My Cosmetic Side: Creams

One of my cousins has always used one cream only, to treat her entire face. Well, most of my life it has not worked for me. Whenever I used a face cream in the under eye area, my eyes were bugging me terribly. Besides, make up does not look too good when you apply some rich stuff near the eyelids. That is why this part of my face, the thinner and more delicate skin, requires special care, meaning eye cream.

Moisturizing, besides cleaning and toning,  is a vital part of my everyday face care routine. I still remember my very first face product, which I started using when I was about sixteen. The cream name was Juvilla. It was very light, had a pleasant, delicate and quite distinguish smell. I loved it. I can also recall, it was packed in a bluish tube with a white cap.
Later, in my early twenties, the time came when I first bought an eye cream. And has been using under eye care products since then.
Thorough all those years, I have tried many creams/brands. One of the best was an evening primrose facial cream. I had it a long time ago, so I do not know what or who the manufacturer was.But I do remember the elegant and rather heavy, glass jar with a cork top.

Nowadays, due to a damaged facial nerve, buying face care product is a kind of roulette to me. The point is: what half of my face likes, the other one most often hates. The nerve, which has been fixed, is very picky and does not tolerate most face creams. How do I know that? It simply announces the dislike with a terrible pain. The level of such pain is not funny at all, I can assure you. That is why the buying part is so difficult. I very often end up with a care item/moisturizer which I can use on one side of my face only, since the other side says painful 'no' to it. This makes the cream/lotion  application a bit complicated.

All in all, I have had some facial and eye cream which were gentle enough to be used on my entire face / under both eyes. It makes me happy when I come across such an item and can take care of the skin on my face with no pain effects.

What has worked best for me so far (meaning all my face needs)?

Eye cream

All About Eyes by Clinique
Renergie Eye by Lancome

Both products improve the condition of the delicate skin around/under eyes, in different ways though. The first one is good for puffiness and dark circles, the second one works more on the anti-wrinkle side.

I also quite liked the eye contour gel by Clarins. However, I used it as a moisturizing support only. The gel formula was good to be applied on make up as well. It was not rich enough to be used on its own.
Anyway, a kind of disadvantage of the above products is that they are rather pricey.

A cheaper option was something by Yves Rocher. Unfortunately, it has been discontinued.

Recently, I have 'discovered' Burt's Bees Sensitive Daily Moisturizing Cream. Although it is too light for my face, it is a perfect under-eye cream considering my facial nerve requirements - does not sting my eyes either.
Another item on my list was ender-eye cream Alterra for mature skin - great moisturizer for dry and sensitive skin. I used to buy it when in Europe - it is available in Rossmann stores only.

Face cream/care

• Dramatically Different Moisturizing gel for dry skin by Clinique - that was truly great indeed. 
• Day Wear Plus by Estee Lauder - I am not sure whether this version of Deay Wear morning/evening cream is still available. The one which I had was wonderful and smelled like cucumbers.

• I still use the Velvety Facial Moisturizer by Yves Rocher. It is one of my most favorite products which contains natural ingredients mainly - I wrote more bout it here.
•  If you have Rossmann stores where you live (Europe), I recommend Alterra Orchid face cream for mature skin. It has its morning and evening version and it contains coenzym Q + vitamin E (among others), moisturizes well and smells nice. Another plus is that it does not cost much.
• Right now, I am testing Equate face cream for dry skin. It seems to be something I have been looking for - replenishes my skin, makes it looks smother and, what is most important - it works well on my entire face, including the under-eye area. I bought it as I was tired with all the more expensive facial products which disappointed me considering my face special needs. I thought to myself then: 'if I buy this inexpensive cream and it does not work for me, at least I do not waste much money again'. Happy to say, it does work and my face likes it a lot! Besides, it is a type of day and night care thing in one. Well, I know that day and night creams are not the same, as they support the skin in different ways. Having had all the problems with the creams, I come to the point, I would want to use one only (like my cousin) and call it good. Anyway, next time, I will try the original formula of the face cream which is made by Ponds.

Not only the products which we use to treat our face matter, it is also important how we apply them. I usually spread a cream on my fingertips and tap it gently on my skin, including the eye area. To relax the muscles between the eyes, where two vertical lines often appear, I put the cream on my forehead and massage it at the same time (moving eg. two middle fingers - both hands - simultaneously/ see the picture below).

And what is your favorite face care product?

One of My Hair & Makeup Makeovers

I came across this photo quite recently. It was taken a few years ago, on a very enjoyable summer day, after my two makeover sessions:

1. First, I had my hair done by the hairdresser who was taking care of my hair styling at that time. 
2. Straight after that, I went to a local Douglas Perfumery , where I had a free makeup session (which was a gift for a purchase I had made at the store earlier). It was such fun!

