mornings. It's not harsh at all. I bought it due to the recommendation of a fellow blogger. It's really gentle, has a nice scent and leaves my skin feeling clean without stripping the natural oils.

Lastly, I use the Neutrogena Deep Clean Foaming Cleanser when I use makeup on that day. To make sure I removed all my makeup when I use my cleansing creams. You know what's the best weapon against acne? Removing your makeup properly. I try not to use this unless I did wear makeup. I think I tried using this daily, and it wasn't being nice to my skin. It's not harsh, but compared to the other two, it's the strongest of the bunch. 

For me.

As for the moisturisers and toners~

I approve of this.

Truth be told, I have A LOT of toners. I also have A LOT of moisturisers. For moisturisers, it's more tricky though. If I hate the scent, I would really not use it. This is the case of moisturisers I buy online. LOL. Poor them.

I actually have a ton of facial cleansers too, ones that don't work for me or I just never bother reaching out for. I might use them again when I run out of some of the items.

Anyway~

My new beauty find that I happen to LOVE a lot is the HadaLabo Arbutin Whitening Lotion! For this one, I was afraid it would break me out, I read some reviews saying it breaks them out. However I think that happens if you use the milk too. I just have the "toner" version of it. For me, it works like a light moisturiser. If my skin is not that dry, I skip my snail cream and just end the day with this.

I recently finished my Eskinol Classic White Blackhead Prevent Facial Deep Cleanser, so I moved on to the lemon variant. I'm now using the Eskinol Oil Control Facial Deep Cleanser. My friend Kat uses this. Does it really help with oil? Nope. At least not for me LOL. I read online that this freaking dries them out! It doesn't for me. I am hoping that this helps fade scars since lemon is known for that.

It's gentle though, just like the papaya variant.

Depending on my mood, I would sometimes use The Body Shop Tea Tree Skin Clearing Toner. It doesn't mattify my face at all LOL. Then again, I'm not using the whole range for it. I like this, but I would stay away from my eyes I guess. This is pricy so I'm glad it's not my HG!

Although I gotta defend their oil control BECAUSE I use a moisturiser that kinda makes my face oily after a few hours. I use The Skin Shop Recovery Solution Cream as my moisturiser. I use this when my face feels very dry, or I have some popped pimples. It's supposed to help heal them faster. I like the scent too, but if I use it too heavily, it clogs my pores.

For my eyes, I use Tony Moly Fresh Aqua Cooling 24 Eyes Stick. I usually don't bother to deal with my eyes though.

When I have bumps and acne, I spread a thin layer of the Mario Badescu Drying Cream.

Had I known, I would have used this on my nose earlier. This immediately calmed down the annoying painful nose acne!

So basically my daily routine is:

Cleanse Face -> Toner -> Lotion -> Moisturiser

If I use makeup:

Remove Makeup -> Cleanse Face -> Toner -> Lotion -> Moisturiser

I also generally use mud masks after I use makeup. It depends on how heavy it was.

If I feel like my skin needs to be decongested, I'd whip out my facial sauna, do nose strips and mud masks. I ALWAYS neglect my PMD though ( ;-; ) that expensive thing.

Yes, I do mud masks more than face masks. I need to use my face masks really ( ;-; )

Is my face perfect?

Nope.

In fact, I have congested pores sometimes, so I have to deal with the skin-like bumps here and there but generally, I'm happy.

Ever since I used the HadaLabo Lotion, I felt an improvement. Hence, I'm very happy. 

Makeup seems to glide on smoothly too.

Is this a routine you should use to clear your face? NO.

EVERYONE'S SKIN IS DIFFERENT!

WHAT WORKS FOR ME, MIGHT NOT WORK FOR YOU!

Try out these products at your own risk. I'm not a dermatologist but I've had some consultation and I've deduced what's good for me and what's bad for me.

Well, it's not flawfree.

