At Home Facial: Skin Pampering While You Study

Sorry for the quiet spell on the blog last week but I'm still learning how to be a student again! How do people balance work, school and the rest of life?! But I've snuck away from my text book, made a hot chocolate (there may be more than a smidge of Bailey's in it...) and curled up with my lap top to bring you this weeks addition of shenanigans.

While time is short I've had to figure out how to keep my skin from showing all the long nights and early mornings of late, but who has time for a proper facial these days, certainly not me, I'm lucky if I find the time to brush my hair and clean my teeth these days. So here is my at home facial that I do while studying, but any of you lovelies with a busy life can put this routine to use!

Step 1. Remove any make up.

I am currently on the last legs of my Shu Uemura Cleansing Oil that you may have seen in my Evening skin care routine post, but this is a quick and easy way to remove your make up from the day. I then use Bioderma Sensibio Micelle Solution to make sure every last stitch of make up and grime is gone!

Step 2. Clay Mask Time!

Any time I put this mask on I feel slightly racist, can anyone say black face? Awkward social aspects aside, Origins Clear Improvement Active Charcoal Mask is seriously the bomb, it draws all the gunk from the week out of my skin; that being said it can sometimes result in little blemishes so I tend to do this mask a day or two before my day off from work so that if I get a blemish I can treat it with B. Kamins Blemish Gel and be back to work and no one is any the wiser! While this mask is drying hit the textbooks for the next 20-30 minutes!

Step 3. Cleanse, Cleanse and then Cleanse Some More...

Using a warm damp muslin cloth, gently remove the charcoal mask and then massage a generous amount of Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel (which is so amazing it got its very own post right here!) into the skin. Next comes my favourite part: Clarisonic time!

Step 4. Another Mask? Another Mask!

 Collagen sheet masks were my gateway drug to all other skin care, let's be honest. This is where I pop on a sheet mask, what I use varies from week to week depending on my skin needs for that week, for some of my favourites check out this post. Once I've popped on one of these bad boys I usually return to my desk to study for the next 45 minutes- 1 hour while my skin absorbs all the serum-y goodness.

After the full face sheet mask I like to use a separate eye mask (all these late nights of memorizing are no friend to my already shady under eyes!) and let that guy buck while I study; I found the bit that goes on top of my eye irritated my sensitive eyes so I trimmed it so that it fits the under eye and outer corner only and I can leave these guys on until they dry out now. 

Step 5. Concentrated Goodness

Here is where the serums come in; two drops of Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Serum and two drops of Tarte's Maracuja Oil patted into the skin and then BACK TO THE BOOKS!

Step 6. Lock It All In

Alright, so you've made it through an evening of studying and now it's bed time, but you can't let all your hard work go to waste, you got to lock that stuff down! Instead of slapping a thick night cream on I like to use a sleeping pack; equally hydrating but light weight and enhances all the goodness we've spent the last couple hours infusing our skin with. And don't forget your trusty night cream!

Any of you lovelies have any good tips for studying? Or juggling school, life and work? Let's here them!

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Cheat Sheet: Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Sheet Masks

Cheat Sheets: Sheet Masks 101

Sheet masks! One of my all time favourite beauty products and the skin care snowflake that turned into a full fledged avalanche. It all started when a friend posted a picture on her Instagram of some sheet masks she'd picked up at a local Asian supermarket, this led to questions which lead to googling which lead to heading down to the supermarket to get my hot little paws on the Dermal Collagen sheet masks which I've mentioned briefly here as one of my favourite budget friendly beauty products. I was going to start by giving you a run down of some common ingredients but I think my first mask set covers all the bases so let's get the ball rolling!

Etude House I Need You Alphabet Sheet Masks

This collection is wonderful because it contains a mask for every letter of the alphabet (and a wee little heart) each letter represents a key ingredient. I'll give you a quick list below of each ingredient and its benefit, this will prove helpful later on as you'll see certain ingredients are always popping up!

