Clinique 3 step system - combination/oily skin REVIEW

WOW it's been a while! How are you guys ?? =) I've been busy busy busy as usual. But anyways. I have some time atm so I thought I would finally do my review on the Clinique 3 step skin care sytem for skin type 3 (combination/oily skin). I've been using it for about 1½ months now.

The 3 step system is designed to take care of the three most imortant things for your skin, cleanse - exfoliate - moisturize. And that is really what it's all about when taking care of your skin. While that's a great way to take care of your skin (you should at least do these three steps no matter what products you use) I feel that they haven't really hit the nail on the head with the combination/oily skin 3 step products.

With the 3 step system for combination/oily skin you get a cleanser, the dramatically different gel moisturizer and an exfoliating toner. 

I love Cliniques' liquid facial soap cleansers even for dry/normal skin, it really does a great job cleansing my face. And there's really not much difference between the formulations for the different skin types, so I suggest you just go for the one for you particular skin type as it probably will have some different ingredients that suits your skin a bit better than others.

The dramatically different gel moisturizer however have absolutely no power to it at all. It did feel nice and cooling on the skin at first but then when it sinked in to the skin the skin felt dry and not moisturized ebough. And when you have an oily skin you need moisture so your skin stops overproducing sebum (the skin oil) and I just didn't feel that the gel formula worked for that. Moisture is key for oily skin!! So I feel that the 3 step kit would be better with the normal dramatically different lotion istead of the gel..

Now on to the clarifying toner.... It's very very drying, and that is the worst thing you can do to your skin when it's oily as it tricks the skin to producing more sebum! However if you have problems with blemishes and stuff this toner absolutely works for that, allthough you do need a very moisturizing moisturizer after to give your skin that boost it needs after been dryed out..

So if you would get the lotion intead of the gel moisturizer I think this kit would have worked sooo much better for me than it did now, now I actually went from pretty good skin to bad skin with blemishes and clogged pores everywhere! It did not keep my oil at bay as it should have, it just made it worse!

So my final thoughts: I think if you are gonna use the 3 step system and have an oily skin, don't be afraid to switch out the gel moisturizer for the loiton, beacause it will make such a difference in the results!
I still stand by my Origins Balanced diet moisturizer or La-Roche Posay effaclar duo moisturizer and my he Body Shop Seaweed toner, and then I switch between Origins Checks and balanced cleanser and the Clinique liquid soap cleanser. Those products have actually changed my skin for the better, So I really sugest you try those instead of all clinique products =)

New Scent - Diesel Loverdose

So I got this perfume as a gift when I drove my mom and her friend to a party, (she works in the beauty industry so we always get something like makeup or perfume when we meet her).

I've always thought that Diesel fragrances for women are a bit "hit or miss" and mostly misses. But this one was actually a hit for me. I'm usually a fresh/floral/fruity kinda' girl and Loverdose is nothing like that. It's warm, sweet and sensual, but still in a "not too much" way. I think it suitable for nights out, holiday parties and such. 

The notes include:  mandarin, star anise, gardenia, jasmine, licorice, vanilla, amber and wood.

I think maybe it's the licorice and vanilla that makes me like this fragrance =) AND the adorable bottle!!

Review- La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo moisturizer

First - My favourite face moisturizer ever is the Origins Balanced Diet. Since I have combination skin (more oily than dry parts) I need a moisturizer that can manage both very oily skin and dry patches. This one does soooo perfectly BUT it's kinda' expensive so when I started saving more money every month I had to check out some new moisturizers.

The choice fell on the La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo, it says on the tube (first of all I LOVE moisturizer in a tube, so much more hygenic) "Corrective and unclogging anti-imperfection care".

It claims : "Reduces the appearance of imperfections. Unclogs sebum-blocked pores."
I also claims to be well suited under your makeup.