My battle with whiteheads, big pores, oily skin and those pesky bumps aren't over.

I'm happy though, I got my acne under control.

Do tell me in the comments what your routines are, or if you've used any of the products here before!

Take care then!

-Nisah-

Favourite Products: April 2013

Hello there~

It's time for another favourites post!
In this post, I'll have a quick review of everything. Should something needs an in-depth review, I will note it down~

As usual I'll start with lip products!

1)

Sasatinnie Dolly Lip Smoothie in '05 Green Apple'

I'm running out of my Baby Lips so I turned to this product. This is not tinted, moisturises well and I'm having a hard time finishing it! Even though it moisturises, I'm not a fan of the scent. I'd prefer it without the scent. I don't think it smells like green apples at all. It smells like...hand soap. So yeah, hand soap on the lips, not so pleasant. I don't like the packaging though, it kinda cracked. At least it does its job well.

2)

essence Ready For Boarding Lip & Cheek Creme in '02 beauty on tour'

Even though its a dual purpose cream product, I only use it on my cheeks. I'm not sure if it'd look good on the lips because of the consistency but then again, I haven't tried. This product is a lot more emollient than the sasatinnie cream blush and on the cheeks, it looks like a dolly flush. It lasts quite well on the cheeks and doesn't fade at all. It smells fruity. It also blends quite easily.

3)

Etude House Look at My Eyes in 'Milk Cocoa' and 'Lemon Sherbet'

These are my go-to eyeshadows when I don't feel like mixing and matching. Over a base, I have the yellow all over my eyelids and then the brown on the outer corner. Simple and clean, gives a nice subtle smokey look if I used a heavier hand with the brown. 'Milk Cocoa' is a lovely and pigmented chocolate-y colour with gold shimmers. A little goes a long way with this one. 'Lemon Sherbet' on the other hand, is quite sheer but build-able. You'd need a strong base to keep this vibrant.

4)

Tony Moly Matte Eyeshadow in '14 Cappuccino'

This is a good crease colour. Smooth, build-able and for a matte colour, it's quite pigmented. Well, over my brown-ish skin, it is, anyway. It looks yummy too. I think you can use it to contour your nose too if you have fairer skin. I find it nice that Tony Moly has nice matte colours when Etude House usually has more shimmer. I usually pair this with any eyeshadow.

5)

The Skin Shop Recovery Solution Cream Natural Care System

Since I ran out my Papaya Gel Moisturiser, I had nothing that works just as well. I used this before but back then my acne was so evident, I didn't think it helped. As for this, I need to use a light hand to make sure I didn't apply too much and end up clogging my pores. Does it help with healing my acne scars? Perhaps. Maybe, maybe not but I do like it. Plus, it has a nice scent. It's not very moisturising though, since my cheeks are generally quite dry and flaky. I like it, I do use it a lot, but it's not my holy grail. Plus, on normal days, this is friggin' expensive.

6)

essence Pure Skin natural cover moisturiser in 'Lighter Skin'

Apparently it's a 3 in 1 product for 'perfect skin', it 'fights spots & blackheads', 'gives a flawless complexion' and is 'mattifying & oil-free'. This is a good product, it helps even out the skin. I don't need powder to set it because it dries matte. The colour matches well with my skin, it's cheap, and it works. However, it's quite sheer and you do need concealer to hide dark scars. The only thing I loathe about it is that if you apply with your hand, it kinda sticks to your fingers. I haven't tried applying it with a brush or a sponge though. If I don't feel like wearing BB Cream or foundation, I reach out for this. Oh btw, it's very light on the skin. I can barely feel it.

7)

Tony Moly Fresh Aqua Cooling 24 Eyes Stick

I did a review of this here if you're interested. I like this product a lot and I saw a similar product from Etude House, and it was 4 bucks more than the price of this so I dunno if I'd want to try that. I like this because it de-puffs my eyebags after I cry. It's just nice to apply when your eyes are tired.

