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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What's Oil the Fuss About?

Oh man that was a punny title! I hope we can still be friends after that, but seriously, I LOVE beauty oils. Whenever friends or family ask me what the biggest change I've made to my skin care routine is it has to be oils and serums, but so many people don't know about the majesty of oils or if they do they're terrified about putting an oil on their skin for fear of breaking out, so I'm here to dispel that fear for you!

Cleansing Oils

Let's start with the oils that most people would be a little more open to since you're going to rinse them off and not sleep with it on your face overnight. I love cleansing oils because I'm lazy and hate spending forever taking my make up off at the end of the day, with a little bit of cleansing oil the job takes seconds, even waterproof eye makeup comes off without a fuss, simply pump a little bit oil into your hands, massage it onto your dry face and then wipe away or rinse clean.

Past: MAC's Cleanse Off Oil/ Tranquil was the very first cleansing oil I used, a nice basic cleansing oil with some added botanical oils to soothe sensitive and redness prone skin. I found it did a great job of removing my makeup without being astringent but it didn't really do anything else for me.

Present: Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi Skin Refining Cleansing Oil this is my new favourite as it does everything that the MAC cleansing oil did but with the added bonus of brightening my dull complexion by removing and protecting against environmental pollution that can dull the skin.

To Try: The Body Shop's Camomile Silky Cleansing Oil a couple of my favourite beauty bloggers have been singing the praises of this particular cleansing oil lately and with a price point of only $16 it definitely makes it the most budget friendly of the bunch, so it's high on my list of products to try once my current cleansing oil is through.

Body Oils

Still on the side of least scary oils we have the body oils, a great way to hydrate your skin before and after a shower (a little oil massaged into your skin 30 minutes before a shower will do wonders for dry skin!)

Past: Nuxe's Huil de Prodigieuse I first picked this up back in January and am already on my third bottle I love this stuff so much, it's a dry oil meaning it leaves your skin soft but not sticky which is a total plus! I use this stuff after my shower every morning.

Present: Caudalie Divine Oil I picked up the little $10 bottle of this at Sephora the other day because I can't resist anything miniature, I like that this seems to be slightly more hydrating than the Nuxe oil but I'm not a fan of the slightly greasy residue that it leaves on my skin, this would be best used before a shower or before bed, a little too sticky for every day use for me.

To Try: Aromatherapy Associates Relax Body and Massage Oil I am a bath junkie, there's nothing a like more than slipping into a hot bath full of LUSH products at the end of a hectic day to unwind, now if I had a body oil designed to soothe the mind what could be better? I've heard great reviews about the relaxing properties of this oil and the simple act of massaging oil into your skin is quite soothing; this gem is in my current Cult Beauty order that's somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean right now... (sidenote: if you're hesitant about ordering from Cult Beauty let me just tell you now that they are probably the best online store I've ordered from in a LONG time, free shipping that doesn't take months to get here and their returns department is probably the nicest, most accommodating and punctual return department I've ever encountered! So good in fact I sent them a card saying just that...)

Hair Oils

Hair oils are still fairly new to myself as usually I just slap some coconut oil on my hair before bed and call it a night but I got these samples and decided to give it a go; these are merely first impressions as I haven't been able to make the samples last longer than one application.

Agave Healing Oil Treatment I got this sample in my Birchbox a little while ago and finally decided to give it a try; it's designed to be used on dry or damp hair pre-styling, as my hair tends to get greasy I figured I'd use it pre-bed that way if it made my hair gross I cold wash my hair in the morning. The smell of this stuff was AMAZING, it didn't make my hair greasy or heavy but I also didn't notice it do anything all too special for my hair either. First impression: Didn't hate it but didn't love it.

Bumble and Bumble Hairdresser's Invisible Oil this was another hair oil that was just ok for me, maybe I'm just not a hair oil person? It tamed fly aways and made my hair shiny as claimed but I found my Difiaba Luminessence Shine Mist did the exact same thing but was lighter on my hair. First impression: meh.

Face Oils

Now this here is my jam, I freaking love face oils so let me get into this!

I'm always a little skeptical when a cosmetics company branches out into skincare but Tarte hit the nail on the head with their Maracuja Oil; it's lightweight and absorbs so quickly that I can use it in the morning under my make up and it won't affect my foundation application and it delivers that little bit of something extra to leave my skin looking soft, hydrated and supple. Also, how adorable is that packaging?!

In the evening is where I go a little bit buck wild with my Full of Grace, Midnight Recovery Concentrate and Seaberry Moisturizing Face Oil concoction; I've already talked about this trio in a fair amount of detail so if you're keen you can read more about them here and here.

To Try: 

If you're oily: you can help limit sebum production in oily skin by using a face oil regularly; here are some to try! Bosica Tsubaki Beauty Oil, Josie Maran 100% Pure Argan Oil or Kate Somerville Dilo Oil.

