BeautyBlog56- My skin care routine

Hi lovelies,

So I've been promising a skin care routine post, and here it is! Since I started researching more on make up and skin care about a year and a half ago, I've really gotten into skin care. My skin is very prone to break outs. I have oily/combination skin. I still get the occasional big pimple but thankfully it has been receding a lot over the last year or so. That is probably because my skin care regime is very different now than it use to be. The most important thing: I remove ALL my make up EVERY night and the biggest difference, because I actually used to remove it before, I take it off in more steps than before so I actually clean my skin!

I will divide this into morning and night skin care!

MORNING:

1: Cleanse my skin with my favorite cleanser ever the Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for Normal to Oily Skin. I simply adore this. No parabenes, no perfume and very very gentle. Leaves my skin so soft and clean!



2: I use the Nivea Soothing Toner for Dry to Sensitive Skin. My skin is not dry but I've discovered that it is sensitive. A very wise women told me two years ago that I should stop using all the anti-acne products I had been using for years. I was not a teen anymore and my skin was being subjected to way to harsh products.



Basically that meant no more Clinique 3 step system. I use to swear by this, now I only use the:

3: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.
This is the only one of the original Clinique products I began using back in 2001. And I still love love love it. It's the best moisturizer for my skin that I have ever found. I tried other brands for shorter amounts of time but always return to this.



NIGHT:

At night the most important thing I do is remove ALL of my make up.

1: I take up my eye make up with my favorite make up remover: Vandfast Øjenmakeup Fjerner fra Matas. A Danish based drug store brand. The best ever, if you ask me. Especially, since I use waterproof mascara!



2: I use baby wipes to remove my make up. This step is crucial! Before I would only wash my face. However, that only removed my make up, it did not cleanse my face. I use baby wipes from Kvickly Xtra - they are very cheap 2 dollars for a big pack and I stock up whenever there's a sale. Love them!



3: Cleanse my face with Cetaphil and several times a week I also use a face scrub. For years, I've been using the Clinique 7 day scrub. Lately however I started using, and absolutely love Neutrogena Oil-Free Acne-Scrub. It gently exfoliate my face and leaves my skin soft and deeply cleansed.






Then I follow with

4: The Nivea Soothing Toner for Dry to Sensitive Skin.



5: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion.



And finish off with the

6: Clinique All About Eyes Moisturizer. Lightweight eye cream diminishes the appearance of eye puffs, darkness and fine lines. I use the gel formula and love the soothing feel.



---

Other parts of my face regiments include a weekly facial mask

Queen Helene Masque Mint Julep Mask. I love this face mask! I tried it out originally because of Fafinettex3'a review on YouTube. Although my skin is a lot better now, I still need to use a mask once a week to keep the blackheads and ewwww pimples from resurfacing! I love it it even though it smells very much like toothpaste and it's Jim Carrey The Mask green! But I reckon that the green color gives it a kind of retro feel, when you put it on;)



I also occasionally use the Deep Cleansing Pore Strips from Boiré. They clear the impurities on my nose and I really like them.



Sometimes, although not as much as I used to, I use the Ocean Salt from Lush for a thoroughly deep face scrub.



Now please leave a comment and tell me about your skin care! Do you have any products you can recommend?

xoxo
msbeautyblogger

(photos: blogs1.marthastewart.com,media.wellmedia.ca, athens.skirt.com, www.mysears.com, wonderfulwortelworld.files.wordpress.com, pics.drugstore.com, w-skincare.com, ma-petite-chou.com, sklepy-baby.pl, matas-skejby.dk)

BeautyBlog42 - Live blogging Oscar Red Carpet

Hi my lovelies,

So far, I've had a quick look at the first arrivals, including something that will go on my best dressed and worst dressed list so far!

Best:

- Anna Kendrick looking lovely in a very light pink flush toned draped dress from Elie Saab Haute Couture

- Demi Moore's dress - credit Rachel Zoe - shoots her into the A-list group this year! The lovely pale nude color suits her perfectly and the layered bottom with a draped top is just perfection!

