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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Monthly Favourites: May 2014

May was a whirlwind of a month over here at Facepalm base (aka the comfy overstuffed couch in my living room); this month I returned to school after a five year hiatus - I do not remembering being a student being so difficult! How do normal people juggle work, school and having a social life?! With that being said there's been some awesome discoveries this month, particularly in the skin care department!

Fragrance

Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules. I got it! I finally got it! If you don't know what I'm so excited about you clearly haven't read this post yet! Pete, my amazing boyfriend got this for me as a birthday gift and I have been wearing it non-stop since. It's a really unique fragrance, more of a social experiment than a perfume but it layers amazingly with all of my other fragrances.

During a recent trip to Sephora with a girlfriend she was adamant that a smell a little rollerball from a company I'd never heard of and never given a second glance to before but holy hell am I glad she was so adamant! Vanille Coco by Comptoir Sud Pacifique is AMAZING! Seriously guys, it's like vanilla sugar and coconut had a baby; a sexy. sexy baby. The only was I can explain this fragrance without getting a little too risqué is to say it's like a romp through your wildest fantasies. With a shirtless Ryan Gosling by your side...

Skincare

Between work and school work I've had a hard time unwinding at the end of the day but Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body and Massage Oil has definitely been helping with this. I make my self a nice hot cuppa and slather my body in this wonderfully relaxing oil and curl up with a book (or Netflix if my brain is fried post studying) and have a little me time at the end of a hectic day.

Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel has been my saviour this month, I wrote a review on it here so I won't go too much into detail but I love it so much I've added the Oskia Renaissance Mask and Oskia Micro Exfoliating Balm to my Cult Beauty wishlist!

Lavanille's The Healthy Deodorant; armpits have skin so this is part of skincare, right?! I know like it seems like a bit of a random thing to have in my monthly favourites but this stuff is seriously awesome. I'm not really a sweaty person so I steer clear of antiperspirants (also, the thought of something stopping my body from what it is designed to naturally do kinda freaks me out) and this deodorant has filled the void in my underarms life. My armpits are super soft and wonderfully scented now, just in case you were wondering!

With all of the late night studying sessions and early mornings for work I figured it was time to pull double duty; I've been applying My Beauty Diary Dark Circles Intensive Eye Care Masks in the evenings and leaving them on while I study and so far the lack of sleep hasn't been showing in the mornings!

Bits and Bobs

Life: My birthday was on May 1st and I had a week full of celebrations with friends and family including dinner with my closest friends at my favourite local vegetarian restaurant Padmanadi's and a super cute Betsey Johnson watch from my mother!

Tea of the Month: Pomegranate & Acai Berry Tea Lemonade (mix 1/3 cup lemon juice with 6 cups of brewed Pomegranate Rooibos & Acai Berry Tea by The English Tea Company, sweetened to taste and served over ice) 

Book of the Month: This will probably be my last book of the month for a while as reading for pleasure is quickly becoming a thing of the past unfortunately. This month I re-read an old favourite that I read annually; Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, no matter how many times I've read it I always find myself completely engrossed and moved by the book.

Netflix Obession of the Month: North & South, I binged watched this mini-series not once, not twice but THREE times during this month it was so good. I won't go into too much details as not to ruin anything but let's just say it's yet another British period drama and if you like Austen you'll love this romance filled mini-series.

Blogger/Vlogger of the Month: So my blogger/vlogger of the month is usually a beauty account but I recently stumbled upon SmarterEveryDay on YouTube and I'm hooked! Destin from SmarterEveryDay takes scientific principles that are usually quite dry and hard to understand and makes them easy and interesting (see: slow motion cats and How Houdini died)

Monthly Dose of Crazy Dog Lady:

I've been informed that for being the crazy dog lady that I am my mutts never seem to make it on the blog; so the newest addition to monthly favourites is the best dog photos of the month!

Meet the Mutts: Joe is my big boy, he is a 3 year old Rottie X that I adopted from Second Chance Animal Rescue Society back in July of 2011 and Reece is my little trouble maker. She is a 2 year old Pitbull X that first came to me as an emergency foster  back in October of 2012 while I was fostering dogs for Whitecourt Homeless Animal Rescue Foundation, her and Joe bonded immediately. She had Parvo and got really sick and spent awhile at the vet trying to fight the deadly virus off. Joe paced listlessly while she was gone; when she came home, she never left again.