For first signs of aging: Midnight Recovery Concentrate, Nude ProGenius Treatment Oil or Aesop Parsley Seed Anti-Oxidant Serum.

Do you guys have any favourite oils? Let me know in the comments section below!

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Top Ten Beauty Products On the Fly!

As you are reading this I probably have JUST touched down in Baltimore, MD after what can only be explained as an epic pinballesque plane ride across North America and as I am spending the next four days on a mini vacay visiting the boy I figured it was only suiting that the next couple of posts be about beauty on the go.

This is my top ten 'must haves' that were the first items packed into my make up bag, if you guys would like a full view into what made it into my make up kit and skin care stash for this trip let me know and I'll be sure to post some photos on instagram for you guys!

Top 5 Skin Care Products

I'm super lazy when it comes to taking my make up off at the end of the day which is why I can't go anywhere without my Shu Uemura Anti/Oxi Skin Refining Cleansing Oil. You just massage it into your skin and it removes everything including waterproof eye make up and then you rinse it away, or if I'm SUPER lazy I use a damp muslin cloth to just wipe it off.

Considering this is my third tube of Lightful Cleanser by MAC I think it's safe to say I'm not going to leave this behind. You can read more about why I love this particular cleanser here. I always love trying new things and considering I've been reaching for this stuff over and over again for the past six months it must be pretty freaking awesome.

Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate is pretty much liquid gold, even if I don't get a full 8 hours of sleep my skin always looks like it has! You can read about my initial response to this skin care voodoo here.

The only thing drier than the skin on my face is my scaly alligator legs so clearly I'm not about to go off gallivanting without my Body Shop Body Butter, right now I'm obsessed with the Chocomania scent because, well, chocolate.

Ok so the last one isn't really skin care but I won't tell if you won't tell! I can't go on vacation without at least one fragrance. As you may have seen in my March Favourites I've been loving my Fragonard Fleur de Vanille perfume because the combination of warm rich chocolate and vanilla tones is perfectly balanced by softer, fresher tones like ylang ylang and rose making it the perfect transition scent for spring!

Top 5 Make Up Products

Ok so this might be a little bit of a cheat but it is technically only one item and that is my personalized 15 eyeshadow pallet from MAC. This is perfect for traveling because while it's predominantly neutral shadows there's enough variety in the pallet that I can create a completely different look every single day.

Jouer's Matte Moisture Tint has cut down the time it takes me to get ready in the morning by quite a bit; for a tinted moisturizer it has pretty good coverage meaning I can usually forgo concealer except for maybe a bit under my tired eyes and because it dries matte I usually skip the powder too. That pretty much makes it a no-brainer for traveling since you can save space in your make up bag and cut down on time getting ready before you head out to explore and the added SPF is always nice too!

Have I mentioned how much I love Essie Button yet in this blog post? No? Ok well this girl can seriously recommend no wrong! Aside from recommending the above tinted moisturizer I also picked up the Tarte Amazonian Clay 12- Hour Blush in "Glisten" after listening to her rave on about them and it's the perfect spring colour; it's peachy with a teeny bit of shimmer and just makes you look fresh.

There isn't a day that goes by that I don't use my Urban Decay Eyeshadow Primer Potion and if I'm taking 15 eyeshadows with me I better take a primer too!

And due to the sheer ease of application, one of my new Patentpolish Lip Pencils by MAC in the shade "Teen Dream" has also made it's way into my make up bag. It's the perfect traveling lip product because you can easily apply without a mirror, it's not sticky so you don't have to worry about your hair getting stuck to your lips if it's a windy spring day and let's face it, I'm obsessed with oranges right now anyways!

What are some of your favourite things to take when you find yourself adventure bound?

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The Process: Night Time Skincare Routine

It should come as no shock to you by now that my evening skin care routine is more than just a simple two step cleanse and moisturize; it is a bit of a ritual for me. I love the process of thoroughly cleansing and hydrating my skin before bed and I'm not just talking about my face, I moisturize right down to my toes before climbing into bed. While the products I use are constantly changing here is a look at what I'm using right now, some products I've been using for months others I've just added into the routine in the last couple weeks.

The Process:

Step 1: Shu Uemura Anti-Oxi Skin Refining Anti-Dullness Cleansing Oil I've been using cleansing oils as a gentle way to remove my make up at night for several months now but I stumbled upon this particular one at Sephora a couple weeks ago and snagged a sample. I've been using it daily for about a week now and when my sample ran out last night I knew I'd have to splurge and buy one. I say splurge but it's only $44 so it's actually quite economically priced. With dry hands and a dry face take 3-4 pumps of the oil and gently smooth it over your face, wet face to emulsify oil and gently scrub away your make up and then rinse! This one is great because not only does it smell amazing but it contains Moringa and Green Tea extracts to remove environmental pollutants from your skin and promote a bright clear complexion. 

