Face

Skin & Eyelashes: L’Oreal + Clinique

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 2 Comments

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AF Beauty

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Hello again APJ Beauty Addicts!

In a post from waaay back when, I wrote about finding Clinique’s Custom Serum – still one of my top beauty products. I am so enticed by the novelty of the new and the promise of each new product that I rarely rebuy something because either it didn’t deliver what it promised or something else promised more.

Skin & Eyelashes: L’Oreal + Clinique

In the few exceptions a headline act is Clinque’s Custom Serum. So, when Clinique released a new product I was a little bit excited and hoped to look 20 years younger. This new product was Turnaround Revitalising Oil.

Clinique

The oil is a very interesting texture – the thinness of water rather than a cooking oil, but still somewhat oily. I say somewhat because it is peculiar in that it absorbs very quickly on plain skin while also leaving a very slight oily feel. Weird. As with all Clinique products it has no added fragrance – I get it. But in my heart, I want things that smell nice – and this smells like a dirty oil extracted from an engine – which is not overly enjoyable for one’s face.

Added to the sadness of the smell is also the lack of information as to how you’re supposed to use the product. I had determined that I should use it in the same manner as Clarins’ oils – I’ve also tried adding a bit of the oil to my moisturiser – but truth be told neither method led to my immediate youthfulness but I am hoping it will provide that boost that skin needs through winter. Verdict – undecided.

Another feature from a previous post was my search for tubing mascara – if you recall, I had found Australia had a MAC one and I’d toddled off to purchase but was persuaded at the last minute to try another, the SA promising a smudge free wear. To be fair, she was entirely truthful in that it has never smudged despite numerous trips to the gym and sweating like I’d invented it. But it took a purchase (via ebay) of *actual* tubing mascara to truly understand and appreciate the tubing phenomenon.

Heinemann Duty Free

I bought L’Oreal’s Double Extend Beauty Tubes Mascara (sometimes Double Extension Beauty Tubes) – NOT to be confused with Double Extension Renewal Lash Serum. Yes, helpfully, they have several of very similarly named mascaras – but basically, you want the maroon coloured one actually called Beauty Tubes. You start with the white end which extends (clue in the name) then switch to the black which tubes around the lash. And it wears very well and also doesn’t smudge. I’ve really enjoyed using this, not least because it is as promised, very easy to remove with regular facial cleanser/warm water. The only slightly perturbing moments are the appearance of what looks like small spider legs on your flannel, but it’s a small hurdle for simple, painless, smudge free mascara removal. Keep an eye out for it in Duty Free/ebay/overseas. I’ve never found it in Australia, sadly.

Until next time; may your lashes be smudge free.
AF XXOX

My Beauty Fallbacks: Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 16 Comments

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Post by AF Beauty

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Testing makeup and skincare products can be exciting and amazing, especially when you find a wow product or something unexpected – that’s always a total buzz. However, testing can also be a buzzkill, sadly. At something-something age – I do have a fairly good idea of what my skin needs and likes and if something I’m testing is not as wow as I hoped, I have my fallbacks where I can trust that I’ll get my skin back to an even playing field before starting on the next test.

My Beauty Fallbacks: Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil

Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment OilNow, I’ll be honest, this oil is totally scathed by Paula’s Choice review. They say this is as “good for for dehydrated skin as massaging it with sandpaper!“. Interestingly, the comments on the site (only two) are positive – neither written by me! – but I would add my endorsement to their opinions.
I’ve used this on and off for about 5 years now having seen it recommended in another beauty column. The whole oil will help with dehydration thing is a bit of a mind bend, but for my skin it works.

This is how I use it: First is simply as a step in my usual routine. I would normally wash my face using the nanna flannel technique with whatever cleanser is on the go at the time. I wipe my face with the flannel till clean but don’t then reach for the towel. My face isn’t sopping wet, it’s more damp than dripping. I reach for the oil, drop a few drops in my hand – usually between 2 and 5 depending on how my skin is – warm the oil in my hands and then pretty much apply as if it were a moisturiser, pressing a little in here and there in spots which I feel need some extra TLC. Clarins have a whole little video on how to apply which is far more tender and serene than my description – you can see that in the link in one of the pictures of the product. Once oil is applied I then go for serum or moisturiser as usual – I wouldn’t use it before applying make up.

