My Skincare Routine

Since I was a teenager I have been obsessed with skincare products. Maybe because my skin was in such a horrible state that I was desperately trying out products to fix everything. Sadly making your skin free of acne, redness and scarring doesn't happen overnight. Although I kind of wish it did. 

For the last couple of years I have been really sticking to the same routine. Using the same products religiously every day and never ever sleeping with my make-up on. I don't understand how women do that like it's no big deal. Doesn't your face feel like such a greaseball? And how does your pillow case look? Weird questions that pop into my mind from time to time.

Anyways, today I am sharing my current skincare regime. I have found it to really affect my skin in a positive way and I hope that this will continue until my skin is glowy, even and completely acne free!

*Also a note: I use a sheet mask like that once a week, I am not THAT crazy about skincare haha*

What is your favourite skincare product?

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Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion

When I love a product it usually stays with me for the rest of my life. The First Aid Beauty Face Cleanser, Revlon Colorstay Foundation and Max Factor False Lash Effect Mascara are just a few examples and this Kiehl's product definitely belongs in the same category.

A few years ago -around the time that I started this blog- I was on the hunt for a new face cream. My fave from Garnier got discontinued and the replacements that I bought weren't as good. I heard that Kiehl's was like the it-brand when it comes to flawless skin, so I went to their store and a lovely salesperson recommended me the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion. A ground-breaking day that changed my skin forever.

Now this sounds quite dramatic, but for a person who has had problems with allergies and acne, it's great to finally find a product that moisturises your skin, doesn't give you allergic reactions and acne and looks great underneath make-up. The price can put many people off (€26,00/125ml) but no drugstore moisturizer can compete with this one. Believe me, I've tried.

It's a gel-like consistency, very creamy and you don't need a lot. It immediately soaks into the skin, leaving it soft and moisturized. In the beginning I also found that it helped with the oil-control on my skin, but after trying it for 4 years I can tell that isn't the case anymore. This moisturizer is also free of parabens, perfume and oil which makes it even more perfect.

It does have quite a strong scent though. I am not good at describing scents, but for me it smells quite minty and fresh. You only really smell it when you apply it and after that the scent fades quite quickly. I once tried the Philosophy Hope in a Jar and the scent of that cream stayed with me the entire day. The scent was horrible too, so that wasn't really a big success haha.

If you have oily/combination skin and are looking for a new moisturizer I would recommend giving this Kiehl's one a try. I really wish I knew about this product way sooner, but young me would probably think it's way too expensive haha!

Have you ever tried something from Kiehl's? What is your favourite? 

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Beauty | Empties #1

MAC Full Coverage Foundation in NC15

This is the first high-end foundation I ever bought. I wanted something with a little more coverage and in the right colour. So I decided to go to MAC, since they  have a very wide range of colours there.

I first used it as a foundation, but now I use it as an concealer. I do think that it can look a little cakey sometimes. So that’s why I wanted something lighter. The colour is a little bit to light for me, but with some bronzer that problem is solved. This foundation is perfect for when you have acne or scars on your face. I covers them up really well. You can apply it lightly for  medium coverage or heavy for full coverage. It is a very versatile product.

I would repurchase it, but honestly I want to try out the other MAC concealers first. So maybe in a couple of years.

Rimmel Wake Me Up Foundation in 100 Ivory

I hated this at first. It made me look orange and it just wasn’t something for me. Untill I mixed it with Bourjois Healthy Mix and I fell in love with it. The colour is a bit too dark, but when you blend it down your neck it is not very noticeable. I have repurchased this one already and I would definitely do it again. Unfortunately they don’t sell it in stores anymore. At least I can’t find it. I also see it as a summer foundation, because of the glowy effect. So this will be my go to summer foundation.

Catrice Prime and Fine Translucent Loose Powder

I love this powder a lot. It keeps the shine away for a very long time. I hate to reapply powder so the fact that it does its job is amazing. I also have repurchased this one a lot. Right now I am trying there other matte powder. I have to say I am not a fan,  so right after I’ve finished that one I will buy this powder.

Maybelline The Rocket Mascara in Black Waterproof

This mascara is really really good. I think it holds the curl very well and it stays put for most of the days, since I can end up liking a raccoon with normal mascara. I will definitely repurchase this mascara over and over again.

Charles Worthington Hair Healer

At first I really liked this product. After a while it made the ends of my hair really dry and I stopped using it. A couple of months ago I went through my drawer and found it again. I have used it in combination with a drugstore hair oil and It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Spray. This really moisturizes my hair. I would not repurchase it again, since I have other hair products that work better.

Bioderma Créaline/Sensibio H20

The hype around this product is definitely worth it. It takes you make-up off very well. I used it more as a toner. Since it takes a lot of cotton pads to take off your foundation. I also had an allergic reaction, because I had to rub my make-up off. But as a toner it works fine. It takes off the make-up that is still left on my face. You can also use it as an eye make-up remover, but I do not really like it to use it for that. I would definitely repurchase it.