Step 2: Bioderma Micellar Solution I bought into all the hype of this product while I was over in the UK and I now understand why it's such a cult favourite because I've used it every single day for the last three months and can't imagine my life without it. A little too dramatic? Maybe, but this stuff is the bomb! I use it mainly as the second step of my evening routine to make sure that if I missed any make up the first time around it's gone now, but when I used to work at the bar and get home at 4am exhausted I really didn't feel like scrubbing my face so I'd splash some on a cotton pad and lay in bed and remove my make up as I was already on my way to sleep, not the greatest I know but at least it's better than nothing! I also love that they have a sensitive skin line because my dry skin freaks out with anything too abrasive.

Step 3: MAC's Lightful Marine Bright Cleanser Now that all that gunk is off my face I can properly cleanse it. I love this cleanser and have for a while now, I mentioned it in my January Favourite's post so I won't go too much into it here, but I'm still in love and you can click the link above to find out why!

Step 4: Avène Thermal Spring Water Spray I discovered this during my pre-Paris french skin care googling spree and managed to find it here at home and it's quickly become a staple; I have a large can on my vanity and small ones in my gym bag and purse. I took this with me when I flew and it was a great refresher during my 9 hour plane ride, I also keep one stashed in my gym bag to refresh my skin after a heavy lifting session. I use this morning and night during my skin care routine because somewhere along the lines I once heard someone say your creams absorb better when your skin is damp, whether or not that's true it feels great and my super dry skin loves it!

Step 5: Kiehl's Midnight Recovery Concentrate This is one of the newer additions to my nightly routine, I was looking for a serum and saw this particular one pop up in quite a few blogs. I went into the Kiehl's store to take a better look at it and the girls there were beyond helpful. Telling me all about this specific product, offered me a couple of samples to try it first (it should be noted as you only use 3 drops a night one sample pack will last you like two weeks!!) to make sure my sensitive skin didn't freak out. After the first night I woke up in the morning and I'd couldn't believe what a difference one night made; I mean seriously, there was bursts of light and a chorus of angels singing from my face, well not really but pretty damn close! 

Step 6: Kiehl's Creamy Eye Treatment with Avocado When I was chatting with the girls at Kiehl's they recommended giving the Midnight Recovery Serum a couple minutes to sink in before applying your night time face cream so in the meantime I like to dot on my eye cream. I was using L'Occitane En Provence's Imortelle Precious Eye Balm and quite liked it as it didn't irritate my sensitive eye but it wasn't quite as hydrating as I'd like so when I finished my tub the other day I figured I'd try something new for my scaly eyelids (gross right?!). I've only got a little sample of this Avocado eye cream right now and this is night two of using it and I quite enjoy it so far, but a few tips from the girls at Kiehl's on application: 1. only use a very small amount. 2. Warm it up between two fingers before applying. 3. Lightly pat it onto your ocular bone, don't rub it it! I like this cream because it's a nice thick texture that absorbs well, I'll keep you posted on whether or not it fixes my crocodile eyes.

Step 7: Bath and Body Works Lavender Chamomile Sleep Aromatherapy Body Lotion After my face is taken care of I make sure to slather a decent amount of this on the rest of my body to keep it hydrated over night, I also find the scent quite relaxing which helps my restless mind calm down and get ready for bed.

Step 8:NUXE Reve De Miel Ultra Comfortable Face Cream (Night) So you've listened to me sing the praises of the Nuxe Reve De Miel lip balm for ages (totally not done singing them yet!) and I tried the day cream and loved it but was unable to find the night cream anywhere in Canada (until recently YAY BAY! Thanks for having my dry prairie girl's back this winter, see link above to order yours!) so I stocked up while in France and it's amazing! I'm having a hard time putting it away to try out some of the other night creams I bought. It is super moisturizing, not at all irritating and delivers a powerful punch of over night moisture.

Step 9:Reve De Miel Lip Balm Told you I wasn't done singing it's praises yet! Before bed I exfoliated with my DIY lip scrub that you can find the recipe to here and then apply a generous layer of lip balm. This stuff is seriously so good that when I wake up 8 hours later there's still some left keeping my lips soft!

Step 10: The Body Shop's Africa Honey and Beeswax Hand and Foot Butter and last but not least keeping my feet from becoming scaly monsters is Essie Button to the rescue with her recommendation of this amazing foot lotion. It's not pictured above because unfortunately I'm all out but will be running to the store to replenish my stocks soon!!!

Step 11: This one is a once a week treat for my dry skin. In place of step 8 I will apply a thin layer of Glam Glow's Thirsy Mud and leave it on overnight for some intense hydration. This stuff smells amazing, probably due to the fact it's packed full of raw honey, ginger root and coconut; it leaves my skin feeling super soft and looking great in the morning, I wish I could bathe in this stuff!

This may seem a bit excessive but I love my skin care and my skin has never looked so great in my life! I also love the ritual of it and find it a quite relaxing way to wind down before bed after a hectic day. What are some of your guys' favourite night time skin treats, let me know in the comments below!!