Here are the swatches for the three eyeshadows and the cream blush:

- 02 beauty on tour
- 14 Cappuccino
- YL02 Lemon Sherbet
- BR01 Milk Cocoa

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That's it for my April Favourites :D

This time I didn't have a lot which is good I guess.

If there're any products you'd like me to do an in-depth review, leave it in the comments!

So, do share your April Favourites in the comment below!

Have you tried any of these products?

Leave a link to your favourites post, I'd love to look at them!

Cheerio, take care then!

-Nisah-

Favourite Products: March 2013

Hey there :D

I decided to do a favourites post after reading Kim's post! Even though I usually don't do things like this, I realised that I do have some favourite products that I go to all the time!

Okay, let's start:

1)

Maybelline Baby Lips in 'Coral Flush'

This is my go-to lip balm. Yes, it's tinted, because I haven't managed to buy the un-tinted one to use every night. This one, despite it being tinted, is very toned down, even though it's supposed to be coral. It just gives a nice flush of colour when you need it. It is quite similar to another Maybelline lipstick but I shall talk about that in a more in-depth review.

Why do I like it? It simply hydrates my lips so well! And it smells nice too.

2)

Revlon ColorStay Ultimate Suede Lipstick in 'Finale'

I love this. It has a weird finish, it's not fully matte, but not fully shiny either. I guess it's like...suede? Lol duh. That IS the name of the lipstick. It's just weird, but I love it! I like how it's matte but not overly drying but not too hydrating either. Does that make sense? Either way, it's a lovely product and really not as strong as "In-your-face" as I thought it'd be! It stays on my lips quite comfortably.

I can also opt to tone it down with my next favourite~

3)

essence lipstick in 'In The Nude'

This is a lovely, hydrating nude lipstick. You get a lot of product for how much you buy it for. That's not bad, right? It smells nice, kinda fruity, and goes on your lips so well. You can use it to just nude out your lips lightly or if you want it more opaque, you can layer it on. You can also layer it over stronger lip colours and it'll just make it less bold so easily. I also gave one away for a giveaway before!

4)

theBalm Batter Up Creaseless Cream Shadow in 'Home Plate Kate'

This is a lovely pink shimmery base that does not crease on me. I used to go to the golden one but that one is drying up a bit more than usual (I need to revive that one) so I decided to use this baby instead. On its own, it's more like a white shimmer with pinkish tones, against my eyelids. I can easily layer it up with a similar colour or any other colour because it's such a good base. It's not too white, not too pink. It just works. On a good day, this doesn't crease on me for at least 12 hours BUT it does tend to rub off on my inner corners! But 12 hours is good, no?

5)

MUA 'Heaven and Earth' Eyeshadow Palette

My go-to palette for now. It has all the colours I need on a day out if I don't want colours. It's also light and small that I can carry it safely in my bag IF I do feel like I'd need to touch up during the day. However, with a good base it'll stay on my lids until I want to remove it! Good, eh? I have made a full review of this palette, here.

6)

TheFaceShop Make Me Star Waterproof Gel Liner in #5 (The Awesome Blue One)

THIS, THIS is my forever favourite holy grail eyeliner (for now anyway). It is absolutely waterproof and lasts all day long (with minimal smudging at the corners of my eyes) and I usually use it on the lower lash-line and leave my upper lash-line eyeliner free. Usually. You can use the smudger at the end to make it into eyeshadow if you want to. I've actually cried with this eyeliner on and it didn't budge, at all. Unfortunately, its counterpart (the brown one) actually broke on me! The tip that is, so that's one downer. It's quite fragile.

7)

Eskinol Papaya Smooth White Facial Deep Cleanser

I ran out of this, obviously. I'm actually trying out the other variants however, I think this is the best one for me. It smells nice, it's not as harsh as the other ones I've tried and I'll definitely repurchase this once I've run out of the others because this one is, by far, my holy grail toner at fading acne scars! Full review here.