- Maggie Gyllenhall shows she's a true A-lister in this beautiful blue dress - so classy Hollywood.

- Penelope Cruz - a bit more traditional but still all out Hollywood glamour, she works the Red Carpet like the A-pro she is!

- Luciana Damon - Matt Damon's wife - looked perfect and lovely in her pale pink dress - the baby bump was concealed but not hidden. The perfect way to do baby bump and Red Carpet. Thumbs up!

Verdict still out:

- Rachel McAdams looks floral and so pretty in her very Spring-like dress!

- Sandra Bullock looks amazing, and so very thin! the lipstick is wrong, her sleek hair is kind of working and her gown is beautiful on the top but flares out a bit tacky - the fabric - as well...but I'm waiting to see her on stage accepting, it's probably one of those dressed that work on tv...

- Vera Farmiga in a stunning dark rosa dress - too red lips and too messy hair!

- Kate Winslet is so Hollywood it's crazy. So classy and elegant, she's the one people turn to look at again! The color of her simple but beautiful dress is very Oscar - golden and gorgeous but I am still wondering if the top and bottom really go together.

- Zoe Saldana in Givenchy, I don't like the combination top vs. bottom and the slit in the middle, but she is one of the most beautiful people on that carpet.

- Elizabeth Banks looks amazing in a light grey dress with a tight top and a flowy bottom

- Carey Mulligan - like the top of her dress but the cut train is just weird and too flowy!

- Queen Latifah looking great in a pink light fushia dress that makes her look just like perfection!

Worst:

- Sarah Jessica Parker...sorry - the make up was some of the best but the dress is not Oscar worthy!

- Suzy Amis looking terrible, way older than she is, her hair terrible and her dress just a misfit!

- Nicole Riche - excuse me or did she just call up JLO and ask to borrow a dress? Also why is she even at the Oscars?

Check in w my blog tomorrow for my final list of the best dressed and worst dressed!

Happy Watching!

msbeautyblogger

BeautyBlog67-Skin Care 101

Hey Lovelies!

Part 2 of Beauty 101 coming right at ya! Sorry for the delay! Here are my go to skin care products + a bit more!

Disclaimer: I have oily combination skin so the majority of these products are targeted my skin type! I do however, try to give other suggestions.

As you may know, if you've been following my blog for a while, I simply love my Cetaphil cleanser. I raved about it several times! (My skin care routine and Five Fab Favorites) It's great for any kind of skin - it doesn't really lather but it cleanses really well! You can find this at CVS 7-9 dollars. Enough for several months and I'm never going back to Clinique soap!

BTW: Before using my Cetaphil, I always remove my make up with a baby wipe so the soap can really cleanse the skin! The trick to perfect skin without make-up break outs!

I also love LUSH! (Shout-out to AC for introducing me to this amazing brand) So if you're able to get your hands on anything LUSH then be sure to check out their face products! I love Dark Angels but it's for oily skin only - check out Angels on bare skin or any of the other amazing body/bath products like bath boms, bath melts and soaps! Makes bath time fun and luxurious;)

You can order LUSH products from the UK to DK from this website lush.co.uk

These are some other YouTube hyped products I've either tried out or is dying to try out!

Purity Made Simple Cleanser - I think it's like Cetaphil (the expensive 20 dollar version) but I still wanna try it out to see what all the fuss is about! It can only be bought at Sephora or Ulta in the U.S.

Since I have a special fondness for all things Ole Henriksen I have also been eyeing his Three Little Wonders kit but it is 70 dollars in the U.S. and probably outrageously expensive in Denmark! I don't understand why Danes cannot buy Ole's products from his U.S. online store! BTW: I used to loooove his little green lip balm - retails for around 15 dollars.

Another YouTube hyped favorite is the Fresh Soy Cleanser, which I really wanna give a try. Normally, foam cleansers are not great for my skin but it has improved and loads of people say it's the bomb... Additionally, their Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment is getting a lot of attention on blogs and YouTube.