IndeedLabs Hydraluron Moisture Booster

This is a serum that I absolutely love. It really puts moisture back in to your skin. If you have dry skin this will be the holy grail product for you. I have combination/oily skin, but in the colder months my skin always tends to be a little bit dryer. Only con: you cannot buy it in The Netherlands. But I would definitely repurchase this product if I could.

Philosophy Purity Cleanser

My holy grail cleanser. I takes of your make-up very well. I do not like to take of my eye make-up with this, but you can use it for that. It leaves my skin feeling very clean and soft. I would definitely repurchase it.

Kiehl's Ultra Oil Free Lotion

Another product that I have bought multiple times. It is a really good all-round moisturizer. It leaves my skin feeling moisturized and soft. It leaves your skin a little bit greasy though, but I can live with that. I would definitely repurchase it.

So these were all the empty products I have. I need to have a box where I can put in all my empty products. And of course not forget to put them in there.

 Have you tried any of these products?

Skincare | Updated Skincare Routine 2013

So I did a skincare routine probably about a year ago. Since that it has changed a lot. So I felt like it was time to share my new skincare routine with you.

Morning routine:

In the morning I don't really do a lot. I wash my face with the Cetaphil Cleanser, than I dry my face with a towel and moisturise my face with the Kiehls Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion.

I want to do more though, but I have no idea what..

Evening routine:

So in the evening I do a way more than in the morning. I have a lot of steps that I do every evening.

Step 1: I start with washing my hands. This way I have no bacteria on my hands.

Step 2: Taking of my eye make-up. I use a drugstore eye cleansing oil with a cotton pad (not in photo) and make sure that all my eye make-up is removed.

Step 3: I take 2-3 pumps of the MAC Cleansing Oil and massage that into my face. Then I rinse my face with lukewarm water so that most of the make-up and oil is of my face. 

Step 4: I take a pea size amount of the Philosophy Purity Cleanser and massage that in to my face. My face is still wet so I do not have to add water. I recently rediscovered my face brush (not in photo). It is a small brush that you can use to cleanse your face. I make the brush wet and use circular motions on my face. I use it very gently, otherwise my skin will get very irritated. After that I rinse my face with lukewarm water and dry my face with a towel.

Step 5: Now it is time for my toner/tonic. I haven't used one in a while, but it really makes a difference. I take 2 pumps of the Pixi Glow Tonic on a cotton pad and take that all over my face.

Step 6: At night I use the Hydraluron Serum. I take a pea size amount and massage this in to my skin.

Step 7: For moisturiser I use the Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil-Free Lotion. I take a pea size amount and again massage this in to my skin.

Optional:

Eye cream: I know that this is maybe a bad thing, but I do not use eye cream every night. I used the Kiehl's eye cream with avocado. Which I really liked, but I never really saw a difference, so I didn't repurchase it. I have a lot of eye cream samples though so that is what I use. Right know I use the Snowberry Smoothing Eye Serum and I have to say I really like it.

Acne: For this I still use Lush Grease Lightning. I have not really found THE acne fighting product for my skin, so if you have any recommendations I would love to hear them.

So this is my morning and evening skincare routine. I hope it has helped some of you and I would love to know what your skincare routine is!

Skincare | Kiehl's Ultra Facial Oil Free Lotion

I thought that I should write about this product, since I've been using it for almost one and a half years. 
Two years ago I was looking for a good moisturiser. The one that I used got discontinued, and I was struggling with finding a good one. I tried a lot of them, but I couldn't find one that I really liked and made my skin look amazing.
I came across the brand Kiehl's at that time. I red it in a Pretty Little Liars book. Haha. A little bit later after that me and my sister were in a department store and at the beauty department they had Kiehl's. A week later I went to the store. The lady there advised me to try this one and gave me some samples. It really tingled on my skin, so I was afraid that I would be allergic. But I fell in love with it ever since and repurchased it over and over again.

They describe it as: ''This oil-free lightweight, moisturising lotion help visibly reduce excess oil on skin's surface, leaving a shine-free and balanced appearance. Our non-greasy hydrator traps moisture to deeply condition skin and restore its moisture barrier.''

It is:
- Paraben free
- Colorant- free
- Fragrance- free
- Oil-free

The lotion has a really nice consistency. It is really creamy and thick. It makes my skin feel really soft and moisturised. There is supposed to be no scent in the lotion, but I think the scent of the lotion is very noticeable. I do not really know how to describe it. A chemical/minty scent maybe? I can imagine that some people actually hate the scent, but I don't find it irritating.
In the beginning it definitely reduced the oil on my face, but after a year I don't think it does that anymore.
I love this moisturiser. I haven't tried anything that is better than this product. Also the people at the Kiehl's counter are always really helpful.
If you have never tried products from Kiehl's before I definitely recommend going there and look what works best for your skin!

What is you favourite moisturiser?

My Skin Care Routine

I always had problems with my skin. It is really sensitive so I can't just try out a product because I might get an allergic reaction. I also have acne-prone skin, so food or skin care products can give me break outs.

I have searched a long time for a good skincare routine and I finally think I found it! I still get break outs sometimes but it isn't as bad as it used to be.