8)

The Skin Shop IRIS Derma Solution Whitening Plus Serum

I like using this to hydrate my face on drier days, after my toner, and it does help a lot. It's supposedly a whitening serum that gives you moisture and nutrition. I can definitely say that it does moisturise. As for whitening, it's not that obvious, but it does fade some scars. Not as fast as my Eskinol + moisture gel but it helps. Especially since I ran out of my go-to moisturiser! I'll definitely repurchase this if it's still cheap.

9)

Mario Badescu Drying Cream

I bought this from Luxola, and it arrived just before my KL trip. Does this work to dry up under the surface bumps like it promised? Not sure, I don't think so BUT it does help dry up erupted pimples so fast you'd call your grandma just to rave about it! It is however way too drying even for my oily-combination skin so use it sparingly. Sensitive and dry skin, use it with caution. A little goes a long way and I like it. You can purchase the product here. It's priced at SGD24 but you can get 15% off if it's your first purchase from the site. 

I think it'll last you a long time~ I barely made a dent and I've been using it every night. I'll definitely repurchase should the time comes.

10)

MUA Matte Foundation in Shade 3 'Gentle Fawn'

Matte foundation? No. It's not matte, it's dewy finish at best. However, what I like about it is that it's the perfect colour for my skin-tone AND it does not oxidise on me. The coverage is sheer, but buildable to medium. You can work it well with a concealer if you don't want to build it up too much. I like the sleek packaging and you can control the amount of product well. It does not feel heavy on the skin but it does leave a sticky feeling (just lightly), you can apply powder to mattify and set it. 

The only CON for now? I don't think it contains any SPF but I might be wrong. You can get this product here.

11)

MUA Bronzer in Shade 3

This is the only matte one out of the basic range and it's a lovely shade. Not that orange at all on me and it actually shows up! *I'm looking at you, Etude House, Holika Holika!* I usually use it to contour my nose because I haven't mastered contouring my cheeks. You're also getting a LOT of product out of this and it's only £1! You can get it here.

12) 

sasatinnie Facial Mist Toner in 'Peach'

I use this to set my face makeup. Does it last long? I'm not so sure, but it does give my face the original texture after putting on all that foundation, BB cream or powder on my face. I love the scent and it does help rejuvenate the face. Anti-aging? Not so sure about. Holy grail? Not so much but it'll do for now.

13)

sasatinnie Makeup Remover Wipes in 'Rose'

This is for sensitive skin. I actually bought two of the 'for oily skin' and I haven't used it. I have been using this ever since I bought it, and it works well! There's only 10 sheets though, but it does the job. Maybe even better than my favourite makeup wipes from TheFaceShop! It doesn't sting my eyes at all and I think it definitely removes most of your makeup (but definitely use a facial cleanser too!)

14)

Cyber Colors 24 Hr Eyebrow in 'Gray'

I can't live without this. I just can't. However, the price does get to me. This was recommended to me by a SaSa MY consultant and I really thank her for doing so. I turned to her saying that I needed a waterproof eyebrow pen and dammit, this works. I liked how she also said that I shouldn't use black as it's too harsh. Gray works just fine. This is my go-to eyebrow pen...cil. I will definitely repurchase this but I'm trying out other options first!

15)

BDL Papaya Whitening Hand & Body Lotion

This is the lotion I'm using right now for my body. I love the smell but it can have a weird texture. Sometimes it balls up if it mixes with certain products. I haven't noticed any whitening but for the price and for the quantity, it works. It's 600ml and I bought it for BND4.90? It works for me~ Papaya is love, you know?

16)

Victoria Secret Fragrance Mist in 'Love Spell'

Holy grail fragrance mist. Enough said. I bought a bigger bottle of it recently because it's just that lovely. I tried other scents but I still bought this one because it's just perfect. It's 'me' in a bottle and the best part is that I'm not allergic to it! Yay! Do try it if you ever come across it! It's Cherry Blossoms & Peach scented. But it's more to peach!