Always wanted to try Kiehl's. I've heard many good things about their shampoos, their lip balms and of course their Creme De Corps. Did any of you try any of their products? Please let me know if I should give it a chance!?

I've dreamt of getting the Clarisonic Mia ever since I first saw it reviewed on YouTube. I've been using the Neutrogena Wave cleanser (check out my review here) but it broke and now I'm saving up for a CM - but 200 dollars...!?

For facial moisturizer I use my beloved Laniege skin care products. AND I still swear by the Clinique Dramatically Different Lotion for extra moisture. I am also in love with the Clinique All About Eyes creme! Give it a try. You will love it!

However, here are a few drug store face lotions I've heard a lot of good things about:

Neutrogena Healthy Skin Face Lotion SPF 15
Clean and Clear Finishes Pore Perfecting Moisturizer
Aveeno Positively Radiant Daily Moisturizer Spf 30

Drugstore must have face-scrubs/masks/suggestions!

Queen Helene Mint Julep Mask - again check out my mini review - it's a must have...! 3 dollars. Think you may be able to find it online on ebay or so.

St. Ives Blemish And Blackhead Control Apricot Scrub - if this is too harsh for your skin then try the one for sensitive skin! I love this products but have been using my Dark Angels instead, since my St. Ives ran out!

Clean and Clear products! Used them back in 2001 and found them too teenage-like but when I got back on the wagon in 2008 they had improved and have a lot of great affordable products. Very much a cheaper version of Neutrogena products now also sold in Denmark! I got a face scrub from Føtex. Recently I was sent the MORNING BURST® In-Shower Facial by a wonderful friend in the U.S. and I can really recommend this if you can get your hands on it

Last but not least I love the Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips - great for removing black/white heads!

So that was it for my skin care 101

Hope you liked it!

Any questions or comments are very very welcome - just leave them below!

xoxo
msbeautyblogger

BeautyBlog13 - Five Fab Favorites For The Face

Hi my lovelies,

Today I thought I'd share my favorite face beauty remedies with you! I was around 13 when I started breaking out. From that point, face products became my best friend.

I started out with Clearasil. It worked. Kinda. I guess that was around 7th grade. I wasn't really into all the beauty stuff back then. That slowly changed during the following years. By the time I returned from two years at a boarding school I had started wearing a bit of make up on an every day basis. With that skin care became even more important.

My skin would still break out during my three years in senior high - (gymnasium) and I switched to the Clinique 3-step system. It made a big difference and I stuck to it for years. Actually, I more or less stuck to it until two years ago. I was looking for a facial mask at my local Sephora and the sales lady asked me about my skin type. I told her about my beauty routine and she ended up telling me I had to consider changing it up.

For years I had been using products for acne prone and teenage-like skin. They were actually way to harsh for my face! At 25 I started using other products.

It took me until the fall of last year to find the perfect combination and although I still suffer from an occasional break out my skin has really cleared up!

Let us move on to my five favorites:



1) Queen Helene Masque Mint Julep Mask. I love this face mask! I tried it out originally because of Fafinettex3'a review on YouTube. Although my skin is a lot better now, I still need to use a mask once a week to keep the blackheads and ewwww pimples from resurfacing! And the best thing: It's around 4 dollars for 8.0 fl. oz at CVS or The Dollar Tree Store. I've seen it compared to the Mask of Magnaminty from Lush, which is 20.45 dollars for 11. oz eller 11.55. for 4.4. oz!! So that is another reason as to why I love my Mint Julep Mask! I love it it even though it smells very much like toothpaste and it's Jim Carrey The Mask green! But I reckon that the green color gives it a kind of retro feel, when you put it on;)





2) The Neutrogena Wave Power Cleanser. When I first bought this little wonder, my friend said she would never buy anything Vanessa Hudgens was advertising - lol:) I was also kind of sceptical but I had been eyeing it for close to a year and when the new wave duo came out I decided to give it a try. I think I paid 14 dollars for it. The Neutrogena Wave is a battery-operated power cleanser. It uses foaming pads with cleanser infused right inside them. To use the Wave, I simply install a single pad and push the switch to turn it on. The whole machine vibrates gently. I activate the cleanser pad with a bit of water and then massage the foam onto my face to remove dirt, oil and exfoliate my face. It works a lot better than an ordinary cleansing. I could use it every day with the Deep Clean Foaming Pads, but found that I like the Shine Free Blemish Free Pads better and by using them twice a week my skin just looks better and feels softer!