What I think :
I haven't noticed any difference with my pores BUT my skin has cleared up (from using nivea products when being broke last month) in just a week and a half (I had massive breakouts) and my skin feels hydrated but not oily. It sinks in to the skin beautifully. I haven't had any dry patches at all either so that seems to be working out aswell =)

At the pricepoint of 179 SEK vs. 350 SEK for the Origins one it most definately will replace my beloved Balanced Diet. At least for a while ^^

Review - John Frieda Go Blonder Lightening spray

I bought this when I was in Amsterdam a few weeks ago. I had been wanting this for so long and couldn't find it here in Stockholm. Anyways.. I've been using it since I got it and it definately works!

What John Frieda says:
Versatile, patent-pending formula with citrus and chamomile works with styling heat to gradually lighten and brighten for a natural-looking, blonder blonde. Contains thermo-protectant. Patent-pending technology combines fixative and conditioning polymers that retain hydrogen peroxide, allowing for control of lightening. Visibly lightens in 3-5 uses.

I say:
It has definately made my roots lighter. I have now used maybe 7 times (I don't use hair dryer or flat iron every time I've washed my ahir) and it has made a big difference. The mark between my coloured har and my roots has faded a bit and my roots are not looking as dull as they usually do (you know that greyish rat blonde). You do not need much of the product. I spray about 3 times on my roots and then maybe once lifting the hair on both sides of my face. I did see results in maybe 4-5 uses.
Now they say it has heat protectant in it allready but I always use my Tresemme heat defence anyways, just to be safe =)

Conclution:
I really recommend you giving this a try if you wanna lighten some areas (like the roots) of your hair. Maybe you just wanna maintane the summerhighlight you've gotten out in the sun during summer? I bet it would work great for keeping that sunkissed look for longer =)
5/5

Review - The Body Shop Peppermint Intensive foot rescue

So by now you've probably figured out that I like The Body Shop a LOT! ^^ When you have a friend that works there it's hard not to get sucked in haha

Anyways! This is a new summerstaple for me!

TBS says:
First aid for feet! Now with grape acids to work even harder to soften hard skin, while you sleep. Provides an overnight moisture serge to target dry cracked heels so you can wake up to softer, smoother skin.

I say: OH YES YES YES! When we walk in our flip flops and ballerina shoes that really don't have any kind of soft base (what's it called?) for our feet our heels tend to get very hard and cracked. Doesn't help when you go in the water aswell. So we need this! I use it when I've taken a bath or shower at night time and scrubbed my feet. When I wake up in the morning my feet feels so much softer and doesn't hurt (cracked heels hurt sometimes!). It feels cooling and the peppermint scent hangs on a while and I love that!

Conclution?

Love it 5/5

Review - The Body Shop´s Vitamine E Face Mist

I have a friend that's works at The Body Shop and she says she CAN*T live without this product. So she gave me one. (Thank you ^^)

What The Body Shop says:
A quick skin pick-me up and excellent for setting make-up. Spritz it on for instant refreshment, moisture, and protection. With a delicate rosewater scent.


What I say:
It's absolutely a pick-me up, but on the other hand which face mist isn't?? 
It is excellent for setting your make-up. I've found that it actually makes a huge difference on me. I haven't been using it during the last couple of days and my make-up lasted for a good 3 hours less than when I use it, so that's a big + and proof of it actually working. 
The scent is very refreshing aswell =)


Conclution:
Great setting/pick-me up face mist! I can honestly say that it beats the crap out of my MAC Fix+. It's equally great as my Make Up Store Face mist though =)
(I have oily skin)

Review - CLINIQUE Lash power Mascara long wearing formula..

This is the first and only Clinique mascara I've ever tried. First I was impressed, my lashes looked so nice, but then it failed =/

What Clinique says:

Winner of the Look Magazine Mascara Awards for Best Waterproof Mascara. 
Vows to look pretty for 24 hours without a smudge or smear. One stroke and these pretty lashes last through rain, sweat, humidity, tears. Yet the formula removes easily with warm water. Unique brush reaches and beautifully lengthens even the tiniest of lashes. Ophthalmologist tested, too.