Both sessions were very relaxing and pleasant. I enjoyed sitting with my eyes closed and being taken care of by the hairstylist and the makeup artist. I looked in a mirror only at the end each treatments, to see the results. And did I like them. :).

I especially enjoyed the makeup experience at the Douglas store. Here are the details on the items used by the makeup artist then - I asked her to create an everyday summer look.

Face:

• Foundation: Lancome Teint Idole Ultra #02*
• Concealer: Clinique Line Smoothing Concealer 02 Light
• Powder: Clinique Blended Face Powder #20
• Blush: Clarins #80 Framboise
• Bronzer: Clinique #02 Sunkissed

Lips

• Lipstick: EL M. Kors #04
• Lip Gloss: Colorless Gloss by Collistar
• Lip Pencil: Lancome #310

Eyes

• Eyeshadows: Dior 5 Couleurs  #659
• Mascara: Clinique High Definition Lashes
• Brow Gel: #43 by Isadora
• Eye Pencil: Clinique #02 Smoky Brown
• Eyelid Base: by Sensai Kanebo

* The shades are numbered in a different way in the US

Eye Makeup: Glittery Glitter

I am a great fun of these glittery, nicely pigmented  eye shadows by Sephora. Each of them contains tiny, glittery, star like particles which add the sparkling light to the makeup. They are long lasting, paraben free and 'eye friendly' - the shimmery and pearly pigments do not irritate my eyes. What's more, they simply give a flawless and pretty look.
I have had these eye shadows for some time (I decorated them with the two flowers to cover some obvious spots which appear when an eye shadow disappears) and I have been using them in various combinations - blending all the three shades or adding another one of a different brand. The white eye shadow works great as a highlighter too.
Although Tender Pink and Tango Night are no longer available in the current Sephora Collection (and Wedding Day is marked as No. 67 now), there are still other, also similar colors, on offer.

The blue lagoon eye shadow by Clinique complements the above colors, eg. used to crease, as the shimmery factor is much lighter and more delicate than the one in the glittery shades described above. What is important, the eye shadow is suitable for very sensitive eyes. Well, I find it quite beautiful and it looks lovely when used on its own as well. The Lagoon is part of  'All About Shadow Single' collection which includes Soft Matte, Soft Shimmer and Super Shimmer colors.

3W Lagoon - Soft Shimmer - by Clinique

Another slightly glittery product is the eye and cheek luminizer by Sephora. This little thing adds some twinkling magic to the makeup when I use all mat shades. It gives sheer, almost transparent coverage so it can be applied on any matte shade or on 'naked' face/ eyelids. It is also paraben free so my skin and eyes like it too. I was hesitating whether to by this luminizer or not as it was not cheap. I am glad I finally decided to purchase it - since I use only a little while applying it, it will last long. Besides, the shade has already been discontinued.

And now the eye liner - to complete the eye makeup. It has no stardust or shimmery ingredients but the bright blue color by Oriflame defines the eye in a grand but also cute way. In my opinion, it is a good quality product - its texture allows to draw precise, thin and thicker lines, it does not smear and stays on the eyelids long.

Finally, if you feel like adding a glowing, golden touch to the eye, you can decorate the eyelashes with this Shimmer Tips mascara by Avon (after applying a regular black mascara to the entire eyelashes). I bought it some time ago, when it was available, but I do not use it very often. Actually, I have never tried it with the all glittery eyeshadow makeup. Certainly it is not a part of my everyday look but it can add some fun to the carnival or party image.

Big (and hot) Summer Day Makeup

It is this time of the year when some of us start missing the warmth of the summer. The colder it is getting outside, the nicer it is to think about the sunny summer or spring days when the weather was a bit more comfortable. However, it all depends where you are - in certain places in the world, the heat of the summer months makes you dream of the winter.
Not long ago I was looking for makeup items which would not fail on a hottest day, meaning the temperatures and the climate of course.
This is what I found (see the picture below).

Each piece is a kind of art achievement in the field of cosmetics. They worked well for me, despite of the high summer temperatures and high levels of air humidity.  Their prices are on a more expensive side though, which is a kind of disadvantage. I find them great anyway.

1. SENSAI Smoothing Water Make-Up Base by Kanebo
 
From the manufacturer's website: "SENSAI combines advanced skincare technology with the supreme power of its precious signature ingredient, Koishimaru Silk. This extraordinary fusion of science and nature works in harmony with the body, creating flawlessly silky skin that enhances every woman’s unique beauty." Japan's Koishimaru Silk hydrates skin and stimulates the production of hyaluronic acid within the skin. You can read more about this magical silk here.
The base is absolutely wonderful. It 'creates a taut, invisible veil that leaves the skin firmer, smoother and primed for make-up' - all true. It not only keeps the face skin moist and relaxed all day long, but also gives it a kind of natural, radiant look. Three little drops of the base are enough to cover the entire face, which makes the product last quite long.