3) Ocean Salt from Lush. I've raved about this exfoliator before. I would suggest using this once every other week, and the mint julep mask on the weeks in between. The scrub smells like a marvelous margarita and leaves your skin baby smooth. The lime in the scrub really leaves your skin with a sense of having been deep cleaned. Love love love it! I am very tempted to try out some of the other face stuff from Lush. However, a friend told me that Angels on bare skin is kind of hard to work with but the reviews out there are great, so I may just go ahead and try it anyways.



4) Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser For Normal to Oily Skin. OMG! I used to use the Clinique Facial Soap Bar in regular and then the Clinique Liquid Facial Soap in Mild but none of them even come close to compare with my new love. The Cetaphil Cleanser. Cetaphil Daily Facial Cleanser for normal to oily skin was formulated for dermatologists as a gentle, non-irritating cleanser for normal to oily skin. It's non-comedogenic, meaning that it won't clog your pores. I began using this last August and I've been loving it every day since. It cleans my face so well. It's so gentle and yet - The only down fall: I can't get seem to buy it, the Mint Julep Mask or the Wave pads in Denmark so I have to order it from the U.S. Anyone know if and where Cetaphil is sold in Denmark because I need to stuck up on them! Another plus is the price: Cetaphil is 7.99 for 8.0 fl. oz vs. Clinique's 15.00 for 6.7 fl.oz.



5) Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion - of the 3-step system the only thing that has survived is their amazing lotion. Of all the face lotions I've ever tried, I keep coming back to this one and I feel the difference immediately! I love how it makes my skin smoother, softer and thoroughly moisturized.

So what are your five favorites? Feel free to leave your favorites in the comment box below!

xoxo

msbeautyblogger

BeautyBlog7 - My Love for LUSH

I've fallen in love. The love is so strong it makes me do the strangest things. Like shower several times a day.

I've fallen in love with Lush.

Who introduced me to LUSH? YouTube and Allthatglitters21, who in her videos Lush Haul!, Lush Goodies! and I adore Lush Holiday Goodies! convinced me that I had to try out these amazing bath and body products. A friend of mine, who's addicted to Lush also highly recommended that I gave it a try - keep in mind folks, that this was all before my Project 10 Pan began!

LUSH sells fresh handmade natural cosmetics complete range of natural handmade bath and body products! They smell amazing and are made of organic fruit and vegetables, essential oils, and safe-synthetic ingredients in all products produced.I actually lived close to one in the U.S. a year ago, but never went. I know - SO STUPID;)

Anyways, Elle and like a billion other YouTubers convinced me to try it out! So in December I decided to order - twice ;) Living in Denmark I had to order from the U.K since Denmark sadly doesn't have a Lush store! LUSH LAUNCH IN DENMARK!!!

Okay, so I got my to packages and the amazing scents they gave out filled the entire kitchen, when I opened them. For now the second box is in my bedroom and the scents are amazing! Sweet, fruity and lemony;)

So here are the goodies I got from Lush:



Snow Fairy Shower Gel is a limited Christmas edition. The fragrance is sweet as pink cotton candy, mixed with soothing vanilla. And I absolutely love how it makes my skin smell after the shower. Like cotton candy!



Rock Star Soap - a definite favorite! Sweet as bubble gum and scented with vanilla. Leaves me smelling like bubble gum and sweet candy for hours!



Another favorite, which I raved about in my December 2009 favorites: Sweetie Pie Shower Jelly. The jello-like substance is kind of wierd at first, but as soon as I tried it out I fell in love with it. It has the softest best smelling lather ever. Description from Lush.com: "Lashings of blackcurrant and bergamot essential oils in a sour cherry and coconut jelly make this about as fruity as you can get. It is incredibly difficult to resist taking a spoonful. Instead, take a handful and smooth it over your hair and body. Passing strangers will smell you and find their minds wandering to fruit pastilles."