• Benefits: Long Wearing

What I say:

Yay, it's an awardwinning mascar, great for Clinique.. I however can't see how it could win =/ OK, if they only judge the waterproof part of the mascara I can see how it won.. For me it dries so clumpy and the clumps fall off so I'm left with not that full black lashes. So the vow to look pretty for 24 hours is shot to..... It doesn't smudge or smears but it doesn't stay on your lashes so it's hard to smudge and smear, right?! (It does look good for about 2 hours on me..)Now there is one thing I like about the mascara, the brush! Really easy to use =)

Conclution?

If you've tried this mascara and it works for you, then great! It just didn't work well for me. The thing I hate most is when mascaras fall off, crumbles as you wear it, it's just awful! 

MU Remover tip - TBS Camomile Gentle Eye Make up remover (great for your kit)

This eye make up remover is a gentle perfume free really easy to use remover. It comes in a 250ml(8.4 us fl oz) bottle and costs 110SEK ( around US$17 & UK £10 - but I'm gessing it's way cheaper in the US).

You only need a cotton pad with this remover on in, let it sit on the eye for a few seconds and then just gently swipe away your make up. This is not made for removing waterproof make up, however it does that too. Just let it sit on your eyes a few seconds more and it works perfectly!

This is the remover I use in my professional kit. It's cheap and works great, it's perfume free, which is very important, you never know when you're gonna do make up on a client who is allergic. Of course you can ask your client (you should ask) but they might not know yet if they are allergic to heavy perfumed products. It's better to be safe than sorry ! ;)

Review - ORIGINS Checks and balances frothy face wash

ORIGINS says:

"When it comes to faces with dry and oily places, it takes a clever cleanser to balance the two. This gentle, frothy face wash carefully does both jobs without canceling each other out. Broad Leaf Kelp Extract discourages excess oil production, while Wheat Protein balances and protects dry prone zones. And Tourmaline actually makes water wetter to more easily disperse dirt and sebum down the drain. There’s also aromatic Bergamot, Spearmint and Lavender to add pleasure to the process. Skin feels comfortably refreshed after cleansing, never tight, pulled or parched."

I say:

This face wash does exactly what they say it does! It balance my combination skin, leaving my dry areas moisturized and my oily areas not oily. When I use this my skin feels freshened and clean and I don't know how to explain it but I feel that it has worked it's magic after every time I use it, I can almost feel it working on my skin hehe.. As I said it leaves my skin feeling clean and soft even if it feels like it's still wokring on my skin after I washed it off.. It also feels nicely cooling when you use, almost like it's camling your skin down..

You don't need a lot of product, a peasize is really enough for you entire face! So it lasts a long long time, I only have a 20ml sample and it has lasted me for months (haven't used it eveyday though but still, I have been using it on and off every 2 weeks or so), with a full size, I wouldn't be surprised if it lasts someone almost half a year.. It smells fantastic, kinda' minty..

If you have combination oily skin I really recommend you try it, ask for a sample, or buy it and if you don't like it give it to someone who might.. But I'm 99% sure that you will like it! ;P

BUY IT?:

I don't know where they sell Origins in stores in the US but you can buy it online HERE.. Also if you buy it online you get to choose a free sample of a pruduct, right now you have the option of a 5ml sample of their best selling GinZing eye cream that has been talket about by many..

In the UK you can't buy it HERE and in stores, I think I baught my first Balanced diet moisturiser at John Lewis in London.

Review - NIVEA pure&natural colours foundation

I'll start off with saying that I've never ever been impressed by Nivea foundations. I've never bought one of my own until now, I've tried samples before and they have always been greasy and just awful..

BUT now it's a different story!! When Nivea came out with their pure&natural line I was so happy. They have finally taken the plunch out into the world of more natural ingridients that the rest of the beauty worl have done a long time ago..

Anyways, the foundation: NIVEA SAYS: an easy comfortable foundation that leaves your skin with an even and natural finish, no mask-effect!

I say: YES! I does leave your skin feeling natural and nice but still has great coverage and actually holds up during the day.. I think it's like a babysister to the Revlon ColorStay foundation hehe.. The finish is so similar and the coverage is just a tiny bit less than the Colorstay.. It does not hold up as long as the colorstay but it lasts a normal workday (8 hours) for sure.. Of course it depeds on what your doing, I'm basing it on an office work.. It's actually very similar to the NARS Sheer glow foundation aswell as the Colorstay now that I think about it, the sheer glow foundation has more of that natural finish.. Colorstay is a tiny bit more matte than the pure&natural and Sheer glow..