2. SENSAI Cellular Performance Total Finish Foundation (with SPF 15) by Kanebo.

 Another great product - a true gem. Although it is a powder foundation, it is good for dry skin as it gives it a pleasant and moist feel. The foundation is easy to apply flawlessly to the face with a sponge provided by the manufacturer. The Total Finish Foundation is so light like a delicate veil, even after wearing it for many hours I do not feel it on my face - the skin stays relaxed and radiant. The foundation covers skin imperfections quite well and does not clog pores.
I bought a refill  package of  this SENSAI item (which helped reduce the price of the product), which included the foundation in a convenient box + the sponge. The refill version works as well as the product  in its original package. The powder base stayed in place and looked good on my face even when the summer temperatures were reaching 100F. However, it seems that 'my' Bamby Beige shade is no longer on offer.

3. SENSAI Eyelid Base by Kanebo

 
Its formula reminds a very light cream - it moisturizes eyelids and enhances the colors of eye shadows/eyeliner. A small amount of the base applied to eyelids with a finger helps keep the eye make up in place. It does not irritate my eyes, simply adds a touch of comfort to the eyelids.

4. Blush Prodige Illuminating Cheek Colour by Clarins

What I like about Clarins products (besides their quality) is that some of them are provided in red, velvet etuis which, in my opinion, add  cuteness to every item (and purchase).  I use this blush when I do not apply the Meteorites (read below). There are two mat and two shimmering shades in the blush box. My complexion is rather pale so this delicate, satin and illuminating color gives my face a healthy glow. It covers the skin evenly, without any ugly darker spots or marks. According to the manufacturer, the blush contains plant and mineral extracts. The little brush included in the box is rather better for a retouch than a regular application, but still it is a convenient addition - quite handy when away from your big blush brush. However, I have never done the retouch thing as I simply never needed to do it.

5. Meteorites - Powder for the Face by Guerlain

The illuminating powder consists of  light-diffusing balls/pearls which five colors depend on their purpose. The white pearls illuminate the skin, green color helps to correct redness, yellow pearls highlight and catch natural light, mauve ones brighten the face and the red ones give it a nice glow. The pearls contain a spherical pigment which brightens the skin with a halo - radiant effect. The Meteorites can be applied in different ways (see the tutorial video included below). I like to sweep them with a brush over my temples only, just for an illuminating effect.


 

The handcrafted powder pearls are available in three different color sets. The powder is really efficient - even if used every day, lasts really long - which maybe rewarding - considering not only its great properties but also quality - and price.

6. Blended Face Powder And Brush by Clinique

 The powder is supposed to be good for all skin types. What I can say about it is that my, a bit dry, skin likes it. It does set makeup quite well, with a natural look/feel effect on the face even during a hot summer. It is also useful when I want to give my face some nice shade without using any foundation. The brush size is good enough to put the right amount of powder on the face - without unwanted excess.

7. Instant Light Brush-on Perfector - Concealer by Clarins 

It is one of the best concealers I have ever used. It covers and brightens dark shadows, moisturizes, and smooths the skin. This Perfector contains oat sugars and Clarins Light Optimzing Complex which make the under-eye area not only look but also feel great.

8. Eye Shadows from Eye Shadow Pallette by Yves Rocher

Yes, I really like them! The shadows are quite high pigmented, cover the eyelids evenly and stay on them all day long. They do not crease and do not fall on the face during applying them around the eye area. The pearl shadows look good also in the daylight and, what matters to me, they are 'eye-friendly' - do not sting/irritate the eyes.

9. Long-Lasting Eye Liner by Sephora

The eye liner defines the eyes nicely. Its consistency helps to draw flawless lines, it doesn't smear and gets dry on the eyelid quite fast. However, to avoid marks below the eyebrow area, I usually kept my eye closed for a moment after putting the eyeliner on the upper lid eyelashes line.

10. False Lash Effect Waterproof Mascara by Max Factor

I enjoyed using the mascara. It thickened and lengthened the eyelashes, giving them a nice but not artificial look. I have already run out of it and I did not take a picture of it. Well, it was really good.

And finally something for the lips.

11. Double Wear Stay-in-Place Lip Pencil by Estee Lauder

One of the products that have never failed my expectations. The pencil is soft enough (but not too soft)  to define the lips and also cover them with the color quite easily. It really is a long lasting lip pencil and its slightly creamy texture does not dry my lips. The convenient brush helps with the lipstick application.

12. Perfect Rouge Lipstick by Shiseido 

Well, it is perfect for me - the illuminating color, the texture and how long it lasts on the lips. The lipstick softens and smooths my lips (it contains hyaluronic acid and Super Hydro-Wrap Vitalizing DE). It gives a nice vivid finish to the lips.