Ocean Salt Face Scrub from Lush.The scrub smells like a marvelous margarita and leaves your skin baby smooth. The lime in the scrub really leaves your skin with a sense of having been deep cleaned. Love love love it!



Angels Delight soap has yet to be tried out but I love the fruity, orangy smell it has. Very fresh and a sweet fruity scent. The small glitter stars makes it even better!



Wiccy Magic Muscles Massage Bar. I was convinced I had to get this for my parents since it supposedly helped aching muscles. They both suffer from a bad back. The bar almost melts as you rub it into the skin - I don't really think it helped but my dad is convinced that the smell is exactly like that of the Danish Christmas cookie: Brunkage - think cinnamon and spices. I will not be buying this again. Also the little beans are just kinda weird if you ask me. The bar would melt away before you got some actual massaging done.



The Up You Gets Emotibomb is supposed to wake you up in the morning with it's slap of lime, lemon and grapefruit. Place the emotibomb on the shower floor and while you shower it will fizz and the scents will leave you awake and ready to face the day. I have yet to try this one out. I am loving how it smells and honestly I can't bring myself to use it :) Reviews say it's 10 minutes - and that's it...so for now I just smell it everytime I pass the box:)



The American Cream Conditioner has the most amazing smell of fruits and vanilla. Honey and vanilla are put in to soften and fresh strawberries and oranges to add shine, it takes on the toughest tangles and roughest frizz, all the while smelling like a sweet honey milkshake. you'll catch a whiff every time you turn your head and wonder where that 1950s diner is. BUT the thing is I don't think it works. True it leaves my hair smelling amazing all day long but the detangling? Not happning, so as a conditioner, at least for my hair it's a no go from now on!



Flying Fox Shower Gel is another thing I have not tried yet. And I've actually decided not to. I'm giving this away to a good friend, because she deserves a little luxury:) It's described like this by Lush: Lots of women would love to believe that they were Cleopatra in a past life. Chances are though that they were somebody more like Mildred. Or Bob. Fortunately, a bunch of fabulous jasmine flowers decided to reincarnate as Flying Fox shower gel. Its infinitely sexy and mysterious scent makes any shower fit for a queen. And we added some honey so you can stay sweet in case all that power goes to your head. Divine!



Yummy, Yummy, Yummy Shower Gel is another thing I have not tried yet. And like with Flying Fox, I've actually decided not to. I'm giving this away to another good friend, because she too deserves a little luxery:) Girls, this will keep you guessing;)



The Godmother Soap is the soap bar version of Snow Fairy, which is good because I only got two small bottles of Snow Fairy and I can't survive the rest of the year without smelling like cotton candy :-) Have yet to try it but am sure I will love it!

Last but not least, I decided to try one of the retro soaps sold on the Lush Website for Christmas.



The 17 Cherry Tree Lane soap is supposed to evoke the transient cherry blossom season of Japan. With mimosa, orange blossom and jasmine, its gorgeous floral scent. According to Lush, 17 Cherry Tree Lane is named after the place Mary Poppins turned up when she blew in on the east wind to take care of Jane and Michael Banks. Lush even added a spoonful of sugar into the mixture:) I've yet to try this out and I already love the floral scent, which reminds me of a time where I lived in a city full of Cherry Tree in bloom!

The thing about Lush products is that we all have individual scents that we like and dislike. It's hard to read how a soap really smells or if you'd like it. I looked at quite a lot of reviews and tried to order from the most popular soaps/products the first time. Also I stuck to what I knew I liked already - sweet scents, light florals and berry/fruity scents. I have yet to try the chocolate soaps and the skin care products!

I highly encourage you to try out Lush! It's amazing and makes shower time a luxury even on a rainy day!

LUSH UK WEBSITE - right now they have great deals - with free stuff included!

Lots of Lush - eh...love!

xoxo

msbeautyblogger