PROS: Great natural finish, medium- buildable coverage, stays put during the day w/o primer - longer with primer (on me with oily/combination skin), it's not drying and at the same time not greasy, doesn't break me out (most of nivea face stuff do actually) affordable!

CONS: Doesn't stay put as long as the Colorstay and the Sheer glow, might be a bit to oily on a very oily skin - but a good primer should take care of that, doesn't have a good colour range - I got the 02 nude cuz it was the lightest out of 5 available in the store but it's a tiny bit too pink for me- but it works.-

Would I recommend?? YES, If you're on a budget or just don't want to spend you money on an expensive foundation when you can pay less this is perfect.. If your looking for great coverage (medium-buildable) with a very nice natural finish this is perfect.. I would recommend the Colorstay if you really want staying power all day through night but if you don't need that I say go fot the NIVEA one =)

Conclution: 4/5 - based on the fact that it just doesn't stay put as long as my revlon Colorstay, otherwise perfect!!

Review - The Body Shop Vitamin E Eye Cream

I know this is the third review in a row but I've just tried so many nice products lately and I just have to share.. I myself love reading and listening to reviews, they inpire me to try more products or redescover some I allready have and they just might make me not want to try other products.. Perfect! ^^

What they say:
A moisturizing eye cream that helps protect the delicate skin around the eye area, reducing the appearance of fine lines, puffiness, and dark circles, leaving skin feeling soft and smooth. Contains moisturizing shea butter and rose hip oil.

What I say:
First of all when my friend gave me a sample of this I was so unsure of it. I thought it would be too thick an greasy and maybe even break me out as the day cream does. BOY was I wrong! This eye cream is thin you can feel it moisturizing your eye area and it settles very nicely.

I do feel that it has helped my puffiness (I have really bad puffiness when I'm tired and some when I'm not) and that's really something no eye cream has ever done!! My dirk circles is not that bad anymore and my fine lines (yes I have one line under each eye) seams to be less visable.

You don't need much of the cream  to cover your eye area, you just need the tiniest amount, my cream is in a jar so I just very lightly touch the cream with my finger and that's all i need for both eyes. My jar is gonna last me a looooong time!

Conclution:
I really like this! It's moisturizing but not thick and uncomfortable. I think this is very suitable for teens- adults and when you're getting to you early/mid thirties you might want to switch to a more antiageing eye cream.

As I said in my last review: Walk straight to th nearest Body Shop store and ask for a sample! =)

Review - The Body Shop Tea tree Face mask

I have only used it ones but I was so impressed that I had to give a review right away ^^

(picture not mine)

What The Body Shop says it does :
Instantly cooling mask helps to remove impurities and absorb excess oil whilst soothing and calming blemish prone skin, Skin is left feeling deeply cleansed, calm and refreshed.

What I say :
It did remove impurities and absorbed the excess oil, it is very strong and drying but it's so good that it's something that I feel I can get past.. It lieves your skin feeling very dry but oh so clean.. when I used it I had maybe 10 or more blemishes all over the face that were big red and hurt, you know, acne blemishes.. I used the face mask on clean skin and left it on for about 7 minutes (instruction says 5 - 10).. I used it before going to bed and when I woke up all the blemishes had faded and dried out, some were all gone and some you could just hint that they were there..So i wouldn't describe the mask as The Body Shop does, I would describe it more : Removes impurities and blemishes over night. Use just 10 minutes before moisturiser at night time and wake up blemishfree.. ^^

Conclution : 
It works!! It does remove impurities and blemishes, perfect for blemished skin.. Because it's so strong I wouldn't recommend anyone to use it more than once, or if you have very oily and acne prone skin maybe twice or three times a week.. And be sure you wash your face and moisturise well after, as I said it will dry out you skin.. I believe this could be used as an excellent spot treatment aswell as a face mask, so if you have that important date or jobinterview and a zit appears try dotting a little of this green clay mask on it before you go to bed =) If you have sensitive skin it might be good to try it on the neck before you put it all over your face, just in case you are allergic or something like that..