17) 

V8 Crystal Repair Serum for Split Ends and Damaged Hair

This is my go-to hair serum nowadays. It smells nice, works well and is absorbed by the hair nicely. However, don't overdo it or it'll make your hair look dry in photos instead lol. It smells like this snack I grew up eating, like 'Ais Krim Panjang' or what's it called? I'm not so sure. I bought it from my uncle's wife (my aunt technically lol) who runs a salon. I would definitely repurchase it once I run out. It's cheaper than the L'oreal Anti-Frizz one!

--

Okay, that's it for my favourites! That was a lot, no? Lol. I'm so sleepy right now.

If there's any product you'd like me to do an in-depth review, just leave it in the comments and I'll try do it!

Out of all of these, I can't live without number 1, 4, 6, 7, 9, 14 and 16!

I think I covered all of my go-to products of the month!

What about you?

Do you have a monthly favourite?

Leave your link or answers in the comments! I'd love to read them!

Take care then!

-Nisah-

EDIT: I just wanna cry. Trying to edit this in HTML resulted in some shitty results and I lost half of my post that took an hour plus to write. Had to do the whole thing again (copy-pasting it from the html at least) so I have a headache now...sigh. I'm a jinx with computers. Definitely.

New Banner, Shyla & Some Insta-Haul Pics!

As much as I'd like a new blog layout, I think for now this is still the best layout. Unless, you don't think so?

Anyhow, I'm sure you'd have noticed the new banner by now?
I commissioned my friend, Farah, to draw me my new banner.

I'd have done it myself but I'm out of touch with my art side and I doubt I can draw myself.

The theme of the blog banner is me and macarons. The story is that last 2 weeks, my older sis bought loads of macarons for us! I wanted to take a photoshoot with the colourful macarons but my sis was out so I got bummed.

Look at all those macarons!! A total of 12 flavours and it cost BND72 !! 

Then my friend brought about the idea of drawing the macarons. I thought I'd do it, but then I decided to ask her to do it. LOL. Why? Because I'm lazy.

No, actually, I'm a bad colorist. So yeah, I commissioned her to do it. What do you think?
Is it nice?

Anyhow~

If you remember, a few posts ago, I said I was gonna adopt a cat named Pinky. It turned out that if I wanted to adopt her, I had to adopt her sibling, Brain, too, because they're so close. I don't have the energy to take care of two cats!! So I decided to adopt Shyla instead.

Meet Shyla!

Shyla, as the name suggests, is a shy cat. Or was a shy cat anyway!

Now, she's in heat currently and is curious about everything. I just got her approximately 9 days ago and so far, so good. She's so docile :) I love her. She kissed me on the lips the other day lol.

Here's a short video of her playing:



So yeah....the last few days, or a week ago, I hauled a lot of stuff. I went to Miri, I went to haul HolikaHolika stuff and then went overboard again with shopping D: My stuff from sasa.com also came!

I took photos with my sister's DSLR but unfortunately, she has not transferred the photos >_>

So instead, I'll show you a snippet of the hauls through my InstaHaul pics :D

From my sasa.com order:

Two of them are freebies :D and I got Buy 1 Get 1 deal on the scrub! 

For my Miri Haul:

I actually booked theBalm's The Balm Jovi Palette in advance, just in case I didn't manage to get it! I'm so happy I got it! It's such a nice palette.

I also got a free clear lip gloss and a lipstick with it! Ain't that a good deal??

Since I butchered my eyebrows accidentally, I decided to get an eyebrow pencil that's slightly waterproof. I also got a Kate Eyebrow Mascara and last but not least, a nice synthetic brush nice for applying powder!

Sorry for the bad photo! 

Along with SaSa, I went to TheFaceShop which was having a sale at that time.