What have you lovelies been loving this month?

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Recent Arrivals: Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel

Those of you that follow me on Instagram may have seen my recent arrivals from Cult Beauty and how flippin' excited I was to try them all out; well, I've dabbled and there's one item in particular that's standing out from the crowd and that is the Oskia Renaissance Cleansing Gel.

I was first turned onto this product after watching Viviannadoesmakeup's Skincare Hall of Fame video and knew I just had to try it! It is everything I wanted the Omorovicza Thermal Cleansing Balm to be and if you don't know what I'm talking about, click here to get in the loop!

Photo courtesy of Cult Beauty

I've only been using this cleanser for about two weeks now so this is more a first impressions review than anything else, but so far I'm hooked! Let's just say it's replace my MAC Lightful Cleanser and you all know how much I loved that guy... So just why is this stuff so amazing you may ask? Let me break it down for you...

1. It's pink! Yup, that's actually a selling point for me.
2. It has an amazing rose and chamomile scent that is super calming, especially at the end of a hectic day.
3. It doesn't leave an oily residue like I've found certain other balm type cleansers do.
4. It has a pump! No more dipping my fingers into a tub every day, and the pump dispenses the perfect amount to cleanse the whole face without being wasteful.
5. My skin is looking more radiant than ever, even after only two weeks. And even the spots that tend to creep up at that time of the month have been held at bay.
6. It's chalk full of vitamin-y goodness and natural ingredients (Pumpkin Enzyme, Vitamin A Palmitate,Vitamins C and E,Omega 6, Magnesium and Vitamins B2 and C)
7. The price! It's £32.50 for a 150ml in comparison to £55.20 for 50 ml of the Omorovicza cleansing balm.

The only downside to this cleanser I have found so far is that you can't use it in the eye area so you've got to remove your eye make up another way, but that small inconvenience is SO worth it!

Have any of you lovelies tried this cleanser, what did you think?

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Top 10: Wishlist Items

I've had quite the busy weekend so today's post might be a little bit different from the norm; instead of reviewing products I've tried I'm going to share with you my top 10 items I would purchase if I had an unlimited budget, they shipped to Canada or other obstacles that keep them from within my reach didn't exist. This is totally a shopping list as well FYI as I will most likely cave and buy these things as funds become available.

1. Emma Hardie Amazing Face Cleansing Balm

I have seen so many bloggers talk about how amazing this stuff is and I've been dying to try it; you can get it here for $59.50 with free international shipping so it's not a budget breaker and it's definitely something I will be trying in the very near future but I've got to work my way through some of the cleansers I've already got in my skin care cupboard, there's just no more room for anything new! 

2. Molecule 01 by Escentric Molecules

With a price point of $121.50 here and no shipping to Canada this fragrance seems determined to elude me! I am a bit of a perfume hoarder, I'll admit it. I've loved perfume since my mum bought me my first bottle of Calvin Klein's Obsession for Her (found here for $75 +$10 S&H) when I was 14 -it's still one of my favourite fragrances - and my collection has grown uncontrollably since. So when I heard of a perfume that blended my love of fragrance with science (also a total science nerd) I kind of freaked out and do what I do best, googled the shit out of it! 

"Escentric Molecules' Molecule 01 is created solely from the aroma-chemical Iso E Super, traditionally a perfume basenote that adds allure to a scent, which works as more of an effect than a fragrance. The scent has a subtle, velvety, woody note which will meld with your natural pheromones, vanish, then re-surface after some time, making it totally individual and personalised to the wearer. You will rarely smell this fragrance on yourself, Molecule 01 perfume is more about the effect it has on others."

UGH!!! I need this in my life clearly. I could write a Top 10: Wishlist Items on just fragrances alone I'm sure so for this particular fragrance to make the cut clearly I'm willing to sell a kidney or something to get my hands on this stuff.