Step 1: Eye Cleanser

I always clean my eyes first. I just put some eye cleansing oil on two cotton pads and I rub my eye makeup off my eyes. I just use a drugstore eye cleansing oil for this.

Step 2: Face Cleanser

Than I take my Purity Made Simple from Philosophy. I take a bit on my hand and mix it with some water than I massage it on my face for about one minute. Just to make sure that there is no make-up on my face left. Then I wash it off with warm water.

Purity Made Simple 240 ml €20,29

Step 3: Face Toner

To make sure that all the make-up and cleanser are off my face I use a toner as my last cleansing step. I really like Lush Eau Roma Water. I spray this on a cotton pad and wipe it all over my face.

Lush Eau Roma Water 250 g €11,65

Step 4: Serum

After all the cleansing steps I use a serum on my skin. I use Philosophy's Keep the Peace Serum to calm down the redness in my skin. (I also like Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate). I just take some drops and massage it in to my skin.

Philosophy's Keep the Peace Serum 27 ml € 45,71

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate 30 ml €39,00 

Step 5: Eye Cream

This is the first eye cream I have ever used and I really like it. I take a small amount of Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado and tap that in to my under eye area.

Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado €25,00

Step 6: Face Cream/Lotion

If you have read my Hope in a Jar review, you know about my search for the perfect moisturizer. I think that this is the best moisturizer I have ever used. I take a bit of Kiehl's Ultra Facial oil-free Lotion and massage this in to my skin until my face does not feel sticky any more.

Kiehl's Ultra Facial oil-free Lotion €24,00

Step 7: Treatment for break outs (optional)

When I have a really bad break out I use a special acne treatment so that it will go away sooner. I do not use one particular product. So I will just name all the products that I have used and that worked for me.

Benefit - Boo Boo Zap €20,00

Lush - Grease Lightning €10,15

Biodermal - Acne Cream €12,35

Just take some of the product and put it on the problem area.

After this my skin care routine is completed! I know these are a lot of steps and products, but if my skin looks good it is totally worth it!

I hope this maybe helps you finding your one skincare routine. Just try out a lot of products and see what works for you!

What kind of products do you use in your skincare routine?

My favorites from September 2012

I can't believe that it is already the end of September. Everything just went so fast! Before you know it is New Year's and the beginning of a new year!

But a whole month means trying out a lot of products, these are the products that I fell in love with!

Lush Fair Trade Honey Shampoo

Read my review on this product here.

Mac Mineralize Skin Hydrating Mist

http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/177/17364/Products/Skincare/Solutions/Mineralize-Charged-Water-Revitalizing-Energy/index.tmpl

My MAC Fix + Spray was almost finished so I wanted a new one. I went to the MAC store and it turned out that it was sold out so a MAC employee recommended this to me. I have to say that the scent from the Fix + Spray is better, but I think I get a dewier look from this.

Chanel le Vernis Nail Colour 551 Coco Blue

http://www.amazon.com/Chanel-Vernis-Blue-Nail-Polish/dp/B005LYKLFO

I wanted this nail polish for a while now, but I thought it was a little bit to expensive so I went looking for cheaper brands with the same color. I have looked everywhere and I couldn't find it so I just bought it and I LOVE it! The color is so pretty and now that I have it I do not regret buying it!

Catrice Highlighting Powder

http://www.catrice.eu/en/products/base-primer/detail/product/prime-and-fine-highlighting-powder-010.html

Highlighters are a musthave right now in the beauty world so I also bought one. I also heard really good things about the Dior Highlighters but first this one from Catrice. I really like this one it gives your skin a really nice glow so when you are looking for a cheaper highlighter this one is really good!

Lush Catastrophe Cosmetic

http://www.lushusa.com/Catastrophe-Cosmetic/06093,en_US,pd.html?start=7&cgid=fresh-face-masks

I was at the Lush store (which is always tempting) and I really wanted to try this one. The smell is really nice and it is made with fresh blueberries. After using this my skin felt so soft and looked really nice. I am deffinetly repurchasing this!

Hema Bronzing Powder

Hema is a store in The Netherlands (I think they also have one in Germany, Belgium and France) that sells all sorts of things and also make-up! I saw this one and immediately loved it. I never really used a bronzer before, (I have a really fair skin tone, so i thought it would not look nice on me) but it looks really nice and warms up my complexion so bronzer is definitely a must have for me right now!

Kiehl's Lip Balm #1

http://www.kiehls.com/Lip-Balm-1/307,default,pd.html?start=6&cgid=face-eye


I am a huge Kiehl's fan so I was really excited when I got this in my Glossybox! It is really nice and moisturizes my lips very well.

Non Beauty Products

H&M Sweater €9,95

Great for fall and winter coming up, love the mustard color.

Primark Studded Loafers €13

I really like loafers (this is my 3rd pair) and I saw these and I loved them instantly. They are very comfy and look amazing!

Zara Necklace €22,95

I saw these at Zara and knew that I had to had this. I really like statement necklaces and at that time we did not really had them, so when I saw these I was like yeeeh finally a statement necklace! They are very colorful and love to wear it with my mustard sweater!