A - Aloe (soothing relief)

B- Bulgarian Rose (brightening)

C- Collagen (firming)

D - Dandelion (revitalizing)

E - Elder Flower (soothing & moisturizing)

F - Fig (purifying)

G - Green Tea (moisture & relief)

H - Hylaronic Acid (richly moisturizing)

I - Imortelle (energizing & nourishing)

J - Job's Tears (revitalizing & smoothing)

K- Korean Ginseng (revitalizing & nourishing)

L - Lemon (tone clarifying)

M - Mango (nourishing &firming)

N - Noni (revitalizing)

O - Olive (deep moisture)

P - Pomegranate (smooth elasticity)

Q - Q10 (tightening & firming)

R - Royal Jelly (smooth hydration)

S - Shea Butter (richly nourishing)

T - Tea Tree (trouble care)

U - Unpolished Rice (firming & nourishing)

V - Vitamin Complex (radiating skin)

W - White Pearl (bright complexion)

X - Xyitol Forest (clean moisture)

Y - Yogurt Strawberry (soft & moist)

Z - Zucchini (nourishing & moisturizing)

<3 - Heart - Five Berry Complex (antioxidant) 

So far I have tried the Olive, Q10, Heart and Yogurt masks and have really loved them all. The pouches have lots of collagen serum in them, you could almost make a second mask out of all the left over serum in the pouch...or scoop it out with your fingers and smear it all over your face like I do... The serum isn't sticky like some sheet mask serums I've encountered, it sinks in fairly quickly - I usually do these in the evening before bed so I don't know how long it usually takes but there's no residue on my pillow! - and my skin the next morning is always very soft and supple. 

Dermal Collagen Sheet Masks

These were the first brand of sheet mask I tried and really got me addicted to skin care; remember how I've said a million times I love instant gratification? These guys fill that need to se results NOW for me, especially the royal jelly one. If you want to read a bit more on these you can check out this post where I gush to my hearts content about these skin saving little beauties.

My Beauty Diary Sheet Masks

Apple Polyphenol Mask  

for oil control and pore constricting

I by no means have oily skin, I'm quite the opposite actually, but I do have some enlarged pores that like to laugh in my face as I apply my make up every morning. I use this mask probably once a week (twice if I can find the time) to help with my enlarged pores, and while it is also for oil control it is not at all drying. I find that if I work this into my normal nightly skin care routine after cleansing and before moisturizing not only do I see some shrinkage in my pores but I have super soft and smooth skin! 

Chocolate Truffle Mask

for moisturizing and softening

These were my second delve into sheet masks and for obvious reasons; chocolate and skin care in one?! Before we get into this let me just say - slather your body in cold press extra virgin coconut oil, pop one of these babies on and lay back and enjoy smelling like a macaroon cookie! These masks are phenomenal, now a word about usage: they say to leave the mask on for 20 minutes, I say to leave the mask on for a MINIMUM of 20 minutes. There is so much extra serumy goodness in the packet that these sheets are highly saturated with moisturizing and softening magic. The first time I used one I fell asleep on the couch watching a movie and it was probably on my face for a good four hour before I woke up, that's not something I would recommend doing as peeling a dry sheet off your face is kinda gross but dang did my skin look good!

2- Step Europe Clarifying Pack

Step 1: Black Rose Brightening Mask

Step 2: Rose Honey Refining Gel

for brightening and clarifying

A 2-step mask was a whole new ball game I stumbled into and one I'm not 100% sold on (but I am like 98% sold on it...) The idea is the mask helps brighten your complexion while the serum refines and clarifies. Let's start with step 1; this mask is intended for a minimum of 30 minutes use which is a little bit longer than all the other My Beauty Diary masks. I did it while enjoying a bubble bath so I could just lay back and enjoy my tea (pro-tip: use a straw to drink beverages while wearing a sheet mask or you'll get mask in your tea and tea in your mask!) without having to worry about faffing with a mask for 30 minutes. Like all other MBD sheet masks there is lots of serum in the packet which is always nice. After the 30 minutes were up I removed the mask and then dabbed the extra serum into my skin like usual. After step 1 I was in love my skin felt and looked great!