3. Omorovicza Queen of Hungary Mist

A mineral water mist inspired by the first recorded perfume original created for the Queen of Hungary during the 14th century?! You heard me; a facial mist inspired by the first known perfume, need I say more? With orange blossom, rose and sage water this stuff smells divine and is supposed to make your skin look phenomenal but with a price point of $86 here I'm having a hard time convincing my budget I need to replace my $10 Avene Thermal Water Spray that I still enjoy. I'm saving this one for when I've had a particularly rough day and need some skin care retail therapy, because a fancy mist can't make you feel anything but special.

4. Costes Scented Candle

Scented candles are right up there with things I love and go through like they're water and when one has a review describing it as "Sexy, mysterious, sensual, addictive, vintage class, unique." It definitely grabs your attention; with notes of Black Musk, Bitter Orange Skin, Rum, Mahogany and Paprika this isn't your run of the mill scented candle. It is the signature scent of the Costes Hotel in Paris, France; if you haven't heard of this hotel follow the link to see how elegeant and refined it is, this scent captures the image of the hotel without a doubt. It can be found here for $93 with free international shipping.

5. Astrid & Miyu Secret Box Subscription

                                      Photo courtesy of: brushupandmakeup.blogspot.ca/

So Ipsy Glam Bags and Birchbox Supscriptions are pretty cool but as a gal that has issues picking out jewelry that I'll actually wear I love the look of the Astrid & Miyu subscription boxes. It's  £39 + FREE UK & EU Delivery for a subscription and they send you out a box with three handpicked pieces of jewelry that were chosen for you based off a style survey you complete when you sign up and you get a box three times a year. They currently only ship to the UK and the EU but if you're lucky enough to live there you can find out more here.

6. Therapie Himalyan Detox Salts

"A blissful cocktail of therapeutic Himalayan mineral salts, powdered Amethyst & essential oils of Lemongrass, Juniper & Geranium; these pink crystals work to balance pH levels & positive/negative ions, to help the body establish equilibrium. The Amethyst has a high mineral content, to heal & clarify problematic skin whilst counteracting the electro-magnetic energy we absorb from modern day gizmos. Add to this blood purifying & anti-inflammatory properties & discover that heaven is a bath soak." Enough said. You can find them here for $69.

  7. Oskia Rose De Mai Massage Candle

We've already established I love scented candles and who doesn't love a massage? While $64 for a candle does seem pretty steep it's a wonderfully scented candle that turns into a nourishing hydrating body oil, seems pretty rad to me. Even if you don't have someone to give you a good old fashion back rub sometimes just massaging in a nice rich oil to your dry skin is enough to make you feel like a million bucks. This can be found here. 

8. Aromatherapy Associates Deep Relax Bath and Shower Oil

I have so many issues falling asleep at night there's not enough sheep in the world for me to count. I've seen numerous people talking about this and how they're nearly passing out in their bath tubs they're so relaxed, combine that with how luxurious a bath oil feels I need to give this a try! It can be found here for $73.

9. Cattier MASQUE ARGILE ROSE & MASQUE ARGILE JAUNE

I tried so hard to find these whilst in Paris (ask the boyfriend who I had trained to spot the green pharmacy crosses from a mile away) but could not find anywhere in store and can't seem to find anywhere online to order them. The pink clay mask is supposed to be amazing for sensitive skin and the yellow for dry, I have both of those and love clay masks only seems like a perfect fit! I now have someone in France willing to ship me anything I'm looking for so I may see if he can find these and I'll report back to you guys!

10. Jouer Luminizing Moisture Tint

I am all about avoiding foundation now that I've got my skin to a place that I'm happy with it I want to show that bad boy off! So when I heard this mentioned in a couple YouTube videos my interest was peaked so I hopped on CultBeauty to see what they had to say... "A light, water-resistant foundation to unify skintone, a luminiser that re-creates the dewiness of 18 year old skin, SPF 20, anti-ageing anti-oxidents and a fragrance-free moisturiser to keep your face looking and feeling great all day, that also works on hyper-sensitive skins. " So what you're saying is I pretty much need this to live?! You can find it for $55 here.

These are some of the things I've been lusting after for the last little while, let me know what's on your wishlist, chances are I'll feel the need to add it onto my forever growing list! If you've tried some of these items or know where I can find them online (that'll ship to Canada - I swear we're not a postal vortex!) let me know.

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