I got myself some nailpolishes, a lip tint and decided to try out the Lip & Eye Make-up Remover too.

Look at that!

I impulsively hauled some cds and dvds. WTF.
I didn't regret getting the Angela Aki album but the Nakashima Mika dvd was wtf >_>

Impulse Buy #1

I also got the November CLEO and Vivi but I'm too lazy to take pics of it!

I also hauled a bunch of Maybelline Baby Lips Color Lip Balm.

I bought Coral Flush in Brunei. The rest was at Watsons.

I gave away the Pink Lolita in my last giveaway and I gave away the Rose Addict to my niece :)

I myself have not tried them yet. I heard the colours are very subtle.

I might just get the complete collection (all 5 colours) for myself :D

Oh, and I also got these amazing shoes for half off!!

My dream shoes :D

Unfortunately, I don't have jeans that go well with them. So far, I have to wear tights or leggings with them.

Case #1

Blurry photo by my niece lol (Yayasan OOTD) 

My first time wearing them out. The soles are actually quite slippery!

Case #2

Blurry photo by my nephew lol (The Mall OOTD) 

A lot of my friends said I lost weight. Well, I did but honestly, I always had the smallest legs compared to the rest of my body LOL. No, I didn't photoshop this. It's the combination of the shoes and the black tights/leggings that make me look thin. If my stomach problems didn't happen, I could have toned my legs better.

Anyway, back to Miri~

Green Tea Cheese Cake. It was so silky and smooth!

Food. I only had this and a burger from Mary Brown. To be honest, after my stomach problems, I don't eat much. Except during PMS (which is now).

Okay. Moving on.

Let's talk about Holika Holika haul!

Went out with my lenses and did my brows in a Japanese style. I did my niece's eyes because she wanted makeup but I had no time Dx

We went to Yayasan because I was craving for bibimbap!

Yummy-licious thing right here!

After that, I was tempted to get this eyeliner from TFS but in the end, I ended up buying from Holika Holika and got a membership card too!

The price made me cry but I think it's worth it!! I thought this was gonna be the last haul I did. It was, indeed. FOR NOVEMBER.

Will break this down in another post.

The freebies as a member. Look at that cat pouch!! OMG

The lovely purple umbrella.

You know, since it's Brunei Salebration Time, nothing is safe from my clutches. No, actually, nothing is safe from my money D:

Especially when I knew Tony Moly had 50% off some of their stuff at The Mall.

GDI.

So yeah, I hauled again! Let's count this as December Haul #1, okay? I went out with Moo Moo and met her friend, Maresa or Mars :D We hit it off quite fast!

All this for BND40.70. Imagine if it was full price D8

Unfortunately for my lucky dip, I only got samples *cries*

And the samples are skincare ones too! My face is volatile enough. I gotta be more careful, you see.

So far, I've opened one of the lip liners and the concealer.

Good news is that I am now a member :D just waiting for the member card now.

I should have bought some nail products!

I also had an impromptu Paloma haul:

There's something wrong here.

Only after buying it, I found out TSS has expiry dates on the boxes. So I checked.

And heck no.

The snail pact has expired last October!! I dunno if I can exchange it this week since I can't go to The Mall any time soon D: I mailed them though. Haven't been replied yet.

I also think I might be allergic to the BB Cream. I hope that's not the case. The BB Cream expires next year, so that's okay.

I'm kinda bummed :/ don't they check stocks? I know they were trying to clear stuff out by having a 70% off sale BUT selling expired products is wrong. Right?

I also bought his nice fragrance oil to burn:

V.A.N.I.L.L.A (what else is new, right?)

And also~ I got myself some shorts.

Family does not approve.

I'll do a break down of each collective haul once I got the pics from my sister, okay?

Gonna do another blogpost maybe tomorrow!

Okay then, have a great day!

Good night, stay safe.

-Nisah-