Avène Thermal Spring WaterI do occasionally also use this as a treatment of itself – especially on a weekend where I am feeling the need to pamper. Either I’ll wash my face in the usual way – or if I’m feeling posh, I’ll wash then apply a fancy spray water to my face to moisten and ready for further application. I’m currently using the Avène Thermal Spring Water. I then take the oil in the same way as before and apply. If I’m applying as more of a treatment, I’ll do this, wait about 30 mins, then reapply again – spray with the water and reapply the oil. You could then apply a mask of your choice over this as well. Overall I notice with even just a week’s application my skin hydration improves – I think quite significantly. I really notice the plumpness is restored to my skin and I have fewer dry lines.

David Jones online or in store Clarins Blue Orchid Face Treatment Oil $52
Priceline has Avène Thermal Spring Water $9.99/50ml

There are a number of Clarins oils for various skin conditions, have you used any of them? How did you get on? Are you a fan or do you side with Paula?

Beauty You (might) Need To Translate!

/ australianperfumejunkiescom / 5 Comments

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Post by A F Beauty

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Allow me a moment of comedy:

What do you call someone who speaks three or more languages?

Multi-lingual

What do you call someone who speaks two languages?

Bi-lingual

What do you call someone who speaks one language?

English!

Beauty You (might) Need To Translate!

Yes, so my heritage is English and I speak only one language, to my shame. What this does mean though is that there is a whole selection of beauty products where my purchasing choices are dependent on guess, hint or, if I’m lucky, a translation sticker on the back of the product! So here’s a couple of products I’ve bought on hint or guess which have been amazing:

HadaLabo TAMAGOHADA AHA BHA Oil Control Face Wash

Hada Labo Tamagohada AHA and BHA Exfoliating Cleanser – Japanese

Luckily for me, this was positioned front and centre in a pharmacy in Singapore with AHA and BHA in the largest letters on the pack, so I was immediately drawn to it. My skin copes pretty well with acid treatments, so I figured that it would also be OK with the cleanser. It’s texture is not dissimilar to Estee Lauder Perfectly Clean – but it is slightly softer and lathers easier. But the exciting part of this product is that the moment you wipe your skin clean, it is C-L-E-A-N – you have properly exfoliated without any abrasion –your skin is smoooooooth and lovely. I use this about once a week almost as a treatment rather than daily – I personally think my skin wouldn’t tolerate it so well on a daily basis – the acids are more powerful than any other I’ve bought in a cleanser. I’ve had the pack for just over a year and it’s still going (even though I bought three on a whim!)

MYEONGHAN MIINDO HEAVEN GRADE GINSENG FACE CONTOUR GOLDEN GEL MASK

Hwansaenggo Bird’s Nest Pearly Brightening Gel Mask – Korean

This purchase was a pure guess under time pressure – the shop was about to close and I wanted to buy everything, as usual. So I picked up a few bits that caught my eye, and lets face it, Heaven Grade Ginseng – who wouldn’t want this!?

I cracked this mask out of the pack – it’s like an actual mask that sits on the face, you don’t apply it per-se. I peeled off the backing layer and applied to my face thinking it was a bit crinkly with the other plastic layer on it and thought it wasn’t sitting very well against my skin – and then it dawned on me that duh, I was supposed to remove both plastic layers. Genius. I’m here to make the mistakes so you don’t have to!

The mask then sat lovely against my face, felt lovely and soft and smelled good. After about an hour – probably double than advised (I was watching TV!), I peeled off and my skin looked great. Definitely plumper and fuller – this would be a great mask to apply before a big night out.

 

I totally love the excitement of finding a new product, especially one that hasn’t been translated into English, I feel like I’ve found a secret that no one knows! I’ve got a few more of these in test at the moment, will tell you about a few more next time – but what secret buys have you found?
A F Beauty XXX