Step 2 is where I lose that 2% of love. Because there was so much extra serum in the mask your skin is already a little dewy and then you have to apply a thick gel over top. The gel is supposed to be left on to absorb, my issue was that two hours later after my bath the gel had still not absorbed into my skin. I was headed to bed and didn't mind the extra gel on my face as I was going to sleep but it did leave a bit of an oily residue on my pillow that I was not a fan of.

My final thoughts on this mask are I love that it is a gentle enough clarifying mask that I can use it on my dry sensitive skin without having any sort of reaction to it. I did wish that the gel absorbed more quickly instead of just sitting on the surface of my skin but I will most likely be using this mask again, now I just know to put old pillow cases on my pillows before going to bed after this 2-step mask!

Intensive Double Vitamin C Eye Mask

for brightening of the eye area

First a word of caution to anyone who like me may have super sensitive skin, especially around the eyes, these may not be for you! The first time I used these I followed the recommended 15 minutes of usage and because I have such sensitive skin I had a mild reaction aka super dry, itchy and flaky. Since then I have been able to use them twice a week for 5 minutes and have been fine and can see the difference in the brightening. That being said I gifted some to a girl friend who has skin of steel and she uses them every other day and has seen massive improvements in her dark under eye circles, so these little eye masks do pack quite a punch but be warned the concentrated vitamin c can be quite irritating if you're a delicate flower like myself!

Dark Circle Intensive Care Eye Mask

for lightening of under eye discolouration

I tried this formulation of eye mask after the Double Vitamin C above so I've only been using them at 5 minutes a piece right from the get go so there was no sensitivities to these ones but I would still heed my warning from above. I love the results I've gotten from these masks but would recommend investing in some good quality eye cream as these can be a little drying on the under eye skin. My two favourites, and two on the only ones my temperamental eye skin will let anywhere near them are the Caudalie Vinosource S.O.S Morning Eye Rescue and the L'Occitane En Provence Imortelle Precious Eye Balm.

Face Q Sheet Masks

 Red Pomegranate + CoQ10 Mask

After discovering that the reason the french are famous for their beautiful skin and amazing skin care is in part due to their understanding of prevention in place of trying to reverse damage I was all into preventing my skin from premature aging which lead me into an all engulfing google rampage into Coenzyme Q10 or CoQ10 for short, which helps combat cellular damage that causes wrinkles and aging of the skin. There's a nifty little article here that breaks down the science of it into easy to understand terms for those of us that don't enjoy trying to pick through all the science jargon.

Back to the masks! So when I was in the supermarket and saw that not only did one of my favourite sheet mask brands carry a mask containing CoQ10 but that it was on offer I had to scoop it up. While I'm still in my 20's and my skin hasn't started to deteriorate yet this mask is definitely a staple for me and as I grow older I will be investing in many more products containing CoQ10. For now this mask provides a nice punch of prevention and leaves my skin feeling and looking great!

If you have made it all the way to the end you must really be a sheet mask connoisseur as well and will be pleased to know that I will be including several of these mask in my giveaway box. We're only 11 likes away on Facebook before I host my first giveaway contest so if you're not already following the blog over there check it out, there will be a link below! 

Do you guys have some favourite sheet masks that I absolutely need to try, if so let me know in the comments below!

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Frugal February: Beauty on a Budget - pt.1 Beauty Bargains

So after a two week trip to Europe, surprise vet bills - don't worry both the furballs are ok!, car troubles and saving up for my next tattoo appointment in a couple weeks; it's safe to say that funds are a little tight right now. I know everyone can feel my pain, we've all been there before but necessity fuels creativity, or so I keep telling myself... Whether you're on a student budget, your dog dramatically breaks a nail and needs sedation just to get it clipped (cue glance in Reece's direction) or you're just looking for some fun new things you can try around the house without needing to make a trip to the store, I give you my five favourites DIY beauty fixes, and some of my favourites beauty bargains for $5 or less. But first let's all take a moment to appreciate how adorable Reece looks still stoned from her emergency pedi...

Now! Onto why you're all really here- for the beauty! 