So, if you have trubble with blemishes, walk traight to The Body Shop and ask for a sample of the Tea Tree Face Mask! =)

Review - Maybelline Eyestudio Lasting Drama Gel Eyeliner 24H

I'm gonna start of by telling you what Maybelline themselves states with this gel eyeliner:
Gel Formula - Lasts 24H - Non transfer - Intense Colour - Easy application (fine or thick line)

Second what I say:
Gel Formula - Last 24H - Non transfer - Intense Colour - Easy application (fine or thick line)
Hehe! I really do agree with what they state this eyeliner does.

Gel formula- uh duh! But kidding aside it's really nicely formulated and not greasy or clumpy at all like for example the Coastal Scents ones, they are very greasy and clumpy - they do make great colour bases on the lid but on me they just don't work as gel liners.

Lasts 24H & Non transfer - YES! Well, I haven't been wearing it for 24 hours, I've removed it before it has gone that long but when I've removed it it hasen't moved or transfered or lost its colour. I have even gone working out with it on just to really but it to the ultimate test, and it STAYED ON even though I swetted like a pig (and my eyelids are very greasy and oily when I'm nt working out so imagine when I do work out)!!

These pics are from after my workout! You can see that my mascara has fallen down under my eyes but the liner hasn't moved or faded =)

Intense Colour - It does have great colour payoff but I wouldn't call it Intense hehe.. Don't get me wrong as I said it does have great colour payoff!

Easy application (thin or thick) -  I would say it's pretty easy.. It is very easy to do a thin or a thick line it is beacause the liner brush that the liner comes with is kinda' a mini mini lipbrush so it's not pointed as other liner brushes, it's flat.. That means that it's easy do do a thin line when you use the brush sideways, and easy to do a thick line when you use it straight on like a painting brush.. It is a bit tricky to do the perfect in between line, but as it is with everything - the more ou do it the easier it gets =)

Other: It does take a while for it to really dry so just be careful not to smudge it, if you don't want to, if you want to then go for it ;) Just something to think about but not really anything that is desturbing (at least to me) =)

Conclution:
I REALLY RECOMMEND THIS GEL EYELINER! It has almost everything a gel liner need to have to be great! It's  just awesome! Here in sweden it costed me 119kr = $18.53 (I know you peaple in the US are gonna freak out when you read the price I paid).. In the US it costs around $9.99..

MAC Kissable Lipcolours - Exxhibitionist & Enchantée

Review/First impressions!

I was really curious about this new trend with liquid listicks when it came. I think Chanel was first to come out with them and then everyone else jumped on the wagon. I think it's just a brilliant! idea.. I myself tend to not like lipglosses, I think most of them are too shiny and too sticky and also too sheer.. So I tend to use creamy lipsticks instead when I want colour on my lips, but sometimes that feels a little bit boring and I want some more shine but not as shiny as glosses.. So for me this is just perfect!


Now, I do still want to try the Chanel ones (can't remember what they are called) but they are very expensive. But the MAC Kissable colours are  not that expensive and therefore I could justify it ^^

The collection of lipcolours had a lot of beautiful shades, from red to very very nude to coral and pink. I bet anyone could find a colours that are suitable. I grabbed the coral red Exxhibitionist and the pale pink Enchantée.
They feel very creamy on the lips and the actually stay put quite nicely without a lipliner.. They are very pigmented so they are very easy to cover you lips with in just a few swipes.. I really really like these =)

Exxhibitionist

Enchantée

FOTD with Exxhibitionist on the lips..

My favorite of the two I must say is the bright coral red Exxhibitionist.. It's a great alternative fro those that doesn't feel very comfortable in bright red but still want some kinda' red colour, just a little bit softer.. This colour will also look AMAZING in the summer with a tan =D

The Pale pink Enchantée reminds me a lot of Creme Cup lilpstick and The Viva Glam Gaga one.. It's kinda' a mixture between those two actually..

I really recommend trying out these Kissable Lipcolours from MAC, they are very much worth the money =)