Top 5 Beauty Bargains for $5 or Less

Let's start with this little beauty, TonyMoly's Changing U Magic Foot Peeling Shoes now if you've read this review you'll know that I am not new to peeling foot masks and that the FaceQ mask left me feeling like I wanted more from it; well these little babies did everything the FaceQ masks did and more, and for only a fraction of the cost! You can get them on Amazon at the link above for roughly $10 including shipping but I've repeatedly purchased them off of Ebay for $5 and received free international shipping. A couple other things I love about these other than the low price point is that unlike the FaceQ booties these ones come with a little sticker closure so you can actually walk around in them, they have english instructions directly on the package in addition to the original Korean AND they tingle, I am all about the tingling. They do a better job of removing dead skin than the FaceQ one's and you don't need to apply a cream nightly. I do recommend a moisturizer morning and night however to prevent you poor tootsies from drying out, and socks too - none wants to watch your feet molt like snakes.

 

This next guy I mentioned in my January Drug Store Haul post last month and I'm still loving it! I'm actually loving it even more though because I purchased it back in January for something like $3 and I've used the same packet twice now and there's still a bit left, that's just how much comes in the little guy! I only shampoo my hair once a week - I know I'm filth right? but at least I take showers and baths daily- and this hair mask is perfect for a deep condition after a thorough hair washing. The first time I used it my co-workers were complimenting me on how shiny and voluminous my hair was and after demanding they pet my head to see how soft my hair was they were all begging for my secret, and my secret is this little wonder here. You can click here to locate the nearest store that sells Palmer's products.

 

Have you noticed I'm obsessed with asian skin care yet?! Well, here's another one for you! This brand was actually the first sheet mask I ever tried and what started this whole addiction and blog as well! After a girlfriend ranted about how amazing these little baddies were I scurried on down to TNT to pick some up to try. When I say these are economical we're talking $1 here people, you can't really get much cheaper unless it was free (which it might be, I'm not saying they're in the giveaway box but I'm also not not saying they are...) I picked mine up at TNT Asian Supermarket but you can also find them here for $10 for a box of ten. I've tried every variety in the line and the Royal Jelly is the best hands down, I used it one morning before getting ready and it actually broke my heart to put make up on my skin looked so nice; it was soft, it was plump, it was radiant and glowing and all kinds of magnificent. This is the perfect budget friendly quick fix if you skin is feeling lackluster.

 

I scored these one use wonders at the Yves Rocher store in Paris when they were having a massive sale; I also picked up another €60 worth of stuff as well, now I'm starting to see where all my money went... ANYWAYS! These guys cost me €2 for the pair which works out to be $3 and I've loved them. The hair mask was great and I gifted one to a friend as well who seemed to love it just as much. The lotion on first impression was wonderful for my super dry skin but I'd need to use it for longer to tell just how great it is.

Last but certainly not least is my new obsession; the enamel gloss from Etude House which is a korean cosmetics line. This guy again was an eBay bargain at $5 with free shipping. It's the perfect combination of shine and colour, it's not at all sticky like some lip glosses and has an amazing strawberry scent. Having worked in the make up industry for a little while now I'm rarely satisfied with just a gloss, usually I need a liner, lipstick and gloss to feel complete but this guy is a one swipe and good to go! I definitely bought lots of other lip products from Etude House after trying this lip enamel. I'm thinking of doing a post on some of my favourite lip products for $10 or less, let me know in the comments below if that's something you guys would be interested in!

Looks like I rambled for much longer than intended so I will save the DIY Beauty Fixes for tomorrow so keep an eye out for even more Facepalm goodness coming your way tomorrow. Let me know in the comments below what some of your favourite beauty bargains on a budget are!

January Drug Store Skin Care Haul

I will be the first to admit I'm kind of a skin care snob and I've been that way for a while; I would turn my nose up at the thought of purchasing a cleanser or a moisturizer from somewhere that also sold cereal and postage stamps. Having been this way for ages I was probably the last to know that some of the drug stores have really stepped their game up and are now carrying high end brands and even foreign brands that are next to impossible to find even online.

After sending a copy of my Paris shopping list to a co-worker who is also interested in skin care and lamenting about how I couldn't even find any of it online she brought to my attention that she'd seen quite a bit of the Nuxe skin care line at Shopper's Drugmart. On my break I dashed over there and quickly spent $98 in 15 on so many goodies!

The only thing I've tried from this haul before was the Rêve de Miel® Ultra-Nourishing Lip Balm which is a life saver for someone with constant chapped lips like myself; if you live in Alberta you NEED this in your life! I've been battling super dry skin for a while and finally had it under control until I tried the Ren Glycolatic Face Mask I had mentioned in a previous post and had a horrible reaction to it that left my face super dry and flakey, so I figured I would also give the Rêve de Miel® Ultra-Comfortable Face Cream a try and see if it was able to restore my skin back to its soft supple past! I am also in the process of trying to grow out my hair that I've been dying for well over a decade and hearing amazing things about Klorane I decided to give their Desert Date Hair Mask a go! After seeing Avène Thermal Spring Water on so many beauty blogs and vlogs I had to find out what all the fuss is about and I'm super excited to see what kind of results it gives. I'm just as addicted to Soap and Glory products as the next girl, I have been since I used to live in Ireland so I was so excited to see Shoppers Drug Mart expanding what the collection they carry to include cosmetics and since I've been battling dark circles under my eyes I figured I'd give the Trick & Treatment Under Eye Concealer a whirl! The other two products I picked up at TNT Asian Supermarket, one you may recognize as the Mysterious Flesh Eating Booties I reviewed last week, I bought a pair of them for my mum to try as she's always complaining about her dry cracking feet, so we'll see how she likes them! And last but not least the strange package of powder with no English on it whatsoever that depicts a girl sweating in a bathtub, best guess is it's bath crystals of some sort, mildly nervous but kind of excited to try them!

I also picked this little dude up at the grocery store the other day, seriously if you see me in public don't let me anywhere the hair/skin care section, I HAVE A PROBLEM! This is just a single use deep conditioning hair mask that clearly states it's for people like me that use and abuse their poor hair, plus it's paraben free and I like that!

I will most likely be writing a review of some of these products within the next week, if there's any item specifically that you'd like to see a review of let me know in the comments below! Also, if there's any drug store "must haves" that I need to check out also leave those in the comments below.

Face Q Peeling Foot Mask

I picked these guys up from the asian supermarket at the recommendation of a girlfriend who had nothing but AMAZING things to say about them and having adored other products by the same brand I figured I'd give them a go!

First let me give you the instructions for use because the only thing in English on this packaging is the ingredients list. Put the enclosed booties on (from here on referred to as the Mysterious Flesh Eating Booties) and let your feet sit and stew in the booties for an hour. I would recommend putting a towel under your feet if you're going to put your feet up as they may drip! After the hour is up rinse any of the residue off your feet and apply one packet of the enclosed lotion to your feet, I recommend putting socks on to help it soak in and not get everywhere.

Over the next couple days socks are going to be your best friend for a couple reasons; A. Because it'll help the lotion soak in (I recommend doing it at bed time) and B. All the dead skin is going to start peeling off your feet and it's super gross so spare everyone around you the sight of your feet molting!

I've got mixed feelings on this product so let me tell you what I love and what I didn't love so much; first of all they were a little more expensive than I expected as all their face masks are like $1 each, I can't remember the exact price but it was around $25 for a box that contained one set of booties and five packets of lotion. Secondly, my feet are more dry than scaly and I was hoping they'd have a more moisturizing affect which sadly it was the exact opposite they were quite drying. If your feet are extremely scaly and rough I think this would be amazing for you, I would also recommend using extra lotion on your feet while doing this to prevent them from getting so dry - use the enclosed packets of lotion at bedtime and wear socks and in the morning before putting socks on slather on some extra moisturizing lotion. I do have to say that while they did leave my feet a bit dry they are quite soft and two days after finishing the lotion I still have dead skin peeling off and now that I'm loading them with lotion they feel super soft.

If you're somebody that needs to see immediate results these are not for you; a week after using the mysterious flesh eating booties I'm now just starting to see the results but I am happy with what I see. I will most likely purchase these again but they won't be a staple in my skin care collection thats for sure! If you can get your hands on a package try them out and let me know what you think!